A Case of the Dundies

"Is that a wadded up pair of boxers in your pants or are you just happy to see me?" Oh no baby its boxers, and you know why??? --cause its Double-Undies Day (Dundies...that's my new word. You heard it here first, add it to your spell check its going to be big...I've been big on firsts lately...maybe its my lack of racing turning me competitive in other, far more mundane, exploits...)

Dundies occurs when its so miserably wet and soggy outside that you get soaked all the way to the core by the time you get to work such that you either end up going ‘sans-culottes’ or you have to cart around another pair of boxers, briefs, panties (or worse) with you. I can’t recall the last time it rained on a commute IN to work. The summer occasionally boasts rainy rides home, generally preferable to the 90+ heat, but the Dundy day is a rarely experienced joy most common to spring and fall. Today it rained, heavy, cold, fat drops my entire ride in to work. Despite my rain jacket and pants, by the time I got to the office I was more or less soaked to the core; the tops of the legs really get the brunt of the rain hence the penetrating sodden condition of one’s boxers. My shoes likely won’t dry out for another day. My socks were still wet and cold when I put them back on for the ride home. My gloves…ditto.

And yet don’t get me wrong: I’m not complaining. A Dundy ride is almost a badge of honor. Ben at work also road in today, so the camaraderie in the bike room this evening was extra heightened; the commiseration in the morning’s dreariness and discussion of best lube for post-rain rejuvenation being the hot topics of conversation. Plus a truly dreary, gray, rain-fest of a morning ride only portends more ominous and inhospitable conditions to come: I love it. Not that I’m a huge fan of winter commuting (especially come April when I’m fed up with it), but right now its novel, new, a sign of the changing of seasons; time to really get down to business. Soon it won’t just be commuting by bike, on some days it almost becomes an exercise in survival or at least coping with wet drawers. So get out the good lube, the Swiss Army knife, those extra boxers and other survival gear; winter’s on its way, time to get ready!

Day 6: Kebler Pass to Paonia

Miles Traveled:  47 with some tooling around town dodging raindrops
Ride time: I don't really even know. It didn't take long
Avg Speed: 16 on the descent and now I'm just chillin' out.

Many thanks to Overgaard Bicycle Repair, John Eckert proprietor and bike doctor, for getting my Surly re-lubed, tuned and ready for more on the road adventure. Now you may be saying to yourself, “Golly gee Jason, why did you have to have the fine folks (really its just one guy but I like to be dramatic) at Overgaard Bicycle Repair work on your Surly Long Haul Trucker?” That is a fine, astute question and it definitely warrants the telling of the tale.

Dear readers recall last night I left the friendly and accommodating confines of Crested Butte to dine on freeze dried Mexican Spicy Chicken and Rice atop Kebler Pass. It was delicious like the apple in Eden, yummy, yummy and then it hits your tummy and you're blasted out of paradise and on your own. Ok it wasn't that bad, it was better than the Honey Chicken BBQ...in a bag. But I digress, you will note my harrowing stories of dodging construction implements, eating dust and breathing the grit of passing moto-tourists. If you caught all of the details of that story (posted earlier today as my Day 5 recap) you’ll remember that I went on a wonderful hike in the woods, saw some birds, could not photograph them because of the bad lighting of impending meteorological doom and made it back to camp just before it started raining.

So guess what happens to 24 miles of dirt/gravel National Forest road after an ENTIRE night of light to moderate rainfall? Well it goes straight to hell my friends, it goes straight to hell. Was I expecting such a fate? Well I must admit to you, or I’d be a liar, that I feared exactly such circumstance. It was such fear that drove me to concoct my back up plan of heading west through Sapinero and up to Hotchkiss on 92. It was a call best made from Gunnison and not Crested Butte, and as it was sunny and clear when I made the game day decision to head to Crested Butte, and sunny and even more clear (its higher up in elevation so I think it could actually be more clear) when I got there, I can't really second guess myself too much. But as I lollygagged and loafed around town clouds did indeed form on the horizon. They did look like rain clouds. And I did see them and knowingly ride up the hill anyway not really thinking that it would rain. Well my friends, I was wrong.

It actually rained pretty much all night and even all day today at various intervals and forms: mist, drops, big fat rain, and even rain that seems to come straight up from the ground...Gump. But it definitely rained last night and left the roads in a really sorry state for my descent down to the actual blacktop 24 miles below my camp. My Surly looked like it lost a pudding fight. I had mud on everything…the bike, my bags, my gears, my legs, my face…just about everything. So needless to say I arrived in Paonia early today in somewhat a sour disposition. I had to wash my bike at a car wash…not advised but I didn’t have a choice. I had to spray my bags, hang up my tent, dry my sleeping pad, clean mud out of my ears, try and get mud stink out of my clothing. Its been real swell. Needless to say after all my cleansing and rinsing my bike was sorely lacking in lubrication and had suffered much in terms of grime and grit that it sounded like angry hamsters from hell running around in large steel wheels kind of like something out of American Gladiator or Mad Max and the Thunderdome. Fortunately John was around and gladly took care of my bike with his tools of cleansitudeness and now the Surly sounds and shifts like the day I got it. He did as much for little to no payment and couldn’t even be gratuitized with beer. So this is my way of thanking him in terms of the good karma of cyberspace. If you are ever in or near Paonia and needing a bike anything, please stop by Overgaard Cycles on Box Elder Ave and pay John a visit. He’s good people.

