Day Zero. You know what that means. This is the last post in the Northern Tier Preps section. Tomorrow we ride. We didn't ride this morning because there was a chance of rain but it didn't. This afternoon it was not supposed to rain. But it did. Soooo we had orientation in the rain. Well not exactly in the rain. We were in a gazebo in the park. But I can guarantee that it was cold and I was shivering. Because of the weather the bike maintenance section of the orientation is delayed until camp tomorrow. I got my official Bike the US for MS jersey, maps, water bottle and other goodies at orientation.
We met the remainder of our team throughout the day and the final few at orientation. This is going to be a fun group. I am really looking forward to riding with them.
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| Cassie leads Northern Tier 2016 Orientation |
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| Jennifer, Catherine and Nikki get their bag of goodies |
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| Learning how to be safe on the Road |
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| Bruce and Chandler at Orientation |
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| Eddie and Stefan, two of our Route Leaders |
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| Megan sets up Jennifer's Twitter account |
After orientation a group of us went to the Thirsty Whale for lunch. I had lobster bisque and a fried haddock sandwich. I tell you the restaurants in Bar Harbor are incredible. Dinner was Chinese and was also great.
I worked on packing for a while before figuring out I need to go back to the grocery store which was right next to the restaurant. Another try at packing but will have to finish up in the morning.
Almost time to go!!!!!
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D - 1. May 26, 2016
Second travel day from Boston to Bar Harbor. A quick breakfast in the hotel and then the bikes had to be reloaded on the vans. My bike was on the front so it was designated the team bug catcher which it did admiralally. Our first stop this morning is Portland, ME to pick up two more team members, bikes and gear. On to Bar Harbor for a 3:30 PM arrival. I checked in first and got all my gear and bike to the room before I noticed most of the other members of the group were on the other side of the hotel. A quick whine later and I got moved. We then went to a little restaurant across the street from the hotel. The clam chowder was very good and the fish tacos were unbelievably good. And expensive. Then I cleaned the bike, put the seat back on and gave it a little test in the parking lot. Several of my new team mates were outside so I got to meet them. We planned a ride for tomorrow morning before figuring out it is supposed to rain tomorrow morning. We have 69 days to ride in the rain coming up so maybe we can get the ride in after orientation tomorrow afternoon.
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D - 2. May 25, 2016
Travel Day. Suzanne and I travelled to Blacksburg yesterday and dropped off my bike and luggage so it could be loaded in the Bike the US for MS trailer. I was back at the departure site at 0525 eager to start the journey to Bar Harbor, ME. We actually pulled out at 0615 with 2 vans and 1 trailer. First stop was Winchester, VA to pick up a bike and had smooth sailing until lunch. Our path back to I-81 N was blocked by a truck accident so we had to go south. One exit south and we were able to turn around. Next slowdown was a big one. There was construction on a bridge near Wilkes Bare, PA that delayed us about an hour. We didn't have any other problems until heavy traffic in CT which cleared up after about 30 miles. We finally arrived at our hotel outside of Boston at 930 PM. After dinner at Applebee's we returned to the hotel just in time for bed. I got the floor to test my new sleeping bag and mat. Both worked perfectly. Departure time tomorrow is 0800._______________________________________________________________________
D - 3. May 24, 2016
The last few days have been busy with packing and all the other things required to get ready to go. It has been just like going on deployment back in the active duty days. The weather hasn't cooperated so the outside chores have been difficult to finish. I did my best even to the point of getting up at 6 AM this morning to weed and mulch before heading out. One thing I did get fixed was the lock on my trucker topper. It has given me problems for over a year and I finally figured out the alignment issue that kept the lock from catching.
I packed and repacked and repacked again. The issue is the limited space I am allotted in the Bike the US for MS trailer. Suzanne purchased 3 bags of different sizes to try. She also constructed a mockup of the cubby I have. In the end I decided on the largest bag. But we took another bag to Blacksburg with us in case it is too big. We also packed all of my closed in the travel compression sleeves. Finally everything is packed.
The trip to Blacksburg was pretty noteworthy. One thing we did do was stop in Roanoke to visit Black Dog Salvage. If you watch HGTV you will know what this is.
We found the hotel and immediately went to Bike the US for MS to drop off the bike and bag. The bike goes on the top of the van so the seat and computer came off to save them from the weather. Also took off the seat bag and handlebar bag. The funny thing was the cubby was plenty big for my stuff. The food cubby is rather small but manageable.
Back to the hotel until zero dark thirty tomorrow for the start of the trip to Bar Harbor. It will be me and the 3 support guys on the trip in a 15 passenger van so there will be plenty of room.
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D - 7. May 20, 2016
The last training ride before heading to Bar Harbor. 60 miles with the Dismal Swamp Group. We had 8 riders and I am definitely the slowest of this group. The warmup leg is 8.4 miles and the group started off at 16-17 mph and increased to 17-18+. I consider this pounding it and not warming up. We slowed down to 16-17 after I protested and then down to 15-16 when we encountered some headwinds. We had a break at Triple R Ranch before heading to Blackwater Trading Post in Pungo for a BBQ sandwich lunch on the picnic table. We had another break at Triple R Ranch on the way back. The return trip was much easier with a tail wind most of the way. The legs definitely know they have been worked but still have plenty of life left. Another good ride with a great group of biker buddies.
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D - 8. May 19, 2016
I received a donation today from Tina Clark. Thank you very much.
