Bikes belong

Normally, riding with Tim Johnson is tough. He's really good at cyclocross and we're not. Or at least, I'm not. However, at the beginning of March, you have the opportunity to go for a ride with him. As part of this:

Tim Johnson’s

Ride On Washington

Nine States; Six Capitals; Five Days; One Cause

A bike ride to support more bike rides.

Overview

This winter, six-time national champion and cyclo-cross superstar Tim Johnson will throw his leg over his bike for a hard week of training. But he’s not riding to improve his cycling; he’s riding to improve your cycling.

Tim Johnson will ride to raise funds and awareness for the Bikes Belong Foundation as he pedals almost 500 miles from Boston to Washington DC, the site of the National Bike Summit, in five days.

Starting Friday, March 4, Tim will be joined by long time cycling journalist, advocate, promoter and announcer Richard Fries, and a handful of other leaders of American bike culture. Leaving from Boston, they will ride every day, hitting Providence, Hartford, New York City, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore, until they reach Washington DC on Tuesday, March 8, for the start of the National Bike Summit.

“We want to engage governors, mayors, bloggers, reporters, schools, and most of all other cyclists along the way,” said Johnson, who is already building support from the bike industry for this mission.

Tim Johnson hopes to see this event raise funds and awareness for Bikes Belong and the National Bike Summit. Your support will be critical to make that happen.

Ride With Us

You can ride with us for five minutes, five miles, or all five days. When you register, we will create a personal fundraising page for you on www.PledgeReg.com, where you can raise money to benefit Bikes Belong. We will post the exact routes as we get closer to the ride. Please note that although we will have neutral support along the way to help all riders, individuals looking to join will be required to take care of their own logistics.

So, Georgette at BikeWalk CT contacted Ben, Interstatement, me and so others to help shepherd Tim though Hartford. Salem's advice was to take Rt. 14 into CT from Providence, end up in Willimantic and we'd meet Tim in Bolton center. Something along these lines. The route from Bolton is contingent about snow cover. If you're interested in joining us for for about a 35 mile ride on March 4, send me an email to coordinate. We're going to ride him out the next day towards Bethel (Cannondale).

Also, the evening of the 4th, there will be a reception for this. You should come, but I don't have all the details yet other than it'll the evening of 4th.

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So much 'cross!

I'm not a very good bike racer. It's fun and I'm really starting to enjoy 'cross, but it's not something I'd drive a really far distance for. None the less, there were THREE(!) 'cross races within 50 miles of my house this weekend. I opted to do Cheshire on Saturday & Hop Brook (in Middlebury, CT) on Sunday. I didn't do Easthampton, even though it was the bigger race on Sunday. I would have had to get early on Sunday and I went out Saturday night. Besides, it was good to support to try and keep it from going away.

Cheshire is my favorite race around. A lot of it is in the woods, where it's rolling and technical. This year, the hill with the "hill people" was without the log & box, so it was rideable. The race was prey brutal for me. I had a bad crash caused by someone running me off course on the first lap, but fought my way back to first (and then second/third). I was feeling really good, but had some issues on the hill and dropped my chain. I lost a few places that I could regain because it took me like a minute to get the chain back on. When running up a bumpy hill, put the bike on your shoulder. Don't push it. I finished seventh.

The next day I went to where they have that mountain bike race down near Waterbury. There weren't too many people, starting field of seven, and it was a course that didn't suit the Brendan, long straights on pavement. But, after a bunch of high pressure races, this was welcome. Also welcome was that it was the battle of the Mahoneys. Mark Mahoney, whom I've raced against a few times this year, was present and he and I battled the whole race. We traded the lead a bunch of times, but neither one of us was able to sustain a gap until the last paved straight, where he pulled ahead and I didn't have it in me to contest. And, he won.

So, two races in one weekend. That's too much racing!

