18 Miles Per Hour

GOING BIKE CAMPING? YOU’RE WELCOME FOR THIS. Check out...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:55:11 -0400

GOING BIKE CAMPING? YOU’RE WELCOME FOR THIS.

Check out this video right here and prepare to have your mind blown with the elegant simplicity of this Hobo Stove. Oh, and you should probably thank Stevil Kinevil at All Hail The Black Market for the lead.

CYCLISTS FIND THINGS, INVENTORY: MORE BALLS We head out on our...

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 01:47:55 -0400

CYCLISTS FIND THINGS, INVENTORY: MORE BALLS
We head out on our bikes to find a little peace and perhaps to find a better version of ourselves. Clearly what we’ve been finding is other folks’ lost balls.
Lots of them.
And they’ve become a reminder for me. Those balls stand for one thing: Fun. Because that’s what casual ball sports like these seem to represent to me.
What they’re reminding me to do on my bike.
Have fun.
So I owe a debt of gratitude to some anonymous folks out there.
Because if we remember to have fun, then they didn’t lose their balls in vain.
Their loss is our gain.

CYCLISTS FIND THINGS, INVENTORY: AMERICA’S PASTIME. One...

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:07:40 -0400

CYCLISTS FIND THINGS, INVENTORY: AMERICA’S PASTIME.

One of our Universal Truths of Cycling is that cyclists find stuff out there on the road and trail. Over the next few posts I’ll be showing the last six months’ haul.
Now, if we come across an object and the owner is obvious, we won’t put it in our jersey pocket. For example, if one of these baseballs was in front of a home where it was obvious that ball-playing kids lived, we’d leave it alone or even toss it back onto their lawn.
But these baseballs were found in odd locations. One was even found on some singletrack (???).
So what now? We believe they should be used. Bur our kids don’t want them.
Do we find some kids and offer them up? Nope, too odd.
Ride next to a little league field and drop them off? Nope (see previous sentence).
Until we figure it out, we’re open to suggestions.
C’mon, let’s hear some chatter out there.

A FAN’S EVOLUTION. Grand touring season is in full swing...

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:22:14 -0400

A FAN’S EVOLUTION.
Grand touring season is in full swing and how I watch it has changed completely.
Since I first saw Greg Lemond and Monseur Fignon, I watched each race rooting for a specific rider or team.
With age and wisdom, I go into the race cold and wait for the stories to develop naturally.
As with any sport, if I decide to follow a specific athlete I can be let down by injury or controversy. But I’m finding that, if I go into it without any expectations, without any agenda or goal, wonderful things happen. Stories. Heroes. Courage.
Example number 1,000,000 of how racing is a lot like life.

(Image courtesy of Rapha)

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS MEMORIAL DAY...

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:17:11 -0400

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
That’s the 25th Infantry up there.
We think it’s worth your while to read about them. Get to know them. Here’s a link.
http://bicyclecorps.blogspot.com

Oh, and have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.

UNIVERSAL TRUTH OF CYCLING # 30: THE GREAT DIVIDE When you climb...

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:59:27 -0400

UNIVERSAL TRUTH OF CYCLING # 30: THE GREAT DIVIDE
When you climb aboard your bicycle, the divide between what’s going on in your head versus your legs can be vast.
Your brain and imagination can conjure up all kinds of things, but the legs don’t lie.
It’s fantasy versus reality.
In my head I’m 140 pounds.
My legs remind me that I’m 180.
In my head I’m screaming into a lone breakaway to win The Hell of the North.
My legs say I’m a bit buzzed and screaming around the corner to a liquor store for more wine.
In my head I wish to be dancing on the pedals.
My legs would prefer I’d never left the warmth of my bed.
In my head I love to ride. Any time.
My legs remind me that it’s been a long week, thank you very much.
The divide between my head and legs would seem as if it discourages me but it’s actually quite motivating. It grounds me in reality. A reality in which I am always looking to improve.
We all have that divide. Even (insert pro cyclist here).
And pro or beginner, we can agree on one thing: there’s no greater feeling than when we have one of those rare rides when we climb on, get rolling and within a few spins of the pedals it hits us.
Our legs are as strong as our desires and fantasies.
Everything is clicking.
The divide has been closed.

