Sunday my husband and I volunteered for the Community Ride for The Bike Shop.
Unfortunately it wasn’t the best day for the scheduled ride. It’s a big fund raiser for this organization and had the weather been nicer we would have had many more riders attend. About 25 riders chose to sign up. If the weather had been nice we could have had 100 or more riders.
This was the group for the 50-mile ride. They started prior to the rain.
This was the 25-mile ride group. Their start was delayed due to a thunder storm that rolled through.
We’ll try again next year. Hopefully we’ll have better weather with more riders participating for more money raised.
It makes me proud that our club donated $1000 to The Bike Shop. In the past we’ve donated hundreds of helmets and this year it was a cash donation.
Yes, as you can see by the photo above, the sun came out and stayed out all afternoon. Figures!
I’ve been riding the Michelin Pro Race 2 tires on my bike since it was built up in August 2007. Now, the newest version is out, and has been out for a while. They are the Michelin Pro Race 3’s. (What else, right?) They are reported to have outstanding performance.
Since I don’t have a back up set of tires, and I’m going to be in need for some soon, we ordered a set of the Pro Race 3’s. I’m looking forward to trying them. I really love the Pro Race 2’s and have never had an issue, or even a flat, with them.
My husband decided to order a set of the Michelin Lithions at the same time. I talked him into these over the Krilions, because of better performance, though his major concern is puncture resistance.
On my Scattantee I used Serfas Seca-RS tires. I liked those very much as well.
So my question to you is: What tires do you use and why do you like them? Your reasons might vary from price, puncture resistance, performance, or availability. No matter what the reasons, I’d love to hear who uses what.
My husband recently forwarded this article to me from the NY Times regarding training tips from Christian Vande Velde. While the article was informative with a few good tips, what I liked most was Allen Lim’s recipe for sushi rice bars:
3 cups medium-grain Calrose or sushi rice, cooked
6 eggs
Soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos (a soybean-based liquid protein concentrate)
A handful of prosciutto or cooked bacon
Salt
Balsamic vinegar
Scramble the eggs with the soy sauce or the Braggs Aminos. (“The guys like the flavor of the Braggs better than the soy,” Mr. Lim said.) Add the prosciutto or bacon. Pile the rice, eggs and pork into a 6-by-9-inch pan. Pour a small amount of balsamic vinegar and soy on top. Salt to taste. Mix and mash into the pan. Let sit for 20 minutes, then, using a silicone spatula (“anything else and the rice will stick,” Mr. Lim said) cut it into 1 1/2-inch squares. Wrap in foil. Yields about 24.
As a sweet alternative, use “a big jar of Nutella, a bunch of all-natural peanut butter and the same amount of rice,” Mr. Lim said.
I love sushi, and I love sushi rice so this sounds appealing to me. I’m very intrigued by the Nutella squares too. Love Nutella. So what do you think? Which, if either, sounds more appealing to you? Once I make them I’ll be sure to report back as to how they were.
Yesterday the weather finally cooperated enough to ride to/from work on the bike. It was a very beautiful ride home. I reflected on the fact that it’s so cool to be able to power yourself to and from work by your own pedal strokes. Awesome!
It was so nice that I should have gone for a longer bike ride after work but I was just so tired. Where has my mojo gone?
Today I was up early and I decided to hit the bike for an early morning ride, albeit short. The morning was spectacular. I regretted not bringing my camera. On the way back around the boulevard I thought I’d try to take a couple pictures with my relatively new phone. Not bad!
Imagine that, another posting that doesn’t involve cycling….
Monday evening we drove to New Market, NH to see Jose Gonzalez at The Stone Church. I was rather excited about this place. The menu looked decent and we were going to see Jose. The place was busy when we arrived at 6:30 and only continued to fill in as the night went on. We sat at a table on the side with a good view of the stage.
The service was extremely slow. They only had two waitresses and could have had at least three. We waited a long time for drinks and food. I ordered the steak salad but it was missing the Gorgonzola cheese. When she finally came back I explained what I was missing and I would wager it was 15 minutes before she finally came back to explain they were out. Why didn’t she say that when it arrived? Did she think I wouldn’t notice?
