One Goofy Week Ahead

I’m going to do my level best to get a post up every day this week.  It’s gonna be tough.  You see, I have a bit of challenge.  I have to travel this week.  It’s a family thing, and I won’t be able to take a bike with me.  (Ouch!)  The purpose of the trip is good and joyous, but it does impact my routine and usual life.

Speaking of travel.  Below is the promised picture of the What I Did on my Summer Vacation Contest.  Steve’s winning entry was posted here.

Steve C. receiving the Walz limited editon Japan Relief cycling cap.

Congratulations Steve!  Wear it in good health.  (And just by the way, we don’t think you’re crazy at all.)

There’s more to come folks.  Watch out for some news about riding in the dirt, and some other upcoming fun and games, projects, wit, wisdom, and advice.

In the meantime, keep the rubber side down, and play safe out there.

Friday Follies ~~ The Winner!

The following is Steven C’s contest winning essay, reproduced here by his permission.  Thanks Steve, and congratulations!

What I did on my Summer Vacation

Imagine my glee when I found a notice online about a group ride in the Outer Banks of North Carolina where my family and friends planned to vacation for  a week earlier this summer.

Imagine my horror when I found out that the ride rolled out at 5:30 am from a location 30 minutes by car from our rental house.

The horror came not from the early start, although up at 4 am is a bit early even for me, but from the spoken (and unspoken) thoughts I knew my family and friends would have about my sanity.

And perhaps they were on to something. To be frank, I was actually most excited about the ride because I heard this was a FAST group that would probably make me suffer before the sun barely rose about the surf.

So, sure enough, one morning (night?) I loaded up the car in the dark and headed out for the ride.

I arrived before anyone else.  A friendly young woman showed up and welcomed me to the group. Soon a few other riders came and we rolled out at 5:30 am SHARP. A few of the riders said nice hellos and asked me questions: "Where are you from?" and  "Have you done this ride before?"  One even took some pity upon me and gave me a few highlights of the ride about to come.

After a mile or two of pure warm up, the group of 10-15 riders went into tempo riding at about 22 miles an hour on a flat beach road. That lasted for a couple of miles until someone lit the firecracker. The group quickly accelerated to 24 mph and then got faster and faster. Sure enough, it was all I could do to hold on and do my own short pull as the group hit 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. By then there were only 4 or 5 riders left. I fell off the back myself. Exhilirating!

 I caught up at a traffic light and learned we would do that twice more: tempo, fast, super fast intervals. After the second one, I lost the lead group at an intersection and waited for the B group to show up.

It is said, “What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.” Indeed, I could hardly wait for the two days to pass to get a shot at the group again. This time I fell off the back but was able to catch back on each time and did all 3 of the intervals.

True I wasn't the fastest in the group. Not even close. But I think I got a little respect for a "tourist" joining their killer ride. That said, they did tell me they were a little concerned about the psyche of a tourist who will do a 5:30 ride, while on vacation.

It was a fun addition to my vacation - meeting and riding with a new group. One of the things I love about cycling is the common bond we have with other like-minded enthusiasts from all over. We're all part of a unique and passionate group. As my sister, another cyclist has said, "I've never met a jerk who bikes." How true.

Now I can't wait to ride with a new group of not-so-strange strangers in New Hampshire later this summer.

Notes on What’s Happening Soon

First The Contest Announcement!

It was a tough process, going through all the tens and dozens of entries, but we burned some midnight oil, and we are happy to announce, we have a WINNER!

Here’s the results:

2^nd Honorable Mention (no prize awarded): Alan B. For forgoing cycling in order to bring a new member into the fold.

1^st Honorable Mention (no prize awarded):  Brad F.  For buying a new bike and using it instead of going on vacation.

Grand Prize  Steven C.  Steve will be contacted, and a suitable award ceremony arranged.  Steve will receive the Walz Special Edition Japan Relief Cycling Cap.  Hopefully, we will be able to publish a picture or two, and the winning entry in the very near future.  Congratulations Steve!

RIDE STUFF!