55 miles with the Chucatuck Chain Ring Gang today with a lunch stop at the Smithfield Main Street Café. Good easy ride. Weather was cool and mostly calm. It threatened to rain but never had more than a sprinkle. This was my last ride with the Chain Ring before departing. Also some sad news that Penny injured her arm rototilling. Here is my wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
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D - 11. May 16, 2016
No riding today. Took the bike in for a service before taking off cross country. I have ridden 4000 miles on the new bike in the last 8 months. They replaced the chain, sensor batteries and headset bearings. The bearings were a surprise. They should last way more than 4000 miles.___________________________________________________________________________
D - 13. May 14, 2016
Today was Cap to Cap Century day. 100 miles roughly following the Jamestown to Richmond Cap to Cap trail. Only about 20 miles was on the trail due to the large number of cyclists. I would estimate approximately 400-500 cyclists at the start for the century. It was a perfect day for cycling. Cool, calm and no rain. I started about 2/3 back in the pack since I am not one of the faster cyclists and I would say that is about where I finished. The organizers did a fantastic job. Well stocked rest stops were at 20, 30, 40, 55, 70, 80 and 90 miles. I stopped at each one but on average stayed just enough time to get a snack, fill the water bottle and pee. The 55 mile stop included burritos for lunch so I sat down for a few minutes. I finished in just under 7 hours. This course had the most climbing of the 3 centuries I have ridden. Of course you can say this course had the only climbing since the other two were dead flat. Most importantly my knee gave me no problems. It had me a little worried last week.The course was really nice. We started on Route 5 for about 4 miles. It was blocked to traffic which was good considering the amount of bicycles We turned off the main road and the bicycles started to thin out as the faster riders and the riders that thought they were faster riders zoomed ahead. We would soon start to see some of the riders who tried to ride faster than their abilities fall back with the rest of the pack. Near the second rest stop we entered the Richmond Battle Fields. This was very nice and there was no traffic. We did a short stretch on the actual Cap to Cap trail around 50 mile point. Even the roads had very light traffic and police were stationed at all but the most deserted intersections to stop traffic. I only had to put my fut down at an intersection one time in 100 miles. We finished up on the Cap to Cap trail to return to Charles City and the finish line. At the finish they had good beer, lousy BBQ and a needed rest for all cyclists.
I would highly recommend the Cap to Cap Century for anyone in SE Virginia looking for a most enjoyable ride.
20 May: I filled out my on line critique today and the only thing I could complain about was the BBQ at the end. I did have a couple of minor suggestions but this was an excellent event.
Weekly Summary
Days riding: 4
Miles ridden: 240
Jazzercise hours: 0
Jazzercise hours: 0
D - 16. May 11, 2016
This was the normal Dismal Swamp ride day. Had a great ride with 7 others to Northwest River Park and back to the trail head. 50 miles total. As expected the pace was a little faster at 17-18 mph. This is the fastest pace I am comfortable with for an extended ride. For the Cap to Cap Century on Saturday I will dial it back to 15-16 mph. One again the knee had no issues. I really wish I knee what caused the problem last Saturday.
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D - 17. May 10, 2016
I received a donation today from Rebecca Manning. Thank you very much.
The Chuckatuck ride was cancelled because of rain this morning. It cleared by noon so I headed to the Dismal Swamp and put in 40 miles on a ride to Triple R Ranch and back. I encountered a snake on the Dismal Swamp Trail that was very unhappy. I have no idea what kind it was but I gave it a wide berth. It was a easy 15-16 mph pace to test my knee after the problem last Saturday. Everything held up well. Will stress it a little more tomorrow.
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D - 18. May 9, 2016
I previously reported that I was finished with the curb numbering fundraiser. That was until I received a phone call from the neighbor of another person that I had painted her curb numbers. She wanted hers painted and also 2 other neighbors. Of course I am not going to turn a donation down so I did 3 more curb numbers. This will probably be it since I need to focus on getting my gear together for the ride. But if someone is reading this and wants their numbers painted please give me a call and I will fit it in. All money goes to support MS. I am supplying all materials myself.I received a donation today from Rececca. Thank you very much.
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D - 20. May 7, 2016
Today was supposed to be my second training century. Weather forecast all week said no rain and temperature in the high 60s. Mr. Weatherman got the temperature right but not the precipitation.I has hoping to ride the Knotts Island Century with the Team Portsmouth as I did last week. Unfortunately none of Team Portsmouth was riding the same route I was. I scouted the start but all of the Century riders I found were riding a much faster pace than I am capable. Therefore I set out on my own. About a mile into the ride it started raining and continued for about 20 miles.. Not real hard but definitely more than a sprinkle.
I played tortoise and hare with a couple of groups through the first 2 rest stops. I spent less time at the rest stops and they passed me before the next one. The third rest stop was at the Knotts Island Frerry and I needed to be there before 11 AM to catch it. Unfortunately the road marking were not very good and I missed a turn on my cue sheet. It was supposed to be 45 miles to the ferry but by the time I found my way there I had traveled 60 miles. Worst of all the ferry had just left.
I would not have time to complete the century before dark. The alternative was to wait for the return ferry and hook up with a Metric Century group which I did. I rode back with 2 guys that really pushed me. My left knee was starting to hurt near the end and I dropped back the last 3 miles. This is real concerning to me since I am leaving in about 3 weeks. Total distance today was 83 miles.
The knee was real stiff by the time I got home. I took an anti-inflammatory and elevated it. It recovered mostly within 3 hours and is almost normal the next morning. I will keep close tabs on how it feels the next couple of weeks and especially during the Cap to Cap Century next weekend.
