I missed out on the coldest day of the year so I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out on one of the hottest. I filled up one water bottle with total ice water, and it was still warm half way home. The other one that spent the day in the parking garage was like drinking hot coffee, minus the coffee flavor. Nasty. I think I prefer it when my water bottle was caked with road salt and half frozen.
Date: July 31
Mileage: 23
Ride type/Bike: Commute/Jamis
July mileage: 292
Year to date mileage: 2114
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Phinished?
We've got houseguests for the weekend and upcoming week, but I've been able to slip away and read up a bit on testosterone. And the latest report from cyclingnews.com says that the testosterone found in Floyd's blood was exogenous. Which is making it pretty hard for me to believe Floyd.
There's a guy who's done a lot more thinking about t/e ratios than I'll probably ever do posting at freefloydlandis.blogspot.com. Great reading, if for no other reason than to help me understand what the tests mean and why a positive IRMS for exogenous testosterone sounds darn near proof positive.
There's a guy who's done a lot more thinking about t/e ratios than I'll probably ever do posting at freefloydlandis.blogspot.com. Great reading, if for no other reason than to help me understand what the tests mean and why a positive IRMS for exogenous testosterone sounds darn near proof positive.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Testosterone
Interesting read about testosterone in sport. From Drugstore Athlete, originally printed in The New Yorker, September 10, 2001.
Perhaps the best example of the difficulties of drug testing is testosterone. It has been used by athletes to enhance performance since the fifties, and the International Olympic Committee announced that it would crack down on testosterone supplements in the early nineteen-eighties. This didn't mean that the I.O.C. was going to test for testosterone directly, though, because the testosterone that athletes were getting from a needle or a pill was largely indistinguishable from the testosterone they produce naturally. What was proposed, instead, was to compare the level of testosterone in urine with the level of another hormone, epitestosterone, to determine what's called the T/E ratio. For most people, under normal circumstances, that ratio is 1:1, and so the theory was that if testers found a lot more testosterone than epitestosterone it would be a sign that the athlete was cheating. Since a small number of people have naturally high levels of testosterone, the I.O.C. avoided the risk of falsely accusing anyone by setting the legal limit at 6:1.
Did this stop testosterone use? Not at all. Through much of the eighties and nineties, most sports organizations conducted their drug testing only at major competitions. Athletes taking testosterone would simply do what Johnson did, and taper off their use in the days or weeks prior to those events. So sports authorities began randomly showing up at athletes' houses or training sites and demanding urine samples. To this, dopers responded by taking extra doses of epitestosterone with their testosterone, so their T/E would remain in balance. Testers, in turn, began treating elevated epitestosterone levels as suspicious, too. But that still left athletes with the claim that they were among the few with naturally elevated testosterone. Testers, then, were forced to take multiple urine samples, measuring an athlete's T/E ratio over several weeks. Someone with a naturally elevated T/E ratio will have fairly consistent ratios from week to week. Someone who is doping will have telltale spikes--times immediately after taking shots or pills when the level of the hormone in his blood soars. Did all these precautions mean that cheating stopped? Of course not. Athletes have now switched from injection to transdermal testosterone patches, which administer a continuous low-level dose of the hormone, smoothing over the old, incriminating spikes. The patch has another advantage: once you take it off, your testosterone level will drop rapidly, returning to normal, depending on the dose and the person, in as little as an hour. "It's the peaks that get you caught," says Don Catlin, who runs the U.C.L.A. Olympic Analytical Laboratory. "If you took a pill this morning and an unannounced test comes this afternoon, you'd better have a bottle of epitestosterone handy. But, if you are on the patch and you know your own pharmacokinetics, all you have to do is pull it off." In other words, if you know how long it takes for you to get back under the legal limit and successfully stall the test for that period, you can probably pass the test. And if you don't want to take that chance, you can just keep your testosterone below 6:1, which, by the way, still provides a whopping performance benefit. "The bottom line is that only careless and stupid people ever get caught in drug tests," Charles Yesalis says. "The lite athletes can hire top medical and scientific people to make sure nothing bad happens, and you can't catch them."
Perhaps the best example of the difficulties of drug testing is testosterone. It has been used by athletes to enhance performance since the fifties, and the International Olympic Committee announced that it would crack down on testosterone supplements in the early nineteen-eighties. This didn't mean that the I.O.C. was going to test for testosterone directly, though, because the testosterone that athletes were getting from a needle or a pill was largely indistinguishable from the testosterone they produce naturally. What was proposed, instead, was to compare the level of testosterone in urine with the level of another hormone, epitestosterone, to determine what's called the T/E ratio. For most people, under normal circumstances, that ratio is 1:1, and so the theory was that if testers found a lot more testosterone than epitestosterone it would be a sign that the athlete was cheating. Since a small number of people have naturally high levels of testosterone, the I.O.C. avoided the risk of falsely accusing anyone by setting the legal limit at 6:1.
