This year has been a great year on the bike. I got a late start not getting in my first ride of the year until May 8th, but by the end of the year I nearly met my goal of 2000 miles and had a huge amount of fun along the way.
I joined the Macatawa Cycling Club this year and met a bunch of really great poeple that share a passion for biking. The MCC Monday night rides simply made me a better cyclist. Group rides in single or double pace lines are just like home now. Whereas before I was a bit nervous in large groups. Mike Mortoff might even argue that I am too comfortable in groups…. and perhaps I need to thread the needle a little less often. I’ve even taken over some of the MCC website work giving other dedicated MCC’ers a well deserved break.
The Tuesday Night Velo City ride was the perfect compliment to the suffering on Monday nights. A gentle conversational pace with great folks from a great bike shop. If you haven’t tried the Tuesday night ride yet, please consider it next spring. To Mike, Jaqui, Tom and the whole gang… thank you for your dedication and love for the sport.
Good friendships have developed along the way. Morty you’re a great guy and I’ve enjoyed our banter back and forth very much. Mr. Mahaney continues to hold out from joining the Cycling club. Jim you really can let go of the $20… I promise it won’t hurt much. Jim is now known as that guy that rides with Randy Kuite. Ha Ha! Who would of thought. Thank you Jim for the 6+ years of great rides together…. especially this past late spring and early summer when I really needed to just talk out loud.
Thanks to my wife Sara, who cleared the deck at home up to 3 days a week to allow me time to ride. We’ve got great kids but that certainly doesn’t mean they’re any less work! I may not be a 6000 miler like Jim and Mike, but that suits me just fine.
I hope you yearly mileage goals have been met and you’re safely transitioning to your winter program.
This week I skipped my Tuesday and Thursday night rides to perform some much needed maintenance on my road bike.
-Front and Rear Wheels Trued (by Ted and Lee at Velo City)
-Applied Locktite Blue to spoke nipples after getting them back from bike shop.
-Replaced front brake pads
-Tore down drivetrain and cleaned all drivetrain components
-Removed TREK decal on Top Tube
-Removed TREK decals on fork blades
-Removed USPS decal from Seat Stay
-Replaced both tires with new Conti 4000
The American Lung Association (ALA) bikeride called the Lakeshore Loop has formally been retired. The ride that was an annual event for 15 + years will be replaced with a redesigned ride that the ALA is currently designing.
What’s even more sad about this announcement is the Traverse City, MI office of the ALAM will permantently close and our good friend and organizer of the Lakeshore Loop, Sandy Piotrowski, will not continue with the ALA after February 28, 2005.
I rode for Team Herman Miller in 4 Lakeshore Loops over 5 years, not particpating last year when Sara was going through treatment. It was a great event, for a great cause, with great people, and an even greater fun time. I am sure the new event will continue in many ways the strong traditions the Lakeshore Loop started but it won’t replace the ride we called our own.
I’m been asked to participate in the new event but I think perhaps this is a good time for me to step back and perhaps begin to do some fund raising for other organizations and causes that have become extremely close to my heart since our own Breast Cancer Journey.
Best wishes to the ALA and the new ride. Best Wishes to Sandy P. in whatever challenge she decides to take on next!
Stay tuned here to see what charity ride will replace the Loop this year for me.
-Randy
On yesterday’s ride North through Grand Haven and then South back home to Holland, we passed this year’s Tour De Cure, in support of Diabetes, ride in progress. They started from Kirk park and headed south. They were heading South as we were heading North. Sounds like a great cause and it looked to be a well organized ride. What about the event that REALLY surprised me was that there were several riders participating in the event that we not wearing helmets. This is absolutely irresponsible for Tour organizers to let even 1 person to ride in a sanctioned event without a helmet. All it would take would be one fall and the subsequent lawsuit to put the Tour out of commission permanently.
I performed some much needed maintenance on the old girl this evening. She isn’t quite back together yet but should be by tomorrow evening.
Maintenance Peroformed
-Removed Seat/Seatpost and lubricated
-Removed Seatpost Collar and lubricated.
-Removed Chain.
-Removed Rear Wheel and Cassette – and cleaned in degreased.
-Removed Front Chainrings – Cleaned and degreased.
-Adjusted Front and Rear Brakes
-Ordered Brake Pad cartridges (bike shop was out)
-Installed new chain (SRAM with Powerlink – much nicer than stock shimano).
I purchased Zinn and the Art of Road bike maintenance long ago and have found it to be an invaluable reference book.
I have embarked on a quest to improve my comfort on the bike especially on rides over 50 miles in length. This year on rides around the 50 mile mark I have experienced some numbness and hot spots. This in fact has lead to my first saddle sore. Sore of the nature are not fun and are to be avoided at all cost =)
My approach so far has been to purchase a new seat, plan to purchase a new set of shorts with a nicer chamois. The seat I chose is a Terry Fly Gel (Ti Rails). My first ride (of any significant length) will be this Friday. I’ll let you know my first thoughts when I return.
MODIFIED GOALS:
With Sara’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis on May 24, 2003, our priorities have obviously changed. I am still riding occasionally when it “works”. Mileage for the year is now unimportant as Sara’s recovery is job #1.
ORIGINAL GOALS:
Many hours of riding on the trainer indoors ended today as I made my first “real’ ride of the year. This marks the official start of my 2003 biking season. My goals for the year are riding 1500miles, and taking part in two century rides where I actually feel good after riding them =)
