Riding Bikes in the Basement

Item - I want to ride more.
Item - It ain't happening during the day, or much on weekends.

That leaves me most evenings after shuttling the kids around to various events and wrangling them through homework and bed.

Least problematic method of riding a bike at these times: The (dreaded) trainer.
Not the best or most interesting solution, but life is compromise.

One thing I have found to make it less tedious has been to watch some of the many hours of helmet cam video I've pulled off of the internet. Through MTBr.com I've found videos by Pete Fagerlin, Mountain Bike Bill, Steve Wolf, and many others.

I've burned some of my favorites to DVD and dream of far away trails spinning away the time. I figure about an hour for each DVD, which is about as much as I can stand on the trainer anyway, so it's a win-win.

Thank you to all those folks posting their vids, you're making my life a little easier.

New York City Walk

Every once in a while I come across a website similar to mine where someone explores a geographic area in greater than the usual detail. I was on the shovelglove site, which took me to the Urban Ranger site, which led me to the New York City Walk, where Caleb Smith walked every street on Manhattan Island. Cool.

Leesburg Bakers Dozen - 2009

I meant to put up a post last Friday about the upcoming Leesburg Baker's Dozen. Kevin, Jojo and I are going to do a 3 person co-ed team. I see that the 340 spots are already filled for it. Wow, that was quick. I hope it is as much fun as last year.

Annoyance

Don't you just hate it when you wash your cell phone?

Doh!

Goodies Attached.

Got the new toys onto the Monocog. I haven't had much chance to test it out, just a few times around the pump track and a couple laps of the yard, but it looks like all the items were good choices. The hands are comfortable and the feet secure.

Goodies

I've started spending the gift certificates I got for Christmas, and have picked up some goodies for the Monocog.

First a set of Ergon Grips, which have gotten many good reviews in the biking world.


Next, some Wellgo Mag Pedals. Nice large flats with real retention pins.


An Avid 185 cable disc brake for the rear to go with the front I got last year.


Finally, a new helmet, with a decent retention system, so I can quit borrowing my son's for mountain bike rides.


I have some left and have to make some decisions. A new saddle for the Monocog? Maybe a stem to move the bars up a bit more? How about some new brakes for the Fuji, whose 80's vintage sidepulls aren't inspiring the confidence I'd like. Gloves? Bib's? Knickers? The list goes on and on, but the money gets tighter. It is a sweet burden I'll try to bear.

A New Year

Happy happy and all that. The new year started out slow here. Work commitments meant we didn't travel to Ohio like we usually do (although we shipped out one child), so there was a nice lull.
Riding wise, the year has started off well. Although I didn't quite manage my 2008 goal of finishing Fixing Frederick, I'm getting so close I can smell it. On New Year's Day I went out to Adamstown for a brisk and windy ride there.


If I had a bit more will power the next morning, I could have joined the Outlaws for a morning ride in Patapsco. But the little (really lazy) voice wouldn't let me get out of bed in time. So I got up later and went up around Rocky Ridge. I'm at the point in my goal where I'm stringing together miles of riding to cross short sections of road off my list. This was 20 miles of riding for less than 1 mile of unridden road. It was worth it though. Cold, with an unplanned detour, but any day riding...

On Saturday it was Emmitsburg's turn. And something rare. Much of 'Fixing' Frederick lately has not been done on a fixed gear bike. Hey, my rules, right? Still, once in a while one should try to keep the spirit of the thing. So out came the Quickbeam. It felt great. And it felt horrible. I have succumbed to the temptation of variable gears, and must pay the price on the hills. Feel the burn. The cold wind was no help at all, but I kept the mileage down and crossed off a couple more roads.


Ricky has invited me to join a Flickr group called Bike 180, with the premise being to try to ride your bike at least 180 days of 2009. I'm on 3, which is 50%. Hope I can keep it up.

Do I have any other riding goals for 2009? Finish Fixing Frederick, and I really mean it this time :^) I'm down to 65 roads left. 15 or so scattered out and around the county and about 50 in one last development. I hope I can do that in a year... Should I have a party to celebrate the end when I finish?

What else? I'd like to do more mountain biking this year, especially with my kids. I missed my minimum goal of commuting an average of at least once a week by 2 rides. 50 instead of 52. Lame, so I'll try it again this year.

What are your goals?