Did this stop testosterone use? Not at all. Through much of the eighties and nineties, most sports organizations conducted their drug testing only at major competitions. Athletes taking testosterone would simply do what Johnson did, and taper off their use in the days or weeks prior to those events. So sports authorities began randomly showing up at athletes' houses or training sites and demanding urine samples. To this, dopers responded by taking extra doses of epitestosterone with their testosterone, so their T/E would remain in balance. Testers, in turn, began treating elevated epitestosterone levels as suspicious, too. But that still left athletes with the claim that they were among the few with naturally elevated testosterone. Testers, then, were forced to take multiple urine samples, measuring an athlete's T/E ratio over several weeks. Someone with a naturally elevated T/E ratio will have fairly consistent ratios from week to week. Someone who is doping will have telltale spikes--times immediately after taking shots or pills when the level of the hormone in his blood soars. Did all these precautions mean that cheating stopped? Of course not. Athletes have now switched from injection to transdermal testosterone patches, which administer a continuous low-level dose of the hormone, smoothing over the old, incriminating spikes. The patch has another advantage: once you take it off, your testosterone level will drop rapidly, returning to normal, depending on the dose and the person, in as little as an hour. "It's the peaks that get you caught," says Don Catlin, who runs the U.C.L.A. Olympic Analytical Laboratory. "If you took a pill this morning and an unannounced test comes this afternoon, you'd better have a bottle of epitestosterone handy. But, if you are on the patch and you know your own pharmacokinetics, all you have to do is pull it off." In other words, if you know how long it takes for you to get back under the legal limit and successfully stall the test for that period, you can probably pass the test. And if you don't want to take that chance, you can just keep your testosterone below 6:1, which, by the way, still provides a whopping performance benefit. "The bottom line is that only careless and stupid people ever get caught in drug tests," Charles Yesalis says. "The lite athletes can hire top medical and scientific people to make sure nothing bad happens, and you can't catch them."
Innocent until proven guilty, or...
When Operación Puerto hit the Tour, it hit both the presumed guilty and the innocent bystander. The biggest examples of the presumed guilty are Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, both top contenders who were not allowed to start the Tour because they were under suspicion of doping. It also had collateral damage effects, best illustrated through the Astana team. Astana had five riders implicated in Operación Puerto. And while Alexandre Vinokourov was not named, he was also not allowed to start because his team did not have enough riders. Collateral damage in the war on drugs, or something to that effect.
In many conversations about Operación Puerto, the theme I noticed most often was that people were surprised that the riders were suspended. Here in the land of the free, raised under the idea that we're all innocent until proven guilty (unless you're a suspected terrorist, of course), the idea of suspending suspected riders didn't seem to sit well with most folks. And it didn't sit well with me either.
Today, the five Astana riders were formally cleared of any involvement in Operación Puerto. The Spanish court issued a statement confirming that "there are not any type of charges against them nor have there been adopted any type of legal action against them." Too bad, so sad, sorry Vino you missed your Tour for nothing. In more ways than one. But hey, this is a war. And if a few people get screwed it's worth it to have a clean race, right?
Maybe not. Also on the news wire this morning is a story that a "high profile rider" is said to have tested positive for testosterone after Stage 17. You remember Stage 17 as the stage where Floyd Landis went crazy and took back nearly all of the 8 minutes he'd lost the previous day. And while the UCI won't reveal the rider's identity until the B sample comes back and the accused rider is given the opportunity to have a counter-analysis done, The Times has made sure that Floyd is the #1 suspect until proven innocent. Landis' name is mentioned seven times in the article. Total of other riders who participated in the Tour that received a mention? None. It should be interesting to see where this goes.
Date: July 25
Mileage: 23
Ride type/bike: Commute/Trike
July mileage: 269
Year to date mileage: 2091
In many conversations about Operación Puerto, the theme I noticed most often was that people were surprised that the riders were suspended. Here in the land of the free, raised under the idea that we're all innocent until proven guilty (unless you're a suspected terrorist, of course), the idea of suspending suspected riders didn't seem to sit well with most folks. And it didn't sit well with me either.
Today, the five Astana riders were formally cleared of any involvement in Operación Puerto. The Spanish court issued a statement confirming that "there are not any type of charges against them nor have there been adopted any type of legal action against them." Too bad, so sad, sorry Vino you missed your Tour for nothing. In more ways than one. But hey, this is a war. And if a few people get screwed it's worth it to have a clean race, right?
Maybe not. Also on the news wire this morning is a story that a "high profile rider" is said to have tested positive for testosterone after Stage 17. You remember Stage 17 as the stage where Floyd Landis went crazy and took back nearly all of the 8 minutes he'd lost the previous day. And while the UCI won't reveal the rider's identity until the B sample comes back and the accused rider is given the opportunity to have a counter-analysis done, The Times has made sure that Floyd is the #1 suspect until proven innocent. Landis' name is mentioned seven times in the article. Total of other riders who participated in the Tour that received a mention? None. It should be interesting to see where this goes.
Date: July 25
Mileage: 23
Ride type/bike: Commute/Trike
July mileage: 269
Year to date mileage: 2091
Monday, July 24, 2006
Tour wrap-up
Saturday night my wife told me that she was keeping up on The Tour by reading about it in my blog. This is the news equivalent of keeping up on what's happening in the middle east by visiting MySpace. I can't even make accurate pre-race predictions. Though considering Operation Puerto pulled two of my podium favorites, I did OK. I had Floyd picked to place second, and Basso first. Since Basso didn't start, Floyd automatically slides to first and I should get credit for that pick. Right? I did nail Rasmussen in the Polka-Dot jersey, but Boonen was a major disappointment. He was probably too intimidated by McEwen's Jolly Jogger celebration to do anything. And I should also probably get half credit for Cunego taking the white jersey. He doesn't have a mullet, but I've never heard of him.
Call me an American fan-boy if you want, but I was glad to see Floyd pull of his win. I root for the US in the Olympics too. I guess I'm just a root-root-root for the home team kind of guy. And I hope Floyd keeps piling on the wins. If for no other reason than to see more of Amber Landis. Rrrow.
In other American cycling news, there's some changes afoot at Team Discovery. I'm sad to see that Eki is retiring, but at the same time wondering who they're planning on signing. According to Chris Brewer (registration required), they're announcing something tomorrow morning. Stay tuned...
Edit: Discovery announced tonight that they've just signed Levi Leipheimer. Via tdfblog.com. I wonder if they're done...
Date: July 24
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 246
Year to date mileage: 2068
Call me an American fan-boy if you want, but I was glad to see Floyd pull of his win. I root for the US in the Olympics too. I guess I'm just a root-root-root for the home team kind of guy. And I hope Floyd keeps piling on the wins. If for no other reason than to see more of Amber Landis. Rrrow.
