70 Sunny & Strong winds

Windy ride today. Felt good to actually catch the group ride....it's been a while. Ride numbers:

49.1 miles/17.1 ave/40.1 max/2:51:22 time/691 odo

Different route than norm was cool...mix'n it up some. Had bfast in Oostburg at Dips and Sips which the restaurant we stop at on the SMBRide in the winter too....they're closing the doors in two weeks. I wonder if and where we'll stop this coming winter? Only time will tell. After the ride stopped at LBS to check out Josh's XO2 CX bike...swapped pedals and filled tires and took her for a short ride. It fits nice. Nice bike. I just have to see how the big pic is going to be looking after the Triumph motor is done. If that project is finally finished I may just buy it, but if it needs more I may not. We'll see. Here's some blips off the Internet:

Whether exploring the dirt roads around your home or shredding the local 'cross races, Trek's XO-2 is one capable machine. Its frame is made with Trek's Alpha SL aluminum for light weight and excellent efficiency, while the carbon fork carves tarmac and mud alike, and smoothes every ride. Plus, Bontrager's Race X Lite hoops, wrapped with 34c-wide tires roll fast on pavement and tackle the muck when things get sloppy, too. And, with precision Shimano Ultegra shifting and Avid's powerful cantilever brakes, you're ready for every adventure.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...just do it right?

52 Windy & Rain

(listening to this as I wrote this post)

off the cd...not internet...way cleaner sound that way

No Ride in...Drove.
From work yesterday I rode over to where the Triumph motor is hanging out. Saw some good, some bad and went over what's what and gave the green light to proceed. From there I called to let the guys who are going to drill a hole in the side of our brick house for the lower bathroom exhaust fan that I'd be home a couple min late. They were running late themselves. I boogied home and during so got hit w/ a couple of rain drops and was going against the wind. I was tired. Got home about 5...they guys said they wouldn't be able to get over til bout 630 or 645....tri training ride & run started at 6 and was a 30 min drive and I haven't eaten and Tori was out w/ friends....I just fig that I had too much to do and to little time. I ate a couple slices of deli turkey, dumped a can of tuna in a bowl mixing in some miracle whip topped w/ crispy bagged salad lettuce and chopped up spinach. Quickly inhaled that and decided to leave the back door open and drive really fast out to ELake.
And that's what I did. Tossed some clothes in my back pack, bike into the jeep and headed on out leaving home at like 535. Put the pedal to the floor, called the fella's to let em know. Made it to the group at like 602 or so. We rode and ran the course. 12 mile ride I believe and 3 mile run. I was running on fumes but did well. I always feel good after doing the group thing. Just like most other things it can be so easy to skip out on occasions like party's, weddings, church, exercise or training but usually feel pretty darn good afterwards. Same here. The weather did seem sketchy and scared 70 % of the group making it a really small group.
Tonight I can now install the exhaust fan completely w/ the hole in the brick. It turned out really good. They have some sort of special boring tool that is designed for this...you can really screw stuff up if you were to go about it any other way.
SMBRide tomorrow morn....I'll be there at 8 unless something else requires my attention.
Afterwards get some drywall up and hopefully completed...start mudding???? or call an experienced hand and pay....not sure yet....leaning towards the latter.
Anyways...I'll post some pics this weekend of remodel job in progress

57 and Sunny - Fair weather commuter

Tori & I did a quick loop on Monday morning and since then she's done the loop 2 more times by herself. Photo's soon. Good job Tor! Keep it up! If you continue and still enjoy it we'll have get you one of these.

So today's ride in was nice...winds calm and slightly going my way. Ride in numbers are:
7.7 miles/18.3 ave/31.6 max/25:12 min/621 odo
Last night was our first "open water" swim in Elkhart Lake. First time w/ a wetsuit....shock to the system. Water was strangely bare able but my breathing is way off. Hyperventilating almost. Tonight we ride and run the course.
Tomorrow's forecast is calling for thunderstorms at a 70 % chance. That and tonight's ride/run will have me most likely driving in to work for the first and only time in May of 2008. Almost made it -
Stopping by the triumph tonight....need to buy piston and ring set and get some machine work done. The never ending project. Gotta go

34 & Sunny - Calm Winds

(photo from cnn.com, story of girl's first bike to commute)

Past 600 mile mark this morn on LeMond
7.7 miles/17.1 ave/27 min/26.6 max/605 odo
Tri Training 2night in EL - Swimming in the Lake - forcast calls for 63 degrees @ 6 pm.
Bathroom is coming along nicely, hope to post update late this weekend.

