For the first time in far too long, I've ventured out on a good ride this Saturday morning. It, my usual loop up to Great Brook Farm and home via Concord. And MAN it, cold! It's really just my hands and toes, but pretty bad. I'm at the cafe in concord getting a snack and coffee, and there are over 20 ither cyclists all complaining of numbness and pain here and there. Beautiful fall day out, though!
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Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Inclement Weather Garb
I got a nice note from JPTwins last week asking me about how I dress for cycling when it's cold and wet, so here's a response. (Incidentally, I'm happy to correspond off-line about bikey stuff - my email address is in the image on the left!)
In any case, this topic was at top of mind yesterday, since it poured all day long, and I was out on the Christiania with the girls. I took them to school, then rode to Alewife, then the CC office, then pickup and home - all in the most torrential rain.
For the ride, I wore my nice bikey 3/4-length shorts, Smartwool mid-layer long-sleeve shirt, and Patagonia base layer. This was all moderately presentable in a bikey sort of way so I wouldn't attract too much attention on the T or at the office. Nice and comfortable too, with Andiamo bike underwear. None of that is waterproof, of course. So on top, I wore Gore-tex overtrousers and my Gore-tex cycling jacket. Both by Freestyle, a now-defunct British company. (Which is a shame - I love their stuff, and the customer service was great.)
Those are good basics, and they keep me dry in most drizzly conditions. Yesterday I was wet round the neck and forearms because it was raining so hard. I brought my Tevas to change into but rode in LL Bean hunting boots, which are wonderful as long as I tuck my overtrousers over the tops to prevent them filling with water.
My head was kept reasonably dry thanks to a Gore-tex helmet cover, and I wore a cycling cap underneath so that the bill would keep water out of my eyes.
When it gets really cold, I stick to the same sort of arrangement with a couple crucial additions. I wear nice wool socks and my hiking boots, which keep my feet warm and dry. I wear balaclava and sometimes a scarf depending on how cold it is, and a nice wool cap. I also wear a long-sleeve wool jersey or mid-weight fleece under the Gore-tex jacket. On the bottom, I have Endura winter tights, and depending on the temperature, I often wear long wool tights over them. And if it's wet, I'll also do the overtrousers. Finally, I have some heavy Pearl Izumi gloves that I wear on their own or with lightweight wool liners.
If you open up a high-end bike catalog these days, there are all sorts of Logan's Run-inspired outfits that can easily cost more than $500. In the winter, I'm not trying to set any speed records, so I'm usually happy with my layering approach. It only gets a little tricky when I strip off and have to find a place for all my stuff to dry.
(The most important point here that may have been lost among my rambling is that the best stuff is either Gore-tex for waterproofness or good quality wool for breathability and warmth. My fave wool stuff is from Kucharik (hats, gloves, tights) and Earth Wind and Rider (jerseys - made right here in Boston!))
Friday, September 26, 2008
New "secure" bike parking at Alewife
On this rainy rainy day, I took the girls to school in the Christiania, then parked at Alewife and took the T into town. I parked in the brand new "secure" bike parking cage. It's very nicely designed and spacious inside. I wasn't sure that I'd be able to fit through the door with my doublewide trike, but the door was more than wide enough. There was also nice spot at the back that was just right for me.
But just how secure it is, I'm not really sure. Access can only be gained with a special Bike Charlie Card. Good, right? But it turns out that they'll give them out to anybody, and they don't keep track in any way. So after I got my card today, I could just as well have pillaged all the bikes in there instead of leaving my own.
It does actually seem more secure, though. Maybe its the sense of enclosure, the video cameras and signs, or maybe it's just the newness of it all. One way or the other, I felt pretty good about leaving the trike in there, and I've never left it at Alewife before. I also left my drippy waterproof trousers there to dry.
It was interesting to see that there were still far more bikes parked at the regular exposed racks than inside the enclosure, though maybe that will change as the word spreads.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Exciting new job for me
On October 1st, I join the team at Ciclismo Classico, a leader in adventure travel.
I’m as excited as I could be about this opportunity. It will allow me to combine two of my great passions – cycling and travel – into my career, and who could ask for more than that? And on top of that, I’ll be working with two of my oldest friends (Lauren and Mauro), who I’ve known for almost 20 years.
I met them way back in 1988 when I was looking for a place to live. When I spotted a flyer with drawings of bikes and Italian scenes about a room for rent in a Somerville house, I knew it was for me. That’s how I ended as house-mates with Lauren and Mauro, but my fascination with cycling and Italy really came to be a couple years before that.
