Fall and Winter Training Principles:

Let’s start by simplifying and clarifying.

You can not ride hard all the time.

You should not ride hard all the time.

Losing fat is simple (simple doesn’t mean easy)

            Eat a proper amount of healthy food.

            Get strong.

            Go long.

High intensity is a strong drug, best taken in careful and closely controlled moderation.

High intensity work = increased endurance

Long low intensity efforts = increased speed

Most of the time you are riding too hard to help the speed stuff, and too easy to improve endurance.  That’s called junk milage.

Cyclists need to do work off of the bike.

Strength and flexibility training are essential.  Especially for the maturing athlete.

Overtraining:  Any training load that the body can not accept and adapt to.  It is possible to overtrain in one workout.  There is also long term overtraining, where you just do too much over a longer period of time.

The body will only respond and adapt to the same kind of loading for about 12 weeks.

Rest and recovery are essential.

Okay.  Got all that?  Now here’s a little hint about what’s coming.  If you don’t already own them, go out and purchase some dumbells.  I’d suggest a pair of three pounders and a pair of five pounders to start.  More tomorrow.

Basic Training Plans:

Do we get changeable weather in north Georgia?  In the Winter, yes we do!  Given that, there are four basic approaches to dealing with our climate in the “dark months.”

Plan 1)

The secret to happy and carefree riding, from this point until late May, is as follows:  Always carry with you, everywhere you go, at all times, two complete sets of absolutely every piece of clothing and equipment (including bicycle types) you might need to meet any conceivable combinations and permutations of weather and terrain.

Plan 2)

Quit riding until the weather conditions get back to a range that pleases you.

Plan 3)

Watch the weather carefully.  Learn meteorological science.  Dig deep into the National Oceanographic and Atmospherice Administration website, at http://www.noaa.gov/  and learn to evaluate and forcast.  Plan your riding and equipment with a sharp “weather eye.”  But be ready for surprises, and be flexible.  This is not an exact science.  Expect to have “bailout days,” when you will move inside to work on the trainer or rollers.

Plan 4)

Stop attempting to ride outside.  Follow a plan of gym work, and trainer/roller riding, and do all your riding inside until Spring takes a firm hold.

The obvious problem with Plan 1) is that you need to have a one ton dualie, and a fifth wheel trailer to use it.  The Plan 2) approach just stinks.  We’ve discussed the negative effects of that elsewhere.  Following Plan 3) works okay, but it’s a bit time consuming to start.  Besides, I’m assuming you want to ride and train, not go to Met School.  It is a fascinating topic, especially for those of us inclined to outdoor activities, and we’ll certainly mention some weather science from time to time.  The total indoor approach in Plan 4) will work, but it has two drawbacks.  You lose riding skills, and it’s boring.

{Bill the Alien here:  Road Dragon has left out another, perfectly wonderful and obvious approach.  I would like to suggest, just go someplace else.  Spend the Winter in the southern hemisphere.  Since you all inhabit a planet with seasons, you can be assured that it is always Spring or Summer somewhere.}

Ur.  Thanks, Bill. 

If you, like me, do not have a ready flying saucer available, keep watching these posts.  In the next few days and weeks, I’ll be discussing things that can, and should be added to your training activities.  This is stuff we all can do to get through the Winter in a sane and healthy fashion, and emerge “ride ready” Next Spring.  We'll go outside when it makes some sense to do so, and use good sound techniques for indoor work.  Stay tuned.

Friday Follies ~~ Turkey Day Riding

For many people in this country, Thanksgiving day means two things, eating a lot of food, and FOOTBALL.  I like food, but not to excess.  I’m not at all a fan of sports, and I hate watching TV.

Sometime ago, I discovered, quite by accident, that the major holidays, especially the Winter ones, afford a wonderful riding opportunity.  If one can get out early in the day, there is almost no traffic.  It may be cold.  It may be raining.  But the roads are all but empty.  This makes for some good riding.  One of the significant joys of riding in north Georgia is that we just might get a really fine day on Thanksgiving.

There have been Thanksgiving Day rides that took place in snow!  I’ve gone out early in the day, and had a blast in the cold, with social, family, and friend time to look forward to.  It’s good to get an early ride in.  Besides, it tends to reinforce one’s status as a complete wacko.  That’s important to maintain among family and friends.  It helps them to make allowances for other abnormal behavior.  I’ve heard it, when family and folk weren’t aware that I was in earshot.  Usually, it’s something like,  “Oh that’s just him.  He’s just a little strange.  You know, he’s always riding that bicycle…”  It’s almost as good as having a “Get Out of Jail Free Card.”

One of the many benefits to this is that I’m also allowed and permitted to escape from time to time during the day.  That’s a good thing.  I’m kind of a gregarious individual by nature, but I can only take so much of people, in a crowd, in an overheated space, shouting at each other.  So I like to get out where it’s cool, fresh, and quite.  I make these escapes during the day, and they are dismissed and overlooked.

I am not permitted to go for a ride during the festive gatherings.  It took me a while to learn that.  I’ve learned it.  Folks get insulted and upset if I change clothes and saddle up just before the big bird is served, or shortly after it.