So the long story short is I’m in Paonia. I’m caught up on my tale of woe and adventure and I’m feeling better about things…being both dry and clean. Paonia is a pretty cool little place. Small town, lots of gardens and fruit growing just about everywhere. Kind of an odd mix of old guard farmer/rancher and eclectic, young odd folk. I hope that the weather improves a bit so I can tool around and enjoy the scene in this town and Hotchkiss down the road.

That headbadge should say "S" for Surly. Instead it says "Brown" for covered in sh*t.

A traveling side show of sorts...note the unwrapped tent, it supposedly aides in drying...so my theory goes...didn't really work in practice like so many brilliant theories.

Day 4: Monarch to Gunnison

Miles traveled: 54
Ride time: 5:14
Average speed: 9.48

When you spend several hours fighting a headwind with panniers acting as sandbags weighing you down, you can’t help but begin to think you brought too much stuff. That thought crossed my mind more than a dozen times over the course of the day yesterday. Why did I bring all this stuff? Why did I pack this, why that? Many of the things I second guessed yesterday as superfluous junk got called into action Sunday night. So while I might begrudge the weight I suppose it’s a necessary evil.

I went to bed early Sunday night and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Promptly at midnight I heard the tell tale tapping of heavy drops on nylon canvas: damn. As with the previous nights I didn’t put my rain cover on the tent. I also left all my bags out, whereas previously I stored them under a tent or picnic table. For a tired bike rider I moved pretty quickly to pull out the rain fly for the tent, assemble it and move all of my bags to its dry confines. I also got out the ‘superfluous’ tarp to cover my bike to keep its gears and chain dry; its already squeaking like a pet store worth of hamster wheels so I thought drier would be better. All that extra weight now called to duty, like the army reserves of miscellaneous gear. Shortly after I got everything properly stowed away the rain stopped…go figure. Thankfully (only thankfully because I like being right) it started raining again, this time with earnest, about 1:00am.

Despite my midnight revelries I was up promptly at 6:30. I wanted to be up and on the road to the top of Monarch before the Labor Day traffic crush started. I’m glad I made this decision, I enjoyed relatively free streets for my slow spinning and wobbling up to 11,000+ft. It took me 2 hours to go 10 miles up to the top of the pass, but I made it by god. I was thrilled when I reached the little parking lot at the top. I took some pictures, put on some more clothes and then started my descent. The first thing that hit me on the way down was the cold: bone chilling cold even with a jersey, arm warmers and jacket. The second thing was the wind: damned infernal wind. Despite the lack of physical comforts on my descent, I didn’t pedal once for 7 or 8 miles, with the exception of shifting my down-pedal leg for the turns. The Surly under duress handled the curves and steep grades with ease. I stopped briefly at Sargents to dance around in a circle for warmth and then set out on the road to Gunnison. It took 3 hours to cover 24-ish miles. I’d crest hills and have to stand up and sprint to keep the wind from shutting me down altogether.

When I finally got to Gunnison I came across a couple from Czechoslovakia who were riding from Denver to San Francisco. They were well outfitted with nice gear and lightweight aluminum bikes, but still were quite finished with the wind about as much as I was. I talked to them for a while about their trip, gear selection, weight of bikes etc. We then parted ways as they were heading onward out 50 west and I was planning on heading north to Crested Butte. They were the second group of bike tourists that I’ve seen. On Sunday heading up Bighorn Canyon to Salida I saw three riders heading the other direction. We exchanged quick hellos and that was it. The nice lady at the Gunnison Visitor’s Center gave me some information on national park camp grounds which were several miles away (no), the KOA out west past town (no thanks), and a hostel in town (bingo). I opted for a bed, warm shower and proximity to dinner.

The Wanderlust Hostel in Gunnison was quiet with no other guests, so I chose the dorm room option but ended up with the equivalent of a private room. The price was less than my cheesy Royal Gorge campsite, and while the scenery wasn’t quite as nice the comforts of home weren’t far away. The eclectic décor, hot showers, movie cabinet, wi-fi and stocked pantry made the Wanderlust an ideal destination for my halfway point. It was a great place to relax (sitting in the hammock in the yard) and recharge a bit. Amy, the owner of the hostel, and her mother Caroline run a really nice retreat for the weary traveler. I spent my afternoon in Gunnison lounging around, went out for pizza and a beer at Marios and then returned to a warm spot on the couch with Cole the dog as my attendee.

So now I’m in somewhat of a chill out mode of my trip. At 321-ish miles I’m more than halfway through and yet have a number of days to finish out my tour. My goal at the onset was to really push to get out to this part of the state and spend some time taking in the Gunnison area, Crested Butte and Paonia. At this point I don’t have to hurry and with the exception of one day (the push to Grand Junction) I shouldn’t have any day totaling more than 50 miles unless I get a wild hair. So as I finish this post, and sip my coffee, I’m contemplating all the options yet to come: wandering through Crested Butte, camping out near Kebbler Pass, perhaps a hike…its going to be a good week.

The long and winding road...looking back down the canyon.

The little pink signs in the background warn cyclists about parking their bikes on the walkway. As if that's the only thing to worry about at the top of a mountain pass...geesh.

Top of Monarch Pass and the Continental Divide!