Mid-Summer’s Eve Celebration Night Ride:

This one goes in less than a week.  Next Monday, 1 August, we’ll go out and howl at the moon.  (Naked dancing around the fire is completely optional.)  Details below.

Mid-Summer’s Eve (Lughnasad)

Where:  Senoia, GA.  The parking lot on Seavy St.  (Brick lot, behind Maguire’s)

Date:  Monday 1 August

Time:  7:30 PM (sharp)

Distance/Pace: approx 45 miles, about 3 hours

Requirements/Conditions: Group will stay together.  Headlights, tail lights, reflective sash or vest, reflective ankle bands, Helmets.  Dress for the weather. Ride goes Rain or Shine.

ORIGINAL ROUTE 3 GAP RIDE:

A week from this coming Thursday.  That’s on 4 August.  Details below.

We’ll ride the traditional “south triple,” with a start/finish in Dahlonega.  We’ll do this one with one bit of a difference.  Find your parking where you will, but ride to the Courthouse Square.  We’ll use the Square as a Rally Point for the start and finish.  Meet at the Gold Museum at the southeast corner of the square.  (Please use courtesy and common sense in selecting your parking spot.  Do it legally.)  We’ll do the traditional approach to Neels Gap, up Rockhouse Rd, and Porter Springs.  There’s a possibility of a stop at the top of Neels Gap (mile 22), but I prefer to “roll” this summit.  We have another possible store stop in Suches (mile 37).  After

descending Woody Gap, we’ll take the old “back way” into Dahlonega.  It’s a lot nicer, and less traffic.

Where:  Dahlonega, GA.  Court Square.

Date:  Thursday, 4 August

Time:  0900 A.M.  (Sharp!)

Distance/Pace:  Approx 53 miles, with re-group options

Requirements/Conditions: Helmets are required, road bikes strongly recommended.  We’ll go rain or shine.

Suggestion:  Mount your climbing gears!

NOTE ON THE UPCOMING TRIPLE GAP RIDE:  We’re going to “loosen up a bit” on this one.  I will start promptly at 0900.  But once we are out on the route, feel free to pass, or to lag.  Ride at your own pace.  If you are behind me, let me know, please, and I will keep an eye out for you.  If you plan to depart the route and go your own way, that’s fine, but please let me know first.  I do not plan to stop at the top of Neels Gap, but I will definitely make a stop in Suches.  (That’s just before the last climb, up Woody Gap.)

I’ve put a cuesheet up on the South Side Cycling Club site.  It’s in the “Documents” section and is titled, “Original Triple Gap Route.”  It’s in MS Word.  You will have to be a club member to see this page.

Technical “Issues”

If this works…  If you are reading this, and it is Monday Morning, then it is through the good offices of a Starbuck’s WiFi thing.  Yes, I’m experiencing some of the proverbial Technical Difficulties.  These problems (hopefully resolved soon) prevent me from accessing the internet at home.  Of course the problem developed just in time to mess up the whole Blog Birthday Celebration.  (Definition of a machine:  Something that works to make you depend on it, and then fails when you most need or want it to work.)

It is inconvenient.  We specialize in bicycling here, not so much in computer technology.  It was quite a process, moving the “portable” Road Dragon Computer Center to this location.  I get the impression that most folks today are able to make do with a lot less equipment.  But this is what I have, so this is what we had to move.  It’s been an arduous endeavor.  It has also drawn some odd looks.  Apparently the rest of you don’t use steam powered hard drives any more.

We had to cancel a lot of the Blog Birthday Festivities.  The parade and the party were both a complete wash.  We did manage to salvage some of the party favors, but the cake is done for, and the elephant had to go home.  We have also had to postpone the announcement of the contest winner.  Please be patient.  We’ll get that done soon.

We have made a special arrangement with the folks at Google, and the Carrier Pigeon should arrive later today.  When it does, we’ll download all of the contest entries, make a selection, and then go through the laborious process of bringing this computer again to Starbucks.  So, with just a little luck, we’ll be able to make the Big Announcement tomorrow.  We know you are all baiting with waited breath.  Please remain calm.

This might be a good time to mention…  There are new things in the works for this blog.  We’re experimenting with some new formatting ideas, and some new features.  Keep watching.  You should start to see some of this in the very near future.