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Rocks and rocks and manure

Thursday was Veterans' Day. To honor the Vets, CT-NEMBA sponsors a ride. I did it last year at Grayville and I did this year's at Millers Pond. Salem and I arrived early and rode west of the park and visited a big rock. NEMBA folks I know like Mark, Charlie and Al were and then lots of others whom I don't know. If you've never ridden Millers Pond, it's great, even though it's one of the most difficult places around. Everything is rideable, but half of the place involves artfully arranged giant rocks. The other half, which I believe is called the XC loop, is also fun, but not quite as difficult. I think the crazy rocky park may also be difficult because the two times I've been there, I've ridden them retrograde to way that most people ride it. Although, I'm sure it's difficult in both directions. I just get the sense that it might be slightly easier to ride down a lot of these rocks rather than up them. It seems to me if you want to get an "XC loop", ride the entire place, even though there'll be a little walking. It doesn't take that long (2 - 2 1/2 hours?).

Yesterday (Saturday), there was a cyclocross race in Ellington. It was a rather strange course on the side of a hill at a farm: lots of long straightaways. It made my course in Hartford seem twisty (when I got a couple of complaints that it had too many straightaways (it only had two and they weren't that long)). None the less, it was fun. I rode it on Johanna's bike with flat bars and I must say that it would seem I ride better with flat bars. I think I'm a more confident descender and I've got more leverage to climb. Also, the bike has the same gearing as when I rode D2R2 on it, which was helpful on the "climbs", as I think I was only person in my race to ride them. 5th place, though, wins you no socks.

Afterward, I visited my parents and did some fixed gear mountain biking to pass the time. I guess it's fun

Authentic cyclocross.

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Salem's ride: nobody died

On the heels of the eel, Salem organized himself a ride out into the hinterland of East-Central Connecticut. Calling it the De-tour de Connecticut, it left from Salem's house in South Glastonbury, went through Meshomasic State Forest, over to the Air Line Trail all the way out to Willimantic, then it came back west on the Hop Brook Trail, did some very interesting in Manchester, hit the boardwalk and then ventured back to Glastonbury via Keeney Cove, where a secret bit of singletrack was discovered and rendered Keeney connected to Naubuc.

The bike was dirty.

Information about about how this was all going to work involved descriptions like this:

• I've been wanting to lead this loop for a number of years, and now I finally took the bit. More or less, it is a grand tour of Connecticut's eastern rail trails and some other hidden gems thrown in to boot. Mostly crushed cinder path, I've ridden all of it with a road bike, but would recommend at least a 32c tire, so a cross bike or rigid mountain bike would probably be the ideal as there are some some short but significantly rough sections, and even a touch of singletrack. In other words, it is a typical ride for me. A rough outline on google maps says about 75 miles, so yes, it will be a long day. The good news is the vast majority of the loop stays off car-accessible routes and much of it is rather pretty as well.
• 2) Regarding bikes, I've done most of the recon on a road bike but have had walk here and there. Cross bike is good if you view that as a mild offroader, but if you view a cross rig as just a dirt-road-bike, best bring yourself a mountain bike. Dario will be riding a fixed gear 20" BMX with no seat just to show us what wimps we are.
• In answer to requests for a route, the short answer is, "Sorry, no I can't provide one." Not only would it ruin the surprise (where's everyone's sense of adventure?), but the loop doesn't stick to mapped routes, or paths. The sketch: Meshomasic to Airline trail, to Hop River Trail, no-name trails etc through Manchester and E. Hartford, paths along the river, and back. Thus the "De-tour" de CT.

Then, it got clean!

Due to a dare, I rode it on the old fixed Colnago, which was stupid. None the less, it was exciting with dangerous bridges, secret Manchester singletrack and a heart-poppingly strenuous rip-rap along the railroad. I didn't take any pictures, so I don't have any evidence of the final trudge through high water on Point Road. It was a pretty epic final trudge: glowering bike people with bikes on shoulders wading through thigh deep water.

And, that was that. Thanks for leading us on a great ride, Salem!

Cat playing the synthesizer.

