Research Trailer Park Bicycle, Bike, Randonneur, Randonneuring Brevets

Get Er' Dunn ... and Done ... and Done....

2012-01-23T20:33:00.001-05:00

We just can't get enough of these crazy records. Here's one that could be tough to break. Our good friend Dean is one shy of triple digits in riding Get 'Er Dunn, the permanant he owns.

Yesterday, four of us struck out on the 102K course from the convenience store near his house down to Dunn and back. We thought it would be fun to tag along when Dean hit the century mark.... Oops we miscounted, it was only 99 times that he'd completed. No matter. It still counted as a bike ride, and that was good enough.

We had a temperature swing of about three degrees, which meant the temperature hovered in the mid 30s, and a light mist fogged our glasses but it was a fine day nonetheless, because we were out in cool air and back just in time to hear Steve Tyler careen through the Star Spangled Banner.

I may not be with Dean on his next Dunn ride, so here's a congratulations in advance.

Surf's Up....

2012-01-13T09:53:00.001-05:00

John W. put this up on FB.... For fans of another great alternative mode of transportation...a slow motion look at skill and courage on the world's heaviest wave.

More Surfing Videos

60 in a Row for Dean!

2012-01-05T07:44:00.004-05:00

One of RTP's very own, Dean Furbish, just hit an historic milestone -- 60 months in a row with a least one 200K. Dean is the model of consistency -- he's out there nearly every weekend, and many weekdays, knocking out another 100K or 200K.

What's remarkable about Dean's accomplishment is that his streak began with the very first 200K he rode, the Kerr Lake Loop, way back in February 2007. He has racked up 34528 KMs in events since then.

Dean teaches physiology at an area college and he has shared his knowledge through his Phun Physiology reports here at RTP. His write-ups went worldwide last year when the Australian magazine Checkpoint picked up one of his articles.

Way back in 2008, I did a Q&A with Dean. It's worth reprinting on this festive occasion of his R-60 streak. Enjoy!

_______________

I always look forward to riding with Dean Furbish. He is one of the new guys in randonneuring, but he’s taken to the sport lock, stock & barrel. His enthusiasm and energy are contagious.

Last time I talked to Dean, in the middle of NCBC’s 60-mile Rainfest, he told me he was doing a century every weekend. We may have to box him up and ship him off to Dan Driscoll in Texas.

The first time I talked to Dean, he had yet to ride his first brevet, and he had a lot of questions. I met him for coffee at Third Place, just up the street, and we spent an agreeable hour or so talking about all things bikes. By the time the conversation was over, I realized I’d gotten the better end of the stick.

I mentioned I’d had problems with dehydration and an elevated heart rate on the very longest brevets. Dean teaches physiology when he’s not on the bike. (I had to look it up: physiology is the study of how living organisms function including such processes as nutrition and movement and reproduction.) In short, a physiologist is the guy you want to get food & water advice from. Maybe love advice, too, who knows? Dean gave me an invaluable tip about using electrolytes. Knock on wood, I hope dehydration is a thing of the past.

With the hot days of summer coming on, I asked him to share some pointers with the entire crew. He talks over my head (no trick there) so I may have to get him to clarify a few things. If you’re like me, you’ll want more nuts & bolts, so fire away with the questions.

In the year or so that we’ve been riding together, Dean has gotten noticeably faster. In this email Q&A, he also lets his training secrets out of the bag. Read on.

1. How long have you been cycling? I began cycling in October 2000 with the acquisition of a hybrid Schwinn Sierra 700. At the time, I viewed cycling as a great choice for low-impact aerobic exercise. I especially enjoyed leisurely rides viewing the countryside. The true measure of a ride was based on the wildlife spotted. It wasn’t until the summer of 2005 that I participated in my first organized ride. I recall having to push my bike up Lystra hill. I was hooked.

2. When did you start randonneuring? I joined RUSA in late January last year, but couldn’t wait for brevet season. So I rode the Kerr Lake Loop Permanent the very next month, my first-ever randonneuring event.

3. What got you interested in the sport? The allure was cyclotouring. In October, I rode a brevet around the second-largest lake in the US—Lake Okeechobee. As luck would have it, my riding companion was a geologist, and I learned a lot about Okeechobee ecology and economics. In August, my brother and I rode a permanent in the kettle moraine area of Wisconsin’s Ice-Age trail.

4. Your longest bike ride before your first brevet? 100 miles—I’d completed a few rides that distance on the coastal plain.

5. What do you like best about randonneuring? There are a number of things that appeal. In addition to exercise and touring, accomplishment, camaraderie, and the sheer joy of riding come to mind—although these elements are not always present in equal measure or at the same time. One of the most enjoyable rides last year was Blackbeard’s Permanent, an all-night,group ride that participants called magical. This ride had a good mix of the elements that draw me to randonneuring.

I’ve also come to appreciate and benefited from the selflessness of fellow randonneurs and randonneuses, who willingly give of their time sharing their knowledge and offering encouragement.

6. How many miles are you riding monthly? Since the first of the year, I’ve been averaging a little over 500 miles/month.

7. You’ve gotten noticeably faster in the past year. What steps have you taken to increase your speed/conditioning? My times at shorter distances have improved from last year. The greatest contributor has been riding with the Gyros of north Raleigh. These rides include more hills than I get riding solo. The second factor was something new as well—year-round riding. I can thank the R-12 program for that.

8. You’re a physiologist. How has that education helped you in cycling? A background in physiology is useful in several regards. It has helped me understand some of the physiological demands of ultracycling. It helps me appreciate the physiological changes cyclists seek in various training regimens as well as the rationale behind such regimens. An understanding of the different energy pathways taken by lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates helps in formulating appropriate cycling diets and assessing nutritional claims.

9. What key advice do you have for other cyclists regarding food and hydration?
Food and hydration are important topics for serious cyclists, since they directly affect performance. Some key advice I have for cyclists has to do with the importance of electrolytes as they relate to food and hydration.

Many cyclists have heard that electrolyte balance is important. What are electrolytes and why are they important? Known variously as ions, minerals, or salts, electrolytes are necessary for normal muscle and nervous activity. Electrolytes are not just limited to sodium and chloride but include the likes of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. At best, electrolyte imbalance can lead to reduced performance. Even worse, electrolyte imbalance can result in death when, for example, an athlete overhydrates without electrolyte replenishment (hyponatremia).

Setting aside the fact that electrolytes are essential for normal muscle and nervous activity, electrolytes play important roles in food and water absorption as well. Let’s see how this is the case and what a cyclist can do to take advantage of this understanding.

Electrolytes and Water Absorption. In spite of the fact that water is vital to life, our body has no direct way of absorbing the water we drink. The body absorbs water only indirectly. It does this by pumping electrolytes from one cellular compartment to another. Water passively follows this electrolyte movement across cell membranes by a process known as osmosis. This is how absorption occurs in the small intestine, where most water is absorbed.

Interestingly, water absorption is enhanced by eating. Physiologists note that more water absorption occurs while eating than when drinking without eating. Perhaps it is because of the minerals normally contained in food. Advice: While most cyclists know to drink small amounts of fluid periodically to avoid dehydration, it may be a better strategy to ingest small amounts of food periodically and wash it down with water. Not only does this allow for faster water absorption but it helps maintain energy levels as well.

When athletic events are limited to an hour in duration, rehydration can be achieved by drinking just water. This is because sweat is mostly water and contains very little salt. For longer events, however, electrolyte replenishment—in addition to water replenishment—is crucial, since electrolyte loss is additive.

Electrolytes and Food Absorption. First of all, a word about the difference between ingestion and absorption. Ingestion is not the same as absorption. Food is ingested and lands in the stomach before moving very slowly into the small intestine where it is absorbed into the body. For the ensuing discussion on food absorption, food is taken to mean digested carbohydrates in the form of simple sugars.

As is the case with water, food absorption is also electrolyte dependent. Interestingly, the process for absorbing a simple sugar requires a sodium ion. Both the electrolyte and the sugar are absorbed—or better, co-absorbed—at the same time by the act of the same transporter molecule. If either sodium or sugar is missing, the absorptive process for both ceases. An abundance of one in the absence of the other halts the absorption of both.

In what seems superficially, at least, like a circular argument, food and water absorption are both enhanced by electrolytes, while food enhances both water and electrolyte absorption. Cyclists shouldn’t worry themselves well into a long brevet with this apparent conundrum, which I’ve attempted to explain above. All that cyclists need to worry about is: “eat, drink, [ride] and be merry.”

10. What goals do you have in your randonneuring future? I’m still finding my way. Hopefully, I’ll continue to improve and become a stronger rider. Goal setting for me has always tracked my perceived abilities. For now, I’d like to continue improving at the shorter randonneuring distances. One of the payoffs of increased conditioning this year is that I don’t feel as “beat-up” after a ride. I’d also like to improve to the point of being able to ride greater distances in the company of stronger riders. In the meantime, I hope to be able to continue to enjoy the ride.

New Years Day 200K / Assault on Brushy Mountain

2012-01-03T09:21:00.000-05:00

Happy New Years, all. Here in NC, we celebrated another rando season with a 200K that featured a climb over both sides of Brushy Mountain. Nothing like starting '12 off with 12 miles of uphill pain.

It was a small crowd this year: Me, Jimmy, Joel, Brian, Bob, Geof, Tim, Steve and John from Florida (I think I got everybody). What a great day for a ride. It was nothing like the rainy slogfest of '11. We had tailwinds nearly all the way home, and that made the hills a bit flatter. Temps hit 59 before a very brief shower cooled things down just before the finish.

I did much of my riding with Skinny, AKA Joel. He's been a monster in the hills ever since his Android put him on a strict diet. It's time we all pitched in and got him a gift subscription to the Ham of the Month Club. I also learned that Tim, who hit 15,000 miles in 2011, was featured in the Wilson Times. Congratulations! (I can't find the link, perhaps he can supply it.) His ride report from the Taste of Carolina 1200K is also in the latest newsletter.

I took a couple pix at the finish only -- with my long fingered gloves, my iPhone camera is useless on the bike.

Thanks to all for a terrific kick-off to the 2012 and another great day on the bikes.

Phun Physiology: Salt-Stain Science

2011-12-20T14:37:00.004-05:00

Want to make a fashion statement? What better way of saying, “I’ve been sweating profusely,” than with white salt stains on black lycra!

Salty Sweaters
Just because someone’s cycling clothes are covered with salt doesn’t necessarily mean they are a heavy or even “salty sweater.” For example, one might expect the clothes of endurance athletes whose events last several hours to be salt encrusted. On the other hand, what about exercises in which athletes participate for the same time duration? In this case, the crusty accretions of salty sweaters are telltale. One report indicates that 10-15% of Florida State University football players are considered salty sweaters. But what does this mean? And is there something about which athletes need to worry?

While we know that a small percentage of athletes are considered “salty sweaters,” the underlying cause is elusive. Do salty sweaters just sweat more than their counterparts, or does their diet consist of greater sodium intake than their peers? In the absence of specific scientific studies, there is no clear answer. However, many experts believe there may be a correlation between high dietary salt intake and excessively salty sweat. Moreover,

Research is increasingly showing that salty sweaters are at greater risk for muscle cramps and dehydration.

Experts all agree that athletes need to replenish some of their salt loss during endurance events, whether or not they are salty sweaters.

On this note, although, the spokespeople at Hammer Nutrition believe that salt stains are not an indication that an athlete has completely depleted his or her salt reserves, they still believe that electrolyte intake during physical activity is important for promoting fluid and electrolyte balance and proper physiological functioning. They state that:

Salt stains on jerseys and shorts are NOT an indication that the athlete is sodium depleted. Rather it is the body excreting excess amounts due to an over abundance in the body.

The overabundance of dietary sodium theory as the cause of salt stains is echoed by others.

It is hypothesized that salt stains arise as a result of the body attempting to rid itself of excess sodium. Laboratory results seem to support this claim.

We know consuming high sodium converts into high sodium loss in sweat and urine. We know consuming low sodium converts into lesser sodium loss in sweat and urine than high
sodium.

Is Sodium Loading Beneficial?
A team of researchers has empirical data supporting the claim that there may be some benefits for sodium loading. Sodium loading as the term suggests refers to the practice of drinking a salt solution prior to exercising. The title of their study published in what is dubbed the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine couldn’t be any clearer on the matter: Sodium Loading Aids Fluid Balance and Reduces Physiological Strain of Trained Men Exercising in the Heat.

High Dietary Sodium Intake is Very Unhealthy
In spite of the fact that the practice of sodium loading appears in the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, I shall throw a cautionary flag. The practice of sodium loading notwithstanding, the article is not suggesting that a high daily salt intake is healthy for anyone, including athletes.

In fact, when faced with high dietary salt intake, the body responds by increasing blood pressure in an effort to mitigate sodium toxicity. Over time this can lead directly to hypertension and heart disease.

From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, the amount of salt used by the average American increased by about 55%. It is estimated that Americans eat 5-6 times what a natural diet would provide without salt added.

Serious consideration should be given to reducing dietary sodium, given the causal connection between high-salt consumption and coronary artery disease.

The good news, however, is that lowering sodium intake reduces blood pressure. Additionally, dietary supplementation of a few minerals normally deficient in the American diet—magnesium, potassium, calcium—taken either singly, or in combination, reduce(s) blood pressure.

On this note, it is thought that Americans get only 43% of the recommended daily amount of potassium, only 60% of magnesium, and 35-50% of calcium. Consequently, reducing sodium intake while increasing potassium, magnesium, and calcium intake to normal levels can have a powerful blood-pressure lowering effect.

While some promote dietary supplementation of magnesium, potassium, and calcium, the proper amount of these minerals can be found in non-processed foods, including fruits and vegetables.

Recommendations
It seems to be clear that proper fluid and electrolyte balance prevents cramping, especially with athletes who are “salty sweaters” when performing in the heat. Regardless of whether one is a salty sweater or not, the recommendations are the same for everyone:
1) Reduce daily sodium intake, if it is high.
2) During endurance events, consume an electrolyte supplement along with fluid and food intake.
3) I’ve argued elsewhere that because of cellular co-transporters, hydration is much more efficient when water is consumed along with both electrolytes and food (i.e., glucose and amino acid sources).
4) There is no reason to believe that so-called salty sweaters should consume more than normal amounts of electrolytes during exercise. In fact, some experts believe that consuming too much salt during exercise may upset the delicate hormonal balance and thus the body’s ability to maintain proper electrolyte balance as the body attempts to rid itself of sodium and, inadvertently, water.

Let’s ride!

One Good Year...

2011-12-15T10:29:00.001-05:00

As we near the wrap of 2011, a song for 2012... Not that my year has been bad...I just like Slaid and his songwriting...

Update on Blue Ridge Parkway Management Plan -- and a Correction from Yours Truly

2011-12-15T06:41:00.000-05:00

Several gentle readers have pointed out that my last post on the Blue Ridge Parkway was in error -- that it's not all doom and gloom, or anywhere close to that, for bicycles on the parkway. A ban on bicycling is not in the proposal.

I feel thoroughly chastened, and I'll try to do better, so please accept my apologies and do not send the blog police around. They are thugs.

Here's a link that gives a good account of what's going on. The headline says it: 'Bicycles are welcome,' Parkway super says.

Blue Ridge Parkway Take Action Now!

