Goals

Last year my stated goal here was to finish a SIR 200k with a reasonable cushion.

Yesterday I climbed 3rd on Queen Anne and didn't hit my lowest gear once. This is a significant improvement for me, and I think it bodes well for my chances on the SIR summer 200k. I may get some fit adjustments between now and then, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic overall.

Now, I just need to keep riding and stay focused.

Flying Wheels

I had a really nice ride this past Saturday on my first Flying Wheels. I opted for for the 65 mile route, as I was feeling iffy about my fitness levels and Rob, my riding companion was sure he wasn't up to it.

After driving around a bit more than necessary to find parking (ended up by Ooba Tooba), we were off. The forecast was for 77 and sunny and the weather didn't disappoint. Rob and I were both in wool and sweating a bit before we even left the parking lot.

The route was great. Not Too Hilly, plenty of shade, not much traffic and some great scenery. I feel like I could ride it several times a year. In fact, I rode part of it earlier this year as one of the SIR training rides. I just love the quiet routes along the river near Carnation; the Burke Gilman is a great resource, but pales in comparison to that.

I felt great completing the ride, and I think the key difference is how much I ate and drank. I tried hard to get 200 - 250 calories per hour down every hour, along with a bottle of water. I usually make a halfhearted effort to keep up the food intake and it bites me every time around mile 35 or 40. Saturday I had enough energy to chase J down from my office after he blew by me at mile 60 or so.

I also did pretty well on the hills, I was really passing people this time out. Now, I need to work on my overall speed too. Plenty of people I passed looked mighty uncomfortable on their carbon wonder steeds with tiny cassettes and low bars. I wonder how much better they'd feel on a bike like my Salsa or Rob's Riv - or Duncan's 'bent for that matter.

Though I was pretty nervous the night before this ride, things worked out well. Now I think I'm ready for the SIR 100k later this summer.

Why grocery store bagels are so bad

Apparently, they aren't really bagels. So says a friend of mine who is a former professional baker. Real bagels are boiled the stuff at the market, just baked.

Alaska Airlines 673

Row 22, took 7 minutes and 53 seconds from the ding till I was moving. I had an aisle seat, so it was a smidge faster than a window.

Interesting thoughts about income transfers

At this link http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/business/25view.html .

It is at least somewhat true in my own firm, though I don't think we have huge disparities in capabilities and output here.

I certainly learned some of these things from my teachers.

See Seth's blog here.

Awesome

Biking directions now available from Google.

If I had 9,000 and a snow problem

I'd buy one of these for sure. Maybe even customize it a bit.

SIR Winter training 2010 ride #1 - recap

Yesterday I met Duncan and the Seattle Randos for the first training ride of 2010, held along with the Cascade Bicycle Club. The ride was about 38 miles long, with 2,000 feet of climbing, if you didn't go astray. I stayed pretty much on course, thanks to my new GPS, but did miss one turn while talking to someone while my GPS was acting up a bit.

I finished up in about 3:15, including a stop at Starbucks - that's really pretty decent for me. I felt better on the hills than I ever have, so all that hill climbing is definitely paying off. Several of the other riders mentioned how out of shape they were or felt, but honestly I've never felt stronger. I passed quite a few people going uphill, which was a nice change from the feeling of shooting backward through the pack that I had last year.

I'm a bit fatigued today, and only have minor soreness (right achilles and left knee). I was also a bit cold on yesterday's ride, except for the uphills where I was plenty warm. In retrospect I should have worn my knee warmers, but I was afraid they'd slip down and be a pain to adjust under my rain gear.

The weather turned out great - sunny around 50 and not too windy. Really you just couldn't ask for a better winter ride in the PNW.

Finally, pacelining for my car

Well, maybe not yet, but still - it could happen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8349923.stm

Fake languages

These are fake in the sense that the words don't exist, but the sounds should. I remember doing stuff like this as a kid.

Italian English

American Chinese Russian and more

I wondered about all those new Harleys I used to see

For years, when Harley Davidson was booming I wondered "where is the money coming from to buy all these things?" They are very expensive discretionary items, and I doubted some of the "owners" could really afford > 20k to buy them. Looks like the HD bubble was a bit like, and related to, the housing bubble.

Details here http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/more-troubles-for-harley-davidson.aspx.

Where you should eat, chain edition

seen here.

pilfered from Marginal Revolution

Get Rich Slowly

Great article here. Sure, it is mostly a piece promoting someone's new book, but I think it is sound advice nonetheless.

The only quibble I have with the Millionaire Next Door guys is that they treat becoming a millionaire as an exceptionally worthy goal in and of itself. Nothing wrong with gathering assets, I think everyone should. I don't think that living like an ascetic is worth it, if you can afford not too. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses etc.

Palinomania

Andrew Sullivan columns on S. Palin can be found here. In my opionion, he is doing this country a favor by digging into this stuff. She is an ambitious, charismatic lunatic. The more people that know about the lunatic part, the better.

New Ballard Loop

In my continuing, but perhaps futile, quest to improve my hill climbing, I did my new Ballard coast loop this weekend. It has about 2,000 feet of elevation gain in around 25 miles. That's not a lot for some people, but quite a change for me.

Until last summer, I always avoided hills when I could. I'd detour a mile or more to miss them in LA. Now I turn toward them when I can - not to anything outrageous (I'm looking at you Counterbalance), but I don't mind moderate grades any more. I can slowly grind up all the routes I've tried so far, but I've been somewhat cautious. I spend a LOT of time in my smallest gear however.

I've noticed small, but continuous improvement in my uphill speed this year, so I guess this plan is working for me to some extent; my overall speed still hovers around 11 mph though. I need to keep it up, and hopefully I'll be ready for a SIR 200k next year. My goal for 2010 - finish a 200k with a "reasonable" cushion. Did I leave myself enough wiggle room?

Who makes the Subaru roof rack?

Is it these guys? Looks like it could be Mont Blanc, but I can't find any good info. Next question, how do I get my Thule accesories to work on my '10 Outback?

How to make a dinner plan

From Ben Casnocha's blog

When no party is willing to express a preference out of politeness or genuine deference to another party of the decision -- on what type of cuisine to eat for dinner, say -- the decision-making process often gets trapped in a death spiral of deferential indecision. Certain decision-making tricks are needed. One reader taught me the 3-2-1 rule for deciding where to eat. The first person person names three types of cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, and Indian). The next person picks two of those three (Indian and Japanese). The next person picks one of those two (Indian). Done!

See the whole post o' tips at http://ben.casnocha.com/2009/10/assorted-musings.html

You go Al!

Does it take a comedian to defend our civil liberties?

http://washingtonindependent.com/60611/al-franken-reads-the-4th-amendment-to-justice-department-official

Ketchup! We try Ketchup!

Some kids live on it, but not mine. This is a first.