SlugFest

Windy & Chilli - 42 degrees feeling like 34/Winds out of the NNE @ 14 mph gusting to 28.
7.7 miles/13.6 ave/22.4 max/34 min/589 odo
Fought in to get pushed home.

Going to try grocery shopping for certain items at a new location to see I can save some money while getting the same products. Party last night was fun...got to see the fella's (my nephews) and some good old friends. Grocerys/Home Depot Bathroom...it's already 9....gots to get to getting gone. Photo taken from web as are all the others....who doesn't love this gal?

I'm late even when I'm early

Woke up early only to be late...missed the group ride by 20 min...they must push off at 8 now rather than 8:30...I showed at 20 past hoping to be early this time and was not. Musta been a really small group as there was only 3 cars in lot. I kept going north on 32 making my way to B & Trents pad. Got there and b got going. 45 min later we continued north to Rowe then headed East to LS. LS back to town taking the lake all the way to EE. Stopped and check out a couple of houses that were for sale. 33 or 34 miles I believe is what I eneded up with. Not bad and really nice out. Prally won't ride until I commute to work on Tuesday. I now need to do a little wiring and we're off to Jake's grad party. Sunday and Monday all work.

Bike Run Lake Dip

Tri Training last night was transistion info, 11 mile ride to a 5K run. Got a side ache at the very end of run and almost got eaten by a big black lab on the ride. Afterwards was a dip in Elkhart Lake.
Today's ride was casual as my legs are still feeling last night's work.
7.7 miles/16.3 ave/28.5 max./28.5 min/539 odo
This weekend will be cutting grass, SMBRide hopefully, Jake Dude's Grad party and then working on the bathroom Sun and Monday. Hope to have drywall up and done by Monday late afternoon.
Have a good weekend

LollyGaggle

From the Brit's term of lollipop or sucker or as in to go at the pace it takes one to eat one. That's what I felt like on the way home last night fighting the wind and kinda continued into today a bit. Nice brisk weather ride in. Casual pace...felt pretty good. A couple different turns rather than the same old route. Numbers:

7.8 miles/16.4 ave/28.2 max/28:24 min/509 odo

Bike & Run training in Elkhart Lake tonight....5 weeks til event. Time to kick it up a bit.

Bike to Work Day 13

(image from 1lesscar.com)

Flatted out on Taylor Drive on the way home yesterday....quick tube change and back. There's a lot of misc garbage along the curb on that road in parts. This has to be my 6th or so flat this year. I'm running Bontrager Race Lite tires but may need to switch to something a lot more robust...it has been a couple of weeks since the last blowout. Some of those flats were due to human error...not all pokes and pinches. Ride in numbers: (forgot to turn it on b4 I left)
7.4 miles/17.2 ave/29.3 max/25:49 min/493 odo

Looks like I'll break the 500 mile mark on the LeMond tonight.

Broken - Don't look if you're a weirdo and man feet gross you out!

I jammed my little toe on my left foot really bad yesterday in the bedroom. I either broke it or sprained it. It hurts really bad and caused great discomfort on my ride in today as the Shimano shoes have minimal give. Hope it heals fast.
Ride in numbers for today....went a bit slower.
7.7 miles/16.7 ave/26.6 max/27:36 min/478 odo

Home Projects & Upkeep

Ride home Friday was slow. Strong SW winds really made it difficult. Friday after work spent 3 hours cutting grass. Saturday cleaned up garage a bit to find stuff and make life less frustrating, worked on bathroom, mechanic Dave came and picked up the Triumph motor and parts. Tori's Uncle put landscaping blocks around the side of house. Tori's aunt's sister came over w/ her b-friend who does doors and windows to measure up the doors...I went grocery shopping. Randy and Marshall stopped by to look at the brick siding that I need a hole popped in for exhaust fan. Came back to find tori's 2 uncle's and a grandpa and then her mom came over. I grilled out and prepped food for all of them. Then everyone left and I had to clean up and put everything back in it's place.
Sunday worked on the bathroom from 7:30 am - 7:30 pm. Boxed out ceiling for drywall, hung can lights and fan, new switch box/switches and outlets and wired all up. Now going from two can lights and a fan to two can lights and a fan/light combo. More wires and another switch. New one didn't fit.
S0 no SMBRide or Sunday Aft Tri training. All work.....not a weekend but a workend I guess which was ok...gave legs a little time to re-coup. Good progress was made and hope to keep up the momentum.
Today's ride was a bit chilly...pulled out some winter gear for today's ride. Ride in numbers are:
40 degrees NW wind @ 2 mph/7.7 miles/16.9 ave/29.1 max/462 odo/27:28 min

