Bike to Work Commute - The Road Less Traveled

May is of course Bike to Work Month and there have been several kick-off events and challenges to celebrate locally.  What has not kicked-off has been the weather - it has not been conducive to bike commuting to say the least.  Combine that with various commitments and obligations and I have bike commuted to work a whopping 0 times in May.    I did use my bike on Cinco de Mayo to go to coffee, but that has been the extent of my bike as transport activities.

That all changed as today broke clear and relatively warm.  Though not my first bike commute of the year, it was one of the best in terms of fun and joy.  Total mileage for the round-trip is 23 and almost an equal mix of road and dirt.  This requires a trusty steed that is comfortable on both - a Gary Fisher Superfly with 29" wheels.  If I could only have one bike, this would be it.

The first part of the commute is rural with pretty light traffic.

It is nice to get warmed up climbing Baltimore to Old Palouse Highway and to 57th Ave. for a total of about 4 miles.  Then it is bike lane all the way down 57th to Hatch Road.

The current construction at the top of Hatch Road required a little creative off-road riding to circumnavigate.  It looks like it will really improve the ride and safety of the transition from Hatch to 57th when complete.  A welcome prospect for anyone who regularly rides this area.

Just after the construction, I had to cross the road to reach the secret entrance to the bluff trails.

Here is where the fun part of the commute begins - about 5 miles of High Drive Bluff Trails that offer some fast, twisty and scenic off-pavement riding.

The middle trail provides the most variety with both wooded and exposed areas.

The areas with full sun exposure are covered with flowering Eastern Washington balsamroots 

It is tough to keep your eyes on the trail when tempted by some of the scenic views.  I have several battle scares to prove it.  One thing you do not want to do is carry too much speed into some of the blind corners.  Not only could there be another cyclist or pedestrian, but many have off-camber slopes that can lead to unintended aerial launches.  

Finally the trail leads to a bend and climb where the view includes part of downtown, the west plains, and the far northwest.  Then you know it is just a few more minutes to downtown.

Today, I stopped the dirt segment of the commute at the park at 14th Avenue since I find the remainder of the trail a bit of a pain and not very inspiring.  Also, by cutting back to pavement it is a quick few blocks of easy pedaling and downhill riding to Two Wheel Transit World Headquarters on 1st Ave.  It is nice to have a few minutes to cool down before hitting the shop since the bathing facilities are somewhat limited.

The ride home is a the exact opposite with the exception that I sometimes ride down Hatch to Hangman Valley Road for some variety.  I feel incredibly blessed to have such an interesting commute - as if bike commuting is not fun already, this almost seems illegal.  If that is the case, I plan on breaking the law again this week.

See you on the trail and at the Bike to Work Week Kick-off Breakfast on May 16 in Riverfront Park.

The Lost Art of Tire Rubbing

Each sport has its history and traditions - with over 100 years of history, cycling certainly has its share.

After riding with a lot of different people in various groups over the last 6 years, it finally dawned on me that no one rubs their road bike tires anymore.  If you have no idea to what I am referring, then you are probably under the age of 40 or began riding less than 10 years ago.  Rubbing one's tire is not the behavior of a deranged cyclist who has a fetish for his bike tires, but a habit born out of necessity in cycling years past.

When I started riding with serious riders back in the 1980s I would see everyone running a gloved hand across the surface of their tires on a regular basis - while still riding.  At first, I thought they were trying to keep their hands warm with friction until I realized that they were trying to avoid flat tires.  Each time there was a suspicion that the group had just ridden through broken glass on the road, you could hear gloves running over the front and then rear tire on each bike.  (Note that they were alway wearing gloves - do not attempt this without gloves) Light pressure was the key, just barely touching the tire surface was enough to dislodge the glass.

Then, like now, road bike tires are made to be very light while withstanding high pressure.  That meant thin casings and thin rubber due to limitations in the materials available during the period.  That also meant that glass had little between its sparkling sharp edges and the inner tube that held the air.  Cyclist learned that if they could knock the glass off of the tire surface before it could embed itself into the outer rubber then a flat could likely be avoided.  Also, gloves were made with real leather palms and mesh backs that left a cool suntan with a characteristic oval on the back of your hand. None of this synthetic stuff you see in gloves today.  The old gloves could easily withstand the friction of touching a moving tire.

