Empathy Test

Some people have special powers.

2011-10-21T09:34:00.002-05:00

Mine would appear to be breaking old frames.

QB v2.3

2011-07-08T20:08:00.003-05:00

I did end up going the three speed route. Finally got it together and am trying out the S-A 3 speed.

Confusion...

2011-02-13T13:48:00.001-05:00

...will be my epitaph....

Fixed as SS are kicking my butt. Time for something different.

How about three speeds?

The Bicycle Is a Mighty Machine (and Metaphor)

2011-01-30T13:49:00.001-05:00

Interesting post I came across on a blog that has nothing to do with bicycling.

The Bicycle Is a Mighty Machine (and Metaphor)

Roll on.

For Sale or Trade

2010-08-13T15:05:00.001-05:00

The Princess stoker is not interested in riding along anymore. She has her own wheels she likes to ride.
so:

2001 KHS Tandemania Alite Tandem

Includes:
Softride Suspension Stem
High Rise Kid bars for stoker, flat bars for stoker
Crank shorteners
Rear rack.

Size 20/16

I'm looking for about $800 or willing to trade for a geared/rigir 29"er like a KM or equivalent.

Local only unless I have a great reason to ship.

RIP Stan Miller

2010-06-26T22:37:00.002-05:00

Shit.
http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=102959&catid=189

I didn't know Stan, but several of my friends did. I hope the drunken bastard who killed him rots in jail before he burns in hell.

The more things change.....

2010-06-13T16:38:00.003-05:00

This is a passage from Tom Swift and His Motorcycle, by Victor Appleton, published in 1910.

"Look out, or you'll break something else!" cried a lad on the rear seat. "There's a fellow on a bicycle just ahead of us. Take care, Andy!"

"Let him look out for himself," retorted Foger, as he bent lower over the steering wheel, for the car was now going at a terrific rate. The youth on the bicycle was riding slowly along, and did not see the approaching automobile until it was nearly upon him. Then, with a mean grin, Andy Foger pressed the rubber bulb of the horn with sudden energy, sending out a series of alarming blasts.

"It's Tom Swift!" cried Sam Snedecker. "Look out, or you'll run him down!"

"Let him keep out of my way," retorted Andy savagely.

The youth on the wheel, with a sudden spurt of speed, tried to cross the highway. He did manage to do it, but by such a narrow margin that in very terror Andy Foger shut off the power, jammed down the brakes and steered to one side. So suddenly was he obliged to swerve over that the ponderous machine skidded and went into the ditch at the side of the road, where it brought up, tilting to one side.

Tom Swift, his face rather pale from his narrow escape, leaped from his bicycle, and stood regarding the automobile. As for the occupants of that machine, from Andy Foger, the owner, to the three cronies who were riding with him, they all looked very much astonished.

"Are we—is it damaged any, Andy?" asked Sam Snedecker.

"I hope not," growled Andy. "If my car's hurt it's Tom Swift's fault!"

He leaped from his seat and made a hurried inspection of the machine. He found nothing the matter, though it was more from good luck than good management. Then Andy turned and looked savagely at Tom Swift. The latter, standing his wheel up against the fence, walked forward.

"What do you mean by getting in the way like that?" demanded Andy with a scowl. "Don't you see that you nearly upset me?"

"Well, I like your nerve, Andy Foger!" cried Tom. "What do you mean by nearly running me down? Why didn't you sound your horn? You automobilists take too much for granted! You were going faster than the legal rate, anyhow!"

"I was, eh?" sneered Andy.

"Yes, you were, and you know it. I'm the one to make a kick, not you. You came pretty near hitting me. Me getting in your way! I guess I've got some rights on the road!"

"Aw, go on!" growled Andy, for he could think of nothing else to say. "Bicycles are a back number, anyhow."

100 years, and I can't see that cager behavior has changed a bit...

I got nothing.

2010-05-12T21:15:00.001-05:00

Work Work Work. No time for fun.

LBD 2010

2010-04-21T08:44:00.003-05:00

My plan was to eat right, ride my bike a ton and be ready to rock the Leesburg Bakers Dozen race. Instead I lived in idle sloth, only riding my MTB a few times this year. It was not a practice inclined to get me through the race and I had my poorest performance in three years of competing.

But I had fun camping in the cold and hanging out with my friends.

Dead Skunk Days

2010-03-08T07:49:00.003-05:00

The weather is starting to shape up around here. I got out for short(and I mean really short) rides on both motored and un-motored bikes. One thing this about this time of year, the skunks are coming out all dazed and confused and wandering out into the roads. Thump thump. There must be about one fatality per mile currently. Makes for a fragrant ride...

Fixing Frederick Website Going Away

2010-02-22T08:12:00.002-05:00

ATT.net is stopping their hosting of websites with personal accounts, so my Fixing Frederick Website chronicling my riding of every road in Frederick County, MD will be going away in Early March. :^( At least they waited until I was done. All the photos and route descriptions will eventually make their way onto my Flickr site, so all is not lost, but the six thousand or so of you who have visited Fixing Frederick over the past 6 years have my best cycling wishes.

I guess my other ride reports, such as they are, will keep appearing here.

That is, if the snow ever melts...

Wow

2010-02-16T20:59:00.001-05:00

Wow. Offensives in Afghanistan, Bagging terrorist bigwigs (but letting someone else interrogate), pushing new nuke plants. I'm really digging this President Bush character. Oh, I mean that other guy. Hard to tell the difference lately.

DIY Snowshoes

2010-02-10T16:03:00.001-05:00

Something for the post below.

Snow

2010-02-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow.

Unmotivated

2010-02-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

That's just the way it is.

What's new with you?

2010-01-13T11:13:00.001-05:00

Nothing here. Just the cold minimal riding days of winter. Brrr.

2010

2010-01-03T09:57:00.001-05:00

Where does the time go?

Monday

2009-12-28T10:29:00.003-05:00

Great Holiday.

Food. Giving. Getting. Family. Old Friends. Reacquainted Friends. New Friends.

Drunken party wrestling till 6am. Bruises. Strains. Proof that wisdom does not necessarily come with advancing age. Driving home on ice at dawn. 3 hours sleep. Next round of parties.

Had to come back to work to rest.

Big Snow

2009-12-21T11:55:00.002-05:00

Whacked by a Nor'Easter, the most snow in December and in the top 10 for Maryland. hunkered down on Saturday as the storm rolled by, then spent Sunday digg1ng out. The kids had a blast , the dog was confused ad my wife is just happy that she doens't have to go to work Monday. the wind moved the snow around a bit, but it looks like the average was about 18". Some of the drifts (on the driveway for example) were over three feet.

