New Ride: KITT

On Wednesday, April 16 I got a text message from one, Matt Remus. He was asking (short-notice) if I could take Thursday, April 24 off from work so we can do some power-riding. He was leaving his job of almost 10 years Wednesday and wanted to mark the occasion by riding bikes Thursday. I said "sure!" It was rare timing in that my wife didn't have to work the previous night, work has been slower than usual and they're asking everyone to burn up their vacation before the end of our fiscal year.

In less than 3 hours later from that text and commitment, I had put money down on a new bike. Matt decided that our mode of riding would be off-road and since the $3200 Cannondale F29 Carbon was (again) not in my budget, I had been eyeing cyclocross bikes instead. Cannondale just came out with some nice entry level aluminum cyclocross bikes with road disc brakes. And, at less than half the price of the MTB I was dreaming of, I was sold! GR Bicycle Company happened to be running a week-long sale. Could the timing have been more perfect? Riding with a great friend, a day off from work....on a brand new bike.

His name: KITT. After David Hasslehof's 1980's black back-sass talking TransAm. Let me tell you something about me and bikes. As a kid I was totally into cars (and still kind of am). I used to pretend when ripping around on my bikes that I was any of my television idols, driving their cars. Three of my most recent bikes have been named after cars: The General Lee (R.I.P old friend), my road bike, Enzo (after Ferrari, since it's color is very similar to Ferrari red) and now K.I.T.T., Sexy black.

Rail Trail Tree Hopping

We had a pretty nasty hail and wind storm two weeks ago. A week after the storm, I decided to just blast up the rail trail for a quick ride. Had to hop some downed trees...big ones!

The Day Barry-Roubaix Crushed Me Down.

Wow. I'm not sure what happened. I followed all my usual pre-race routines. The week's hydration. The nutrition. The morning prep. I felt fine and actually more confident than last year in which I hadn't done hardly any riding the month prior. Granted the course was going to be softer than last year with the recent winter thaw and rain the night before. I was sure my time would be a bit slower, but maybe not that bad.

I got shredded. Destroyed. Almost brought to my knees. Let's put it this way...I was ONE HOUR slower than last year. One entire hour. Sixty minutes. 73 out of 75 in my age group. What...the hell?! I've never been that low in the standings. I can't blame that on mud alone.

Everything seemed fine until around mile 10 or so when my calves started to cramp. Okay, I've had that before, no problem. I stopped about a mile or so later to switch out my gloves since my hands were super hot, also to take a minute or so break so I could eat a Clif Shot gel. From that point on, I just kept getting slower and slower and slower.

Around mile 16.5 I was feeling really down. It was also at this time that the final few Rapid Wheelmen starting about 8 waves behind me, passed. At mile 20 I was mad. Flat out pissed. Head down, hardly looking up and around. What is going on? This isn't right. Four mph up the hills. Seven mph on the flats. Granny gear almost full-time. Wondering where my wife was so I could get a ride back to the finish. Done. Toast. If this was my first mountain bike race, it would for sure be my last. Who would submit themselves to this garbage!?

At that point, a friend of mine's co-worker, Rob, came riding up. He asked how I was doing.
I told him "I'm bad, Rob. Real bad."
He said "Okay, no problem, I'll ride with you."
Me: "How are you?"
Rob: "Good, I feel really good. I had a flat tire at about mile ten and decided to just take it easy."
Me: "Well, don't wait for me, you'll be out here all day."
Rob: "Don't worry about it. I got nothing to do. You're gonna finish this race. Not finishing just plain sucks. You'll be mad if you don't."

He was in no hurry. And he was right. Not finishing, sucks. I only didn't finish one race, my inaugural Iceman in 2011. Even though it was mechanical issues that caused me to DNF, I was mad and depressed about that for a full month afterwards. Rob walked up the same hills I walked. Pulled ahead, then stopped to wait for me. Even if I wanted him to go away, he wasn't going to.

When I saw my wife at mile 22, I wasn't sure what I was going to. She was (of course) at the top of one of the steepest hills on the entire route, in which I was walking all the way from the base. She tried to motivate me by yelling at me to get on and ride, I said "waatccch it womaaannn, I'll pushhh you downnn innnaa mud." Only my wife could take this non-personal and just kinda chuckled.

She walked with me to the top where I was seeing stars at this point, slurring my speech.
"Hi. I don't feeeell gooood. I haven't felllt, like, this baaaadd befoore." Shaking my head as if that would help. I was SO bonked. Wasted. OUT. OF. GAS.
"Heeer. Canyooou taaake thheese?" Handing her my other set of gloves in my jersey pocket.
"Caaaannnyouuuu, gettt my wafffflllee ouuutof myyy baacck pocckettt?"
"Mmmmm. Theeese are good." Nodding to myself.

I was barely able to open the packet. Hands not functioning. Crumbs going everywhere. Rob made his way back to find me (presumably assuming I would be in the fetal position in a ditch). I drunkenly introduced him to my wife and off we went. Only one more hour (12 miles) to go.

After this point, I don't remember a whole lot. I DO remember stopping to pet a nice dog once. (I think that was real, anyways.) I remember praying that the Honey Stinger Waffle save me from this hell and magically push me to the finish. And that is exactly what it did. I swear, those are the most amazing things, and they taste great. They've helped me out of a bind a few times before. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. Within 3-5 or so miles of the finish, I could feel some lucidity coming back. Legs working a bit better. Climbing hills. No longer walking. Further being encouraged by Rob. Holy crap. I think I am going to make it.

I did make it. And after all that I made a new friend. I also got my ass handed to me right away, first race of the season. Warning shot across the bow noticed. Yet another experience to carry with me whenever I find myself in this spot again - because I do know, it will happen again.