When the warm up band started a group of people stood directly in front of us with no regard to who’s view they were blocking. Lovely. I was not impressed. They thinned out a bit before the main act but then came right back. How irritating. I had to stand on the rungs of a high bar stool to see anything. This was my view for most of the evening:
Don’t worry if you can’t see anything in the photo above, neither could I. But for good measure, this one shows you my lack of view much better with the use of my flash: (That guy was tall and he would invariably move into my line of vision. Grrrr.
Aside from the mediocre food, with high prices, and the blocked view, the music was amazing. The warm up group was Twi the Humble Feather. These guys don’t use words in their music, just making music with their voices in addition to their guitars.
Then it time for Jose Gonzalez. I managed to get a couple pictures over the heads of the rude people in front of me:
I’m not sure when I went to a concert when and the artist sounded just like his/her/their recordings. And no, he wasn’t lip syncing. He was just amazing. I would go see him again anywhere, just not at the Stone Church.
I found myself listening to the two albums that have of Jose’s all day. It was great to relive the music. He’s terrific in concert and I highly recommend seeing him if that’s your kind of genre.
What started out as good intentions to keep my blog up to date over the weekend, went right out the window. Not only is my own blogging suffering, but my reading of other blogs is also behind. That’s what happens when you have so much going on. So I’ll just give you a nice recap here:
Thursday
Ahh, the Cervelo Test Ride event. I can be summed up in one word: WOW!
Dave, the regional sales rep, was awesome and really explained the differences between the bikes I wanted to try.
He explained that the RS, which I tried first, had a bit different handling style than the Soloist. He was right. One guy actually described it as “squirrelly”. I described it as twitchy. (Even a racer I was speaking to later after the event said he felt the same way about the bike.) Between those descriptions I’m sure you get the point. Given the group riding I do, I decided it really wasn’t the bike for me.
Then it was on to the Soloist Carbon. Ahhh, this was the bike. I didn’t want to get off it. I was very impressed, not only with the vibration dampening but with the way it seemed to float up any climb. (This is the bike that the women I mentioned from the Trek rides.)
Then I ended up trying the Soloist Team. Now, this is like trying a really fine wine followed by a cheaper wine. What’s the point? But I must say, when I returned, I said, “It’s not horrible.” That sounds funny to think about and I guess I thought it would be a far inferior bike compared to the Soloist Carbon but it actually rode quite nicely. There were obviously differences in the dampening vibrations but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. A great bike indeed.
After the test ride it was on to join friends after the Thursday Night Ride for drinks at a new beer pub called Novare Res. It was Kris’s birthday and there were a number of people that showed up to help him celebrate.
FRIDAY
Our 5th Anniversary was Saturday so we made dinner plans for Hugo’s in Portland, our favorite restaurant. Even though we hadn’t been there in a few years, we were recognized and welcomed by all the staff. We were treated like Royalty and even invited back to meet the chef/owner, Rob Evans. What a treat! This is why we love Hugo’s. The service and friendliness of the staff is unparalleled. Rob is also a well renowned chef in New England and the food is not only delicious but a work of art.
SATURDAY
The reason for dinner reservations the evening before our anniversary was so we could attend the free LL Bean Concert featuring Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, one of our favorite bands.
We were joined by my cycling friend and spin instructor, Julie, and her husband Paul.
We packed a picnic dinner with some wine too.
Earlier that day, Don and I managed to get out on the bikes for a nice casual 20 mile bike ride. This was Don’s first ride on his new bike and I think it’s going to serve him well. He seemed to ride very well and I think part of that has to do with the gear ratio offered by the compact crank, and he attributes a lot of the good ride to his 18-20 pounds lost this spring. It was probably a bit of both.
On the way home I could resist taking a photo of some of the largest clematis I have ever seen:
On the way home there was a cool breeze coming off the water and you could see the fog over Casco Bay and we expected it to push in but it never did.
SUNDAY
Today I am finally feeling back to myself. To the extent it was time for a decent bike ride. My goal was repeats over Munjoy Hill but because Julie and Paul wanted to go for a ride we decided on a different sort of ride and made it a 35 mile ride starting at 6am. I know that’s early but it’s also so nice to be back early and have the rest of your day for other things. So for me that’s cleaning the bike, catching up on the blog, and attending a birthday BBQ later today.
MONDAY
I’ll be skipping the Monday Night group ride as Don and I have tickets to see Jose Gonzalez at The Stone Church in Newmarket, NH. Again, one of our favorites and I’m looking forward to the show.
I’ll be back with more postings soon! Hopefully I’ll have some photos from the Jose Gonzalez show!