Protect Mountain Biking at Loch Raven Watershed

2009-12-14T07:40:00.002-05:00

After years of benign neglect, Baltimore City is cracking down on the recreational uses of Loch Raven Reservoir. They are enforcing a 10 year old plan without the opportunity to get user input to change or update the plan. Go to SavetheRaven.com to help have your voice heard on this important Maryland biking resource.

Linganore Lancers - State 3A Football Champs

2009-12-07T08:41:00.002-05:00

Braved the snow and ice on Saturday night to drive to Baltimore and watch the State championship game at Raven's (M&T) Stadium. I'd never been there before, and like a doof forgot my camera. One of Jenny's friend knew someone who knew someone and a group of us got one of the sky boxes. Very cool, but now I'm spoiled. Linganore did a great job and beat the Huntingtown Hurricanes 31-14. Roads were a little slick coming home and we saw a few cars (and one big truck) off the road on I70, but with care all went smoothly and we got home safely.

Earlier that same day Catoctin HS beat Joppatown for the State 1A championships, so I think that makes it the first time two state football titles have been brought in by Frederick County teams.

Sunday would have been a good day to ride, but I ended up doing a re-org in the garage to be able to fit both motorcycle and truck inside now that winter has arrived, after which I took the number one son to his football banquet. I look at myself in amusement at my support and enthusiasm for his participation in the program after my years of athletic ambivalence, but he's having fun, staying in shape and learning a good bit, so I'll keep up my enthusiasm.

Short Ride

2009-11-23T16:27:00.002-05:00

It has been soooo long since I got out on a bicycle ride. I've been feel my already poor fitness levels getting worse. Fortunately I was able to get out Sunday for a short bit. Thank God for low gears.

Gambrill Park Rd...

2009-11-16T11:11:00.000-05:00

...is just soooo nice.

Every Day Is A Bonus

2009-11-11T09:24:00.001-05:00

Thanks to those who have served, and to those who now serve.

Heh.

2009-11-09T14:08:00.004-05:00

Closed.

2009-11-02T11:51:00.003-05:00

Trailwork up in the Frederick Watershed yesterday had 40+ people in support of MORE and PATC dedicating a new section of the Catoctin Blue Trail, and closing down an old, highly eroded section. There was also an announcement of a $30,000 grant for trail development. Wow! Good Job trail guys.

Fall

2009-10-26T08:17:00.002-05:00

Finally a break from the rain. Sunday was a beautiful day and we took the opportunity for a trip to a local pumpkin patch. Cool. Around the house it is time to begin getting ready for the colder months. The hammock and other outdoor furniture come in and under cover, etc., etc. Hopefully the mowing will wind down soon too, and I can swap the mower deck for the snow blade.

The Bike Project -2

2009-10-26T07:55:00.001-05:00

You missed the reception, but The Bike Project exhibition continues at HCC in Columbia for another two weeks.

Family Reunion

2009-10-14T08:33:00.002-05:00

Emily and I headed down to NC over the long weekend to attend a small reunion of the Gorham family. Em was the youngest attendee at 11 years old, and my Uncle Bob Henkle was the oldest at 95. The beach of Surf City and a house full of cousins was a great way to do a reunion and both Em and I had a wonderful time.

The Bike Project

2009-10-07T07:27:00.002-05:00

http://www.howardcc.edu/about_hcc/news_and_events/Current_Advisories/2009-10-2.html

Upcoming at Howard Community College.

*****************************************************************
“The Bike Project: A Visual, Literary and Cinematic Celebration of Biking in Our World,” Opens October 8 at Howard Community College

Released October 2, 2009

(Columbia, MD) – Howard Community College (HCC) features “The Bike Project: A Visual, Literary and Cinematic Celebration of Biking in Our World,” from October 8 to November 15, 2009 in the Rouse Company Foundation (RCF) Gallery on the campus of HCC. The project includes multimedia exhibitions and a film festival. A reception will be held on October 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the RCF Gallery, located inside the Horowitz Center for Visual and Performing Arts. The exhibition, reception, and film festival are free and open to the public.

The Bike Project: A Literary Exploration explores biking through writing. Bikers often share the joys and challenges that they experience from the physical, social and emotional aspects of biking through writing, in blogs, sports publications and online forums. Based on the NPR writing project titled, “This I Believe...”, bikers were asked to respond, in writing, to the theme, “I bike because…” Over 50 riders, most of those whom are not writers, responded. Their candid, insightful and creative responses express a well rounded and poignant picture of the power of biking in their lives, and those around them. Copies of their writings are available at the galleries.

The Bike Project: An Exhibition is invitational exhibition held in The Rouse Company Foundation Gallery. While the literary component of The Bike Project focused on bikers, who are not necessarily artists or writers, the exhibition does the opposite. Established artists—painters, sculptors, photographers, ceramic artists, printmakers, etc—who are not necessarily avid cyclists, were asked to create bike related artwork. An exciting number of artists (46) took on the challenge. The resulting artwork will be displayed in the galleries from October 8 to November 15, 2009.

The Bike Project: Did You Get That? Great Moments On (and Off) the Bike, Photos by Bikers is an open exhibition where bikers were asked to submit up to three photos of their choosing that depict their biking experiences. It will be shown in the Art Department Gallery of McCuan Hall (MH) October 8 to November 15, 2009.

The Bike Project – A Film Festival, runs October 19 to 23 in the Monteabaro Recital Hall of the Horowitz Center for Visual and Performing Arts. The Monday, October 19, 7 p.m. screening features two films: “Off Road to Athens,” which captures the personal struggles and sacrifices of eight cyclists trying to make the U.S. Olympic team, and “24 Solo,” which follows Howard County resident and 24 Hour Solo World Champion Chris Eatough on his quest to a seventh consecutive title.

The Wednesday, October 21, 7 p.m. screening features three films -- “The Collective,” “Roam,” and “Seasons” -- that portray the newest and cutting edge images of the freeride progression while exploring thoughts and personalities of the riders leading to the progression, as well as following seven of the world’s best mountain bikers through the course of four seasons of one year.

The Friday, October 24, 7 p.m. screening features “Klunkerz,” a thoughtful and accurate portrayal of the cycling enthusiasts of Northern California’s Marin County, where mountain biking originated among a diverse group of cyclist racers and fun-loving hippies looking for a way to commune with nature. Their original hefty steeds were affectionately knows as Klunkerz.

Exhibit viewing hours are Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Rouse Company Foundation Gallery is located in the Horowitz Arts Center on the Howard Community College campus at 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044. For more information about the exhibition and gallery programs, visit www.howardcc.edu or email RBafford@howardcc.edu.