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Spiral

As much as I love Vermont, driving six or seven hours in one day is a lot of work. So, I stayed in Connecticut. There was a 'cross race in Avon on Saturday. The course was fun and the race had lots of people. The downside was that they started it 15 minutes early so I didn't get a chance to ride any more than 1/3 of a lap to warm up. I pulled a hamstring, which sort of sucks. It had a "death spiral" which is the course design gimmick de rigeur (it is fun, though) and three sets of triple barriers.

I did eh, having a crappy start and finish. Matt Lolli of Ghostship killed it on a singlespeed. 2nd place, damn! Johanna took some pictures of me not killing anything:

On Sunday, Salem and I wandered around the woods of Salmon River State Forest and Day Pond State Park. I found $15! Having never ridden there, I was impressed with the singletrack in the greater Colchester area. There aren't many people living around there, but they've sure built a lot of good trails.

I didn't take any mountain bike pictures. This is at the bottom of that viaduct on the Air Line Trail.

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Weekend Weekend!

I did lots of things this weekend and now I'm going to tell you about them.

The parts of cyclocross that are exciting on a bike generally do not photograph well.

On Saturday morning, I went out to Mansfield for the Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross race. I love that race. They're so friendly and they've got free seasonally appropriate food and drink. Every year the course changes a little bit. It was harder this year than last, but hard in a fun way. I had a good start again, faded a bit, but ended up finishing 9th. I should probably start running a 12-28 in the back instead of a 12-15. Or perhaps a 39t chainring. 42:12-25 is too tall for me.

Then I got home and put on pants instead of tights so that I could help plant trees on my street. Since I was late, Johanna and I only planted one tree. Usually, I try to plant more. Also, have you realized that you can't spell street without "tree"? I just did. That's why street trees are important or something.

Looking south from Heublein Tower at what I would ride my bike on the next day.

Also, it was the Avon Land Trust's fall hike (my dad is their treasurer), which corresponds with the Heublein Tower "Tower Toot". So, Johanna and I went up there and tooted. We love the Tower Toot. Since you probably haven't done it before, you should go next year. You can see these guys.

Then, we ate some Korean food from a stone pot.

On Sunday, it was the big river cleanup. The Snails and Trinity College were well represented. As it was the third anniversary of the beat bike blog's participation, I rode a bike and transported supplies with my indefatigable ortleib panniers and snake bike. Snake bike painter, Peter, waxed poetic about his days of racing on the snake bike.

Then I went mountain biking and figured out how to ride south of reservoir over to Mountain Rd. in Farmington and then back to rt. 4. It was cool finding trails I imagined to exist, but had never ridden on. I also broke in a 2.3" Hutchinson Bulldog because my beloved Panaracer Smoke wore out. I'm not particularly impressed with this new one. It was more of an experiment to see how well a 2.3 would fit in the back. It fits fine.

Then, Johanna and I went to Johanna's mom's house for dinner.

The end.

Oh yeah, on Friday I pixilated my coworkers by transporting a large box contain my new synthesizer home on my bike. The hardest part was getting it out of the building.

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Dog Poop

So, I did the race at the Dog Park. It was ok. The officials were a little intense and the course wasn't too fascinating. But, turnout was good and it was a good bunch of racers.

I had the holeshot, faded to third and then crashed. I ended up where I assumed to be somewhere around tenth at that point. I was a little off and finished 12th. It was fun and nice that I was able to ride to a race.

Johanna took some good pictures and video.




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Dog park

I don't like dog parks. Many people know this. There was once a consideration to do this in Elizabeth Park. I became very angry. Dogs are good (not as good as cats, but still good). Dog parks are bad.

Anyway, I have signed up for a 'cross race (one to which I can ride my bike) tomorrow in Rocky Hill that benefits the eventual construction of a dog park in Rocky Hill. My hope is that my entry fee goes entirely to paying the officials, etc., but I bet some of it is going to go to this thing.

Ugh!

I don't have any pictures of Elm Ridge Park, so the picture is Quarry Park.

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Hartford 'Cross II

So, I was lukewarm about doing another 'cross race, because it was a lot of work. But, it was also pretty cool. In that spirit, mark your calendars for October 24. Bikereg registration will be up soon as I finish the flyer.

