200,000 Bicycle Miles

In 1986, I was a working-class guy, six years into marriage to a wonderful bride, and with two young kids - another on the way.  We lived on the (Boise) Bench.  Up 'til '85, I worked just a couple blocks from home.  I walked to work - quite often I even walked home for lunch.  But then I changed jobs - the new destination was downtown.  With one car between us, suddenly we were competing for the wheels.  Occasionally I drove to work; more often I took the bus, or Robin dropped me off and kept the car.

Betty, a friend at the office, rode a bicycle... and she lived twice as far away as me!  Betty was always cheerful and energetic... and was an enthusiastic proponent of bicycles-as-transportation.  Her steed was a pretty red Gitane road bike; she had a choice parking spot in the back hallway.  (That was another thing about driving to work... sitting in traffic, finding a parking spot, etc., etc.)  Betty really put me to thinkin'.

I'd ridden bikes - a lot! - as a kid.  And we inherited his-n-hers Schwinn "ten speeds" from my parents, who no longer used them.  But I wasn't excited about fixing up that old rusty Schwinn; I decided I needed a new bike as incentive.  I announced my plans to Robin.  She was skeptical about my bicycling to work, and was confident I was just negotiating for some "new toy money" from our very limited budget.  But I forged ahead... ultimately deciding on something that was new-fangled in '86 - a MOUNTAIN BIKE.  Nobody was sure whether they'd catch on.

But - it caught on with me!  That's what matters.  That bicycle became my primary mode of transportation.  Riding up "Mount Protest Road" seemed like a daunting task at the time!  But I got to coast down in the morning, and the rest of my route was pretty flat.

I immediately started appreciating the benefits - no traffic headaches... no parking headaches... no pumping gas!  But as the days got longer and the weather nicer, my route started varying (at least in the afternoon, when I wasn't pressed for time).  Bicycling proved itself as recreation and exercise, besides transportation.

In 1986, I ended up riding 2195 miles.  (I spent $80 or so extra for another new-on-the-market gizmo - a Cateye bike computer.  Being a numbers geek, and being somewhat motivated by that distance, it was money well spent.)  1986 was the last year I bicycled less than 4000 miles, as the bike became my primary transportation.  (I still occasionally rode the bus, or a motorcycle, or caught a ride, but 95% of my commuting was on the bike - year 'round.)

The last day I drove a car to work was in September, 1997.  I retired in 2019 - twenty-one years later, and exactly one year before the pandemic.

On September 6, 2004, I hit 100,000 cumulative bicycle miles.

Today - April 23, 2022 - I hit 200,000 cumulative bicycle miles.  It doesn't seem as momentous.  I s'pose it's like birthdays - after enough of 'em they lose a bit of luster.  Bike miles are bike miles.

I still average about 350 bicycle days per year.  I still ride about 5000 miles per year, and have no intention of letting up.  300K seems pretty unlikely, but I'd like to shoot for 250,000 miles, 9 or 10 years from now.  (My friend David Williams mentioned that the moon is about 238,000 miles away.  Hmmm....)  Back during the employment years, probably 2/3 of my miles were transportation, 1/3 pleasure/exercise/recreation.  Those numbers are reversed now... the majority of my miles are just because I love to ride!  The best rides these days, are rides with my grandkids.  (Oh, and 2022 Steve is considerably slower than 1986 Steve, despite all that "training"!!)

The number of HOURS spent riding over 36 years?  That is a sobering thought!  But consider how many hours a lot of people are sitting in traffic over the course of a year.  Consider how many gas station fill-ups I've skipped.  And - most of that bicycle time is combined transportation/recreation/exercise!  Win-win-win!

NOTE: This is a BICYCLE - you know, the kind you pedal, not the kind that you just sit on and a motor does the work.  Most of the satisfaction of this accomplishment is the result of the physical effort that was involved!

There IS a down-side.  There's some effort involved (if you consider that a "down-side").  Cold and wet weather... really HOT weather... and slippery road conditions... wind... an unpleasant encounter with another roadway user, can take the gilt off the lily.  Probably a half-dozen times I got home from work... took my shoes off... and poured rainwater out of 'em.  I've had a few crashes - some painful! - fortunately never involving a serious injury.  But the wonderful days far outnumber the marginal days.

One thought that gives me comfort: Lots of old geezers get to a certain age, and their kids intervene and take the car keys.  For me, that won't be too painful.  (Now if they lock my bike up and hide the key... THAT might be a problem!)

If you are thinking about riding a bike to work - START TODAY!

(Also posted on the facebook, 4/24)

 Satisfaction ... and Frustration

Ten months into 2021.  I'm a survivor - you're a survivor!  I'm also about 30 months into retirement... and I can confidently say it's underrated!

Of course, more than half of those months have been with the Covid-19 shadow looming.  But even that is only a minor quibble for me, since as my T-shirt says, "I WAS SOCIALLY-DISTANT BEFORE IT WAS COOL!"  Some family and friends have been impacted much more than me... but none in a serious or permanent way.