2011-12-13T11:42:00.003-05:00

Bicyclists need a forward-thinking plan for the Blue Ridge Parkway	Take Action!
Act now to submit comments on the Blue Ridge Parkway Draft General Management Plan

The National Park Service is asking for feedback on its Draft Management Plan, a 684 page document that will set management policy for the Parkway for the next twenty years and beyond. The proposal favored by park management (option B) could restrict future encouragement and promotion of bicycling and hinder the Parkway’s ability to evolve to meet the growing demand for active transportation. We need cyclists from Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to urge the Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent to work with cycling groups to plan for and promote bicycling and other non-motorized forms of transportation in the park. Please email the Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendant to ask that he work with bicyclists to improve the plan that will determine the future of bicycling on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Take Action NOW!

Phun Physiology: Pickle Juice and Muscle Cramps

2011-12-11T11:41:00.005-05:00

You’ve probably heard of the latest quick fix for muscle cramps: pickle juice. Is there anything to the claim that a few slurps of the sour brine actually stops muscle cramps? Moreover, what does the science say, if anything, on the matter? Stay tuned.

There have been many anecdotal testimonies claiming that pickle juice not only prevents muscle cramps, but that it relieves muscle cramps faster than anything else on the store shelf. And as randonneurs, we know that the worth of any convenience store is measured by the shelf space allotted to pickles.

The only problem sometimes is deciding which one!

Do you think that maybe some people may not find the mixture of vinegar (acetic acid) and salt (calcium chloride, sodium chloride) in water very appetizing?

Pickle juice has also been commercially packaged. This link to a YouTube video shows someone demonstrating how to drink pickle juice.

Every kid knows that the worst thing about medicine is taking it. But maybe, just maybe, we don’t actually need to drink pickle juice in order to receive its benefit! Read on . . .

Apparently, pickle juice does stop cramping. In controlled experiments, researchers have discovered that drinking pickle juice stops cramping in just over a minute, while water provides no relief from cramping.

However, because cramping ceased immediately, researchers now believe that the positive effects of the sour elixir are not due to its having been absorbed by the body. In other words, while pickle juice contains salt and fluids—which are known to alleviate cramping—they haven’t had time to re-establish proper fluid and electrolyte imbalances in slightly dehydrated human subjects. There goes one hypothesis out the window.

There’s more. Unless you really had your mind set on it, you can actually forego both the pickle and the briny solution, since research has also indicated that drinking vinegar by itself will relieve muscle cramps.

Not appealing, but you’re still in a pickle?

Don’t worry. Apparently, you don’t even have to swallow the vinegar!

In their search for a scientific explanation, researchers have hypothesized that there may be some specialized sensory receptors in the mouth and throat that communicate with nerve cells attached to the spasmed skeletal muscles, telling them to ease up. Or, in the researchers’ own words:

We suspect that the rapid inhibition of the electrically induced cramps reflects a neurally mediated reflex that originates in the oropharyngeal region and acts to inhibit the firing of alpha motor neurons of the cramping muscle.

If this is the case, my advice would be to obtain something with vinegar in it and simply: “Rinse and spit.”

Unless, of course, you’ve been hankering to go a round with “Hot Mama.” In which case, you’re on your own!

A word of caution: while pickle juice may provide an immediate fix for muscle cramping, don’t ignore the underlying causes, which still need to be remedied, including proper fluid and electrolyte balance. And do it as soon as possible!

Let’s ride!

“To P, or not to P. That is the question.”

2011-12-10T19:04:00.004-05:00

On the one hand, I mean no disrespect to Will not only for mangling lines from Hamlet, but for taking them completely out of context to suit my shameless lowbrow purpose.

But in my defense, it was sort of an existential question that we were entertaining earlier in the week: whether to ride. Janis, MikeH, and I wanted to notch another monthly P-ride, and we were keeping a close eye on the weather.

In the balance: Mike’s P-9, Janis’ P-12, and my P-24.

The early week forecast was calling for rain. As the week progressed, the rain was out, but headwinds on the return, gusting at 22—25 mph, were in. As it turned out, this was a complete exaggeration, too, although we wouldn’t know it until after we’d committed.

We were smug in our initial game plan: let the wind blow us to the turnaround control at Sherry’s Bakery in Dunn, warm ourselves with coffee, while feasting on apple fritters (frittering away the time), and then somehow deal with the wind on the return.

We find inspiration from another misquotation from Will, this time from Macbeth, an exhortation to storm the bakery and gorge ourselves on pastries!

“Lay on, MacMike, and damn'd be him that first cries, "Hold, enough!"

We had a great December ride today. Congratulations to Janis today not only for eclipsing 6,000km for the year so far, but for notching her first P-12!

At least one other Tarheel rider, JohnO, has earned a P-12 this year!

MikeH, readying to storm the bakery! Janis (lead-in picture) ready to celebrate!

Let’s ride!

NC Randonneurs Wool Jerseys!

2011-12-08T22:06:00.000-05:00

This is the design sketch for our NC Randonneurs wool jerseys from Woolistic. Color is approximate but it will be as close to our existing "not-Carolina-blue and not-Duke-blue" blue as we can get it. The minimum order of 25 jerseys can be a combination of short sleeve and long sleeve. ~~So far we have 15 21 24 seriously interested.~~ We have exceeded the minimum number, and I will be placing the order this Friday, December 16th. Pricing is Short Sleeve $95, Long Sleeve $105, plus $8 shipping each (if needed.) If you want to wear one (and we're happy for any rider to wear one) I need your money via check or PayPal before Friday. Drop me an email at NCRandOrder AT gmail DOT com with:

1- SS or LS or both

2- Size

3- Pick-up or Shipping (include address if shipping is preferred)

A Woolistic sizing chart is here, but NC Randonneur Mike Hogan has some great information and tips for Woolistic jerseys. With 35 years of experience in the clothing industry, many of those years in Italy, Mike knows wool. Grazie, Mike!

Branson

…

I own two of these Woolistic jerseys in size M, which I have had for about 18 months. They have aways been hand washed and air dried flat on a drying rack. The specs from Woolistic list these as 38-40", mine are a small 38" now and have been since the first washing, so this means two things:

1- they will shrink and

2- they will shrink once and remain stable after that.

This is common with woolen products.They fit me fine but if I purchase again I would size up to a large. My suit jacket size is 39". The other thing to take into account is that based on your design, which I really like, the embroidery does not stretch with the wool when you wear it so that it can create discomfort if the shirt is only a little too small. For example the Weil's jersey I own feels tighter than the Cinzano, because it has two bands of much larger embroidery than the Cinzano one. The NC Rando one will be similar to the Weil's one but with only one contrast band of intarsia with embroidery, however with a lot denser embroidery.

One other consideration is that Woolistic jerseys are made with a soft wool that is not combed and worsted to the same degree as some of the other brands such as IBEX. This is not a concern to me, but they do become a little fuzzy after a few months. The choice of this woolen yarn by Woolistic allows them to sell at a more reasonable price, especially with the amount of embroidery on their products which is what gives them their appeal.

Mike Hogan

A Good Day for the Whirligig Ride...

2011-11-29T18:08:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Tim for hosting Sunday's 100K permanent. It was a glorious day out in the sun past Vollis Simpson's whirligig farm, where this video was shot.

Video from Last Night's NC Rando Party!

2011-11-20T12:28:00.001-05:00

Man we had fun. We had a strict no-filming policy, but someone (Branson?) managed to smuggle this video out ....

NC Randonneurs in the News...

2011-11-16T11:25:00.005-05:00

Teri Saylor, who writes for Raleigh's News & Observer, did a nice write-up of PBP by interviewing Robert Bergeron and another local rider. Story here.

Robert is a new rider who came up just short of the finish line in Paris. I enjoyed listening to his adventures along the way. Robert also shared a PBP write-up on Martin's blog. You can read it here.

I've also learned Robert has been making news on the international front. During the interview he showed us a newspaper from Saint-Martin de Pres, which ran a picture of Robert posing with the locals. That's a real keepsake. Then, Mark Thomas sent along the video below. If you watch it at around the 41 minute mark, I believe that's a glimpse of Robert talking briefly then walking along the road. Note his NC Rando reflective vest.

Robert, congratulations on a tale well told, and we hope to see you at the Year-End event.

One final note: While watching the video, I saw the rider that Ian helped. You'll see Ivan, a rider from eastern Europe (his kit says Slovenia but he may be from Russia), at around 31:13. You'll also see Ian's green bungee cord. The story: several of us stopped to take a picture at an interesting PBP marker sign. Ivan came riding up, head bent over and suffering from obvious neck pain. Ian took a bungee off his rear rack and hooked it to Ivan's helmet to help him overcome Shermer's neck. We saw Ivan at the finish, so all worked out well. A picture I took of Ivan is below the video.... And here's another post that shows the PBP sign.

Well, another final note: Thanks to Martin for ~~scanning and~~ sending along the newspaper pix of Robert. It's below. Looks like the French moved Robert to the West Coast -- California, Carolina. close enough....

PARIS BREST PARIS JUSQU'AU BOUT DE LA NUIT from blankonthemap on Vimeo.

Carolina Crossroads Checkout Ride

2011-11-14T11:47:00.002-05:00

The Carolina Crossroads route for Saturday's ride is now ready to go. The checkout ride has been completed, the cue sheet has been double-checked, and the bonus miles have been ridden so you that don't have to.

Geof, Lynn and I christened the Carolina Crossroads permanent yesterday, striking out for new destinations under deep blue autumn skies. The route is surprisingly quiet, even into and out of downtown Raleigh, and the portions south of Benson are nearly desolate. It's the kind of backroad riding that I like best. We battled a headwind to the turnaround at the Crossroads Grocery & Grill. The grocery and grill are being renovated and both are currently closed, but we talked to the owners and they said they'd be on hand with sodas and snacks for Saturday's ride.

By afternoon, the sky had clouded up and taken on the mantle of winter but the temperatures remained perfect, and we warmed up nicely after each stop. We came back into town as darkness fell for about 11 total hours. A great day on the bikes; thanks to Lynn and Geof for the company. These pix were taken along the way.

Details on Saturday's rides:

200K: Carolina Crossroads 200K: Time 7 a.m. / Leave from Natty Greene's in Raleigh. Fee: $10 (to be used for party expenses)

100K: Dean's Benson Mule Pull. Time: 9 a.m./ Leave from Swift Creek Coffee House in Garner. Fee: $10 (to be used for party expenses).

Please let us know ASAP if you are riding so we can prepare cards, etc.

A New Permanent: Carolina Crossroads

2011-11-08T08:39:00.004-05:00

Cue that above video while you read this..... I'm pleased to announce a new permanent -- Carolina Crossroads -- a 200K that goes from the urban heart of Raleigh's Glenwood South and travels down to the Crossroads Grocery & Grill, with a town of address of Godwin but actually located dead center in the the Middle of Nowhere. Surprisingly, the Grill is on Facebook! Go ahead and friend em -- let em know you're coming.

This is a permanent route to lose yourself on -- figuratively speaking, not literally, as the cue sheet has been carefully vetted by RUSA permanista Crista. The route is a time machine into North Carolina's rural past, but you'll be quickly snapped back to present day, with all of its modern conveniences, as you sit down for a tasty meal at the Burger King in Benson.

Here's a look at the route. (A shout out to Crista for making the route approval process so easy, and for working up this map.)

While my name is listed as the permanent owner, the route was masterminded by Dean Furbish. He drew it up at Helios coffee and managed to concoct a masterpiece despite annoyingly loud techno music in the background. You'll know Dean as the father of the beloved Tar Heel 200K and the Benson Mule Pull Populaire. In fact, the Carolina Crossroads route uses a large and quiet portion of the Mule Pull, so fans of that course will find themselves on familiar territory.

Carolina Crossroads is a likely candidate for our upcoming Year-End party. Reserve your spot on the route today! The $10 fee will be used to help defray the party costs.

The route name Carolina Crossroads was chosen in part to honor blues guitarist Robert Johnnson.

Here's several versions of one of his better known songs -- Love in Vain. First two originals by Mr. Johnson....

....Next a cover by Eric Clapton....

.... And finally a Love in Vain cover by the Rolling Stones. Embedding has been disabled for it, but a great version. Enjoy!

Mark Your Calendars -- the Year End Party is Coming!

2011-10-25T08:12:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's that time of the year when the NC Randonneurs tear the roof off the sucker at our annual celebration. We've met in Greensboro the past two years at Natty Greene's. This year, we'll be at Natty Greene's in Raleigh, near downtown.

Where: Natty Greene’s Loft in RALEIGH
When: Saturday, November 19th.

Please plan on joining us. More details on the ride and other festivities to follow. As always, thanks to to Jerry and Branson for being the driving forces behind our year-end gatherings.

Today's the Day -- Hillsborough Street Bike Lanes on the BPAC Agenda

2011-10-17T09:46:00.005-04:00

Today's the day that Raleigh's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission will take public comments on the temporary bike lane striping on Hillsborough Street. Got an opinion? Show up and voice it.

The meeting begins at 5:45 p.m. at Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street. With a large crowd possible, the meeting has been moved to the Council Chambers, not the normal meeting room on the 3rd foor.

Hillsborough Street is an east-west corridor into downtown that runs past three schools, making it a popular road for biking. The street got a much-needed face lift recently, including two roundabouts and wider pedestrian paths. However, much to the dismay of many area cyclists, the plans did not include a dedicated bike lane. Proponents of a bike lane pushed hard to remedy that, and the city, with the state DOT's approval, installed tape striping as a pilot project. The striping has been down for several weeks, and there are conflicting opinions about whether the lanes should be made permanent.

Proponents, and there are many, say they feel safer cycling in a dedicated area on this busy thoroughfare. However, others say the bike lane has actually made cycling more dangerous by putting bicyclists in the door zone of parked cars. If you're interested in the debate and outcome, please ride your bike down Hillsborough Street to tonight's meeting and check it out for yourself.

The pictures and video on this post were taken on a scoping ride two Sundays ago. They show riders in the temporary bike lane with parked cars on the left and passing cars on the right. Since it was a Sunday, there weren't that many cars parked along the last stretch you see in the video. Normally, all of those parking spots would be taken.

Al's Picnic Ride 10-15-11

2011-10-16T22:08:00.003-04:00

This picture was stolen from Dr. Keith. I'm glad he's a doctor
and not a lawyer who might sue me for a copyright violation.

I reached the highwater mark of my working life back in high school, when I flipped grilled meat at the Big-T Burger in Clarksville, Virginia. The restaurant is long gone. Sadly, it has been converted into a laundromat, and the big boys, McDonald's and Hardees, have shuffled in to take its place. That's a shame, but even the Golden Arches can't rob me of my golden memories. Because when this boy met grill, the magic happened. It's true what they say -- a short order cook has such a supple wrist, and in my own deep-fried coming-of-age epiphany, I realized that we were selling the sizzle, not the steak.

Once a year or so, I get to relive those glory days, when Fearless Leader Al or ROMA RBA Matt Settle turns me loose on a gas-fired altar and lets me lord it over the open flames, flipping burgers for my riding buddies. I am transformed: Grill.Effin.Master.

Saturday was a glorious day. Thirty-five randonneurs under a deep blue sky, puffy clouds, perfect temps -- but enough about the bike ride already. The main attraction was a propane gas grill about the length of a 1967 Buick, with a glorious side burner for baked beans. I had my way with 8 boxes of Bubba Burgers (slogan: "You'll never bite a burger better than a Bubba!"), each one a 1/3-lb slab of juicy, 100% USDA choice chuck. The flames leaped three feet high, curled the hair off my arm, each time hot grease hit the flames. I roasted the red right out of a dozen red hots. I had Boca veggie burgers begging for mercy. I showed none.