About HCC
Howard Community College (HCC) is a publicly funded two-year community college serving the educational needs of the citizens and employers in Howard County, Maryland since 1970. With its slogan, “You Can Get There from Here,” the college has forged a variety of partnerships to offer career and transfer programs to over 28,000 students annually at its main campus in Columbia, the Ecker Business Training Center, Laurel College Center, and the historic Belmont Conference Center. Located midway between two major metropolitan areas, Washington DC and Baltimore, MD, Howard Community College is an affordable, community-based institution that has long been recognized for its ability to inspire learning, and the lifelong pursuit of personal and professional goals. Among its many awards is the prestigious U.S. Senate Productivity Award for organizational performance excellence.

**********************************************************************

Full disclosure. I'm a graduate of HCC, a friend of Becky, who put this whole thing together, and possibly a contributor to the event, if my submission wasn't laughed out of the running.

Dreams

2009-09-29T08:12:00.001-05:00

What do you dream of when trapped in your cubical?

s24o

2009-09-24T11:57:00.002-05:00

Nice overnighter with James, Sully, Jay, Darwin and Dan. Climb, climb, climb to the spot on the mountain, enjoy the campfire and a night outdoors, all down hill in the morning. Good idea James.

Photo by Jay

SSWC09

2009-09-16T09:06:00.003-05:00

Good luck to all the SSOFT team members and other single speeders who are heading out to the Single Speed World Championships in Durango, CO this weekend.

Lazy Sunday

2009-09-14T12:25:00.002-05:00

After a bit of running around and a very short ride, I spent a little time in the hammock, enjoying the September sun and working out how I want to handle Laidlaws Last Lament on the banjo. The banjo isn't really a 'lament' style of instrument...

Never Forget

2009-09-11T08:44:00.002-05:00

Means never forgetting.

Bacon Explosion

2009-09-08T06:55:00.004-05:00

James and Mel had a house warming party around a theme of bacon, beer, and chili. Knowing some of the attendees, I knew chili and beer would be covered pretty well with some delicious choices. I chose to explore with bacon. I'd heard of something over the top called a bacon explosion, so I decided to try that. While tracking down directions, I discovered that Saturday was International Bacon Day. Cool!!! I threw the dish together and it turned out amazingly good. How could it not? It had bacon.

The party was great, Good food, drink and friends. Starmer brought bacon ice cream. It was way better than it sounds. Really.

Slow Ride

2009-09-01T13:25:00.002-05:00

I had a rare Friday off due to a crisis at work previously in the week, which lead to an all-nighter and associated comp time. I had a choice of riding areas because it was dry all week, but Thursday night the heavens opened up. Rain bodes ill for my urge to do more off road riding. Several of the most popular riding areas in the region really need to be left alone to dry out after any rain at all. Fortunately, I live close to a wonderful rocky ridge called Catoctin Mountain, which is a good place to ride because it drains so well. So, although at first I was going to skip the ride Friday completely, I roused myself to the effort and was rewarded by a fantastic ride in the dark damp woods, with not another soul on the trails.

Stargo Bohemia

2009-08-22T10:07:00.001-05:00

This weeks favorite video, from the other sside on the pond.

stargo bohemia from Martin Dinse on Vimeo.

Nice. Lets go do some of that.

Raystown Lake

2009-08-18T07:57:00.003-05:00

Got together with some like minded folks and headed to PA last weekend. The US Army Corps of Engineers has put in a pretty amazing set of trails up at Raystown Lake. The youngest came along and made a great effort to ride with me. She's moved up to a real mountain bike and is always ready to ride! Saturday's ride was a little above her head with much more climbing than either of us would like, but on Sunday we stuck to the easier trails and had a blast. Several other nice kids in camp meant that the off bike time was nicely occupied as well. It doesn't get too much better than that.

Oot and Aboot

2009-07-31T13:36:00.004-05:00

Summer is flying by. Busy with kids camps, broken tractors and a trip to Deep Creek Lake. Still, I manage to get out on two wheels. Some with a motor and some without.

Ride On!

Happy 40th, Apollo 11

2009-07-16T14:23:00.002-05:00

Think we'll ever go back?

Hero

2009-07-15T12:53:00.002-05:00

I think Sgt. Jennifer Watson passes the test.

"Above and beyond the call of duty."

Read about it here.

United Breaks Guitars

2009-07-09T10:24:00.002-05:00

The story behind the song.

Not that I ever fly much anymore, but if they are so cruel to guitars, what do you think they'd do to banjos?

Summertime

2009-07-07T07:05:00.004-05:00

With the wife and kids out of school, you'd think the pace of things would slow down. But most of the summer is as busy as the rest of the year, with camps and trips out of town. We went to Ohio last week. It felt strange, because for the first time in a long while I didn't bring a bike. That was probably a mistake, but it did open up the opportunity to drag others out on some adventures.

While out there we visited Ohio Caverns, and took a couple of nice hikes.

One in Clifton Gorge,

and another in Massie's Creek Gorge.

In between we ate Mom's good cooking and caught up with family. Not so bad I guess.

Oldest Musical Instrument?

2009-06-25T13:12:00.001-05:00

Very cool. 35,000 yo flute.

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/06/24/1976108.aspx

The site has an mp3 so you can hear what the flute sounds like.

Done.

2009-06-19T09:57:00.002-05:00

Every public, bike legal road in Frederick County, Maryland. 4000+

Ridden.

What will I do with myself now......

2 2 Go

2009-06-08T12:30:00.003-05:00

Just two roads left, and I will have ridden all of the roads in Frederick County. Woot!

The abundant rainfall has kept the grass lush and verdant, but isn't letting me push the time between mowing that I usually do. On the other hand, I don't think our yard has ever looked so good. So Saturday was filled with yard tasks, but I got out Sunday for two short rides. The first took me to Walkersville, where I had a great ride in the Monocacy valley. Then home for a bit, followed by a family trip for ice cream. Coincidentally, the last road to get in Mt Airy was near Jimmy Cone, so while the family waited in line, I jumped on the bike for a exhausting 1.5 mile ride to collect it. Of course I had to reward myself with a an ice cream. Wouldn't you?

A Couple of Weddings and a Bike Ride

2009-05-26T20:47:00.004-05:00

The second half of the month has been pretty busy. First, my nephew Andrew got married down in VA, so we had guests staying with us as family came in from all over. Next, my sister-in-law Amy got married as well. That brought in the other side of the tribe. Both celebrations were good fun, with time to catch up with everyone. It's just a good thing there was no overlap of house guests.