Satisfaction?

I'm still bicycling every day that I'm in town.  Seriously!  For probably the last then years, the only days I've missed have been the out-of-town days when a bicycle wasn't available.  (Of course, some of those days it's only a quick ride around the park across the street, or some other "stat ride," to keep the streak going.)

For a few months I entertained the notion of trying to reach 200,000 cumulative miles on February 22 next year - you know, 2/22/22.  (Cool, huh?)  It's not going to happen; I'm still a little over 2000 miles away.  If we were coming into summer... and if I was going to be in town the whole time... it would be realistic.  But over the winter, 200 or 300 miles in a month is pretty good.  And... I'm going to be out of town for perhaps two weeks, this month.  I s'pose I could do the "Snowbird" thing - head to Arizona and bicycle 25 miles a day for a couple months.  Nah... not worth it.

Frustration?

I've grown accustomed to the Facebook.  With a slight degree of guilt.  I've really enjoyed connecting with old friends and acquaintances from across my entire life!  (The main draw was to see if there was information about the Boise High Class of '71 reunion.  There was!  Unfortunately, the honchos decided to postpone it due to the Pandemic.  Ironically, the Class of '70 delayed theirs for a year, as well... they went ahead and did it a month or so ago.)  I am (or was) a participating member of the "Boise Bike Lanes" local bicycle advocacy group.

I feel guilty about Facebook because: 1) it has become increasingly obvious that they are filtering and promoting "information" to slant things to their progressive/liberal viewpoint, and I resent that, and 2) I often waste time just reading the stuff that's presented to me.  But I've enjoyed sharing my viewpoint and seeing the viewpoint of others.  You don't learn anything if you're just "preaching to the choir," right?

I'm frustrated because a month or so ago, Facebook "forgot" me!  I cleared my browser history, and when I logged back on, I was told that Facebook didn't recognize my device... and that I'd chosen two-factor authentication.  (Okay... I'm getting a little technical here... sorry.)  The second "factor," after the password, is a random number... that apparently they "text" to me.  But my Facebook account doesn't have a "smart phone" (quote/unquote) associated with it... so I have a "Catch-22" situation.  The only work-around is to submit a photo ID, which they say they'll confirm, and fix it within 48 hours.  Well... I've probably submitted the photo ID a dozen times, and no response so far.  My paranoid conclusion is that they don't want me back, because I'm not "woke" to the Party Line.  But in any case, I've missed the whole social media experience since mid-September... on the bright side, I've not been spending an hour or so every day "Facebooking."  I s'pose I'll keep submitting the ID... maybe someday somebody will get back to me.  (There's no email or telephone, to get Facebook support.  It seems unfathomable  that of their billion-plus users, I'm the only one having trouble getting connected!  If you read this and can help me... PLEASE!  My email address is 43bikeboy@gmail.com.  I just delete spam.)

Well... enough psychobabble and self-pity.  I'm 4500 bicycle miles into the year... expect it to be another 5000-plus mile year, when all is said and done.  RIDE ON, friends!

Another rare "Bike Nazi" post.  (Apparently I'm content to not blather on quite so much.  I said it and I stand by it... no point in re-wording and re-posting.  I would like to do some better organizing by topic, etc.)

Today - May 23, 2021 - is a good day to post, because I hit 2000 miles for the year.  Yeah, big deal.  There are probably 100 other guys and gals IN BOISE who have done the same and more.  2021 is the 36th consecutive year I've ridden at least 2000 miles; that might put me in more rarefied company.

It's conceivable that I could hit 200,000 miles on February 22, 2022.  That might be worth a little extra effort...?  200K on 2/22/22.  Has a nice ring to it.

One other thing that's worth reporting on - my Schwalbe Marathon Plus rear tire - size 700/32.  It recently occurred to me - hey!  I haven't put a new tire on the back, in quite some time.  I checked... I installed that tire on April 9th OF LAST YEAR!  It now has 4600+ miles on it... looks like it could go for another 1000... and I have not had a single flat tire!  Amazing and remarkable!  They're spendy - currently going for 50 bucks! - but that might be a price worth paying, for such a trouble-free tire.  My previous favorite was the Vittoria Randonneur, at half the price.  But each one seemed to go fewer miles than the one before it.  $25 for a 2000-mile tire, or $50 for a 5000-mile, zero-flat tire.  No brainer!  I've got one more on the hook... hopefully it will serve just as well, and in the meantime I can watch for a sale.

Ride safe, my friends.  And take some comfort in the knowledge that you are on what is STILL the most efficient people-mover ever built.  (The HUMAN-powered bicycle - that's what I'm talkin' about.)