Day 1: Kansas Colorado Border to Fowler

Miles traveled: 117 (+3 miles of tooling around Fowler and such)
Ride Time: around 7:25 (I rode around Fowler for a bit and forgot to check the time)
Average speed: 15.25 (I guess, see above)

The crowd of morning “regulars” at J.R.’s in Holly barely noticed the couple walk into the store; guy dressed in a bike jersey wearing socks and sandals (very German of him) and his female counterpart dressed in a blue merino wool sweater and jeans smartly rolled to Capri length. A pair of thumbs couldn’t get more sore unless you hit them with a hammer. The morning’s conversation carried on; so-and-so got a new Guernsey someone was wrestling with a dry patch in his hay, another discussing his winter wheat which is already coming up. I imagine outsiders typically come in, make their purchases and then leave sleepy Holly, Colorado in their dust. The couple today however sat down in an empty booth, and it didn’t take long for one of the regulars, an older fellow in a camo ball cap and flannel shirt, who’s contribution to conversation earlier centered on dove hunting, inquired about the words on the young man’s jersey.

“Share the road? Don’t you get scared with all them cars on the road. I know how people drive.” And with that the thread of conversation for the regulars, conversant on topics pertaining to weather, agriculture, field sport and other rural affairs, turned instead to cycling. “If I were to want to ride more than the next block I’d have to get into shape. Round is a shape, but its not the kind that’s going to help me anywhere,” chimed a younger fellow who soon left to tend to other business. Another offered insight on distances, the man in the camouflage hat an anecdote about a new story about bikes. Apparently a high value bike relates well to the cost of a high value shotgun. No one entreated a dismissive remark. No one suggested cyclists should get off the road, or that cyclists don’t pay taxes. They were interested and welcoming.

When I told folks about my plans to ride across Colorado many offered missives about the eastern plains; about how flat it is, how boring it would be. Well I fancy myself of a pseudo agrarian at heart (or at least a wannabe) so the trip through farms, fields and rural landscapes was actually quite an enjoyable one for me. I’ve walked into what has to be several dozen eateries in the Denver area and probably could count on one hand the number of times anyone has struck up a conversation with me. Perhaps I give off an air of distance or aloofness…or perhaps there’s something to say about old-fashioned courtesy.

I certainly appreciated the slower pace of life, and driving, out here on the eastern plains. I could tell an out of state plate coming up behind me just based on the sound of the gunning engine (that excludes some of the local grain trucks…my idyllic pastoral scene really took a turn for the negative choking down the dust of passing grain harvest for miles.) On my way west today I met a number of very friendly and interesting individuals who stopped to chat about my ride. Everyone I spoke to about my trip wished me well and a safe journey. Its nice to have complete strangers be empathetic and concerned about your well being. I talked to some folks at the visitor center in Lamar, which is a beautifully restored train depot. I talked to a fellow and his daughter outside a convenience store in Las Animas. He too assured me he couldn’t ride even a block, and when I suggested practicing, he said he couldn’t practice either. But he was more than intrigued with my bike, the gear shift leavers on the bar ends, the number of speeds, the speedometer and my clipless pedals. I met a biker (motor that is) outside of another convenience store in La Junta. He was extremely interested in my plans, practically down to the mileage of each day. When traveling by bike one can’t help but be slow, especially when laden with over 50lbs of gear. So the going is slow. But it seems that many of the people I met today weren’t in a hurry either. They wanted to stop, take a moment from their day and spend it chatting with me. They were almost moving at bike speed too, even though not on bikes themselves.

Ok, shifting gears to some of the specifics of the day. We got up at 5:00 and quickly showered, loaded the car and got on the road for the 30 mile trek to the border. We stopped in Holly to eat and then were quickly on the state line and prepping for the ride. It was hard to see Kate and Bean leave both because I know I will miss them and that their departure signified the solitude in which I now find myself in on the road. I made pretty good time with a bit of headwind into Lamar. I stopped, fueled up, visited the visitor center and then was on the road and enjoying a nice cross to tail wind. I made much better time at this point and enjoyed the scenery more than the beginning. I felt really good until I got close to Las Animas. The heat was really on at this point and I was getting a bit fatigued and hungry. I stopped for lunch and fluids. This helped get me going again and I felt strong for a while in route to La Junta. About 8 miles out of La Junta the shoulder all but disappeared. This unnerved me and I pushed the pace to be done with it. Pushed to the point of exhaustion I rolled into La Junta and took another break. Now facing the 29 mile home stretch I got going. I did well but had to stop in the shade of some trees just outside Manzanola to cool down and hydrate. The last 9 miles to Fowler I was in ’the zone’. Not the stupendous, performance zone: the tired and beyond caring about much zone. The last 9 miles kind of flew by thankfully and my spirits lifted when I found the Fowler city limits and a Loaf and Jug to get ice water. I’m now camped in Fowler at kind of a crazy place. Its an RV campground with a tent area, run by a crazy old codger and his wife. Very nice folks but kind of in their own world…which includes two semi shaved Pekinese and a lot of old, disassembled farm implements. I got a cold shower (by choice) ate a hearty and very manly dinner (convenience store Dinty Moore) and then went over to the Fowler High School for some Friday night lights. I sat on the bench and cheered the good plays, texted Kate and watched the crowd root for the home team. I rooted for Fowler too, my temporary home for tonight. Starting to yawn I’m now back at camp, typing this update before hopefully what will be a nice, well deserved rest.

Day 1, ’The Long Day’, in the books.

