due to weather and work, I had been off the bike for over a week when I finally found time for a ride last Thursday night. As a matter of fact, I had been off the ROAD bike for almost 2 weeks before we headed out into a beautiful, warm evening on our velocipedes. I wasn't sure if I could make it around the full 25 mile Perry lap, or if they'd have to leave me hunched in a ditch somewhere quietly crying and rocking myself gently. Luckily, I found my groove and avoided all but a little crying and rocking. Really, half of my mental malaise was just being off-bike, I think. Somehow things always look rosier perched on a good bike. My dear wife even commented that it was plain sickening how quickly my mood improved once I started pedaling. I countered that she therefore assumed I was in a BAD mood to start, which wasn't the case. Of course looking back, it was the case.
As it usually does when I've been bikeless for a while, the peculiar grace of our hobby struck me solidly about two miles into the ride. Here we are, bipedal creatures, whose limbs have evolved (or were created) for piston-like resistance to the anchor of gravity, whirling along whilst straddling an ungainly contraption that, if left to its own devices, would topple resolutely to the tarmac and lie like so much scrap. There is nothing obligitorily natural between the motion of a cyclist and the motion of a walking man. Having one leg on each side of a solid rail is usually not the way to get somewhere. Small rubber tires that hold less air than one swimmer's lung are generally not what you want for covering distance.
And yet,
Here we are. With the open fields of soybeans slipping by in near silence, save the rush of the breeze, pouring ourselves over the asphalt into the cool shade of the pecan grove. Not for some short distance that can be seen or grasped, but over miles and miles, ending where we began in geography but leagues away in experience. Having surveyed the usual countryside, we return by circuitous route, to the place where we first mounted the odd contraption, and we are all - slightly - changed by the journey. As peculiar as the motion and the form of the cyclist might be, more peculiar still is the change wrought on the cyclist. How differently does a wren exist having jumped the nest and flown? Can a robin, back in the safety of a nest, still smell the high air currents that sift occasionally from a ruffled wing? we are cyclists not by the ownership of a bike, or spandex, or any other item. We are not cyclists because we think bikes are the great white hope of alternative transportation. We are cyclists because of the miles and leagues and centuries of wind blown past our forearms, through our helmet vents and spun crazily out through the whirling spokes of our driving wheel. We are cyclists because now matter how clean, the smell of the wild breeze and open path cling to us.
Tuesday, September 2
Tuesday, August 26
time flies...
Man, it's been over a month since I posted to the blog. Sorry for not updating. Work has hit high gear, like it usually does about this time. With implementation of the new MIS system looming, I have even more to do at work, so I seem to have fewer hours to accomplish it. Lots of projects. Lots of stress.
Combine that with the never-ending tropical storm Fay keeping me off my bike, and you have one grumpy puppy.
Suddenly, my birthday is right around the corner. As a kid, this was a great thing. as an adult, it means I have to pay lots of money to the state for car tags. Great, now on top of work-stress and no-bike stress, I've got no-money stress.
Beautiful.
At least it looks like the remains of tropical storm Fay is moving off, so maybe we can get back outdoors. We'll go walk Thomson tomorrow to check for storm damage, and hopefully we'll be out on the road bikes Thursday night. Maybe that will ratchet down the stress-o-meter.
Combine that with the never-ending tropical storm Fay keeping me off my bike, and you have one grumpy puppy.
Suddenly, my birthday is right around the corner. As a kid, this was a great thing. as an adult, it means I have to pay lots of money to the state for car tags. Great, now on top of work-stress and no-bike stress, I've got no-money stress.
Beautiful.
At least it looks like the remains of tropical storm Fay is moving off, so maybe we can get back outdoors. We'll go walk Thomson tomorrow to check for storm damage, and hopefully we'll be out on the road bikes Thursday night. Maybe that will ratchet down the stress-o-meter.
Tuesday, July 22
Foiled Again
I started the day today at our Oconee office in Greensboro (GA), which meant leaving the house at 5:45 AM, at which time I'm usually in my birthday suit sleepily rummaging through my underwear drawer wondering what color drawers complement khakis and the clean-shirt-of-the-day. Oooh, sorry for that image.