WHAT’S IN A CLIMB’S NAME? A lot of climbs have names that are...

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:51:38 -0400

WHAT’S IN A CLIMB’S NAME?
A lot of climbs have names that are overtly trying to humble you.
The Bitches.
QuadBuster.
The Widowmaker.
Then there’s one of our local climbs.
It has a seemingly-innocuous name.
It’s tame, but it usually comes at the end of a longer ride so it’s where you empty the tank. You leave whatever you’ve got left in you on that climb.
We’ve always called it 9-Minute Hill, for obvious reasons.
Turns out some other folks call it something else.
7-Minute Hill.
Do yourself a favor and Google “Strava 7 Minute Hill.”
Well, ain’t that an ego shrinker.
And look at those times. Could be 5-Minute Hill.
Maybe it’s the 30-Minute Martinis I had.
Or the 10-Minute Fried Mozzarella Sticks.
Whatever. I’ve got to face the facts.
It’ll never be 7-Minute Hill if I’ve got 9-Minute Legs and a 12-Minute Gut.

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND. Enough jive, just get...

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:46:00 -0400

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND.

Enough jive, just get out and ride.

Cycle for and on a brother cycle.

Cycle while you’re imagining you’re a very fast brother.

Or just do it for your brother. You know, me, your brother who’s still not back in the saddle.

(image courtesy of RidesABike)

IN PRAISE OF WINTER RIDING. The long, hard, cold months of...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:42:22 -0400

IN PRAISE OF WINTER RIDING.

The long, hard, cold months of winter training are over. The concern whether I had enough clean base layers, arm and leg warmers, booties and all the other stuff up there in that photo…done for a while.

The warm weather is here.

So as I look back on those months of opening the front door of my house at 6am in my kit and having a blast of frigid, morning air hit me like a bucket of icy water, I ask myself why I did it.

There’s a brilliant Nike ad from years ago that pictured a runner slogging through waist-deep snow and the headline read: Somewhere there’s a nice, warm place where all the second-place guys train.

That used to be my mindset back then.

but now it’s different.

Now, the advantage I have by getting out there in the cold is not that I got more fitness, but that I got more riding. More time out on the trail and road.

It’s not me versus them.

It’s not me versus anything.

It’s me giving to me.

Kinda makes me miss those cold months.

Kinda.

THE UPSIDE OF SICKNESS If it weren’t enough that I’m barely...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:42:19 -0400

THE UPSIDE OF SICKNESS
If it weren’t enough that I’m barely recovering from a major crash, I just got sick, too. And I assume that a few of you out there are going through the same mental process I am.
See, I just started a fitness regime when a virus changed that schedule.
I imagine that, while I’m coughing uncontrollably and achy, everyone else is out there hitting their stride, passing me up and hitting fitness goals effortlessly while I backslide. The virus is an anchor, holding me down. I’m talking of course about small, manageable colds and other such maladies that are more of a temporary inconvenience than a serious threat to one’s life.
I often find that, in the long run, getting sick did not hold me back. Or set me back. Quite the opposite. The fact that I got sick meant my immune system was weak - i was coming off of three weeks on post-surgery antibiotics. I was probably under rested. I wasn’t going to make any fitness strides in that state. The rest I have been forced into by sickness is the rest I need. To heal muscles. To strengthen my immune system. Soon I can get back to it. Sure, the first couple times out will be rusty. But even that is what I needed.
For about the thousandth time I get to experience that scary, stiff, unsure and exciting feeling.
A fresh start.
- Brian

UNMASKED You know those superhero movies or TV shows where all...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:36:00 -0400