Of course, I will never top the “Year I got the Christmas Tree on Thanksgiving Day.”  I had a plan.  It seemed (to me) a good one.  We were going to have a big communal feed and celebration at my parent’s place.  I had been assigned to procure a Christmas tree.  (In my family, this was to be done on, or about the time of the late November Feasting.)

I’d been working an incredibly demanding new job.  As a consequence, my riding had been suffering.  Of course, I had Turkey Day off.  I arrived at my parent’s place fairly early in the day.  I helped my Dad with some wood splitting and hauling firewood, and then I went to work on my own project.

A bit of digging around in the basement, and I unearthed the old Radio Flyer wagon.  A short bit of work with tools, rope, and duct produced a passable makeshift trailer.  No one noticed me changing into my cold weather riding gear.

The trip out, with the wagon pulled behind with rope was tedious and frustrating.  Every time I slowed or stopped, the wretched thing tried to pass me, or ran into the back of me.  But that only lasted a short while.  Most of the trip to the tree farm was uphill.  Steeply uphill!

At the tree farm, I strolled about until I located a suitably large and full tree.  I cut the thing down.  By then it was starting to snow.  The tree farm folk where most helpful.  They tied the tree up in a tight bundle, and helped me secure the thing to the wagon, so that the wagon was located about at a point about two thirds of the way up the thing’s length.  We then fashioned a lashing securing the base stump of the three to my luggage rack.  It was awkward, but manageable.  Barely.

By the time I got down off the mountain, and through town, it was snowing.  Snowing hard.  I was sliding all over the road, with my ungainly burden.  Worse, it had to be getting close to time for the family to sit down.

I clumped in the door, kicking snow from my shoes.  “Where have you been?”  my mother demanded.

“I was out getting the Christmas Tree,”  I replied.

Nothing would serve but for the whole family, and assorted friends to troop out and regard my hauling arrangement and the green load upon it.

My younger sister summed the whole thing up.  “You know you’re certifiable,”  she said,  “But you’ve really done it.  You should be in big trouble, but they can’t touch you for doing that.  Congratulations Big Brother.  Happy Thanksgiving.”

Thursday Thoughts ~~ Thanksgiving and Lists

I like lists.  When I was a kid, it was a tradition in our house to make our “Christmas Lists” on Thanksgiving.  We were encouraged (required) to make two lists.  One was a compilation of the stuff we wanted to get on Christmas Day.  The other was a list of people we intended to give presents to, and the things we wanted to get for them.  I’ve sort of continued that through the years.  Of course, along about now we are subjected to a lot of other listings, things urging us to remember what we should be thankful for.  That’s a good one too.

In the spirit of that tradition, I’d like to present a couple of those lists.

What I want for Christmas:

• A new bike.  Did you expect anything else?  Seems like that’s always been on my lists.
• To see everyone I know happily employed.
• Lots of moderate weather this Winter.
• Long rides with good friends, old and new.
• A really good, inexpensive front derailler that works.
• Cleaner bikes to work on.
• Lots of disposable gloves, because I work on a lot of dirty bikes.
• Everyone riding a bike, at least three times every week.
• Kinder treatment at the hands of motorists on the road.
• Better road behavior from my cycling friends.
• Chains that don’t wear out.
• Tires that last a lot longer.
• A real working light sabre (like in Star Wars)
• Six really sweet mountain bike trips this year.
• Two or three good long tours this year.
• To be able to find my favorite shorts on little notice.
• A good long dry Summer to ride in.
• Lots of rain for the plants, farms, and mountains (just not so much when I’m riding.)
• Some epic climbs and descents.
• Real, cheap space travel, a vacation on Mars!  (I hear the riding in 1/6 G is great!)
• A riding season with no crashes please.  (That means for me and everyone else.)
• Less traffic.
• Smooth roads.
• More commuting  (me and others, and on the bike, please)
• Just a bit of common sense here and there.
•  

Things to be Thankful for:

• Living in the United States of America
• Living in Georgia
• A sweet road bike
• Problems, they are opportunities
• Many many riding friends
• Many good friends
• People who challenge me
• Plenty to eat
• A good house to live in
• Meaningful work
• Technical cycling clothing  (I remember wool shorts!)
• All the geniuses who invent really cool stuff that we need
• Wonderful medicines and doctors
• For not knowing one person that I would call an enemy
• Long rides
• Short rides
• Cold rides
• Hot rides
• Lonely rides
• Big rides with lots of people
• Mountain bike trails
• Long country roads
• Friendly honest people
• All of you.

Training Markers

This discussion is very pertinent now that Spin Class is in session, but it will benefit anyone who is riding for fitness.  In our Spin Class, we use Anaerobic Threshold as a referrence for all cardio conditoning drills.

Okay, why use a Heart Rate Monitor at all?  That’s a good and sound question.  Volumes have been written about just what kind of exercise is right, and how much is enough.  The thing is, unless yo have some good, objective method of measuring exercise intensity, you are most likely doing way too little, or way too much.  The one can be almost as bad as the other.