Now please excuse me.  I have to power down the boiler, bank the fire, and pack all of this stuff up for the trip back home.  The Wagon Master is definitely showing signs of impatience, and we need to get all these horses back to the stable.

Friday Follies ~~ What Next?

Well, this was the day that I was supposed to announce the contest winner and other things.  Sadly, that will have to wait a bit.  I'm experiencing technical difficulties.  I'm good with bikes.  Modems and ISPs?  Not so much.

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to this blog!!!!!!

Hopefully, all will be back to "normal" by Monday.

Have a good and safe weekend all.

Contest! A Shameless Plug! Rides! Excitement!

The “What I did (will do) on my Summer Vacation Essay Contest” is in full swing and the tension is building.  The entries are pouring in, in ones and twos.  (Hint:  Enter!  You have a good chance!)  The anticipation is mounting.  Who will win the honor and glory?  Who will own the handsome and very worthwhile Walz Japan Relief Cycling Cap?  All will be revealed in this coming Friday’s post.  For more info on the contest please see the posts from 7/12/11 and 7/13/11  (Don’t forget, bicycling isn’t necessary, but it will help a lot.)

A Plug:  Last week, as many of you know, we went up north to ride the Funnest Road Ride In Georgia.  (If you are not aware, this is a route and not an organized ride.  In fact it was anything but organized.  Still, we had a lot of fun!)  One of the features of the ride is the turnaround stop in Tiger, Ga.  The Tiger Food Mart is a delight.  The folks who run it are good and kind.  They have a great lunch counter and pleasant, sit-down eating area.  And, as I’ve mentioned before, they serve one of the world’s absolute best grilled cheese sandwiches.  If you are going to be in the Clayton/Tiger area, I strongly recommend you stop in.

The Tiger Food Mart

Mid-Summer’s Eve (Lughnasad) Celebration Night Ride

Where:  Senoia, GA.  The parking lot on Seavy St.  (Brick lot, behind Maguire’s)

Date:  Monday 1 August

Time:  7:30 PM (sharp)

Distance/Pace: approx 45 miles, about 3 hours

Requirements/Conditions: Group will stay together.  Headlights, tail lights, reflective sash or vest, reflective ankle bands, Helmets.  Dress for the weather.  Ride goes Rain or Shine.

Riding the “Original” Three Gap Route

Note:  I’ve posted the cues sheet for this ride on the Southside Cycling Club website, under “Documents.”  It’s a MS-Word file.

We’ll ride the traditional “south triple,” with a start/finish in Dahlonega.  We’ll do this one with one bit of a difference.  Find your parking where you will, but ride to the Courthouse Square.  We’ll use the Square as a Rally Point for the start and finish.  Meet at the Gold Museum at the southeast corner of the square.  (Please use courtesy and common sense in selecting your parking spot.  Do it legally.)  We’ll do the traditional approach to Neels Gap, up Rockhouse Rd, and Porter Springs.  There’s a possibility of a stop at the top of Neels Gap (mile 22), but I prefer to “roll” this summit.  We have another possible store stop in Suches (mile 37).  After descending Woody Gap, we’ll take the old “back way” into Dahlonega.  It’s a lot nicer, and less traffic.

Where:  Dahlonega, GA.  Court Square.

Date:  Thursday, 4 August

Time:  0900 A.M.  (Sharp!)

Distance/Pace:  Approx 53 miles, with re-group options

Requirements/Conditions: Helmets are required, road bikes strongly recommended.  We’ll go rain or shine.

Suggestion:  Mount your climbing gears!

Friday Follies ~~ Is anybody out there?

This blog will celebrate its third birthday on next Friday.  In honor of that, I’m running a small contest.  (Please see posts from Tuesday and Wednesday.) 

The prize is a stylish and meaningful cycling cap, from Walz.  Entrants don’t have to do much.

I rather expected a spate of entries.  To date, I haven’t received the first one.  I’m puzzled.

Since I’m going to pick the winner, and make the announcement in next Friday’s post, the deadline is next Thursday.  All entries must be in before I go to sleep on Thursday, 21 July.