UNMASKED
You know those superhero movies or TV shows where all it takes is a small mask to render someone completely unrecognizable. Superman or Batman take off that tiny mask and nobody has a clue.
I used to think that was really dumb.
It was a leap of faith I just could not take. Until recently.
See, I’ve been riding up the same trail almost daily for 9 years. Every single morning I would run into the same people and say “hello.” There’s Ed and his two big hounds. Tom and his black & white mutt “Oreo.” The gaggle of women of undetermined ethnicity who wore strong perfume, even while hiking, and would not budge from the trail. No matter, I greeted them all - most by name - and they greeted me back.
But I’m not cycling these days.
I’m very slowly trying out trail running.
So the helmet and lycra kit is off and it’s a t-shirt and running shorts.
And I’m a stranger to these people.
“Hello Tom!”
(nothing)
“Howdy Ed!”
(quizzical look)
“Morning ladies!”
“…….”
Really?
I will never scoff again at the concealing nature of the Lone Ranger’s thin strip of a mask.
And apparently there’s room for a new superhero who hides his identity behind the most effective disguise of all.
A Giro helmet.
- Brian

“THE _____ GUY.” When I tell people that, since my latest crash,...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:47:18 -0400

“THE _____ GUY.”

When I tell people that, since my latest crash, I may not ride a bike anymore, they don’t believe me.

That’s very telling.

Shows that I’ve been through this before and come back.

Shows that it’s really obvious to all around me how much I’ve loved bikes.

It shows how much cycling was a part of my identity.

I’ve been “the bike guy” at every job I’ve held for the last 15 - 20 years.

I’m guessing a fair number of you hold the same title amongst your peers.

But I’ve been other stuff.

Before that I was “the triathlete guy.”

Before that, through high school and college I was “the swimmer / water polo guy.”

Before that I was the “surfer / skater / BMX rider” kid.

And I wore those titles proudly because I loved all those things.

Some of them I’d love to do again but lately I was focused on cycling.

Perhaps it’s time I got back in touch with them.

Perhaps it’s time for some new things.

Things that get me out into the outdoors (like cycling), that test my fitness and endurance (like cycling) but won’t make my wife and kids scared every time I leave the house (like cycling).

So who knows, I may be back on the bike again. For sure, to ride with the kids to school and back. And on Sundays to Blinkie’s Doughnuts. And maybe to a pub or three.

But I’m eager and excited to try other outdoorsy things. And I’m eager to share the same kinds of honest insights and wisdoms.

If you’ll have me.

Then maybe I’ll hold a new title.

“The outdoors guy.”

“The trail runner guy.”

Or maybe I can move beyond those titles.

Maybe just “Brian” is good enough.

- Brian

HELLO E.R., OLD FRIEND I went down again. Badly. How...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:34:00 -0400

HELLO E.R., OLD FRIEND

I went down again. Badly.

How badly?

Enough that I’m considering leaving this sport.

I know that’s a bit dramatic, but when I’ve put my wife through that “phone call” from the hospital, seen my 11 year old son try to keep it together and my daughter cry as they brought me off the ambulance on a spinal board with my face in pieces and my brain function spotty, I have to question how fair it is to keep putting them through that.

Especially since it’s not the first time.

And this was not a race.

It was not a technical trail.

I was just riding along.

And then I wasn’t.

So at the very least I’m taking a long long time away from the bike.

My family needs a break.

And my broken face needs one, too.

- Brian

MARCH MADNESS. I get back from one 24 hour race camping...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:22:18 -0400

MARCH MADNESS.

I get back from one 24 hour race camping excursion, springtime weather starts to show itself and just like that, the 2013 edition of my annual short-term obsession with campers kicks off.

A peek at my browser history shows nothing seedy, but everything outdoorsy.

Aggressive looking things.

The name brand - Sportsmobile

The fantasy reaching a fever pitch now.

Then, feeling I’ve gone too far, I pull back. Maybe just an Urban Assault Vehicle will suffice.

In the end I’ll realize that I simply cannot justify anything more than a borrowed tent, sleeping pad and my 20 year old North Face Cat’s Meow bag.

Madness turns to sanity.