Anyway, I had to meet a tech guy there to finish up the hardware install for the network in the new office. He was an hour late, so I sat like a lump for a while, then I sat for a while longer while he set up the equipment. I dashed back to Macon and picked up my road bike from the shop. I had to have a spoke replaced on the rear wheel that let go on the ride Saturday. I also had them face the bottom bracket shell. When I installed the bottom bracket and torqued it to the recommended spec, it developed a bind in the rotation. The included instructions (where English was the fourth language down the line) told me that if a bind developed from an out of true shell the proper procedure was to back the piece out, add some lock tite and tighten to 30 Nm. I did that. Well, all except the LockTite part. Hmmm..that detail might have kept the bottom bracket from unscrewing...which it had. It was unscrewed about an eighth of an inch. EEK.
Anyhoo, I picked the bike up and hauled back to work, only to run into some network issues that jumped on my ass like angry beavers on the last sugar maple. I really wanted to ride tonight, for no other reason than to test the terry saddle on the road, but the angry beavers got the best of me. I had to bail on my ride buddy and work late. It sucked, but I did manage to trap the angry beavers and back them into a corner. At least if I had to work late, I came home wearing a nice beaver pelt cap.
But I still didn't get to ride. Bummer.
Sunday, July 20
Going the Distance
Yesterday we rode from Perry to Montezuma for ice cream. On our road bikes, I mean.
No, really, we rode from Perry to Marshallville and then to Montezuma so we could get some ice cream at William Brown's Farm market. We left at 8 AM so we would hopefully be back before the real heat of the day. The mileage totaled a little over 50 miles of *fairly* flat roads with *fairly* light traffic. We put together the ride as a social ride, keeping a slow pace so we could ride together and talk. This also made the ride more approachable to newer riders like Carrie.
I think everyone had a good time. I drifted around in the pack and could hear conversations on all kinds of topics throughout the ride. It's nice to have rides like this because it gives us the chance to really build friendships and a sense of community. Fast rides are great for training, but when the pack is running 20+ mph, no one has much of a chance to talk about the movie they saw last night or the great car they just test drove. Hell, most of us are too busy trying to suck in more oxygen than a human should need to bother talking. Social interaction isn't the point of a training ride. A training pace ride is meant to make you a faster rider, and talking doesn't write that check. Talking is necessary, however, to make a stronger community. People who are only concerned with being faster are missing out on half the reason to ride. Some people join gangs, pledge fraternities, or pay country club dues just to find some sense of belonging. It's human nature to go to almost any length to be part of.....something. Locally and all around the world, there's a huge clan of people who pedal, and all it takes to be a part of it is to show up. It's a damn shame that some people miss out.
Okay, enough soap-boxing. The ride went well. I've managed to convert the road bike to an all-Campy drive train with a shimano rear wheel and cassette, and thanks to the Jtek Shiftmate, it's working pretty well. It hangs between gears once in a while, but no more than the all-cheap-shimano drive train I was running. The shorter crank arms feel worlds better, and the aero drop bars are really comfortable. In general, I'm feeling better than ever on the bike. I did find that after about 30 miles my saddle is near insufferable. Now, at some point, even the best saddle starts to feel like glued down shards of glass, but I think mine could be better. I swapped the Terry Fly onto the road bike today, so we'll see if it's any better. Several of the guys have offered the use of their box-of-rejected-saddles so I can try a few and find what works. Looks like more product testing.
Diana and I had said at one time that we would do our first Century ride this fall at Albany's nut roll, but after riding 52 miles, I must say that 100 seems like a stretch.
Of course, I would have said that about 50 miles not long ago.
Better find that saddle.....
No, really, we rode from Perry to Marshallville and then to Montezuma so we could get some ice cream at William Brown's Farm market. We left at 8 AM so we would hopefully be back before the real heat of the day. The mileage totaled a little over 50 miles of *fairly* flat roads with *fairly* light traffic. We put together the ride as a social ride, keeping a slow pace so we could ride together and talk. This also made the ride more approachable to newer riders like Carrie.