It’s a simple contest, and the work isn’t too hard.  The prize is kinda neat too.

What?  Nobody wants a really cool cap for free?  Come on!

The Contest Prize and a guest poster

The What I did (will do) on my Summer Vacation Essay Contest is, as mentioned yesterday, on.  Below you will see some pictures of the one and only prize.  The winner will be the entry that most pleases me.  Keep it short.  If it looks long I probably won’t read it.  A good paragraph or two should be sufficient.  Best if there is a bicycle in the story somewhere.

I've included three views of the Walz cycling cap.  This is the Japan Relief Cap.  The Japanese characters translate as "Rise Up!"  And it means the same thing as it does here.  That is,  "Gather your strength and meet the challenge!"  (Sorry, the model's head is not included in the prize.)

Side View

Front view, bill down

Front view, bill up

Please have some fun with this Birthday of the Audax Ride contest.

Notes about tomorrow's ride: 

Tomorrow we’re going up into the north end of Georgia to do some high quality riding.  Generally, we try to stress vehicular and utility cycling, but everyone is entitled to an occasional fun day.  That’s what tomorrow is intended to be, a fun day.

So we’ll load the bikes up tonight, along with all the supplies, change of clothing, towels, and other paraphernalia and accouterments.   We’ll get up stupid early, and drive over 100 miles, to arrive in Helen, GA in time for an 0800 start.

One aspect of this little jaunt is that I will be away from the computer all day.  So Johann the Belgian has graciously agreed to stand in for me on posting duties

Blog Birthday ~ I think I’ll have a contest

Yup!  This blog will celebrate it’s birthday on Friday of next week.  Doesn’t seem possible, but we’ve been posting and presenting here for almost three years. 

To mark our transition out of the “terrible twos,” I’m going to host a small contest.  Up for grabs is one prize, and it’s small, but quite nice, and somewhat practical.  The winner will receive a Walz cycling cap.  This cap is the lightweight, special limited edition, Japan Relief cap.  Proceeds from the sale of these caps went to the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan.  (I’ll have a picture of the cap up on tomorrow’s post.)

Prepare for the Essay

Vacation time is upon us.  I used to hate those “What did you do on your Summer Vacation” writing assignments.  That is, I hated them unless I’d had a particularly good or interesting Summer.  Those good and interesting years usually involved projects, travel, and bicycles.  So here goes.

I would like a description of what you have done (or are going to do) on your Summer Vacation.  Bicycles should be involved. 

• I will pick the one entry that pleases me most. 
• Keep it short. 
• Previous contest winners are eligible, but not likely to win.
• Send your entry to The.Road.Dragon@gmail.com and put “Essay Contest” in the subject line.
• Extra points for originality and humor.
• I’ll select a winner on Thursday, 21 July, and post it on the Birthday Blog Post on Friday, 22 July.

Promise Kept

Regular readers will remember that I put on a contest a while ago. (feb 25, 2010) The grand prize was to be a “new built” conversion singles-speed/fixed gear bike.  Well, that bike is finished now, and here she is.

This is the completed "Lady Grand Prize"

And here she is from another angle

Below is a shot of Lady Grand Prize with her new owner, Teresa.  I’m happy to say that Teresa was super pumped about the bike.  It’s been a fun project, and Teresa is good people.  I like it when things work out that way.

The Grand Prize Winner and her winnings

Congratulations Teresa.  Have much fun.  Tell lots of folks about it.  Keep us posted on your adventures.

(Lisa!  You’re next.)

Progress…

This is “Lady Grand Prize” as she stands right now.  The frame is vintage Schwinn, with a lot of cleanup, and a bit of touch up painting.

There’s not much left to do here.  She’s waiting for a brake lever, and brake hookup.  This it will be time to dress the bars, install pedals, and set up the chain.  She should be ready to meet her new owner by the end of the week.

And this…

is my new project.  That’s a Surly Travelers Check frame.  The rear wheel is not completely built, but is shown here, undressed, to give a feel for the bike.  Obviously she needs a saddle, and some other touches, but they are coming.  I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to complete this rascal yet.  Still, very much a work in progress.  I’m hoping to have this one done in the next couple of weeks.