 Milestone on the Achilles Journey

No posts in a long time!  Not sure anybody has even noticed.  (I've been a little more active on the facebook since the pandemic struck; that's been sapping me a little.  But I'm going to work harder at it... I've had some notions bouncing around in my head.  I may post stuff here AND on the facebook.)

Update on the Achilles injury...

- Injury occurred on July 24th

- It was a month before I sought professional advice

- X-rays, MRI (my first-ever), scheduling, etc...

- Surgery to repair it on November 17

Dr. Kaitlyn Neary told me to wait five weeks before putting a load on it, so I hobbled around in a boot on crutches for awhile... seemed like a LONG while.  (Her assistant said, "That seems awfully soon... I'd say 6 to 8 weeks is more realistic."  I took her suggestion "under advisement," as they say.  It's the doctor's advice that counts, right?)

On December 22 - five weeks to the day after surgery, I went on a little low-load ride around the neighborhood.  Felt a little "ginger," but it felt great to be pedaling again.

Between then and the end of the year, I clicked 57 miles, in ever-increasing bites... and taking it very easy.  No risky routes, riding on ice, etc.

I went to 3 or 4 physical therapy sessions, where they gave me some useful ideas about exercises, balance routines, etc.  (All along, I've figured that cycling would be my primary strength-builder, and I'm more sure of that now, than ever.)

Well... yesterday was the 4-month anniversary of the surgery.

Since February 8 - my last follow-up with Dr. Neary - I've been cleared for unlimited activity.  I told her I felt really good about my progress.  She asked if I could stand on my right foot, and then raise up on tiptoe.  NO WAY!!  That's HER precision way of assessing full recovery.  She said, "It can take six months, or even a year, to build back up to full strength.  I'm heading in that direction, and that's good enough for me.

Today I hit 1000 miles for the year 2021 - right on schedule.  (Looking back six or seven years, except for one time I've hit the 1000 in mid-March.)  Strength is still on the upswing.  I'm focusing on using my right leg for most of the power.  The way I figure it, I gave my calf muscle almost five months of vacation - from July 24 to December 22.  No wonder it atrophied a little.  In February I went on a 25-mile ride; I've been on a 30-mile ride in March.  I fully expect to be able to stand on my right tippy-toe... not sure when, but it'll happen.

THE TIMES WE LIVE IN!

I doubt it made much difference to anybody, that I haven't posted anything in 6+ months.  I've definitely lost some steam, when it comes to advocating, I must admit.  I'm still trying to practice what I very occasionally preach... but it has become very obvious that there are bicycle advocates who are considerably more "zealous" about it, than I am.  (I have been occasionally submitting something to the Facebook "Boise Bike Lanes" group.)

Part of that may be due to how long I've been at it.  I've been what I call a "dedicated transportation cyclist" since 1986 - that's 35 years.  Things have changed in that time.  There are far more striped bike lanes around town.  I believe the attitude on the part of both roadway administrators and the general public is more bike-friendly.  And the battles that are being waged on behalf of cyclists have also evolved.

In the late '80s or early '90s, cyclists were a pretty rare sight.  The vast majority of trips over the road were in single-occupant vehicle.  Since then, there have been developments that have made alternate modes of transportation more attractive.  Gas is more expensive.  People are far more aware of "climate change"... or at least it's discussed more.  The population has aged... and society doesn't seem to put as much value on car transportation as it did a generation or two ago.  (Our public transportation in this area has NOT gotten much better, unfortunately.  Primarily because of low ridership.  But the eternal question... Which comes first - the bus or the passengers?)

On the other hand, our area has continued to grow by leaps and bounds.  There are a lot more people living in the suburbs, with a long daily commute.  The roads are wider.  Places that used to be open fields and meadows, are now seas of rooftops.  (As a life-long resident, that breaks my heart.  It's pretty much impossible any more, to leave from my house for a nice "bike ride in the country.")  Riding a bike from home in Kuna or Middleton, to a job in Boise, is NEVER going to be a practical choice, for the vast majority of people.

Nowadays, bicycle advocates are measuring the width of bike lanes, to make sure they are up to code.  As I can still remember many a mile on a 1-foot patch between the fog stripe and the weeds, I'm still exulting in ANY bike lane!

They are demanding "protected" bike lanes.  You know... something more than a painted stripe.  A curb... or bollards... or separated altogether from the roadway.  Imagine!  While I totally agree that such an infrastructure would be ideal, and would attract new cyclists (many on their E-bikes, because let's face it... PEDALING IS HARD!), and would make it far more kid-friendly than it is now... there is a price to pay.  And the administrators are having a hard time accepting that price.  Less roadway width for motorists, who still make up the vast majority.  Increased maintenance costs.  (A protected lane is going to me more expensive to keep free of snow... or it might just be abandoned in the winter.)  Etc., etc.  I'll always favor such improvements... but I no longer have the energy or inclination to "die on that mountain," as they say.

---

On a personal note... I've had a physical setback.

