I'm still around

Great things have happened for me career-wise, despite a layoff in March of 2011. I am earning much less than I was in a prior position but the good news is I have a killer-long bike commute (24-25 miles one-way) and I am working within a very bike-positive community and workplace.

I'll reveal more eventually, but just wanted to let folks know I am doing OK and intend to blog more.

The past year has been a very up and down year for me on a personal note and career-wise. Cycling has consistently, along with other aspects I may choose to reveal at some point, the better part of my transitional period.

I am down to four bicycles now - two nice road bikes (carbon Roubaix and an aluminum Cannondale) and two steel less-nice bikes (27" wheeled road bike and a department store MT bike). If I had space to do so, I'd set up another home workshop and maybe build a few more project bikes, but I've been busy in the job search lately, so maybe that is a winter project for me.

More soon... which might be late 2011, but who knows?

~ NJ

cross-training

What do you do out of "cycling season" (some of us go all-year) to stay in shape? I never downhill skied before (I x-country skied one time last year) and I went to Mount Baker last weekend to try it out.

The drive up to the mountains


The ski area


Another view of the ski area


Ready to ski (?)


Heading down the (beginner) slopes


Overall, I'd try it again. I was sore as I'd expected, but I think cycling has improved my overall conditioning in general so I wasn't as sore as I could have been if I'd not been cycling.

What do you do out of the saddle for fitness? I'd also recently caught on to racketball. More on that another time.

crunchy

Notice anything about this derailleur on my old Raleigh rain bike? Why might the chain be skipping..?



Hint: look at one of the pulleys, specifically the lower one. (A good diagram of derailleurs can be found here).

Can't find it? Neither could I. Lost it on a ride recently! Had to avoid inclines and muddy, soft surface areas so I could maintain peddling. Did that for 5 miles!

BING MAPS TdF app

Ever check out BING MAPS?

There was a Tour De France app added last year for the 2010 Tour. I just discovered it. Hoping it gets updated for 2011.

Some screen shots...

The main view...


A sample aerial shot - happens to be the finish line


I think when the tour is active BING goes link crazy and send you related cycling hyperlinks to click to your heart's desire.

oops CBC

Earlier this week, Cascade Bicycle Club tried a new online registration system for their rides.

They probably planned it out well, I know they made announcements well in advance about trying out a new online system and also had people do test runs (I participated in that effort) to "beta test" the new system.

But still problems happened. The Executive Director, Chuck Ayers, posted this statement about the situation.

Of course, the past few months have been tough for CBC, which has been hammered by ill will after the CBC Board fired Mr. Ayers, who has many supporters amongst the ranks.

I'm not leaping into the politics of it all, but I hope they got the kinks out of the registration process so I can sign up for some rides this year.

keep your bike yours

Thanks to Kent for posting about this topic, locking one's bicycle.

Keep that new bike from Christmas yours as we venture deeper into 2011.

I've known one person who in 2010 lost their bicycle due to theft.

We hate you, bike thief!

my winter project

I finally got out for a test ride on my "old" Cannondale I upgraded recently, mainly to refurbish worn componentry, as the frame (circa 1996?) was good, sturdy, and light, it just needed some rehab.



I stripped it down and built it back up with newer (but used) components, including 50/34 Gossamer from FSA, 105 shift/brake levers (2x10), front and rear 105 derailleurs, 105 spec Shimano chain, a new carbon fiber (alloy steerer) Kinesis fork (hard-to-find 1" threaded), a Tektro brakeset - take-offs from a Giant (OCR?), and take-off Felt sealed-bearing wheelset and 105 10-speed cassette. Slightly used Bontrager 700c road tires, new bar tape and silver bottle cages were also affixed.

The bike shop (Jesse at GHY in Renton) weighed the bike for me - it is 20 pounds 9 ounces.