In other American cycling news, there's some changes afoot at Team Discovery. I'm sad to see that Eki is retiring, but at the same time wondering who they're planning on signing. According to Chris Brewer (registration required), they're announcing something tomorrow morning. Stay tuned...
Edit: Discovery announced tonight that they've just signed Levi Leipheimer. Via tdfblog.com. I wonder if they're done...
Date: July 24
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 246
Year to date mileage: 2068
Friday, July 21, 2006
Suitcase of Courage
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
It's Comcastic!
So I get home from work yesterday, make a couple of minor tweaks on the trike and pick up the kids. They want to ride on the new tag-along bike I picked up this weekend. So I hooked that up and hauled 7 year olds around behind me for about an hour and a half. That's not a lot of mileage because we were just cruising the neighborhood, but it does make for 3 1/2 hours on a bike yesterday. I cooked dinner, we ate, and I cleaned up. Nancy is reading Prince Caspian to the girls, so while they started in on their latest chapter I snuck downstairs to catch some Alpe d'Huez action. And, horror of horrors, the cable is out! So is internet. So I call Comcast, and long story short there's a guy coming to the house this morning between 8-9 to try and figure out why. But I missed all of possibly the best stage of the Tour. Man.
On a positive note, I was sitting at a stoplight on the way home yesterday afternoon and a little pickup truck pulls up next to me. The driver leans over and says, "How many miles per gallon does that thing get?" I said, "As many as you want." He laughed and laughed at that one, and we both went our seperate ways as the light turned green. Nice to have some pleasant interaction with my fellow travellers once in a while.
Date: July 18
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 177
Year to date mileage: 1999
On a positive note, I was sitting at a stoplight on the way home yesterday afternoon and a little pickup truck pulls up next to me. The driver leans over and says, "How many miles per gallon does that thing get?" I said, "As many as you want." He laughed and laughed at that one, and we both went our seperate ways as the light turned green. Nice to have some pleasant interaction with my fellow travellers once in a while.
Date: July 18
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 177
Year to date mileage: 1999
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Race Report: TransPhalen
Saturday it was hot as blazes. Or as we used to say, 'wicked hot.' I drove to Lake Phalen for the annual TransPhalen Regatta, a race between all the instructors and instructor assistants in the Red Cross Sailing Program. I've raced this race for the last 6 years and have never won. Other than the heat, it was a perfect day. The skies were blue and the wind was blowing. We rigged the boats and hit the water at 11:00.
The course was set up with a buoy at each of the four "corners" of the lake. The route was a one time circumnavigation of the lake in a counterclockwise direction, cross through the start and once again in a clockwise direction. Normally I botch the start somehow, and then spend the rest of the race trying to catch up. But not this year. This year I had a fabulous start. I crossed the line second and headed on my first tack right behind the guy who has won the race the last two years running. When I came about the first time is where things all went to hell. I tacked, but it seems like the wind shifted at the same moment. So the boat turned, the sail crossed, but I was sitting there doing nothing. So I started falling off and finally found the wind. I sailed that tack but gave up way too much of the lake and fell behind. And after that, I spent the rest of the time trying to catch up. In reality, I spent the entire first lap trying to figure out what the hell the wind was doing.
Once we changed directions I felt much more in tune with the boat and the wind. I had fallen to fourth place by this point, and I knew that first or second was out of reach unless one of those guys capsized. So I just raced my own race from that point. I had several great tacks where I was hiked out the full length of my body. It may not be the fastest point of sail, but it's one of the most exciting, especially on a Sunfish. I managed to make up some time and did pass the third place sailor. She's fairly petite and the wind was really pushing her around, so I think I passed her based on weight, not skill. I held on and finished third.
This was my first regatta of the year and my first time out on a boat this year, so I was really rusty. And it showed. I'm happy with the finish, because usually I finish further down, but lack of time on the water really showed. But the most important part is that it was a blast, as always. The people who volunteer for the program are great, and it's always fun to get to see them and sail with them.
If anybody is interested in learning to sail, I can't say enough good things about the Red Cross program. For a mere $100 you get 8 three hour training sessions (that's only $4.16 per hour), and with the exception of the first night every session includes time on the water. If you would like more info about the program, feel free to contact me.
Date: July 17
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 131
Year to date mileage: 1953
Date: July 18
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 154
Year to date mileage: 1976
The course was set up with a buoy at each of the four "corners" of the lake. The route was a one time circumnavigation of the lake in a counterclockwise direction, cross through the start and once again in a clockwise direction. Normally I botch the start somehow, and then spend the rest of the race trying to catch up. But not this year. This year I had a fabulous start. I crossed the line second and headed on my first tack right behind the guy who has won the race the last two years running. When I came about the first time is where things all went to hell. I tacked, but it seems like the wind shifted at the same moment. So the boat turned, the sail crossed, but I was sitting there doing nothing. So I started falling off and finally found the wind. I sailed that tack but gave up way too much of the lake and fell behind. And after that, I spent the rest of the time trying to catch up. In reality, I spent the entire first lap trying to figure out what the hell the wind was doing.
Once we changed directions I felt much more in tune with the boat and the wind. I had fallen to fourth place by this point, and I knew that first or second was out of reach unless one of those guys capsized. So I just raced my own race from that point. I had several great tacks where I was hiked out the full length of my body. It may not be the fastest point of sail, but it's one of the most exciting, especially on a Sunfish. I managed to make up some time and did pass the third place sailor. She's fairly petite and the wind was really pushing her around, so I think I passed her based on weight, not skill. I held on and finished third.