BTWW Day 5

Well we made it - Cold Start of the week to a warmer ending w/ possible showers later on in the day. Saved some money on gas, but put 40 bucks in last night after training in Elkhart and only got 1/2 a tank and also shelled out $525 for a brake job on all four. So I'm still most likely behind but who cares.
So yesterday after getting my 16 commuter miles in and picking up the jeep from it's brake work - I flew out to Elkhart Lake for a ride/run training session. Of course I'm a couple min late and off we go. 14.3 miles later (and my fastest mph max to date @ 43.5 mph) we're back and do a fast transaction to running shoes and off and running...2 miles after that we rest a bit. Then the group walks down to the lake and jumps in! How cool is that? Good times. My lower back did hurt pretty bad when I was finishing up the running...I think I may have been leaning back to far of something...my shin is feeling ok thankfully today...no splints.
Todays ride in numbers are about the same:
7.7 miles/25:34 min/18.1 mph ave/31.8 mph max/447 odo LeMond/206 lbs work scale
Tonight there is a BTWW bust up party down town....beer food and a movie....how cool. Hopefully it doesn't rain cause that'd suck.
Tomorrow may be ride or else crap around the house. I'm starting to think that life's to short for crap around the house but it's won't get done by itself.
Later

btww day 4

What a really nice morning...suns out and birds chipping...saw some guy releasing a trapped squirrel or something out by my house...who the heck still does this? Musta been eating his precious bird food or something. I hope that animal, whatever it was, can somehow magically find his way home and just drive that old man crazy.
Today's ride in numbers are about the same...this might start to bore ya...
7.7 miles/26:54 time/17.2 mph ave/29 mph max/417 odo

Some more numbers

My vehicle gets 15 mpg ave (15.3)
I drive about 18 miles to and from work
18/15=1.2 gals/day for just work commute
1.2 gals @ $3.79 = $4.55/day in savings
5 work days = $22.74/week

And @ 208 lbs, biking for 30 min @14-16 mph = 472 calories burned per bicycling.com

Just some more numbers to keep me riding

bttw day 3

Battled the mighty wind on the way home yesterday still making good time. Met my dad at his house just as he was saddling up his Schwinn on his way to work. Timed it perfectly. We rode together the 1 mile to his work and then I continued my journey.
I forgot to reset my computer this morn so today's numbers are a mixture of yesterdays ride in, ride home and today's ride in.
26.3 miles/16.9 ave mph/1 hr 32 min 55 sec/37 mph max/401 miles
So if my normal ride in is 7.7 x2 = 15.4, then my ave ride home is about 26.3-15.4= 10.9 miles give 'er take.

Pics from Saturday's Hill Climb Session

Good Looking Group

Not so good looking running runner

BTWW 2.0

Seen some more bikers this morn....and I hate it when they don't wave...bitches. AnyWho -
7.7 miles in 25 min and 20 sec for an ave of 18.2 mph w/ a max spd of 34.6 mph - SSE wind
Forecast calls for wind speeds to increase to 20-30 late this afternoon for the commute home...slower ride.

Bathroom remodel is back on...drywalling - it's been a while since I've done any of that but we'll get thru it.

And it's official - I'm all signed up and registered for the Elkhart Lake International Triathlon - Sprint version for Saturday June 28th. Need a wetsuit yet and to practice running and swimming more.

Bike to Work Week - Day 1

Brrrr can basically sum up this mornings ride...had to be the 30's. NNE wind. Slow going.
Legs were a bit sore starting out but feel good now. Seen about 5 people this morning on bikes...all smiles. There's something about fresh air in the morning, especially cold fresh air, pumping through the lungs to make you feel alive. I skipped the coffee and donuts stop at Fountain Park cause of the temp/wind and running a little behind.
Today's ride in numbers:

7.7 miles/15 mph ave/27 mph max/30 min 56 sec/369 total on lemond

Happy Mother's Day

To: Mom

Today is Mother's Day and I found two photo's to share.