I must apologize to my readers for the lack of posts recently. As you read in my Trek recap post I came down ill. I’ve been suffering from allergies pretty severely this season and I think it has turn into something a bit more. But enough of my complaining!
Even though I’m not up to riding again, due to allergies – not from the Trek, I’m excited about, as my husband puts it, “test driving Ferrari’s” tonight. There is a LBS that is hosting a Cervelo event where you could request to test ride any of their models in your preferred size. So I’m testing the Soloist Team, but not the STC (C=carbon), because I know it’s way out of my price range, or at least what I can justify spending on a bike. I’m also test riding the RS, which would be a stretch for my wallet, but what the heck.
My fear is that I’m going to really like these bikes. I’ve always looked at them as the cream of the crop and they are my ultimate dream for a bike. I know once I try one I’m going to want one in a really big way. It’s nice to dream, isn’t it?
I saw a couple people at the Trek on Cervelos, the STC in fact. I also knew them so I went up to them and talked to them about their bikes and how they like them. (They weren’t riding them last year so I had to ask if it was a recent purchase for them – it was.) Linda mentioned that it was the best bike she’s ever ridden. This woman rides a lot of TT and I value her opinion in regards to a bike review. So if she thinks the bike is awesome, it must be. After all, it’s a Cervelo!
I’ll need to remember to have my husband take the camera in order to post some pictures. It will probably be the only time I’m on a bike of its caliber. Now let’s just hope the rain holds off long enough for me to ride them on dry road.
I’ve finally returned from the Trek Across Maine. This was my second year participating and I owe that to my friend Tracey who convinced me to join last year. It didn’t take much for me to be hooked.
Thanks to everyone who gave financial and moral support. It’s such a great event! Almost 2300 riders registered with almost 1900 actually participating, and we raised over $1.3 million! I’m signed up for the 2009 Trek next year, which will be the 25th year. How exciting!!
So, here is my account of the Trek…
TREK ARRIVAL AND CHECK-IN
Last year, even though I raised over $1200 I did not qualify for Winner’s Circle, which is a special check in for people who have submitted all their paperwork and have raised $1000 prior to the start of the Trek. (These have to be paid pledges, and bill-me-later pledged do not count.) Luckily my sponsors this year were great about paying up front and their generous donations made a huge difference. I’d like to especially thank Cornerbrook Plaza Eye Care and Maine Septic and Pumping for their pledges.
My friends Julie and Tracey had qualified for Winner’s Circle early on and right before the start I had too, so we were both able to check in together and have our photo taken with our snazzy new 2008 Trek jerseys.
We stayed at Sunday River the night before the Trek, which is where it starts. I was suffering from either some major allergies or a cold and with the night before the longest day, we made it an early night.
DAY 1: Sunday River to UMF, Farmington, ME
The morning was expected to be cool. As it turned out the sun was working its magic and warming things up quite nicely very early on before we started. Once we were all assembled it was time for a group photo.
The route from Sunday River to the first rest stop in Rumford was a great road where I was able to get some shots of the group riding along.
Now, we weren’t the biggest team, but when we rolled by other riders, you couldn’t help but smile and the words of admiration and awe coming from them. We really looked impressive in our club kit. I can’t tell you how many riders said, “Wow” as we passed by them. You aren’t supposed to ride pace lines in this event but when you ride single file, with your team, it’s bound to happen. Not to mention we ride together all year long so that’s what we are used to doing. One guy said we were the most organized “train” he had seen and he, among others throughout the weekend, all wanted to hop on and ride with us.
I asked a volunteer to shoot this video of us coming to the finish at UMF.
At the finish of the first day they serve baked potatoes with practically anything you can think of for toppings. I don’t eat potatoes but they did have chili for them so I was able to just have a bowl of chili for my post ride meal.
But the day wasn’t over yet as some of us chose to put on another 40 miles on top of the 60 we had already done for a full century. We chose to ride to Phillips to my mother’s house. It was a much better road for cycling than I thought it was going to be from a traffic standpoint and we rewarded ourselves with ice cream on the way back to UMF, where we stayed for the first night.
That evening we headed to the local pub, The Granary, for a drink and to listen to the sounds of The Dead Sexies.
DAY 2 – UMF to Colby College, Waterville, ME
Day 2 was destined to be as nice as Day 1. The weather was incredible. We were all awake pretty early for breakfast and were probably a little anxious for our 7:30 departure.