I think everyone had a good time. I drifted around in the pack and could hear conversations on all kinds of topics throughout the ride. It's nice to have rides like this because it gives us the chance to really build friendships and a sense of community. Fast rides are great for training, but when the pack is running 20+ mph, no one has much of a chance to talk about the movie they saw last night or the great car they just test drove. Hell, most of us are too busy trying to suck in more oxygen than a human should need to bother talking. Social interaction isn't the point of a training ride. A training pace ride is meant to make you a faster rider, and talking doesn't write that check. Talking is necessary, however, to make a stronger community. People who are only concerned with being faster are missing out on half the reason to ride. Some people join gangs, pledge fraternities, or pay country club dues just to find some sense of belonging. It's human nature to go to almost any length to be part of.....something. Locally and all around the world, there's a huge clan of people who pedal, and all it takes to be a part of it is to show up. It's a damn shame that some people miss out.
Okay, enough soap-boxing. The ride went well. I've managed to convert the road bike to an all-Campy drive train with a shimano rear wheel and cassette, and thanks to the Jtek Shiftmate, it's working pretty well. It hangs between gears once in a while, but no more than the all-cheap-shimano drive train I was running. The shorter crank arms feel worlds better, and the aero drop bars are really comfortable. In general, I'm feeling better than ever on the bike. I did find that after about 30 miles my saddle is near insufferable. Now, at some point, even the best saddle starts to feel like glued down shards of glass, but I think mine could be better. I swapped the Terry Fly onto the road bike today, so we'll see if it's any better. Several of the guys have offered the use of their box-of-rejected-saddles so I can try a few and find what works. Looks like more product testing.
Diana and I had said at one time that we would do our first Century ride this fall at Albany's nut roll, but after riding 52 miles, I must say that 100 seems like a stretch.
Of course, I would have said that about 50 miles not long ago.
Better find that saddle.....
Wednesday, June 11
Locals Only #2
Emilio's Cuban cafe, 402 Hwy 247, Bonaire
Emilo's has been open several months and we've eaten there several times. It manages to pull of a surprising combination of good food and good atmosphere in a standard strip mall, which is pretty impressive. I drove by it in the new shopping center at the corner of Sandy Run Dr and Hwy 247 every day for quite some time before stopping in. I was definitely missing out.
The cuisine is traditional Cuban, with lots of starches, spiced meats, and (of course) black beans. When I say the meats are spiced, I don't mean they're habanero hot or jalapeno driven. I mean there are a lot of spice flavors involved, with lots of emphasis on garlic and onions. It bears some taste relation to Mexican fare, but also has a lot of ties to traditional American comfort food. Don't expect to attack the main courses with vegetarian glee or low-carb fervor.
The appetizer selection is a little limited, but you won't find anything they serve on another menu in town. The Yuca Fries ($4.25) are akin to firm, dry french fries, and are well worth the time just for the Mojo sauce they include. They come nice and crispy and the sauce is a wollop of garlic goodness that's cooled with a cream base and maybe cilantro and lime. Whatever is in there, it's an Emilio's secret, and it's damn good. The Ham Croquettes ($3.00) were kind of like salmon patties made with ham. Wait, it's not what you're thinking, they were good! A little on the greasy side, but how can you dislike fried ham?
They do of course offer a Cuban Sandwich ($6.25) and it's tasty. It could have a little more meat for the price, especially since it's sans sides. You can get a 1/2 Cubano on the lunch specials menu with sides of rice and beans for $6.75, which I think is a better deal. They do have several other sandwiches and combos as lunch specials, and also serve breakfast.
All the dinner entrees include choice of white or yellow rice (get the yellow), Black or red beans (black, of course) fried sweet or green plantains (sweet, definitely) and mojo marinated boiled yuca or yuca fries. I really like the boiled yucas - lots of onions with a tang of lime or maybe vinegar and plenty of garlic. The staff calls them "an acquired taste" but I acquired it the first time I tasted it. With all of those side, you better come hungry.
