My Music @ Work

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~ Berthold Auerbach

My everyday life is not so bad that I need to escape it, but I truly enjoy the places that music takes me so I engage it as often as I can. Music doesn't just help pass the time, it helps me reflect, brings memories back to life and can make most chores more enjoyable.

I have always wrestled with the tension between using headphones on my commute vs. the potential dangers it invites.  On the one hand I get my music while on the other it minimizes a critical commuting-sense.

Using one earbud instead of two isn't a bad option but I may have found an even better one.

I put my iPad in one of those thin nylon bags with the rope-y shoulder straps and turned it up as loud as possible.  The sound easily penetrated the thin fabric of the bag much better than it would have my normal commuting pack. On quiet streets this worked really well but on major roadways the music was easily drowned out.

It then occurred to me that I could get improved volume by putting my Jawbone Jambox into my bento-bag.  The Jambox speaker connects to the iPad via bluetooth, and I speculated that having the sound originate in front of me would result in better overall quality. 

While neither of these is a perfect solution to the earbud issue, I think I am on the right track. 

What about you?  Do you also like to ride with music?  How do you do it?
 

Paris to Ancaster 2013 - wrap up

I looked at the hit-counter for this blog and it was crazy!  The first thing I thought was 'what could I possibly have to offer that is that interesting?!' and then I realized its because people are searching "Paris to Ancaster" just like I am.

If you are stumbling across me that way I welcome you to stick around.  Whoever you are, you have given me a nice boost and I thank you!

There are many, many photographers along the length of the course and a few of them are entrepreneurs who sell photos to the participants (just like when you get off a big roller-coaster!).  Last year I purchased the only shot of me that I could find and I knew I'd do that again this year because I seldom get a chance to have an action picture of me.

It turns out I had a few to choose from.  One was clearly within the first 3-4 kilometers because there is neither mud on my bike nor my body.  Plus I have this huge, stupid grin that I guarantee did not last past 10k.  Passed on that one.

There's a series of me from another company who captured my finish.  It could not contrast better with the first shot.  I look like I've just returned from 'Nam.  Those shots were ok, but I always had my mouth open like a bass hitting for a fly.  Passed on those.

I settled on the one above even though I'm not looking at the camera (probably for the best).  It's not likely too far into things either but it's a good in-between photo nonetheless.

I guess I already posted that I came in just over three hours.  I think I have the Beast figured out and I am hoping for a sub three hour showing next year.

40k ride that felt longer

I'm entered into a fantastic looking gravel-grind for June so instead of just commuting I am compelled to do a little extra. The event is called the Hilly Billy Roubaix and it was my wonderful wife that suggested it in the first place!

When it comes to training for this kind of thing my friend, JD, is the go to fellow.  I mean, anyone who competes at the Tour Divide can certainly show me a thing or two about singletrack and handling on soft ground.

After climbing the Niagara Escarpment we headed west across the DOFASCO Trail.  It's a pleasant ride with crushed limestone double-track all the way. After a pause at the Punchbowl Market  we headed back down the escarpment.  One would think going downhill on a bicycle is the fun part, but it was also the most difficult part. In fact I got stuck going way fast between a runnell and soft gravel and it took me down.

White coffee & a Cliff Bar.  Now that's a winning combination!

"He's OK!"

After quickly reassuring myself I could move my legs and that nothing seemed broken I started to chuckle.  Maybe it was shock, maybe it was thankfulness. Not to say that I wasn't in pain, because it hurt. A lot.  But I did survive it.

The picture above looks posed but nope, that's right where I lay until I got my wits about me.

From there we turned west and went across the base of the escarpment, and then back up.  I was pleased with my climbing but I am certain I need more gear options for the Roubaix. I'll have to see what Pinkbike has to offer.

In the end we covered just over 40km. Not a long distance if you ask me, just don't ask my body because it thinks it went much further than that!

Paris to Ancaster - First Report

I arrived at the staging ground for the race in good time, but I still didn't expect to be the second vehicle in the parking lot.  Nevertheless, it turned out to be the right place and because I was there even before the organizers I ended up parked in the area they eventually roped off for VIP's.

I went to take an "unloading" photo and my camera batteries decided they had done enough.  I was pretty bummed that I couldn't take any photos at all. It speaks to my philosophy that a good BLOG entry has pictures.

I will pull some generic pictures from the local newspaper so that you can get a sense of things.  Additionally, I took some pictures of my bicycle once I got home.  As I did last year, I will be purchasing an action shot from a course photographer in about a week.  I so seldom get this kind of picture of myself so its worth the $30.

I certainly have many comments to make about the race.  Lets see what comes out as I write ...