Of course this is a tremendously busy time, so I only manage to squeak in an hour or two a week on my personal pets.

Thursday Thoughts ~~ I think I’ll build a bike or two

I don’t really know where these ideas come from.  Earlier this year, I got the idea of “thinning the herd” a bit.  I wanted to make some space, you see.  So I decided to hold a contest to give a couple of bikes away.  Of course, one of those bikes wasn’t even built yet, but I had the frames, and I had plenty of parts.

I had the thought to get rid of the big single speed mountain bike, and possibly replace it with something a bit more utilitarian.  What follows are things that proceed directly from those thoughts.

Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with the “Lady Grand Prize” Project.  It’s nearing completion.  The frame work is done.  Assembly starts this coming weekend.

Meanwhile, I’m at work on something close to a “Swiss Army Bike.”  I use that term, not to denote anything connected with Switzerland’s military forces, but rather as a parallel to the famed multi-bladed everything-tool.  The fabled Swiss Army Knife was the ancestor of all modern multi-tools.

I often caution prospective bike buyers against attempting to purchase a Road-Mountain-Time-Trial-BMX-Commuter-Racing bike.  Generally, it’s good to focus on a given purpose.  Bicycles, by their very nature are pretty versatile.  In fact many owners never appreciate just how much their bikes can actually do.

Now, think about a few enticing components.  SRAM has a new hub out.  It’s called the Torpedo.  It does a slick trick.  It can be a freewheel single-speed hub, or a fixed gear hub, with just the flick of a screwdriver.  Pretty cool.  Keep dreaming.

Surly has had a cyclocross/touring/commuting frame for years.  They call it the “Cross Check.”  Lately, they’ve brought out a varient of this frame, with the fabled S&S stainless steel couplers.  This one is called the “Traveler’s Check,” and it has the same features and geometry as the Cross Check.  The significant thing about the coupled frame is that it makes it possible to disassemble the bike, and pack it in an airline allowable luggage piece.

The frame is capable of being built up with a fully geared driveline, but as a “travel bike,” it would be a lot more convenient without.  So that’s how I’m going to start.

Pictures and more details on both new builds next week.

Funny how thoughts and dreams have a habit of manifesting themselves in “reality.”

Winnings and Commuting:

Below is David Lakly, the proud new owner of the Origin8 Scout.  This was the First Prize in the 

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest.

I’m sure that some of you might have entertained the thought that this contest was a send up.  Honest, it was real.  David is a real person, not related to me.  I don’t really know him all that well.  But his contest entry was a standout.

David speaks of his ability to get lost.  Now he will be able to go and do that in the woods as well as on the road or paths.

When asked why he wanted to win one of the contest bikes, David’s reply was illuminating.

“Well, I really want to learn to do a lot of my own wrenching.  However, I only have one bike, and fear of mistakes leading me to being without a ride makes me more hesitant than I want to be.  Having a backup option would allow me to really get my hands dirty and figure out the mysteries of things like adjusting cantilever brakes or pulling and regreasing a bottom bracket. “

Congratulations David

Folks, keep watching this blog.  I will be posting more news about the contest as I have it.  Progress on the Grand Prize Build will be coming soon.  And hopefully, I will be able to update you on the winners a bit later in their on, as they experience their new bikes.

Commuting:  It’s still Bike Month.  I’d love to have some commuting or utility cycling stories from some of you.  How are you doing out there?

Friday Follies ~~ And the Winners Are..!

But first…

It’s Bike Month, Bike Week, and Ride Your Bike to Work Day!  So get out there and do it!  If not now, when?

Perhaps this week has given you some ideas, but you haven’t put it all together yet.  If so, good!  Next week we’ll be covering some info about approaching commuting and utility cycling.  Maybe, just maybe, you can start getting even more out of your bicycle.

And now, without further ado…

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

It was a difficult task.  I had to choose from literally dozens of entrants.  (I guess everyone already has all the bicycles they want.)  But, after hours and hours of contemplation, navel gazing, and Hamlet-like vacillation, the job was complete.