Why Heart Rate?  The answer to that one is fairly simple.  Heart rate (measured in Beat Per Minute or bpm) changes in response to exercise.  As you increase the intensity of effort, your heart rate rises.  (You probably already know this.)  The thing is, each individual is different.  One person’s active resting rate may equal another individual’s high moderate effort.  Don’t think so?  Here’s a real example:

I am a “slow beater.”  My friend Matt is a very fast beater.

            Standing heart rate                         Anaerobic Threshold

Steve                        67                                                152

Matt                        85                                                201

Hey there!  My AT is only 75% of Matt’s!  But, when we are each working at our own AT, we know exactly what benefit the exercise is giving each of us.  That is a key point.

Reference to heart rate values makes it possible for an exercise program to be individualized.  If an exercise program is designed around a given set of heart rate values, it will not overwork one subject, while underworking another.

At the beginning of this discussion, I noted that we use Anaerobic Threshold, also referred to as AT.  To learn precisely what your AT is, you must be tested.  The test is simple to take, not terribly expensive, and very accurate.  We recommend using FitLab Inc.  Their testing methods are non-invasive, and actually kind of fun to experience.  They are local in Peachtree City, and can be contacted through their website, http://fitlabinc.com/

Get tested.  Learn your AT, and do your workouts with reference to it.  It’s one of the more productive things you can do if you are serious about your training.

Group Rides Up and Down:

Just what is the deal with group rides?

I guess it depends on what we want from them.  There are a lot of reasons for riding in a group, and some of them are good.

There is camaraderie, the social element of our sport.  There can be a positive training benefit.  There is the “safety in numbers” feeling.  Some are intentional learning experiences.  Sometimes, there is a “theme” to them that provides entertainment.  And, of course, there seems to be the ever present competitive aspect.

Training?  Wisely does the sage Friel say,  “Ride in groups seldom.”  The problem with using a group ride as a training activity is that one never knows what one is getting.  It’s very hard for just two people to agree on, and complete a given training activity.  I’m tempted to say that in any ride of three or more people, someone will be prosecuting an agenda that is contrary to what you should be doing.

Be prepared to ride alone and in small groups for the majority of your riding, and especially for your training work.

It’s hard to know just what is going to happen on a group ride.  Even “old and reliable” rides can change character in a moment.  About all it takes is for a small group of folks with a different agenda to show up.  Suddenly your favorite social/recreational ride becomes a race without rules.

What do you do about this?  That depends on you, and on your objectives.  If you truly want to ride that way, then go ahead.  If you want to preserve your ride in its former style, the best tip is to ignore the newcomers and their hypertensive, Type-A agenda.  Keep riding the way you have, with the folks you enjoy.  You won’t even know the “fast guys” are there.  Besides, they will likely go someplace else after a while.  And take this to heart; riding in a racing fashion, without a definite agenda is not training.  It’s just taking risks and getting tired.

If you are new to a ride:  How do you know what to expect?  First off read about it.  Does the posting on the club’s website describe packing and such?  Is there a ride leader?  Is it possible to contact that individual?  If so, you should do that.  Contact the ride leader.  Ask about the character of the ride.  You’ll find that most ride leaders are sincere, and will not attempt to mislead you.  If you are looking for a quad burner, you might want to pass on the more recreational rides.  On the other hand, if you are looking for a sociable ride with a regular route, one that is active in recruiting new comers, you would want to avoid anything that is listed as “training,” or fast paced.  Tell the ride leader what you are looking for.  You will quickly learn if a particular ride will match your objectives.

Keep Trying!  Finding group rides that work for you can be frustrating.  Please don’t let one or two disappointments turn you away.  This can be a tough search, but it’s worthwhile, and you will learn a thing or two along the way.

Weirdness & A look Ahead:

Here’s the weirdness.  This past weekend, I was completely off the bike, and away from just about all forms of exercise.  While unusual for me, a long weekend with no exercise isn’t all that weird.  The strange part is that I do not feel rested.  My legs feel much more worn out than if I actually rode or worked.  I don’t know the physiology of this sensation.  Perhaps, it’s more a psych thing.  I do know I’d be more rested if I’d been a bit more active.

Looking Ahead:  We have several rides and events coming up.  In addition to the ones I am promoting, I’d suggest that you go to the Southside Cycling Club website.  There are a lot of good rides posted on a weekly and monthly basis, and more being added frequently.  I’d expect to see a few more seasonal activities showing up at almost any time.  (See tomorrow’s post for some words on group rides.)

The Christmas Lights Rides:  These are not powerfully athletic rides.  The pace is fairly gentle, by design.  (That said, if you are planning to do these, and are new to it all, you might consider sticking to the Christmas Lights Path Ride on 22 December.)  Festive attire is okay, but let’s consider safety and comfort first. 

On safety:  Don’t do anything that interferes with your ability to see, and avoid wearing or carrying anything that could get tangled in your spokes or driveline.

            On Comfort:  Dress for the weather.  We have no way of knowing what the temps will be like on those two nights.  Watch the weather and dress accordingly.  Bear in mind, it will get cooler while we are out.

The Penance 100:  If you have been “century ready” at any time in the last two months, and you manage to do a moderate amount of riding (Spin Classes included) you should be good to go.  If you’ve never done a Century, I would not suggest this one for your first.  Remember, this will be a self supported ride, with no SAG.

