Andy's words » Biking

Inveigle Happiness

andy — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:08:13 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day everybody!

Fain riding instead of driving

andy — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:03:45 +0000

From Yehuda Moon:

It’s easy to fall back into old habits.

Penumbra of Climbing

andy — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:16:06 +0000

On Saturday I did Terrible Two and with that completed California Triple Crown Stage Race.

Here is a recap:

Mulholland Double ~ 208 miles, 16,470+ feet of climbing
Devil Mountain Double ~ 206 miles, 18,600+ feet of climbing
Terrible Two ~ 200 miles, 16,480+ feet of climbing

It was totally awesome; I recommend to everybody.

As for the individual doubles I did so far, here are my comments:

Solvang Double ~ great first double. It is relatively mild and the scenery is great.
Davis Double ~ looking at the profile it would seem easy, but it is really hard because of 100+F all day. Make sure to start early, get those flat miles in as quickly as possible and have insulated water bottles.
Mt. Tam Double ~ lots of climbing, but you do it early in the ride. I recommend this one to everybody.
Knoxville Double ~ shares a lot of roads with Davis Double. When I did it it was not nearly as hot and it was still hardly bearable.
Mulholland Double ~ absolutely mind blowing scenery. It is a lot of climbing with one of the longest climb towards the end.
Devil Mountain Double ~ unlike Mulholland, which has relatively mild climbs, this one is in your face climbing. Just when you recover from one climb, there comes the next one. The toughest climb is Sierra road at 160 miles. And to hit you again, there is another climb at 200 miles.
Terrible Two ~ pretty nice scenery of Napa and Sonoma. That said, Sonoma county has in my opinion the worse roads in the area. Be prepared for some serious potholes, gravel, non-paved roads, etc.

From organization stand point, anything organized by cycling clubs is best. Knoxville Double and Devil Mountain Double trump everything else. Their organizers go above and beyond. Mt Tam, Terrible Two, and Davis come close behind. Lots of quality doubles, for example Mt Tam and Terrible Two, will have valet bike service at the rest stop. This way you can go grab some food, while they take care of your water bottles and your bike. Solvang and Mulholland on the other hand are organized by Planet Ultra, which for some reason has some serious organizational problems. They do rides on awesome roads, but they do beginner mistakes, such as forgetting water, running out of food, no sunscreen, etc.

But hey, go out and ride!

Panacea Backpack

andy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:29:05 +0000

I need a new backpack. Boring… What I need is one backpack to rule them all. I am talking about the bike-commuting, laptop carrying backpack beast. Oh, and I want everything… I bike commute 100+ miles a week, usually I carry a laptop with me, and I almost always carry change of clothing, books, and other things. And I want a backpack to accommodate all that and more.

So, what are my requirements?

Comfortable ~ none of that messenger stuff. I want something I can bike century rides (100 miles) at speeds over 30MPH and not feel bad afterwards. It has to have shoulder and hip straps that are comfortable and breathable. and include a padded mesh back. It should be light, but the general comfort is more important.
Functional ~ it should be small enough to carry it on the plane as a second carry on, but at the same time big enough to fit everything I need. Furthermore it has to have pockets and compartments to easily access stuff.
Durable ~ obviously, I don’t want it to fall apart.

Here is what I want to carry inside

Laptop ~ currently this is 15″ MacBook Pro, but perhaps at some point somebody (hint hint) will buy me MacBook Air. I would like my laptop to be accessible even if the backpack is full of stuff. In other words, I want to be able to pull my laptop out without having to take anything else out and without anything else spilling out.
Books ~ well, you cannot travel without those, can you. Again, easy access is crucial.
Clothing ~ and by clothing, I mean everything: shirt, pants, underwear, socks, and sometimes even shoes and jacket. Here the access is not as important, as I usually have time to change.
Paperwork ~ yeah, you know, the regular A4/letter type stuff. Has to fit a folder type thing to put the paperwork in. I assume a laptop pocket would fit this.
Other stuff ~ such as bike tools, keys, wallets, lights, etc. Those things should be in a separate pockets, so I can access them without taking anything out of the bag.

