Weekend Update

Oregon Randonneur 200K

Miles: 126.76
Elevation Gain: 6,004
August Miles: 407.4
YTD Miles: 5533.02

Four o'clock in the morning comes early, but that is the time you must get up if you want to start a ride in Eugene at 7:00 am. It takes 45 minutes for Joanne and I to get out of the house, a half hour to pick up Mark Janeba at this house, and an hour and 15 minutes to drive to Eugene. Still, we started a few minutes after 7:00 am.

We took the Blackberry Bramble route out of town which means a steep climb. And this is where our Cannondale Tandem began to have rear derailleur problems. We stopped for an adjustment and watched Mark ride away up the hill. This was the first of many stops for adjustment as we could never get it tweaked in correctly.

From Eugene, we headed south to the town of Drain, which was having their annual town-wide garage sale. As we pulled in, Mark was just leaving but he stopped long enough to ask me my shoe size. Yes, I was puzzled why he was interested in my shoe size. I the years that I have know him, he as never given me any indications that he may have a shoe fetish. So I felt safe in answering him, "43.5", I said. "Today is your lucky day! There is a lady over there trying to give away a pair of brand new Sidi Genius 5 road shoes size 44." I turned around and yes a woman was coming toward me with a Sidi shoe box. She asked if I could use them. Could I use them? Of course I could use them. She trust the box into my hands as turned a walked away. Apparently, she had purchased them in an estate sale and could not find anyone in Drain to sell them to, so she gave them to me, the first cyclist with the right shoe size that came by. They even fit in our large bag we use with the Cannondale tandem.

Covered Bridge Century

Miles: 99.29
Elevation Gain: 2,917
August Miles: 506.69
YTD Miles: 5632.31

Yes, after riding 127 miles on Saturday, we pull out the Meridian tandem and ride 100 miles on Sunday. We started easy and stay easy for the first half of the ride, but the hills in the second half, and the rabbits (a new Santana tandem and a couple of fast riders wearing Cycle Oregon jerseys) motivated us.

Posted 8:07 PM by John Henry

Blog Post Number 500

Yep, I have now posted to this blog 500 times since starting it in March 28, 2002.

Miles: 39.56
August Miles to Date: 280.64
Year to Date Miles: 5406.26

An easy Salem Bicycle Club Wednesday Night Ride. It must have been easy as my average heart rate was just 78 beats per minute.

Addtional Rational Discourse

Cyclists not Wearing down Roads

August 6, 2007

Alan Bender, in his July 31 letter, expresses concern that bicycle riders do not pay for the privilege of using our roads. I ask him to consider the difference in wear and tear on the roads between a vehicle (especially an SUV) and a bicycle.

In addition, those who have the courage to ride their bikes on public roads are not using our precious resources and are not contributing to air pollution.

Perhaps the Legislature should be putting more effort into making the use of bicycles more attractive to more people.

-- Jo Johnson, Salem

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708060305

Posted 9:50 PM by John Henry

Mt. Shasta Super Century

Miles: 132.18
Elevation Gain: 15,194
August Miles: 241.08
YTD Miles: 5366.7

I did the Super Century! I rode 132 miles up four climbs that total over 16,000 (advertised) feet of elevation gain.

I left my warm trailer at 6:00 am. I was soon on the route and following a couple dressed in full race kits. They set a quick but not fast pace so I used them to pace myself. But soon, my LeMond started to have a mechanical problem. When in the middle chain ring and the largest two cogs in the rear, the chain would spontaneously drop into the small chainring. Now, I would be in the small chain ring a lot in this ride, but unexpected downshifting is not a good thing!

The first climb is Abbey Summit. This climb has kicked my butt before so I took it easy at the beginning. I found myself riding with an older man out of Redding on his wife's Colnago (because it has a triple). The pace was easy and we enjoyed good conversation as we rode the gentler early climb. When the grade increased I pick up my effort and started climbing alone. Then, Del passed me! Del is my Tualatin Tuesday Night ride leader and 2008 508 finisher. We spoke breifly and then he powered away from me. I wish I could climb that well when I'm 62. I wish I could climb that well at my age now!

Near the top of the climb, I looked up and saw a sight no cyclists want to see - someone was down on the pavement and not getting up. He was covered with a blanket and surrounded by other cyclists. A red pickup truck was stopped and the driver was radioing for medical assistance. As I walked my bike around the scene, I glanced down at the fallen rider. Someone was talking to him so I surmised that he was conscious, by his feet were sticking out of the end of the blanket in an unnatural way.

At Abbey Summit, I refilled my food bottle and sucked down a Clif Shot and was on my way down the hill. I passed the fallen rider who was still on the rode. Now, there was a Sheriff there alone with a Forest Service Ranger. Descending, I had to pull off of the one-lane road for six emergency vehicles, the first being a ambulance.

I made it safely down the hill and headed toward the rest stop at Weed. But I blew by it and made my way toward the next rest stop at the Mt. Shasta Resort. These, I took another short stop refilling my food bottle and consuming another Clif Shot.