I wanted to be cool like the other guys, so I started copying their rubbing behavior and proceeded to get my hand stuck between the spinning rear tire and the seat tube.  This served to lock my back wheel, produce a long skid and ended with me falling over in a dead stop with my right hand stuck behind my right leg.  Yep, cool as they come.  Apparently there was some technique required and where you place your hand in proximity to frame and wheel is important.

Later as Aramid fibers (think Kevlar) became less expensive and more available, they were incorporated under the tread in bike tires to increase their resistance to punctures.  Riders had fewer punctures and apparently the art (and necessity) of tire rubbing was no longer passed-on to beginning cyclists.  Being the Luddite that I am, old habits die hard and I still rub my tires after riding through glass though I do not get my hand caught anymore.  I really did not think about this ritual until I was riding with a friend last month and he asked me what I was doing - when the student is ready, the teacher appears - I could pass tradition to another rider.

He was kind and acted interested, but I could tell he did not share my enthusiasm for this behavior.  Maybe some day he will understand - until then he better keep a flat repair kit handy.

Rider Review - Trek 2.3 Road Bike

Trek 2.3 Rider Review

Despite having several years experience riding bikes I haven't gained much technical knowledge about them. I like how they feel. I like turning my legs in circles. I like going fast. I like swooping  through turns. I like to jump some curbs - it's that simple. Of all of the bikes I have ridden, the Trek 2.3 is the most enjoyable in all categories, except the jumping of curbs, which I avoid.

First thing great about this bike is that it is new. Bam - everything is smooth. Rolls nice. Shifts nice. Looks nice. Second thing I noticed right away when I rode it was its stiffness. My previous bike was an aluminum frame with carbon forks and carbon stays. I thought it was fantastic and full of springy life when I first rode it. However I have come to realize that compared to most bikes, it was like riding a wet noodle - especially in the handle bars. So much so that it is scary. I'm not sure why, but I have it on good authority that it might be because of a carbon steerer.

The Trek is stiff. The handlebars don't move when you pull on them. Instead the whole bike moves forward when you pull on them. I like it. The Trek frame is all aluminum with carbon forks. This time though there is  an aluminum steerer and it seem to make all the difference. I feel like the bike wants to go forward.

I also love how this bike turns for me. I suspect that it is partly because of a longer wheelbase since this bike is a 60cm  and I have always ridden on 58's.  This is just a guess though like I said I know little about frame geometry and the resulting ride, but it makes sense right? However you slice it I feel like I'm on rails when I corner. Taking turns on a stable glide.

The 2.3 has a full Shimano 105 gruppo (Italian for group) and the braking and shifting are great! Today's 105 is yesterday's Ultegra.

The one thing I wasn't sure about was the compact gearing. It has a 50x34 crankset instead of the 53x39 to which I was accustomed.  This set-up screamed hurky-jerky -spin- legs to me.  As it turns out I like spinning; it's my new thing and have been completely satisfied with the smaller chainrings. In fact I really haven't noticed them and when it is time to push the big gears the 50x11 is slightly faster gearing than a 53x12.

Finally, if all my previous bike were asses this would be the baddest of them.

Taylor Pilant

I Found Spring Hiding Out in the Columbia Highlands

I was invited to join a group ride on Saturday from Okanogan to Nespelem and back.  Both NOAA and weather.com predicted sunshine and temperatures in the mid-60’s for that area of north central WA, so after Thursday’s snowfall, I could not get out of town fast enough.

I had to make a quick stop at Two Wheel Transit to pick up my bike.  My chain replacement turned into a chain AND rear cassette replacement.  I seem to have to buy a new cassette every year (much to Geoff’s glee) (Editor's note: I do not glee at premature cassette wear - PCW) and I DO get my chain checked regularly for wear.  And no, I am not a big gear grinder.  Bottom line is Campagnolo is not kidding when they say the life of their 10 speed chain is 1000 miles.  Tom, mechanic to the stars, had the Hampsten ready to roll and I was on my way west.