Now, I'm not saying these were the greatest burgers I've ever flipped, but I did see a couple patrons swoon, although that may have been caused by a slight propane leak.

Thanks to all for a great day on the grill. Thanks to Al for hosting. Let's do it again next year.

Asheville: Finally Getting the Recognition It Deserves....

2011-10-13T09:34:00.000-04:00

Cap'n Ende sent this great link. Peter Sagal, the host of NPR quiz show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, recently recorded a promo message forWCQS's fund drive. While Public Radio personalities often do this for NPR member stations during their fund raising campaigns, Sagal used his 45 second to congratulate Asheville on being named "Cesspool of Sin."

Of Cycling And City Councilors...

2011-10-10T09:03:00.003-04:00

Yesterday morning, several area cyclists gathered at the NCSU bell tower for a check-out ride of the temporary bike lanes on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. The future of the lanes will be the topic of discussion at next week's meeting of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission. Look for a post about that soon. City Councilor Russ Stephenson, pictured above second from left, showed up at the start to talk about the pilot project. Russ is a strong advocate for better bicycling facilities in Raleigh. If you're a Raleigh area cyclist, you'll see Russ' name on the ballot when you go to the polls tomorrow. He is running for re-election to an at large seat on the City Council. Also pictured (l-r): Steve Waters, a BPAC member and former BPAC chair, Alan Wiggs, the current BPAC chair, and Dale, who you may know from local bike / running events and the REI store in North Hills...

We Dunn All That Today?

2011-10-08T20:12:00.007-04:00

October is absolutely one of my favorite months of the year for riding. In recent years Octobers have been packed with five weekends. And this time of year, there is no lack of small town festivals to enjoy if you just plan your trips accordingly.

We heard that Coats was celebrating Farmers’ Day. Sridhar promised great weather, I promised great food, and not to be outdone, Mike H promised great fun. Our itinerary seemed to change by the minute as we talked about all of our eating options.

Now I know why Mike likes the Get ‘er Dunn populaire so well. Even Marilyn seemed to enjoy his company. I just hope Mike’s wife likes Mike’s cycling as much as he does. We’re sending her a full copy of this ride report.

After the tryst with Marilyn in Dunn and some ice cream to cool Mike down, we headed to Jennifer’s Bakery for some apple fritters and something to wash them down.

We then headed back to Coats, via the Erwin control, where we hoped a turkey drumstick would still be awaiting us.

We sat eating our drumsticks and watched the Farmers’ Day floats go past. One of the clowns had problems with his suspenders and dropped his pants. Now we’d seen it all.

Back at the finish, Mike and Sridhar feasted on ice cream. Obviously enjoying his, Sridhar said, “If you don’t deserve ice cream after a 100km populaire, then when do you deserve it?” To which Mike replied, “I never need an excuse to eat ice cream.”

And to my good fortune these riding buddies never need an excuse to ride.

North Carolina is beautiful in October: bales of hay in front of cotton field.

Let’s ride!

Got Thoughts on Hillsborough Street Bike Lanes? Time for Input is Nearly Up...

2011-10-06T09:42:00.000-04:00

If you haven't ridden the temporary bike lanes on Hillsborough Street, please check them out as soon as possible, and let the city know what you think. Raleigh's Bike / Ped Commission will be considering them at the October meeting. Meantime, the public comment period is about to close.

Here's the official note about the comment period:

The City of Raleigh is seeking public feedback regarding the bicycle lanes that were recently installed along Hillsborough Street between Gardner Street and Enterprise Street. The City will receive public comments until Oct. 7.

The Hillsborough Street Streetscape Project - Phase I was developed to fit within the existing right-of-way with the goal of improving conditions for all users. The City's Comprehensive Bicycle Plan recommends the installation of shared-lane markings, or "sharrows," to direct both motorists and cyclists to share the travel lane along Hillsborough Street.

In 2010, local cyclists organized a campaign to petition the City to install striped bicycle lanes instead of sharrows to provide a designated space for cyclists on Hillsborough Street. The Raleigh City Council endorsed this position and made a request to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to allow the City to install bicycle lanes on the street. NCDOT approved the request as a pilot project on a temporary basis, with an observation period of two to six months.

Citizens are being asked to submit comments to help the City and NCDOT determine the safety and effectiveness of these bicycle lanes. The comment period will be open until 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7. Comments can be sent via e-mail to RaleighBPAC@raleighnc.gov or by mail to the City of Raleigh Office of Transportation Planning, PO Box 590, Raleigh, NC 27602.

And while I'm at it -- Raleigh Bike Resources:

Documents

Boards & Commissions
Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission

Why We Should Vote Yes for the Transportation Bond

2011-10-06T08:25:00.002-04:00

Sig Hutchinson, a leading greenway advocate who also serves on Raleigh's Bike/Ped Commission, has an opinion piece in today's News & Observer in favor of the proposed transportation bond. We all get to vote on the bond next week. For cyclists, it will mean greater funding for city bike projects. Please vote YES on Tuesday.

---

Whether selected as the country's "Most Sustainable Midsize Community" by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce or "No. 1 Best City in America" by Bloomberg Businessweek, Raleigh's rise to the top of almost any survey as "The Best Place to Live" should not be seen as something that happened by chance, but through strong leadership, clear vision and a road map towards the future.

Recognizing that these accolades do not go unnoticed, there is wide acceptance that we will double in size in the next 20 years. Therefore, the question facing us as a city is, how do we double in size while improving our quality of life?

Raleigh's $40 million transportation bond issue will go a long way towards that journey by recognizing that the best way to ensure our continued economic development, while protecting our quality of life, is by investing in our community:

The transportation bond issue starts by first fixing what we already have with a $10 million investment in maintaining our existing streets with timely resurfacing, thus reducing costly repairs down the road - and those pesky potholes.

The final unfunded section of our greenway system is also in the bond issue, as the final link in the city's100-plus miles of interconnected greenways. This new section along Walnut Creek will connect downtown to the Neuse River Greenway, completing one of the finest such systems in the country and extending from Raleigh through Cary and Apex into Durham to the west and connecting to Clayton, Knightdale and Wake Forest towards the east.

In addition, bike lanes will be expanded to improve our "bikeability," which means adding to our designation as a "Bike Friendly Community"and attracting many of the creative class of young professionals who choose to live here because of our variety of transportation options.
Sidewalks are also a part of the bond issue, as we now realize that sidewalks are part of our transportation system. The city's new policy recognizes this by no longer requiring property owners to share in the cost of new sidewalk construction or sidewalk repairs on their property.

Any real 21st century city must provide a variety of transit options, and so the continued funding of our transit system is also part of the transportation bond issue. Bus shelters and benches will be added to make the wait for transit more desirable, while upgrades and improvements to the Moore Square Transit Station are also part of the plan.

Most exciting is the leveraging of the bond funds with federal funds through the state DOT's Rail Division to remake an old Dillon Supply building in the downtown warehouse district into the new "Union Station" for Amtrak, commuter rail and the future high-speed rail. This $3 million of the transportation bond investment would leverage $20-plus million of federal and state DOT funds, creating a historically renovated new downtown station that will ultimately re-create the downtown's warehouse district into the next Fayetteville Street or Glenwood South, which means increased property values and tax revenues.

It's an exciting time for our city and most citizens will agree that Raleigh is one of the greatest places to live in America. By voting "Yes" to the transportation bonds on Tuesday, we will be well on our way to keeping it that way.

“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

2011-10-05T21:25:00.004-04:00

Steve Jobs' favorite quote from “The Whole Earth Catalog,” a book he said that deeply influenced him as a young man.

Of course, we can't forget his bicycle quote, now can we?

Quote of the Day or How to Spot an American at PBP....

2011-10-04T12:26:00.000-04:00

If you ride a retro randonneur bike people assume you are American or that you grabbed the wrong bike at the last checkpoint and you should return it to the bikeless American ASAP.

-- Gareth Evans

"Pretty Bikes at PBP"

Quoted in latest issue of Checkpoint

Audax Australia Cycling Club Newsletter

The Dope on Art Pope: “It’s never about making things better. It’s all about tearing the other side down.”

2011-10-03T10:58:00.005-04:00

Out-of-towners may want to ignore this political post.

For the Tar Heel residents in the crowd, please see this enlightening New Yorker article, State for Sale, about Raleigh Republican Art Pope and the negative influence he and the various groups he funds are having on North Carolina politics. From the New Yorker article:

Of the forty million dollars that his network has spent in the past decade, thirty-five million has gone to half a dozen ostensibly nonpartisan policy groups, which he has been instrumental in creating and directing. Pope claims that these organizations are independent of his control, but, on average, the Pope family foundation supplies them with more than eighty-five per cent of their funds. Though these groups are officially defined as philanthropic, almost all parts of the Pope enterprise push the same aggressively pro-business, anti-government message.

The groups include the John Locke Foundation, the Civitas Institute, Americans for Prosperity North Carolina. When you see those groups quoted in the press, be aware that Pope is behind the message.

Pope's influence reaches all the way down to our local school board. You'll recall the school board controversy made it on to the Colbert Report:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Word - Disintegration

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

But back to the New Yorker article. Here's my favorite passage:

Even some North Carolinians associated with Jesse Helms think that Pope has gone too far. Jim Goodmon, the president and C.E.O. of Capitol Broadcasting Company, which owns the CBS and Fox television affiliates in Raleigh, says, “I was a Republican, but I’m embarrassed to be one in North Carolina because of Art Pope.” Goodmon’s grandfather A. J. Fletcher was among Helms’s biggest backers, having launched him as a radio and television commentator. Goodmon describes Pope’s forces as “anti-community,” adding, “The way they’ve come to power is to say that government is bad. Their only answer is to cut taxes.” Goodmon believes that Pope’s agenda is not even good for business, because the education cuts he’s helped bring about will undermine the workforce. “If you want to create good jobs, you need good schools,” he says. “We’re close to the bottom out of the fifty states in education spending, and if they could take it down further they would.” He says of Pope, “It’s never about making things better. It’s all about tearing the other side down.”

Also on the Art Pope front: a tip of the hat to grads of my law school, NCCU Central, for getting the school to reject a chunk of money from an Art Pope group for a constitutional law center.

We have important elections coming up next week. Please show up and vote. Here are the Democratic candidates for Wake County. And don't forget to vote YES for the Transportation and Housing bonds.

La Société Adrian Hands on Facebook

2011-10-02T12:53:00.006-04:00

I see that Capn Ende has just set up a Facebook page for La Société Adrian Hands. Please sign up and contribute memories, pictures, video. I've uploaded a picture and a 2007 video from a Yanceyville ride we did in honor of Al's engagement. Here's a link to the AHS Facebook page.

The picture above was from that ride, as was the shot below:

And the Facebook video:

The hill before home...

2011-09-30T09:54:00.000-04:00

Kids, Don't Try This at Home...Depot

2011-09-29T12:56:00.001-04:00

Breaking news from http://www.nwfdailynews.com/

Boy sneaks into Sears to use tools for bicycle maintenance

MARY ESTHER (Fla.) — A 15-year-old boy was charged Sunday with larceny and trespassing after he walked into Sears, used the store’s tools to fix his bike and then left.

Full story here.

On Curing Neck and Hand Pain

2011-09-29T08:16:00.000-04:00

On my first two PBPs, and on nearly every ride I've done of 600K or longer, I've suffered severe neck pain somewhere along the way. I don't think I'm too unusual in that regard. Some of my buddies have complained of the same thing.

Neck pain came become so intense that it takes you off the bike. That happened to one NC rider in 2007. On the latest PBP, Ian saved the ride for Ivan, a rider from eastern Europe who was apparently suffering from Shermer's neck. We met Ivan along the way when we stopped to take this picture...

Ivan came riding up in obvious pain. He was suffering miserably, and his finish was in doubt. Ian to the rescue. He took a bungee cord off his rear rack and attached it to Ivan's helmet and jersey to hold his head upright. Here's a picture of Ivan riding off into the sunset. Note the green bungee.... I'm happy to report that we saw Ivan at the finish.

I vowed to solve my own neck issues before heading to Paris and knock on wood I may have done so. Here's what I did:

* New stem. For two years, I've been riding with a 110 mm stem with a fairly shallow rise. I came to the conclusion that it put me too far forward and down on the bike. Not a big deal on the shorter brevets, but for the longer rides, my neck strained, leading to mile upon mile of pain.

My solution was to install a shorter (90 mm) adjustable Forte stem and set it at a 20 degree angle. The net result was to put me in a more upright position and shift my weight back on the bike and off my hands. Voila -- I had probably 30 minutes of neck pain on Day 2 of PBP. Hopefully, I've found the cure. As to the stem itself, I'd advise shopping around for another brand. While the Forte one was adequate, the four attaching bolts have a smaller diameter than those used by other makers, and I could not get rid of a creaking noise when climbing.

* New gloves. With a more upright position on the bike, I took some of the weight off my hands. But that's not all I did to relieve hand pressure. Before heading off to Paris, I stumbled across a pair of Bontrager Crochet Gloves at a local bike store. One online marketer takes a couple pokes at their look. Check this out:

Remember these? Yep, these Bontrager Crochet Gloves are just like the old-school ones you used to wear. Hand knotted cotton tops, genuine leather palms with light padding, even the absorbent thumbs, every detail, just like they were. Grab your old clunker, pull on a wool jersey and slip these on, retro never looked so good. (Also compatible with carbon fiber.)

Well, haha la de da. But you know what? Those gloves had padding in all the right places -- and at about double the thickness of similar gloves I've used. I brought two pairs to Paris. At $15 a pair, they're hard to beat for long-distance comfort.

Coming Soon: Cycling on Capital Blvd?

2011-09-29T07:22:00.000-04:00

Sure, all roads except the Interstates and the freeways are open to two-wheeled vehicles. Good in theory, but bicyclists who know Raleigh's roads avoid Capital Boulevard and its 6 or 8 lanes of haul-ass cars and trucks.

Capital Blvd, which runs north and south, also does a fine job of blocking east-west bike and pedestrian traffic, especially near Raleigh's downtown, which has few suitable bike-ped crossings.

Our city is taking steps to change that, with an ambitious plan to overhaul and update the entire corridor. One goal will be to make it more hospitable to bike and foot traffic.

Have a look for yourself. There's an Open House tonight describing the various options that are being explored. Details in the flyer below. Show up and see what the future could look like....

I Love My Label....

2011-09-28T10:18:00.000-04:00

Fun Wilco show in Raleigh last night. Me and the boy figured the best way to get there was by bike, where you can park it 50 feet from the main gate. Highlight of the show, for me, was Wilco's cover of Nick Lowe's song, I Love My Label. It didn't hurt that Mr. Lowe himself was on hand to sing it.....

Vote Yes for Raleigh Bonds on October 11

2011-09-26T14:06:00.003-04:00

Time for a little advocacy, folks.... If you're interested in safe and effective cycling and pedestrian routes in Raleigh, show up and vote on Oct. 11. This is an important issue and it affects YOU. More information and yard signs are available at RaleighBonds.com.