July 24th.  I was on Bogus Basin Road.  Went up there to try to get some sunset photos... you know, with Stack Rock in the foreground.  It turned out to be an ill-fated trip.  I climbed up a gentle slope, to get a better angle for a photo.  Stepping back down... a brief moment of inattention... I stepped on a curb, landed awkwardly on the ball of my foot.  My ankle extended in a bad way... foot folded up into my shin.  I limped home... since I was able to limp, and didn't feel a sickening snap, crackle, or pop, I figured I'd just stretched things out, and some rehab would bring it back.  I "rehabbed" for a month... still couldn't put any weight on the front of my foot, run, stand on tippy-toe.  Went to the doctor.  It took her 2 minutes to diagnose a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Long story short... I had surgery to fix it on November 17.  Dr. Neary was very happy with how the surgery went, and she says I should regain 100% of function.  After 5 weeks... maybe longer.

So - I'm just about 4 weeks into that.  (But who's counting?  hahaha!)  On December 22, I intend to go bicycling!

(Between July 24 and November 17, I bicycled 1400+ miles... but it was more like work and less like play.  At first it was downright painful... by the end it was just drudgery... pedaling for the sake of pedaling.  I look forward to feeling the joy again - and soon!)

I hope y'all are still enjoying quality time in the saddle.  Watch for me - I'll be back soon!

190K

In February, 1995, Greg LeMond came to Boise.

Remember Greg?  He was the first-ever American to win the Tour de France... several years before whats-his-name... the disgraced guy.  LeMond won three times in his career.  I stood in line on a gray winter morning to get an audience with him.  I got a photo and we chatted.  I told him I'd ridden 50,000 miles.  (Cumulative, since I started tracking in 1986.)  His jaw dropped... he interpreted that to mean I'd ridden 50k miles in a year!  I clarified.  He laughed, and gave me a signed poster - one of his moments of glory on the Champs-Élysées, with the Arc de Triomphe in the background.  He wrote on it, "To Steve, keep it up another 50,000! -Greg LeMond."  It's a prized possession, framed along with our photo together.

As it turns out, I did keep it up another 50,000.  On September 1, 2004, I rode my bicycle to the Statehouse and lofted it high above my head, in a lame imitation of Rocky!  Because that was the day I hit 100,000 miles.  My office friends were there to celebrate with me.

In 2004, another 100,000 miles seemed insurmountable.  Like climbing to a high peak, and seeing for the first time, the distant, even-higher mountain range.  Shades of Lewis & Clark!

Well... time marches on, and the miles keep rolling underneath me.

Yesterday, I hit 190,000 miles.  Now that tall range is much nearer to the view.  I should hit that peak sometime in 2022, based on current annual mileages.

(This may seem like a silly diversion to many.  And I'd still be riding, even if I didn't keep track.  However, I'd be lying if I said that "chasing those miles" wasn't a motivation for me.  Frosting on the cake.  I keep daily track in multiples of 5... you know 10 miles, 15 miles, 20, etc.  I put a checkmark next to 15, whether I ride 15.01 miles or 19.99 miles.  So if time isn't a factor, I'll almost always be motivated to hit the next higher number.  The Missus keeps things in perspective.  When I boast, "I've ridden 5000 miles this year!," her reply is "That's nice.")

Mountain bike personalization '20

The whole civilized world is dealing with a virus outbreak right now.  The smart people are limiting unnecessary contact with other people, washing their hands, avoiding crowds, etc.  Then there are some who are apparently using their spare bedroom as a toilet paper repository.  (It's truly weird!  Toilet paper consumption is 1000x what it normally is!  If I'd known, I'd a-told my finance guy, "Put all my money in Charmin!")

One VERY nice thing... so far at least, bicycling is a good way to maintain that recommended social distance, while also maintaining a healthy outdoor lifestyle.  March has been a good month for me.  (Yesterday was a little dicey - I think everybody was on the Greenbelt!  Probably due to the nice weather.  It was jammed with walkers, dog walkers, cyclists, E-cyclists (you know, bike riding without the exercise), skaters.  And obviously lots of 'em got a little rusty over the winter.)

I've also recently applied some upgrades to my Cannondale mountain bike... equipping it for the kind of riding I do.

For one thing... I added a DROPPER SEATPOST.

Traditionally, a person installs a dropper if they need to lower their seat to negotiate particularly difficult or technical stretches of singletrack.  I did it to ease getting started!  My bike is so tall that the saddle hits me at about the waist, when I'm straddling it!  The dropper post (which is controlled by an onboard lever - like your office chair) can be lowered when I'm "parking."  Then when I'm taking off, I get to moving and raise the saddle back up to normal level.  (At some point it might also come in handy if I'm on some technical singletrack - time will tell.)

I also replaced the tires.