Friday Follies ~~ BRAPP

Several years ago Mark had a really good idea.  Winter was coming, and of course it was getting harder to get in a weekday ride.  Mark had the thought, “Let’s invite a lot of different folks to each host one Sunday ride during the course of the Winter.”  Each individual ride leader would pick out a route that they liked, and lead a group ride on that route.  In this way many of us could become more familiar with the area, learn more about different ride-able places, and have some fun in the process.  At the same time, we would all become exposed to a lot of different riding styles.

Seemed like a good idea at the time.  And we went forward with it.

It’s important to remember that this was about 1998, and we did not have the large number of riders and routes in the area that we enjoy now.

A couple of the more respected and stronger riders in the community led the first two rides, and they were variations on the longer of the Summer “training ride” routes.  Then one of the ladies from the Newnan crowd took us all on a grand tour of southern Coweta County.  Only about 15 people got lost on that one.  Mark too a turn, and we went on a long ramble, down past Brooks and back.  I had volunteered too, but my turn would not come until well after the New Year.

So what with six things and another, one of the area’s more eccentric riders was due to take us out.  It was a late November ride.  This gentleman (call him Crazy Ron) proposed we go on a big loop that he had devised.  He called it B.R.A.P.P.  That stood for Bike Ride Around Peachtree City’s Perimeter.  (The name was a bit of a play on the acronym for Bike Ride Across Georgia.

I was watching the weather, as I usually do.  The outlook or the weekend was deteriorating as the week progressed.  Also, during the course of the week, Crazy Ron came into the shop several times to describe his proposed route.  He seemed very excited and positive.  (But then, how could one tell?)

On Saturday, a cold front started to roll slowly into the area, and the clouds formed, and it started to rain, just a scattering of slow drizzles.  The outlook for Sunday wasn’t much better.  I had a sort of sinking feeling when Crazy Ron came into the shop with a sheet of paper in his hand.  My premonition was quickly confirmed.

“Hey Steve!”  Crazy Ron said,  “Turns out I can’t go on the ride tomorrow.  Family stuff in Conyers.  I have a cue sheet here.  You can lead the ride for me.  It’s easy.  See ya!”  And with that he left the store.  I looked at his “cue sheet.”  To say the least it was kind of vague.

We had already posted the ride location and time.  It was too late to call it off.

My daughter and I loaded our bikes up, and left into a foggy drizzle.  “Hey, Pops, look at it like this,”  she said,  “In this weather, likely no one will show up.”

Now there was something to hope for.  A vain hope, as it turned out.

There were about eight riders assembled at the school yard, when my daughter and I pulled up.  I got out of the truck, hoping that I might be able to call this thing off.  No one had a bike on the ground yet, and everyone seemed to have that,  “I don’t know.  You tell me,” look on their faces.

I was just drawing a breath to say something like,  “Hey folks, why don’t we just call this off, and wait for a better day?”  I never got the chance.  Just as I completed the inhalation, Matt rolled into the parking lot.  He was already mounted up and riding.  More he was on a road bike.

Now Matt is one of the more positive folks I have ever met.  He is also a demon BMX rider and stunt rider.  No one had ever seen Matt on a road bike before.

“You know what,”  Matt said,  “The hardest thing about a ride on a day like this, is swinging your leg over the top tube.  After that, it’s pretty easy.”  Okay, we were going.

As we were riding out of the parking lot, someone called out,  “Hey!  Where’s Crazy Ron?”

“Um… He isn’t coming,”  I said.  “He left me his cue sheet, and asked if I would take this group out, and…”

“Crazy Ron isn’t coming to his own ride!?”

“Ur…  No?”  I said.

“That wouldn’t have anything to do with this weather, now would it?”

I didn’t reply.  We were riding.

The directions through town were pretty straightforward.  And in those days it was quite possible to go out GA-54, to GA-34, and turn off onto Fischer Rd.  That was good enough.  Fischer was (then) a very low traffic kind of back road.  Good thing too.  It was there that the first real goofy thing happened.

I’d dropped to the back of the group to do some cue sheet reading and figuring.  Suddenly I heard a major commotion ahead.  I looked up, and saw that I was about to crash into Matt and my daughter.  The two of them looked like they were already in the process of a slow collision.

Yike!

I hit the brakes, and started to let fly with an angry shout, when I realized that there was a real problem here.  My daughter had just tried to take a drink from her, brand X, back pack hydration system.  As she did, the bite valve had failed.  She’d tried to get it working, only to have it come apart in her hands and commence spewing water all over her.  She’d yelled.

Matt had been nearby, and had reacted quickly.  Matt has skills!  He rode right up next to my daughter, and reached over, with both hands, to help her with the back pack.  In the tangle, Matt was left using both hands to keep the back pack hose crimped, but he was in the way of my daughter’s ability to get her hands back on the bar.  So neither of them could get to bike controls.  The two of them could barely steer.  Stopping was clearly out of the question.

I rode up behind and to the side of Matt, and grabbed his pack with my right hand.  Then I used my left hand (front brake) to bring all three of us to a stop.  The triple dismount was, in a word, clumsy.  No one fell.  No one was hurt.