Weekly Summary
Days riding: 2
Miles ridden: 130
Jazzercise hours: 1
Jazzercise hours: 1
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D - 22. May 5, 2016
Weather definitely has not been cooperating with the training. We had a small group at the Chuckatuck Chain Ring this morning since it was cool and threatening rain. It was a easy 37 mile ride with a few sprinkles but no rain. I could have used my leg warmers but can't seem to find them anywhere. After the ride we had lunch at Jeb's which is always a treat. I had the Pulled BBQ pork salad. Excellent._______________________________________________
D - 25. May 2, 2016
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D - 27. April 30, 2016
Weekly Summary
Days riding: 4
Miles ridden: 230
Jazzercise hours: 1
Jazzercise hours: 1
D - 29. April 28, 2016
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D - 30. April 27, 2016
The ride was very tough. I was definitely the anchor of this group. All of the riders are more experienced and more fit than me. One of the riders, Mary, hung back with me when I was dropped. She had me take her wheel and draft. This was about the 30 mile point. I drafted at 20 mph for about five miles and then dropped back again. She let me rest for 3-4 minutes and asked if I was ready to push again. But I wasn't. Fortunately it was close to a rest stop. After a Wendy's baked potato I was fueled for the last 15 miles. I am fortunate to have a group to push me because I would never do it on my own.
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D - 31. April 26, 2016
I also received a donation today from Kathy Bogosian. Thank you very much.
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D - 32. April 25, 2016
Monday. No biking. The only activity related to Bike the US for MS was fundraising. I painted 8 backgrounds for the house number fundraiser.
D - 33. April 24, 2016
Start of a new week and a change in the blog. I am going to daily entries since it will go under the one month point until push off from Bar Harbor.Sunday. I did a fairly quick 32 mile ride with CLAMS starting from Fat Frogs in Virginia Beach and going to Creeds Convenience Store. I should say 1/2 of a quick ride since the wind was strong and directly in our face for the return ride. Enough of the wind already. That is all we have had this spring unless it was wind and rain.
I wanted to paint the background on the last curb numbers this afternoon but the wind was too strong.
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D - 34. April 23, 2016
Days riding: 3
Miles ridden: 189
Jazzercise hours: 1
Jazzercise hours: 1
Tuesday. 21 miles before the group ride and then a 50 mile group ride for a total of 71. It was the best cycling day of the year. Calm wind in the morning rising to 10 in the afternoon. Temperature as 81.
Wednesday. A cold front came through and dropped the temperature plus wind 15-20 mph. I just did a quick 27 miles at the Dismal Swamp. Quick both in time and speed. This group is killing me trying to keep up.
Thursday. Another good 50 mile day with the Chain Ring Gang. Also did 20 miles before the group ride and 21 miles after the group ride for a total of 91. This was my biggest day ever and still felt good. I feel I should have no problems with my first century next week.
I had a little pain in my left knee during Tuesdays ride. It was on the outside at the top of the tibia. When not cycling there is no pain. Also had some on Wednesday and the solo ride before the group ride on Thursday. I had read that this could be caused by the fore and aft saddle position. From memory I thought it was because the saddle was too far forward. However when I checked the saddle before the group ride Thursday I discovered that it was all the way aft. I moved it 1/4 inch forward and the pain immediately disappeared.
Saturday I canvassed another street for the house number painting project and got 6 more takers. Unfortunately it was too wet and windy to start painting this afternoon.
I am so happy to announce my fundraising is complete as soon as I have these numbers painted. I will have met my minimum goal of $4295. I cannot thank all of my friends and family that contributed and supported me with the fundraising. Time to move on. YAHOO!!!
Saturday I canvassed another street for the house number painting project and got 6 more takers. Unfortunately it was too wet and windy to start painting this afternoon.
I am so happy to announce my fundraising is complete as soon as I have these numbers painted. I will have met my minimum goal of $4295. I cannot thank all of my friends and family that contributed and supported me with the fundraising. Time to move on. YAHOO!!!
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D - 41. April 16, 2016
Days riding: 3
Miles ridden: 119
Jazzercise hours: 2
Jazzercise hours: 2
Weather looks better than it has in 2 months but one thing you can count on is that the forecast will change during the week.
Sunday. I did a quick 25 mile ride starting at Hot Tuna on shore drive down to the ocean front and then back through Fort Story with the Cycling Legs Against MS (CLAMS) team. The pace was an easy 15-16 mph. It was 42 degrees for the ride with a 10-15 mph wind. Wind was not a problem for most of the ride since the route was sheltered.
I received the email with my Admirals Hockey concession earnings with CLAMS for February & March. $500 will be deposited in my Bike the US for MS account. Thank you CLAMS.
Monday I worked on the curb painting fund raiser and Tuesday weather was rain most of the day.
Wednesday. A fast 51 ride at Dismal Swamp with a stop at Starbucks. Wind was brisk at 15+ making the 50 degree day seem cooler. Even straight into the wind we were making going 15 mph most of the time. But this was the best cycling weather we have had in awhile. Clear and sunny so no complaints.
Thursday. Another windy ride at Chuckatuck. 43 miles but it felt like 73. I had a reward of a Pork BBQ salad at Jeb's as a reward for the hard work. Excellent salad and always enjoy lunch with the Chain Ring.
Friday I took off riding to attend the opening of the new REI store hoping to get one of the door prizes. No such luck. The store was so jammed I did not even get in. I need a rain jacket and several camping items.
Saturday I will solicit for the curb painting fundraiser.
