Part 2 August 19, 2008
So I am writing this a month later. Its September 23, and I haven’t ridden a day since I made the above post. I had a long day in the office, but was reasonably recovered by the end of the day. Brian and I were going to ride home from the office, so we got ourselves out the door at 5. Traffic is normally heavy at 5 on Market Street. However, I was not prepared for what that’d mean for riding.
Because of the traffic, I ended up going from dead stops to full speed in a half a block or less only to have to stop again. This is not a good scenario for riding, and I used a lot of energy in the first 5 miles. Once I got past 24, MT Zion Road, it was ok.
Brian and I cruised through to Hellam, and I opted to keep riding. As I rolled along down to the river, I started to regret not taking a five or ten minute break at Brian’s. Coming up out of Columbia, I started to get the feeling my legs were going to cramp. In a pre-emptive measure, I stopped at a convenience store and got a Gatorade. I downed a lot of it before dumping the rest in to my water bottle. Getting back on the road, I was feeling pretty beat.
I made my way along to Rohertown Road, and made a left. I had to put it in cruise mode going down the hill, and I really struggled going up the other side. Across Route 30 and to the next traffic light, my legs started to cramp at the quad muscles. This is a problem, because every time I tried to power through , my thigh would cramp. I coasted down the hill, barely adding anything to the rolling. Going up the small hills, I struggled to keep the momentum going. I essentially limped home the last 10 miles.
Upon arriving home, I was exhausted. MB and I decided it would be best if I skipped the riding the next day. I have been struggling with how to proceed since then. I have been getting myself to the gym and working hard at building the endurance and speed, mostly by running. Lifting doesn’t seem to help the cause much, but I haven’t lifted much either.
I think that given the conditions of that day (hot riding home, 90 + degrees) combined with not really being able to recover in 8 hours, means that I’ll need to do things differently. I also think that the first part of the ride down Market street was a problem. Too much start and stop and too fast. That burned up my energy.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Getting Better all the Time!
August 19, 2008
The alarm hadn’t even gone off today, and I was already awake. Slipping in to my bike gear, I kissed MB goodbye and headed down to the garage. The garage is always the wrong temperature. Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter. Eating half a powerbar and drinking some water helps wake me up. But not enough. After loading the new pump and spare tube, I activate the lights, and saddle up. I am half way down the street before I realize what is wrong: No helmet or gloves!
On the road this morning, my way is lit by not the headlight but the moon. I tried a different route this morning in an attempt to avoid the crappy stretch of 462 in Lancaster. Today’s ride took me down Valley Road to a short cut (can’t think of the name now) that dumps me on Lititz Pike. No cars coming, so I kept right on going. Turned on to Delp Road and cruised along until I hit the Overlook Park back entrance. This is a nice big multiuse park that has bike paths through it. I have been trying to get a route through Overlook simply because it takes me off the main road for about a mile. Cutting along the path, I realized that it might not be the quickest way. There are many sharp turns and it is not a direct route. Maybe when I could see something that would be a nice way to ride!! I did come up on a couple taking a predawn stroll.
Exiting the park, I cross through corporate parks and exotic car dealerships. I secretly wonder how cool it would be to work right there!! I could sleep in another 2 hours and still make it to work by 8! I finally arrive at the main road to 462, and a relative unknown, PA 741. This road winds around a little, but I have a good shoulder to ride to 462. What I had feared as large hills turned out to be no problem at all.
From Route 30 to 462 on 741, there are several ill timed traffic lights as well as a freight railroad track that crosses the road at grade. This allowed me, on a bike, to pass the same cars twice! That was a good feeling. A small hill up to 462, and I avoided most of the bad road between Dillerville Road and Roherstown Road. From here, I start to get in to cruise mode. Cranking away, I find that I am more comfortable with this bike. Even though I’ve had it for 8 years, I have not ridden it extensively until now. I rolled through Moutville and screamed through Columbia (well almost). I was doing slightly higher than the 30mph speed limit, but the brief uphill put an end to that!
One thing worth mentioning: cold air patches. I’ve noticed that as I am riding along, I suddenly hit a patch of cold air. I guess this is mostly over streams, but it still surprises me!!
Crossing the river this morning, I notice that the Eastbound lanes of Route 30 are not quite fully backed up yet. In another 20 minutes, there will be a half our backlog! I am convinced that the Wrightsville Bridge has slight grades to half way. I rolled along and tried to keep my speed above 10 mph as I climb out of the river basin.
I had mentioned to Brian that I’d be rolling through Hellam at about 6:45, so he should be out on the road if he wanted to ride in with me. No signs of him as I crest a steep hill and begin a nice easy downhill through town. I am really cruising now, even though I think I need to raise my seat by maybe 1/4”. As I pass Maple Donuts and look ahead to PA 24, I see the light turn green. Cranking, I try to keep moving and as I enter the intersection, the light turns orange!! I keep it rolling, and the start to pass the major strip malls that define East York. I’m moving it right along, and there is not much traffic around me.
Red Light! Ugh! All the work to get the momentum is lost as heat as I brake. Almost come to a stop, before traffic starts moving. I work my way through the bad I-83 Market street intersection only to get stuck at another light. Now, I have to work up a mild grade and prepare myself for the sprint down Philadelphia Street.
As I approach the section of Philly where there is a median down the middle, the light turns green, and I have an open lane. Cranking in top gear, I glance down to see I am running at about 28 MPH, but I am passing the cars in the other lane!! The signal from my eyes to my brain is not misunderstood, and adrenaline is released. I crank even harder, and start to pass the cars! As the lanes merge back together, I pause to think of what those drivers must be thinking: He’s fast! He’s crazy! Those shorts are too tight!”