We improvised a quick fix to the faulty bite valve, and went on.

By the time we three caught up the main group, they had missed two turns. We all spent the next two hours getting unlost.  By that time it was even more foggy, colder, and raining in earnest.  (I think we were in Earnest.  I’ve never seen weather quite like that in Georgia.)

“Hey!  I know where we are!”  Someone shouted.  “We’re in the back side of Tyrone!”

“That’s great!”  I replied.  “If you can get me to Main and Castlewood, I can re-acquire the route.”

“Oh goody,”  somebody else said.  “I can hardly contain my enthusiasm.”

As we all rode down Tyrone Rd, in Fayette County, I was thinking about the route.  Specifically, there was a lot more of it ahead, and conditions were not improving.  I asked around.  Would anyone would be disappointed if I cut the ride short?

“Hey!”  Matt said.  “I was kind of hoping someone would suggest that.  You know, if we keep going to 54, and turn right, we can catch Ebinezer Rd, and that takes us directly back to the school.”  There was actual cheering at that announcement.

“Sounds like a plan,”  I said.  I noted that group morale rose sharply.

Five quick and happy miles later we were done.  Everyone congratulated everyone else.  Someone suggested we go find Crazy Ron and hang him.  But that would have been more effort than it was worth.  We all stowed bicycles, started vehicles, and said our good byes.  And just as I put my old truck in gear, the heavens opened and it deluged!

Most of that old gang are gone now, moved or stopped riding.  Matt is running an amazing business out west, and he just recently got married.  I’m not sure if Crazy Ron is still riding, but he doesn’t seem to be leading any rides these days.  Every once in a while, I run into one of the survivors of the BRAPP, and the topic comes up.  We laugh about it.  Those are the rides you remember.

Thursday Thoughts ~~ “There’s no place to ride around here.”

I hear that, and variations of it far too often.

Before I go any farther, let me clarify something.  We are talking about road cyclists here.  The complaint usually goes on to list a host of grievances.  No shoulders.  No bike lanes.  Insane drivers.  Too much traffic.

So?  Okay, this isn’t southern California or upstate New York, or downtown Chicago.  And thankful we are for that!  We have to admit that conditions could be better for us here.  We have to work to make that happen.  Some of us are doing that.

I’d like to make an a few observations.  In over 20 years, I’ve heard the “no place to ride” complaint many times.  Not once, have I heard the complainer then say anything like,  “I live here now.  I want to help fix this.  What can I do?”  For that matter, during a lot of these conversations, I’ve suggested that the complainer could join the work of improving our area for cyclists.  I don’t recall even one occasion when I received a positive response.

But lte us consider the complaint.  Usually, immediately after issuing the “no place to ride” statement, the speaker will start running down a litany of issues.  Close to the top of the list will be the terrible drivers.

Let’s face it friends, we live and ride in the United States of America.  We are not world renowned for the skill of our diving public.  Here, in Georgia, we get the rap of being pretty bad behind the wheel.  Now I’ve been around, and ridden in a lot of places.  Objectively, I’ll say that Georgia in general, and the Atlanta area in particular are not all that bad.  We are a bit worse than the best the country has to offer, Ill admit that.  But for lousy drivers, we are not on a par with such places as south Florida, central New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, or Houston.  And you know what?  Each of those places has a large and thriving cycling community.

To hear the “no place to ride” complainers talk, one would think that every driver in the state is a homicidal maniac, with a psychotic need to slaughter cyclists.  Obviously this is not the case.  If it were, the death or injury of cyclists would be something that occurred on a daily basis.  Yes, we do have more than our fair share of the stupid and the rude, but it just ain’t all that bad.

I will offer myself as an example.  I ride a bicycle a lot.  The majority of my riding is on the road.  While I do encounter a fair number of ignorant and mean drivers, I am seldom put in fear for my safety.  My observations are that cyclists are generally a larger hazard to themselves.  I see and hear of a lot of single bicycle accidents, and way too many multiple bicycle accidents.

We are blessed with a couple of things.  We have a lot of roads, and most of them are in good repair.  Our state laws recognize bicycles as vehicles.  That gives us the same rights and privileges as any other operator on the road.

What to do:  The “no place to ride” complaint is motivated by two things.  One is fear.  The other is a lack of skill on the part of the complainer.  These two things go hand in hand.  If you are in that category, or if you know someone who is, here are some positive suggestions.

Improve your skills while “facility riding”:  That’s right.  There are places where you can ride a road bike without venturing onto the road. 

Sliver Comet Trail:  It’s flat, and there are no cars on it.  For more info click here.   

Other Atlanta Trails:  Check out the Path Foundation site.  There are seveal really good facilities in Atlanta.  Click here for more info.