I did some more GPS experimentation yesterday on a ride with Dario. Apparently, we did a lot of riding in the river.

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Dead real estate

I was putting some final touches on Johanna's Jake the Snake for upcoming abuse of it on the D2R2. I wanted to take it for a spin, so I rode it up through Cedar Hill Cemetery, out towards the quarry and nearby spooky environs. Much too my surprise, they're doing all sorts of crazy new construction at Cedar Hill. It looks like they're adding more ponds and that they've taken down a good 5 acres worth of forest (which, of course, make me a little sad). How did I miss this? I go through there pretty regularly, but it has been maybe a month or two.

And then (GPS is so cool!), I rode down through those other Cedar Hill trails and some of it appears to be legit singletrack.

(this is not a picture of legit singletrack)
This is totally fucked up. In the woods above Cedar Hill, there are a couple of pet carriers, indicating that people drive up there to abandon their pets. Assholes. If you can take on the responsibility of getting a pet, don't get one at all.

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Shake a fist

Taking the opportunity on to the trip to the Granby CVS, where Johanna gets prescriptions filled because it's close to work, Johanna exercised her right to ride around on her new 'cross bike. We rode around on those dirt roads out that way and it was pretty good.

No hot sulfur rained upon us as rode/hiked up Sodom Mountain.

This sign was a the beginning of a cool dirt road, the kind upon which I like to drive my Passat. So, I don't think a Passat is an "own risk" at all. Or, maybe it was like Passats own risk, because that's definitely true.

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Ride Snake Shake Down Jake Down at the Blow Hole

Johanna was in need of a sturdy-ish bike for a secret thing involving a bike in a couple of weeks. Looking around on the craigslist and the ebay, there were some things, like a pretty sweet long haul trucker build and some old mountain bikes. There was also a Kona Jake the Snake for sale in Waterford (which at first I thought was Watertown and almost drove down 84). We went there and got a good deal from a nice guy.


It was set up more like a hybrid, but I changed that stuff and swapped out the tires. Now it's a flat bar 'cross bike. I've seen people riding them sometimes. I've thought 'cross bikes needed drop bars, but that required some effort with cables and stuff, and I wasn't in the mood.


Johanna wasn't feeling well, so I took it on that "shakedown" ride or whatever the cool people call the first time you ride something. I rode down to Cromwell along the river and the bike worked pretty well. Flat barred 'cross bikes work ok despite their aesthetic disadvantage.


I've also decided that while limited, the Blow Hole State Park trails are pretty good.

And I saw this guy get attacked by a swan.
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My submission to velospace?

I realized last week that I'm not sufficiently zen. I was once, when I did a book report on The Cat Who Went to Heaven. I made this board game called "Nirvana or Hell" or something like that. You rolled a stone, drew cards and strove towards asceticism. The more you slept on an uncomfortable bed, divorced yourself from worldly trappings and wondered down the eight fold path, the closer you went towards winning the game. Although, you couldn't really win, because there's nothing zen about board game competition.


Anyway, I bought this old Colnago 'cross frame (with Reynolds 531!) off eBay awhile ago. I have no idea why. I already have one old and weird 'cross bike, but for some reason I felt that a second was needed, especially because it would be shipped from the Netherlands if I won. It arrived packed in newspapers I couldn't understand, lots of bubble wrap and milk cartons. It was actually quite a pretty looking frame and some other parts came along with it. I acquired a couple Nuovo Record parts off of eBay and then it just sat. Unsure of what to do and feeling paralyzed by the presence of this strange fancy bike, I ended up posting it on craigslist. Of course, the only responses I got were from TJ and Salem. Salem just wanted to buy the Mafac brakes.


Then, like in a lot of religions, I had an epiphany: I should make this into a fixed gear! It had sliding (and elegant) Campy dropouts and would be suitably absurd. So, I plunked down $120 on some CR18s laced to Formula hubs and built it up.



Admittedly, 38:17 is a little low of a gear for riding on the road, but it's very comfortable off road. I'd really like to have a 40t chainring, which would put me at 63 gear inches, right now I'm at 60 1/2". But, the bike performed quite well as a silly fixed gear 'cross bike on the yesterday's factory tour.