I got out for a ride on Memorial Day. I finished the last big batch of un-ridden roads in Fixing Frederick! It was a beautiful day for a ride. As I pedaled the neighborhood streets of Lake Linganore, I saw a KLR 650 parked in a driveway. Since someone was out in the driveway I stopped to ask about the cool panniers he had mounted on his bike. Nice aluminum boxes, but not cheap. After talking bikes for a while, he offered me a set of soft saddlebags for my KLR. Wow! How generous! I think the two wheeled community (motored or not) is the best community. Anyway, thanks Todd, we'll have to get together for a ride. Soon after that I passed another cyclist and called out when I noticed he was a single speeder. I met Ben, and we talked a different type of bike for a while. He was just wrapping up some trail exploration in the Linganore area. Soon we parted company, and i finished my ride back at the school where I started.

Look for some info on the LAST! Fixing Frederick ride to be held sometime in June. We're talking a group ride with a party at the end, so keep that in mind.

Bike to Work Day

2009-05-15T12:11:00.003-05:00

Better fog than rain. This year was much more dry than the past two, and had a correspondingly higher turnout. Fun was had by all, etc., etc.

Can't believe I haven't posted in weeks. Nothing going on except rain and yardwork. Both pedal- and motor- bikes are ready for some free time.

Shedding

2009-04-28T07:25:00.003-05:00

v. the act of exploring the Frederick Watershed.

If you are up there, be advised that the annual(?) road maintenance is underway, and all the normally well packed roads are graveled and graded, with lots of stones and new sharp edges. Hawbottom Rd. is one big series of puddles.

Wonderful!

Leesburg Bakers Dozen - 2009 Impressions

2009-04-20T13:13:00.006-05:00

Just a couple of things, most of them obvious:

Failing to train does not do much for performance.

My bike is finally set up the way I like it.

You can say what you want about clipless efficiency, blah, blah, blah. I'm sold on Vans and BMX pinned platforms for anything but fixed gear riding. My feet felt great all weekend.

My friends who were there all rock, but 'All SSOFT' teammates Kevin and Jojo were great! We all had a similar set of goals and a clear idea of placing fun above competitiveness, and we met or exceeded our plans. Let's do it again next year!

Check your lockring. Duh.

99% of riders on the course were really polite when passing me. I really wouldn't know about me passing anyone.

It helps to remember your water when you go out for a lap. Especially if your pump is the the pack with your water..... Fortunately I got through without mishap.

If you gotta crash, the way to do it is so you come down on about 6 inches of soft and dreamy pine needle fluff like I did, not on rocks and boulders like Jason did.

Doubling up the cycling shorts for the last three laps was a good idea. No discomfort at all after that.

Ergon grips and a lighter grip on the bars made the stutter bumps of the farm lane more manageable this year. Only one forearm was jelly this year, compared to both fore and upper arms last year. About the only time I envy riders with suspension.

Rob and Plum Grove Cyclery sure put on a nice event.

*Photo Credit: Mic Dunn

Spellchecker Wanted

2009-04-06T09:26:00.001-05:00

Dear Maryland State Highway Administration, Please check your work.

New Ride

2009-04-01T12:36:00.002-05:00

Not quite the kind of bike I usually post about, but after a 13 year break without a motorcycle, I finally got a new one. Kawasaki KLR650. Quite happy so far. They call these bikes dual sport, as they are supposed to handle on both pavement and dirt. That's the kind of riding I did years ago on the BMW, and it's my favorite kind of bicycling terrain as well, so this should be a good choice. It will mainly be used to supplement the bicycle for commuting and the odd weekend camping. It will be easier to get the Mrs. or one of the kids to tag along if they know there is less pedaling involved. :^)

Spring

2009-03-23T09:32:00.004-05:00

Finally. I actually got out for a couple of hours on the bike. I have all these single streets to ride, so I went to the nearest school, road the street to mark it off my list, and straight back. Jefferson and Green Valley were super short and nothing to speak of, but Spring Ridge and New Market were a little longer and quite pleasant. I may even get out this week on that rarest of things, a weekday ride. But I don't want to get ahead of myself yet. LBD is in a month, and I wouldn't want to actually be prepared for it.

My Little Brother Made the News

2009-03-17T09:53:00.003-05:00

Pay no attention to the guy on the left with the birth control glasses, the kid on the right is doing well as a chef in Pittsburgh.
Here's an article on the restaurant.

All right Joe!

The nightnmare is over.

2009-03-09T08:22:00.001-05:00

Nothing major, just the longest youth basketball season in the history of man.

Maybe I can ride my bike some now...

SSPBE 09

2009-02-17T09:13:00.003-05:00

And a good time was had by all....

Warmer Weather

2009-02-09T11:48:00.003-05:00

Some warmer weather this weekend meant I had to find SOME time to ride. Sunday was out, with two basketball games to take the kids to, but I found some time Saturday afternoon. For a while, I was even in shirtsleeves climbing up to Sabilisville, but most of the time I was comfortable with a light wool sweater over my jersey. I actually did two rides. One short one in the mountains and one slightly longer one in the valley. Down to 52 roads left to do in Fixing Frederick....

Riding Bikes in the Basement

2009-01-29T12:06:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-27T14:20:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-26T14:56:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-20T09:29:00.001-05:00

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

Doh!

Goodies Attached.

2009-01-13T08:36:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-09T11:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-06T12:16:00.004-05:00

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?

Merry Christmas

2008-12-29T10:31:00.004-05:00

I hope the Holidays were as nice in your home as they have been in ours. Santa was good to everybody.

Friday I got out for a ride in Point of Rocks. The weather was warmer than expected, but still plenty cool. I wrapped up the city streets and decided to make the effort to go over the ridge a couple of times to get some county roads cleaned off the list. Two times up the ridge turned into three as it turned out that Timbery Drive climbs all the way to the top instead of part way as I thought. This was partially balanced out by the fact that Mar-Lu Ridge Rd. turns into a private road so I didn't feel compelled to ride the whole length. Still, I was feeling done in by the time I got back to the truck. Winter and the lack of riding time are taking their toll.

Saturday was a great lazy day, with none of the usual activities tying up our time. In the evening I went down to Bethesda for a party with a bunch of old friends, a conglomeration of the Jomsvikings and veterans of the University of Maryland Monarchist Party, from the heady days when the monarchists actually won the student government presidency with its promise of a beer filled moat around the campus, and other such clever stratagems. Pringle won the "farthest to the party" award by coming from the left coast, with Radagast in second from somewhere in flyover country... I had a great time catching up with many old friends, including the gleeful one, the grumpy one, and bunches of others with more sense than to have a web presence.

Sunday I skipped a ride and took the youngest to see the Tale of Despereaux. Good one for the kids. We considered Marley and me, but I already have a pita dog at home, so why would I go see a movie about one?

Jomsviking Klot

2008-12-19T14:09:00.002-05:00

Thom's on the 27th.

Sometimes...