Vote YES for $40 million in Transportation Bonds that will:

Keep things running smoothly by resurfacing streets and repairing potholes.
Build and repair sidewalks.
Improve our bus stops, shelters, benches and transit stations.
Create more bike lines giving commuters another option for safe transit.
Widen roads and plan new corridors making it easier and faster to get from place to place.

Also in the ballot: Vote YES for $16 million in Housing Bonds that will:

Help our neighbors continue to repair their homes after the April tornado.
Revitalize our neighborhoods and preserve historic architecture.
Build housing for seniors, families and persons with disabilities through public-private partnerships.
Make homeownership possible for first-time buyers like young professionals, fireman, policemen and teachers.

Voting on these bonds is an easy way to make a difference in our community. Please, walk, run, bike, bus or drive to the polls on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Wilco.....

2011-09-23T09:45:00.001-04:00

An hour's worth from Wednesday night on Letterman...can't do anything about that commercial at the start....

Moving Planet Bike Rides, Saturday, Sept. 24th

2011-09-22T09:15:00.003-04:00

Lots of rides are lining up this weekend. On Saturday, I've signed up for a 78-mile Moving Planet ride from the N.C. Art Museum to Durham and back... Sounds fun. Details below. If you're wondering about the Moving Planet day itself, it's billed as "a worldwide climate solutions rally taking place on September 24th — a single day to move beyond fossil fuels." More information on the Moving Planet site. Clearly the perfect day to ride a bike and leave the fossil-fueled vehicle in the driveway....

Ride with us from Durham, Chapel Hill or Raleigh to Durham Central Park!

Our routes are in, and we are really excited about our bike rides coming up on September 24th. We (the East Coast Greenway Alliance) have partnered with the Triangle Commuter Bike Initiative and will lead three rides from South Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh/Cary to the 350.org Moving Planet event which will be held from 2-5 PM under the Pavillion at Durham Central Park (where the Farmer’s Market is held).

ALL rides are FREE!! Please RSVP to info@greenway.org and let us know what ride you’re doing so we know how many people to expect.
Here are the ride details:

Family Friendly / ATT Ride – meet us at our rest stop (Bull City Running Company) at the South Durham ATT trailhead, ride ~7 miles to Durham Central Park, and back,total of 14 miles. This ride will be almost entirely on trail, with a short on-road segment from downtown Durham ATT trailhead to Durham Central Park.

Time: Meet at 1:30, we’ll return back to the location by 5.

Location: Bull City Running Company store by Kroger, will be along the ATT, email Debbie at info@greenway.org for info.

NOTE: Will include short segment on public roads. Children must be accompanied by parents.
Chapel Hill – meet us at University Mall, ride 16.6 miles to Durham Central Park, and back, total of 33 miles.Time: Meet at noon, ride at 12:30. We’ll return to University Mall around 5:45 or 6.

Location: University Mall, on Estes Dr. SW corner (near Wachovia/Wells Fargo).
There may be two feeder rides from Carrboro and UNC that will meet earlier and ride to join us at University Mall. Stay tuned for details on those!

NOTE: The CH route goes on several roadways, including 751. We will make this as safe as possible, but this ride is not recommended for children or riders inexperienced in riding on public roads. http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/48632298/
Raleigh – meet us at the NC Museum of Art, ride 39 miles to Durham Central Park, and back, total of 78 miles.

Time: Meet at 10:15, leave at 10:30. We’ll return to Raleigh around 7, bring lights for the ride home unless you plan to take transit back.
Location: NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC. Meet in the back of the upper parking lot.

Cary Option – for a shorter ride, meet us in Cary at Bond Park, ride 25 miles to Durham Central park, and back, total of 50 miles.

Time: Meet at 11:30, leave when Raleigh ride comes through (11:30 – 11:45). We’ll return to Cary around 6, bring lights for the dusk ride home.

Location: Meet us at Bond Park in Cary, 801 High House Rd. in Cary, NC. Meet at the Boathouse / Buehler Shelter, which is at the end of Bond Park Dr.
The Raleigh/Cary ride will be ~80% on greenway trails! Please note that several miles of the Southern portion of the ATT is on hard packed crushed gravel, fine for most bikes, may not be great for some road bikes.http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/44110500/
NOTE: These rides will only be minimally supported – the CH ride will have a brief rest stop with water/light snacks at approximately 9 miles. The Raleigh ride will have a stop at Bond Park for water/restrooms and a brief rest stop with water/light snacks at mile 32 (mile 18 if you start in Cary). There will be some snacks at the ECGA table at the 350.org event.

We hope to see you there! Please RSVP to info@greenway.org so we know how many to expect!

Bike Route Progress In Raleigh

2011-09-21T09:04:00.002-04:00

Good news for Raleigh area cyclists! At the Monday night meeting of the Raleigh Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, the city staff discussed upcoming striping / sharrow initiatives. Commission member Steve Waters prepared the map you see above. The red and blue markings show the projects that are in the works. They include striped bike lanes (red) and sharrows (blue) along routes that will link North Raleigh to the downtown area.

Raleigh is in the preliminary stages of implementing a comprehensive bike plan, but as you can see from the above map, connectivity among various biking routes in our city is beginning to take shape.

Oberlin Road, which runs from Glenwood to Hillsborough Street near N.C. State, will be getting sharrow treatment. Lassiter Mill, which runs past North Hills to Glenwood at St. Mary's Street, will have a mix of lanes and sharrows. Note that the Lassiter Mills project allows connection to Oberlin via a new lane on Glenwood -- or you can continue toward downtown on St. Mary's, which also has sharrow markings. Clark Avenue near N.C. State and two streets in downtown are also getting sharrows.

Sharrows are a relatively new marking on cycling routes. From Wiki:

This marking is placed in the center of a travel lane to indicate that a bicyclist may use the full lane. The name "sharrow" was coined by Oliver Gajda, of the City and County of San Francisco Bicycle Program, and is a portmanteau of "share" and "arrow.

And their stated purpose:

Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce the chance of a bicyclist’s impacting the open door of a parked vehicle;

Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to travel side by side within the same traffic lane;

Alert motorists of the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way;

Encourage safe passing of bicyclists by motorists; and

Reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling.

Note that sharrows are intended to "assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to travel side by side within the same traffic lane." In places where the road narrows and cars might be tempted to squeeze past, cyclists are encouraged to use the full travel lane, as indicated by the sharrow's placement.

PBP Report -- Speed Equals Sleep

2011-09-11T10:38:00.000-04:00

Chris Kamm sent along this report of this year's PBP. Enjoy!

After we completed PBP, my wife, Annette, and I traveled around France and Switzerland for a couple of weeks. I wrote parts of this account in my head while vacationing, but the theme of our ride and of this account came later when I chanced upon a comment from Rob Dayton. He spoke of mistakes and difficulties that caused the clock to expire before he finished the 1230 kilometers. It reminded me of my own ride in 2007. We made it that year, barely. And a succession of mistakes on my part made it a close shave. This year was different, and I will use a favorite quote from Greg LeMond to encourage us all:

It does not get easier, you just go faster.

Racing or randonneuring, it is true in all ways.

We returned for another go at PBP, and, unlike the last time, Annette and I made a plan and made it work. I took from an idea of a several-time ancien, Steve Kabielski. He wrote of the strategy to ride as hard as possible for the opening 24 hours, so as to get out ahead of the congestion one encounters at control points. We also arranged hotel rooms in Carhaix, and in Fougeres on the return. This committed us to a schedule as well as giving a base to my brother and Annette’s sister who crewed for us with meetings at those points in both directions. Paul handed me our heavy fuel each time, a bag of four ham and cheese sandwiches.

Annette at AHS / NC Rando gathering...

With the 6PM start, we wanted out of SQY as soon as possible. Thanks to Wes Johnson, we got a good position and rolled out with the third wave, at 7:15. Beaucoup daylight remained and we reached the plains west of Ramboullet before nightfall. Prior to that I had a chance to ride in the first hour with Damon Peacock. He unknowingly relieved me of soggy memories of 2007, when, as we discussed that ride, he proclaimed that all his memories are in living color. That set my mind in a better way for the rigors ahead.

We lost track of Wes at dusk. (He would turn up again at Brest,) As we reached elements of the two proceeding waves, the ride selected out and we found harmony with riders from many countries, careening through darkness toward Villaines and Fougeres. The second control was reached in 12 hours. I have taken longer to ride stand alone 300K rides in daylight. We would pay for this opening effort for the rest of the route, and would also reap the benefit of never encountering anything but empty bike racks, and sparsely populated cafeterias. We continued after a 30-minute nap, and enjoyed good conditions all the way to Carhaix. This was our first hotel stop.

There are different theories on randonneuring, and I have slept under cafeteria tables in wet, dirty clothes. For me, it is better to use a hotel room. In fact, some memories I have of Loudeac argue the case that it is actually faster to use a hotel.

Chris with Jimmy at pre-ride gathering...

We spent four hours off the bikes, three of those in full sleep. The low ebb of our morale followed as we exited the Carhaix hotel into wind and rain at 12:30AM. That quickly went away as I recalled Damon Peacock’s exhortation. Brest came onto the horizon soon enough, and we were done there after a 20-minute snooze on the bleachers. As we were heading for the return, we saw Wes briefly. He was headed for the dormitory. We also saw John Morris’ bike in the racks. This is a funny thing. We saw John himself from tine to time, but without fail we saw his bike at every stop. Such a simple thing can raise the morale, like a postcard from home.

Heading back to Carhaix was surprisingly easy. We were two thirds of the way up Le Roc before I stopped wondering when we would reach the base of that climb. The fog lifted beyond the summit, and we rode the Swedish express all the way through the rollers into Carhaix. I use a ten-speed 14t-25t cassette. This is nice on the way up with a near straight block of climbing gears. However, on repeated high-speed descents such as this sector, it was some work to stay with the Swedes as they poured on the coals. Thanks to their efforts, we returned to the hotel in time to use it again before check out. That included a ninety-minute catnap.

My brother and Annette’s sister headed for the laundromat as we set out for Paris. Showers were forecast, and they would arrive later, but we were thinking of Branson as we left the hotel. Paul had looked up his progress, and his ride was heroic. We plodded off on our twenty-speed bikes, in awe of the fixed gear ride Branson was making. We saw John Morris himself in Loudeac, and a bit more news filtered in regarding Branson’s whereabouts. People that know me know I love racing the track and riding fixed gear on the road. But this, it was too much to even think about what Branson was doing.

Tuesday was a beautiful day. There were showers, but they lasted not long, and we found great people to ride with all day. The flat areas between Loudeac and Fougeres prompted us to keep a good pace, and we reached Fougeres by evening. A check of the control window cushion allowed us to make a long stop that included five hours of full sleep. This is as much as we had managed for the entire ride in 2007. (I would fall asleep on my bike that year in Ramboullet …yes I tipped over.)

Wednesday was a day even more beautiful, with perfect conditions. It all went by like a dream as Annette and I filtered in and out of different groups of riders. On this day in particular I am sure Annette made about ten French boyfriends to go along with the men from Spain with whom we rode all morning. The Spaniards kept the pace lively and we reached Mortagne in time for a 30-minute nap in the grass in the sun. And it was there we remembered they always have mashed potatoes and green beans. We were fueled and ready for the last bit to come.

We met Wes and John in Dreux, ate some pastries, and got out of there like horses sensing the barn. These last 65 kilometers took us from one end of the time cone to the other, and before long we were cresting the last real climb at the exit of the forest. Clumps of supporters appeared along the roadside, and here one of the funniest anecdotes fell upon us. In the streetlamps one could see that Annette and I were in matching NC randonneur jerseys. At the top of the climb I was perhaps 50 feet behind my wife. A voice came out of the crowd of well-wishers:

“Bonne chance monsieur, vous etes derriere la femme.” Yes, nicely said.

The final 20K were like a victory lap. We were elated at having achieved our goal. This goal was not arriving in this time or that, but rather to complete the course in the allowed time, and to be able to get enough sleep to enjoy it. We did.

To repeat LeMond: It does not get easier, you just go faster.

Jennifer Wise on the importance of Paris Brest Paris

2011-09-05T20:11:00.000-04:00

Jennifer Wise, one of RUSA's co-founders and the current VP, talks about the meaning of PBP in this official video. Her comments begin at 3:45. Enjoy....

Au coeur du Paris-Brest-Paris by ParisBrestParis

TC 1200K Riders Under Way

2011-09-04T11:32:00.001-04:00

Riders for North Carolina's Taste of Carolina's 1200K hit the course Saturday morning at 4:00 a.m. and are now into their second day of riding.

We were on hand for the start but opted for a 200K option, riding the first 100K with the 1200K group before retracing our steps to Greensboro. The two dozen riders going the full distance struck out at a blistering pace. We had an average of 17.5 through the rolling hills to Salem Fork. I imagine the pace slowed a bit as riders climbed up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and into the mountainous terrain of western North Carolina.

The TC 1200 riders will do most of their serious hill work in the first 400K before heading to North Carolina's pancake flat coastal region. However, even as they head to the coast, riders will have some hills to negotiate -- someone mentioned that Flint Hill Road is on the cue sheet. That road has a 16 percent grade in one section, and any roads through the Uwharrie Mountains are certain to test riders' tired legs.

Riders attempting this inaugural ride include: Mary Florian and Nancy Guth, who completed RAAM earlier this year (John Guth is also riding); Tim Lucas and Geof Simmons, who both participated in the Texas Stampede 1200K; Joel Lawrence, who is back on the bike and logging big miles after breaking his hip in July; the Olsens, who can be counted on to show up anytime a 1200K is put on the schedule; and Henk Bouhuyzen of Canada, who also has multiple 1200Ks to his credit. N.C. riders attempting their first 1200K (I think -- corrections welcomed) include John Pertalion, Vance Ricks, Bob Bingham, Bryan Rierson, John Olmstead and Lynn Lashley.

Jerry is working the overnight in Ocean Isle and said he would attempt to post updates. Rider and route information is on Tony Goodnight's site.

Bonne route to all.

1200k Riders

Vance Ricks - Greensboro NC - Greensboro Velo Club
Bryan Rierson - Garner NC
Charles Sather - Charlottesville VA - Bicycle for Life
Rob Welsh - Apple Valley MN - Twin Cities Bicycling Club
Mark Olsen - Rochester MN - Twin Cities Cycling Club
David Nixon - Commerce GA - Audax Atlanta
John Pertalion - Boone NC
William Olsen - Califon NJ - Western Jersey Wheelmen
Henk Bouhuyzen - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Curt Brandt - Brandon FL - Gainesville Cycling Club
Bob Bingham - Graham NC - Alamance-Burlington Bicycle Club
Tim Lucus - Wilson NC
Donald Jagel - Germansville PA - Pennsylvania Randonneurs
Geof Simons - Cary NC
Joan Donohue - Columbia SC - Carolina Cyclers
Mary Florian - Lumberton NC
Gator Cochan - GA - Audax Atlanta
John Olmstead - Rocky Mount NC
Micah Fritzinger - Georgetown IN - Louisville Bike Club
Joel Lawrence - High Point NC
Lynn Lashley - Raleigh NC

1000k Riders

1000k - Nancy Guth - Stafford VA
1000k - John Guth - Stafford VA

Damon's PBP Video

2011-08-31T20:02:00.000-04:00

We saw a lot of Damon Peacock during PBP. He's a terrific fellow, and he shot video of several NC riders. You'll see the Kamms and Ian in this video.....