I was not very organized at all when I was in college. So it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when Thanksgiving arrived during my junior year and I still hadn’t applied for a program abroad for the spring semester. I was studying German, and I really wanted to go to Germany or Austria – but I missed the deadlines for every one of the programs. Fortunately, though, my college ran a program in Rome, and I made it in with days to spare. Of course, I didn’t know anything about Italy and spoke no Italian, but I wasn’t deterred – it was bound to be an improvement over Hartford!
Despite my lack of knowledge going in, I had a perfectly wonderful time in Rome. Sure, I enjoyed my classes and my buddies and I had a nice time drinking wine in the Forum. But the best times were on my bike. While most of my classmates spent their time surrounded by other Americans and speaking English, a couple of us had brought our bikes along and ventured further afield. We headed out of town most weekends and had all manner of adventures. We eventually met someone who invited us to join his racing team, and we had lots of fun riding with him (though we never actually managed to compete in a race, somehow). The really wonderful thing was that it forced us to start speaking Italian and become comfortable in a foreign culture – something many of our classmates never managed to do.
That was really the start of it all for me. And that’s why I begged Lauren to let me work with her and Mauro leading tours for Ciclismo Classico during the first year of the company. That summer was another great adventure. I drove the big red Fiat van (I did get to ride my bike a bit, though). Lauren, Mauro and I spent days before each tour planning and marking routes, then I would shuttle clients’ luggage from one destination to the next. Even from behind the wheel of the furgone rosso, I could recognize the power of the experience Ciclismo was providing, and I was sure that the company would ultimately succeed.
A few years later, I was able to experience Ciclismo Classico from another vantage point: as a client. I was living in London, and a week on a bike in Italy was a perfect getaway for me (and an easy one, with flights many Italian destinations lasting only a couple hours!). By 1994, the company had been transformed: everything was much smoother and more professional than I’d remembered, and the trips I did (Elba and Sardegna) were completely blissful. I met delightful, interesting people that I’m still in touch with almost 15 years later, and my memories of those trips are still as clear as the waters surrounding L’Isola d’Elba.
When the draw of family led us back to the US in 2006, Lauren was the first person I called for advice on where to live. We dropped in for a visit, and Lauren felt compelled to make her case for us moving to Arlington by putting me on a bike and riding a ways up the Minuteman Bikeway with me. That’s a trait that she and I most definitely have in common: when we’re passionate about something, we can’t keep it to ourselves – we have to share it. That’s part of what’s made Ciclismo Classico the success that it is, and that’s also why I’m so excited about this role: I can’t wait to share my passions with others and enable them to experience the personal transformation that cycle touring can create.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Hub on Wheels 2008
A delightful ride yesterday! I rode with Team Ciclismo Classico. There were about a half dozen non-staff members of the team, all amiable as could be. One of the riders and I did the 50-mile loop, the others did the 30-miler.
The day was gorgeous - low 60s in the morning to low 80s in the afternoon. Perfect! Nice and sunny, too. The route was beautiful for the most part. The first bit seems to be a major selling point: riding car-free on Storrow Drive. For me, that wasn't that big a deal at all - I mean, I ride on the Esplanade right there most days anyway, and Storrow's views aren't even as nice as that.
More impressive were the parts of the route I don't normally experience, notably the bike path around the JFK Library, Arnold Arboretum, and Forest Hills Cemetary. The paths along the water really reminded me of the paths around London's Docklands - especially the haphazard way in which they pamper you one minute and dump you out into a brownfield warehouse disrict the next!
The ride was generally well organized and executed, particularly considering the number of people who turned up. It was very well marked, with arrows all along the route (not just at turns), and the route splits clearly indicated as well. The marshalls at each major turn were also very good.
The one notable problem was the food. The ride purports to be "fully supported" which, to me, means that you don't really need to bring anything along, including sustainance. Each stop had plenty of oranges and little food bars, but only the later stops had any bagels or bananas, which were just what I needed early on. The first rest stop had bags of dinner rolls, but nothing to put on them. If I hadn't brought my own snacks, I would have been in big trouble. A little energy drink would have been nice too, considering how hot it got to be.
My final niggly comment is about the promotion of the ride. It isn't ever really clear who's organizing it, and who the proceeds benefit. Sure, that info is there if you look hard, but it's confusing that the city promotes it so heavily and yet the least you can get away spending if you want to ride is $45. If it's really a charity ride pure & simple, it ought to be billed as one - not as an event designed to get people out biking in Boston.
