The Eel 5: Other Rivers

It's the time of year again when people Eel around here. Last year there was no racing, but we went up and down the Connecticut River. This year, I'm proposing that we go take a look at a different river, the Farmington. It is the River of my youth and I think this is a good idea. So, let's go ride over there next Sunday morning (November 6) at 9am. I think the ride will be about 50 or 60 miles long, but I haven't totally mapped it out yet. Wide-ish tires will be a good idea, because there are some rocks, but I don't think any bike will be perfect. We can leave from my house. There's good on street parking.

What do you think? Send me an email. Read more!

It's a man's, man's, man's world...

But it don't mean nothing without a cat. I think that's how that song goes.

Anyway, there's this cat living on our windowsill that needs a home better than our windowsill. He's cute, fixed and friendly. We even took him to the vet yesterday to get checked out. Email me if you'd like this nice cat.

Additionally, cats make great mountain biking partners.

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Training

I am not very good at racing the bicycles. Part of the reason for that is because I've never really done this training thing people have talked about. This year, on the other hand, I have done three training related things. I did two of the dog park cyclocross training races and last night I did Expo Wheelmen's ride down the Hop Brook Trail really fast at night ride. Up soon are actual races, I wonder what will happen.

Sweaty butt picture courtesy of Mike O'Toole. Read more!

Two different paths.

I was looking at two different bike photos that touched off a bit of light philosophizing this morning. The first is the newest Quintana Roo time trial bike I spied at Bicycles East in Glastonbury. The bike is beautifully svelte and begs you to set your legs on fire while rightly vanquishing your wheeled foes. I respected the design and aesthetic thought (perhaps I drooled a bit) that went into the machine, but realized at $3,300 it wasn't something I was even remotely interested in owning. Funny thing is that I actually own a 1996 Quintana Roo Tequilo, back from when I was young, foolish, and thought I could do more than respectable as a competitive triathlete. I doubt I'll ever spend that much on a bike again.


The next bike is a 1981 Schwinn Super le Tour frame (sans wheels) that I found discarded by Willowbrook Elementary in East Hartford. I recognized the bike as a relatively choice find and it made its way home bungeed to my bike rack. At this point I'm deciding what to do with this free bike. Should I build it up for myself? I've already got too many bikes. Hand it off to someone else? Build it up and sell it? Whatever I do, it will cost an order of magnitude less than $3,300 and will last perhaps decades longer. Suggestions?




My musing is on why someone would throw $3,300 at the Quintana Roo, and throw away the Schwinn. What makes the Schwinn trash, and the Roo treasure? Conversely, why is the Schwinn a treasure to me and others who love the free and found things? Read more!

An after school special

As I think some blog post stated, I am no longer a bureaucrat and am instead a law student. The books are heavy and are taking a toll on my world's greatest panniers. I'm trying to adjust, but it's weird not having a job. There are also way more laws than I thought there were and I'm spending all this time reading about them. Apparently, there's a lot more to the legal world than the Hartford Municipal Code (Ordinance 08-10 made mountain biking legal in Hartford parks).

Today, however, my morning class was canceled, so my book load was light. Coaxed by the nice weather, I went on a nice little bike ride starting from campus and into the flood waters of the Connecticut. I hadn't stood thigh-deep in the river since the Detour last Fall. The immediate environs of the river of starting to develop the mournful look they get in Fall. It's nice.

Also, you may recall that Windsor wanted to put a bike path along the Connecticut River between Windsor Meadows State Park and Hartford. It appears that they've broken ground.

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River cleaned

As per routine, the rain cleared and we returned to the river and picked up myriad debris. Though mainly, it's just just bottles. Of note this year, two men offered me a shot upon arrival. Also of note, trinity college had an awesome showing this year (really, the only participants besides tony and me). They cleaned with a yeomen's effort and I think we did the best job since the first year. Go bantams?

Then, I went for a bike ride. 

(top photo credit to Andy Hart)

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