We headed out Saturday morning from downtown Okanogan, crossed the Okanogan River, and immediately began climbing into the hills to the east on Omak Lake Rd.  The route turns rural very quickly and winds through dry sagebrush rangeland with some scattered Ponderosas.  After about 3 miles the road tops out on a little ridge and you leave the trees behind and enter a region that looks like southwestern Montana –big blue sky, steep rocky hillsides and no structures or people.  And here is where we found spring.  The hills were green and starred with bright yellow bunches of Arrowleaf Balsamroot.  The bluish- green sagebrush leaves released a fresh, spicy scent as they warmed in the sun.  Omak Lake appeared several hundred feet below the road on the left, a long irregular shaped glacial furrow rimmed by white limestone.  Coming from Snowkane, this was almost sensory overload and so much the richer to be experienced on a bicycle.

The road flows along south for many lovely miles before bearing left to follow the Columbia River.  Here the road is called the Columbia River Rd.  It traces the north shore of the river rolling up and down rocky banks.  There are almost no cars out here and the drivers of the ones that do pass, usually roll down their windows and wave.  They are smiling, but you know they are thinking “what are those crazy people doing way the heck out here?”

About 5 miles before Nespelem, the road switchbacks for a couple of miles up the old banks of the river in the days before the Grand Coulee Dam.  One rider who knew the route (it was new to me) told me the climb was steep, but short.  Another told me it was not steep, but long.  It leaned more towards the not steep, but long variety of climb, but with very distracting views.  It was a good thing there was no traffic because I was weaving all over the road as I looked around.

The road topped out on a high plateau above the river and in a couple of miles, we were in metro Nespelem.  There is an option to take Highway 155 and make a loop back to Okanogan, but we opted to return the way we came for a round trip of 90 miles.  155 has more traffic (any road would have more traffic) and we were in a state of sun-soaked cycling bliss.  So after a stop for a snack and water, we headed back through spring’s hiding place to Okanogan where the temperature was 68 degrees.  It was about 52 and getting ready to pour in Spokane at that moment.  This made it even sweeter.

Miss Clairol 

Update, excuses - who can tell?

This blog covers a variety of topics, from cycling to cycling. We discuss road conditions, cycling gear, the camaraderie of cycling and most anything related to the cycling life. Today, however, we are going to discuss me, Rider Three.

It is with some irony that this blog follows up a discussion about core strength (by the only combination doctor/bike shop owner in town), because this is an update is not only about Rider Three, but really it is about core weakness.

Two Monday mornings ago I hauled my lazy carcass out of bed, onto my bike and up Hatch Road to meet the Morning Ride group. Monday is known as "Mellow Monday," but this ride was less like "It's easy like [Monday] morning" and more like "I'm going off the rails on a Crazy Train [on Monday morning]." I got dropped going up Windmill Road, but there was a re-grouping at the top of Baltimore before a high-speed crazy train run through the Valley. Made it up Hatch again and, miraculously, ahead of a couple of riders (This is virtually an unknown phenomena).

Then, as the Spring of 2011 shall forever be recalled, it started snowing again. And raining. And sleeting. And freezing. So I didn't get on my bike again until the following Saturday. But, and this is an important but, with the desire, fortitude, necessary spunk and determination that THIS week, by goll durn, would be the week that I made it out to the Morning Ride every day.

This past Monday morning I again hauled the forthwith described carcass out of bed, onto my bike, up Hatch as the dawn broke over the South Hill and to the designated start. Lo and Behold, I was the first rider on said corner. A first for me and either a sign of the coming apocalypse or, as I was anticipating, the start to a great week of early morning rides and warming temperatures. The ride wasn't so mellow again, I got dropped again going up an early hill, the run through the Valley was unnecessarily hard, then I again managed to stick with a couple of people up Hatch. All was good and every reason to look forward to Tuesday. So, I headed home, got ready for work and got a hernia.

Say what? Yes, you read that correctly. I got a hernia. That would be medically described as your intestines sticking through a tear or weakness in your abdominal wall. Fun, huh? I, of course, being one of those prototype males who will ignore all medical issues until the pain is too much to endure, did what I could be expected to do. Drove to work, sat down at my desk and got to it. Except that I couldn't sit still, couldn't lean back, couldn't concentrate; really, couldn't do anything except ignore the protuberance that had developed on my upper abdomen and try to cope with the pain that was ranging from "oh shit" to "holy crap". So, I headed to the doctor, had them shove the thing back through the abdominal wall and got ready for Tuesday's ride. No, I didn't really do that. Instead, I contemplated how much this sucked and missed Tuesday's ride.