Innocence still there...this was from our National Lampoon's California Road trip to see the country from the back of 1984 maroon Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight and visit uncle Jim in the LBC....Holiday Roll

I'm gonna guess I was 14 in this photo which would have been around 1991...taken in Milwaukee at mother's apt. The car is a Pontiac LeMan's from around 1987...this car was used quite a bit to get us to the bmx races and different spots to session...if you look closely you'll see a lot of bmx and skate stickers all over it. Mother and I went to Oklahoma for the Grand Nationals in this in 1988 where I took 2nd in the race of champions and didn't make the mains in the grands. Ma always hated us flippin off the camera....so juvenile but that's what I was.

Yesterday we had our first Hill Climbing Session for the Tri Training Program. It took place out by Silver Spring Trout Farm in Plymouth. I rode my bike there and kinda screwed up w/ directions but made only 10 min late. It was a really good time and I hope to share a group photo once our coach emails it. Yesterday's numbers were....

46.6 miles

38.8 max mph

16 ave mph
2 hours and 54 min of rolling seat time

Last night we had our bowling bust up party in Falls. Chicken and Tips. We stopped at a bar after dinner and the local radio station showed up. They are giving away a motorcycle at Road America on June 6th or 7th. You had to fill out a ballot. They were also giving away a hats, tshirts and the such. My ticket was pulled and I won a tshirt and am now officially entered in the motorcycle give away. I'm one of 120. That would be really cool. I think they said it was a 2008 Suzuki GXR 600. Oh please let me win this!!!!!!!!! I miss my old rocket and my Triumph has been kinda a bitch since I broke it. Speaking of Triumph. I bought a new lower end, clutch assembly, and cables. Hope to have it rolling w/ in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to ride it to Road America the day I win the 08 rocket. Pretty Please big man upstairs?

Anyway...Happy Ma's day mom. Luv ya.

Your son,

Nate

PS - I'll call a little later today to say hello

Risks Involved

So today is the end of the first week I have been able to commute to work every day. They call for rain later on but I'm hopeful it'd hold off til later tonight. Commuting is not for everyone. Some have to drive long distances, some have kids that need to be places, some are just to fat and lazy. It does take planning and organization. I have done it dozens of times and have the routine down pretty good but even I, being fairly well experienced, can goof up. Today I'll have to rock out commando style since I was forgetful. This is not the first time I've overlooked that drawer while grabbing and packing. I really don't like it and chalk it up to learning my lesson.
TGIF.
Today's numbers for ride in:

NNE @ 4-6
7.8 miles
26:48 min
17.4 mph/ave
28.2 max
306 total on lemond

Short In Long Out

I take a major thoroughfare in to work cause it's not so busy in the AM, but don't like to take it home in the PM due to heavier traffic....I might start soon thou and just risk it to show someone that a bike path is needed. Ride home is about 2.5 miles longer and it was against the wind home.
Ride in numbers...

7.8 miles
27:02 min
17.2 mph ave

First lawn cutting last night...need to fertilize as I already have over 1 billion weeds and dandelions. Treadful but looked good afterwards as usual.

Pushed In

Getting pushed by the wind is great....but all that means is that you'll most likely have to battle it going back. Pretty strong SW winds this morning have provided me w/ my best numbers to date, plus the fact that I drafted an 18 wheeler down Taylor from Washington to Indiana Ave catching a green light at Union...pretty sweet.

7.7 miles
22:57 minutes
20.1 ave spd
40.2 max spd
271 miles on road bike
208 lb's on work scale
7.5 wks til tri

Lots of other things going on....post some pics some day
cya

Quick post

Camera's up in the room...so pics later.
Last night did a Catamaran boat ride into the Gulf of Mexico to catch the sunset....2 hour ride. Pretty sweet.
Met a really cool couple from Manchester UK....nice peeps.
Afterwards it was dinner on the dock and then a nice drive around Old Naples.
This morn did a jog and want to say I walked about a mile and ran about 2....good sweat.
Then we went to the beach for a hour and half long walk....very nice.
Did lunch at Tin City....more raw tuna, wasabi and pickled something....along w/ Fish Taco's.
Taking a break and we have dinner at the Turtle Club which is on the beach later tonight.
Tomorrow is clean the condo day as well as pack up and head on out. We fly back into Milwaukee about 7 pm I think.
Pics to post soon.
cya
nate