A disappointing week as far as riding goes. I did not get the 80 mile endurance ride in. That means I will need to do 2 endurance rides next week.
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D - 48. April 9, 2016
Days riding: 1
Jazzercise hours: 4
Weight: 186
Wednesday. This is the first ride of the week and may be the last because of the weather. It has been a wet and windy week. Looking at the forecast Tuesday night showed a cool morning with no wind. Cool is OK. No wind is terrific. The Dismal Swamp group was supposed to kick off the ride at 10 so I decided to get a few extra miles before the ride. I shoved off at 0845 which should be enough time to get in 20 miles. Unfortunately I was a little slower that planned and the group passed me about a mile before the starting point. I had to go back to my car because I did not take my water bottles with me. After retrieving my bottles and changing to a lighter jacket I attempted to catch up with the group. It should be no problem since I know the normal rest stops. However they did not stop at the first normal stop and were already gone from the second stop when I got there. Oh well. This just turned into a solo ride. I rode to the convenience store at Balahack Rd Battlefield Blvd and had a Gatoraide and nuts before heading back. Once I got back to the Dismal Swamp trail I had 56 miles. To get to 70 I added 4 short roads off the trail but would still be about 3 miles short. I could ride the trail extension or turn around and repeat 1 1/2 miles of the trail. The calm wind at the start of the ride had been steadily increasing and a check of the weather showed it was now a brisk 17 miles an hour. The Dismal Swamp trail is more protected than the extension so I decided to repeat a section of the trail. The ride finished with 70.1 miles.
The next 3 weeks I am going to increase the mileage on my long ride by 10 miles. That schedule will put me on track to do my first century on 30 April.
This isn't how training is supposed to be progressing this close to kickoff. Weather just has not cooperated. A real windy and wet week. The only other day I could have ridden was Monday and I would have if I had known what the rest of the week would bring.
On the fundraising side I canvassed for an hour Saturday until it started to rain for curb numbering and got 6 more houses to paint next week.
I also worked Norfolk Admirals Hockey 3 days this week with the Cycling Legs Against MS group.
This isn't how training is supposed to be progressing this close to kickoff. Weather just has not cooperated. A real windy and wet week. The only other day I could have ridden was Monday and I would have if I had known what the rest of the week would bring.
On the fundraising side I canvassed for an hour Saturday until it started to rain for curb numbering and got 6 more houses to paint next week.
I also worked Norfolk Admirals Hockey 3 days this week with the Cycling Legs Against MS group.
Friends and family have been great with their support. This week I received contributions from Vincent and Carol Cannava, Pete and Barbie Douglas and Bill Moseley. Thank you very much.
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D - 55. April 2, 2016
Days riding: 3
Miles ridden: 154
Jazzercise hours: 1
Miles ridden: 154
Jazzercise hours: 1
Tuesday. It sure is nice to have warmer weather to ride. Unfortunately the last couple of weeks have included brisk winds. Today was no different. I started the ride by warning up by myself with 11 miles at a moderate pace with a stiff cross wind. That was followed up with 45 mile group ride. The first 25 was very windy with most of that being a headwind. We stopped for lunch at Main Street Restaurant in Smithfield. The wind was mostly from the rear for the last 20 miles. Following the group ride I added another 16 miles solo for a total of 72.
Wednesday. The legs were a little tired today and the group only did 40 miles at Dismal Swamp. Fortunately the wind was better than it has been in 2 weeks.
After the ride Wednesday I painted the background for 12 houses for the house number fundraiser.
Thursday. The bad news was the wind has returned. 19 mph with gusts to 35. The good news it was out of the south so it was warm. 20 hard and slow miles followed by 22 fast miles. Ride was cut short because of the wind. The bonus was lunch at Jeb's. Pulled pork BBQ salad with spicy ranch dressing. YUM!
This week I received a contribution from Pat and Arlene Crawford. Thank you very much.
D - 62. March 25, 2016
I have come up with a method of increasing my miles during the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday Chuckatuck rides. Since this is a no drop ride and they stop to regroup several times during the ride I will hang with the faster group as I have been doing. But instead of stopping at the regroup point I plan on turning around and riding back to the slower group and riding with them to the regroup point. This should add a few miles each ride.
Days riding: 3
Miles ridden: 162
Jazzercise hours: 0
Miles ridden: 162
Jazzercise hours: 0
Tuesday was a 60 mile ride with the Chuckatuck Chain Ring Group. That included a 50 mile loop with the group with a quick lunch at DQ. Not gourmet but the chicken wrap and banana was good. After completing the loop I did a 10 mile loop solo. I had planned on getting to the ride early and doing 10-20 miles before the group ride. This did not happen this morning because it was 38 degrees at the start of the ride and I wimped out. Seems to be a pattern.
I definitely do not like riding alone. I really hope to find 2-4 Northern Tier teammates to ride across the country with. If not it is going to be a very long 4000 miles.
Wednesday's ride at Dismal Swamp Canal was 50 miles and windy. We had 10 start the ride and 6 finish. We had a welcome rest stop at Triple R Ranch. The return trip had a 7-8 mile stretch with the wind at our backs where we were close to flying.
OMG. I thought Wednesday's ride was windy. Thursday's ride at Chuckatuck was the worst wind I have ever ridden. The group ride was 42 and I added another 10 at the end for a total of 52.
I also worked at the Norfolk Admirals Hockey Game in the concession stand Friday and Saturday with the CLAMS to earn money for MS.