2008-12-05T20:01:00.001-05:00

you find yourself exactly where you want to be.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-01T10:32:00.003-05:00

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend had 3 beautiful, unseasonably warm days and one cold rainy day. Guess which day was the only one not taken up with family events and therefore available for me to ride? So I didn't. I won't complain though. It's not a chore being surrounded with family and friends and having good food for days in a row. I hope yours was as nice.

But what are the criteria?

2008-11-24T11:42:00.004-05:00

So I went over to this site (like everyone else seems to be doing now) to see what they said about my blog.

"We think http://empathytest.blogspot.com/ is written by a woman (67%)."

Hans und Franz would be so ashamed, but I guess it's good to be in touch with my feminine side.

Stiff and Sore

2008-11-24T10:21:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was a MORE trailwork day up in the Frederick Watershed. DKEG cajoled 20 of us the come help him out with promises of beer. We did some work on BLUE, replacing some rotten and questionable water bars with more sustainable and functional rolling grade dips. The only real disadvantage of them over water bars is the significantly greater amount of labor required to build them. Fortunately there were enough strong backs and weak minds to jump right into the work and 'get-er-done.' We replaced 4 water bars, reinforced/built up a previous dip and cleaned the drainage of some low spots. At the trailhead post work, there was beer from David, muffins from Jojo, and cookies from Julie. Yea David, Jojo and Julie!!!!

Today I am sore.

National Ammo Day - 2008

2008-11-19T10:15:00.003-05:00

Don't forget! The seventh annual National Ammo Day is today! This year I think I'll go for a box in all my calibers. Except .22Remington Jet, 'cause that stuff is just too expensive, even when you can find it.

East Frederick Co. Ramble - Report

2008-11-12T09:27:00.003-05:00

Fall is just an amazing time to get out on the bike, and today was no exception. Though the leaves are past their peak, the sun was shining and the temps cool enough to prevent overheating on the climbs. Jojo forgot her wheel and had to skip, and George decide a few miles in to bail, but the rest of us logged 30 hilly gravel and paved miles.

Nice.

Gambrill Trailwork - Fall 08

2008-11-12T09:22:00.002-05:00

Sunday saw the kids and me joining a good sized group of MORE members for some trailwork in Gambrill State Park. We got a good bit done. I gave the camera to Emily and she documented the event for me.

Good times.

Veteran's Day - East County Ramble

2008-11-04T20:02:00.003-05:00

Veteran's Day East County Ramble
Sponsored by the Single Speed Outlaw Factory Team and The Bicycle Escape
Ride Leader: Me
Location: Libertytown Park, Libertytown, MD on MD 26 East, 1/3 mile past MD 75
Date: November 11, 2008 at 10 am
Ride Level: Casual pace on paved and gravel roads. Rolling terrain. <30 Miles. Rain or Shine.
Description: Come on out and catch the last of the fall foliage in the rolling countryside of eastern Frederick County. This weekday ride will be mostly on low traffic roads, linking together some of the most scenic gravel roads in the county. A few of the hills can be a challenge, but we'll take it easy and regroup frequently so no one will be dropped.

Update: I put the route up on bikemap.net:
http://www.bikemap.net/route/99022

Bliss

2008-11-03T13:22:00.003-05:00

Bikes. Beer. Food. Friends.

Others can say it better than I, but I'm grateful to have such friends.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

2008-10-27T08:20:00.002-05:00

Sometime last week I seem to have strained my lower back. The only thing I did out of the ordinary was to help the motorist as noted in the post below, so I'm blaming it on that. Anyways, I took it easy over the weekend so there was no bike riding. :^(

Last of the City

2008-10-24T09:14:00.002-05:00

So the Number One Son made the basketball team. This is good news for him, but sticks me with a block of time after work to fill downtown. I considered an extended happy hour, but decided against it. While the weather is good I might as well sneak in a bike ride. I actually planned enough ahead to bring my Quickbeam to work with me, so at 4 PM I started out for the the last parts of Frederick City with roads I need to ride. I headed west and climbed the hill to Hillcrest, to get a few cul-de-sacs. I came across a young lady in a stalled SUV transverse across the road. I rode past the three or four cars stacked up waiting for her and was set to continue on, but my conscience wouldn't let me before I helped her get to the side of the street. The other driver's consciences weren't as strong, because they just sat there and watched, but a couple of neighbors of the young woman cane over to help and we made short work of it. Then back down the hill, using a shortcut I'd seen on a satellite shot. One more development, this one with roads which were reserved in the database but didn't exist on the ground when I rode this section a couple of years ago. Finally, over to an alley that I had somehow missed. Children's Lane is the last street inside of the city limits, and it brings down to below 200 roads left to ride of the 4000+ I started with.

FSK

2008-10-24T08:32:00.005-05:00

I'm getting to the point in Fixing Frederick where I have to ride places where I would not normally ride. Ever. The auto-centric world around Routes 355 and 85 near the Francis Scott Key Mall is in the heart of that dread. I knew long ago that the only time to ride there would be in the early hours of a Sunday morning, but I possess an amazing selfishness about my weekend sleep, so I foolishly waited until the days were getting shorter to venture forth into the belly of the beast.

Parking at the mall I took a quick loop on the roads there, followed by a spur south. The contrast between the built up strip and the enforced country-ness on the Monocacy National Battlefield outside of town is a study. The only climb of the day is up Araby Church Rd.

Heading back north I stop for a quick visit to the New Battlefield Center. Although it is now on the edge of the strip, the new center is more accessible to cyclists. The old one was along Rt 355, a very busy arterial, with next to no shoulders. At least 355 through the strip has a shoulder for most of its length.

I continued north, past the construction for a new Interstate 70 interchange, for a loop around the stadium. Then back through the increasing traffic to head southwest towards Buckeystown. The old heart got a pumping when I was passing under Interstate 270 and a piece of lumber fell off a truck passing me. The clatter echoing from the abutments made it seem a lot closer than it was. There is plenty of development of retail, residential and industrial down this way, which can be puzzling to me because I see plenty of all of that available on my rides around the county.

I ride a couple of missing streets in Buckeystown and head back north. Rt. 80 is the only unpleasantly busy road out here. Most of the rest are excellent riding roads. But Rt. 80 is the road I need to ride. Traffic is really picking up as I get closer to Frederick. It is past 10 AM and the businesses are back at it. The ramps to the interstate are the kind of adventure I don't care to repeat as I make my way back to the truck.

One more set of roads down. I'm getting closer.

Columbus Day Ride

2008-10-15T08:48:00.003-05:00

James and I took another Monday ride. This time we went over to Sugarloaf. I'd ridden here a bunch, but always with a group, which makes it awkward to peel off and do all the little dead end roads I need to ride. This ride was for tying up all those loose ends. The day was about the best one for riding this year. No jackets needed, but not too hot either. We started by climbing Sugarloaf itself. Gears felt good for this. Then on to Mt Ephraim Rd. and gravel. Somewhere along here my 1.5 liter water bottle, which has served me faithfully for years, sprung a leak. I saved some water by flipping it in the holder, but with no strap to keep it in place, it was precarious. It held up for the rest of the ride though.