For the Second Prize, Mountain Bike, Brandon.  (Last name withheld by request.)

The First Prize, Origin8 Scout, single speed mountain bike goes to David Lakly.

The Grand Prize, yet to be built, Single Speed/Fixed Gear Conversion goes to Teresa Moore.

Lisa Price takes the consolation prize of “a thing from my shop.”  (Ill be choosing a suitable thing in the very near future.)

Keep watching this blog for photos of the winners with their winnings.

The Contest, like most of my bright ideas, did not go at all as I envisioned it.  I rather expected floods of responding emails.  I was attempting to do two things here, drive traffic to this blog, and increase membership in the South Side Cycling Club.  Both of those things happened, but not nearly at the levels I envisioned.

I did manage to learn a thing or two from the experience.  I have had a lot of fun with it.  On the other hand, I won’t do this again soon.  And on the third hand (bicycle mechanics all have at least three hands) when I do hold another contest, it will take a totally different form.

Thanks to all who read this blog, and all who entered.

Contest Prizes, and Audax 200K Preparations

(See the post from 5/4/10 for Audax 200K details)

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Here they are, the Grand Prize (still a work in progress) and the First Prize.

Pay Attention!  This is one possible "donor frame"

And here's another...

 These are some of the "goodies" that will make this a real ride

You will notice that the Grand Prize shows two different frames.  No, there are not going to be two bikes.  But rather, I will finish the frame that is appropriate to the winner.  That means the winner gets to pick which of these frames will be finished out as a fixie/singlespeed.  There is a lot of appeal either way this project goes.

As for the First Prize, that’s an Origin8 Black Ops Scout.  It’s a rigid 29er, with Avid disks.  The bike is suspension-ready, for those who just have to have a shock.

There’s still time (barely!) to enter (and win!) this contest…  But you are going to have to hurry!  Prizes will be announced on Bike to Work Day.

Want to know how to enter?  I’ve put this up enough times.  Start looking through the back posts on this blog.  You should be able to find everything you need.  Good luck and good hunting!

 Preparing for this weekend’s Audax 200K?  Mostly you should be resting.  Oh yeah!  And you should be contacting me, right now!!!!  It’s real, and it’s happening this coming Sunday.  That’s 16 May 2010.

What should you bring?

• At least two spare tubes
• A bit of cash for munchies at the stops
• Your favorite on bike foods
• Sunscreen
• Any spares that are unique to your rig
• Dress for the weather (Rain or Shine we’re going!)Your best smile!

Bike to Work Week is Coming

(Please see the post from 5/4/10 for Audax 200K details)

Bike to Work Week is next week, May 17 through May 21.  Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 21.

I’ve spent a lot of time, here and elsewhere speaking to the various benefits of “Utility Cycling.”  I use that phrase for a reason.  A lot of us get hung up with the idea that our bikes can only be used for one practical purpose.  That would be commuting.  The truth of the matter is that the bicycle can take the place of an automobile for just about any practical function.

If you are a regular subscriber to my Tuesday Tome weekly email newsletter, then you have seen my weekly Commuter Log.  I record the milage that I do on a bicycle, for strictly utility purposes, going shopping, running errands, and yes, going to work.  I also assign a monetary value to this travel.  In short, the use of the bicycle, in place of a car, saves a lot of money.

There are health benefits to the practice too.  Instead of just traveling in a car, I get to use necessary errand and commuting time to ride.  That’s free exercise, and it saves money.

At the same time, I get to have the positive “head space” of riding, instead of driving.  In fact, a lot of my utility riding is pretty therapeutic.

And I get to park in a prime spot, right at the door.

I urge each and everyone of you, please give it a try.   Ride to work at least one day next week.  Ride to the store, or some other errand, at least three times.  I’m pretty sure you will enjoy the process.  At the same time, you do good, for your wallet, your community, and your planet.

Friday Follies ~~ The Contest

There are all kinds of contests in cycling.  Some of them are formal, with rules, sanctioning bodies, scheduled events.  Some are a bit less formal.  Some involve speed, others skills.  Sometimes, we don’t even know we’re in them.