The bike came with some "almost fat" knobby tires - perfect for slow riding in loose dirt, etc.  But the fact is, I expect my riding (on that bike) will be a mix of brisk pavement riding, dirt-and-gravel road riding, and the occasional offroad "traditional mountain bike riding."

(But what, truly, is traditional mountain bike riding?  I'm guessing most mountain bikes are ridden more like what I'm anticipating - lots of pavement, some dirt.  I always smile to myself when I see guys lumbering along on FAT BIKES on the Greenbelt!  ALWAYS guys!  That's the opposite of an E-bike - "bike riding with TWICE the exercise!")

Another factor - I wasn't able to hook up my BOB trailer to the mountain bike - not enough clearance for those semi-fat tires.

So... I replaced the 2.35 inch tires with some 40mm tires.  That about 1.6 inches.  They are "knobby" tires, but with a fairly wide solid center ridge, which will allow for brisk pavement riding... or at least that's my line of thought.  Recommended pressure is 50-85PSI.  They should roll pretty nice at 85... and if I get to some gnarly trails, I can bleed some air, and they should be fairly adequate.  And - the trailer can be attached!  (They are Schwalbe "Land Cruiser Plus" tires, with a puncture-resistant belt.)  I hope to provide a review, after some miles and experience.  In the meantime, I'll try to survive the virus with my family, and accumulate those miles and experience.

Stay well, friends!

Group ride!

'Twas an almost-perfect day today, and I went on a somewhat rare ride with somebody else.  That "somebody" is somebody very special to me - my granddaughter Laurel.  Her momma and daddy won't allow their kids to go until they're a year old - Laurel turned 1 year in February, and we're off to the races!  (I get a LOT more smiles from other Greenbelt people, when I have one of the grandbabies along.  This is the third who has used this little up-front bike seat... their parents gifted it to me, many moons ago, and we've gotten lots of mileage out of it.)

Banner January

We had unseasonably warm weather through most of the month of January, and being an old retired fixed-income guy, I was able to take advantage by doing a lot of cycling.  (NOTE to people from elsewhere, considering moving to Boise - it's usually AWFUL in January!  Snow... cold... smog.  We just got lucky this month.  Don't move to Boise!)


And as is my custom nowadays... at least this time of year a large percentage of my cycling was on the Greenbelt.  It's not as pleasant in the dead of summer when the pavement is overrun, but in January there are not Greenbelt traffic jams.  And, let's face reality - with the meaningful influx of newbies in cars, the streets are getting less bicycle-friendly and more stressful all the time, year-round, at least on the streets without bike lanes.

I covered the area from the "Highway 21 high bridge" upstream...

... to Eagle Road downstream.

Some nice scenery between the two, as well.  Good times.  (What a blessing it is, to have a flexible schedule that enables me to hit the road at the peak time of day.)

But - the highlight of the whole month was earlier today, when I got to take my granddaughter Laurel on her first ever bicycle ride!  (It was a delight for me... serious business for her!)

New decade... quality saddle time!

Good fortune was mine...  took advantage of the nice weather.  You know it's going to be a good year and decade, when you squeeze in 20 miles on Day 1!

Out Orchard and Gowen, for an armament check.  (Gotta make sure we're ready for the Ayatollah and his minions!)

Did a loop around the Boise Air Traffic Control Tower.

TRIVIA: The tower is the tallest ATC tower in the northwest.  It's the second-tallest building in Idaho, behind the Zion's Bank Center downtown, which is 28 feet higher.  (But the bank building includes an unoccupied vanity tower on top, that's probably the top 40 feet.)  I was lucky to get a tour of the Air Traffic Tower with a Scout group, just before it was turned over to the FAA back in 2010.  Nice view!

From there, out Pleasant Valley Road, Hollylynn Drive, South Cole Road, Lake Hazel, and back into town on Orchard.  I also had a very pleasant stop along the way to visit with my friend Bob, who I hadn't seen in probably five years.  (Airport tower is still visible in the last photo.)  So - time well spent all around!

"Tireless advocate"? Maybe not so much any more...

The masthead on the "Bike Nazi" declares that I'm a "tireless advocate for the most efficient form of human transportation ever devised - bicycles!"

And that's how I started out, way back in 2007.

But I've grown weary.

For one thing, over those 12 years I've lost a bit of vim and vigor.  My average speed is probably down 3 or 4 MPH.  (I still try to ride as far... but obviously it takes longer.)

But in addition...
1) I'm retired as of March, so my "transportation" needs have changed considerably.  No more daily commute.
2) Considerably more people seem to be bicycle-transporting in 2019, at least when the weather's nice, than in 2007 or 1986 (the year I permanently and meaningfully embraced bike transportation).
3) There are more alternatives now, than there were in years gone by.  I'm thinking in particular of electric scooters and bicycles.  (I would never consider either, recognizing the value of getting some "bonus exercise" as part of the compensation package for riding a bicycle.  But I can understand the appeal of E-vehicles, especially if they're getting people out of cars.)
4) I have no idea if people are reading my blather or not.  And if they are reading it, are they finding it motivational?