This is a common sight.  I carried my bicycle way more than last year and my overall time benefitted by this strategy.   That's NOT me in the picture BTW.

Defeated. Another common site.  All I can say is that I'm grateful I never had one of these moments.

There is a steep climb to the finish that's sort of legendary.  This lady is helping out a rider.  I didn't need any help because I was walking up this hill!

I hosed my bike off right after I took this next series of pictures.  It serendipitously resulted in my also washing the car so I had a happy wife!

I bought SPD pedals specifically for this race.  They were crap.  I was whining about it to a guy as we climbed a hill side-by-side and he told me that they are intended for on-road, not off.  

Can you guess the component?

I am not sure how long the course was.  It was supposed to be 70 kilometres but because of the heavy rains we'd had over the last two weeks they had to close and re-route some sections.  While it certainly ended up less than 70k there is still some debate about the precise distance.  They are publishing 57km but all the racers with cycle-computers I spoke with had it at roughly 63k. The point is I did ok.  Last year it was 60k and that took me 3 hours and 40 minutes.  This year I completed the race in 3 hours 5 minutes. Some encouraging improvement for me to be proud of.

No. I will never learn.

Let's just say that fenders would have been a good idea today and leave it there.

Spooked

In a few short days I will be suffering through the annual Paris-to-Ancaster race for the second time.  Competition is a funny thing that way - it's both exhilarating and painful.  At kilometer 50 I will be asking myself (aloud, I'm sure) why I do this, but 20 minutes after its over I will be jonesin' for the next time!

As a bicycle commuter I usually feel quite out-of-place among the spandex set, but once the horn sounds we are all equals in our suffering. Besides, I'll be wearing spandex too! (stupid, sexy Flanders!)

I am significantly more anxious this year than last. There are many reasons I feel like this.

First, I just finished building my bike for this.  Its the same one I used last year (my aluminum Diamondback), and it performed well.  However it's set up differently this year, I only rode it for the first time this morning, I installed a speed pedal system which I've never used before, and I'm not convinced my posture/geometry is going to be comfortable enough for 70km.  There's a brake issue too, but I'll tackle that in another post.

Another drawback is that I am not in good "cycling" fitness.  I have been runnning a lot (for a few 5km races I'm entering) but its absolutely not the same kind of fitness.  It's been a cold, cold spring here in Oh! Canada and that has chased me off my regular commute.  Admittedly, I have been a fair-weather commuter these past two months.

All this adds up to actual nervousness!  I am trying to get into the mindset that I'll just pace myself (vernacular for "I'll be going slow" without having to actually say that) and enjoy, but I know that once that start pistol goes my competative nature will fully engage.

Wish me luck!

Resurrecting the Diamondback.

I'm trying a SPD pedal for the first time.

I re-built this just in time for the race. I don't like front derailleurs so I'm fixed in the smallest ring for maximum off-road-ness!

I don't have enough gears to choose from for this race.  Oh well.

Race Preparation 2013 - P2A

This will be my second Paris-to-Ancaster race in as many years.  Other than perhaps trying my luck at a triathlon sometime again, it is the only bicycle race I will do.   It's not precisely a gravel-grinder but its the closest thing we have around here.

With exactly a month to go I find myself without a bicycle. And that brings me to my next rebuild.

I've never experienced the catastrophic failure of an aluminum frame.
Maybe this is the year.

I am taking my old Diamondback aluminum frame and cannibalizing parts from my Pake commuter  to make a machine that "may" survive the rigours imposed upon it.

The bottom bracket makes an occasional crunching noise but for the life of me I can't seem to get the caps off!  So, no new bearings this year.  How bad can it be, right?

The gear-ratio is not great for the amount of climbing I'll have to do.  The cassette is too limited in range but (21 in the back and 28 in the front) its the only one I can find that will work with my shifter set-up.

The handlebars are originally from my daughter's Peugeot.  They are small and obviously rounded at the front so I thought they would do well to miss trees and branches throughout the wooded areas of the course.  However, I can't figure out how to get road drops on v-brakes so I'll need to go back to a flat-bar.

I should have this bicycle on the road by the end of the week, so I'm not too worried about that.  It's my fitness level that's hurting.  In fact, they added an extra 10km to their traditional 60 km course. As memory serves, I had lost my legs at about 50km last year and struggled to finish with any dignity at all.  70km through mud is daunting.

I registered for the fifth (read: last) wave.  In theory I could arrange to be the final person out of 3000 to enter the course.  It's a thought.  If I did depart last there would be no expectations and every time I manage to pass someone I could view it as a small victory.  On the other hand, I think there is a "Lantern Rouge" in this race, so you never know.