One of the better contests I’ve ever been in was a “Footdown.”  If you’re not familiar with this, it’s kinda like “Ghost” or “Hangman,” or “House.”  The idea is a bunch of people on bikes go into a relatively small, bordered area.  They all try to ride inside the area, without putting a foot to the ground.  Each time a rider leaves the area, or touches the ground with a foot, they receive a letter.  Once they’ve spelled out “Footdown,” they are out.  To add to the fun, riders attempt to force other riders into situations where they will leave the area, or bobble and step down.  Hitting is not allowed, but this is a full contact sport.  Riding next to another rider, and sort of herding them into a corner is a good tactic.

Several things are very useful to a Footdown competitor.  The rider needs good balance.  Excellent bike handling skills are a major plus.  Being able to track stand is extremely useful.

My personal inventory includes the balance part.  I’m not a “showy” rider, but my bike handling skills are pretty good.  My track stand is only mediocre at best.

So why did I get into this Footdown thing?  Well we were having a bit of a celebration at the shop.  We’d just done a major expansion, and we threw a party.  Many fun and games.  Then late in the day, we taped off an area in the parking lot, with traffic cones and event tape.  We had a large group of riders, so we organized it into “heats.”  Sort of.

We let about ten riders into the ring, and the fun started.  Every time we eliminated six or seven riders, we’d let folks who hadn’t been in enter.

I should mention that “rules” aren’t big on this kind of thing.  Each rider rode what they wanted to.  I was on my old and trusty hard tail mountain bike.  I did okay.

I managed to stay up and in through several “heats.”  Then they kid came in.  He was young, maybe twelve.  He was riding a small BMX bike.  He was good on it, and he was fearless.  He also had an unfair advantage.  It just wasn’t right for us larger types to really muscle him around.

So the little kid won, and I came in second for the day.

The best part of the whole thing was seeing that kid’s smile as he stood alone in the ring.

Thursday Thoughts ~~ Where are all the contestants?

I must confess, I’m more than a little surprised, and bewildered.  I expected the lure of free bicycles would be a pretty good draw.  I’ve had a few contest entries.  Not a lot.  I’m puzzled.  I’m trying to give away three bicycles and some other stuff.  Free.

It’s been suggested that I made the contest too hard.  How can that be?  The entry requirements are, I admit, a bit daunting. 

First, you must be on my email distribution list for the Tuesday Tome.  I know this is incredibly hard.   After all it would require that you send an email to The.Road.Dragon@gmail.com and say something like,  “Hey Steve, could you add me to the Tuesday Tome list?”  Of course that would mean you might end up in contact with other cyclists, and it’s possible that you might learn something, or be entertained.  Naturally, I do not share, sell, or otherwise distribute the list, and I vow to remove anyone who asks me to, but still this is a somewhat intimidating requirement.

Second, you must join the South Side Cycling Club.  Wow!  That’s hard!  It takes going to the club’s website at http://www.southsidecycling.com/ and signing up.  Yes, you will have to fork over a whole $25.00 for a year’s membership for your family.  Life is tough.  Deal with it.

Third, you have to be logging miles on the South Side Cycling Club’s website.  Gosh!  That’s hard!  Ride your bike, and then enter the results in the webform under “Mileage Tracker.”  I know!  It’s an extremely challenging technical problem.  Like it is beyond the capability of most four year olds, but easily mastered by children of five.

Fourth, you go to this blog and jump to the post for March 2, 2010.  That’s where things start.  (How hard is this?)

Fifth, find the 16 questions on the blog.  They aren’t that hard to find.  Pretty much there is one on each post after the March 2 post.  (And hey!  You might find the posts enjoyable, useful, and possibly entertaining.)

Sixth, concoct an answer for each of the questions.

Seventh, submit an email, as instructed on the March 2 post, to RoadDragonContest@gmail.com

I know I’ve had some concerns about the questions.  I’ve heard things like, “What if I get them wrong?”  And “How do I know the answers?”  Come on!  This is not a calculus final!  Have some fun with it, and do something.  In the worst possible case, you will have filled some idle time.  If you don’t enter, there is no possible way you can win!