A lot of the dead end roads ended with a no trespassing sign over potentially interesting tracks going off into the woods. I always wonder about whether or not to tempt fate. It would be cool if the US had right to roam laws like Scotland. Exploring would be easier, for sure.

Eventually James and I had to ride a section of Rt 28. This road is a Maryland State bike route, but just about the worst I've seen. Not much, or no shoulder and heavy traffic in both directions. There was one unnerving time when some SUV locked up his brakes bearing down on us. Nothing happened, but it gets the blood pumping.

Soon enough we were back at the truck. On the drive back to town I was signaling for a left turn and noticed a motorcycle behind me not slowing. He looked up and saw me and moved left to avoid rear-ending me. If I had stopped or turned he would have nailed me, so I passed the intersection and stopped on the right. He stopped too, and apologized for his inattentiveness. Yikes. Two close calls in a day.

Once back in town we finished up with a beer on the porch, which is possibly the best way to finish up most activities.

Keep on riding.

S24O - Ride Lugged in the Fred Shed.

2008-10-06T07:52:00.002-05:00

And a good time was had by all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14612032@N00/sets/72157607783366780/

Almost There

2008-09-24T07:30:00.002-05:00

This is an image of most of my GPS tracks in Frederick County for the past three years. I started riding the roads in Frederick as part of a "touring at home" philosophy. Since various constraints seem to keep me from traveling too far from home to ride, why not learn my home terrain with detail that few others could equal? If I can find the time, I should be able to wrap things up this fall. Pretty cool, huh?

46

2008-09-23T07:12:00.002-05:00

Another year older and deeper in debt. At least I got a bike ride in. James and I went over to the Brunswick area and had a nice ride finding bridges in various states of disrepair. Then we found some ice cream and beer. Then home to a nice family evening. Life could be worse, so I'll be thankful for what I've got.

Pump Track Tuesday

2008-09-17T09:25:00.005-05:00

Only Eric answered the call to come out and ride in tiny circles in the fading summer light. I had the afternoon off and dug a bunch. Eric showed up with a 26" Surly and and old school GT BMX and became the third to ride the complete circuit on about his third lap. I still fail at the third berm on the uphill side counterclockwise. Keep working. When it was getting too ark to see we adjourned to the deck and enjoyed a couple of cold ones. You should have been there.

Fixed/ Free without a wheel flip.

2008-09-12T09:31:00.003-05:00

It looks like SRAM is tackling one of my dream desires in the fixed gear world. A hub where you can convert from fixed gear to freewheel and back. In my dream, of course, you can do it just by stopping and flipping a switch or lever. On the SRAM you apparently have to dismount and turn a screwdriver a couple of times. Still, it shows folks are working on good ideas. The SRAM Torpedo single will have the same gear ratio whether fixed or free, but you could have two ratios by running it with the now fixed compatible Schlumpf Speeddrive for a two speed fixed free drive train.

If you want all fixed, but still want variable gears, look to the new Sturmey-Archer hub, a reworking of the classic ASC three speed fixed hub. There is a push to name it the "Sheldon," after cyclings late guru, Sheldon Brown. I hope they do so.

Photo Ride

2008-09-10T08:44:00.002-05:00

The Bicycle Escape and the SSOFT sponsored a photo ride in scenic Frederick County. Eric mentioned he was bring kids, so I thought it a good time to get out the tandem and bring the Princess Stoker along. We originally had two cameras, but battery issues left us one, so I let Emily record her impressions.

She done good!

Oh My!

2008-09-05T12:44:00.004-05:00

Salsa Fargo. Adventure bike lust going on. Stand back. My Karate Monkey dreams just took a huge hit. Must start saving now.

A Flat Ride.

2008-09-04T13:55:00.003-05:00

Not the terrain. The tires.

James from Ride Lugged organized another fun fest to take your road bikes to places beyond the ken of most road bike riders. It was a nice ride to, through and from the Watershed. Climbing and gravel and streams and singletrack and sketchy downhills.

Marvelous.

Kudos to Mel and Christine who met us up on top of the mountain with cool water and cold beer, and joined us for part of the ride.

Lots of flat tires (none of them mine) gave me a lot of recovery time. My only mechanical was a broken chain just before the beer stop. Quickly fixed.

Photo by Joe Whitehair

The Dark Underbelly of the Bike Biz

2008-08-21T14:46:00.000-05:00

A sordid tale here.

Coming Attractions

2008-08-18T17:20:00.003-05:00

Not that I'm going out to the left coast for this, but good luck to all my friends, acquaintances and heck, folks I don't even know at the Single Speed World Championships, held in Napa, California this coming weekend. Stay out of the poison oak.

Closer to home, August 31 will be the Ride Lugged August Scramble, a 40+ mile jaunt through the mountains west of Frederick. Shaping up to be good fun, and something I can actually attend. Come on out yourselves.

Pump Track Tuesday

2008-08-13T11:18:00.002-05:00

No photos, but Damien became the second to pump the whole circuit last night. He also ate it big on the lower berm when his front tire burped. Nothing some air and beer or two couldn't cure.

I got as far as I've ever gotten, but still have 5 or 6 rollers to get past before I do a whole lap. We dug and shaped another roller to get the flow a little more smooth.

I am sore today.

Progress. Next time in two weeks.

Now I'm finally caught up in blog posts. For a short time.

Brunswick again.

2008-08-13T11:02:00.001-05:00

Sunday I once more went to Brunswick. This time I knew what to expect and brought along some friends. Friends in the form of 24 gears to choose among while riding the crazy hills in town.

Once again I parked at the high school. The weather was going from cloudy to sunny, with even light drizzle all through the ride. This time I went over and down Maple Avenue, catching all the little spur streets off of it. All those little streets don't go through because they drop into steep little ravines. Mmmmmmm, gears so good.

Once at the bottom I crossed over the Potomac River to Virginia and then back and down to the C&O Canal Towpath. Next was a stiff climb up catching pieces of 6th through 8th Avenues, and spurs off of them. Then right back down on 2nd Avenue and it's associated stubs of side streets. One more climb back up Petersville Road, which has a nice gentle grade and good shoulders and I was off the the deli for my reward.