The frequency of my posts has dropped off considerably... especially since I ditched the daily commute.  BUT - I still ride every day when I have a bicycle available... and I still do a lot of transportation cycling.  Nowadays it's running errands and such, rather than commuting to work.  So hopefully I'm still setting a good example.

Watch for me - I'll be the Hi-Viz Fat OLD guy on the bike!  (And if you're reading, I'll still try to do some word arrangements from time to time... when I feel like I have something to contribute.)

Cannondale crack, cont.

Earlier in the month, I posted about the cracks I discovered in my Cannondale frame.  Here are a couple photos:


Much to their credit, Cannondale will make good on their lifetime frame warranty.  That's the good news.

The bad news?

There's really no forward-compatibility, from 2011 to 2019.  Pretty much every bike Cannondale makes nowadays, has disc brakes.  And - there may be other compatibility issues as well, between my 2011 components and a 2019 frame.  So - I have a choice.  They'll replace the frame but then I have to purchase any bits that are required in addition, to make it into a rider.  Or... they will give me a 30% discount on any new bicycle in the lineup.

I went in and took a look - and even a quick test ride - on a "Quick" model urban bicycle.  It's an upright-handlebar road bike, and this particular one had one chainring on front and a very wide-ratio 10-speed cassette on the back.  I liked it - a lot.  BUT - it would essentially duplicate the Long Haul Trucker bicycle which I anticipate riding far into the future.  So, I may look at a lower-end mountain bike for playing in the foothills and desert.  (I'm retired now, and that should afford more opportunity for recreational bicycling.)  I say lower-end, because the Cannondale lineup appears to start around $650 and goes well into five-figure stratosphere!  (Oh my goodness!)  I'll report on what shakes out.

Under New Management!

Why is this guy smiling?

Duh - because he's RETIRED!

March 15 was my last day toiling for my daily bread - after 44 years of full-time employment, I've joined the vast army of fixed-income senior citizens!

I rode to work this morning, before daylight, same as always.  On the way, I was entertained by three characters who were sharing the infrastructure:
- a bearded, beanie-cap wearing hipster, shivering and weaving jauntily up the bike path - on an E-scooter.  (That guy will be paying Social Security, so I can collect Social Security!  Like I've been paying for 50 years.)
- a SUV motorist playing tortoise-and-hare with me for a few blocks, from stoplight to stoplight.  It's so very satisfying to watch 'em go zooming ahead with a furious roar and a cloud of street dust... then slam on the brakes at the red light...  as I mosey up slowly behind, arriving just as the light turns green.  Repeat... Repeat... (I know the light timing patterns after riding the route thousands of times before, and paying attention.)
- One final smart-phone zombie, lurching across the street as I arrived at the bike room.

The awesome people at Boise Cascade have been signing my paycheck for the past 24+ years.  What a great place it was to work!  And I've always appreciated the delicate irony that I attended high school two blocks away (Boise High), at the very time my last work home was rising mightily out of the ground.  I've got many wonderful friends there who I will miss dearly.  The work?  Not so much.

So - what now?

I told my office colleagues:
- Judge Judy and Wheel of Fortune – every day!
- Putter around, get in the wife’s way.
- Yell “Get off my lawn!!” at the neighbor kids.
- Keep the checkout line waiting while I count out the exact change.
- FOX NEWS!!

But seriously...

I've got work to do, at first.  Sprucin' up the homestead.  Probably until early summer.  It'll be pretty sweet NOT having a fixed agenda every day; I'm confident I'll stay occupied.

I expect my bicycle mileage to increase, rather than drop, even though I'm no longer commuting to work.  I've got a "retirement bike" that needs to have some meaningful miles put on it.

Hoping to do a Coeur d'Alene Trail run in late summer, shortly after Labor Day.  At a leisurely pace, because I've got no place to be, or schedule to keep.

Life is great!  Stay thirsty and busy, mis amigos.

Another frame bites the dust

On Saturday, 3/2, I was doing a much-needed drivetrain scrub on my primary bicycle - a Cannondale - and noticed a pronounced crack around the very top of the seat post, above where it joins the top tube.

I've been riding this frame since the summer of 2012, and it probably has 30,000+ miles on it.  (And it was a warranty replacement for a frame that I'd only been riding for maybe 2.5 years, and far fewer miles, that had the early signs of a similar crack.)

When I was done with my maintenance, I went on a ride, and rode into George's Cycles on State Street.  (That's the shop where this frame was paired with my components, and I rode away.)  They took a look and acknowledged it should be covered by the warranty.  They took some photos and said they'd get the wheels in motion.  Last time, my recollection is that it cost me about $200, for the labor involved in swapping everything over to the new frame, and for a new front derailleur.  (There was a fitment issue between frames.)