A bike ride after a bike ride

2011-08-27T04:43:00.001-04:00

Back in Paris after PBP, we did the Fat Tire bike tour into the night. Thanks to our guide Jeff. A sincere congratulations to all NC riders who participated. Finish or no, it was a big adventure and we can't wait to hear yours. A special nod to Brother Rob. While he finished outside the time limit, he rode the whole course and I'm proud of him for gutting it out.

The bad news for the great group I spent many hours with is that we made a tactical mistake and finished too early for the Adrian Hands Society. But to paraphrase what Ian said at the finish, if you're working that hard to get in, you're doing it wrong.

We all look forward to seeing our our rando friends very soon.

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Congrats to JoeRay

2011-08-21T11:01:00.001-04:00

Our riding buddy JoeRay got on the podium in his age group at Saturday's Mt. Washington Hill Climb. That's him with Ned Overend, the overall winner. A huge congrats!

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Drew Buck rides again

2011-08-21T02:14:00.001-04:00

This time a 1900 bike with wooden rims. Search old posts for more about him.

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NC Riders (and Friends) at PBP

2011-08-21T02:02:00.001-04:00

Outside the gym where we also had an Adrian Hands Society gathering. Then off for crepes.

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Adrian Hands Society Meeting in France (and NC Rando Pix?)

2011-08-12T08:10:00.000-04:00

On the eve of Paris Brest Paris, Capn John Ende has called for the first international meeting of the Adrian Hands Society, and all are invited. And what better place to meet than the gym where PBP starts?

The AHS meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday in Guyancourt, just to the right of the big sign in front of the gymnasium. Likely attendees include Yo Adrian's son Ian and PBP videographer Damon Peacock, an AHS member. If you have an AHS jersey, this will be the time and place to wear it.

Here's the map:

View Larger Map

And a street view of the sign....

Branson has put together this list of NC Rando riders. Let's use the AHS gathering as an opportunity to get a group shot of the NC riders to post on our blogs and Facebook accounts.

See you next week in France!

Confidence

2011-08-04T08:20:00.010-04:00

There's a lot of comfort in knowing.

Two weeks from France, and the Paris Brest Paris preparations continue, but with two PBPs and several other long rides on my resume, I'm pretty confident in my abilities to get it done. I know how it feels to line up at the start, and I know what I'll shoot for distance-wise, day-by-day. I know how to prepare for whatever weather we'll get, I know how to eat on the bike. I know how to deal with the inevitable lows that will punctuate three to four days of riding.

Experience has taken the edge off the nervousness, and this time, more than ever, I'm looking forward to the fun of the PBP spectacle, just as much as the challenge of 750 miles in the saddle. My buddies Capn Ende and Bossy Girl Carol and Joel and many others have taught me how to have fun, even as you're suffering through the heat and the rain and heavy legs. I've had the chance in recent months to share the road with many skilled and devoted randonneurs, including Capn Ende, Branson, Jerry, the Florians, the Kamms, Steven, Stephen, Jimmy, Geoff, JoeRay, Sridhar, Ian, Tim, Lynn, the Pauls, Mark Thomas, Spencer, Wes, John M, John P, Joe, Bob, Maria, Andy, Janis, Carol, Brother Rob, Joel, Dean, Byron, Bryan, Alan, Al, Martin, John O, JoAnn, Henry, Vance, Gary and Sara, Chris, Mike O. And on and on and on. Those guys have trained and taught me well.

Sometimes I learn from my riding buddies. Sometimes I learn it at the school of hard knocks, like in 2005, when I rode the inaugural Cascade 1200. Here's the lesson -- show up unprepared and slightly out of shape and you may finish, but get ready for some butt ugly suffering, not the exquisite kind that some people like to write about. I'm not interested in a repeat of that, so the training has remained constant. I've ridden mountainous training routes three times in the past month. Those rides may be the very best preparation I'll do. I've completed a few other long rides, including a 175 miler to the beach with a 135-mile return, two back-to-back 100Ks in the mountains, a 135-mile mountain day in 90+ degree heat with 10,000 feet of climbing, and a midnight start 300K with serious hills. I have another 200K coming up, and I'll follow that with a century ride, then put the bike in the box for the long plane ride to France.

Training has been one part of the picture. I've also been getting the bike ready. In the past month, I've changed nearly everything on my beloved Coho, right down to the bar tape. I built new wheels, including one with a new Schmidt hub. I could not get the rear wheel to stop creaking, so I went to plan B and reinstalled a wheel that is about one year old. I've changed the entire drive train, including a new rear derailleur, and knock on wood it is shifting flawlessly. The seat that I said I would retire after LEL, just shy of two years ago, well it has finally been retired. Nine years of continuous service and thousands of hard miles. Lucky stars, I was able to purchase the same Terry seat NOS on eBay.

All of the equipment changes, with a proper testing period, give me confidence that my bike will be ready for the big show. The one questionable call is the new stem I've installed. At 90 centimeters, it's shorter than the last one by 10 centimeters, [Ed. note: Arrgh! metric system! 10 millimeters; see note below] and it's also adjustable and set up at a higher angle than the last one. The goal is to eliminate the neck pain that has plagued me toward the end of every multi-day ride I've done. The neck seemed fine on a recent 200K, but the stem appears to have caused another set-up issue -- my left knee now aches for the first 80 miles. I raised the seat about 3/8-inch and I'll shift the angle down slightly. Maybe that will cure it, maybe not. If I have to live with a little knee pain at PBP, I'm not sweating it. Because I've done the leg work.

Bike Biology: Black Swallowtail Butterfly

2011-07-27T18:31:00.003-04:00

What cyclist hasn’t been awed by the fanciful flight of the swallowtail butterfly as it flits over field and flower? Can a bicycle route exist that excludes its presence? In truth, only if it’s in Antarctica.

The swallowtails are some of the largest, if not the most often observed butterflies this time of year.

Swallowtail butterflies get their name because of their wing extensions that resemble the forked tail of some swallows. For Tar Heel cyclists, there is a historical connection with the butterfly to our state, according to one authority:

The tiger swallowtail is probably our most recognizable swallowtail in the eastern United States. It is admired by butterfly gardeners and treasured by young butterfly collectors. The first drawing of a North American swallowtail was of a male tiger swallowtail and was drawn in 1587 by John White who was commander of Sir Walter Raleigh's third expedition to North American.

The reader will immediately recognize the following lithe lepidopteron, a tiger swallowtail, from its picture.
This communication, however, is not about the tiger swallowtail, but its related cousin, the black swallowtail. Not because the tiger swallowtail is insignificant, but because of the presence of black swallowtail caterpillars, the cute critters in the lead-in photo, munching on fennel in my garden.

Initially, I erroneously thought that the caterpillars were those of the monarch butterfly. But, as one of my riding companion, Janis, objected, “Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed.” Something I knew, but rationalized that monarchs might like southern cooking, given the opportunity.

What changed my mind? Why did I abandon monarch in favor of swallowtail for the caterpillars lined up at the all-you-can-eat salad bar in my back yard?

The bottom line: anatomy. In this case, the presence of a certain anatomical structure—an osmeterium—common only to the family Papilionidae to which swallowtails belong.

Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. Most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, or forced out with a gentle squeeze, and emits smelly secretions containing terpenes.

Check out the orange structure at the head end of the poor aggravated fellow, below, that reveals his true colors (lineage). Is he flashing an osmeterium or a peace sign? I was able to get "my" caterpillars feasting on fennel to flash me when I provoked them, touching them gently just behind the head, their orange osmeterium visible for a couple of seconds before being retracted.

Lastly, one can distinguish female and male black swallowtails, something biologists refer to as sexual dimorphism.

A male of this species has a yellow band near edge of wings; a female has row of yellow spots. The hindwing of the female has an iridescent band.

Male

Female

Let’s ride!

Salisbury 300K -- July 2

2011-07-05T13:55:00.003-04:00

Halfway up Oklahoma Road in Alleghany County, I was grateful I'd signed up for the 300K, not one of the two longer events, the 400K or the 600K, offered by Tony G on July 2. It was still dark when I began the five-mile climb, so I couldn't really see how steep this section of Oklahoma Road was. What I knew for certain was that some cyclists had selected walking -- what Spencer calls the 24 inch (2 feet) gear -- as the better choice for reaching the top.

That short painful stretch up Oklahoma Road would be the steepest pitch we'd see, but it was one of many hills to confront us and wear us down on the 190-mile course. What were the guys on the longer rides seeing?

Like many of the U.S. riders heading to PBP, I've opted for the nighttime or evening start, so Tony G's weekend of rides, with a full range of distances, was a good dress rehearsal. We struck out from Salisbury at midnight after a short speech by Tony about a few of the bigger climbs and descents we'd see. I chose the 300K distance as the long training ride I needed for PBP. If all went well, I'd still make it home for dinner on Saturday evening.

The usual suspects came out for the fun and games, including: Chris and Annette and Jimmy, who signed up for the 200K; Branson, Lynn, Joel, Jerry, Steve, John O and [edit] John P on the 300; Geof, Tim and Bryan on the 400K; and Vance, Woody G and Phil C on the 600K. I also spent a good deal of the night riding with Taylor from Ohio.

At the top of Oklahoma we joined Highway 21 for 12 mile run to a control on the far side of Sparta. The control had a cafe and we refueled with coffee and eggs and bacon. The sun was up now, and so were our spirits. We knew we'd have some rollers before dropping out of the steep stuff and into the more forgiving foothills.

I rode much of the ride with Steve and Joel and finished with Lynn and the amazing Branson on fixed gear. Our crew separated through the hilly sections but regrouped in Jonesville at the Southern Belle's Restaurant for a delicious lunch. Joel may have been slightly delirious at this point for he insisted I take a picture of the men's room for the blog. Joel, this one's for you.

We finished in mid afternoon and showered off using a garden house at the Windsong Bike Shop.

After a day of rest on Sunday, Lynn and I tackled Black Creek on July 4, giving me a 500K weekend. My PBP training over the few remaining weekends will likely include back-to-back 200Ks.

On the bike front, lots of new equipment has been installed, and all is good except for the rear wheel I built, which is a little creaky under load in the lowest gears. I'm going to stress the spokes a bit on the drive side and grease them a bit to see if that cures it.

Another great day, or 2, on the bikes.

A few more pix below...

Scenes from Mountain Training Camp

2011-06-27T11:56:00.000-04:00

Scenes from mountain training we do in advance of big events like PBP. Temps were much cooler than the flatlands with lots of shade and plenty of challenging climbs, like the one up 226A to Little Switzerland....

Choosing Roads

2011-06-22T20:28:00.003-04:00

Given a choice, would you spend 60 miles on quiet, two-lane backroads or on this boring, four-lane highway, sharing the asphalt with some truck traffic but also having exclusive use of a wide, smooth shoulder?

Sometimes boring is the way to go.

On yesterday's trip from Wilmington to Raleigh, I opted for four hours of four-lane travel up Highway 421 to Clinton, where I switched over to Highway 701.

Normally, I'm a backroads kinda guy. But not yesterday. Fact is, I came down on the back roads, mainly Bike Route 5, and I'm tired of that route. It's the one we have used for years on our 600K. It has extended sections of rough chip and seal, and then there's a pocketapocketapocketa 19 mile stretch down Highway 53 after you pass through White Lake. It's a toin coss whether you'll lose your eyeteeth or your sanity.

The Deaner!

The ride to the beach was for a work convention, and it was a good opportunity to shake out any kinks in new components I've installed on my PBP bike. Those include new wheels, tires, cassette (thanks Bob B!), chainrings and bottom bracket. (All went fine but it appears the left crank arm moved out slightly on the axle. I'm going to reinstall this week.) The highlight of the outward leg was running into Dean near the finish of one of his populaires. Small world!

I did not fully trace our 600K route. In the town of Currie, I turned right onto Blueberry Road, and that put me on to 421 for a 12 mile run into Wilmington. That portion of 421 is actually signed as Bike Route 5, and the shoulder is plenty ample for biking, although shoulder debris and traffic picked up considerably about two miles from Wilmington. Still, I felt comfortable on the way down, so I began contemplating the return trip back up that same road. Why turn off on Blueberry Road again when I could simply chug on up the highway to Clinton, about the halfway point between Wilmington and Raleigh? The return trip would be 130 miles, according to Google Maps, rather than the 165 miles required for the White Lake route. And nearly all the traffic that used to head to the beach on 421 would be on the newer, faster I-40, which runs parallel a few miles to the east.

One of Map app turn-by-turn directions.

I used a Google Map app for the iPhone to generate a cue sheet. However, it really wasn't all that useful, and it doesn't appear to give the turn by turn maps that are available on the resident Maps feature on the iPhone. That acts more like a true GPS, displaying your position as a blinking blue dot and giving you a detailed look at each turn as you advance the directions one by one. There is no biking option on that map, so I used the walking one. The image shows one of those turns.

The route to Clinton was superb, even after the road turned to a two lane about 20 miles out of Wilmington. I still enjoyed a nice wide shoulder and the trucks that passed, cargo trailers from Wilmington's port or livestock transporters, were all courteous. The only drawback on this portion of the route was the heavy smoke in the air from a nearby wildfire.

Once I got into Clinton, the bypass route I stayed on was joined by Highway 701, the speed limit jumped to 65 and the shoulder had a rumble strip. That meant for about 6 miles I had about 18 inches of pavement to work with, and there was often lots of debris. Finally, 701 split off, but it was a two lane road with a shoulder that carried a lot of end-of-day traffic. After stopping for a soda and ice cream, I used Google Maps to generate a side-road route the rest of the way home.

I found a small barn in Sampson County, just below Newton Grove, to wait out a massive thunderstorm, and that cooled the evening off, making for a pleasurable ride for the last 40 miles. Here's a shot after the storm.

With another big storm approaching, and the rain beginning to fall, I found a grill in Meadow Village for a quick cheeseburger and two Mountain Dews.

Traffic picked up as I came up Cleveland Road, approaching Highway 50. Subdivisions have sprung up out that way that put pressure on what were once empty farm roads. Drivers were courteous with the exception of two carloads of teenagers.

Once I hit 50, it was smooth sailing through Garner and into Raleigh. I've ridden those roads many times, and there is comfort in knowing the little climbs and the stoplights and the busy stretches. But there is also adventure in trying out new roads, like 421, and in navigating on the fly. I arrived home at 11 p.m., for a 9.5 hour trip and another great day on the bike.

Have gun, will bike

2011-06-20T18:28:00.002-04:00

No, not mine. First time I've ridden with someone carrying a gun.

How Clouds are Made: Tar Heel 200, June 15, 2011

2011-06-19T18:41:00.008-04:00

The sound of Mother Nature’s siren song mid-week was overwhelming. With lyrics like: low temperatures; low humidity; cool breezes; sunshine, blue skies—how could one resist her spell?

We were not disappointed. Janis, Martin, and I were treated to a veritable show of cloud making by Mother Nature, herself.

Between Godwin and Averasboro on the return, we speculated about the nature of several white plumes reaching upward from the horizon toward the sky. Because farmers have been burning their fields of late, we wondered whether the plumes were smoke, “dirt devils” (i.e., “dust devils”), or real clouds forming, if not all three.

Martin and I stop to witness what may be actual cloud formation. When warm air ascends, it cools. Cooled water vapor condenses, forming clouds. This process of cloud formation is explained by a meteorologist here.

What a gorgeous day to be on the bikes!

Let’s ride!

Back when I had hair.....