Peachtree City:  Surprise!  There are over 100 miles of multiuse recreational trail in Peachtree City, and YES you can ride a bike on them! For more information, you can pick up a map of the trail network at the Peachtree City Hall, or the Library, both located at 151 Wilowbend Rd.  Peachtree City, GA 30269  Or find info here Path info    Or here  Map instructions   Or go direct to a pdf download of the city street and trail map here  Path Map 

Learn to ride on the road safely:  You are strongly encouraged to contact the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition at their website, here. http://www.atlantabike.org/    If you go to the home page you will find a navigator tab for “Classes.”  Click it and you will find info on their “Confident City Cycling” classes.  These are extremely reasonable, no more than $20.00, and will teach you how to operate in traffic in a safe and sane manner.

Join the CLUB!!:  If you are a resident of the southern Atlanta area, you should really join Southside Cycling Club.  You can join up directly on the club’s website at.  Click here.     In so doing you will gain access to a wide variety of rides and events, and you will be able to go out on the road with experienced cyclists, who will (many of them) be more than willing to help you learn to ride and live on our roads.

Believe it!  Knowledge is power.  If you will just learn to use the road safely, it opens a huge vista of road riding, in one of the country’s most beautiful and gracious states.

Cars are traps.  Bicycles are the key to freedom.

The Old “Fire Engine Horse”

I pulled the old and decrepit road bike out of the corner of the home shop.  I assembled a hodge-podge collection of parts, and built the thing up as a “trainer bike.”

It doesn’t have brakes.  It’s equipped with bar end, friction shifters.  It will never see the road again.  The “rig” has only one purpose, to keep me up and let me exercise on a trainer.  I wouldn’t even trust it on a set of rollers.  But it will serve for this coming Winter season.

But you know what?  It feels good to mount the old friend.  This frame has well over 100,000 miles on it.  It’s climbed mountains, ridden deserts, been rained on, frozen, and completed something like 30 brevets.  It has hauled me around as a commuter, and taken me touring.  It has even been raced a few times.

Some how, I can not let the old girl die.  So we’re together again, on a trainer, for a Fall and Winter of indoor training.  I expect I’ll put her “out to pasture” sometime soon.  But not yet.  We both have work to do.  It is good.

Time Change = Time for a change:

It got dark.  It got cooler.  And lately, it got wetter.

Thank heavens for indoor cycling!

Praise be to the makers of good, high quality rain gear.

Helmet covers may “look dorky,” but they work!

Chemical hand and foot warmers can be a real blessing.

Want to get a little more out of chemical warmers?  Use a couple of small containers.  Do a commute type ride in the morning, and then put the warmers in a small, air-tight container.  They will still be able to give you an hour or two of warmth for the ride home in the evening.

A cap with a bill, such as a cycling cap, when worn under a helmet, greatly improves visibility.  It helps keep a lot of the water off of your glasses.

Late Autumn and Winter just may be the best time to try mountain biking.

Fenders help keep you dry, and they help you make friends.  Fenders, with good mud-guard extensions keep you from throwing rooster tails up at your riding companions.

Cyclocross starting to look attractive to you?  Think about trying some weather riding on the road.

There is no such thing as being too visible.  Lots of reflectors, reflective tape, and lights.

It’s not possible to be consistent only part of the time.

There is no such thing as bad weather, only poor clothing choices.

Upcoming Rides & Stuff

If you will look to the left, at the “Tour Calendar,” you will note that there are a lot of new entries.  We’ll be posting more on these at an appropriate time in the future.  For now, let’s hit the high spots.

Dawn Patrols:  Once upon a time I started doing this kind of thing in order to prepare for long RUSA brevets.  I knew I’d be riding at night, and when fatigued, so I wanted to simulate the experience.  Now, I’m not sure I’ll be doing any of those particular events any time soon.  But, like a lot of things in life, there was a sort of serendipity to them.  Turned out that it was a lot of fun to get up stupid early and ride when no one was about.  Naturally, I wanted to share the fun.  (Some would say the motivation was “misery loves company.”)

Well, a format sort of grew up.  It’s really very simple.  We start in the parking lot of a pancake restaurant, and go riding.  Because we’re doing it at a ridiculous early hour on a Sunday morning, there is no one else on the road!  That permits, or even encourages us to ride in places where we would ordinarily not feel welcome or safe.

So that’s what we do.  We start off riding on roads that are ordinarily high traffic.  By the time the early birds begin to wake up, we’re off of the heavier roads, and making our way toward the dawn, along the less traveled byways.  We usually make a coffee stop just at dawn.  The combination of a cuppa java, and the rising sun is a real lift!

After that coffee stop, we’ll ride for another hour or so, returning to the start.  A post ride pancake breakfast is entirely optional, but usually pretty good.

The Penance 100+ :  What can I say?  By the first of the year, almost all of us have “suffered” from less riding, and too much “Holiday Fun.”  This is a way to dedicate ourselves to the new year.  We get up, meet, saddle up, and ride.  It’s a bit over 100 miles for the whole magilla.  There is a “metric 100” option, that’s about 65 miles.

This is a self-supported century.  There will not be a SAG wagon.  Each of us will be responsible for our own food and water.  There will be a few stores open along the way.  It’s likely to be a bit cool.  This is a ride that simply requires, not speed, but rather fortitude.  The whole point is to show (mostly ourselves) that we’ve been around, and we still are.

Audax Rides:  We’ll talk about these in the future.  The Tune Ups are fun in and of themselves, but they are preparation for a long and happy day in the saddle.  Enough said for now.