I'll probably keep riding it until it fails, or until I get it replaced.  Because of the location of the crack, even if it "catastrophically" fails, it will only result in the saddle/seatpost rotating loosely around the inside the seat tube.  I won't be face-planting or leaving a trail of ground-off flesh or bone fragments along my route.

This is disappointing.  Up until the failure of the frame in 2012, I'd ridden Cannondale bicycles for probably 20 years without a hitch.  (I've still got my first Cannondale frame... I bought just the frame when I saw it in the back room of a long-gone local dealer, and outfitted it myself.  It's difficult to part with old bikes - they are like old friends.)  But - the reality is - bicycle manufacturers probably don't "overbuild" bicycles for Clydesdales like me.  You don't see a lot of 240-250 pound guys bicycling 5000-6000 miles per year.  I may not spend a lot of time standing on the pedals and giving it everything I've got, but even gentle forward-back, or side-to-side motion on that seatpost, over the course of 30,000 miles... bikes just aren't built for that kind of stress.

Late Winter Wonderland!

For awhile, it seemed like we weren't going to get much of a winter in these parts, this year.  January was extraordinarily mild, with some days getting into the low 50s.  (Was Algore right??)  But - winter has returned.

The past couple mornings, the roads have been too gnarly for me to feel good about sharing them with cars... so I took the bus.  And each afternoon it warmed up nicely, providing suitable conditions for bicycling home.  (The buses all have a bike rack on the front.)

I share some photos of some nice winter scenes, snapped the past couple afternoons.  (The Parks Department does a fantastic job of maintaining the Greenbelt - heck, e-scooters could ride on it!  The roads shared with motor traffic... it's hit and miss.  But in the afternoons it's been more slushy than slippery.  Just the same, eternal vigilance!  Any ride where you get to Point B unscathed, is a successful ride.)

The final photo is the best possible "natural phenomenon" I'll enjoy this month - my brand-new granddaughter, Laurel!  (Being held by big sister Bonnie.)  Babies are miraculous!

Magic Carpet Ride

Last night as I put my bicycle to bed, I just happened to make mental note of the odometer - 88.8 miles (YTD).  Easy to remember overnight, huh?

This morning I rode to work in the dark... it's what I do this time of year.  Passing under a streetlight, I checked and it said I was going some outlandish speed - 100+ MPH!  Yowza!  (What the???  My actual speed was maybe 13mph.)  I started checking as I passed streetlights - it was obvious my bike computer was wonky, because my speed was jumping from 1mph to 800mph to 20mph, seemingly randomly.  Maybe that was the sign - time to get a new computer.  In any case, I was expected to be at work, so I'd deal with it later.

This afternoon, I checked.  It said this morning's ride covered 210 miles, and my YTD miles was 6100-odd.  HUH?

I rode away.  It seemed to be keeping precise track of MPH and distance once again.  I guesstimated when I'd hit 100 miles... stopped at that point and reset it back to all zeros.  (It'll be easier to add 100 to total miles than 88 or 92, assuming it remains faithful going forward.)

So - what happened?

Scenic route (to McCall and back)?

Sunspots?

Dark-side-of-the-moon experiments by the Chi-Comms?

UFO flyover?  (Maybe I should find a hypnotherapist and see if some obscured memories emerge...)

I'll keep an eye on it.  I've usually gone with a Cateye computer since my first "Cateye Solar" way back in the 80s (and I think the price was in the $80s, as well).  This one is a Cateye "Mity 8" - and it's probably 9 years old, so perhaps it's approaching the end of its useful life.  We'll see...

5K miles for 2018

Today my bicycle odometer clicked over 5000 miles for the year.  (Or more accurately, the mileage accumulated on three different bicycles totals 5000+ for calendar 2018.)

Are there people who ride more miles per year?  Oh yes!!

Are there people who have been accumulating bike miles for more years?  No doubt!

(I started accumulating bike miles in 1959 or so; but I never kept accurate track until 1986, when I invested in my first electronic bike computer.  Back in the '70s, I had a Schwinn mechanical odometer - each time the front wheel did a revolution, it clicked a little cog-wheel.  But it was never consistent; the mechanical nature resulted in much fiddling and frustration.  And, for 10 years or so, I pretty much turned my back on bicycle transportation.  "I once was lost, but now I'm found!")

Many cyclists ride farther and faster.  But - I would assert that my consistency over 33 years puts me in a fairly rarefied group.

Since 1987, I've ridden 4000+ miles every year.  Of those (32) years, I've ridden 5000+ miles in 14, and 6000+ miles in another 11 years.

I have not yet ridden 7000 miles in a year.  But next year... ?  (I'll be retiring from my 8-5 job next year, which will afford more discretionary time.  But on the other hand, that discretionary time may result in other pursuits which have so far been elusive... travel and such.  Time will tell.  I expect my bicycle to be a significant part of my life until my kids pry the handlebars out of my bent and bitter fingers!)

