Century #27: Decker loop, Brownsville, Shedd, Peoria loops, Tangent, Philomath

Welcome to Brownsville.	Historic church in Shedd.	Amtrack train that came blowing by soon after I crossed.

Played hookey from work today -- actually my boss encouraged me to try to get a century in today. The weather is about to turn soggy for a few months, actually about 6!

Distance: 101.6
Average temp: 47F
Cadence: 58/94
Average: 17.7 mph
Calories: 4043
Climbing: 1255 ft (mostly the Decker loop)
Miles-to-medal: 223.2 miles
Ascent-to-date: 72,855 ft (only the centuries)

Century #26: Shedd, Brownsville, Rowland, Peoria Rd loops

It never really warmed up today. The fog didn't burn off until around 1pm as I approached Brownsville. Saw a bunch of wild turkeys on the way out of Brownsville on the Rowland loop!


Rode 98.4 miles -- almost ran out of daylight!

Calories: 3875
Climbing: 1360 ft.
Avg Speed: 17 mph
Miles-to-medal: 324.8
Cadence: 59/87
Counties visited: Benton, Linn

Go Beavs!!! This just in -- Oregon State beats #3 USC!

Nutzo Nutria

Top candidate for my totem at the 508 next year! Thanks Echnida!

You see, at the Furnace Creek 508, racers don't get assigned numbers. Instead you pick an animal totem, possibly one that begins with the same first letter of one of your names...

Century #25: Bellfountain, Harrisburg, Peoria, Peterson Lp, Philomath Lp

Barely squeaked this one out before it was completely dark!!! Rode the first 57 miles on the Ritchey/Alps and my new orthotics. My left calf, which had been sore from a spinning class earlier in the week, started giving me problems. It felt better to pedal out of the saddle!

The left calf always gets it when I start back to the spinning class -- I'm missing a soleus thanks to getting "whacked" during my record attempt across MS in '97. Of course the "Helen-ator" led my first class back -- "I'll be baaach!" Seems the spinning bike engages the muscles a little differently than my road bike.

Near Peoria, I came across a rider in the his aerobars wearing a Chronos TT helmet. I concentrated on catching him and it took a while. (The calf felt a little better when I hammered.)

I think the new orthotic/shim for my left shoe is somehow working my calf more. Scott Peterson (my orthotics guy in Bend) had said that he put in more correction since I had adapted so well to the old ones. Perhaps my position on the bike isn't exactly dialed in -- nothing like a longer ride to point that out!

I stopped at the house after 57 miles and changed bikes and shoes. Pulled out the red De Rosa. The calf still hurt on the upstroke, but I decided to push on. After a few miles it settled down and actually got better. Aha!

Another reason I'm doing bike changes during rides is to simulate what will happen in a long event. Good to know in advance how this works out. Sometimes it is helpful to change saddles and shoes to alleviate a problem. (No problems with my feet and bum these days!!)

counties visited: Lane (nuclear free!), Linn, Benton
climbing: 1500 ft
calories; 3263
miles: 91
temp: 59F (but comfy -- a bit windy!)
cadence 59 avg, 89 max
avg speed: 17
Miles-to-medal: 423.20

Century #24: Kings Valley, Monmouth, Independence, Buena Vista, Albany, Decker + Peterson Loops (120 miles)

Before I started my ride, the Weather Channel said it was 39F, but my outdoor thermometer said it was 34F! Nonetheless it was clear outside and no real excuse not to ride!

I left at the last possible moment, 9:15, to attempt to intercept the MVBC "long" ride to Monmouth. (It warmed to a blazing 40F now!)

I saw nobody in Philomath and though I rode slowly, nobody caught up with me. Maybe they took a different route? Didn't spent much time at the Kings Valley store and pushed on. Absolutely gorgeous in Kings Valkey this time of year!

In Polk County I saw a few signs for "Tom Ritchey -- Polk County Commissioner". Don't know about the politician, but the Tom Ritchey who made my Breakaway has my vote.

It eventually warmed up to 70F by the time I finished my first 73 miles. I made myself a grilled sandwich (thanks to Mr. Foreman) and took off for some more miles. I swapped my De Rosa Primato for the Ritchey and changed into my newer shoes with my most recent orthotics (with greater correction than the old ones).

The Ritchey felt funny for a few miles but I eventually settled in. I felt as though my pace picked up riding the Ritchey. I think the De Rosa needs a little work. There's a little creaking noise on every down stroke of the pedal; might swap pedals to see if it goes away.

The Ritchey, in comparison, is quiet. The PP 247 pedals on this bike are very easy to clip into -- it's as though magnets are pulling your shoes in!! (The older pedals on my De Rosa have almost 16,000 miles on them -- maybe they're tired! I *do* grease them from time-to-time.) I've already ruled out the BB, I've already reinstalled the crank arms and BB to the proper torque.