The next climb is Munbo Summit, and this climb I believe is the hardest. While the third highest of the day, it contains the "Wall", a quarter mile section so steep, I have seen lean, fit, young cyclists pushing their bikes up it. I dropped down into my lowest gear (26 x 25) and slowly worked my way up. After an initial couple of turns, the "Wall" straightens out and you can see a line of cyclists suffering up the face of the "Wall".

I took another short stop at the top and began the descent. My fear of falling induced by the unfortunate scene on the first climb forgotten, I sped down the hill passing several other riders.

While the time was approaching noon, I had one more climb before lunch - Castle Lake. This is the shortest and lowest climb of the day, but it is the hardest. I have to take it on during the heat of the day, and the first five miles is constantly steep. I was very happy to obtain the top.

Lunch was a quick turkey sandwich and a short stop at the mechanical support tent. There, the wrench found that my Wippermann quick link had worn and was now loose. A simple reversing of the link solved my problem.

The last climb of the day is Mt. Shasta, and it was very hard. Just yesterday, I was holding myself back on this climb, but today I was truly suffering. I stopped at each of the two rest stops on the 14 mile climb to refresh. Yet, the last two miles to the top were truly hard. I arrived at 6:00 pm, twelve hours after my start that morning.

I was greeting by cheering rest stop volunteers and I sat down for the first time today. But soon, I put on my arm warmers and wind vest for the cold descent as it was just 60° at the top.

The descent went very well, and I must admit I broke the 35 mph speed limit and I did pass a car that was obeying the speed limit.

At the finish, I sat with Del and traded stories until he had to leave to return home. I limped back to the KOA.

Posted 9:06 AM by John Henry

Mt. Shasta Super Century Pre-Climb

Miles: 30.87
Elevation Gain: 4,030'

I arrived at the Mt. Shasta KOA in time to jump on my bicycle and take it for a spin. The question was, where should I go? Of course the obvious answer is to climb Mt. Shasta! So, off I went up the mountain.

Now, some may think this was a bit odd as I am riding the 135 mile Mt. Shasta Super Century that has over 16,000 feet of elevation gain tomorrow. Not me. I just kept my heart rate below 135 bpm, or in the fat burning zone, and slowly made my way up the mountain. And, I was not the only one; I saw two other riders during the climb.

I felt very good climbing today. Of course as my legs have finally recovered from the madness last weekend (RAMROD and Pedal the Pinchot on the tandem). As I worked my way up, I remember the many times I have climbed this mountain and how awful I have felt. But today was a different day and it was fun spinning up the mountain. No worries mate!

Tomorrow, I attempt the Super Century which has four major climbs and some say is more difficult than the Death Ride. I can not comment as I have never had the pleasure of riding the Death Ride, but I do know that this is the toughest ride under a double that I have every done.

Oh, by the way, if I survive tomorrow, I plan on climbing Mt. Shasta again on Monday before I leave for home.

Posted 9:54 PM by John Henry

Rational Discourse

Sorry, bicyclists, you do not own the roads

July 31, 2007

In response to your skewed July 17 editorial, "Drivers must share the road with bicyclists," bicyclists do not have a right to the road. It is a privilege, as it is to all motorists. The difference being, motorists pay for this privilege and motorists also pay for all the bike lanes through gas taxes, registration fees, etc.

Where does the bicyclist ante up? Maybe a registration fee for cyclists? I'm surprised our Legislature has not discovered this source of revenue.

I don't understand why a person would want to go onto a single-lane road, with blind corners, with tires that are too small to handle road hazards and take on a 3,000-pound vehicle traveling at 55 mph, let alone a 50,000-pound gravel truck. I see this all the time.

A friend of mine was hit by a passing vehicle's mirror. He does not ride on these roads that are not designed for cyclists "because it is not worth his life." Smart man.

If they want to play on the road, expect the consequences. This is called natural selection.

-- Alan Bender, Turner

(http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707310305)

Cyclists give to road funds

August 3, 2007

Alan Bender's July 31 response to the editorial in which the Statesman Journal urged motorists and bicyclists to share the road contains a commonly held misconception -- that bicyclists do not contribute to the costs of constructing and maintaining roads.

The sources of money in the state highway fund are gas taxes, weight-mile taxes and registration fees. However, the state highway fund is not the primary source of funds for street construction and maintenance, particularly in urban areas.

For example, Salem's share of the state highway fund is not sufficient even to cover the costs of operations and maintenance. The city council recently raided the general fund to pay for street repairs.

Developers are generally required to construct new streets to serve their developments, and they pay transportation systems development charges used to fund road-widening projects. Many street construction projects have been funded through bond levies, and the city is considering asking voter approval of another levy.

Polk County voters just approved such a levy to fund road repairs. These bonds are paid with property taxes.

Ultimately, everybody contributes regardless of their preferred mode of transportation.

-- Doug Parrow, Keizer

(http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708030310)

Posted 8:59 PM by John Henry