Wednesday's ride at Dismal Swamp Canal was 50 miles and windy. We had 10 start the ride and 6 finish. We had a welcome rest stop at Triple R Ranch. The return trip had a 7-8 mile stretch with the wind at our backs where we were close to flying.
OMG. I thought Wednesday's ride was windy. Thursday's ride at Chuckatuck was the worst wind I have ever ridden. The group ride was 42 and I added another 10 at the end for a total of 52.
I also worked at the Norfolk Admirals Hockey Game in the concession stand Friday and Saturday with the CLAMS to earn money for MS.
I received a contribution from Eliza Carpenter, my 1 year old granddaughter and her parents. Thank you.
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D - 69. March 19, 2016
The best week of the year. Weather was mostly perfect for bike riding. A little windy at times but no complaints here.Days riding: 5
Miles ridden: 220
Jazzercise hours: 1
Sunday I rode 34 miles with CLAMS training for the MS 150. I will not be able to participate because of my trip but the training miles were appreciated. A good fast ride from Northwest River Park in Pungo. Thank you CLAMS.
Tuesday was 42 miles with the Chuckatuck Chain Ring Group to Smithfield with lunch at Wharf Hill in Smithfield.
Wednesday's ride was 32 miles at the Beach with lunch at the Stock Pot. Great place for lunch. Ride was more relaxed ride including the Board Walk.
Thursday was 57 miles with the Chuckatuck Chain Ring Group again. This was the annual Frankie's birthday ride. The last 12 miles was at my maximum speed. Good day on the bike.
Friday was 50 miles at Dismal Swamp. Only 3 other riders and they are all faster than I am. Exhausting but just what I need.
I finished up my first 6 house numbers and also received a donation in addition to the charge from one customer. I have 2 more houses lined up. I need a Saturday when people are home to solicit again.
I also received a contribution this week from Julie Ovallie. Thank you very much.
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Street Number Fundraiser
I started painting house numbers on the curb for a fundraiser. So far I have done 7.
This is a picture of the first house number I painted. The customer was my wife. She always donates for my fundraisers. :)
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D - 76. March 12, 2016
Finally some better weather. Still had quite a bit of wind this week but the temps were tolerable and had several days with no rain.
Days riding: 4
Miles ridden: 190
Jazzercise hours: 1
Weight: 191
I did buy a new tail light to replace the one I lost on a training ride.
I also worked 4 days at a concession stand for the MEAC basketball tournament with CLAMS (Cycling Legs Against MS) as a fundraiser. CLAMS has agreed to put the money I made toward my Bike the US for MS fundraising commitment.
I also received a contributions this week from Lamont and Penny Poole, Jim and Maryellen Remich, and Jeff and Amy Archer. Thank you very much
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D - 83. March 5, 2016
Well I haven't had a post in over 3 weeks because not a lot has been happening. It has either been too cold, too windy or too wet to do much bike riding. I do realize none of these excuses will be valid for the tour but for now I can be a wimp.
Stats will be for 3 weeks February 13 - March 5
Days riding: 5
Miles ridden: 221
Jazzercise hours: 9
Weight: 190
I also received a contributions this week from Rusty Luhring, Julie Ovalie and Harold Heafner. Thank you very much.
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D - 111. February 6, 2016
Stats for the week:
Days riding: 1
Miles ridden: 50
Jazzercise hours: 4
Weight: 194
Another week of poor weather for riding. This is getting to be a habit.
I did get my handlebar bag that I received for Christmas mounted. Also ordered a chain tool and chain pins for the trip. The only tool I still need is a spoke wrench.
I also received a contributions this week from Steve and Theresa Bourgard and Bill and Betty Keefer. Thank you very much
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D - 118. January 30, 2016
Stats for the week:
Days riding: 0
Miles ridden: 52
Jazzercise hours: 0
Weight: 194
We returned from Connecticut on Friday so I only had 1 day to ride this week which I did with the Chuckatuck Chainring Group.
After 2 week off of the bike I could definitely tell the difference. I can't afford any more breaks like this before setting out from Bar Harbor. Even worse I gained 4 pounds in the 2 off weeks. The food was definitely too good in CT and I was too lazy.
I also received a contribution this week from Ralph and Shirley Dewoody. Thank you very much.
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D - 125. January 23, 2016
Stats for the week:
Days riding: 0
Miles ridden: 0
Jazzercise hours: 3
No riding this week. The weather was very cold and wet the first of the week and we left for Connecticut on Thursday.
I also received a contribution this week from John and Rene Archer Thank you very much.
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D - 132. January 16, 2016
Stats for the week:
Days riding: 2
Miles ridden: 98
Jazzercise hours: 4
Training days and mileage was down this week due to the weather. What riding I did get in was windy so the training value was good. Unfortunately next week's weather doesn't look any better.
Jerry and several others from the Chuckatuck Chainring Gang suggested I start riding the Jordan bridge to get some hill training since our area is so flat. My brain thinks that is a great idea. The legs not so much. Shut up legs. Jordan bridge here we come.
Part of the Bike the US for MS experience is 69 days of camping. I need a new tent and sleeping bag and have decided to purchase them from REI. Hopefully REI will have a big sale when they open their new store in Virginia Beach.
I also received contributions this week from Bob and Stephanie Oldani and Wilke and Susan Din. Thank you very much.
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D-139 January 9, 2016
Only 139 days before the Bike the US for MS tour begins. Time is flying.
I should have ridden today with the Chuckatuck Chainring Gang but wimped out because it was misty this morning. Turned out it was the best day of the year. Oh well! Went with Drew to look at condos.
