The Internet of Bikes: Berkeley Training Camp

The Thomases journeyed to Northern California over the school holidays. We rented a small house in Berkeley. It was very nice and a welcomed change of scene. The weather was cool in the mornings, but dry. One day it rained; another day it was very windy. But the weather did not stop us from absorbing Berkeley, San Francisco and the California Dream, or from fitting in some fine riding. We flew JetBlue which continues to accommodate my Superleicht safely and economically. 

View from Mt. Diablo

The view from Mt. Diablo

The hairpin on Mt. Diablo that will end your ride.

I rode to Mt. Daiblo on the first day. I had no idea where to go, but there were so many cyclists on the road that morning I was able to "crowd source" directions to the north gate entrance. I was fresh and pushed myself on the way up. I squeaked into the Strava Top Ten as a result (This fleeting bit of pseudoglory will vanish next month when the Tour of California arrives at Mount Diablo, if not sooner). I took it easy on the way down as many cars were coming up the hill and cutting over the yellow line. I also need a lot of practice descending and I had no idea what to expect. A Mikes Bikes rider came blowing by me on the straight into the first hairpin. Sure enough, he hit a car that was on the other side of the turn. Remarkably, everyone was fine, but clearly the car was too far over and the Mikes Bike rider was going fast enough that he needed more than the right lane to complete the turn. Fortunately, there were no more events like that. I got lost on the way back, but made it back in fine shape. I did the Epic Ride of the week on the second day. I returned to Mt. Diablo since I knew how to get there: I went up the south gate approach to the summit, descended to the bottom of the north gate entrance, and then went back up to the summit. It was cool day and there was less traffic. I felt fine and my confidence and technique on the descents improved each time down. I made it back without getting lost. The next day I rode easy out into the Briones Watershed. This is a lovely green section of big rolling hills that captures the rain fall and directs it into a large reservoir. There is very little traffic and some of the climbs are one mile jobs at seven to eight percent. We did some brazen tourism that afternoon: Alcatraz, downtown San Francisco, etc. I can see why people are drawn to this part of the country. 

Bear Creek Road Briones Park Watershed

Fields of California Green

Briones Park Watershed

The next day we went to Sausalito. I rode up Mount Tamalaipis to pay homage to the gods of the mountain bike, and then set off through the park on the West Ridgeway Road towards Olena. The scenery is straight out of a Bicycling Magazine spread. It was foggy and a bit cool, but it was fine. Shoreline Road was spectacular although the fog blocked the view of the bold Pacific. The remaining days I rode to the north of Berkeley. Alhambra Valley Road and the roads around Porto Costa were very nice and more rural than the roads that take you to Mt. Diablo. There were some good climbs too (McEwen Road, Happy Valley Road). I went up Marin Avenue in Berkeley at the end of one day: this street must be about half a mile of fifteen to twenty percent straight up climbing, with little breaks on the cross streets. There are two sections that hit thirty percent. I was able to handle the climb up to Keeler Street, but the last section after that was too much. There were many cars and if one stopped in front of me at the stop sign at the end, I would have tipped right over. I found South Park Road in Tilden Park to be more reasonable and just as challenging: it is a mile and a half with an average grade of ten percent. Completing a climb like that at the end of a long ride felt very satisfying.

West Ridgeway Rd, Mt. Tamalpais State Park

Rural scenes from Bicycling Magazine

View of Berkeley from Grizzly Peak Blvd.

Climbing out of Stinson Beach

California is very green this time of year. Everyone says that within a month it will be brown and the specter of forest fires will return again. You would never know, but the frequent signs reminding people to conserve water signal just how dry and hot it gets in the summer. Berkeley is bursting with youth, urban cool and academia. In this city, property prices are going through the roof. Every house that lists attracts numerous cash offers and poignant letters explaining why the house is so perfect for the earnest buyer, the family and the pet. The Thai food and the Vietnamese noodles all seem to taste more authentic (the delivery certainly is) and the Dim Sum is reported to be very good. Alcatraz remains a compelling reminder on why one should avoid prison and the Golden Gate Bridge is really something larger than California. Almost anyone who visits California will try to picture themselves as a resident. It really is not that difficult, but of course, the Diablo is in the Detailso.

A Tesla!

An Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon!

Sugar Refinery, Rodeo, CA.