Before the finish I saw my wife and friend, Jeremy - waiting in anticipation...I spoke to them the theme song from Lego Movie as I rode past...."Everything is Awesome".

What a comparison between last year and this. Geez.

Update 29for29

Just a quick update. Have lost 9lbs to date. Pretty sure I won't make the 29lb drop in time for my birthday, but that is fine. Just keep chugging along till I get there. Another 20lbs of fat-meat gone will be tough. I expect as I lose fat, I will be gaining muscle.

Feel pretty good. Portion control is going well. I had some sugar today (two sodas and some icecream) and feel like I'm operating in the red. Amazing how quickly my body has adapted to less caffeine and sugar. Lots of fruits and veggies and no snacking before bed.

Been working out on the trainer, but not as much as I should. Maybe only once a week or so. I have some good interval workouts to try thanks to Rapid Wheelmen members suggestions and need to get on the bike at least 3 times a week.

29for29

I'm embarking on a new challenge. I always say I'm going to "lose weight", but there was no real goal or end prize, so I eventually quit. (Insert blonde-ish whiney voice here..."it's toooo haarrrdd")

My birthday is April 4. By April 4, I am attempting to lose 29lbs of fatness so I can buy myself a coveted 29er bike for my birthday. My birthday is also on a Friday this year. Hmmm...sounds like a perfect reason to take the entire day off and ride, ride, ride.

The weight loss plan is less than 2lbs a week. I think that's safe.

Start weight: 223.
End target weight 194.

I haven't weighed less than 200 ever since early college. This is going to be tough.

Wish me luck!

First Winter Commute

Been awhile since I've embarked on any ride lately, especially to/from work. Had my chance yesterday to try out my new winter riding bibs, mount the studded MTB tires and ride into work; my first winter commute (with actual snow) ever.

There was a raffle going on at work for anyone who commuted with someone, or else was doing the driving for commuters. Our building doesn't have much for parking and with our annual Christmas luncheon going on, they needed to entice people to free up some parking spaces for the caterers and employees coming from the other building.

I decided I would just ride my bike if I could get entered into the drawing. It was confirmed that I could. As you would expect many people couldn't believe that I was going to do it, then actually follow through with it.

As it would turn out, the weather was actually pretty perfect for pulling this off. It hadn't snowed significantly for a few days, which gave road crews a chance to clear many of the streets I usually take riding into work.

I chose to drive about half-way in to a trailhead in Belmont, thus cutting my commute into a 11.5 journey instead of a 24 mile one. This was for two reasons:

1) I'm way too out of shape to be doing 48 miles in a day - on a heavy MTB with even heavier studded winter tires.

2) The rail trail is not plowed during winter for what would usually be the first 4 miles of my commute.

Leaving from Belmont turned out to be just right. It took an hour each way. It was 21 degrees and little to no wind. I was plenty warm in all my gear...which during a slow time in the ride, I calculated to be around $500 in just winter-specific gear. Of course, this has all been amassed over the last 3 years worth of riding in Michigan winters. It really is a necessity...getting the right gear for the right conditions. If you don't you won't have any fun and won't likely try it again.

The rail trail had maybe 1/2" of fresh powder on it. It was a nice, calm, smooth ride leaving Belmont. My light was more than adequate on the reflective surface. It took exactly 10 minutes (1 mile) for me to actually feel warm. Until then, it was the usual, "boy this is dumb, I should go back to the car" thoughts entering my head.

Once I reached the 5/3 Ballpark and city traffic the conditions were very different. Lots of slush from salted roads. Everything was wet, brown and dirty. My light didn't do much of anything, even on high power. Still, I trudged onward. I was a bit uneasy about parts of the ride in as I had to ride away from the shoulder of the roads more towards the car tracks where the footing was more stable. Everyone that passed me was more than accomodating, except one school bus who felt the need to honk at me as they passed and swerved into my lane. I got the number and reported the rather aggressive behavior to the transportation company. We'll see if I hear back from them. Likely not, I assume.

Once work was reached, the bike was a slushed up mess. I had to bounce the thing around to knock lots of crap off it before bringing it into the warehouse to thaw out for the day.

The ride home was just as uneventful. Because I was nervous about going down this giant hill on my usual route, and feared heading out to the busy traffic like that morning, I improvised and took some neighborhood streets to bypass both of those regions. The streets were not likely plowed in the last week - the snow was pasty - the kind that sticks in the tire lugs no matter what. It was rough steering, almost fell a few times, but kept upright. Seems I accidentally found a new way into work.

The ride back to the car on the rail trail was fun. Took my time. In the morning I felt pressure to ride fast so I made it to work in time. I was nice and cozy in my new gear.

I heard a quote a few weeks ago. Something like: "In cycling, there is no such thing as bad weather riding conditions. Just bad clothing & equipment choices." I tell that now to people as they tell me I'm crazy for riding in the winter. I actually feel bad for people that they don't get the chance to experience something different and "edgy" in their life.

With the Christmas and New Years holidays coming up, this may have been the last ride in 2013. This ride also put me over the 1,000 mile mark for this year. Way less than anticipated, but hopefully things will look up for 2014.

Chevelle - Shameful Metaphors

Fear
It's all the same
Should I evolve
To tend to these sights
Said out loud then said again
If fate's so wrong
You'll start to feel lightheaded
By my admission, nothing grows
Just a longer list of unsorted laws

So why then
Has all my life made no sound
And are your eyes
Closing even now
My life made no sound
I fear your eyes closing

Revolting man
This sacred chain
Brought down to trial
No better man could fail the way
You needed all
Keep close the vein of empty
Thoughts

The finest river,
The ravens tend
All along insisting
We're worlds away

Behold the lost
Behold a Band-Aid

These shameful metaphors
Fought it through the teeth
Biting at your heels
Fought it cheek to cheek