At the border: The Grand Depart

A very welcome sign

Visitor's Center in Lamar, CO

Fowler at last

Fireworks at the Fowler HS football game

Cow Palace Here I Am

The scene at the Cow Palace Best Western here in Lamar, CO is one of anticipation...and gear. For the second night in a row I've amassed my pile of gear and now stare at it contemplating all of the options, considerations and hopes that everything that needs to be here is finally here and not sitting at home on the dinning room table.  I don't know if the magnitude of what lies before me has fully set in yet, but amidst my stack of stuff and an odd smelling hotel room its starting to hit me. Tomorrow I'm going to be dropped off in the middle of no where along the border of Colorado and Kansas and I'm going to ride west:  wow.  I guess I should get packing. Tomorrow I'll let you know how the massive 100+ mile day one goes...maybe the scene in Fowler will be different.

Chillin' at the Cow Palace, Kate, Bean and Bike

Truckin'

Tomorrow, Saturday I’m heading out on a ride to Fort Collins. Kate is running the Colorado Marathon up there on Sunday, so I’ve decided to take the Long Haul Trucker out for a long haul. My destination is a campground up in Laporte, near the entrance to Poudre Canyon. It should be about 80 miles from home.

My big summer goal is an unsupported, cross-Colorado ride. I plan on doing this around early August so I have plenty of time to get into form for it. As preparation, I’ll be doing the Triple Bypass, which is a one day 120+ ride over a couple mountain passes. I’ll also be doing a fair amount of road races and training. I should be in relatively good shape for the ride, but I want to get in some practice packing and loading my bike and riding under the weight of a lot of gear. So tomorrow will be my first test, and the first true trek of my Surly LHT.

To prep I’ve created a gear list, which admittedly is somewhat overkill for a one night camp out, but one which might begin to resemble the packing list necessary for my cross-CO trip. Tonight I laid out all of the items on my list and weighed them on an old scale we have…one which is not the most reliable but close enough for round 1. I’ll be packing a saddle bag, handlebar bag and 4 panniers. Here’s a run down on the various items and weights of what I’m taking tomorrow.

GEAR	WEIGHT
Me	154 lbs
Surly LHT	31.5
Backpacker Tent	4 lbs
Sleeping Bag	2 lbs
Sleeping Pad	1 lbs
Crazy Creek	1 lbs
Stove and Fuel	1 lbs
Small Pot and Utensils	1 lbs
Headlamp and Batteries	.10 lbs
Lock and Cable	4 lbs
Tools and Tire	1.5 lbs
Personal Items	.5 lbs
Camera	3.5 lbs
Netbook	4 lbs
Toiletries	.5lbs
Clothes	7 lbs
Tevas	1lbs
Food	3.25 lbs
Approx Total	49.25 lbs (packed)

Overkill right? But my strategy isn’t too far fetched. At 80 miles, the ride tomorrow will cover the distance and terrain that I plan to try and handle on the plains when I ride across the state (my big mileage days). I think packing heavy and seeing how it feels isn’t a bad experiment. Sure I’m toting an entire bag of GORP …but I do have a marathon to watch Sunday and all that running makes me hungry. I figure I’ll need to cut some weight on incidentals in the future: lock, Crazy Creek chair, etc. I’ll need to make room for more fuel for the stove, more food, more clothing however I probably won’t have to plan for quite the weather that I fear I may have to contend with tomorrow night.

Even with what I feel is an excessive pack list for a weekend on the road, I didn’t fully fill any of the panniers. So I’ve got room to grow, which is promising yet ominous when I think about pedaling around a big loaded with 75+ lbs of stuff. Nevertheless, I’m in very high spirits tonight looking at my piles of gear. A couple weeks ago I was training by doing Coach Carter's infamous Weights on Bike (WOB’s…the big gear runs up Lookout). Tomorrow I’ll train by doing Weighted Bike…I wonder which I’ll like more in the long run?

The Colorado Spring Commute

“Mostly Cloudy and 30…” This is easy, long underwear and shorts, long sleeve shirt and t-shirt with hat and full finger gloves.

“…with a high of 65…” Alright, scratch the long sleeve shirt and t-shirt for jersey and arm warmers. Trade the full finger gloves for half fingers with thin liners. Tough it out and wear shorts with a knit hat for the morning and nothing in the pm.

“…gusty winds likely; 30 mph…” Hmm...ok, switch back to long underwear and shorts, t-shirt, arm warmers and maybe a vest. Definitely keep the full finger gloves. Knit hat for morning and maybe a bike hat for the afternoon. Ditch the vest if it gets windy but stays sunny and warm.

“…and a chance of rain.” Mother f#$%@!... Toss the shorts and go with: trusty old thrift store khakis (which can be rolled up if dry and kept long if wet), keep the t-shirt and arm warmers, knit hat, toss in a rain jacket, bike hat for the afternoon. If it is dry, the jacket can go in the bag or be worn with the t-shirt if wet but warm, or with the long underwear shirt if it wet and cold, or with both if wet, cold and windy…ahhh screw it just bring everything.

Bike Whine

My fellow bike blog compatriot at Rules of the Amateur UnPro Cyclist posted a lament this afternoon prompted apparently by the nagging whine of some other rider’s gritty, grimy chain. This too is a peeve of mine hearkening back to my anal retentive nature and mindfulness of the need to care for one’s gear. As one who for several years was a pretty serious (read fanatical…to the point of sickness) rock climber, care of one’s gear can mean the difference between safety and a busted skull. You respect the rope and in turn it tries to keep you from returning to earth in Icarus like fashion. Similarly, you respect your bike and it will in turn provide you with a nearly free, simple, enjoyable means of transportation and recreation for years.