Now, only time will tell when I will make the Morning Ride for a solid week. Right now I have a surgical consult to look forward to, probably followed by surgery and then several days of grimacing every time I breath, move, sit, stand, lie down or move.

Lastly, I know you are curious about how I got a hernia, right? It is cycling related also. I crashed my bike. No, not on the Morning Ride or on the way home. I crashed it last Fall at the Capital Forest 50/100 and created the hernia then. It hurt less and I sought only internet diagnoses and the protuberance went down on its own during the course of healing up from the other injuries from crashing, so I was able to ignore it as any medical-attention-fearing male would do.

I knew that race was hard, but I didn't know I would still be getting over it 6 months later. So that's my excuse, or my update, or whatever, but it may be a while before I have more tales of cycling. In the meantime, follow Dr. Bruce's advice to work on your core strength and don't let any handlebars jab you sharply in the stomach when you crash.
Rider Three

At The Core of the Matter

Core Strengthening

In another blog, I spoke to the benefits of stretching and flexibility for cyclists. This one will focus on core strengthening and how it effects cycling.

In the recent years there has been more focus on core strengthening and its overall benefits for athletes. It helps with balance and stability. The term “solid foundation” comes to mind. This is true in cycling, although we tend to focus almost exclusively on quads, hamstrings, calves and “glutes.” 

I learned a personal lesson of the benefits of core strengthening in my early 40's after about 5 years of morning back pain. I was helping coach my daughter's soccer team. As we trained with some focus on core strengthening, my back pain disappeared. About 2 weeks after the season's end, it reappeared. It did not take much to put the two together and quickly I found that the core work we had done was the key. Now if I am extremely busy and go several days without some core work, my back tells me.

Again, this is an area that cyclists tend to ignore because we just want to cycle. For those of us past 30 and those that compete at a higher level, ignoring the core is a mistake. On longer rides, you fatigue sooner and your back hurts. As you tire, your pedal stroke becomes less efficient as your pelvis starts to rock back and forth. You put more weight on your hands often leading to numbness. Here is a good link to an article in Bicycling that has some rationale and exercises. (It even includes some core work you can do while riding.) Just Google “core strength exercises for cyclists” and you will get tons of workouts.

Often starting a core program is discouraging, especially if you start in on one of the hard hitting ones with names like Ab Ripper or Insanity. Like most activities, we need to start small and build. You can modify the exercises so you can do them comfortably at first (like do your planks on your knees or just sit up part way) and then expand your workout. Make sure you do a variety of exercises so that you work your whole core, central abs, obliques and back muscles. Similarly, you don’t have to do the whole workout every day or every time. Realistically, very few of us have the time to work out for hours a day. Most of us can manage 10 minutes, or maybe 5? By picking a few routines that last about 5-15 minutes each day and rotating them, you can get a great overall workout for your core and avoid the drudgery of doing the same thing every day. I think the benefits are easily seen in both cycling and every day life.

 Dr. Bruce

Valley Chapel Loop Report

I got a hall pass to ride the Valley Chapel Loop Sunday afternoon.  The loop is defined as a turn onto Valley Chapel Road where it intersects the Old Palouse Highway about 4 miles south of 57th Ave and riding it to Hwy 27 just outside of Rockford.  Head north on 27 about 7.5 miles and turn west on to Old Palouse Hwy until intersecting the starting point at Valley Chapel Road.

The loop itself is about 32 miles of climbs, rollers, descents and headwinds.  There were no trouble spots noted as it appears that all of the roads and shoulders have been cleared of sand and gravel.  As recent as a few weeks ago there was still a lot of sand on the grades that made for scary descents. The only potential issues are on Hwy 27 if you move off of the shoulder into the road where there are small potholes.

As always, remember traffic on both Hwy 27 and Old Palouse have 55 mph speed limits so be careful turning on either.