July Wrap

Almost made it. I started out like gangbusters as they say but a baseball comittment and some horrible weather this week cut me a few km short. I guess it could have been worse, like 0 km this week and in a cast or something. Farz looked over the chain and said it just let go. So I know it wasn't my mechanical skills, just super powerful legs...and about 240 lbs pouncing on the pedals.

August is another tough goal but with a week off maybe I can hit the mark this month.

Right as Rain

On the way back to work at lunch it had begun to rain. Do you want me to drive you back she said, no thanks. Do you want your rain gear, no I'll be ok. Do you at least want your light rain jacket, nope it'll be fine. As I sat waiting for a change of the lights at the Harbour Expressway during the noon monsoon I knew I had been right, wouldn't have mattered if I had worn the rain gear, I'd still be soaked to the skin.

Hi, when you go out could you drop me off a t-shirt, I said.

First Crash

I've spent most of the weekend scoring and announcing a Little League Tournament but took time out to have my first crash. I left the diamond to go home for a bit between games and while climbing up the East End bridge Molly's chain broke as I was standing to push her up. I went down over the bars and held her up for a bit. Wasn't going too fast when I hit the pavement and other than a sore knee and some minor road rash everything seems fine. I got over the bridge and then paddled with one leg and the chain in my hand to get home, ate, changed bikes and went back. I'll probably be stiff in the morning but it could have been a whole lot worse I guess. Have to take the chain into Farzum and get his opinion as to why it let go. It's a heavy single speed chain so that really should not happen, or maybe these old legs just have so much power that something had to give.

Tour on the Brain

Sunday was another ride out to Mom & Dad's. A new record as I covered the 56 km in 2 hours and 12 minutes thanks to some roadie's on 61 and having the tour on the brain. One passed me and commented "you're really moving on that thing". That 'thing' being Bridget. If not for the gravel of Sturgeon Bay Road I'd have taken Jill and maybe Mr. Arrogant wouldn't have had the chance to pass at all as even with the extra weight and heavy tires of a mountain bike I was on his tail for quite a while. Then he decided to take a drink of water and spit it out over his shoulder splashing my knees in the process. I guess he figured he had left me far behind. When he started clearing his nose I decided to quit pushing to hold onto his wake.

On the road in I kept naming the climbs a la Tour de France. Col du Carroll, Col de Beaver Pond, Col du Beaver Pond deux, Col du Walker Road, Col du Gravel Pit. I crested Col du Gravel Pit doing 14kmh where normally I'm struggling with granny at about 4kmh. It sure made the climbs easier, that and finally having the extra muscles to pull up on the pedals with my shoes. We all had a great day and my big salad with maple mustard dressing seemed to be a hit (credit for the dressing to the Angry Trout in Grand Marais).

The only disappointment of the day was seeing Tom Watson let the Open slip through his grasp. Sure would have been nice to watch. My best tv golf memory is Jack Nichlaus winning the Masters at 46 in 1986, Tom might have topped it. Maybe next year.

TGIF

It was a long week at work so let's just say thank God it's Friday. I cracked 700km for July with a long ride after work meandering through Westfort. The good 'ole weatherman was right again, it did rain this week. I like when he's right and it rains just enough so he can say "See I told you it was going to rain". It only rains when I bring the rainsuit. Guess what hasn't been in the packsack all week?

July?

For the second time all summer? the weatherman was right. It was 4 degrees this morning when I hit the road for work. Our furnace was on to prove it. Back in the groove km-wise today. Hopefully Mr. Meterologist will be batting his usual .100 and be wrong about the rain.

Day Off

I took a bit of a breather today putting in just 14km. Sunday's ride to Kakbeka was a quick one. After a slow start I flew down Oliver Road on the way in averaging nearly 30 kmh and that was before the big winds that blew later in the day. Sal and I pedalled over to George Burke Park for some Little League games so 84 km in total for the day. Too much time in the sun for me as I felt a bit out of sorts today.

Life changes again tomorrow as she heads back to work in the evenings.

A Little Closer To Home

The Caribou Restaurant is sponsoring a 100km ride in September in support of the Northern Cancer Fund. No fundraising just an entry fee and go. I'm looking forward to that as it will be great to have a ride for a good cause in our backyard.

I'm heading out for a quick ride to Kakabeka and back Sunday morning and will pass the 4000km mark for '09 about 10 minutes in. The early morning rides are great as I get 20km in before work every day when it's cool and traffic is minimal.