Yesterday on one of my lunch runs I ran past a bike in dire straits. Even with my ears crammed with buds and music coursing through my head I could hear the discernable squeal of a bike crying out for help even before I could see it. The clueless rider, out for some “serious miles” on the bike path carelessly wobbled his way past, squeaking the entire way down the trail. I should have said something. I should have intervened. Its like watching someone beat a child…you should do something shouldn’t you?

First and foremost, isn’t the sound annoying!?! It annoys me, why wouldn’t it annoy you? Now I suppose I might be a bit of an extremist in this regard; perhaps a bit uptight. If my bike so much as creaks under duress I’m annoyed, let alone riding for miles with incessant creaking and grinding. But do these chain grinders not know there’s this magic thing called an old t-shirt and its best friend Mr. Lube…not that kind of lube, though the result is quite similar. Just wipe the chain and pulleys…make sure to wipe the grime forming on the pulley wheels…and a touch of lube. Not ‘its time to get busy’ lube, just a thin coating will do; then wipe off any excess. Voila, or as they say in the movies: silence is golden.

While I’m whining about the whine, can I tell you that another one of my annoyances is people who ride in TT (aero) bars when:

A. not on a TT bike
B. not in an aero position
C. on the bike path

To these specimens I must ask:  what do you think you are gaining from leaning out on your TT bars when you’ve got a 12 degree rise on that stem? And your seat is lower than your handlebars? And you look like a tool? And you can’t steer that bike no matter how comfortable you may feel…so grip the damn handlebars before you kill all of us! I suppose that’s all I have to say about that topic. So in conclusion, remember these formulas for aero bar success:

TT bars + TT bike = Good
TT bars + Aero = Good
TT bars + Aero + An Actual TT = Ideal

TT bars + Hybrid = Disaster for humanity you tripathalete wannabe
TT bars + TT bike + Bike path = Your 15mph bike path TT effort won’t get you anywhere. You’re not impressing anyone, least of all me, nor that hot chick out for a run, nor the old people walking their dog. We all voted and think you need a new hobby. Get off our island, the tribe has spoken.  Go ride on the street or around a reservoir somewhere.

Long Haul Truck Drivin’ Man

So I'm an Aquarian…big deal. True to form I'm kind of a detached, independent, free spirited, brainy type, and this being the frigid season of the Aquarian I recently had a birthday. Yahoo for me, cause my wife and parents conspired to hook me up with a new touring/commuting bike as a gift. Imagine my shock the other day when I came home from work and rounded the corner into the living room and standing next to the fireplace was a bright blue, 2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker! I couldn't even really talk for about 15 minutes. Now, I've commuted to and from work for 4 years and we've done some long riding and touring trips but these have all been on Craigslist beaters. I got a new mountain bike 10 years ago and 3 years ago got my first new road bike since I was a teenager and my parents got me a Murray for like my 13^th birthday. So I've ridden auction and Craigslist bikes for everything in between. My ride across Missouri a couple years ago was on an old Novara touring bike I got from some old timer up in Evergreen. My current steed, the 84 Cannondale, has held up well and been a tremendous ride for a $60-ish dollar find. I made my bike trailer. I've scavenged parts from swap meets, sale bins etc. I do pretty much all of my own maintenance and firmly believe that the best aspect of bike ownership is the low cost-footprint of it. I love a good cheap bike like an old pair of sneakers: reliable, comfortable, carefree and therefore expendable. All that humility aside and in the brilliant duality only a true Aquarian can muster…I LOVE NEW BIKES! Some people want $50,000 cars and fancy clothes and nice homes. Screw all that crap…but a shiny new bike…with crisply shifting components, unmolested tread, waxed frame…there's nothing like it! I don't care if it's a $10,000 road bike or brand new $300 cruiser: new bikes are cool and every time you get one (which I've only had one new bike in the past 10 years so this isn't frequent) it's like that childhood first bike Christmas all over again. So I hugged my wife upon finding my birthday present…but I'll readily admit it, I hugged my new bike even harder!

First things first, let me talk about the Surly LHT. The 2010 model comes in both a 26" and 700c wheel size: Kate rightly got the 700. Surly builds its frames from 100% CroMoly steel: don't be fooled this is a beefy, strong bike. It features: Shimano bar end shifters, Tiagra and XT Derailleurs for front and rear, an 11-37 Deore cassette for a wide range of gearing, Alex Adventurer wheels and Continental tires. This bike comes complete from the factory with rands and eyelets for bolting every form of bottle, rack or touring accoutrement known to man. It stores its own spare spokes on one of the rear chainstays. It includes a notch for mounting a frame pump. Includes mounting points for fenders and 3 bottle cages "…and I even like the color." This particular one, the first of the 2010 models to be delivered to Campus Cycles, arrived the day my wife picked it up and was assembled by our good friend and very talented bike mechanic Jason Gardner (owner of Jinji Cycles.) No one had ever ridden this bike…ever! My ass would be the first to grace the new WTB mountain bike saddle: that's awesome.

After I got my head straight and exited my new-bike daze, I set to work stripping the Cannondale of its racks and accessories (sorry Cannondale, you'll make a great fixed gear project.) Each component got cleaned, de-grimed and put on the Surly with loving care.