The day was gorgeous - low 60s in the morning to low 80s in the afternoon. Perfect! Nice and sunny, too. The route was beautiful for the most part. The first bit seems to be a major selling point: riding car-free on Storrow Drive. For me, that wasn't that big a deal at all - I mean, I ride on the Esplanade right there most days anyway, and Storrow's views aren't even as nice as that.
More impressive were the parts of the route I don't normally experience, notably the bike path around the JFK Library, Arnold Arboretum, and Forest Hills Cemetary. The paths along the water really reminded me of the paths around London's Docklands - especially the haphazard way in which they pamper you one minute and dump you out into a brownfield warehouse disrict the next!
The ride was generally well organized and executed, particularly considering the number of people who turned up. It was very well marked, with arrows all along the route (not just at turns), and the route splits clearly indicated as well. The marshalls at each major turn were also very good.
The one notable problem was the food. The ride purports to be "fully supported" which, to me, means that you don't really need to bring anything along, including sustainance. Each stop had plenty of oranges and little food bars, but only the later stops had any bagels or bananas, which were just what I needed early on. The first rest stop had bags of dinner rolls, but nothing to put on them. If I hadn't brought my own snacks, I would have been in big trouble. A little energy drink would have been nice too, considering how hot it got to be.
My final niggly comment is about the promotion of the ride. It isn't ever really clear who's organizing it, and who the proceeds benefit. Sure, that info is there if you look hard, but it's confusing that the city promotes it so heavily and yet the least you can get away spending if you want to ride is $45. If it's really a charity ride pure & simple, it ought to be billed as one - not as an event designed to get people out biking in Boston.
D2R2 Ride video
I've been a little lax in posting for a while... I'm just now managing to catch up a bit. Here's the YouTube video of the D2R2 ride. I've had tons of views and lots of nice feedback on it! Again, what a wonderful ride! I mean, when can you do a ride with such variety - rocky climbs and descents, covered bridges, a bagpipe, and even a 50mph downhill!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Deerfield Dirt Road Randonee today!
I'm in Deerfield Mass now, getting ready to start a 100km timed ride through the countryside of Western Mass. It's mostly on unpaved roads, with some ungodly climbs.....
Looking round, most people have their racing bikes with slightly wider tires. Thorny should fare well.
I'll be missing the big Pine Ridge Rd yard sale unfortunately.....
I hope to blog via Jott - we'll see how it goes!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Boston Bike Friday Again
Today was the 2nd Bike Friday thing. Again, I started in Lexington and rode into Boston with the group. Last time was lots of fun, but definitely room for improvement. And I have to admit, that just about everything I suggested to the organizers was improved upon this time!
Here are my suggestions from last time, and the improvements:
Here are my suggestions from last time, and the improvements:
- Get escorts who know the route and the area: Same police escorts as last time, so, while they still aren't local area experts, they clearly learned a lot last time
- Plan a better route thru Harvard Square: Or avoid it entirely! Which is what we did this time. We followed my usual commuting route over the bridge from Somerville Ave to Beacon Street
- Have a plan for keeping the group together: The escorts were much better at stopping traffic at lights and making sure everyone was going in the right direction
- Train escorts in leading rides: I think there was some coaching there, without a doubt. They also got many more ride leaders, many of whom are very experienced in this sort of thing (though they clearly came from a bit of a activist/advocacy perspective, telling riders to "take the lane" - the police escorts were more concerned with keeping us all to the side and keeping traffic moving). The policemen were also very explicit about each rider's responsibility to shout out obstacles and that sort of thing.
- Publicize the ride better: Perhaps the least improvement here. There was a nice piece in the Globe last night, but that's a bit late to really get the word out for most newbies. It seemed like most riders were regular commuters, like last time. The Globe article was pretty good, though, and I'm in the picture that came with it!
- Communicate the ride better in advance: Again little improvement here. The emails were still a little convoluted, though the Google map with start times made more sense this time.
The festa at the end also seemed livelier than last time, with more interesting bikey stuff to see. Had a nice bagel, and got a free T-shirt.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Family Ride to Bedford Swimmin' Hole
I don't know how I neglected to blog this when it happened, but there you are. A few weeks ago, the family did a bike excursion that I'd been wanting to do for ages. Last year, we discovered a wonderful swimming spot in Bedford in Springs Brook Park. Complete surrounded by woods and fed by a natural stream (apparently), it's an odd combination of pond and pool, with a mostly sandy bottom and a cement zero-entry bit on one side. There's also a great spray park right there, which is easily as good as our usual spray parks in Belmont or Brighton.