2011-06-16T22:16:00.002-04:00

A high school buddy, David Hale (thanks Hale!), posted this picture today on Facebook, and it gave me a real thrill. I haven't seen it in decades, but I remember this day well. The year was 1973. We'd been working on our school newspaper at the offices of the Clarksville (Va.) Times. Back then, I rode my 1971 Raleigh International everywhere. We were horsing around, as usual, and someone, maybe John Trowbridge? or John Sizemore?, snapped this shot. I think it made it into the yearbook.

I flat out loved that bike. It is the machine that transformed my life.

PBP 2011: Weather More Like Heat Wave of 2003?

2011-06-10T08:57:00.000-04:00

Sure, it's a little early to start speculating about what kind of weather we'll see at PBP this year. However, it appears Europe is experiencing a weather pattern this summer that is more akin to the record heat wave of 2003 than the rainy days of 2007. From today's NYT:

Suffering from a record-shattering drought, European nations started preparing emergency plans this week to conserve water and provide millions of euros in aid to farmers, including the deployment of soldiers to deliver hay for cattle grazing on sun-baked soil.

On Thursday, President Nicolas Sarkozy toured a cattle farm in western France to announce an aid package and the service of soldiers and national trains to deliver fodder for livestock farmers. They are comparing the warm temperatures to the heat wave in the summer of 2003, when more than 10,000 people died in Europe.

Always ride in bike lanes....

2011-06-09T13:10:00.002-04:00

After the first minute the hilarity really starts.

Bike Parking: A Novel Solution

2011-06-07T10:09:00.002-04:00

New Schmidt Dynohub...

2011-06-06T16:20:00.001-04:00

With PBP on the near horizon, I've been taking a hard look at the equipment I'll be taking to France. The Schmidt dynohub I've been using dates to 2003. That means the hub, rim and spokes have endured eight years of riding, including multiple 1200Ks, 1000Ks, and nearly every 300, 400 and 600K along the way. So far, I've had no problems with it, but I've decided it's time to rotate the old wheel into a back-up role on a second bike, and I'll head to France with a new set-up. Peter White sent the parts last week and I built it up over the weekend. The newer Schmidt hub is a beauty and considerably lighter than the model I've been using. I went with a 36-hole model just in case I get, um, more gravity challenged between now and the event. Who's up for a night ride to test er out?

Fancy Foot and Leg Work Populaire: May 29, 2011

2011-05-30T21:29:00.011-04:00

Janis likes the Benson Mule Pull Populaire. Today she owned it, staying ahead of the boys from start to finish. Sure, she had a head start. Thirty minutes. But that was all she needed. I bet she’d be great at handicapping horses. That's her with Martin post-ride in the parking lot of the start/end control, Swift Creek Coffee House, Garner, NC.

Since joining RUSA in 2009, Janis, along with her regular riding buddy, Andy, has done a 200km ride each consecutive month: 26 now and counting. And since the announcement of RUSA’s P-12 in January, Janis has done at least one monthly sub-200km Populaire. Truth told, Janis is well on her way to eclipsing 5,000 RUSA kms this year.

Somewhere in between prepping my bike for the start and obtaining a receipt and signature on my permanent card, I’d noticed that Mike H had worn his bedroom slippers to the start. It was good that I didn’t tease him, for I later learned that they weren’t bedroom slippers, but the latest in haute couture clothing: Sanuks, which according to the web site, “They're not shoes, they’re sandals.” According to some reports, they are extremely comfortable. Martin quipped, “They’d be perfect if they came with pedal cleats.”

But there’s more. After removing his Sanuks, dude then pulled what looked like a glove liner over his foot! Was I looking at cycling socks with toes! What in the world?

Like I said, no crime in wearing bedroom slippers to the start of a ride. That’s cool, dude. But socks with toes? I began to calm down once I learned that Mike’s wife bought them for him. What self-respecting guy would dare instigate the first move on something like that?

I had a very similar experience years ago when my wife bought me some low-cut athletic socks. No way was I going to wear those thingies in public, especially around by basketball buddies. Well into the 90s, my athletic socks sported colored rings just below the knees. Only after learning that “His Airness,” you know, “MJ,” wore low-cut socks, did I reluctantly don them, initially, only to cut the grass, however.

And so now it is with these Injinji things, except that I think Mike is way ahead of the curve on this one. In fact, I gave my wife permission to pick up a pair for me just in case this thing goes viral and all the cyclists show up with them at the next brevet. I don’t want to get caught with my toe socks off. Discreetly, I formulated a backup plan: I did some checking and learned that I could get some mail order from Nashbar.

In spite of the engaging pre-ride fashion show, the three of us started the ride on time. Aversboro Rd carries us through a section of Garner, where we saw a number of banners congratulating the hometown phenom, Scotty McCreery, winner of this year’s American Idol announced just last week. On the way back through Garner, the huge outdoor YMCA pool looked especially inviting. Kids of all ages were enjoying themselves.

On the uphill on Rand Rd, just a few miles into the ride, I spotted the first mule of the day in the pasture across the road from Rand Elementary School. Perhaps Monk would understand, or at least relate to, my need for sighting at least one mule on this ride.

Later, on Holland Church Rd, we spotted a huge, beautiful blue heron near a pond.

The route is surprisingly rolling, catching all of the creek beds on the way to Benson rather than following a comfortable ridgeline. Martin had a good workout, since he was attempting to single-gear it to Benson on his superfluous-gear bicycle. He wasn’t complaining. At one point, in fact, he was doing some one-legged pedaling. Mike and I couldn’t figure out whether Martin was cramping, had “hot foot,” or was just showing off. According to Martin, he was “training.” That’s his story. As a witness, who must stick just to the facts, all I can say for sure is that he was doing some pretty entertaining one-legged gyrations.

At the outskirts of Benson, our group of three passes Janis who is on the return. Familiar with Benson, Martin shoots to the front and straight to Burger King, while Mike and I pull up short, deciding to tether our bicycles outside Miss Maude’s Café on Main Street. Benson is an “open” control. Mike taking care of paperwork during "down time" inside Miss Maude's Cafe, Benson, NC.

We order iced tea, and after a few indecisive minutes, inform the waitress which lunch special we’ll have from those posted on the menu board sitting on the counter. The waitress comes back fifteen minutes later informing us that we can’t have lunch yet. We then locate a breakfast menu and reorder. By now, Martin locates us inside Miss Maude’s Café (the bikes parked outside are a dead giveaway). He mentions that by now Janis has a huge lead on us. After serving us pancakes and eggs, I was impressed that the waitress asked if we’d like some syrup and butter to go with our pancakes. It was just a few minutes before 11 AM when we began to eat. The three of us had a great time in spite of the delay.

"Fact" and "Fantasy" (l-r), according to Martin, inside Miss Maude's, or, if you prefer (r-l), according to Janis, "Dean Martin." Have it your way.

On the return, Mike and I discuss topics I enjoy immensely: nutrition and hydration.

After a few more rolling hills and a more dedicated sun bearing down, I requested a brief stop in order to put on some sun block. A couple of us use the occasion to obtain additional fluid.

A Harley Davidson at the next-to-last control triggered some stories about Martin’s two-man Blue Ridge Parkway bicycle excursion last year, particularly what it did for his conditioning and confidence. A great story.

Back in Garner, Janis is awaiting us. Even after getting our cards signed and obtaining the obligatory cashier receipts, the four of us stand around in the parking lot chatting for some time, the warm sun beaming approvingly. At one point, we cajole Mike into modeling his toe socks for Janis’ sake.

I’m telling you, it’s the next big thing. I’m getting me some toe socks.

Oh, yeah, read the reviews. You might need to get a sock size larger than you normally wear, and that toe beside the big toe that is longer than the big toe in some/many/most/all people? Apparently the design hasn’t caught up to that evolutionary fact yet.

By the way, while I doubt that the next ride report will feature pedicures, you never know who might step up, putting his or her best foot forward.

Thanks, guys, for the great ride!

Dean/Raleigh

Yanceyville Ramble 200K

2011-05-29T09:31:00.003-04:00

An ideal day for a 200K into the quiet, rolling roads of north central North Carolina. This was one of the most pleasurable rides I've been on in a while. Branson's Yanceyville Ramble 200K, which he adopted and adapted when John M went to New Zealand, launches from a Cracker Barrel off I-85 in Durham. A plate of pancakes, then four miles of urban riding before we spill out in the countryside. The route has shallow hills for 30 miles, but that changes when on Gunn Poole Road, and its three sisters, who have more temper on the return trip, especially sister #2, who kicks up angrily on the bottom section. I hit 41.3 mph rolling down on the way out, which gives you some idea of the steepness. You'll also encounter hills before Yanceyville, the home of Gilbert's North Road's Bike Shop, and hills around Hyco Lake. Several flat sections provide recovery time. The turnaround takes you to a restaurant which serves good burgers. Jerry bought and he is our new best friend. Wes pushed the pace on the way home, and we had to work to catch him after he dropped us going up a long grade on Pleasant Green Road. He is in exceptionally fine form this season. The cicadas were out again this weekend with their background music on several sections. Clouds in the morning and tailwinds, patches of sun in the afternoon and a bottle of Cheerwine at the finish made for a very fine day on the bikes. Branson has posted the ride stats, including his ride to and from the finish. There appears to be about 6,000 feet of climbing on the route.

The Smoking Dunn

2011-05-26T21:12:00.014-04:00

Photo courtesy of Bryan Rierson

If there were any doubt as to the priorities of some local randonneurs, all one has to do is look at the back of a NC Randonneuring jersey—ride, eat, sleep—for a reminder.

The latest version of Team “Get ‘er Dunn” assembled Wednesday to do some serious training. And—to the rider—decided that what we needed to work on most was “eat.” We’d picked out a great spot in Erwin, NC, even stopped by to “warn” them on the way out that we’d be back later for the training table --- I mean, buffet. The waitress said she’d have our cold drinks ready.

There must have been a rumor going around a day or two earlier that someone was buying. How else can you explain a table-full of gaunt, ravenous “tour-types” showing up mid-week for a “serious” training ride?

Serious Tour trainer, Matt.

As the de facto team captain, by simple fact of being route owner, my work was cut out. Not only would I have to try to keep up with this single-minded group bee lining for the chow line, but make sure that each team member didn’t slurp too loudly or forget to add the perfunctorily polite, “Excuse me,” after each belch so as not to offend other patrons.

We rolled from near Garner toward Angier on the outbound leg without incident until Bryan and Matt B missed the turn onto Chisenhall Rd. Luckily, Mike H chased them down, saving them, perhaps, from the dogs, literally. I’d just rerouted the course due to the fact that a huge, uncontrollable Rottweiler, that had broken his chain, chased a cyclist just a few days prior.

In fact, Sridhar and I met the cyclist the day of the incident on the very road where it occurred. Sridhar and I rolled up to a cyclist at the intersection of NC 210 and Plainview Church Rd to inquire about the status of a certain Rottweiler that looked like it could break its chain any day. Fortuitously, for us at least, Sridhar and I learned that the cyclist had just been chased by the dog in question. Luckily the cyclist was going downhill at a high rate of speed when the dog broke free, giving chase. The cyclist outran the dog without incident. Sridhar and I detoured.

Heading toward Erwin, we were in great spirits in spite of the fact that we’d missed the rapture a couple days prior but also the Rottweiler from Hades a few miles back. The day was still young, however. Pestilence would still rain down on us later, preventing us from reaching the turn-around control in Dunn.

Rows of young tobacco plants lined several of the fields we passed south of Coats. We came upon a small herd of deer at the edge of one field. They were camera shy, bounding off into the wooded edge of the field.

After stopping to make dining reservations at the Pizza House in Erwin for the Italian buffet and a few adjustments to Mike’s derailleur, it was on to Dunn and the turn-around control.

Before heading through the town’s upper crust, the Get ‘er Dunn populaire winds through the town’s southern edge, the “underbelly,” as Mike D aptly puts it, past the abattoir in full swing with sensuous smells and sounds that belie such a nice sounding French word.

It was just past the new hospital on Susan Tart Rd that we first saw a huge plume of smoke reaching up from the earth toward the heavens. Less than a quarter mile from the turn-around control, we entered the smoke cloud of unknown origin. It was then that I made the “executive” decision not to continue to the control, given the potential health hazard from exposure to unidentified particulate and gaseous inhalants. We immediately reversed course, heading north-west into a saving head wind that assured us smoke-free air to breathe.

We found a back-up control a few miles off course, adding several “bonus miles” for the day. But no one was complaining. We were rewarded for our efforts at the make-shift control by the week-day locals, who were understandably inquisitive about a “para-normal” group of cyclists dressed as Tour riders, who were not “not from around here.” After entertaining and being entertained, we were off again toward Erwin, where we had lunch reservations.
Matt’s third medal . . .

Mike at the end-control . . .

I never bothered to inquire whether anyone else on the team completed the trifecta of “Ride. Eat. Sleep.” I was home busily doing my part: napping.

Let’s ride!

Dean/Raleigh

Calfee Randonneur....

2011-05-25T16:55:00.002-04:00

I had an email exchange with the folks at Calfee. Their marketing manager, Michael Moore, said they've recently introduced a model, the Adventure, aimed at distance cyclists. You'll likely see a road test from a Northwest randonneur soon.

Calfee describes its randonneur model as "a bicycle built for performance through comfort. Our definition of 'comfort, at least in this instance, is avoiding those things that make a rider go slow.'"

A few specs:

35c tire clearance
Compatible with full-wrap fenders
Front and rear disc brake option
Multiple full carbon fork (steerer and lowers) choices with disc brake and eyelet options
Integrated lighting options

With SRAM Force stock build kit and fenders, the complete bike weighs 17.5 pounds. (That's before you strap the Carradice on it. Then it'll weigh 35.7 pounds, and even more if you put anything in the bag.)

Retail: around $6300.

The Year of the Cicada

2011-05-25T08:20:00.001-04:00

For a while, I thought I was going mad on last Saturday's Lake Loop. From deep in the woods I thought I heard the background hum of a million cars or perhaps one very large UFO. Didn't anyone else hear it? Well, yes, they did. This is the year of the cicadas. There are millions of them around now, vibrating furiously and creating an eerie environmental rumble.

Listen to this video I shot and you can hear what the world sounded like for a good chunk of Saturday's ride (the rising sound near the end is an approaching motorcycle).

We only heard them on the North Carolina side of Kerr Lake, and I now understand why. They are spreading slowly from south to north and hadn't yet moved up into Virginia. The lake probably acts as a natural barrier to slow their northward advance.

A very good article about the cicadas appeared in today's New York Times, explaining the bugs' 13 year cycle. A couple paragraphs from that article:

This is a “cicada year,” one of nature’s stranger, creepier rituals. Since last month, the little black bugs with beady red eyes and wings have begun emerging by the millions — some scientists say billions — from beneath the ground in 15 states, where they have been waiting since 1998. They emerged first in Georgia and Alabama and are now working their way through Tennessee and Virginia. Soon they will appear as far north as Iowa.

What it means for humans is not much. Cicadas do not bite. They do not harm crops. But they buzz with the volume of a rattling car engine, land on people and generally evoke disgust. And this particular bunch of cicadas, known as the Great Southern Brood, is the largest cyclical population in the world.

Guinness -- It's Good for You

2011-05-24T10:08:00.001-04:00

I recognize Capn by that necklace he always wears, but who's that other rando dude with the tie?