Just a thought!

Why do it?

Why do we ride?  That’s an interesting question, and it gets asked a lot.  We ride for many reasons.  To get away.  To get somewhere else.  For fitness.  To train for something.  To help prolong a running carreer.  Because we can no longer run.  Because it does less damage than football.  It’s more interesting than golf.

All of those are good reasons.  But most of us started riding because it was fun.  It was, most likely sheer and simple joy that attracted us to the pastime of cycling in the first place.  It’s simply enjoyable to get on a bike and feel the wind in your face, to zoom down a hill, to get on the cranks and feel the rush of speed through a long flat.  It’s a blast.

We like to challenge ourselves.  (There’s a fun aspect to this, but it’s more subtle.)  We like to set a big goal, and then go for it.

We like to see our world.  Many of us are natural-born tourists.  We enjoy being able to look at our world.  To see it well, and savor it.  We crave new vistas.  We have “fiddle feet,” and we just simply need to take them on a dancing journey from time to time.

Then there is another discovery we make after we ride for a while.  Camaraderie.  We meet other like minded folks and enjoy their company.  There is a definite social side to our sport.

And all of that is the reason for the Annual Audax 200K.  It’s fun.  It’s a long and challenging event.  It’s very sociable.  We’ll see a lot of terrain  and territory.  We’ll likely meet some smiling faces along the way.  We’ll share good times and good food.

As for the Solstice Celebration Ride  This is sort of a new variant of a very old idea.  Once upon a time, clear back in Saxon England, maps were scarce and not very reliable.  Besides most folks couldn’t read.  So, once or twice a year, the whole mob would make a trip around the parish, or town, makring the boundaries, and making sure all was well.  This was usually a late Winter, or early Spring occasion.

I’ve moved it to the start of Summer.  I’m sort of adopting the idea so that we will never be far from home, and we’ll have good riding all the way.  At the same time, we should get in some good night riding, at a time when the temperature won’t be cold.

Besides, after the Winter we’ve just endured, wouldn’t it be fun to ride through the Spring and formally (sort of) mark the beginning of Summer?

Let’s have some fun with this.

Summer Solstice Celebration Ride!

Date:  Monday, June 21, 2010

Time:  8:00 PM

Duration:  about 3 hours

Location:  Start/Finish at Bicycles Unlimited, Peachtree City

Requirements:  Helmets.  Dress for weather.  Good headlights, tail lights, reflective vest or sash, and reflective ankle bands.

The idea:  We’ll Ride around the outside of the City, “Beating the bounds.”  That is, we will circle the boundries of the city.  We will start with the sun in the sky, but we will ride into the night, on the shortest night of the year.  It’s good fun, and good luck.

Contest?  There are still three bikes up for grabs in The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest. Have you sent your entry in yet?  If not, scan back through this blog, find the questions and the entry info, and do it!  This offer ain't gonna last forever.

Let’s go Ride

The 45 Mile Audax Tune Up Ride is this coming Sunday.  Ride starts at 1:00.  We’ve put out plenty of info on this.  Plan to meet at Bicycles Unlimited.  Plan to ride Audax Style.  That means the group will stay together.

The ride will go rain or shine.  Prepare for the weather.  Expect some hills.  Let’s all go out do this thing.

A new Idea:  This is a new cyclist’s version of a very ancient tradition.  Let’s go out and do a night ride on the very beginning of Summer.  We’ll call this one a Summer Solstice Celebration Ride!

Date:  Monday, June 21, 2010

Time:  8:00 PM

Duration:  about 3 hours

Location:  Start/Finish at Bicycles Unlimited, Peachtree City

Requirements:  Helmets.  Dress for weather.  Good headlights, tail lights, reflective vest or sash, and reflective ankle bands.

The idea:  We’ll Ride around the outside of the City, “Beating the bounds.”  That is, we will circle the boundries of the city.  We will start with the sun in the sky, but we will ride into the night, on the shortest night of the year.  It’s good fun, and good luck.

Contest?  There are still three bikes up for grabs in The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest. Have you sent your entry in yet?