Unfortunately Russ blew a spoke in his wheel that could not be repaired. Luckily Jake, our club’s bike shop mechanic, was stationed and the first rest stop not far away. Our team member Robert, who is also a mech at the shop, changed out Russ’s wheel so we didn’t have to wait for Jake to do it, as he was pretty busy with other riders’ issues.
We rode casually into Waterville so we could all stay pretty much together. I was mentioning to a couple team members that riding in our group was such a calming and peaceful way to ride. Of course it helped when I stayed in the back without taking any pulls due to the way I had been feeling all weekend.
I did manage to ride ahead of the group and video them heading out on the start of the day and coming into the finish at Colby.
4 of our teammates decided to ride a few more miles for another century that afternoon and just made it back prior to the team photo portion of the weekend. (Two of our teammates weren’t available for the photo.)
Keep in mind that 3 of our team mates had also ridden their bikes to Sunday River for an additional century. So for them they rode 3 consecutive centuries, which required celebrating that evening. It was also Julie’s first century on Friday, and she followed that with a second century the next day. I wish I could have joined them for the Saturday century but my allergies, or this cold, was just too much, and not being able to sleep well the previous two nights, I was in need of a nap.
DAY 3 – Colby College to Belfast, ME
Don’t let this picture of the sun illuminating the library fool you. It was a bit after 5am and I was excited to see the sun.
However, the forecast called for showers. We checked the radar and decided to hit the road early in an attempt to beat the rain. Didn’t happen. It started raining not long after we departed. It took me about 15 miles, to the first rest stop, to become accustomed to riding in the rain and on wet roads. Ordinarily I wouldn’t ride in the rain so I was a bit apprehensive to say the least. But it needed to be done. No pacelines today. We gave each other room to ride at our own pace.
Once we approached the finish we stopped to take off our rain jackets so we could “fly the team colors” riding across the finish. When we stopped we were joined by the rest of our team that chose to start a bit later. So there were 6 of us to ride across the line together and I’m sure it was very impressive. Unfortunately with the weather I didn’t take one single picture. After the event everyone was too chilled and we scattered to find our luggage and some dry clothes, in addition to some BBQ provided by the Trek.
RECAP
It was a great weekend. Everyone enjoyed riding casually together, which probably made the many centuries of the weekend possible. I only wish I had been feeling better to accomplish 2 myself. We couldn’t have asked for anything more from the weather Friday and Saturday, though the weather Sunday was a bit of a damper. Still, not a horrible weekend and I don’t think that even Sunday’s rain could tarnish the fond memories we have of the weekend.
Many of us are already signed up again for next year. Let’s hope our team for the Trek continues to grow in numbers and enthusiasm.
It was a very foggy ride to work this morning. Luckily I had the forethought to put on my head light and tail light for visibility. You know it’s bad when you can’t even wear your glasses because they are covered with so much water you can’t see.
Tonight’s ride home was much different. I walked out of the office to a lovely summer day. I rode extra slow on my way home, just to enjoy the sun.
Tomorrow I’ll be very busy packing and preparing for the Trek. Then we depart at 2pm. So I won’t have any more posts until I return. I’ll be back Sunday late but probably won’t be able to get my head around photos and video until at least Monday, perhaps even later in the week.
So have a nice weekend everyone! I hope the weather is nice in your area and you are able to get some miles in on the bike!
You’ve heard it before. Sometimes I under estimate the power of the peloton. Just like many trapped in water under estimate the powerful force of water.
I completely under estimated the draft going up the climbs tonight. Yes, there is a draft on a hill behind a rider but I often wonder how effective it really is. Well, tonight I found out first hand.
It helped that it was such a large group. I was nestled in the front third or middle of the pack when the first real climb (mind you it was just a hill) was in front of us. I can climb tempo up this hill and do okay by myself, usually around 11-12 mph, which I always find pretty good. When I looked at my bike computer tonight we were doing around 18.5 to 19mph. Amazing! And it felt so great, but I knew it wasn’t me, it was the power of the peloton.
The weather brought the riders out in force tonight. Many had yet to make it to a Monday night ride and this was their first of the season. I hope the ride continues to grow in numbers. The larger the crowd, the easier it is to hold on. And it’s my favorite ride of the week!
"To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep-down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly-Winks." - Scott Martin
