Gobble Gobble

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. I remember as a kid, adults were always talking about how fast time goes by and telling us to cherish the time we were having because it would be gone soon. Has any kid ever actually understood that? I think not. Well, I hate to say it, but they were right. I have no idea where this year went, yet we are almost at it's end. I guess it is lost among many changed diapers, sleepless nights, miles passed on the roads and trails on my bikes, and the dreaded hours at work ;-)

I was in California for Thanksgiving and was lucky enough to have the use of a bike without having to travel with my own. I was able to ride twice, which doesn't sound like much. But it is twice more than zero, and that is the part I focus on.

The first ride was one of my favorites of all time - the Alpine Dam Loop. If you ever find yourself in the Bay Area and want a great ride with good climbing and better views, don't miss it (there are many places you can start from - here is just one option http://www.touchstoneclimbing.com/pdf/alpine.pdf).

The day started with a series of frustrating events that delayed me hours past my intended start time. I came mere millimeters from abandoning my plans to do this ride that I love so much. It was my wonderful wife who actually encouraged me to stick to my plan and go ahead. What great advice. I had brought my lights and quickly grabbed them as I took off. It was a good thing too, because I finished as the sun was setting. I didn't have time to make the out and back to the actual summit of Mt. Tam (2nd highest peak in the Bay Area), but it was still a great day in the saddle.

What a truly satisfying feeling. Not only did I complete a challenging ride on roads most people that live within a stones throw don't even know exist, but I pushed through when I had come so close to giving up. It is such a great feeling when you accomplish something positive like this when you were so close to finding yourself on the negative side instead.

My second ride was another one of my Bay Area favorites. I wish I had something like it in Seattle to do on a regular basis. Both physically and mentally, it makes me a stronger person. The ride is from Danville to the top of Mt. Diablo (the highest peak in the Bay Area). It's not long - just a mellow 20 minute warm-up to the base of Diablo. then 11.5 miles up to the summit. But what it lacks in miles, it makes up in the challenge. Many people don't even attempt it. Not that it is so difficult - the grade is actually quite mild (except for the last 0.25 miles which is...well, brutal is a good word. On it's own maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but after an hour and a half of climbing, the pain is considerable). Most people just don't find the idea of riding uphill for over an hour a fun experience. I have to say that I used to be one of those people. No longer - now I relish the idea of attacking Diablo again and trying to get up it in just a few less minutes.

I have experienced the whole range of human emotions while riding Diablo. I have been completely charged and uplifted by a great day in the saddle and a good finishing time at the peak. I have also felt the hot East Bay summer sun melting my desire to ride and grinding me to a halt. I have also run into just about every weather condition on the mountain. From 100+ degree temperatures, to being turned around short of the summit by a Park Ranger due to black ice on the road. Although Brad and I found ourselves in the Lunardi's parking lot (our standard meeting place) in a cold, light rain; the day turned out to be a great one. Just another example of how pushing through when adversity stands in your way can present great rewards.

As with the previous ride, this day started with several struggles that would have caused some to abandon the day, or at least overshadowed the positive experience that followed. I will save myself the extra keystrokes, and point you to my friend Brad's blog for the gory details of my near disaster - http://chubby-rookie.blogspot.com/2008/11/pre-turkey-puddle-romp.html. I will add a couple details/corrections though - It was a very hectic morning at Grandma & Grandpa's house, so I was a little frazzled as I left. I needed another set of pedals anyway, and there was no $20 install fee.

Anyway, I persevered, and was able to escape the cloud of negativity and have a great day enjoying being alive, spending time with a friend, and taking on a challenge like riding up Diablo. I didn't complete my goal of riding to the top of both Tam and Diablo on my short visit, but I'm not dwelling on it. Just glad that I got to ride at all.

Happy Holidays

Back in the Saddle

I rode my bike to work this morning. Not such a great feat, but it was the first time I rode in 8 days. I decided to take some time off to let my hip heal. And even though I was seriously doubting my decision, any plans to get on the bike sooner were foiled by getting sick. The combination of starting to feel better and the dire need to ride had me pedaling in today. Great day for it too - 55 and partly cloudy!

It felt great to be on the bike again, even though my legs and lungs were hurting after just a small climb to get from the Fremont bridge up onto Dexter where my office is. Anyway, I'm glad to be back and hoping I can keep it that way. Just got the call from Zach's school that he has a 101 degree temperature and needs to be picked up. Not to be selfish, but let's keep our fingers crossed that I don't get it also.

Early in October, I crashed in a cyclocross race...on the pavement of all places. I really messed up my left hip. I am still dealing with issues stemming from that fall and aggravations to the injury from racing and other falls. Now it is keeping me off the bike. And I'm not happy. That is why I am writing this.

I don't really know what to compare it to. PMS? I don't know, because although I have dealt with it close-up, I guess you can't call it first hand experience. Depression? Don't know either. Maybe more like my 4 1/2 year old when he can't get what he wants. What I do know is that it sucks.