After Bike To Work Friday... Manic Monday...

2011-05-23T09:09:00.003-04:00

Because we have to come back down to Earth sometime....

Bike To Work Day / Raleigh / 5-20-11

2011-05-20T17:39:00.002-04:00

A great day on the bikes in Raleigh. Thanks to all who made it happen.

Bike Eye View of Bike to Work Route...

2011-05-19T17:18:00.000-04:00

Don't forget, tomorrow's Bike to Work Day. Join us at the Fairgrounds tomorrow a.m. for the mass ride to downtown Raleigh.

Here's a helmet eye view of the route:

The ride leaves from the Fairgrounds at 8 a.m. Details on theGoTriangle.org website.

You'll need to sign up and complete a waiver. Here's the form.

Tim's Texas Stampede 1200K Ride Report

2011-05-18T21:31:00.005-04:00

Our very own Tim, just back from a successful completion of theTexas Stampede 1200K, sent this along for posting. Enjoy!

Wow, where to begin. This is by far the most epic thing I’ve ever done. I was on the last 5 mile stretch with Kevin and I looked over and said “I’ll never be more of a man than I was over the last 4 days”. He laughed and said he’d use the quote in his blog.

My wonderful wife Susan, her mom and I drive to Texas in Susan’s new car. They have family in Grandbury near the event. I visit and they spend the week there. They escort me to Waxahachie Tuesday afternoon for registration and inspections. I meet my buddy Geoff from Cary there and we tag along with others to some Italian cuisine for carbo loading. I sit beside Dave and Judith from England as we have a bloody good time discussing past events. This is like their 18th 1200K event but their first in the states.

(Waxahachie to Marble Falls) (Mile 0 to 225)

We gather Wednesday morning at 5am. 56 riders will start the event. 50 are doing the 1200K while 6 are riding a 1000K. The flags are already at full salute. We are traveling 225 miles to Marble Falls. Our heading is southwest. The first day forecast is for 20 mph SW winds gusting to 30+. They are also throwing in heavy rains, severe thunderstorms and large hail for the afternoon. The gun fires, the clock starts and I’m rolling along nervously second guessing my being here. A while later Geoff coaxes me to the front of the pack while he and I lead the herd for several miles as we’re proudly sporting our NC rando jerseys. I eventually get wise, go to the back and stay there for the rest of the day/night. They have intentions of keeping us all together to the first control at mile 73 but the headwinds are shredding us all apart. The peloton containing +/-30 riders is where I spend most of the day. Around mile 100 or so some riders start leaving the peloton as the big group takes an extended unscheduled rest stop. I stay conservative and stay with the herd. The big guys, including myself are struggling a bit more in the winds.

Clouds are getting angry now. People start peeling off the back of the peloton and finally it’s my turn to sit up and ride solo a bit. I roll in to the next control at mile 141 and everyone in front of me is there except for one dude who is just way out there. As I roll in they point behind me and I turn to see black clouds. The organizer is attempting to hold everyone there while this super cell blows past. Lots of heavy rain, wind, lightning for about 30 min. We leave out as the worst is over. Some minor flooding on the roads as one cyclist goes down crossing water. I’m cruising along with the peloton to the next control in Jonestown mile 194. Rainy and getting dark now as we have long climbs and a fast decent into town on a big 4 lane road. The local police are not happy with us on this road and when we stop they relay their concerns. They finally realize we have no choice and decide to just escort us out of town. They also relay to us that Marble Falls is currently getting severe lightning, large hail and 60 mph winds. We’re just idiots on a bike. Party on!

I have a mechanical leaving town and lose the group. A few more miles and boom! The lightning becomes frequent enough that I don’t need a headlight. Winds are gusting fairly hard now and the rain begins as I see a church ahead on the right. I see a fellow cyclist under a side porch and I also here him calling out. This is where I first spend time with my new friend Kevin from Southern California. We wait out the storm on picnic tables under the porch. One other rider joins us briefly. It also hails for about 5 minutes before things start to quiet down. After a few we mount the bikes and continue on. We reach Marble Falls at 12:40 am. Dinner is waiting, lasagna and spaghetti. They take our bikes and our drop bags to the room while we eat. The volunteers here are second to none! A quick shower and to bed at 2:00 am.

(Marble Falls to Sealy) (Mile 225 to 466)

Alarm goes off at 4:00 am. Oh good, 2 hours sleep! Breakfast in the lobby as I whip up a big’ol waffle! Our heading today is mostly East towards Houston after a tad bit more south. Weather board is giving us 10 to 20 mph East winds today, not to mention severe storms, torrential rains, large hail and damaging winds. There are some very long faces this morning as we are in for another long day of headwinds. I head out before 5:00 am, a few minutes before the peloton as I’m hoping for a few miles of soft pedaling. A nice 2 mile section of gravel road this morning, doesn’t ride much different than their asphalt. I ride with Spencer from Missouri a bit this morning. He is riding a fixed gear bike. There’s a show-off in every crowd. Spencer rode with some NC randos a few weeks ago so I chatted with him about the ride. He and Branson are my new heroes. These guys are bad a$$. We hit some 15% climbs this morning with switchbacks and he has to walk a couple of the elbow turns but still beats me to the top. By the next control mile 262, Dripping Springs, I’m hanging out with the peloton. There we are told another super cell weather system is bearing down on us. We are also given a two hour buffer on our control times today, BUT the 90 hour ride limit will NOT be extended. We continue on under darkening skies. Sometime late morning the crap hits the fan. The winds are swirling and there is a sudden 15 degree temperature drop. Lightning bolt on the right as I slide over a few feet left, then a bolt on the left as I slide back to the right, then bolts all around, raining sideways. I keep looking up watching for something worse. The storm is relentless; riders are confused about what to do. A few see a house with a back porch. I don’t see another refuge. It's raining harder as I can barely make out a half dozen riders still in front of me. Someone up front yells “stay on the bike”. I actually feel safer on the bike as to putting my foot down so I mosey on. Lightning is so close my skin crawls. Finally the worst passes on and we breathe a sigh of relief. I’m wondering if there is an extra fee for all this. After all that the remainder of the day seems a void. The temps stay in the 50s and I barely have enough clothes. At one control the C store owner is emptying trash cans and I steal one of his new trash bags and stuff it in my pocket for later on. At a control in Lockhart, mile 353, I have my first “Whataburger”. I’m late getting there so I eat hurriedly as the group is about to leave. I cruise some more with the group. There is a little café at mile 383 that is known by the local randos so one of the local riders’ phones in an order for us and it’s all waiting for us when we get there. It’s dark now and sleep deprivation sets in. The group is getting a little uneasy, cranky and a little short tempered with each other. Judith from England caps it all with “I’m getting bloody bored with this”. I chuckle, but keep to myself for the rest of the evening. I’m really struggling to stay awake as we tool into La Grange. I see a Hampton Inn a couple blocks away and seriously consider a couple hours of sleep on a bed, but too much money for a short nap. We stop at a C store. There are some very long faces as it’s now 11:00 pm and we still have 55 miles left to the overnight control. I tell the group that I plan to grab some sleep at the next convenient place I see. I stay with them another 20 miles but then peel off in a town named New Ulm. I stop and walk around a bit. It’s getting cold now and I start getting the shakes. I remember the trash bag and I make me a makeshift vest. I continue riding, 25 miles to the motel. Five miles later sleep has taken over. I lie down and set my alarm for 30 min. Twenty minutes later a car pulls up and a girl who is part of the sag support gets out thinking that there has been an accident but I explain that I just couldn’t ride any farther and had to sleep. They offer water and food but I’m good on supplies and just need to pedal another 20 miles. I ask about riders behind me but they say I’m at least an hour ahead of anyone behind me so I continue on by myself. I finally arrive in Sealy at 4:56 am, an hour behind the herd. Food, shower. To bed at 6:00 am.

(Sealy to Crockett) (Mile 466 to 622)

Up at 8:00 am, another wonderful 2 hour sleep. Slow getting ready this morning. I finally get downstairs. We’re heading north today, weather board, let me guess, north winds 10 to 15 mph, 90 degrees. Third day in a row of continuous headwinds. The herd is still there and Dan calls out to me that they are rolling in 2 minutes. I skip breakfast in order to catch a ride pending another long day fighting the wind. To the first control is flat terrain. I’m feeling great not having to climb hills so I venture out front, drop down on the aero bars and proceed to pick the pace up a bit. After a few minutes I get the Texas version of STFD and I smile and ease up a bit. About 5 miles from the control I flat for the second time on the ride. A quick fix and I regroup at the control in Magnolia, mile 520. I’m hungry having skipped breakfast and there is a Mexican serving up some Mexican cuisine in one of those carnival food trucks beside the C store. I have him make me a breakfast burrito. This guy has talent. It starts getting hot and I have another flat just a few miles later. I’m now riding solo with a headwind, hot and I’m getting sleepy again. I find a church and check in with Susan. I can tell that today will be my getting over the hump day. For now I take a 30 minute nap. I ride another 30 miles, stop at another church and take another 30 min. nap. I’m running on fumes now. I need lots of food. In Huntsville, mile 570, I stop at a Subway for major fueling. I’m just about finished when 4 riders approach. It’s Kevin riding with 3 recumbent cyclists. I chat with Kevin a bit and he encourages me to ride with them as they are having an enjoyable day on the bikes. I head back inside while they eat. Peggy, Sara Kay and Daniel round out the group. They become my pals for the rest of the ride.

They are chipper and joking around a bit and this festiveness was something I hadn’t seen riding with the herd. Sara Kay rolls out a manly burp that quiets the restaurant and we bust out laughing. Party on! We head out for Crockett together. 52 miles to the motel. They are rolling a good pace and I enjoy their company. We reach the motel at 12:45 am. I’m starting to have some serious butt issues. The roads in Texas are much worse than North Carolina roads. My 700x23 tires and narrow seat combined with a very rough chip-n-seal surface have done me in. Maybe I can sleep this off. The girls vote for leaving at 4:00 am. Do what? OMG, I’ll be lucky to get 1 hour sleep. I room with Daniel. I shower as he starts on dinner that we kinda have to prepare ourselves. We have set our alarms for 3:00 am. It’s now 1:30 as Daniel gives up on the food and heads for the shower. I eat half of my food but trash the rest as I need sleep foremost.

(Crockett to Waxahachie) (622 miles to 770 miles)

Up at 3:00 am after just over an hour of sleep. Oh this is ridiculous. I can’t function all day after just an hour of sleep. We are all a little nervous about finishing on time. We’ve battled headwinds for 3 days and today we travel northwest with, you guessed it, northwest winds. Another long day is in store without much time in the bank. We’ll really have to watch our down time early on to make sure we can finish on time. I never thought I’d be anywhere close to 90 hours finishing but this is reality. No time for crying about it. Speaking of crying, my bottom really hurts today. We gather in the lobby around 3:45 but no Kevin.

Finally we send a volunteer to wake him up. Daniel naps, I lay my head down but no sleep. We finally roll around 4:30 am. Around 150 miles left to get this finished. We have some fun rollers this morning and I venture out ahead of the group for a while. They eventually run me down and we do our best at making time against the wind. We are in front of the herd (peloton) so that keeps us in a comfort zone. Though there is nothing comfortable with my saddle today. I’ve never felt this much pain on a bike ride. At one time I let my pals go as I’m struggling just to stay on the saddle. They are long gone now and I finally have to decide my fate. If I let this get to me I’ll never finish on time, so I get a little attitude, ignore the pain and hammer on until I reel them back in. I try to put on my happy face because this group likes happy! Mile 662, Palestine, we stop at McDonalds for breakfast. Breakfast burrito, pancakes, coffee, great comrades and my mood improves.

We continue on, still no peloton yet so we must be making decent time. Open fields now on busy sections of highway, but we have large shoulders of road. I wished they were a little smoother. I’d pay extra! Last control before the end, Corsicana, mile 725, We arrive with others and a few minutes later the peloton arrives as well as we take over the town. Only 44 miles to go with some time in the bank. Everyone here will have no problem finishing on time. There are still a few behind us though. The peloton leaves and we leave a few minutes later. A few miles later there is smoke up ahead, Then 6 Japanese zeros are in formation heading our way. They have just attacked a local airstrip and I’m looking for cover. Here come the stars and stripes to chase them away. A b-52 and a b-17 cruising around as well. How cool is this. At one point we stop on top of a bridge to watch the action. No I wasn’t dreaming in my sleep. It was just an air show at a local airport.

We mosey on. Kevin and I are battling sleep again. Kevin pulls off to regroup. I’m weaving and drop back a bit. About 30 miles from the end Kevin and I decide we need a nap. We watch the group ride away as we look for a nice shady spot to lie down. A little park beside a post office a couple blocks off course is our choice. We set our alarms for 30 min. I also make a call to Susan asking for a wake up call for backup. Local pup gets us up after a 25 min. nap. We roll, Kevin drops the hammer for the first 5 miles, and I’m barely hanging on. STFD! But I keep it to myself. We make a turn and we have some short rollers, my favorite hammer terrain. I throw down a bit for the next 5 miles. We take out a quick 10 miles in 30 min. 20 miles left and we call a truce and decide to relish the last 20. Seventeen miles left we stop at a little Mexican store for cold drinks and conversation. I call Susan giving her our estimated arrival time and begging for a cooler full of recovery drinks at the finish. We soft pedal the last 17 miles. It’s a beautiful sunset as we’re pedaling into the sun. The wind, after 4 days has subsided and things are very pleasant. We even have a smooth road. We roll in around 8:30 just a few minutes after sunset. Susan, Geof and others cheer us in. Our other pals are still there as well. We present our signed cards, and then we get medals, pose for pictures.

Then Kevin and I take a seat and start on those recovery drinks. We pose for more pictures with our pals. 770 miles in 87 hours, 30 min. Just for perspective it’s 780 miles from home (Wilson, N.C) to Portland Maine. 6 riders attempt the 1000K, and all finish. 50 riders start the 1200K, only 35 finish. With the 4 days of headwinds and severe weather this will go down as one of the most epic 1200K’s in the US. I had about 8 hours of sleep over a 4 day period. It took everything I had.

Friday -- Bike To Work Day Ride in Raleigh

2011-05-18T08:55:00.000-04:00

Greetings, all Triangle Cyclists.

As part of Bike to Work Day, a mass ride has been planned this Friday, May 20, from the State Fairgrounds to the Capitol Building in downtown Raleigh. Currently 65 riders are signed up. We'd welcome your participation and support.

The ride leaves from the Fairgrounds at 8 a.m. Details on the GoTriangle.org website.

You'll need to sign up and complete a waiver. Here's the form.

Yehuda Moon & Randonneuring

2011-05-16T13:28:00.003-04:00

Here at RTP, we love Yehuda. Today's strip has a rando theme.

Adrian Hands at the Finish of PBP 03

2011-05-16T11:16:00.003-04:00

In doing picture research for a special PBP issue, I came across this terrific picture of Yo A. This appears to have been taken in the beverages tent at the finish. I believe Chet was the photographer.... So this is what 88' 55" looks like! For more on Adrian, visit the Adrian Hands Society website that was established in his honor.

To all the folks who just earned this....

2011-05-16T10:47:00.000-04:00

...You know who you are. All you riders who today are magnificently tired but rightfully proud for completing yesterday's 600K and earning Super Randonneur status for the very first time. Pat yourselves on the back. Ya done good.