It later occurred to me that it's not too far from the Bedford end of the Minuteman Path, so I started thinking that we could bike there as a family. By that time, it autumn last year and we had to postpone that ambition to this year. And in the meantime, I also started riding the Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail that starts just across the street from Bedford Depot and goes all the way to Billerica. It's mostly unpaved, but the surface is fine a commuting bike or our Christiania.
So, if you follow that after the Minuteman path and turn off at Springs Rd, just follow Springs Rd for less than a mile and you're at the swimmin' hole! It's about 9 miles from Arlington Heights to Springs Brook, almost entirely traffic-free! Fantastic.
The girls did great on the ride, and Elsie slept for most of the ride home.
It's getting a bit late in the season now, but I really hope we can do the ride again this year and get some more swimmin' in!
Buon Giorno, Madonna!
I was up early today so I did an extra ride to the end of the Minuteman Trail before my usual scenic route to work. Amounted to about 25 miles in full - not bad before 9:00! It was a bit chilly today, around 55 in Arlington when I left. The bike path was blissful, though. Lots of riders and runners out early.
It also occurred to me to take a photo of the Virgin Mary, who appeared on the path not too long ago, near the Bedford end. Lauren says she's moved a couple times, but she's still where she was when I first noticed her.
And incidentally, I had my bike serviced yesterday at Broadway Bicycle School and it was riding noticeably better today! (Unfortunately, though, it looks like I need a new cog in the back, which they've ordered for me.)
Friday, August 15, 2008
Kennebec River Valley Video
Still experimenting with our Flip video thing... It seems to be much happier producing simple videos from the PC version of the software than manipulating on a Mac. This YouTube video is cobbled together from the video I captured on the ride, and is only mediocre quality because of the various conversions it's had to go through. I edited it in iMovie HD.
Kennebec River Valley Ride
Way back in May, I found a book of Maine bike tours at a shop in Kittery (and wrote about it here). It was exciting because we have relatives up in Skowhegan and a couple of the rides are in that precise area.
So when we went up for our August vacation this year, I was sure to bring my bike to try one of the rides.
Of course, I forgot to bring the book along with me, but fortunately, the route is described in detail on the State of Maine website here. I opted to do the 41-mile loop, which starts from the Rite Aid in Skowhegan, only a couple miles from Auntie Lynne's house.
It was a gorgeous ride, though some of the middle bits were on major roads and heavily trafficked. There are few errors in the instructions which I only managed to work out with the help of Google maps on my phone, but otherwise very smooth.
Instead of taking the camera along or trying to capture the mountain splendor with my miserable phone cam, I brought our little Flip video camera and did a video, which I hope to cobble into something to post later today.
So when we went up for our August vacation this year, I was sure to bring my bike to try one of the rides.
Of course, I forgot to bring the book along with me, but fortunately, the route is described in detail on the State of Maine website here. I opted to do the 41-mile loop, which starts from the Rite Aid in Skowhegan, only a couple miles from Auntie Lynne's house.
It was a gorgeous ride, though some of the middle bits were on major roads and heavily trafficked. There are few errors in the instructions which I only managed to work out with the help of Google maps on my phone, but otherwise very smooth.
Instead of taking the camera along or trying to capture the mountain splendor with my miserable phone cam, I brought our little Flip video camera and did a video, which I hope to cobble into something to post later today.
2008 Mount Washington Century
I rode the Mount Washington Century on August 2nd. Fantastic! My good friend Lauren asked me to lead a group on behalf of her company Ciclismo Classico. But because the Pan Mass Challenge was the same weekend, and because of the late notice about the group ride, I only got one taker.
Nevertheless, he and I had a fine time for the first ten miles or so, until he rocketed to the front of the pack. Still, it was a record time for me, and I think I have him in part to thank for getting me on a good pace from the start.
The ride was EXCEPTIONALLY well organized, with numbers for each rider, ham radio support throughout (in the absence of a cell signal), and great food stops every 20 miles or so. I found that I never had to tap my second water bottle, let alone my stash of snacks.
I blogged at each rest stop from my phone - real-time updates follow in reverse order.
Nevertheless, he and I had a fine time for the first ten miles or so, until he rocketed to the front of the pack. Still, it was a record time for me, and I think I have him in part to thank for getting me on a good pace from the start.
The ride was EXCEPTIONALLY well organized, with numbers for each rider, ham radio support throughout (in the absence of a cell signal), and great food stops every 20 miles or so. I found that I never had to tap my second water bottle, let alone my stash of snacks.
I blogged at each rest stop from my phone - real-time updates follow in reverse order.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
107 miles done!
Phew! Super ride. Didn't get toooo wet. Then dried out and resoaked with sweat. 7 hours 54 mins, over 2 hours faster than my last century!
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