Stats for the week:
Days riding: 3
Miles ridden: 130
Jazzercise hours: 3
I also received contributions this week from Mike and Mary Ihrig and Bill and Rose Parr. Thank you very much.
Thursdays ride at Chuckatuck had some drama. One of our riders ran into the back of another rider while going downhill resulting in a crash. He broke his tibia (leg). Hopefully he will recover swiftly.
There are some important lessons from this crash. The injured rider was on a bike not suited for road use because of poor brakes. Besides the bike there were also rider errors. He allowed his bike wheel to overlap and contact the bike in front of him. Making matters worse he was warned by another rider twice in the minutes leading to this crash not to do that. I bet he will remember this lesson in the future.
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CLAMS - Cycling Legs Against MS
CLAMS - Cycling Legs Against MS is the Tidewater Bicycling Association group dedicated to raising money for MS research. I joined the group in November and have been on 1 bicycle ride with them.
One of the things CLAMS does to raise money is man a concession stand at Norfolk Scope during Norfolk Admirals hockey games and other events. Normally the money raised is split between each volunteer participant to credit them for their volunteer hours and contributed to MS research. Since I am going on the Bike the US for MS Northern Tier tour the group is going to send my volunteer earnings to Bike the US for MS. I am extremely thankful that they are doing this to help me.
So far I have volunteered 3 evenings. At 1 event I worked the counter and the other 2 events I was the cook. Anybody that knows me will be rolling on the floor laughing when they find out I was the cook. Actually it went pretty well. I didn't burn down the building and there were no poisoned customers. :)
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D-146 January 2, 2016
D-146. Only 146 days until Bike the US for MS Northern Tier begins.
Well the first week of 2016 is in the books, even if it was only 2 days long. I completed 2 rides with the Chuckatuck Chain Ring Gang for a total of 100 miles. For January the weather was beautiful. A little cool at the start but ok. Unfortunately the weather forecast is not as good for next week.
The Chuckatuck Chain Ring Gang stops for lunch and since I am trying to get down to 170 for the big ride I am being more careful about what I eat during the ride and at the lunch stops.
I had my new GoPro camera on both rides but did not get any movies on the 1st because the battery was dead. Recorded a few clips on the 2nd. Now I need to learn how to edit them. More technology to learn.
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2015 - It's Been a Good Year
2015 has been a very good year and I am looking forward to all the challenges and adventures to come in 2016.
I went from being a very infrequent rider to frequent rider and greatly improved my physical fitness.
Summary of the year which is really a summary of July - December:
Number of aerobics classes: 48
Number of riding days: 53
Number of cycling miles: 2401
Starting weight May 18: 218
Ending weight December 31: 191
Goals for 2016:
During the winter season I will ride whenever the weather permits. As the weather gets better I will increase the riding days and miles gradually. Right now I am riding 40-50 miles each cycling day. I want to increase that to 60-70 miles by May.
I have signed up 2 centuries. Tour de Cure supports Diabetes research on April 30 and Virginia Cap to Cap Trail ride on May 14.
Of course the ultimate goal is the Bike the US for MS Northern Tier ride from Bar Harbor, ME to Seattle, WA starting 28 May 2016. 4295 mile in 69 days.
My goal weight is 170 on May 28.
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Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone. My family and Santa got my biking wish list.
I got a GoPro Hero 4 Silver to take on my Bike the US for MS trip. There is a steep learning curve before I get proficient with the camera. Then I have to get editing software and learn how to use that.
I also got a cycling trainer so I can bike inside when the weather is bad.
Santa also brought me cycling shorts, a multi-tool, a head scarf and DQ gift cards for the lunch stops with the Chuckatuck Chainring group.
Thank you Suzanne, Drew, Adam, Meghan and Eliza. And of course, Santa.
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It's Official - I am part of the Bike the US for MS Northern Tier Team
It's official. I received the email today accepting my application to ride in the 2016 Bike the US for MS Northern Tier team. Yahoo!!! I am so excited. Now I can tell everyone that I am definitely going instead of telling them I have applied.
Thank you Bike the US for MS.
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New Saddle - Ahhhh!
The saddle that came on my new bike, a Bontrager Padigm RL with hollow titanium rails has been dubbed the Trek Ass Hatchet due to the less that optimum interaction with my butt. It's time to find a replacement.
Remember that I am a fairly new cyclist. What I found out is that there are a thousand replacement saddles and that the only real way to find the one you want is to do a extended test ride.
Bike the US for MS recommended the Brooks B17 saddle so I ordered one from Amazon since my local bike shop does not carry Brooks.
Meanwhile, he bike shop where I purchased my bike, Bike Beat, loaned me an ISM Adano Racing saddle to try. It was a major improvement over the stock saddle but I still wanted to try the Brooks.
It only took one ride to know that the Brooks B17 saddle was a keeper. I treated it with Proof Hide and mounted it on the bike. It may take a few rides to get the height and fore/aft position adjusted properly. My first ride with the Brooks was 44 miles and I could have gone much further. This is pretty good since it is supposed to take 500-1000 miles to break them in.