So, what is the problem? Well, it turns out that you can either get a functional bag or a comfortable bag, but not both. Most bag manufacturers will give you pockets, laptop compartments, but their bags will be uncomfortable or only comfortable for short rides. Example of these kind of bags is: Timbuk2 – Q. Functionality wise, it has everything I want. But, a quick look at its back side reveals that is would be completely useless, unless your commute is 4 miles or less.

Alternatively there are day-backpacks from reputable backpack companies, which have a great back support and feel good even on longer rides. However, these backpack are never designed to carry anything similar to a laptop. Even worse, they usually have a curved back, so you cannot fit easily flat things without loosing space. An example of those bags is: Deuter ACLite. It has a nice back support, but you can see that there is no easy access for the laptop:

This one looks promising, but I got to check it out:

Perhaps what I really need to do is get a nice backpack and fit a good laptop insert in. Well, that is what I have now, and trust me, it is not optimal.

So, what do you think? Is there such a beast?

Ostracize the Healthy

andy — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:46:51 +0000

I have some non-PC comments, but I will let you have your own…

Sedulous Hours on the Bike

andy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:47:50 +0000

On Saturday, I did it… I completed my third double century. This one was Mt Tam Double in Marin county. Check out its route. Unfortunately because of California’s budget problems, they closed Mt. Tam, so we rode around it, but it was just as fun.

Here are some stats:

* 200 miles
* 14:20 hours
* 14,500 feet of climbing
* Over 10000 calories lost
* 12 hours of huge grin on my face
* About 8000 calories lost by running my mouth
* Spending gorgeous Sunday outside… priceless!!

This was by far my favorite double century. The roads were nice, scenery was outstanding, and provided food was exactly what I needed. The only drawback that I can imagine was the wind. There was a lot of head wind.

But, just for the record, with this one I completed California Triple Crown. California Triple Crown is an award given to every rider who completes three qualified 200 mile bike rides (double centuries) in one calendar year. I did the following three double centuries:

* 3/28/2009 ~ Solvang Spring Double ~ 7,200 feet of climbing
* 5/16/2009 ~ Davis Double ~ 8,400 feet of climbing (at 100 F)
* 8/1/2009 ~ Mt Tam Duble ~ 14,500 feet of climbing

Solvang was fairly easy. Davis was hard because of the high temperatures. The interesting thing is that last year it was supposedly even more hot. The high heat makes sure that water you are drinking is warm and not refreshing.

So, what next? Well, there are still several double centuries before the end of the year. Perhaps I could get 1000 miles in. Or, maybe I will focus on something else. So many things to do, but so little time. No matter what, I think I will do some biking.

Doughty Descents

andy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:29:49 +0000

One more year, one more Death Ride. This time JC and I came to Tahoe area a bit early and camp on top of Ebbetts Pass. There is a lot of things to do there. Like most people we did some riding, but in addition to that, we did some other fun stuff. On top of Ebbetts Pass, there is a little lake and I did take a medium sized log for a joy-ride around that lake. I had to build an oar, but a little duct tape and some sticks and I had a great oar.

One funny story about the tent. The first night we came at 3 AM, so we quickly put the tent up and start getting ready to sleep. But, when we came back to the tent site, the tent was gone. Turns out there was a gust of wind that rolled the tent into the bushes. So, the tent was placed back and some extra stakes were placed to hold it in place.

But what I wanted to talk about is Death Ride. Last year I did not complete. But this year… I guess all those double centuries payed off. Not only that I finished, but I finished in style. The whole thing started in the middle of the night (3:30 AM), when the alarm went off and soon afterwards the marching band started making a huge noise around the campground. Where do you find a marching band these days?