My favorite entree is the Lechon Asado ($10.95) which is marinated pork served shredded. It looks dry, but is actually slow cooked to juicy, spicy perfection. The Arroz con Pollo ($10.95) is the cuban version of chicken with yellow rice, and it's 100% comfort food. Good and filling, and packed with subtle flavors. The Carne con Papas (meat and potato stew) also hits a comfort food home run, so thick and chunky that it's served on a plate and doesn't run around. They also offer a sampler platter that lets you pick out a new favorite.
If you have a sweet tooth or a chocolate obsession, don't miss the Mid-Night Havana Cake ($4.50.) It's a chocolate mousse cake that absolutely defies description. Unless you're a chocolate professional, it may be too much for you. If you are there with your spouse, order two if you want to stay married. Trust me.
The last item to cover is the coffee. If you go, you have to order the Cafe con Leche, a beautiful concoction of steamed milk and Cuban espresso. The coffee is strong, the cup is large, it has about 3 cups of sugar in it, and it may be the best coffee I've had in town. There's a reason some of the staff wear t-shirts that read "Powered By Cuban Coffee."
As with other local dining, the service has been good every time we've been there. The wait staff is happy to explain any of the dishes and make good recommendations. The management even happily stayed open late the last time we stumbled in five minutes before closing. And they even have killer live music once a week! So, go try some thing new, maybe you'll find the comfort food you've always dreamed of.
This is your town. Eat here!
Emilo's has been open several months and we've eaten there several times. It manages to pull of a surprising combination of good food and good atmosphere in a standard strip mall, which is pretty impressive. I drove by it in the new shopping center at the corner of Sandy Run Dr and Hwy 247 every day for quite some time before stopping in. I was definitely missing out.
The cuisine is traditional Cuban, with lots of starches, spiced meats, and (of course) black beans. When I say the meats are spiced, I don't mean they're habanero hot or jalapeno driven. I mean there are a lot of spice flavors involved, with lots of emphasis on garlic and onions. It bears some taste relation to Mexican fare, but also has a lot of ties to traditional American comfort food. Don't expect to attack the main courses with vegetarian glee or low-carb fervor.
The appetizer selection is a little limited, but you won't find anything they serve on another menu in town. The Yuca Fries ($4.25) are akin to firm, dry french fries, and are well worth the time just for the Mojo sauce they include. They come nice and crispy and the sauce is a wollop of garlic goodness that's cooled with a cream base and maybe cilantro and lime. Whatever is in there, it's an Emilio's secret, and it's damn good. The Ham Croquettes ($3.00) were kind of like salmon patties made with ham. Wait, it's not what you're thinking, they were good! A little on the greasy side, but how can you dislike fried ham?
They do of course offer a Cuban Sandwich ($6.25) and it's tasty. It could have a little more meat for the price, especially since it's sans sides. You can get a 1/2 Cubano on the lunch specials menu with sides of rice and beans for $6.75, which I think is a better deal. They do have several other sandwiches and combos as lunch specials, and also serve breakfast.
All the dinner entrees include choice of white or yellow rice (get the yellow), Black or red beans (black, of course) fried sweet or green plantains (sweet, definitely) and mojo marinated boiled yuca or yuca fries. I really like the boiled yucas - lots of onions with a tang of lime or maybe vinegar and plenty of garlic. The staff calls them "an acquired taste" but I acquired it the first time I tasted it. With all of those side, you better come hungry.
My favorite entree is the Lechon Asado ($10.95) which is marinated pork served shredded. It looks dry, but is actually slow cooked to juicy, spicy perfection. The Arroz con Pollo ($10.95) is the cuban version of chicken with yellow rice, and it's 100% comfort food. Good and filling, and packed with subtle flavors. The Carne con Papas (meat and potato stew) also hits a comfort food home run, so thick and chunky that it's served on a plate and doesn't run around. They also offer a sampler platter that lets you pick out a new favorite.