But You Still Have to Push It

A few years ago we needed a new lawn mower and I got an old-school push mower. Everybody complained that it didn't work and that it was too hard to use so I broke down and got an electric mower so that they could help out. I grew up with gas mowers (my dad is thinking how I grew up watching gas mowers, not necessarily using them) and despise dragging cords around the yard. The funny part? is I'm still using the push mower. Anyone want to buy an electric mower?

Maybe It Is the Bike

One week into July and I'm alost halfway to my mileage for all of June which included 200km in Toronto. (note:I'm sure glad I'm not down there breathing heavily right now, pu) Dragging Bridget out of the basement was one of the best things I could have done motivationally. She really wants to go and I'm just along for the ride.

It didn't take Lance long to make an impact at the Tour as he managed to put himself into a virtual tie for the overall lead. Won't be surprised if he's wearing the maillot jaune very soon.

Fellow biker and blogger Jill Homer set a record to be proud of in the Tour Divide, a 2740 mile mountain bike race from Banff to the Mexican border. She shattered the female record by 4 days! Way to go Jill.

4 Sprinklers, NO Waiting

On Saturday Sal, Ginko and I headed to camp for the day. I rode out on Bridget at 8:07 under clear skies and a bit of a chill in the air. I headed out through Westfort and then decided on the Rosslyn Road/130 stretch to get to 61. I hit the gravel of Sturgeon Bay Road at about 9:55 and arrived in 2 hours and 27 minutes including a 5 minute delay for a train and a few stops to smack the computer. Got to get a gps!

Sal and Ginko arrived about an hour later. We practiced some hitting, played bocce and Ginko ran around under 4 sprinklers pumping water onto the front lawn. We had lunch and Sal made supper, I stirred the wild rice, don't ridicule me I'm only the shoe chef! It was a beautiful day and everyone was whipped by the end.

Good Morning Deer

On my way through Boulevard Park this morning a young deer came bouncing up towards me along the pathway. We both slowed and she turned and took off in the opposite direction in a hop-hop-leap stride. She paralleled the pathway for 50 yards or so at about the same speed I was going. It was a great start to the day. That more than made up for the lack of deer at Mission Marsh this week.

Monday Blues Roll In Again

There's only one thing good about a week with two Mondays, the two Fridays that follow. Today definitely felt like another Monday, so much so that I left without putting out the garbage. Got in a 20km ride before work today and another 18km after so we're ahead of schedule even if it's just 2 days in. I fixed the computer problem so I won't have to fiddle with Google maps to figure distances. I even got the nerve to wear bike shoes and shorts to and from work, I hate riding in anything else if it's more than half an hour or so. Hopefully David didn't hurt himself laughing at the sight of me in the shorts. I'm looking forward to second Friday and another weekend.

Canada Day Ride

I planned to take a longish ride today but the weather forecast was somewhat gloomy so I didn't get my hopes up. As the morning went on the sun made an appearance and the temperature climbed enough to get me moving. I pulled the clipless pedals from Jill and put them on Bridget, removed the front wheel and computer she shares with Eyowen, put her outside and lubed the chain. I wore long sleeves and something over my shorts since it really wasn't that warm. Before I even left the yard the speedometer wasn't reading and the clock was off. Rather than wasting more time I decided to just go without. I realized a few minutes later that I had no phone, no pump, no emergency goodies, just a bottle of water. Really not planning on leaving civilization I decided to go on without. I headed out through Westfort and down Rosslyn Road. Bridget's nice big tires and front shock smooth the ride nicely. I had always noticed Rosslyn Road continued right into Stanley but was gravel so I had never risked taking a skinny wheeler out there but had no excuses today. A few km past Rosslyn Village the road turns narrower and to gravel. Best of all there are zero cars. For more than 30 minutes I heard nothing but the tires crunching on dirt, the wind and a few birds. With a dead computer I wasn't worrying about average speed or how fast I was going I just enjoyed the ride. I love the farms along the Kam River and this trip I got to see them from both sides as I crossed over to River Road to start heading back to town. I decided to try another gravel road and came in on Candy Mountain Road and then Riverside Drive. The gravel didn't last long and a few turns had me wondering if I was heading the right way but since I was still going in the general direction I just plugged along and soon emerged on 61 and came in on Chipewa Road and then back through Westfort. 62 km in just under three hours so July is off to a good start. June was another failed month as fars as goals went and July will be tough to hit but we'll see. Birdget confirmed her place and now I need to fix a few things to get her into shape.