We started riding not that long after and got in the middle of Monitor Pass when the sun came up. Bombing down the back of the Monitor pass was fun as always. I got speeds of close to 52 miles per hour there. Climbing back up was not a problem either. Especially with a bunch of volunteers running and refilling people’s water bottles. Of course I also got speeds of over 50 miles per hour on the front side of Monitor.

Ebetts Pass was more fun for climbing and we also completed it with no problem. On the back side of Ebbetts, some beginner rider pretty much stopped in front of me, as I was flying down at 45 miles per hour, so I had to break. My bike fishtailed, but fortunately I was able to regain control without accident. After completing the back side of Ebbetts, we stopped at the lunch stop. At lunch, there were some racers that were previously bragging about how they will dominate the ride, but now they were sitting there complaining about how hard the ride is. Karma…

Finally after Ebbetts Pass, we continued pass the start to climb Carson Pass. This one is the easiest and hardest depending on how you look. It is the last one, so you are pretty tired by then. But, it is also fairly easy slope, so it is easy. Then again, there was a head wind most of the way, so it is hard. However, there was a rest stop half the way, so you can take a break. And so on. In any case, we completed Carson Pass and got the deserved icecream. Oh, and we signed the 2009 Death Ride poster.

After hanging out at the top of Carson Pass for some time, we rode down towards the finish. The good thing about the Carson descent is that it is about 15 miles long and steep enough, so you actually gain enormous speed. We were flying down this thing at over 50 miles per hour, passing cars, other cyclists, and time itself. The ride finished with a little bit of rolling hills with some refreshing rain. We completed the day with some long deserved dinner, where we met some other friends that also did the ride.

So, Death Ride? Well, took me two tries, but I got it. I think camping on Ebbetts Pass helped. Also, eating proper food and being with friends added to a overall fantastic experience. I am looking forward to the next year’s Death Ride.

Daedal Rider Friend

andy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:42:26 +0000

After a great weekend in Yosemite, I checked my e-mail and found this e-mail from my friend Gracie:

Hello friends and family,

For those of you who don’t already know, this week I am embarking on a journey riding my unicycle from Canada to Mexico off-road. At 2,705 miles, this is the longest off-road cycling route in the world. My friend Matt Burney and I will both be on unicycles and leave for Canada this afternoon in an attempt to become the first people ever to complete this route on unicycles. We are excited to ride to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

To follow us on this journey, extensive route info, the blog, and donation info, please see the main trip website: http://divideby1.com.

…

Here’s to another summer of crotch soreness!

Rock n roll,
Gracie

I am a huge fan of charity activity, such as biking, running, and, in Gracie’s case, unicycling. So, check her website for the ride information and make sure to send her an encouraging note, as well as donate some money.

Exigency Ride

andy — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:28:13 +0000

The Ride of Silence…

Tonight we number many but ride as one
In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons
With helmets on tight and heads down low,
We ride in silence, cautious and slow
The wheels start spinning in the lead pack
But tonight we ride and no one attacks
The dark sunglasses cover our tears
Remembering those we held so dear
Tonight’s ride is to make others aware
The road is there for all to share
To those not with us or by our side,
May God be your partner on your final ride

- Mike Murgas

Propinquity to the Glorious Finish

andy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:55:45 +0000

I finally completed my first double century: Solvang Double. Here are some highlights.

Double century is actually not that much harder than a regular century, provided that you eat and drink all the time and don’t stop too much
I wish I asked the organizers about the food, so I wouldn’t have to drag stuff with me. Turned out that they had enough vegan options.
I should have a small tube of sunscreen with me, just in case. On the first rest stop, they did not have sunscreen, so I borrowed some from another rider. Of course I did not apply enough of it, so now I have some funny tans.
I wish I didn’t spend that much time on the rest stops. I should really just have a quick snack, quick bathroom break, and go.
I got to get a smaller camera, so I can take it for the rides with me
I wish I dropped my clothing somewhere around Saint Luis Obispo and pick it up next day.
Either I have to get a better GPS that lasts longer or I have to finish the ride in less time. The GPS ran out of juice after about 12 hours, so I only have 190 miles recorded.
Two more and I have the California Triple Crown.
I will still call this one as a part of Century a Month.