A very special congratulations to "Rico" Dayton, who is now qualified for a little ride called Paris Brest Paris..... A highlight of my randonneuring career was seeing Brother Rob reach that historic milestone yesterday. Chapeau!

Tar Heel Riders at the Texas Rando Stampede 1200

2011-05-15T08:19:00.001-04:00

A big tip of the cowboy hat to Tim Lucas and Geoff Simons for successfully tackling 750 miles of Texas asphalt and completing the Texas Rando Stampede 1200K. Geoff rolled in with a group of riders at 82:34 while Tim finished at 87:30. I believe it is the first 1200K for both riders, which makes it that much sweeter. I look forward to the ride reports with Texas-sized accounts of torrential rainstorms and miles of tire-devouring, chip & seal roads. Congrats to all riders who participated in the event, including fleche-mate Spencer, and kudos to Dan, Pam, George and all the other organizers of this inaugural event.

Geoff with "Claire."

Tim

An Even Cooler Music Video

2011-05-14T21:53:00.002-04:00

Double Take, the Asheville band formerly known as Tribe of Dwarfs, wrote and recorded this song -- and music video -- in one day with the help of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. Astute music fans will recognize the killer keyboard work by Capn's son... It even has an Abbey Road moment... Enjoy...

Cool Bike Video

2011-05-11T20:24:00.000-04:00

I think he's also touring by bike....enjoy.

Close To You from Ben Sollee on Vimeo.

Talking PBP With Chris & Annette

2011-05-10T09:01:00.006-04:00

Tar Heel randonneurs Chris and Annette, who live in Western North Carolina, are in fine form this season as the gear up for PBP 11. They successfully completed PBP 07, and RTP caught up with them last week for any tips they might have for PBP 11 hopefuls. Their responses follow:

You guys did your first PBP in 07, meaning you rode in rain and more rain. Now you're going back for more. What gives?

I have ridden bikes for all kinds of reasons for fifty years. The experience at PBP was the pinnacle. The desire to return again is to see what happens if the sun comes out.

Best experience you guys took away from PBP 07?

The French people throughout the countryside. In Brittany (second night), in a farming hamlet, in the rain, at 3 a.m., hearing clapping at the side of the town square...that was unbelievable.

You can give a newcomer one bit of advice about Paris Brest Paris. What is it?

Do not ever doubt yourself. That will get you through.

Anything you wish you'd carried with you in 2007?
More real food at the depart. Excitement burns energy. I was in a deficit too soon.

How did you train in 07? Will you do anything differently this time?

We rode a lot. Also raced track that summer. Speed is good, especially for saving energy. Need to get back on the track this June and July.

Did you make any rookie mistakes in 07?
I was in a food deficit the first night. I remember seeing Jimmy Williams sitting at the depart, waiting, waiting, eating a gigantic Croque Monsieur (baguette with ham and cheese). I needed one of those and another in my saddle bag.

Do you have time or other goals in mind for this year's event?
The thing I like about randonneuring compared to racing is that all you have to do is cover the prescribed route in the allowed time. Still, speed equals sleep...I would like to get a bit more sleep this time. In 2007 we slept 5 hours out of 87. That was blotto.

Several North Carolina riders happened to reach Dingé at the same time on the return leg. You were there as well. Describe that experience, please.

We departed before Cap'n Ende's attack. The memory of Dingé was the joy of seeing a slew of familiar faces: Branson, Glenn, JD, Mike and John. The bad part was that we burned a half hour trying to get some food from a bakery that then announced they were complete for the day. That clock never stops.

If people ask you why you do such long bike rides, what do you tell them?
I like to quote Geof Simons from the Raleigh 600K ride of 2010: it is on the really long rides that cycling gets interesting.

Annette runs a fast paceline. Does she enjoy punishing us on these long rides or does she feel bad about it afterwards?
Annette is a benevolent taskmaster, and retired world class road racer. Speed, efficiency, and consistency will get you to the end and off your bike faster.

Project Bikeway -- Two-Wheeled Fashion Show

2011-05-08T11:00:00.007-04:00

Yesterday's Bike Month event in downtown Raleigh featured a fashion design showcase, dubbed Project Bikeway, at Raleigh's City Plaza.

The goal, according to a Project Bikeway press release:

Created in response to the lack of hybrid attire available for professionals who bike to work, Project Bikeway aims to forge the link between safe bicycle commuting and dressing for a professional office environment. The project calls for the development of clothing which easily transitions between the bicycle, the office, and evening events, while still keeping the wearer comfortable, stylish and visible.

Below are photos of the participants and information about each designer:

Kristen Martinez - kdmartin@ncsu.edu

Kristen is a Senior in Textile and Apparel Management at NC State University. Kristen has created two outfits made from breathable mesh and batik-dyed cotton with an intricate pattern to disguise perspiration. Both outfits feature subtle pocket integration for easy storage and reflective material for visibility.

Ray Coleman - arcolema@ncsu.edu

Ray Coleman is a Junior in the Textiles program at NC State University. Ray has created a pair of selvedge jeans featuring a taper cut to prevent chain entanglement, a reversed yoke to move seams higher and out of the way of the saddle, and enlarged and repositioned back patch pockets for ease of access. The T-shirt has been thinned along the side-seams to allow breathability and features an easy access back pocket for a cellphone, wallet, or keys. The denim lined messenger bag is spacious and includes secret pockets along the inside flap with working velcro closures.

Sheyda Foroudi - smforoud@ncsu.edu

Christy Michal - cjmichal@gmail.com

Kelly Stillman - kellystillman@gmail.com

Sheyda Foroudi, Christy Michal, and Kelly Stillman are all Seniors in Fashion and Textile Management at NC State University. Sheyda, Christy and Kelly have designed a pair of slim cargo pants with 4-way stretch for ideal cyclist comfort and mobility along with a high waistline for modesty in the leant forward position. The metallic printed top adds visibility and the cotton/spandex blend provides extra comfort in movement. The infinity scarf is hand-knit out of lightweight cotton and easily transforms the outfit for changes in weather.

Matthew Mahler - tierraideas@gmail.com

Matthew Mahler is the Founder and head designer at Tierra Ideas. Matt has upcycled used materials to create this classic biker's messenger bag. Cyclists can carry clothes, laptops and more in this water-resistant, full-sized shoulder bag. The outer shell is made from worn bike inner tubes donated by Performance Bicycle and the inner lining is made from upcycled aircraft curtains donated by Delta Airlines. A 3M reflective strip is sewn-in for safety when the biker rides at night. All Tierra bags are designed and handcrafted in Raleigh. Ten percent of proceeds of each bag sale have been donated to The Nature Conservancy. Tierra bags are available for purchase at designbox and NOFO in Raleigh.

Two Wheels, High Heels -- Raleigh's Raffish Ride

2011-05-08T09:49:00.002-04:00

I was seriously under-dressed for yesterday's Raffish Ride, one of the kick-off events to Bike Month here in Raleigh. This well-heeled, high-heel crowd showed up in bow ties and sequin dresses for the ride from NCSU's Bell Tower to City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. More about the Raffish Ride and the Bike Fashion show, Project Bikeway, another Bike Month event at Kirsty's blog, Multi-Modal...

Bike Month Kick off Event, Saturday, May 7

2011-05-05T08:35:00.001-04:00

Lots of cycling events in Raleigh on Saturday -- including a fashion show. Hop on your two wheeler and join us for the festivities. I'll be working a booth on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday, May 7, 11am - Noon
- Raffish* Ride at NCSU Bell Tower
Bring your feather boa or your blue suede shoes - or whatever you want to wear for this stylish ride from the Bell Tower to the Kick Off Event in Downtown Raleigh. Get dolled up for a group ride to the runway.
*(adj.) displaying a charming, free-spirited disregard for the conventions of society or approved behavior.

Saturday, May 7, 12:30pm and 2pm
-Project Bikeway Fashion Show at City Plaza
GoTriangle and NC State's Wolftrails program will host a "bike fashion" showcase in response to the lack of hybride attire available for professionals that bike to work. Project Bikeway designs will be showcased twice at the event, first at 12:30pm and again at 2:00pm.

Saturday, May 7, Noon - 3pm
- Bike Month Kick-Off Event at City Plaza
Join fellow cyclists as we kick off Bike Month with free bike checks by REI, bicycle safety stations for the whole family, materials & information on how to bike around Raleigh safely and efficiently. New this year is Project Bikeway, a bicycle commuter fashion show, created by NCSU. Free beverages provided by Vitamin Water.
For more Bike Month information please visit http://www.raleighnc.gov/home/content/PWksTranServices/Articles/NewsReleaseBikeMonth.html

Adrian Hands Society Jersey Poll

2011-05-04T09:59:00.002-04:00

We here at RTP have teamed up with our good friends over at La Société Adrian Hands to help them select their PBP 2011 jersey. Many entrants have fallen off the pace and two clear leaders have emerged from the peloton. Please help La Société by casting your vote for the final design. The contest will end at midnight, May 8th. Please fill out the survey on the left and thanks for participating.

Stairway to Wilkesboro

2011-05-04T08:07:00.001-04:00

For all you Zeppelin fans, here's Mr. Plant at Merlefest, with Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller on the autoharp...Song by Doc and Rosa Lee Watson.... tip of the hat to Wade for the link...

Raleigh Gains Bicycle Friendly Designation

2011-05-03T16:58:00.002-04:00

This just in....Congrats!

The view from the outdoor seating at the Raleigh Times,
a favorite gathering spot for cyclists...

Raleigh’s reputation as a cycling city is “spiraling.” The League of American Bicyclists included Raleigh in its latest round of Bicycle Friendly Communities as part of the observance of May as National Bike Month.

The Capital City was among the 21 U.S. municipalities that gained Bicycle Friendly Community status. To date, the League of American Bicyclists has received 425 applications and designated 179 Bicycle Friendly Communities in 44 states. This was the first year that Raleigh had applied for the award.

Raleigh received Bronze Level recognition. Wilmington was the only other North Carolina city to also earn this designation in this round. Durham, Charlotte and Cary were previously named to the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community roster.

Official Status

The City of Raleigh recently elevated the importance of bicycling as a healthy and environmentally friendly means of transportation. On Oct. 5, the Raleigh City Council approved $1.35 million in bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects over the next two years. The improvements had been recommended by the newly created City of Raleigh Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission.

The 22 planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements are scattered throughout Raleigh. They include three miles of new sidewalks and more than 30 miles of on-street bicycle facility striping. Funding is to come from the City’s Capital Improvement Program and from federal grant funding administered by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The BPAC was created to advise the City Council on matters related to bicycle and pedestrian activities and accommodations within Raleigh, including facility design, policies, programming, safety and outreach.

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More information

Q&A -- Our Man Branson

2011-05-03T09:05:00.004-04:00

Our riding buddy Branson is crushing it on fixed gear this season. On our recent flèche, Branson spun his way at 35 mph down Mount Mitchell and tackled a 3,000 foot climb from Rosman to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Respect!

Off the bike, Branson is a devoted dad and the creative talent behind the NC Randonneurs logo. In an e-mail Q&A, Branson said he's planning PBP on a fixed gear. Read on to find out how he trains and who inspires him.

1. Why fixed this season? What is the appeal for you?

Why fixed? Guess I fell under the same spell so many others have- it's simply a lot of fun! So quiet, so responsive, so efficient. That direct connection to the bike is a great feeling. It's like I'm part of the bike instead of being perched upon one.

2. When did you first ride a fixed gear?

Fall of 2008. I bought a 1983 Trek IS 400 touring frame and converted it to a fixed-gear/singlespeed for commuting. Survived a few crashes around the neighborhood before tentatively taking to the streets. Pretty soon I didn't want to ride anything else. In February 2009 I rode my first fixed brevet- Tony Goodnight's Harrisburg-Laurinburg-Harrisburg 300K.

3. Your form this season is fantastic, with the successful completion of a mountainous flèche and strong finishes on several brevets. Describe your training regimen this year...

Maybe commuting with a little boy in a trailer is the next big thing! He loves it too so it's a win all around. Other than that, I've just really upped the intensity of my rides- fewer, shorter, harder efforts.

4. Your goal is to do an SR series and PBP on fixed?

Yes. PBP has been the goal all along but I'm still not sure I can have fun riding it fixed. Until our flèche a couple of weekends ago I had never ridden more than 300K fixed. If the NCBC 600K feels good and I stay healthy, then it's on to PBP.

5. Your gearing?

Currently I'm riding 45x14 with a 45x16 on the flip side. I'm going up to a 46 for our NCBC 600K and if it works it'll stay there for PBP.

6. Which is tougher -- up or down?

For me- down is tougher! It's just very tricky to get the keister up out of the saddle to stretch when the bike's headed downhill and legs are thrashing.

7. Who do you draw inspiration from?

My wife and son, my parents, Jerry Branson Kimball, Adrian Hands, Charly Miller, Spencer Klaassen, Emily O'Brien, Jake Kassen, Kevin Kaiser.

Morrisville 400K / Dog Day Afternoon

2011-05-01T18:05:00.001-04:00

It happened quickly. One hundred miles into our 400K, we crested a hill in the Uwharrie Mountains and started a steep downhill run. A small white dog, keen for action, heard us coming and wandered into the road. The first group cleared him on the right. This dog was unpredictable; he turned a circle in the road and headed to the left once more. This was big trouble.

Not sure what he'd do next, I scrubbed off as much speed as I could; I was prepared to stop and make a stand, and I shifted my weight behind the seat on the chance that he crossed my front wheel. If he cut back my way again, I was on track to hit him square on.

I managed to slip by on his right and released my brakes, picking up speed again. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Wes had cleared him as well. I thought we were all in the clear until I heard a rider and bike hit the chipseal.

John M caught the dog broadside and went down hard. I turned to see his tumble, and the contents of his handlebar bag -- a cellphone, a food container, a pair of shears -- spilling onto the road. We stopped immediately and circled back. The dog was long gone (John would see him on the return leg and note the dog had a well-defined tire mark across his flank.)

John was dazed but he was sitting up. Blood was oozing from a deep, ragged divot of skin near his elbow. John is a doctor and I watched as he instinctively checked his legs, his hip, his arm, the shoulder he'd rolled on.

His self-diagnosis took less than 30 seconds.

"Well, I don't think I broke anything," he said. Even shaken, he was calm and matter-of-fact, and he made it clear that he would press on. He needed the 400K as a qualifier for Paris Brest Paris. A dog and a divot were not going to stand in his way.

We took about 15 minutes as John gathered himself up. He made a makeshift bandage using a glove liner and an elastic ankle band to hold it on. Ende collected the items off the road and returned them to John's front bag. I checked over John's bike, put his chain back on, tweaked the bent front fender, straightened out the brake levers. On a short test ride, the bike had a new rattle in the front fender, but everything else seemed fine and the front wheel was true.

We pushed on. John was understandably slow for the first few miles, and he complained of being sore, but his form slowly returned. At the turnaround, he borrowed a flexible knee brace from Lynn and used its compression to hold a bandage in place for the rest of the ride.

John finished with Jerry and Terry just before midnight. A tip of the hat for gutting it out on a very tough 400k course. And a tip of the hat to Geof, Lynn, Branson, Capn, Wes, Jimmy and JoeRay, who had an inspired day off the front.

To all of the riders out there on the course, wasn't that a great day for a bike ride? Let' s do it again. But watch out for the damn dogs.