Counties: Benton, Polk, Linn
Distance: 120 miles
Climbing: 4040 ft (not the flattest ride)
Calories: 5311
Avg cadence: 62 (91 max)
Low temp: 39F, High: 70F
Miles to medal: 514.20

Tip of the day!

"If your bike is under 20 lbs and you get dropped on a hill, it's not because of the bike." -- Lon Haldeman

I'm a winner ... of a Giant Rincon Mountain Bike

At the health fair at work, I entered a drawing for a bike and it turns out that I won! (Now I can't say I never win anything!)

Verry cool. Since I converted my '96 Stumpjumper to a commuter, soon I will have a bike I can use out in the nearby McDonald-Dunn forest this winter!

Tip of the day

TIP: RTFB!

Excessive hugging a crewmember at the side of the road won't get you across the finish line.

We saw this at the 508. We encountered a rider embracing someone at the side of the road. We felt for him thinking he had just DNF'd. To our surprise he passed us later on, only to be found pulled over -- once again -- hugging someone...

Such a foul is verbotten when Sandy is the chief! And don't even think about wimping out and getting in the vehicle -- she'll lock the doors! :-)

Century #23: 112 miles, Brownsville, Harrisburg, Bellfountain, Decker

I extended the MVBC ride to Brownsville into a century. Started out with arm and leg warmers and a capilene undershirt. It warmed up enough in Brownsville to remove the arm warmers and shirt; by the time I hit Decker Road the temperature started to drop so I put the arm warmers back on.

The most pleasant part of the ride was the section from Hwy 99 to Bellfountain. Hardly any cars at all. Passed a pumpkin patch between Harrisburg and Monroe -- I guess these pumpkins are rejects considering they should have been harvested already.

Calories: 5300
Miles: 112
Elevation gain: 1965 ft.
Cadence: 61 avg, 93 max

My 508 Totem: Nutria!

Myocastor coypus

Nutria are gnarly, seem to cause a lot of havoc, and are virtually indestructable. I've actually seen one at the cooling pond at work. There are signs that say, "Don't feed the nutria."

See http://www.nutria.com

Crewed for the Hoary Marmot at the 508

The photo shows John Henry Maurice (the Hoary Marmot) receiving his medal from race organizer Chris Kostman.

The crew consisted of Sandy (chief), Ron, and me. We had a good time and worked very well together -- this was the best crew I've been a part of.

See http://www.the508.com for the webcast. I posted some of my photos at http://www.capitolvelo.com (click on Gallery).

Next year it's my time to step up to the plate -- I already have one of the best crew chiefs (and *accomplished* racer) in the business willing to help me. Believe me, a good crew chief is crucial!

Tip of the day

Sandy's pet peeve: Excessive photo-ops at the start line are for people who aren't certain that they'll get to take pictures at the finish line.

What does Mark do on a friday?

..and every other day of the week?

I ride my '05 Ritchey Breakaway travel bike! This bike rules -- particularly when tricked out with a pair of HED Alps wheels. (The Breakaway's stock wheels are quite good actually!) The bike is equipped with Ultegra 9-speed shifters, a SRAM cassette, and Ritchey most-everything-else. (Great stuff I might add).

The Breakaway is a *full-size* bike that comes with its own travel bag. You can check it as luggage and fly with it for no extra charge. This travel bike weighs a scant 20 pounds, not bad at all. (Besides, it is much more responsive than my old 26 pound folding bike, which I sold on ebay. No more 20" tires -- and flats -- for me.)

Got a great deal on the Breakaway from the Beaverton Bike Gallery (fantastic shop). Before the Lance Armstrong Foundation ride, I was shopping for some shoes and left with the bike -- but no shoes. (I was looking for a pair of Nike Poggio shoes that I had bought there a few years ago.)

I put the Alps on this bike because it has *vertical* dropouts. The rear wheel kept slipping on my '95 De Rosa Primato, which has *horizontal* dropouts. I could get it to stick on the De Rosa only by "hogging" the skewer, making it a pain to remove the wheel. Seems the locknuts are made of an alloy material that doesn't bite into steel very well. I think HED intends for these wheels to go on a bike from *this* millenium, most of which have vertical dropouts...

Since I bought these Alps wheels with a 10-speed Campy cassette body, I had to use a Wheels Manufacturing shim kit (Shift-7) to respace a loose 9-speed Campy cassette. I picked up a Miche 9-speed cassette (Campy compatible) from Universal and replaced the shims. I also had to adjust the derailleur stops because the cassette is slightly offset in position from the original wheel.

I took the bike out on the Decker road loop, which has a bit of everything, including a nice climb and descent. The drive train was spot on! (Who says you can't mix components?) Yeah, I could have purchased a Shimano cassette body from Hed, but they say you have to redish the wheel and that seems like a lot of trouble!