In the meantime, thanks for indulging me, while I contort myself and pat myself on the back!

Hamburger on the Highway!

This blog isn't intended to be "all about ME," but...

This morning I navigated myself into a crash. (D'oh!! I'm too old for such nonsense!)

At 6:45 or so I was headed for work, along a totally familiar route. Visibility was good. Traffic was super-light (a benefit of traveling at 6:45am). I was riding along, in total control, when I happened upon a lady walking a big ol' Rottweiler, maybe a half-block up the street. She used her other hand to wave at me... so I was trying to figure out who it was, and if I knew her. And - I spent too long figuring. (Distracted driving! I victimized myself!)

When I looked up-front again, I was headed directly toward a car on the side of the road... and WAY too close.

Two thoughts raced through my mind...

"Don't break off that side mirror!" followed immediately by, "Oh, &@#* - this is going to hurt!"

I redirected enough to miss the side mirror. It happened fast, but I think my front wheel went into the front wheel well of the car. And, I flew through the air with the greatest of ease and body-slammed the pavement on my left side.

Yeah - it hurt! But, after laying there for maybe 15 seconds, groaning about my pitiful plight, I was able to get up. (VICTORY!)

The nice lady who waved at me - who I don't think I've ever seen in my life - ran over. "Are you okay?" I told her I'm way too old, but I thought I'd probably be okay someday.

She said, "I live nearby - could I get my pickup and give you a ride someplace?" I took her up on the offer. (The front rim has rolled its last, and my fancy saddle is bent. I can replace a rim, and hopefully I can bend the saddle back into place.)

She took me and the bike home. I thanked her sincerely. Then got on the Long Haul Trucker and rode, somewhat gingerly, into work.

I've got a bit of road rash - treated with soap, water, and antiseptic. I 'spect my sore hip and sore shoulder will be reminding me of my mishap for a few weeks. (That hip has taken a beating over the years. I'm surprised it works at all.) I'm fortunate, only in that it could've been WAY worse. No visible damage to the victimized car on the side of the road. Nothing broken, or so it seems. And... I've already gotten about 4 miles of bicycling in, since the crash. (Gotta get back on that pony and ride... right?)

Surly Long Haul Trucker, Chapter 2

... in which my personal customization is completed.

HANDLEBARS: The bike came with two sets of handlebars - the factory-original drop bars, and some upright bars.  Me being the fickle one, I wasn't wild about either option.  I rarely use the drops... but the uprights were too upright!  And, on a long ride, it's a blessing to have multiple available hand positions.  After considerable research, I went with the Jones bars... and I'm optimistic about that decision.  They seem very comfortable on my aging wrists.

The only other real change since Chapter 1... I installed a Surly "8-pack" rack on the front.  It'll be handy for grocery-store runs, but I envision being able to strap a little bag on there for day trips, with provisions, perhaps the DSLR camera, etc.

The beautiful day beckoned, so I took it out on a test ride.  20 miles, roughly, upstream on the Greenbelt to Eckert Road, and back home via Bergeson and Federal Way.  I also did a test run on the Surly-Bob Train... ran to the grocery store to shop the sales.

(My intention is to keep this bicycle pristine until my impending retirement... which is still a little over a year off.  But between now and then, I'm sure I'll go on the occasional "Sunday Drive" when conditions are really sweet.  And... I'm toying with the idea of another North Idaho adventure in late summer; we'll have to see if that materializes.  If it does, this would be my likely bicycle of choice.)

More photos of today's ride can be seen HERE.

Surly Long Haul Trucker, Chapter 1

I brought the new-to-me Surly Long Haul Trucker (2014 model, in "smog silver") home a couple weekends ago.  Today I let it see the light of day for awhile, as I installed some preferred accessories.  I put some new pedals on (with flat platform on one side, SPD clip on the other)... I installed a Cateye cycle computer... and most visibly, I installed some Planet Bike Cascadia fenders - in bright orange.

I'm quite pleased with the contrast between the silver frame and the orange fenders.

You will notice the upright-style handlebars, which were installed by the previous owner (along with the sweet Brooks B17 saddle).  I'll likely try some other model handlebar.  I don't think I'll go back to the drops - I hardly ever ride in the "drop" position any more - but I'm not delighted with the full-upright position, either.  I'm looking at the Jones "H Bar"; It has an almost flat profile, but offers multiple hand positions, when taped up for such.

This is my post-retirement bicycle, so I've got time to tweak.  Until then, it will probably serve as a "Sunday Rider" - I'll take it out for a spin on picture-perfect days.  (The Missus should be thrilled that this geezer is buying another bicycle for post retirement, rather than a sweet La-Z-Boy.  I'm a firm believer in "use it or lose it."  I'm slowing down, but hope it'll be at least another 15 or more years before I come to a complete stop... or my kids force me to give up bicycling because it's just gotten too crazy.)