Actually, everything fit into its appropriate eyelet with ease and the entire transfer of racks and fenders went the smoothest of any of the bikes I've mounted them to. I had an appointment yesterday to go in to Campus to get fitted and select pedals. We got to the store shortly after they opened and within an hour were back out the door with a pair of Shimano SPD pedals and a ripe and fitted LHT, ready for its maiden voyage. The bike is a beast. Those online reviewers who say the bike is slow will be pleased with the 700c wheel offering (new this year but only on 54+ size frames) but will still likely complain about the bike being somewhat of a lumbering giant. The upright posture characteristic of the touring fit will take a bit of getting used to, since I typically ride hunched over in more of a racing position. See a crack or bump in the road…just go ahead and hit it, why not? The Surly's frame makes for a ridiculously comfortable, stable and quiet ride. Unlike my aluminum frame bikes, the steel dampens road vibration and absorbs bumps like nothing else. Hell, driving down the street I hit bumps alongside cars and the cars made more racket from the impact! The bike initiates into turns surprisingly well for a tank, likely due to its long wheelbase. I'd compare it to driving a very large sedan: big, stable, comfy, cup holders and fancy trim everywhere...its everything but the old person smell. Touring on this thing will be a piece of cake.

Yesterday, despite the crap weather, we set out to put the Surly through its paces. I loaded up a pannier with a bunch of weighty junk and we set off to ride around town for a while. Not a sprinter up hills, the gearing however offers options for handling inclines with ease. After a while the upright positioning seemed less annoying and more comfortable. I didn't mind riding down the path, hitting every seam and crack in the pavement because the frame barely translated a shudder to my handlebars or seat. I easily could get used to a ride this smooth. We rode almost 30 miles in the afternoon and upon returning home I felt pretty relaxed, not too tired from pushing the hefty bike or sore from the deliberatly taxing riding. Now I have visions of loading the bike up with gear and heading out onto the open road: free to roam and take in the scenery with ease. I'll probably adjust the angle of the handlebars a bit, to get a little closer to that race feel I like, but I won't go too crazy. I don't want to ruin the pleasurable experience of the H-auling part of the Long Haul Trucker. And in true semi form, when I get this bad boy loaded up with 60-70 lbs of gear just stay the hell out of my way, cause I'll be truckin'.

The Long Haul Trucker...in all its glory

Aptly Named

Sorry guys, she's cute, has great taste in bikes and is taken!

-3.5 degrees...that's all I have to say

The week evolved into a bit of a roller coaster in terms of riding. It started out at a high point, pleasant temps, clear streets and light post holiday traffic. Then it quickly plummeted into a winter, freezing mess of snow covered ice, congestion, multi-modal navigation and arctic temperatures. Fittingly, today marked the high point of the work week; the last little dip before pulling into the station for the weekend. Here’s my homage to today’s ride.

• 10 year old pair of blue REI long underwear tops and bottoms, with a hole in the right leg where I cut myself almost clear to my femur while skiing 4 years ago--$2.00
• Striped red REI base layer, one of the best base layer shirts I've ever worn--$15.00
• Pair of expedition wool, SmartWool socks with the heels practically worn through--$.50
• Neon-yellow Gore Windstopper Cycling jacket given as a birthday present by my lovely wife for my 30th, now complete with some stubborn grease stains--$50.00
• Fleece balaclava that's actually too big for my gigantor head--$5.00
• Cheap glove liners that won’t last an entire season but fit comfortably inside my outer gloves-$.10
• Manzella rancher glovers with a bit of crustiness on the right thumb (it washes out, it washes out)--$10.00
• Shimano mtb shoes I got from Doc’s Ski and Sport for %75 off when I worked for GearDirect.com almost 10 years ago…I can’t believe these shoes are still functional…$1.00
• Neoprene shoe covers with some knock off Italian name on them, which I pulled out of a grab bin of miscellaneous used crap at VeloSwap 3 years ago for $1.00 --$.25
• Carrera ski goggles snagged on a sweet deal at Sniagrab 4 years ago--$5.00
• Rudy Project HART team helmet from the 2008 season, for me $0, for you--$20.00
• 1984 Cannondale touring bike picked up off Craigslist for $85 complete now with rear racks, panniers, lights, same foam wrapped bar tape now nearly falling off, new VeloSwap drive train and a frozen rear brake (its a classic)--$20.00
• A 7 mile, 18mph average speed, all out TT to work on relatively carless streets over glare ice, slush, mag chloride and other gross on a -3.5 degree morning---priceless.

If it actually hits the 33 degrees they said it would be this afternoon, the ride home might seem anticlimatic by comparison.

The Mountains Turn Blue When the Bike is Cold

This weekend thankfully brought two days of non-Arctic temperatures and as a result I found ample opportunity to thoroughly clean off my bike and address some of the wear and tear from the prior week of hellish commuting. I generally consider myself an avid bike maintainer. Sure I'll have a moment where my chain gets a little cruddy, or I forget to check my tire pressure before heading out on a ride. But normally I respect and appreciate the value of routine bike maintenance. However, after a sub-zero ride home in the dark over ice and snow, nose dripping with snot, eyelids frozen open, cheeks burning the last thing I want to do is grab a wet towel and brush and spend a half hour scrubbing my bike. Over the past week I attempted to "make due" with some spray on bike cleaner and a quick brushing; admittedly this was quite half assed. I also rode with a noticeable wobble in my rear tire thinking that at some point it might warm enough to spend the time in the garage truing the wheel. Surveying the damage on Saturday (in daylight, with my teeth not chattering and rattling my eyes around in my skull) I certainly had not done enough and the state of my bike verged closely on neglect. The crud factor reached an impressive height and the wobbly wheel wasn't just out of true, I'd broken a spoke. 