The Internet of Bikes: Maine Time Trial Series: Northeaster Time Trial Biddeford #1

The Northeaster Time Trial is the first race in the Maine Time Trial Series (METTS). The course is an 11 mile loop near the Biddeford Pool in Biddeford, Maine. Conditions were windy and cold with temperatures in the 40s. About 30 riders started the the race. This was the first race of the season on the tt Carbon. The bike felt thoroughly comfortable and familiar given that all the trainer work I do during the off season is on this bike. Nevertheless, it was still hard work putting up with the wind that was blowing. Although I have raced this course before, I drove it before hand: I am glad I did. The first right hand corner was much sharper than it looked and I most likely would have overcooked it had I not driven through earlier. I had a good rhythm on Oak Ridge Road; it was windy but I was able to stay low, push a big gear in sections and keep up momentum.  Guinea Road was tough and I probably lost a lot of time there. There was a rough patch on the final section of the course and unfortunately it claimed Karl Rau, a Maine Time Trial Series Emeritus Rider. It was upsetting to hear the news at the first race (Get well soon, Karl!). It is very hard to see obstacles sometimes when riding at maximum effort. Things you see when driving the course do not appear when you come through on your bike. I completed the course in 24:14 which was fast enough to win the day. Downeast Racing sponsor Zev Myerowitz of Myerowitz Chiropractic Center finished in second place (24:46) and then proceeded to compete in the Northeast Triathlon (in which he finished third overall). I cancelled on the post time trial ride as it was raining quite hard and the effort would have not done much except make me cold. Nevertheless, I find that a solid ride after a time trial is very productive and will not be making excuses next time. Many thanks to Derek and Alison Morin for putting on the event and I hope to see you at the METTS Rockport event on 4 May.

It might as well have been snowing

The Internet of Bikes: 2014 Tour of the Battenkill

Like a migratory bird, I returned to Cambridge, New York last week for the 2014 Tour of the Battenkill. I was joined by Downeast Racing teammates Matt Moon, Hank Pfeifle, Eliot Pitney and Joe Lynch. The weather conditions were calm, but damp with temperatures in the 30s and 40s. Matt and I started the Category 2 race with about 70 other riders from all over the country and Canada for the 85 mile race. The race features some 12 miles of dirt roads, the steep dirt road climbs of Juniper Swamp Road and Herrington Road, fast descents and bucolic upstate New York scenery. My Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 Champagne made it through the race for the second time: lifting a page from the Roger Aspholm Book of Pro Cycling, I ran Zipp 202s with Vittoria Paves (loaded with Stan NoTubes liquid latex to keep away the slow leak monster). I carried and finished three bottles of Hammer Nutrition Sustained Energy and topped it off with some Chocolate Gu. I felt fine the whole way and I think the liquid energy diet helped hold off cramps. Clearly, I was ready for some real food afterwards.

This was the first year of competing in the Category 2 race at this event. Relative to the Masters category (where I really belong), the pace on the climbs is a lot faster and more riders are able to keep up.  There are teams too and thus more tactics. I rode conservatively at the back while Matt Moon sat on the front of the group. There were seven flats and two broken bikes according to Vittoria support officials. The dirt roads were soggy in places and many riders lost their balance trying to coast through that kind of surface: the trick is to keep it in a big gear, stay seated and pedal through. I had much practice with this technique the previous weekend around New Gloucester and felt at ease. I saw many riders loose their balance.

We arrived at Herrington Hill Road and this is where the remaining field started to break up. Once this climb was over, the field plunged down a fast descent followed by the climb up Meeting House Hill Road. There was gap that was extended here and before I knew it, the lead group had a break and I was in a groupetto of ten or so tired and bickering riders. Some of us tried to close the gap over the flats, Stage Road and the last ten kilometers, but there was no joy; the lead group remained in sight but out of reach. I finished 21st and although the Shoulda Would Coulda Brothers made a brief appearance, I sent them packing by appreciating the distance and pace of the race, the numerous opportunities there were not to finish the race at all (flats, falling off your bike, taking a wrong turn, etc), and by knowing that all the hours on the trainer (Hour of Power, Rosems, 40 x 20, etc) and all the early wake ups to get to the gym to lift weights and the training camp has paid off. I learned that I really have to ride at the front more (ride like Matt Moon) and not let myself get bullied into the comfortable, but sketchy neighborhood at the back of the peleton; although I can keep up on the hills, it is many times not possible to cover a move on a climb from the pack of the field, even if it is a small field. I obtained some chocolate milk  from the Battenkill Creamery for The Girls and Mr. Moon and we began the drive home. It was fine weekend of racing and many thanks to Jeff Dixon and Hank Pfeifle for making the Downeast Racing team happen. 

I just cleaned this thing!

Matt and Fred give nothing to the Papparazi

Three bottles of Sustained Energy later