And good ol’ camping starts to look right again.

- Brian

HAPPY FRIDAY: RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND. Mr. Byrne up there is...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 02:43:51 -0400

HAPPY FRIDAY: RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND.

Mr. Byrne up there is quite the bicycle advocate. Read for yourself.

My energy on the bike is waning these days – I need this song to Pull Me Up.

It’s lighter later. You know what that means. I can commute home and Remain In Light.

That’s it. My weekend should be pretty much as it always is.

Same as it ever was.

(photo courtesy of purple.fr)

MOTIVATION, DECORATION OR SELF FLAGELLATION. I’ve got my own...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:13:39 -0400

MOTIVATION, DECORATION OR SELF FLAGELLATION.

I’ve got my own little hall of fame going in the garage. This is the staging area for my (almost) daily rides.

Mementoes. Old, prized frames. Race numbers.

It’s very garage-y.

Some days it inspires me by reminding me of the challenges met and good times had.

Other days it reminds me that I’ve got to at least try to get back into that kind of shape.

Most days it’s just décor.

Do you do this? Paste up the race numbers?

Or do you toss them in the trash, saving only the memories?

I’m not that strong. I need to remind myself.

It’s that little extra motivation and flagellation.

And, let’s be honest, a bit of psychological masturbation.

- Brian

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND. Unless you have a...

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:12:51 -0500

HAPPY FRIDAY. RIDE YOUR BIKE THIS WEEKEND.

Unless you have a sweet Cinelli rigid mountain bike like St. Haring here. Then hang that thing on a wall like art.

Speaking of rolling art.

But if you can’t get your hands on one of those lower back killing bikes, then try this one for size.

Now get out there and ride. Or paint. Or sculpt. Any kind of expression will do.

A-HOLE DESIGNERS Besides actual crash protection, the most...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:15:21 -0500

A-HOLE DESIGNERS

Besides actual crash protection, the most important feature in a helmet, for me anyway, is the air holes. I need them to be nice and huge. Not for ventilation, but big enough so I can stick my fingers in there and scratch my head.

I can’t be the only person out there that would appreciate this feature. Something about the first couple miles of a ride makes my head itch like crazy. My body warming up, perspiration, I don’t know what causes it - I just know it’s annoying.

I try to do a pre-scratch before I put on my head gear, but once I get going there’s an inevitable nagging itch.

It’s so important that it’s the first thing I test out when trying on a new helmet.

Which brings me to the two helmets I have now.

They have inadequate ventilation holes. Now, they were freebies. And I let my frugality outweight wisdom and common sense. But whatever money I saved has long been forgotten since I routinely have to pull over, remove my helmet and scratch my head like a flea-riddled sheepdog.

It’s undignified.

So a note to helmet designers: Stop caring so much about swoopy profiles and bold, new graphics and start giving some love to the notion of ventilation holes that fit the human finger.

Start caring about a-holes, you a-holes.

- Brian

WHAT’S NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY I looked really hard at the...

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:31:35 -0500

WHAT’S NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY

I looked really hard at the warranty for these bib shorts but there was nothing on there about covering an incident where a woodland creature from nearby Topanga Canyon gets into our yard and devours the crotch out of my bib shorts that are drying in the sun.

Yep, not one word about replacing shorts that, although clean (I swear to God) and used by a guy with impeccable hygiene (yep, me) were still so alluring to some perverted little animal with peculiar proclivities that it couldn’t resist chowing down on the foulest part of any clothing item.

Last time I get Giordana shorts.

I’m pretty sure Castelli has thought of this.

- Brian

THE “B” WORD. Bitches are all the same. From the outside they...

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:47:00 -0500

THE “B” WORD.

Bitches are all the same.

From the outside they don’t seem all that bad.

First few times you get involved, they’re no big deal.

But the longer you spend with them.

The more times you get burned by them.

They live up to their name.

And there are so many of them.

I’m talking about the 7 “Bitches” In the 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo of course.

Any resemblance to other bitches out there is purely coincidental.