As I set about making my repairs and scrubbing mag-chloride off my bike, I pondered the effects of cold weather on bikes. "What the hell is all this crap on my bike really doing to it?" "Why did my spoke break? Was it the cold causing excess tension in the wheel?" "How else might Mother Nature be trashing my old Cannondale?" One can find plenty of blogs and articles to offer suggestions on how the intrepid winter rider should protect his or herself while riding in the cold, but there are few articles which discuss the physical effects of the cold on bicycles. Aside from the reminder about proper maintenance and cleaning, I could not recall having ever seen anything explicit about protecting the bike from winter elements.

With my curiosity peaked I sat down to a bit o’ web browsing and tried to find information about what physically or technically happens to bikes in the cold: the resulting pickins were kind of slim. Nonetheless here are some of the insights I gleaned.

From the folks at http://www.icebike.org/

• Cold Bearings and grease are stiffer and harder to turn.

• Your tires are colder and therefore have greater rolling resistance.

In an article called, “Cold Weather Touring” by Dennis Coello

• Cable Housings: Seal up all cracks before you head out, for water will seep in, freeze up, and cause you headaches.

From the wisdom of the late Sheldon Brown

• “Shimmy or Speed Wobble” by Jobst Brandt: Shimmy that concerns riders the most occurs with hands firmly on the bars and it is rider generated by muscular effect whose natural response is the same as the shimmy frequency, about that of Human shivering. Descending in cold weather can be difficult for this reason. The rider's "death grip" only enhances the incidence of shimmy in this situation. Loosely holding the bars between thumb and forefinger is a way of avoiding shimmy when cold.

• One of my ways of dealing with cold weather is to cover my helmet's ventilation holes with tape. (Not a bike specific item, but worth considering. All that summer ventilation for cooling really does the job at 10 degrees.)

From an article titled, “Winter Cycling Tips”

• Steel gets more brittle at winter temperatures but I haven't seen any steel frames or components break from the cold.

• Aluminum and titanium don't get significantly more brittle at winter temperatures.

• Aluminum shrinks more than steel as it cools and on a bike with a steel fork and aluminum frame the headset will get loose when it's very cold.

• Plastics do get brittle and we see waterbottle cages, toeclips, pedals and the sheathing on cable housing break all winter. If the plastic cracks on indexed shifter housing, the housing will buckle and the shifting won't work.

• You can reinforce the shifter housing with heat-shrink tubing (available at electrical supply stores) to prevent this problem. The size that fits best is 3/16".

• Elastomer suspensions generally stop moving between 20 F and 0 F but they don't seem to be damaged by the cold.
• Oil-damped suspension systems are often damaged by operating at low temperatures You can change the oil in them to avoid this or install a rigid fork
• Only bring a cold bike indoors if you can keep it there until it's dried off completely.  (I would love to know more about this little tid-bit of information...do they explode? Anyone have a bike they'd dedicate to the cause of science?)
• If you bring a room temperature bike out into cold snow and ride it immediately, the snow thrown up by the tires may freeze onto brakes and derailleurs.

And while I did find loads of suggestions and tips for cleaning one's bike and ridding it of de-icer, salt and other winter road contaminants, none were more graphically described than what I saw on the Boston Biker website. The article is titled, "Winter Riding In Boston – Winter Bicycle Maintenance" but really it should be called, "Bike Abuse and Neglect: Taking Bikes Away from Bad Parents."  Take a look at this...it makes my neglect seem downright positive in comparison (not for the faint of heart).

I'd love to know if this actually turns.

Though that color might go great with a set of green Deep V's (AYHSMB's Style).

The site also discusses the risk of grit penetrating hubs, bottom brackets, headsets and other sensitive areas. So you really need to keep your bike clean and potentially follow some of the other suggestions for prepping your bike if you live in an area prone to crappy winters like they must have in Boston.

So my research did not yield anything too earth shattering. Sure the physical properties of metal and plastic can change a bit in cold weather, but there are in fact fewer moving parts and opportunities for failure on a bike than say our friend the automobile. So while it might seem mind boggling, if not outright insane, to want to ride when its 5 degrees out, don't think you're bike is helping to talk you out of it. It wants to go for a ride...it always wants to go for a ride. And if you don't believe me then maybe you should get a bike like this:

Mike Curiak's 2007 Moots Snow Bike

Now this bike doesn't give a shit how cold it is, and might straight up slap you and call you Nancy for suggesting otherwise.

Happy T-Day

Thanksgiving is a time for being grateful for all that we have. So, to celebrate this holiday I thought I’d stop and take some time to reflect on all of the many things there are to be thankful for, such as:

• Carbon fiber
• Gore Tex Windstopper fabric
• The DI2 electronic shift option for Dura Ace
• Wonderfully Dura Ace components like derailleurs and pedals
• Hell all those other gruppo’s too for the Campy and SRAM crowds let’s not be bigoted in our hardware selections
• The Zipp Sub 9 aero wheel
• Brooks saddles
• Balloon tires
• Lance and Alberto likely dueling to the death in the 2010 TDF
• Bike lanes
• Phil Ligget
• Embrocation
• Tom Boonen getting off the rock
• 3 months to get back into shape
• Universal Sports covering cycling
• Cadel finally getting a big win so he’ll shut up for a while about not getting a big win
• The new ACA website
• Team rides
• Solo Rides
• Cruiser rides
• Those rides to the store when you forgot to get bread and Cheerios
• Commuting to work…on even the not so nice days
• Johnson and Johnson’s Multi-Day Ultra Wound Care Pads
• The afternoon mail delivery when you get the new VeloNews
• Fat Tire (its bike related)
• Finally getting your mis-matched Velo Swap parts to work
• Selling the mis-matched Velo Swap parts you couldn’t get to work
• Hipsters…they give people something else to make fun of instead of roadies
• Catching at the light that bastard in the SUV who buzzed you and giving he/she the “kiss my ass” gesture of your choice
• 3 feet to pass
• Lube
• Following the Tour of Missouri in a Vanagon
• Having Levi and Lance show up at the Rock the River Time Trial outside of Glenwood Springs
• First Places…Last Places and all places in between
• Pro Race 3’s
• The end of Goat Head season
• Chrome Bags
• Leg shaving
• Roadie tan
• Railing the descent down Lookout…or any of your favorite descents
• California courtroom justice
• Jens Voigt

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Better safe than sorry

Sub 20 Degree Day

Despite the conflicting weather reports between the radio and tv, there could be no denying that this morning was a cold one. I generally tend to run a bit on the warm side, so these cold days don't bother me too much. Still with temps hovering just under 20 degrees, its good to recheck the layers to make sure nothing gets too chlled. On days like today preparation for riding in the elements goes a long way and can make the difference between an enjoyable ride and a near hypothermic experience.  Here's the list of gear I used for today's ride:

• Long underwear top and bottoms
• Pair of canvas pants (I don't commute in bike shorts...it just doesn't seem necessary to me and this way I get by without the expense of having wearing out multiple pairs of bike shorts)
• Gore Windstopper bike jacket
• Manzanella Ranch Hand gloves w/ liners
• Mountain Hardware skull cap.

I typically can get away with this level of clothing for most 20-40 degree days. If its closer to 40 I generally don't use long underwear bottoms and just get by with pants. With temps just on the cusp of that range today, I figured they'd be necessary but didn't feel like going to extremes. My threshold is generally positive temperatures. If the temp drops below 0 degrees Fahrenheit then I'm typically on the bus with my bike hoping for a warmer afternoon (which thankfully in Denver usually happens.) On these really cold days I'll beef up my wardrobe in order to stay comfortable.

• Long underwear top and bottoms
• Canvas pants if I feel brave, but generally a ski pant or rain shell
• Mountain Hardware technical jacket
• Black Diamond alpine gloves
• Skull cap
• Nose and mouth mask
• Shoe covers

With this level of protection I've been reasonably comfortable at -5, but the level of mobility and cumbersomeness of the layers makes the riding more difficult. Still, if the goal is to ride in all conditions this type of layering certainly will help towards accomplishing that. In the end, my general rule of thumb is: if I would pay to go ski in weather this cold, I ought to be able to ride my bike.  That being said, here's hoping it warms up a bit!

Trainer Tires

After two winter's of riding my Cycleops Fluid trainer for most of my evening workouts, I decided to get a dedicated trainer wheel and tire for use with my road bike (I'd like to say that I upgraded to a Computrainer, but for now the tire will have to do.) Typical road bike tires wear at a faster rate than normal when used on a trainer due to the constant contact with the resistance roller and heat build up from friction. You can usually spot a trainer rider by their characteristic squared off rear tire. Last year when I was riding the trainer during the evenings and then riding on the road on weekends, I went through a couple tires due to the harsh transition from trainer to sandy streets. This year I plan to reduce the wear on my wheel and outdoor tire by using a trainer specific one.

There are handful of trainer specific tires on the market. Many of them employ a harder, less supple rubber than a typical road tire and usually have some type of ribbing or tread to help dissipate heat. While riding a trainer tire on pavement is generally not advised, the guys at my local bike shop told me that it technically could be done and probably wouldn't hurt the tire too much (Continental expressly suggests warns against doing this with their tires.)

The Continental Ultra Sport Home Trainer tire is a popular and well rated Home Trainer tire. It comes in a standard 700c size, has 3 ribs that run along the circumference of the wheel and has a suggested max psi of 120. The tire typically runs $34-$44 from what I could find and seems to be long lasting and reliable; typical of what I've come to expect from Continental (I think their Gatorskin tires are bomber).


The Continental Ultra Sport
The Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Home Trainer Tire is structured identically to the Continental aside from a red rubber instead of orange. The Zaffiro is technically lighter than the Continental, not that it matters when mounted on a stationary set up, has the same profile and tread for heat dissipation and supposedly can be pumped up to 145psi--though with the force and heat generated from trainer riding I'm not sure if this would be advisable. The Zaffiro Pro tire typically ranges $24-$34 and therefore is more of a bargain than the Continental.
The Zaffiro Pro Home Trainer Tire
I've also historically had good experiences with Vittoria tires, and although I generally don't think they are cheaper than Continentals because they were in this case I went with the Zaffiro Pro.

Everything needed for the job, picked up for under $100.
I picked up a standard, cheap Shimano rear wheel with 8-9-10 hub. Mounting the tire was no different than a regular road tire. I used a cheap tube and made sure to use a rubber liner strip to protect the tube. Since I have more than one cassette lying around I put my Dura Ace 11-23T on this trainer wheel to allow for a pretty good range of gears for training.

The whole job was really straightforward, and now I have a dedicated setup that I can leave in the basement and will not have to worry about trashing my outside tires.

Hopefully I can get through the off season with my Gatorskins and then not have to worry about them wearing out before April, when it will be time to switch to summer race tires.