This was my first regatta of the year and my first time out on a boat this year, so I was really rusty. And it showed. I'm happy with the finish, because usually I finish further down, but lack of time on the water really showed. But the most important part is that it was a blast, as always. The people who volunteer for the program are great, and it's always fun to get to see them and sail with them.
If anybody is interested in learning to sail, I can't say enough good things about the Red Cross program. For a mere $100 you get 8 three hour training sessions (that's only $4.16 per hour), and with the exception of the first night every session includes time on the water. If you would like more info about the program, feel free to contact me.
Date: July 17
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 131
Year to date mileage: 1953
Date: July 18
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 154
Year to date mileage: 1976
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Sorry, Paul
Conversation I had with my daughter this evening:
Daughter, after coming downstairs and finding me in from of the Tour: Oh, you're watching bike racing again?
Me: Yes.
Daughter: Who's that guy talking?
Me: That's Paul Sherwin.
Daughter: Can I make fun of him?
Me: No!
Daughter: Oh. OK.
Date: July 12
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 89
Year to date mileage: 1911
Date: July 13
Mileage: 19
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 108
Year to date mileage: 1930
Daughter, after coming downstairs and finding me in from of the Tour: Oh, you're watching bike racing again?
Me: Yes.
Daughter: Who's that guy talking?
Me: That's Paul Sherwin.
Daughter: Can I make fun of him?
Me: No!
Daughter: Oh. OK.
Date: July 12
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 89
Year to date mileage: 1911
Date: July 13
Mileage: 19
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 108
Year to date mileage: 1930
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Nice rack!
Over the Fourth of July weekend, I made an effort to get a rear rack for the trike, but exhausted my professional options. So here's a recap of how I made my quick and dirty pannier rack for the Sun EZ Tad. First, I made a trip to Home Depot and bought a bar of aluminum flat and four 5mm bolts, two longer and two shorter.
I got out the drill and drilled two holes in the aluminum that line up with the two eyelets on the rear of the trike. Then I trimmed the corner of the aluminum with a hacksaw so it could clear the rear quick release. Here's the results after cleaning up the cut with a dremel.
Then it was time to test fit. I mounted the flat on one side. So far, so good. Then I test fit one of the panniers. Again, good.
From there, it was basically lather, rinse, repeat. I bent the aluminum twice so the remaining portion went back toward the other side of the frame, cut it to length, drilled matching holes and cut a notch. Here's the whole thing bolted on.
And finally, the entire deal with both panniers mounted.
After about 65 miles, including two commutes, I'm quite pleased with the results. It seems pretty solid and the panniers are staying where they belong. And what's more, it doesn't even look like it was slapped together by a halfwit in his driveway.
Date: July 11
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 66
Year to date mileage: 1888
I got out the drill and drilled two holes in the aluminum that line up with the two eyelets on the rear of the trike. Then I trimmed the corner of the aluminum with a hacksaw so it could clear the rear quick release. Here's the results after cleaning up the cut with a dremel.
Then it was time to test fit. I mounted the flat on one side. So far, so good. Then I test fit one of the panniers. Again, good.
From there, it was basically lather, rinse, repeat. I bent the aluminum twice so the remaining portion went back toward the other side of the frame, cut it to length, drilled matching holes and cut a notch. Here's the whole thing bolted on.
And finally, the entire deal with both panniers mounted.
After about 65 miles, including two commutes, I'm quite pleased with the results. It seems pretty solid and the panniers are staying where they belong. And what's more, it doesn't even look like it was slapped together by a halfwit in his driveway.
Date: July 11
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 66
Year to date mileage: 1888
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
The Tour
I've been off work since last Thursday, and today is my first day back. My routine, since Saturday morning has been:
Roll out of bed, usually around 8
Make coffee
Turn on Tour coverage
Drink coffee, read blogs and watch the Tour until 11 or so
Get on with the rest of the day
So now, do I try to avoid any tour coverage during the workday and watch the updates in the evening? Or do I keep hitting refresh on the live update sites like an addicted lab monkey trying for his next fix? Either way, my employer shouldn't be able to require me to work between 7:30-11am during the month of July. It's inhumane.
Date: July 5
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 43
Year to date mileage: 1865
Roll out of bed, usually around 8
Make coffee
Turn on Tour coverage
Drink coffee, read blogs and watch the Tour until 11 or so
Get on with the rest of the day
So now, do I try to avoid any tour coverage during the workday and watch the updates in the evening? Or do I keep hitting refresh on the live update sites like an addicted lab monkey trying for his next fix? Either way, my employer shouldn't be able to require me to work between 7:30-11am during the month of July. It's inhumane.
Date: July 5
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
July mileage: 43
Year to date mileage: 1865
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Shakedown Street
The rear rack I ordered for the trike came in last Friday. I picked it up at Calhoun Cycles and immediately noticed that it had no support for a pannier's bottom clip. I talked to the guy from Calhoun and decided to try and take it home and make it work. He told me if I couldn't make it work at home to bring the rack and trike in once it was mounted and they could fabricate something. Over the weekend I took the rack out and realized that the folks at Sun decided that including enough bolts to mount the rack to the bike was not a needed feature. Since I would need to make a trip to the store anyhow, I decided to take everything back to Calhoun and see what we could come up with.
So Monday I loaded the trike in my van and drove to Calhoun. A different guy was working in the shop but he came out to take a look. His lack of enthusiasm for this project was immediately apparent. He mentioned a few things, and expressed his surprise that Calhoun would have even supplied this rack. When I mentioned that it came without the lower mounting bolts he went inside. I waited outside for at least 10 minutes before I went inside. He said, "I've got two 5mm bolts for you there [edit: I needed 6mm]. You can have them for free if you don't ask me any more questions about that rack." Ok then. I asked about fabrication. He said that it would be minimum of $30 plus parts and would be ready Friday at the earliest. Less than impressed, I headed for home.