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Chuckatuck Chain Ring Group
Now that I had my new bike it was time to join the Chuckatuck Chainring Group. Once again I called the contact on the Tidewater Bicycle Association website, Harold Heafner. Harold gave me the information and passed my name onto the group leaders Lamont and Penny. They ride on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
First about the ride. There were about 30 riders on this ride so it was bigger than the Dismal Swamp group. Typically there will be between 20-40 riders. The ride was 50 miles at a moderate pace. Faster riders would go ahead but regroup every 10-15 miles. I stayed in the middle of the pack and had a great time except the stock saddle on my new bike was killing my backside after 20-25 miles. In Trek advertising they brag about this saddle being upgraded with titanium rails and the latest design. Yada! Yada! Yada! (Code for BS) After a few rides I named it the Trek Ass Hatchet. The rural roads in Chuckatuck, Smithfield, Windsor, Zuni, etc. are perfect for cycling. The group usually stop for lunch 10-12 miles before the end of the ride but quite a few riders skip lunch and ride straight through.
Now about the group. I love this group. If you took away the bicycles I would still love this group of people. There are several people who ride in both the Dismal Swamp and Chuckatuck Chainring groups. The Chuckatuck Chainring group has been cycling since 1989. You have to be doing things right to keep going that long. Lots of camaraderie which reminds me of the best Divisions I was part of in the Navy.
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First Wreck - Still in the Bike Shop
Not only did I get a new bike but also new pedals (clipless) and new shoes. This is the first time with clipless pedals for me so the bike local bike shop set up a bike on a trainer and let me practice clipping in or out. The bike and trainer were on a platform raised 18 inches off the floor.
The bike shop staff left me alone after a few minutes to help other customers. That's when the wheels came off the bus so to speak. Or I guess I should say the wheel came off the trainer. I clicked in and was pedaling fine one second and was laying flat on the floor with a bicycle on top of me the next.
I was fine but the brand new bike had a bent rear wheel. I felt bad that I had damaged a new bike but was relieved that it wasn't mine. Fortunately the damage was minor and the wheel was trued in no time.
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The New Bike - Trek Domane
I needed a new bike for Bike the US for MS tour and began shopping even though I haven't even been accepted yet.
The internet was my first source for bike shopping. After spending hours on the bicycling forums I thought I wanted a touring bike, specifically the Surly Long Haul Trucker. There aren't any Surly dealers in Tidewater Virginia so I had to wait until visiting northern Virginia for a test ride. Unfortunately the shop did not have my size in stock but I did test ride a Surly Disc Trucker two sizes too big. At that time I was fairly certain this was the bike for me.
Looking at the Bike the US for MS cyclists webpages I noticed just about every kind of bike being ridden on the tour. I contacted several previous riders to ask their opinion. I must say that every single person I emailed responded with detailed and helpful information. Some even responded while they were on tour. What I decided is that I shouldn't limit my choice to touring bikes.
I then started to make the rounds to all of the local bike shops. I tested every type and brand of bike I could locate. After narrowing my list of bikes down to the Cannondale Synapse and the Trek Domane I rode each bike several times. Both are quality bikes and I am sure I would be happy with either one.
I was really impressed with the staff at Bike Beat in Chesapeake, especially David. He had a lot of experience with riding cross country and was willing to share his knowledge and suggestions even before I had committed to buying a bike.
Since Bike Beat sells Trek that was my final choice. I put a Trek Domane 4.5 Disc on order. Since it was the start of a new model year they did not have any in stock. Estimated delivery time was 3 weeks. After 2 weeks I stopped in to check on the status of my order. The estimated delivery time had slipped to 3 months. Looking at my options David found a 2015 Domane 6,2 Disc available. David gave me a terrific discount and the new bike was only a little more. Since I already busted the budget with the Domane 4.5 a few hundred more only hurts a little bit. I guess that's why I put money in the retirement account for the last 40 years.
Unfortunately when the bike came in 3 days later it was raining. And it kept raining for the next 6 days. Finally I was able to pick it up on 5 October.
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First Group Ride - YESS Dismal Swamp Canal Trail
I called the designated point of contact for the YESS Dismal Swamp Canal Trail group, Fran Adams, to gather information and schedule my first ride with the group. It turns out Fran lives just a few blocks from me in the next neighborhood. Fran was very inviting and sent me directions for the next ride.
I arrived about 45 minutes before the ride and found Fran. She introduced me to the group of about 20 riders. I struggle remembering names and since the riders are different each outing I knew it would take awhile. Besides I was the second Frank plus a Frankie that day.
Harvey leads most of the rides and the route decision is normally made at the start depending on the rider's desires and the weather, especially wind. Harvey asked me if I was up to a 50 mile ride which I foolishly answered in the affirmative. Fortunately Harvey was easy on me and we only rode 35 miles. It was the fastest 35 miles I have ever ridden. A great workout.
I cannot tell you how lucky I am to have found this group. Although I have been a casual rider for many years I am a real novice to this kind of riding. The group has pushed me to get stronger at a tolerable rate while making each ride a good, fun experience.
Special thanks to Maryellen and Jim for coordinating the group and Harvey for leading the group rides. Harvey, Jim, Dexter, Doug, Mary and all the regulars for giving me riding tips and encouragement.
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Bike in the Shop
I was having some shifting issues with the mountain bike and decided to take it to the local bike shop. While there I had them do their annual service package plus service the wheel bearings. It turned out that the wheel bearings, headset bearings and bottom bracket bearings needed to be replaced along with the rear derailleur. The bike is 11 years old so that is not too bad.
Time to start shopping for a new bike for my still unconfirmed Bike the US for MS trip.
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First Bike Casualty
I am pedaling down Atlantic Avenue 17 miles from home when I hear whish, whish, whish from the back tire and it is flat as a pancake. Guess what. I had taken my seat bag off and neglected to put it back on. So no spare tube. Time to call my personal 911. Honey, will you pick me up. It seems like an eternity when you are stranded and waiting for a ride.