Propinquity to the Finish

andy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:06:29 +0000

I finally completed my first double century: Solvang Double. Here are some highlights.

Double century is actually not that much harder than a regular century, provided that you eat and drink all the time and don’t stop too much
I wish I asked the organizers about the food, so I wouldn’t have to drag stuff with me. Turned out that they had enough vegan options.
I should have a small tube of sunscreen with me, just in case. On the first rest stop, they did not have sunscreen, so I borrowed some from another rider. Of course I did not apply enough of it, so now I have some funny tans.
I wish I didn’t spend that much time on the rest stops. I should really just have a quick snack, quick bathroom break, and go.
I got to get a smaller camera, so I can take it for the rides with me
I wish I dropped my clothing somewhere around Saint Luis Obispo and pick it up next day.
Either I have to get a better GPS that lasts longer or I have to finish the ride in less time. The GPS ran out of juice after about 12 hours, so I only have 190 miles recorded.
Two more and I have the California Triple Crown.
I will still call this one as a part of Century a Month.

Froward Towards Driving

andy — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:49:43 +0000

TreeHugger has a great article comparing cars, buses, and bikes. They compare the real estate sacrificed by each mode of transportation.

This image pretty much summarizes everything.

(Image: Press-Office City of Müenster, Germany via TreeHugger)

Ameliorate my Body

andy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:43:51 +0000

Here is my exercise for today:

30 minutes of biking (bike to work)
10 push ups
Stretch up
Twist body stretch
12 push ups
Plank for 30 seconds
7 push ups
Side plank 30 seconds each side
7 push ups
leg split stretch
15 push ups

Eclectic Bike Parade

andy — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:46:56 +0000

I attended a San Jose Bike Party ~ Mardi Gras on Wheels! It was an awesome and crazy time biking through the busy sections of Campbell, Santa Clara, and San Jose. JC and I spend most time riding behind GM who was on a tandem bike dragging a full size couch.

Nocuous Driving

andy — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:14:04 +0000

I have been driving a bit too much lately… Well, here is the comics (Bicycle Comics – Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery) pretty much demonstrating how I felt.

The Bet Goes To...

Just Like Riding A Bike

Didn't You Just Fill the Tank?

Turn! TUUURN!

The Nightmare is Over

Intrepid Climb

andy — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:40:09 +0000

Vacuous Challenges

andy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:26:11 +0000

I signed up for two events that will challenge my body and my mind. Why? Why not!!!

The first one is the San Francisco Half Marathon the coming Sunday. I ran more than 13.1 miles before, but never as a race. I have been ramping up my running to several times a week and hopefully I will be able to finish it. I am under no pretenses of actually getting a good time, since this is my first running race.

The second one is the Solvang Double Century. This is around 200 miles of gorgeous California countryside. My longest ride before was 180 miles in the Napa, so this will be interesting. It is organized and fully supported, so I don’t have to carry too much stuff. I may want to do some upgrades on my equipment (hint hint…)

Why don’t you try to challenge yourself? Try something you haven’t done before.

Full of Wanderlust

andy — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:20:49 +0000

Talking about starting a new year with a bang. First JC, myself and a bunch of other people did a 70 mile bike ride from San Francisco over Golden Gate bridge all the way to almost top of Mt. Tam. Phenomenal trip. Spectacular views of everything from gorgeous City by the Bay and the ocean. The visibility was so good that we actually saw Farallon islands. My friend BC has a bad luck of hitting Golden Gate in bad weather. For some reason I only bike across when it is spectacular.

So, yesterday, I took my bike from my place in San Jose over Calaveras road, all the way to the top of Mt. Diablo and back. This was my January Century a Month ride. What was the most amazing is that the temperatures were in the 70s. And this is in January. Felt like summer all the way there and back.

Cornucopia of Happiness

andy — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:47:02 +0000

Soiree of Visibility

andy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:34:16 +0000