BVClassic
Last weekend I rode in the first ever BVClassic, a benefit bike ride whose proceeds go to support the Broken Voices ministry. Overall it was an awesome experience, especially for my first ever pack ride. You can check out my full runkeeper stats here along with a map of the ride.
I was pretty happy with my performance. It took me 1:12:22 to go 19.11 miles with an average speed of 15.85 mph. I had to stop and fix a dropped chain twice, so my bike has a date with the bike shop for a tune up. The funny thing about rides like these--at least in my very limited experience--is that there are always opportunities for friendly competition. I spent 4 miles catching a dude twice my age riding an older all metal shifters-on-the-frame Cannondale. I finally caught him with 3 miles to go and managed to stay out in front for the remainder of the ride to finish first--not that we were racing. It was super fun and a pretty hardcore confidence boost for me.
I'm considering Tour de Pink or BikeMS for my next ride. I'm also considering organizing a benefit ride in my home town--so if anyone is interested in that please slip me an email. If I get enough interest in that then I'll see about what I need to do to make it work.
How I Love September/October
The weather is so incredibly nice this time of the year. Usually for about three weeks in September and October, Georgia becomes a west coast style paradise with cool breezes and temperatures around 70F. This is prime riding weather =). Unfortunately because of life's obligations I have only been able to ride once in the past week. I would love to go every day. Riding is a great stress reliever, and it get's my mind off the mundane routine of my day-to-day. I am going to try to ride at least twice this week. I would like to take advantage of this weather while I can.
Long time.
Attention world: I am “that guy”
You know who I'm talking about. The insane person in tight, odd looking pants riding a bicycle on the road that you are tempted to get your friend to push over as you fly by them at insane speeds.
In the interest of personal fitness--and not to mention saving approximately 1 gallon of gas a week, I bought an Orbea Onix road bike last month. Unfortunately I haven't been able to ride it much with my recent sickness and flights to miscellaneous parts of the US for work. Nevertheless, I love my bike.
Before you slap your forehead while shaking your head vigorously and exclaiming, "He's going to kill himself the crazy fool!" let me explain that I have a helmet and I do not ride on busy roads that don't have a bike lane. This means that roughly 75% of my commute to work in the mornings is on sidewalks, which just so happens to be illegal in GA since bicycles are legally recognized as vehicles. If I am stopped by a bored cop I'll take the ticket, because there's no way I'm riding in the road on Brekinridge. I drive pretty crazy fast on that road and I get passed like I'm standing still.
So far, the ride to work is relatively fast--less than 10 minutes on a good day--as long as there is a car in front of me at red lights. Apparently I don't weigh enough to set off the sensors. The ride isn't terribly tough either. I spend most of my time in a low gear riding at about 15-25 mph on the main sections of road that I take. My bike is incredibly fast, even with a 200 lb. dood riding it.
In the interest of protecting myself and my cycling/motorbiking fellows, please do me a favor: watch out for cyclists. Don't worry. I'm no green crusading destroy all SUV's hippie, and I had the same disdain for "That Guy" as you before I became one of them, but as gas prices soar to over $4.00 a gallon I hope you realize that the mpg rating on my Onix is, well, infinity. Please do me a favor and curb your impatience, watch for hand signals, and don't honk at me. I already know I'm good looking.