A lot of the parts aren't period correct, especially the Bontrager seat post of my mid 2000s Gary Fisher. I actually have a 27.2mm NR seat post, but I got so fed up with the stupid position of the second bolt, that I gave up and threw the single bolted one one.

Also, I have no plans to take the brakes off. They're very pretty as is. Read more!

The raggies

I wanted to read about President Obama's budget this morning in the Hartford Courant, but it was on pages A3 & A9. I hate turning pages, so I skipped that. What was on the front page? Even more important news: The Rip Torn saga brewing in Salisbury! As a cyclist, lover of Salisbury and its mountains and daily reader of Bike Snob NYC, there's a strange kismet to all this.

1. I like to ride my bike and hike up Salisbury's hills.
2. Rip Torn likes to hang out around Salisbury and perpetrate bizarre drunken crimes.
3. Rip Torn is linked to cycling because BSNYC has taken to using the RT mug shot when approving of things.

So, I have concluded that Rip Torn is the world's most famous raggie.

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Stupid weather

It is supposed to be nasty and disgusting tomorrow (Eel 4 day). I would like to go for a ride, but I don't want to catch my death. I'll get up and post my intentions on here by like 9:30. I'll also still probably end up going to the park and seeing if anyone comes. Maybe we'll do a really short ride or just go get a beer.

In other news, I did that Beer Cross race today. Nice course, rideable snow. I came in third... though there were only seven or eight riders. I had first for the the first lap and a half or so. I should have held on to it for longer. Maybe making a gap is a good idea. Oh well. I'm still not very good at this stuff. Read more!

Race times

When I switched from Cat 3 (Beginner) to Cat 2 (Sport) in mountain biking this year, I was happy that I didn't have to wake up so early for races. Cat 3 races are usually at 9am and 2's are at 2pm. 'Cross races vary in terms of who goes off when. It seems, to me, that some times they put the crappy racers, like me, later in the day, so that the A's get the course when it's loosened up a bit, but isn't yet a mud put. Although, sometimes, the C race is in the early morning, elites are midday and B's are at the end. Anyway, I bring this up because there's an interesting article in the Times today about time of day and athletic performance (regrettably, this column is called "Personal Best").

“Most components (strength, power, speed) of athletic performance are worst in the early hours of the morning,” he [Dr. Greg Atkinson of Liverpool John Moores University] wrote in an e-mail message. “Ratings of perceived exertion during exercise have generally been found to be highest in the early morning.”

With that in mind, I signed up for that Beer Cross race on Saturday morning and it's a 9am start time (for crappy, Brendan-caliber racers). I look forward to doing poorly. While it looks to be a much larger field than what's in Dayville, that Ice Weasel race is too far away.

In all its non-competitive glory, the Eel 4 is set to start at 11am. Everyone should be good and warmed up by then. Read more!

First Snow

If you live around here, you probably noticed that it snowed. Not very much, just a 1" dusting at most it appears, but there's always that slight magic to the first snow. So, since this is a bike blog, I'm not going to write about memories, sleds, Santa (though, I did buy a Christmas trees yesterday), yuletide, muletide or hot chocolate.

Dario and I rode down to Constitution Plaza this morning to meet with Peter & Salem. On Ledyard St, I got a sizable nail in my tire, which is presently booted with Peter's granola bar wrapper. From, there, we went to the Wethersfield meadows. People split on the way back. Dario and Peter had some cryptic business; Salem and I briefly rode together, but he had to go purchase an ancient Volvo and I wanted to grab another tube, because I was so close to chez moi. I got the tube and decided to eat my left overs (which were this very interesting winter cabbage & dried tofu dish from China Pan). I decided since it was only 1:30, there was that I could explore today, so I rode out to the reservoir and eventually to Terry Plain Road. Things were pretty:


Then I turned around and came home. The Terry Plain Road connection had become a creek and was rather difficult to ride.

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To help Salem out, here's a picture from the ride on Friday:

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