Since I had new found Ice cream energy, I hit one more modern development. As I was there, it turned into a race between me and the clouds, for the sky was now getting serious about rain. I finished up and was back to the car as the first drops fell

Commuting

2008-08-13T10:54:00.004-05:00

Coming out of my building Friday afternoon I ran into my department director. He was also riding that day. We talked a bit and it was good to see that he's been trying to ride in more often. That makes three of us who ride regularly. Now he just needs to work on getting us good bike parking and showers :^)

I also managed to cross off another road in my Fixing Frederick project. I've left a couple of roads on my alternate options unridden so far, and am slowly winding them up.

S24O - Gettysburg

2008-08-13T10:49:00.003-05:00

After a good time in Ohio and an uneventful drive home to Maryland, I arrived with just a couple of days left in my vacation. One of those was spent entirely in house and yard tasks, but on the weekend I found the time for an S24O to Gettysburg with some friends.

Jon, Jason and Jay all started from Ellicott City, and after a bit of phone tag I joined them in Union Bridge.

We rolled the lovely rolling hills of central Maryland on our way to Emmittsburg, where we met the rest of our group.

Becky, Julie, Joe, Donna and Steve all came up from Frederick. We all met at Chubby's BBQ right off of Rt 15 and had a late lunch. I think my body is used to this as a signal that the riding is done, and after we got back on the road, I was very stiff and sluggish.

It didn't help to watch ourselves heading to where the clouds were darkest ahead. We stopped for a quick break at an interesting natural dam just over the Pennsylvania line, and then the heavens opened up.

The rain, not so bad, but I just don't like being out in the lightening . Scary. then it started to hail. Nice nickel sized pieces. I'd stopped to throw on a rain jacket and started again, to find my companions' bikes abandoned under a tree and them in a nearby barn. This seemed like a good idea, so I followed suit. We passed around a flask and waited for a lull. Soon we got a break and as soon as we we rolling we hit another band of heavy rain and lightening.

This time though we also found a better barn, one which we could ride into. Nice.

When this band had also passed we rode on the a gentle drizzle. Not so bad. I was really ready to get to the camp site though.

Our route took us though the Gettysburg National Battlefield and over little round top. The climbing certainly took a toll on my legs, and my normally sunny disposition was beginning to waver.

We rolled off the battlefield and to the campground. The rain has stopped completely for a while and set up went great. I couldn't decide if I should change into dry clothing then, or wait until we got the the evening's restaurant. I changed at the campground and so naturally it rained again on the way to the Appalachian Brewing Company. I was certainly grumpy then, but a beer and an order of fish and chips set me right pretty quickly. We closed the bar that night (not saying much, it closed at 11PM) and 9 slightly tipsy riders rolled back through G'burg to the campground. The lights and blinky parade was lovely from my natural position at the back of the pack. Once back at camp most of us turned in pretty soon.

Morning was there before I knew it, and I broke down my camp to let thigs dry on some nearby picnic tables. I borrowed a stove to heat water for tea and oatmeal. The day was bright, and cool. Perfect touring weather. The others had planned to ride into town for breakfast, but I wanted this to be a true sub 24 hour excursion, so I hit the road southwards.

It was a straight shot to Taneytown, where I just missed the breakfast time at the Scottish restaurant and had to settle on a lunch sandwich for my elevenses.

Then on through Union Bridge and back into Frederick County and home, arriving with about 5 minutes to spare in my 24 hour timetable.

Ohio 4

2008-08-08T12:07:00.001-05:00

The chain I broke on the previous day put a crimp in my riding plans. I didn't really want to do a flat road/trail ride out to the covered bridge I missed a few days before with such a tiny gear, so I skipped a ride. Let's see, what else am I good at...? How about eating? I checked to see if anyone else wanted to go to one of our favorite breakfast spots, Clifton Mill. What do you know? They all did!

On top of that, my Mom had seen a blurb in a local paper about an interesting museum to visit not too far away. Our lives had purpose again!

We headed out to Clifton, following the same road I rode yesterday, and were soon seated in the mill with a lovely view of the Clifton Gorge.

I ordered my favorite Sausage Gravy and Biscuits, and Em and I explored the porch while waiting for the meal.

Heading back to the table I noticed cycling content.

After out meal we walked the mill property for a bit to settle in the meal.

Next it was off to Urbana, Ohio, where Urbana University is the home to the Johnny Appleseed Museum. This pleasant one room museum is home to a wealth of information about the interesting and eccentric frontier legend. I learned some info about him I'd never heard and we saw tons of Johnny Appleseed memorabilia.

Emily had a grand time, but Ian may have been a touch bored. We didn't stay too long and were soon headed on the straight shot down 68 to Xenia. A mellow afternoon was just the kind of low key time I enjoy, watching my kids and my parents get to know each other a little bit better without a lot of other folks around as distractions.

Emily and Mom shuck the corn for dinner, at the end of our wonderful last day of a wonderful Ohio vacation.

Ohio 3 - Scorching John Bryan Park

2008-08-05T10:24:00.003-05:00

Still in Ohio, and looking for something different to ride. Hmmmm. The Quickbeam is a cross bike. Maybe some scorching some off road trails? One of the very few drawbacks to this part of Ohio is a relative scarcity of mountain biking destinations. Hard work on access issues by organizations like the Ohio Mountain Bike Association and the Miami Valley Mountain Bike Association are improving the options. Closest to Xenia are the trails at John Bryan State Park and Caesar Creek State Park. I've done some riding at Caesar Creek, but never at John Bryan, so I decided to try there. An added advantage was my ability to ride to the park on the Little Miami Rail Trail and local roads vs. driving to Caesar Creek.

To get the QB ready I wanted to swap out my wheels. I brought my second set of wheels with a freewheel on both sides and the WTB knobbies mounted, but when I was working the rear wheel, I realized that I usually have a longer chain to swap as well, to give the fatter tire clearance. Whoops. Since I got my Monocog, I haven't been using the knobbies on the QB, and forgot this little detail. So the fixed wheel and 37 Pasela stayed on the rear, with the knobby on the front. All sorted.

I got things together and headed out. There were only a few trail users on this Wednesday morning. After only about a mile I turned off the railtrail onto Clifton Rd. A few cars, but a nice ride in the sunshine. A left on Grinnell took me down into the valley of the Little Miami and across the river.

Bryan Park Road took me up to the park. Incidentally, Bryan Park Rd. is also the steepest longest climb I've found in Greene County. It reminded me of Hamburg Road here at home, but only about a third as long. Still, I was warmed up well when I got to the park gate.