I stopped off at Home Depot and purchased $8 worth of parts and spent an hour or so in the driveway and whipped something together. By this time it was about 6:30 and I told my wife I was going for a shakedown ride. I took a quick peek at my bike map and decided to ride down Highway 13, cross the Minnesota River on the bike/pedestrian bridge, head back on the west side of the river, cross back on 494 and then home.
I'd never crossed the pedestrian bridge near Highway 77, but I knew it was there from time spent exploring the nature preserve. The bike map said to follow Kennebeck Drive. I rode down 13 and never saw a sign for Kennebeck. When I got to 77 the shoulder ran out, so I turned around and started doing some exploring. I finally found Kennebeck but still couldn't figure out how to get to the bridge.
After yet another dead end I saw a security guard walking down the road. He worked for the Seneca Water Treatment Plant. I stopped and asked him if he knew where the road to the bridge was. He pointed toward the plant and said it was down that way, but he couldn't let me go that way. But, he helpfully explained, if I were to come from the other direction (meaning going up to 494, crossing the river, riding down to the bridge and crossing from west to east) I could gain entry to the plant and he would then be authorized to open the gate to let me out. But he was not authorized to open the gate and let me in. They couldn't let just anybody in because of the possibility of terrorists. He was very earnest, and I didn't want to cause him concern by pointing out the obvious. So I thanked him for the info and decided to ride that loop another day. Instead I headed east, wound around and eventually found 149 which I followed back home.
I had one stop to readjust my camelback, because the mounting position I started out with caused the fender to rub against the rear tire when the bladder was full. But all in all a successful test run. I think I'm ready to commute on the trike.
Date: July 3
Mileage: 20
Ride type: Shakedown
July mileage: 20
Year to date mileage: 1842
Friday, June 30, 2006
I read the news today, oh boy
So the blogosphere (have I mentioned that I hate that term?) is on fire this morning about the fallout from Operación Puerto. At least, the tiny little bicycling corner of the blogosphere that I frequent is on fire. So unless this is the first blog you read every day (and bless you if that's the case) you've heard the big splash that Operación Puerto has had on this year's Tour. The reports are somewhat conflicting at this point, with some stating that teams with riders being pulled are not replacing the riders (riding shorthanded) and other reports indicating that the riders will be replaced.
The list so far (31 riders)
Astaná-Würth: Michele Scarponi, Marcos Serrano, David Etxebarria, Joseba Beloki, Angel Vicioso, Isidro Nozal, Unai Osa, Jörg Jaksche
CSC: Ivan Basso
Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears: Constantino Zaballa
Saunier Duval: Carlos Zarate
AG2R: Francisco Mancebo
T-Mobile: Jan Ullrich, Oscar Sevilla
Phonak: Jose Enrique Gutierrez, Jose Ignacio Gutierrez
Comunidad Valenciana: Vicente Ballester, David Bernabeu, David Blanco Rodriguez, Jose Adrian Bonillla, Juan Gomis Lopez, Eladio Jimenez, David Latasa, Javier Pascual, Ruben Plaza, J.Luis M. Jimenez
Unibet.Com: Carlos Garcia Quesada
Retired/suspended riders: Roberto Heras, Angel Casero, Santiago Perez, Tyler Hamilton
From cyclingnews.com
In all the news I've read this morning, it seems there's one guy who gets it. David Millar. Millar was suspended two years ago for doping and the Tour is his first race since the suspension expired. Millar is providing the model that cycling needs to follow to shake the perception that it's dirty. It's simple, really. Admit your guilt if caught. I think this is what bothers me most about all the drug problems in cycling. In most cases, when a rider is accused of doping you get one of two reactions:
1. I didn't do it.
2. No comment/talk to my lawyers.
That's what makes Millar refreshing. He openly admits what he did. Millar says, "I f**ked up: I lied, I did wrong, I cheated, and I have to live with that now." And that's what I want to hear from Jan, and Ivan. And everybody else. I want them, if they are truly guilty, to 'fess up, apologize, and pledge to come back after their suspension and ride clean.
Web stories:
tdfblog
cyclingnews.com
velonews.com
bbc.com
The list so far (31 riders)
Astaná-Würth: Michele Scarponi, Marcos Serrano, David Etxebarria, Joseba Beloki, Angel Vicioso, Isidro Nozal, Unai Osa, Jörg Jaksche
CSC: Ivan Basso
Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears: Constantino Zaballa
Saunier Duval: Carlos Zarate
AG2R: Francisco Mancebo
T-Mobile: Jan Ullrich, Oscar Sevilla
Phonak: Jose Enrique Gutierrez, Jose Ignacio Gutierrez
Comunidad Valenciana: Vicente Ballester, David Bernabeu, David Blanco Rodriguez, Jose Adrian Bonillla, Juan Gomis Lopez, Eladio Jimenez, David Latasa, Javier Pascual, Ruben Plaza, J.Luis M. Jimenez
Unibet.Com: Carlos Garcia Quesada
Retired/suspended riders: Roberto Heras, Angel Casero, Santiago Perez, Tyler Hamilton
From cyclingnews.com
In all the news I've read this morning, it seems there's one guy who gets it. David Millar. Millar was suspended two years ago for doping and the Tour is his first race since the suspension expired. Millar is providing the model that cycling needs to follow to shake the perception that it's dirty. It's simple, really. Admit your guilt if caught. I think this is what bothers me most about all the drug problems in cycling. In most cases, when a rider is accused of doping you get one of two reactions:
1. I didn't do it.
2. No comment/talk to my lawyers.
That's what makes Millar refreshing. He openly admits what he did. Millar says, "I f**ked up: I lied, I did wrong, I cheated, and I have to live with that now." And that's what I want to hear from Jan, and Ivan. And everybody else. I want them, if they are truly guilty, to 'fess up, apologize, and pledge to come back after their suspension and ride clean.
