Decker Loop PR?

Rode the 26.3 mile Decker loop yesterday evening. The winds were just right and where I had a headwind, the aerobars helped reduce their impact.

Averaged 20.1, door-to-door. That includes 7 stop signs (and yes, I stopped for them).
I've averaged 20 mph in the past, but it's been a couple of years and I did it back them without aerobars on my old De Rosa Primato.

Bike: Cervelo
Calories: 1005

She-cat flash photos -- Team RAO 2007

2007 RAO Team She-Cat Flash

Thirty-five: Dallas + Decker

Small group today. Only two of us did the long ride and I extended it to 102 miles by doing a loop over Decker.

Bikes: Cervelo (75), De Rosa (27)

I had to switch bikes after stopping at home for a snack. The rear tire had a very slow leak (turned out to be a leaky valve stem; easily fixed because the Vredestein 80mm tube has a removeable core).

Navigating at RAO

Patty-Jo at RAO

Sandy riding in the Warm Springs reservation

Sandy Earl -- RAO 2007

I crewed for Sandy Earl and Patty Jo "PJ" Struve (Team She Cat Flash) at RAO 2007. Here's a photo of Sandy wearing her "game face".

She and Patty rode a great race, came in 1st place, and established the female two-person record.

Frame separation

The start of Team Race Across Oregon was delayed to allow the Bachetta rider to replace his bike. Here's a photo showing the frame separation. I'm just glad it happened in the parking lot and not on a descent...

Final word on the "clicking" problem?

My De Rosa has a clicking problem (but not a going problem!)

I've tightened chainring bolts, replaced the BB, swapped out the pedals and shoes, lubed the chain, and swapped out the rear wheel.

I think I've solved the problem by torquing the cassette to spec (50nM) using a torque wrench. In the past, I've always tightened the lock ring until it clicked a few times.

While cleaning the cassette (and looking for defects) I noticed there was a slight bit of play...

Monday I took the De Rosa out for the Monday night ride (~30 miles) and it was quiet for a change! (Craig and I were the only riders to show.)

Thirty-four: Covered Bridge Tour pre-ride

Rode to the start at Timber-Linn park in Albany (OR). We got underway at 7:30 and pre-rode the route. (see mvbc.com for details on the Covered Bridge century to be held on August 12th).

Rode with John M, Tim, and Joe. Great riding companions -- it's sooo nice to put in a few miles with friends (also great to have some help repairing a flat!)

Distance: 117.7
Ascent: 3065 ft.
Calories: 4225
Bike: Cervelo (had a flat on the rear tire from glass; replaced the tire after the ride since it was a bit worn.)
Max temp: 94F at the finish (88 at the Lebanon stop)

Note: managed to stay hydrated; lost no weight due to fluid loss. Took only two endurolytes; had two V8s, a diet Pepsi, two bottles of Perpetuem, two Tiger Milk bars and two Grandma cookies. Also drank some water too!

I had no noticeable sodium deposits on my shorts. I felt fine the whole way. Looks like I'm finally getting used to the "heat"...


Key find: Using Polar insulated bottles is great on a hot day. I used it to keep the Perpetuem chilled. It was 80-94 F out there and it took a long time for the ice to melt. I always finished the bottle before the contents got warm...

Fabian's Cervelo at the Tour

Click here to read the story at cyclingnews.com

Wondering why the newest Cervelo bikes are black and white instead of black, red, and white?

You guessed it -- to save weight. They knocked off a few more grams by not painting the bikes (red) and letting more carbon show through...

As for me, I really like the red paint job. Besides, the tiny weight savings doesn't matter to me. (It's already very light and more importantly, aero!)

Monday night ride: 30+

Took out the Soloist for the Monday night ride, also known as "Paris-Roubaix" because of the rough roads.

Usually there's a sprint for the sign at the end of Peoria Road (at the junction of Hwy 34).
I decided to "go" very early, using the aerobars -- and it worked. I have no idea how fast we were going (directly into a headwind); I can't see my Polar 720i because I'm wearing it.

Betty said she came off at 29 mph. Jessica stuck like glue and tried to come around. I was so impressed with her ability to stay on. Although she hasn't ridden much this year, she's still a tough racer.

I thought the bike was getting a little noodly near the sign. It could have been that my front tire was starting to lose air. On the bike path, on the way home, it went completely flat! I pulled out a spare tube and discovered the valve stem was too short (it was a long one, but not a 60mm.) And my spare valve stem extender wouldn't fit the Alps -- it was too thick!