Friday Follies ~~ One Great Lousy Ride

What makes a good ride?  Is it good weather, fast pace, ideal conditions?  These things can help, but they are not guarantee.  Conversely…

A few years ago, at about just this time of year, a friend of mine and I had a rare weekend day to devote to a long ride.  We each packed some food, and some extra clothing, met early in the day, and started to ride.

We didn’t take up the subject of where we were going, until we were well on the way.  We’d already found ourselves climbing the infamous and dreaded Rockaway Road hills, so it just sort of seemed natural to keep going.

“Why not head down to Pine Mountain?”  one of us asked.  “It’s a bit late for the leaf colors, but it’s south of here.  Might be worth doing.”

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  I should mention that, at the time it was drizzling, grey, breezy, and the temp was hovering near 40 degrees F.  But the forecast called for lessening clouds, and a high in the 50s, so we went for it.  Besides we were well dressed, and felt good.

The clouds did part, and drift, and the rain receded before us as we rode southward.  When we turned onto GA-362, the wind freshened, and turned into our faces.  The rain had stopped, but the occasional snow flurry kind of made up for it.

The town of Greenville was closed.  Not a big problem, it wasn’t that much farther to the town of Pine Mountain, and we weren’t in any distress.

As we rode, the wind shifted a bit, coming from the north west.  It actually helped us a bit; at least once or twice; between long stretches of trying to blow us off the road.

We stopped briefly in Pine Mountain, to visit restrooms and buy water.  Then we turned to climb the mountain.  On the way up we were sheltered from wind, but we could hear it in the trees.  Once on top of the mountain, riding along GA-190, we felt the odd gust or two.  We also noted that the clouds had completely departed.  It was severely clear, and the temp was dropping.  (If it ever hit the 50 degree mark, I missed the event.)

For the fun of it we turned onto the spur and rode out to Dowdles Knob.  Our intention was to break out the food we were carrying, eat, relax and rest, then complete the trip back home.

Dowdles Knob was completely exposed to the (by then quite strong) wind.  It was chilly.  We pretty well knew that if we could get out of the wind, the temp would be quite pleasant, but there was no place to hide.  We ate quickly, and then both agreed it was time to put on every scrap of clothing we had with us.

Fortunately, there was some construction happening in the park, and there was an extra large portable toilet available.  It wasn’t warm in there, but it was out of the wind, giving each us shelter in which to rearrange clothing.

Freshly fed, and more warmly dressed, we pressed on.  We weren’t hit by the full force of the wind again, until we intercepted GA-85A, and began the descent down to Warm Springs.  It was, to say the least, a dicey descent.  And Warm Springs wasn’t warm.  In fact, it was closed.  A late Fall Sunday afternoon, with no one about, and everything was shut up.  Go figure.

The trip up GA-85, through the big rollers, into a terrific headwind, was…  Well it was long.  In fact it was long and cold.  We spent a lot of the time laughing about the headwind and the weather.  Each climb sheltered us from the wind and warmed us, but as soon as we crested each hill, the wind hit us.  We had to make power in order to descend.  We had to laugh at it.

The town of Gay was closed too, and my friend was developing a desperate need for indoor plumbing.  We met a Samaritan in Harrelson.  Even though the small lunch room was closing, she let us in and let us use the toilet.  Relief!

Did I mention that the clouds were gathering as we rolled steadily (and none too swiftly) northward?  They were.

It started to rain while we were on Dolly Nixon Road, approaching Senoia.  What was there to do but keep riding and laugh about it?  Anyway, it wasn’t raining all that hard.  Just another of nature’s practical jokes.

We made it into Peachtree City before dark.  We were bedraggled, chilled, wet, and in high spirits.  That could be explained by an overdose of fatigue, and being silly with the cold.

Does any of this sound like one of the “Great Rides”?  I would describe is as one.  I had a complete blast.  It’s all in the attitude and the company.

Thursday Thoughts: Reflections on Pain

Pain happens.  It’s a part of life.  Most of us, most of the time, spend a considerable amount of effort to avoid pain.  Athletes are different.  (Some would say stupid.)

The word “pain” covers a lot of ground.  We won’t even begin to deal with various kinds of non-physical pain, emotional, intellectual, existential and such.

Pain is part of a warning system.  It’s the body’s way of telling us,  “If you keep this up, something bad is going to happen.”  Or,  “You know, you just did some damage, you might just want to attend to that.”

A lot of times, we use the word pain to cover things that are uncomfortable, but not truly painful.  Think, soreness, aching, itching, annoying, a bit too cool, or a bit too warm.

That there are different types and degrees of pain is a given.  Others have spoken long and well about that.  There is a big difference between the pain associated with a freshly broken bone, and the stress of going totally anaerobic in a workout.

Workouts can and do hurt.  Sustained intervals in high aerobic zones are painful.  Long or very strong muscular efforts hurt too.  Yet we persist in this activity.  We actively seek it out.  Why?

I would like to suggest several possible reasons.  Many of us have figured out that a little pain now, can buy us a lot more time relatively free of pain later.  It’s a strange contradiction.  Bodies are intended to move.  But movement can cause pain.  But lack of movement will give short term relief, but will lead to long term chronic pain.  Hmm.