Web stories:
tdfblog
cyclingnews.com
velonews.com
bbc.com
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Tour Drama
Today a Spanish judge removed the gag order that has been in place since the May arrest of Doctor (and I use the term loosely here) Eufemiano Fuentes and the beginning of what is being termed Operación Puerto. This has potential to have a huge Tour de France impact. You heard me, huge. How huge? I'll tell you.
The Spanish Secretary of Sport is flying to France tonight to discuss the results with his French counterpart, Jean-François Lamour, before the start of the Tour. Which, I need not remind anybody, is in two days. Some of the names being tossed around are big names in the Tour. In fact, two of my top three podium picks. Names like Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Oscar Sevilla, Joseba Beloki, Santiago Botero, Santi Pérez, Quique Gutierrez and Angel Edo.
No matter the outcome, it won't be pretty. Here are the possibilities as I see them, from best possible to worst:
1. The Tour decides to allow the riders to participate in the Tour, pending more evidence. In my perfect scenario, the ultimate winner of the Tour will be cleared of his involvement post-race.
2. The Tour decides to ban the suspected riders from the tour. They are later implicated. It's risky, but it would look like a genius decision in hindsight.
3. The Tour decides to allow the riders to participate in the Tour, pending more evidence. In this scenario, the ultimate winner is later implicated. Bad for the Tour, and bad for the sport.
4. The Tour decides to ban the suspected riders from the tour. They are later cleared.
Here's the rub. If Scenario 4 should come true, while it would be terrible for this year, it could be a good thing in the long run. If athletes are not allowed to race just through involvement with a dirty doctor, it could be the one message strong enough to actually do something about doping.
Sources for the above are:
Eurosport.com
CyclingNews.com
Date: June 29
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 360
Year to date mileage: 1822
The Spanish Secretary of Sport is flying to France tonight to discuss the results with his French counterpart, Jean-François Lamour, before the start of the Tour. Which, I need not remind anybody, is in two days. Some of the names being tossed around are big names in the Tour. In fact, two of my top three podium picks. Names like Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Oscar Sevilla, Joseba Beloki, Santiago Botero, Santi Pérez, Quique Gutierrez and Angel Edo.
No matter the outcome, it won't be pretty. Here are the possibilities as I see them, from best possible to worst:
1. The Tour decides to allow the riders to participate in the Tour, pending more evidence. In my perfect scenario, the ultimate winner of the Tour will be cleared of his involvement post-race.
2. The Tour decides to ban the suspected riders from the tour. They are later implicated. It's risky, but it would look like a genius decision in hindsight.
3. The Tour decides to allow the riders to participate in the Tour, pending more evidence. In this scenario, the ultimate winner is later implicated. Bad for the Tour, and bad for the sport.
4. The Tour decides to ban the suspected riders from the tour. They are later cleared.
Here's the rub. If Scenario 4 should come true, while it would be terrible for this year, it could be a good thing in the long run. If athletes are not allowed to race just through involvement with a dirty doctor, it could be the one message strong enough to actually do something about doping.
Sources for the above are:
Eurosport.com
CyclingNews.com
Date: June 29
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 360
Year to date mileage: 1822
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Tour fever is coming...
Not much happening lately. I've been all preoccupied watching the preparations for the Tour take place. The teams have been announcing their line-ups for the last week or so. And now it looks like Vino and the Astana-Wurth team decision will be postponed until possibly the day before the race. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is holding a hearing Thursday afternoon with a decision expected to come sometime Friday, according to Cycling News. Talk about a cliffhanger for the crazy Kazakh. I know that if Vino doesn't race, the Tour this year will be a little more dull.
Who will win? It truly is hard to say. Basso is the odds on favorite, and my gut says to go with him. So I will. I predict the GC podium will be:
"Crazy" Ivan Basso
"Pretty Boy" Floyd Landis
Jan "I didn't start training early enough. Again." Ullrich
Green jersey winner: Tom "T-Bone" Boonen
Polka dot jersey winner: Michael "self-destruction" Rasmussen
White jersey winner: Some guy I've never heard of. With a mullet.
Date: June 28
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 337
Year to date mileage: 1799
Who will win? It truly is hard to say. Basso is the odds on favorite, and my gut says to go with him. So I will. I predict the GC podium will be:
"Crazy" Ivan Basso
"Pretty Boy" Floyd Landis
Jan "I didn't start training early enough. Again." Ullrich
Green jersey winner: Tom "T-Bone" Boonen
Polka dot jersey winner: Michael "self-destruction" Rasmussen
White jersey winner: Some guy I've never heard of. With a mullet.
Date: June 28
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 337
Year to date mileage: 1799
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
The Rain in Spain
It may not be Spain, but we had some weird rain yesterday afternoon. People kept coming up to me, the resident biking weirdo, and (a little too joyfully) telling me that it was raining really hard. Thanks, I noticed. But the beautiful thing was that between getting in the elevator to go down to the parking garage and going outside, the rain had all but stopped. I rode home through puddles and was sprinkled on one or twice, but that was the extent of it. Clean living, that's what that is.
Hey Ray, I think I might have passed your wife on the way home tonight. It took me a few blocks to put two and two together. She was riding with a polka-dot king of the mountains jersey and matching socks. But it was the bike with those fancy fenders that made my brain struggle out of it's daze and take notice. If it wasn't her, it was still a cool bike. By the time I realized it, she had apparantly turned off because I didn't see her behind me any more.