Where's the Beef?

Today's Seattle Cyclocross series race was #6 at Bremerton Fairgrounds. The course was great, except for that I saw it a little too up-close early on lap one. The guy in front of me braked really hard before a turn and all of a sudden my front wheel was making a nice sound against his rear wheel. I didn't get to listen long, because I was soon saying hello to the cool muddy ground and some particularly spiny bushes in the Fairgrounds camping area.

Was it because of my new cantilever brakes, and me not being able to slow quickly when he did? We will never know for sure. But I can tell you this, I love the new brakes. It will be even better when I get those Avid's off the front. No issues with mud clearance at all - and it was very muddy in parts of the course. Not as thick and nasty as Donida Farm, but still enough to gum up V-Brakes.

It was a tough race for me today. After the crash early in the race, I worked hard to catch back up with some of the people that passed me while I was down. The combination of that effort and the fact that after two laps I was greeted with the number 2 (indicating 2 more laps) on the board instead of a bell and everyone yelling "last lap!" definitely took some wind out of my sails. I don't think there was too much there to begin with.

I am guessing because of the ferry ride involved for most people getting to Bremerton, the field was much smaller than usual. I finished 47 out of 50. Not very satisfying, but it was a fun day anyway.

Here are some photos from the race, including two very appropriate ones of me and some signs on the Fairground buildings ;-)

Where's the Beef?


What kind of legs do I have?


My dedicated support team



.

Why Can't it Ever be Easy?

I started doing the work on my bikes myself about 15 years ago. It all started with an overhaul on my beautiful turquoise Trek 560 road bike (circa 1987). I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Thankfully there was a kind and patient wrench at the local bike shop in Santa Barbara near my brother's house that helped me. I think I drove back and forth to the shop at least 10 times. This was back in the day of unsealed bearings and cone wrenches. If you're too young, you probably don't even know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, I have become a decent wrench myself. But I sometimes try to move a bit too fast and make mistakes. But most of all, I always run into some kind of snafu. It's like there is a conspiracy against me. No matter how simple the job appears, something is bound to happen.

The latest example is the job I just tackled last night - mounting the new wide-profile cantilever brakes on my cross bike. Soon after I bought the bike, I switched the brakes to V-Brakes, because I was really unhappy with the braking power and the front end shudder from the Avid Shorty's that came on the bike. I won't even get into all of the problems that plagued me when trying to mount the V-Brakes with Travel Agents.

So there I am, excited about my new brakes that will provide much better mud clearance. Tomorrow's race looks to be even muddier that last week with all of the rain we've gotten in the last week. I carefully read the instructions that came with the TRP EuroX brakes and as it directs you step 1, I put the short end of the spring in the center hole at the base of the post on the fork. It immediately falls out!!?? Since wide-profile cantilever brakes are 70's technology and my Rocky Mountain frame was built in the 21st century, we have a mismatch. The holes at the base of the post on my fork are not completely enclosed. They are not really holes, more like C's cut out of the metal. Since the spring is not attached to the brake body like the pins on newer cantilever brakes or V-Brakes, it just slides right out of the "C".

This is so typical that after the first few seconds of anger and frustration, I move on. The plan is to buy that EC90 X carbon fork that I've wanted anyway. But I can't get it by this weekend, so it means a 14th trip out to the garage for my old Avid Shorty's (I'm working inside so I'm warm and can listen to music while I work - my garage is pretty cold and very cramped). The rest of the job actually went smoothly. The TRP's are mounted nicely on the rear. I swapped the 105 rear derailleur that it came with for an extra Ultegra one that I had in the garage, I switched out the chain ring on my 1x9 setup for one that my little chicken legs can actually turn (no I'm not telling you how many teeth it has ;-), and the bike is cleaned and lubed. All ready to get slathered in mud again.

I know the cantilevers will take some adjustment time after having the great stopping power of my XTR V-Brakes. But after last weeks experience, I didn't really have a choice. So much mud got jammed in around the brakes and rim that it was like riding with the brakes on all the time.

Hopefully, it will be a good report after tomorrow's race at Bremerton Fairgrounds.

Here are the TRP's on the rear:


And the Avid's on the front :-(

Hi, my name is Chris and I have a problem...

I am obsessed with my bikes, and biking, and what to tinker with next on my bikes. One of the latest manifestations of my obsession is cyclocross. I only bought a cross bike last season after racing 3 times on my mountain bike in a cross race. I quickly decided that I was hooked and bought a bike.

When I make an investment in something like this, I cannot buy something cheap. One justification is that if I really get serious about it, then my initial investment is wasted. So I generally buy something pretty sweet from the start. In this case, I was very conservative. I bought a Rocky Mountian Solo CX. Now I am struggling with what to upgrade.