There’s delayed gratification.  We know that if we engage in some short term efforts now, denying ourselves comfort and ease for the time being, we will reap the rewards in strength and well being later.

That’s the rational side of it.  Want the truth?

The truth is, a certain number of us actually enjoy the process.  To borrow Joe Friel’s words, we have a “zest for training.”  We like it!  (That could be why some would say that athletes are stupid.)

Personally, I think, for some of us, it’s not so much a mild form of masochism, as it is a kick.  We like to push against the limits, to go out to the edge of things, to find the “dreadful bride,” look her in the face, and…  Spit in her eye!

All I know for sure is that good training is usually somewhat uncomfortable, with intervals of pain involved.  It feels good when we stop.  The rewards are great.  The actual pain is slight.  It hurts good.

Weather Riding: The Three Important Things

There is no such thing as bad weather, only poor clothing choices.

So we’re starting to deal with cold riding.  (It was 26 flippin’ degrees on Sunday morning!!)

Let’s review the basics.  If you want to stay warm and comfortable on the bike, there are three things that your clothing must do for you.

Block Wind

Trap an insulating layer of air

Transport moisture away from your body

There.  That sounds simple enough.  But the problem is that these three essentials tend to conflict with each other.  For instance, really effective wind blockers tend to not be too breathable, and thus they tend to trap moisture.

Stuff that traps air close to the body helps keep you warm, but if it traps moisture you will get cold.  And so on.

This is where the combination of technical fabrics and layering come in.

I’m going to go out now and try it.  I’ll be back later to report.

Okay!  I’m happy to report that the whole layering thing still works.  Yes, I started out overdressed, but I was carrying a bag, and was able to shed the extra stuff.  (More on that later.)

Is all that fancy “Bicycle Specific” stuff really necessary?  The answer is, emphatically, YES!!  There are a couple of reasons for this.  First off, cyclists move in ways that folks in other outdoor activities don’t.  We are largely stationary from the hips up, but our legs must be in constant motion, with minimum restriction.  Second, cyclist move.  We generate our own windchill.  Runners have different problems.  For them, it’s often difficult to shed heat.  For us, not so much.

Examine a good high quality cold weather riding jacket.  Notice that it likely has panels on the front that are wind blockers, but the rear panels are made of softer, fuzzy type fabrics.  This is to allow it to breath, without losing heat to impact wind.  We find similar touches throughout the wardrobe.  The good stuff costs more, but there are reasons for that.  Honest, your running sweatpants and such won’t work as well.

Layering Made Simple: 

• Base Layer:  Polypro or other wicking layer.  (Not cotton!!!)
• Mid Layer:  Micro fleece to trap insulating warm air.
• Top Layer:  Wind shell.

(There’s that “Three Important Things” from the title.)

When it gets really cold out, we just double up on the layers.  We begin with the base layer, and double it, then add mid layers as necessary.

Finally, a few notes on the technique of dressing for cooler weather, and for riding in it.

Principles:

• It’s not as cold as you think.
• Keep your head warm
• Dress so that you are a little bit cool when you get on the bike
• Be prepared to make clothing “adjustments” along the way
• You will be slower in the cold
• Get descents over with quickly
• Don’t restrict circulation

And two useful hints:

1)   Get dressed in stages.  Don’t put all your cold weather clothing on at once, while inside a heated building.  If you do, you will start sweating, and then you will chill very quickly when you go outside.  Instead, pull on the base layer, and possibly a mid layer top, then move into the garage (where it’s cooler) to complete putting on the mid layer.  Take your bike outside, and then finish putting on the outer layers.

2)   Sunlight helps you, clouds make it feel cooler, and night riding cooler still.  At the same temps, you need less insulation on a sunny day than on a cloudy one.  Wind chills you more too.  Always allow for the current conditons.

Do use a skull cap or balaclava.  Something like 70% of your body’s heat loss is through the head, and helmets are designed to help you lose heat.  When it gets really cold, think about blocking the forward vents on your helmet.  You can do this with a helmet cover,or by applying duct tape over the vents.  (Remember, Winter riding is about riding and surviving, but not about looking cool!)

If you are warm when you first get on the bike, you are overdressed.  As soon as you start riding, you will make more heat, then sweat.  Then you chill.  If you’re not sure, carry some extra clothing with you.  You can always put it on if needed.

Consider the time of day.  In the morning, temps are rising.  You may need to stop and make a clothing adjustment as the day warms.  In the late afternoon, temps are falling, again, you may need to stop and add a layer.  Expect a sharp drop in aparrent temp about a half hour after sunset.

In colder weather, always carry four chemical warmers with you.  You can activate them and use them to warm hands and feet.

Wear looser shoes.  Thick socks, inside tight shoes, will restrict circulation, and then your feet get really cold.

Do a lot of testing!  Keep your initial cold weather rides short, 10 to 15 miles.  These distances allow you to test various gear combinations.  They are long enough for you to make a determination about whether you have over or under dressed, but if you’ve made a mistake, you aren’t far from home, and you won’t be in too much trouble.