Date: June 22
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 268
Year to date mileage: 1730
Date: June 26
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 291
Year to date mileage: 1753
Date: June 27
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 314
Year to date mileage: 1776
Hey Ray, I think I might have passed your wife on the way home tonight. It took me a few blocks to put two and two together. She was riding with a polka-dot king of the mountains jersey and matching socks. But it was the bike with those fancy fenders that made my brain struggle out of it's daze and take notice. If it wasn't her, it was still a cool bike. By the time I realized it, she had apparantly turned off because I didn't see her behind me any more.
Date: June 22
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 268
Year to date mileage: 1730
Date: June 26
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 291
Year to date mileage: 1753
Date: June 27
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 314
Year to date mileage: 1776
Thursday, June 22, 2006
First major trike ride.
Wednesday morning I had a Lasik screening at 8:15. I'd already told work that I didn't know how long it would take, and that I might not be in at all. The screening went well, and I'm an excellent candidate. However, I don't have the money set aside in my flex spending account. They offered me a deal if I do it before the end of June, since this is their slow time (see flex spending accounts). Figuring in the deal versus the flex account tax savings, and also the fact that I've broken my prescription sunglasses and would probably need a new set if I don't do it now, doing it now would cost me about $400 extra. We'll see. Plus, while I was in the waiting room and my eyes were dilating, I watched some woman undergo the procedure. I think that was a mistake, because it kind of freaked me out. I had shades of A Clockwork Orange running through my head as they inserted the eye speculum under her eyelids. They should probably draw the curtain when they're doing that. Ew.
So after I drove home and let the eye drops wear off, I decided to head out for a ride on the trike. My goal was to get a rear rack so I can use it for commuting. I first stopped by Hiawatha to see what they could throw together. It's such an odd bike that we weren't able to come up with a good solution. After Kevin took the trike for a spin I headed up to Calhoun Cycle via the Chain of Lakes. They didn't really have anything great either. They had one rack that probably would have worked, but it was the same price as the Sun rack and they could order the Sun rack and have it in a couple of days. I read somewhere that delayed gratification is a sign of maturity, so I decided to have them order it and wait a couple of days.
By the time I was done at Calhoun it was 3:00. I realized this is my normal leaving work time and I needed to get home to pick up the kids, pronto. So I hauled ass (helped by a nice tailwind) down the Greenway and picked up my normal commute route home on Minnehaha Ave. I made it home about 10 minutes earlier than normal, but I was also starting from a different location and had no red lights to worry about on the Greenway. I have no idea how fast I was going, but it felt fast. But I think there's something about being that close to the ground that heightens the sensation of speed. Because I'm not a fast guy.
When the day was done I'd put in 28 miles, according to the gmaps pedometer site. A pretty fair trial for the trike. And I did it with next to nothing, supply-wise. I took off with my phone, my cash card, and my garage door opener. No bags, no water bottles, no spare tubes, nothing. I covered bike paths, bike lanes and general on streen riding. And I enjoyed the heck out of the trike on all three. Now if I could only figure out a way to take it camping with me this weekend...
Date: June 21
Mileage: 28
Ride type: Shopping/Test Ride
June mileage: 245
Year to date mileage: 1707
So after I drove home and let the eye drops wear off, I decided to head out for a ride on the trike. My goal was to get a rear rack so I can use it for commuting. I first stopped by Hiawatha to see what they could throw together. It's such an odd bike that we weren't able to come up with a good solution. After Kevin took the trike for a spin I headed up to Calhoun Cycle via the Chain of Lakes. They didn't really have anything great either. They had one rack that probably would have worked, but it was the same price as the Sun rack and they could order the Sun rack and have it in a couple of days. I read somewhere that delayed gratification is a sign of maturity, so I decided to have them order it and wait a couple of days.
By the time I was done at Calhoun it was 3:00. I realized this is my normal leaving work time and I needed to get home to pick up the kids, pronto. So I hauled ass (helped by a nice tailwind) down the Greenway and picked up my normal commute route home on Minnehaha Ave. I made it home about 10 minutes earlier than normal, but I was also starting from a different location and had no red lights to worry about on the Greenway. I have no idea how fast I was going, but it felt fast. But I think there's something about being that close to the ground that heightens the sensation of speed. Because I'm not a fast guy.
When the day was done I'd put in 28 miles, according to the gmaps pedometer site. A pretty fair trial for the trike. And I did it with next to nothing, supply-wise. I took off with my phone, my cash card, and my garage door opener. No bags, no water bottles, no spare tubes, nothing. I covered bike paths, bike lanes and general on streen riding. And I enjoyed the heck out of the trike on all three. Now if I could only figure out a way to take it camping with me this weekend...
Date: June 21
Mileage: 28
Ride type: Shopping/Test Ride
June mileage: 245
Year to date mileage: 1707
Monday, June 19, 2006
Up again, down again
Yesterday morning I was making my way up Highway 13 on my way in to work. As I neared the top of the hill I looked over my left shoulder to see if the road was clear. It usually is at 5am, but I check anyway. In my peripheral vision I noticed something was actually on my shoulder. I looked again and it was a dragonfly (or damselfly, I never can tell). It was just hanging out, hitchhiking along. I crossed 13 and headed up Sibley Memorial Highway. I looked over my shoulder again, and it was still there. As I approached highway 55 I checked one more time. Still there. This is about three miles of riding with this bug on my back. It was cool. Once I reached 55 I slowed down and turned to get on the path so I could cross the bridge. The fly took this as a good place to disembark, because when I checked my shoulder at the top of the hill it was gone. When most commuters encounter a dragonfly, it's as a smear on their windshield, not as a passenger. It was a nice brush-with-nature kind of moment that made me feel good the rest of the way in.