So I simply patched the tube, used a CO2 cartridge to pump it up, and I was back on track!

Thirty-three: Roaring River Century

Distance: 105.2
Max temp: 90F
Ascent: 1460 ft
Avg: 18.0 mph

Rode to Roaring River today on the Cervelo. Got some practice using the aerobars. Also got some practice staying hydrated. After stopping at home for a little snack, I went back out for a spin on the Peterson/Airport loop.

Consumed: two V8s, a ham/cheese sandwich (@Cottonwood), 1.5 bottles of Perpetuem, four bottles of agua, a cup of Soy milk, a can of Diet Lime Soda, two Endurolytes

Sandy -- are you impressed that I didn't dry up?

Got my hands on some Poggio 4s!

I've been delighted with the original Nike Poggio shoes I picked up some time ago. Nike is discontinuing the shoes and they're hard to come by (in size 48). However, Corvallis Cyclery located a pair and gave me a good deal on it! Thanks Dan!

What Ultracycling says on staying hydrated

See http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/electrolytes.html

The Salt Mines

CTS does not recommend the use of "salt tablets". However, they do not address the use of electrolyte tablets such as Succeed! and Endurolytes. See http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=2483

They say that losing as little as 2% of your body weight in fluid loss can affect performance.

I've been losing about 5 pounds on each century ride. That's about 80 oz of fluid (1 pound = 16 oz).

A few days ago I did back-to-back centuries and lost a total of 8 pounds (128 oz)!! It was quite hot on the second day, in the 90s. I felt a little tired after the ride (duh!) but I could still eat and drink.

I've got to get a handle on staying hydrated if I'm going to be successful at the 508....

Thirty-two: Marys Peak Century

The Mid-valley Bicycle Club celebrates the 4th each year with a climb up Marys Peak, at 4000 ft, the tallest peak in the Oregon coastal range.

Turnout was low and unfortunately there was no SAG at the top. My bottles were nearly empty! Fortunately there's a water spigot at the campground about a mile from the top.

I rode the De Rosa and tested the 12-27 cassette (Miche). The 27 made the steep parts just a little easier. After I made it home, I switched bikes and rode the rest of the Cervelo. Rode to the Christmas tree farm on Bellfountain and then over Decker.

Distance: 91 miles
Bikes: De Rosa (48), Cervelo (43)
Ascent: 4135 (Marys Peak) + 1170 (Decker + Philomath) = 5305 ft
Temp: 90F in the afternoon

On the second part of my ride, I stopped at the Philomath Mickey D's for a cool soft-serve ice cream and to fill my bottles with ice and water.

Movin' on up

In the UMCA mileage challenge, I moved up from #39 to #25 in overall mileage (as of July 1st).

Still more work to do!!!

Thirty-one: Summer Solstice Century Part deux

After moving 4000 pounds of bark mulch the last couple of days, I decided to go for a ride.

Rode to Bellfountain, Harrisburg, Brownsville (via Rowland), Shedd, and Philomath.

Distance: 92
Temp: 88F (in Harrisburg)
Avg speed: 16.9
Bike: Cervelo

Consumed: bottle of Perpetuem, three breakfast bars, can of Campbells Tomato juice, and a 32 oz Diet Coke (in B'ville; refreshing!)

Note: I think I started this ride a little dehydrated from all the yard work in the sun. (After eating dinner and drinking lots, I was still at 188.) I think I started the day at 194...

Monday Evening Ride: 30+ miles

I took out the old (and pristine) Colnago Master Light. It's got a straight-block cassette, which is suitable for the sprint at the end of Peoria Road.

Wolfie edged me out on the sprint. I wasn't covering my right side and he zoomed past me. I grabbed his wheel and got partway around before the sign appeared. That was fun -- we got up to at least 34 mph, directly into the wind. (Wolfie is faaaasst!)

Afterwards, the gang stopped at Bombs Away for dinner... Great food (I had a wet burrito.)

RAO racers that are RAAM Qualified

I looked these guys up on the ultracycling site...

Bruce Carroll - RQ
Glenn Johnson - rookie
Upton Dabney - rookie
Hugh Gapay - RQ
Robert Buntrock - rookie
Jim Fischer - rookie
Al Smudz - RQ
Ryan Correy - RQ