If you have a sweet tooth or a chocolate obsession, don't miss the Mid-Night Havana Cake ($4.50.) It's a chocolate mousse cake that absolutely defies description. Unless you're a chocolate professional, it may be too much for you. If you are there with your spouse, order two if you want to stay married. Trust me.
The last item to cover is the coffee. If you go, you have to order the Cafe con Leche, a beautiful concoction of steamed milk and Cuban espresso. The coffee is strong, the cup is large, it has about 3 cups of sugar in it, and it may be the best coffee I've had in town. There's a reason some of the staff wear t-shirts that read "Powered By Cuban Coffee."
As with other local dining, the service has been good every time we've been there. The wait staff is happy to explain any of the dishes and make good recommendations. The management even happily stayed open late the last time we stumbled in five minutes before closing. And they even have killer live music once a week! So, go try some thing new, maybe you'll find the comfort food you've always dreamed of.
This is your town. Eat here!
Tuesday, June 10
Ridin' the Broom
Well, I went out on the Tuesday road ride as usual, despite the near-record heat. It was actually a pretty nice night for a ride, once we got rolling. I was feeling pretty good for not riding in a week. I've been concentrating on pushing harder on the climbs, and they were seemed easier tonight. I don't know if they really are, or if I was just having a good night. By the time we reached the silos and turned right on Mosely, I had finished one bottle of water and the second was as warm as bathwater. Since One of our good friends and fellow cyclists lives on Mosely, I planned a stop for fresh ice water.
Everything was great until we started back out of her driveway. When my back tire hit the street, it didn't feel right. It was everything but flat. We rode back down the driveway and borrowed a floor pump, only to watch the guage fall from 100 to 90psi in less than a minute. Sigh. I think I might have pinched the tube coming over the construction on highway 49.
Now, being a fairly prepared kind of guy, I do carry a spare tube and tire levers and stuff. But frankly it was too damn hot to bother changing the tube when Kat offered a ride back to the store in a nice, air-conditioned truck. I'll get to it before the next ride.
Hey, everybody rides the broom once in a while......
Sunday, June 8
Using My Marbles
Well, another weekend done and gone. I read an account once of a late-middle aged man who suddenly realized that he had a limited number of weekends left in his life. He bought a bunch of marbles and counted them out into a big glass jar, and every Sunday night, he'd take one out. I guess it's a bit morbid, but on Sunday night, I like to look at the marble I'm holding in my hand and ponder if I've spent it well. It's a process that will make you reevaluate what you do between work days. I'm still relatively young, still not half way through the average life expectancy of the American male, so I don't mind dropping a marble in the work bucket occaisionally, but I'm pretty stingy with them. In an effort to make the most of this marble, I worked late Friday night to set up the new server at work and get it on our network. That way I could bring the laptop home and work on the data entry stuff without spending gas money and time to drive back to Macon Saturday.
It worked out well. I cut the front and back yard early to try and beat the heat, then spent the next six hours sorting and entering info on all our materials for work until my brain ran out my ears like thin tapioca pudding. With raisins. I had a nice np and met the usual suspects for a friendly dinner of grilled beast. Today carrie and I ushered at church and went to my Mom's house for lunch and helped install a new window AC unit at their house. We did the usual grocery shopping and finished the night up with a very nice Oriental chicken salad for dinner. Now we're vegitating on the sofa and watching Pulp Fiction on VH1. A nice quiet end to the day.
So, all things considered, the marble was pretty good this weekend. Not the shiniest marble I've had, but reasonably respectable. I didn't even get on the bike. Heck, I only saw my bikes taking the road bikes out of the truck and hanging them up. Hopefully I'll get to ride a little more this week. I've got a vaction coming up that's built around riding the bejeezes out of a bicycle in the north georgia mountains, so I'd better start turning over a pedal more than once a week.
See, I figure a week's vacation is like a great big, swirled glass shooter, and I'm damn sure not wasting THAT marble.
Marble image from roscoeartglass.com - get your own marbles
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