Getting the bike home I find my seat bag with the spare tubes and start to fix the tire. Except the tire sidewall has disintegrated. Off to the bike shop for some new tires and tubes. Smooth tread and not quite so wide this time which means much better street performance. An hour later both tires are replaced. Ready for another ride tomorrow.
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Finding a Better Way to Train
By now I am riding from by house to Virginia Beach and back 4 to 5 days per week. 34 miles round trip. I will need more miles soon and am thinking of riding to the beach and back twice a day. This would work but it is getting boring riding the same route every day by myself. It is also not a particularly safe ride since it is mainly through congested areas with many, many street crossings.
So I decided to look for safer and better group rides that I was physically capable of participating. I started by searching the local bicycle shop websites where I found a few rides but most were much faster than my fitness level. Also I was riding a mountain. Slow bike and slow rider do not go well with fast rides.
Finally I checked the Tidewater Bicycle Association website and found two group rides that seemed to fit my needs. The TBA YESS group (Youthful Energetic Seniors in Spandex) rides on Wednesday and Friday starting from the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail in Chesapeake, VA. The Chuckatuck Chainring group rides on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday starting from Oakland Christian Church in Chuckatuck, VA.
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It's Time to Start Training - The First Week
So here I am a rather rotund 218 pounder who does Jazzercise once a week and riding my bike once a month. Now this is a long ways from riding an average of 70 miles a day for 62 out of 69 days. Time to start training. I talked to my doctor during my annual physical and he encouraged me to get going.
First week of training 26 July - 1 August:
Monday: 10 mile ride and 1 hour of Jazzercise
Tuesday: 17 mile ride and 1 hour of Jazzercise
Wednesday: 17 mile ride and 1 hour of Jazzercise
Thursday: 21 mile ride and 1 hour of Jazzercise
Friday: 36 mile ride
This was a moderate first week that gave me a good workout without going overboard. Still a long way to go. I plan to increase my exercise intensity and duration gradually over the next few weeks.
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The Application
It is easy to talk about doing something like Bike the US for MS. I did that. A lot. Most people thought it was a noble undertaking but you would have to be a little nutty to do it. Or in the case of my wife and kids you are totally out of you mind. But like I said in an earlier post I was hooked.
The application was easy. Besides all of the normal application stuff Bike the US for MS wanted to know your biking experience, volunteer experience, special skills which could be used helping people with MS, etc.
Finally there is the cyclist pledge which reminded you that cycling several thousand miles through all kinds of weather is difficult. Very difficult. Not to mention camping for a couple of months straight. However the most important thing in the cyclist pledge is the part that says this will be the most amazing summer of your life.
On August 26 I received confirmation that my application was received and that team selection would be early November.
I can't wait until November to start preparations. I need to start training, buy a new bicycle, tent, etc.
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Which Route to Take
Below are tours I considered:
Northern Tier - 4295 miles from Bar Harbor, ME to Seattle, WA
Trans AM Tier - 3785 miles from Yorktown, VA to San Francisco, CA
Southern Tier - 3070 miles from San Diego, CA to Saint Augustine, FL
Pacific Coast Tier - 1852 miles from Seattle, WA to San Diego, CA
Picking which tier was a big decision and I waffled more times than John (I was actually for the war before I was against the war) Kerry. I initially picked the Southern Tier because it was the shortest cross country tour reasoning that I could always go on another later if I liked this one. But the Northern Tier was the one I really wanted because there are so many places on the route I have never visited. Besides it is only 1225 miles more than the Southern Tier. Only! Niagara Falls here I come.
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Making the Commitment
Raising money for MS research is a good cause but no matter how you look at it signing up to ride a bicycle three to four thousand miles requires careful evaluation of your physical abilities as well as your mental commitment. I read every cyclists webpage and viewed every Bike the US for MS YouTube video before sending in my application.
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Which Route to Take
Below are tours I considered:
Northern Tier - 4295 miles from Bar Harbor, ME to Seattle, WA
Trans AM Tier - 3785 miles from Yorktown, VA to San Francisco, CA
Southern Tier - 3070 miles from San Diego, CA to Saint Augustine, FL
Pacific Coast Tier - 1852 miles from Seattle, WA to San Diego, CA
Picking which tier was a big decision and I waffled more times than John (I was actually for the war before I was against the war) Kerry. I initially picked the Southern Tier because it was the shortest cross country tour reasoning that I could always go on another later if I liked this one. But the Northern Tier was the one I really wanted because there are so many places on the route I have never visited. Besides it is only 1225 miles more than the Southern Tier. Only! Niagara Falls here I come.
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Making the Commitment
Raising money for MS research is a good cause but no matter how you look at it signing up to ride a bicycle three to four thousand miles requires careful evaluation of your physical abilities as well as your mental commitment. I read every cyclists webpage and viewed every Bike the US for MS YouTube video before sending in my application.
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How It All Started
I was bicycling with Boy Scout Troop 401 on the C & O Canal near Alexandria, VA when I met a fellow that was riding the entire length of the C & O Canal/Allegheny Trail from Pittsburgh, PA to Alexandria, VA. For someone that had never ridden more than 35 miles that seemed like a huge bicycle ride. I wanted to do that ride but never made the time. As retirement approached I decided I was going to make the trip as part of a supported tour but I lost the link to the company doing the tour when I turned in my work computer.
During the search to find the C & O Canal touring company I came across the website for Bike the US for MS. There may not be such a thing as love at first sight but I can tell you that I was hooked from the very first time I viewed their website.
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