I entered the park and was aimlessly casting about when a car with a bike on it rolled past. Ah-ha! Follow that car. As I did I noticed that there are signs directing you to the MTB trails. When I got back to the trails the rider in the car that passed me was getting her bike out, so I stopped to ask about the trails. It turns out Diana is the trail manager for this trail for the MVMBA, so I got a guided tour of the whole system. Pretty cool. I asked about the amount of climbing here and she said that there really wasn't much, so I decided I'd just leave the bike fixed at 40x18 instead of switching to the freewheel side. After signing in in a log at the trailhead kiosk (maybe something to consider locally), we fist rode Powerline. I noticed a spur to a skills area, but we stayed on the main section. Powerline was wonderful tight twisty singletrack. Lots of tight turns and narrow passes through trees, with some small single logs to cross and I think three larger log piles. A couple of rock armored stream sections as well. Super twisty and fun. I took the optional bypass on two of the three piles.

Soon we were at an intersection with doubletrack, called the Arboretum loop. This is an easy access trail that the singletrack is always close to. We crossed that and onto a segment called Abracadabra. This was a bit less twisty, but similar to Powerline, allowing a bit more speed and flow. Diana mentioned plans to bank some of the turns. Going through one curve I felt some give and looked down to see my chain wrapping around the fixed cog. A quick stop and unwinding revealed that the chain was broken. I don't know if I broke my chain and it wrapped up, or if I threw it and it wrapped and then broke, but the result the same. Diana said she would finish her run of Abracadabra and then come back to see it I needed a ride to a nearby bike shop. I had a short hike to the bailout doubletrack and a kickbike glide to the parking area, where I set up at a picnic table to look things over.

The section that broke was fortunately right next to the powerlink. I was able to shorten things by one link and use the Quickbeam's small ring/freewheel combo to get back into riding form, albeit as a coasting SS rather than fixed. All good.

Diana arrived back just then and was surprised to see me ready to ride, but offered to show me the last trail segment. We headed out on Great Scott, named after the park manager who was originally receptive to mountain bike trails at JBP.

This was more singletrack of the fast and swoopy kind, with a few ramps over logs, bridges, and armored stream crossings. We rode this part and then rode Abracadabra backwards from the way we had originally started on it. I meant to take more photos, but it was so much fun I only stopped a couple of times. We were soon back at the parking lot and I considered another lap, but I need to leave some time for family stuff later in the day, so I opted to head home. JBP was a thoroughly enjoyable place to ride. I'll be back for sure.

My repair job freewheel was a joy on the downhill of Bryan Park Rd and 32x22 made the climb into Yellow Springs a breeze as I searched out a place to get a cool drink. I ended up with a root beer and a soft ice cream (and even a camelbak ice refill!) from the Corner Cone, and then got back on the railtrail to Xenia. This is where that easy gearing was not so fun. Spin like a mad man on the dead flat trail up to a whopping 10 MPH and then coast for a hundred yards. Still, it got me home under my own power.

The kids were waiting and a after a change of clothes, we headed over to the Greene County Fair. It was an OK fair, but of course expensive. We saw various critters and displays, ate some tasty junk food and played some goofy games. Let me ask you, are there any more bizarre people in the world than the folks who operate midways at carnivals and fairs in the US? I submit that there are not.

Keeping busy on vacation leaves you with the best kid of tired.

Ride photos on Flickr here.

Ohio 2

2008-08-04T13:15:00.006-05:00

On Tuesday I took the chance to get away and ride my bike some. Xenia has really embraced becoming a cycling destination. Once a rail hub, it is now a rail trail hub, and part of the network of over 300 miles of Miami Valley Trails. Nice.

I started by going downtown to visit the Xenia Station. I was looking for more info on the Jamestown connector trail, but it had not yet been brought all the way into town. I opted instead to ride out towards Cedarville on part of the Ohio-to-Erie Trail. After a bit I left the trail for some of the nice quiet low traffic roads in the county. I was trying to do part of a route I did 10 or so years ago connecting the county's remaining covered bridges.

Although there were a few sprinkles as I started, the clouds kept the day cool, perfect for cycling. I also have to say that the area was perfect for fixed gear riding. There was some rolling terrain, but the climbs were all gentle and not too long.

I soon found the first bridge. Ten years ago Ballard Road bridge was closed and a modern bridge bypassed it. It was good to see it restored. However the road now ends as a cul-de-sac with the new freeway (Rt. 35) cutting it off. So I turned around and went back the way I came. On the way I found an huge apple tree along the road and was just able to jump high enough to snag a tart apple for a snack.

One thing I wondered about riding here was if the proximity of the rail trails would lead to under-utilization of the wonderful country roads. I need not have worried. Although I didn't see any other riders while on my ride, there were a huge number of road marks laid down for club rides. from what I have observed, it seems like this part of Ohio has a greater portion of the population taking part in recreational bike riding than in Maryland.

I followed the quiet roads over towards Cedarville again. When I say quiet, I really mean quiet. Except for in the towns, I probably didn't see 20 cars all day. Just east of Cedarville I got back onto the railtrail, then off again in town to explore. My great-grandparents once managed the Cedarville hotel, and I was hoping I could find it. I might have, but the building I thought from memory was the correct one was not, so I only caught the edge of what I now think is the right one in my photos. After a bit of exploring It was back onto the trail moving towards Xenia.

Then off again to check out some more covered bridges. Riding down into these stream valleys is the only elevation change you get around here. Just enough to make you work. The Stevenson Road bridge is now closed, with a modern bridge next to it, which is also the opposite from my ride 10 years ago. Just past that bridge is the farm my paternal grandparents were living on when my grandfather passed away. I took a couple of photos and rolled on. Soon I was back in Xenia and almost home. While waiting for a light, I struck up a conversation with a couple of young ladies out for a ride to Yellow Springs. They had come in to town on one spoke of the hub and were going out on another. It might have been nice to ride with them longer, but before I knew it I was back at my parent's home, and ready for lunch.

Full Flickr Photo Set Here.

Ohio 1

2008-08-04T10:26:00.002-05:00

At the end of our week at Deep Creek, the kids and I packed up and headed west to my parent's place in Ohio, while Jenny and the dog headed home. A bunch of us were visiting my folks for my Dad's 77th birthday. He's looking pretty good. Mom is always proud when we can fill a whole pew in their church and we didn't disappoint. After church we had a get together at my folk's place. All sorts of good food and company. On Monday we just puttered around a bit. Some people had to head home, and some went to see a movie and other's hung around the homestead. I was pouring over the local maps to decide on a ride for the next day.

DCL

2008-08-04T09:10:00.002-05:00

My annual vacation has once again come and gone. :^( I was lucky to make the most of it this year. The first part was spent up at Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland. My wife's family gets a big house for a week and we hit the lake, trails and other diversions. Good times. I had a bike, but on the best day for riding, I ended up doing a jigsaw puzzle instead. I made up for it in the second half of vacation later....

Dial Up.

2008-08-01T20:10:00.001-05:00

Loading lots of photos over a dial up connection is not much fun.

Just in case you didn't know.