I already upgraded the wheels, because they were garbage. Now I find myself in the middle of the day on Google or EBay checking prices on an Easton EC90 X fork or an FSA Energy Compact Crankset. At the same time, I'm in vapor-lock over what to do with my mountain bikes. I have a Blur - which is sweet. But it is total overkill for the riding that I do. I am racing Round and Round (24-hour race in Spokane) again this year, and I really want to do it on a hardtail. My hardtail is an 8 year-old Gary Fisher Paragon that is in pieces in my garage. Do I really need the XTR Dual Control Shifters and Disc brakes? If I do, then I simply have to buy some Mavic Crossmax SLRs. Well, now it just doesn't make sense to spend that much, when for just a lot more, I can get the whole XTR kit.

My name is Chris, and I know that I have a problem...what's yours?

Videos on vimeo.com

I just discovered vimeo when I found that video from Donida (in previous post). Here are some other Seattle cyclocross videos that I found there.

Starcrossed - under the lights at Marymoor Velodrome:

Starcrossed Cyclocross 2008 from bce on Vimeo.

Seattle Series #3 - South Seatac:

Seattle Cyclocross #3 South Seatac from Jeff Evans on Vimeo.

Last year at Kelly Creek - brrrr!

Seattle Cyclocross, SCC 2007, Finals, Men 1-2 Kelly Creek from Dessa on Vimeo.

Lance's return to racing (yes CX!):

LANCE ARMSTRONG RETURNS - Las Vegas Cyclocross from CYCLEFILM on Vimeo.

Video from Donida Farm

It's not from my start time, but here is a cool video from yesterday that someone posted:


Fun at Donida Farm from Dessa on Vimeo.

Seattle Cyclocross Series #5 - Donida Farm

So today didn't go exactly as planned. I know Becky would have been proud that I was just out there racing in the rain and mud*. But I was looking for more than that.

*see previous post "In Memory of Rebecca..." for explanation

I woke up a couple times during the night and heard the rain, so the conditions were no surprise. I was actually excited for the chance to race in the mud. That is really what it is all about - off-season racing in all conditions. I actually thought it would be to my advantage, because I never let the weather stop me. What's a little mud?

My legs were definitely tired from Saturday's race and I am still adjusting to the new 1x9 setup. The lowest gear is a little tougher than before. I might have to tinker a little more to get it dialed in. I said that I was going to push hard the whole race. I didn't quite succeed in that regard, but it was close. I fell into a "I'm hurting, I'm not doing as well as I wanted, I can't breathe, my legs feel like logs" negative state and started to ease off. Thankfully, Joe Martin was close by and saw my patheticness (is that a word?) and snapped me out of it. There I was, riding along looking at the bib number of the guy that just passed me. Is he in my class? Does it matter? Go pass him back! But the legs just wouldn't go. And then there is this guy in my ear, "Kunin!! Stop coasting!! GO!!!"

Seriously, thank you Joe. I needed that. All of a sudden, I snapped out of it and I was racing again. I passed that same spot on the next lap feeling completely different. Still suffering, of course. But I was pushing and not just surviving. I approached the triple barriers gaining on someone in front of me. Back on the bike after the barriers right on his tail. Into the mud. Gaining on him. Preparing for a pass on the left. He is starting to shimmy to the left. I move more to the left. Driving hard to get by him. Then I see the metal post that the course tape is tied to. I yell "on your left" and try to squeak by. But there is no room and we are right at the post, so I cannot move. We both go down. Where are my glasses? Covered in mud, they are useless and go in my back pocket. After a brief interaction with the (angry) racer that went down along with me, and adjusting both levers back into place, I'm off again. Not feeling so spry anymore. It's tough to see without my glasses (they are prescription). After a minute, I settle down and I'm racing again. But I think at least three people passed me while I was wallowing. Back on the pedals and I catch up to the guy in front of me. But can't get past him before the finish.

Saw Brad and Jess after. He wasn't so pleased with his day either. But we had fun.

I was too cold and wet and in pain to stick around for results. I fell on my left hip, which was just finally healing from Crosstoberfest. Oh well. Advil and ice tonight.

Here are some photos from the day:

My support team


Early in the suffering


I know it's blurry, but the mudslide was too fun to skip


Nice shot with the Donida Farm sign


Brad and I post-race


Heading home

Mark your Calendar

For those of you out there that race cyclocross or want to try, mark your calendar for next year's Starbuck's Cycling Benefit race. The proceeds go to the Fred Hutchinson Survivorship Program at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. This program is partially funded by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

I raced in the event today, and although it was a well-organized event, it was sad to see such a small turnout. At a Seattle Cyclocross Series race, I commonly see over 70 people in the Cat 4 Masters 35+ group. Today we were only 14. Let's make sure we at least double that for next year. Get the word out.

I very recently lost my step-mom to breast cancer, and my father has recently been treated for cancer as well. So this was a very timely event for me, and although there could have been a hundred excuses not to go, I'm really glad me and the family made it out.

Brian - Thank you for finding my blog and telling me about the race.