After showering at the downtown Y, I was approached by a homeless guy. He came toward me with a bus transfer in his hand. I'd been scammed by the "hey mister, I just need one dollar so I can take the bus to visit my sick kid/sister/mother" approach when I was naive and new to working downtown. After that, my policy has been that I don't give money to the homeless. After working in downtown Minneapolis for 9 years, I can usually tell who really needs some help and who's looking for quick cash. This guy didn't need help. In Minneapolis, most of the ones who are working the prime commuter hours are doing just that, working. He thrust the bus transfer at me and grunted. I said, "No, sorry, I don't want the transfer." and tried to move off. He grunted again in a way that made me think he couldn't speak. He pointed at the transfer, and written in ball point it said "my dad died, please help, god bless" I was tempted, but even if I wanted to I didn't have any cash so again I said "No thanks, sorry." I started to pull my bike out of the rack. At this point he realized I wasn't buying. As he walked away he said, very clearly and with decent enunciation, "Fuck off, bike fag."
Date: June 20
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 217
Year to date mileage: 1679
After showering at the downtown Y, I was approached by a homeless guy. He came toward me with a bus transfer in his hand. I'd been scammed by the "hey mister, I just need one dollar so I can take the bus to visit my sick kid/sister/mother" approach when I was naive and new to working downtown. After that, my policy has been that I don't give money to the homeless. After working in downtown Minneapolis for 9 years, I can usually tell who really needs some help and who's looking for quick cash. This guy didn't need help. In Minneapolis, most of the ones who are working the prime commuter hours are doing just that, working. He thrust the bus transfer at me and grunted. I said, "No, sorry, I don't want the transfer." and tried to move off. He grunted again in a way that made me think he couldn't speak. He pointed at the transfer, and written in ball point it said "my dad died, please help, god bless" I was tempted, but even if I wanted to I didn't have any cash so again I said "No thanks, sorry." I started to pull my bike out of the rack. At this point he realized I wasn't buying. As he walked away he said, very clearly and with decent enunciation, "Fuck off, bike fag."
Date: June 20
Mileage: 23
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 217
Year to date mileage: 1679
Nature Valley
If you read this blog, odds are that you're a bike junkie. Odds are also pretty good that you're based out of Minneapolis. And if either of the above (or both) is true, you already know about the big excitement on Friday night. Thanks to other, better, Minneapolis bloggers who post about current events in a timely manner.
So while my wife and kids were out milking cows, I was doing what I do best. Drinking beer at a pub and watching bikes. I hung out at the Local with my Cat3 buddy Ken and some of his friends getting warmed up for the race. It was a lovely Friday afternoon, perfect for beers on the outdoor patio just a stone's throw from the start/finish line. Then, everything went to hell.
During the first wave of the storm, Ken, Shawn and John stayed outside and bravely hung on to one of the patio umbrellas. But the 65 mph wind proved too much and ripped it from their grasp, sending the umbrella flying down the street and them racing for the bar.
Once the front moved through the women's race began. And then the skies started to darken just in time for the men's race. I stayed outside and watched both, getting drenched to the bone during the men's.
But since I had to ride my bike home eventually, it didn't bother me much. After the race I bid Ken and crew farewell and squelched my way back to work to get my bike. I hopped the light rail and found that the air conditioning was working overtime. So I rode the train until the a/c caused my teeth to start to chatter, and got off at 50th Street station. It was about this time I realized that I had no headlight and the batteries were dead on my taillight. But it was a glorious ride. Dark and rainy, sure. But there was enough ambient light that I could see everything in my way. And the rain was a damn sight warmer than the train had been. I stuck to the bike trail the entire way home, due to my lack of lighting, and made it home by 10:00. A late dinner, some reading and then off to bed. We woke up the next morning to find the power had gone out (Dad, the light in the bathroom doesn't work!). We took off for the in-laws' place Saturday morning for Father's Day weekend and didn't get back until about 9 last night.
You can see the rest of the photos I took at flickr. These aren't the best of the best, mind you. This is all I got. When I pulled my camera out of my bag Friday it started giving me a low battery indicator immediately. So I was able to get a grand total of 11 shots.
Date: June 19
Mileage: 19
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 194
Year to date mileage: 1656
So while my wife and kids were out milking cows, I was doing what I do best. Drinking beer at a pub and watching bikes. I hung out at the Local with my Cat3 buddy Ken and some of his friends getting warmed up for the race. It was a lovely Friday afternoon, perfect for beers on the outdoor patio just a stone's throw from the start/finish line. Then, everything went to hell.
During the first wave of the storm, Ken, Shawn and John stayed outside and bravely hung on to one of the patio umbrellas. But the 65 mph wind proved too much and ripped it from their grasp, sending the umbrella flying down the street and them racing for the bar. Once the front moved through the women's race began. And then the skies started to darken just in time for the men's race. I stayed outside and watched both, getting drenched to the bone during the men's.
But since I had to ride my bike home eventually, it didn't bother me much. After the race I bid Ken and crew farewell and squelched my way back to work to get my bike. I hopped the light rail and found that the air conditioning was working overtime. So I rode the train until the a/c caused my teeth to start to chatter, and got off at 50th Street station. It was about this time I realized that I had no headlight and the batteries were dead on my taillight. But it was a glorious ride. Dark and rainy, sure. But there was enough ambient light that I could see everything in my way. And the rain was a damn sight warmer than the train had been. I stuck to the bike trail the entire way home, due to my lack of lighting, and made it home by 10:00. A late dinner, some reading and then off to bed. We woke up the next morning to find the power had gone out (Dad, the light in the bathroom doesn't work!). We took off for the in-laws' place Saturday morning for Father's Day weekend and didn't get back until about 9 last night. You can see the rest of the photos I took at flickr. These aren't the best of the best, mind you. This is all I got. When I pulled my camera out of my bag Friday it started giving me a low battery indicator immediately. So I was able to get a grand total of 11 shots.
Date: June 19
Mileage: 19
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 194
Year to date mileage: 1656
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