The last two blocks are a cool down. I swing in to the parking lot and dismount. I look down at my computer and it takes a second for the reading to register. 1 Hr 36 minutes. 29.91 miles, 18.5 mph, max speed 34 mph. That’s a mile or so longer but 4 minutes faster than any previous ride in. WOW!! Time for some oatmeal and a coffee.
Oh, and when I went to the locker room to shower and get ready for work, there was Brian’s bike. He had left about 10 minutes before I got there, thinking he had missed me!!
The alarm hadn’t even gone off today, and I was already awake. Slipping in to my bike gear, I kissed MB goodbye and headed down to the garage. The garage is always the wrong temperature. Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter. Eating half a powerbar and drinking some water helps wake me up. But not enough. After loading the new pump and spare tube, I activate the lights, and saddle up. I am half way down the street before I realize what is wrong: No helmet or gloves!
On the road this morning, my way is lit by not the headlight but the moon. I tried a different route this morning in an attempt to avoid the crappy stretch of 462 in Lancaster. Today’s ride took me down Valley Road to a short cut (can’t think of the name now) that dumps me on Lititz Pike. No cars coming, so I kept right on going. Turned on to Delp Road and cruised along until I hit the Overlook Park back entrance. This is a nice big multiuse park that has bike paths through it. I have been trying to get a route through Overlook simply because it takes me off the main road for about a mile. Cutting along the path, I realized that it might not be the quickest way. There are many sharp turns and it is not a direct route. Maybe when I could see something that would be a nice way to ride!! I did come up on a couple taking a predawn stroll.
Exiting the park, I cross through corporate parks and exotic car dealerships. I secretly wonder how cool it would be to work right there!! I could sleep in another 2 hours and still make it to work by 8! I finally arrive at the main road to 462, and a relative unknown, PA 741. This road winds around a little, but I have a good shoulder to ride to 462. What I had feared as large hills turned out to be no problem at all.
From Route 30 to 462 on 741, there are several ill timed traffic lights as well as a freight railroad track that crosses the road at grade. This allowed me, on a bike, to pass the same cars twice! That was a good feeling. A small hill up to 462, and I avoided most of the bad road between Dillerville Road and Roherstown Road. From here, I start to get in to cruise mode. Cranking away, I find that I am more comfortable with this bike. Even though I’ve had it for 8 years, I have not ridden it extensively until now. I rolled through Moutville and screamed through Columbia (well almost). I was doing slightly higher than the 30mph speed limit, but the brief uphill put an end to that!
One thing worth mentioning: cold air patches. I’ve noticed that as I am riding along, I suddenly hit a patch of cold air. I guess this is mostly over streams, but it still surprises me!!
Crossing the river this morning, I notice that the Eastbound lanes of Route 30 are not quite fully backed up yet. In another 20 minutes, there will be a half our backlog! I am convinced that the Wrightsville Bridge has slight grades to half way. I rolled along and tried to keep my speed above 10 mph as I climb out of the river basin.
I had mentioned to Brian that I’d be rolling through Hellam at about 6:45, so he should be out on the road if he wanted to ride in with me. No signs of him as I crest a steep hill and begin a nice easy downhill through town. I am really cruising now, even though I think I need to raise my seat by maybe 1/4”. As I pass Maple Donuts and look ahead to PA 24, I see the light turn green. Cranking, I try to keep moving and as I enter the intersection, the light turns orange!! I keep it rolling, and the start to pass the major strip malls that define East York. I’m moving it right along, and there is not much traffic around me.
Red Light! Ugh! All the work to get the momentum is lost as heat as I brake. Almost come to a stop, before traffic starts moving. I work my way through the bad I-83 Market street intersection only to get stuck at another light. Now, I have to work up a mild grade and prepare myself for the sprint down Philadelphia Street.
As I approach the section of Philly where there is a median down the middle, the light turns green, and I have an open lane. Cranking in top gear, I glance down to see I am running at about 28 MPH, but I am passing the cars in the other lane!! The signal from my eyes to my brain is not misunderstood, and adrenaline is released. I crank even harder, and start to pass the cars! As the lanes merge back together, I pause to think of what those drivers must be thinking: He’s fast! He’s crazy! Those shorts are too tight!”
The last two blocks are a cool down. I swing in to the parking lot and dismount. I look down at my computer and it takes a second for the reading to register. 1 Hr 36 minutes. 29.91 miles, 18.5 mph, max speed 34 mph. That’s a mile or so longer but 4 minutes faster than any previous ride in. WOW!! Time for some oatmeal and a coffee.
Oh, and when I went to the locker room to shower and get ready for work, there was Brian’s bike. He had left about 10 minutes before I got there, thinking he had missed me!!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Fine Tuning the Morning Ride
5:05, the alarm starts playing the AT&T theme. I roll out of bed and creep my way through the darkness. Peeing in the dark is a skill learned, but it helps to have a large bowl and good aim. I have a large bowl. Brushing away the sleep from my teeth, I feel a little excited about the morning ride. Not as excited as last Friday, but excited nonetheless. Kissing the wife goodbye, MB mumbles to be safe and to send her a message when I get to York. Done and done. Lucia the dog doesn’t even raise her head, she’s used to me getting up early and doing things without her!! She’ll get me back when I get home.
I’m a bit ahead of schedule, so I take my time double checking my list (forgot my belt anyway, but it wasn’t on the list!). Tires pumped up to 120 PSI, and I am ready to roll. Based on last week's ride in, some adjustments to the route were necessary. That monster of a hill up Centerville Road was a ride killer. I think it took me a long time to recover from that, so I wanted to see if I could avoid it. Chomping on a the remains of a rock hard PowerBar, I go over my route in my head again and again.
I have a general idea of where I am going this morning, but it will be a little bit of winging it. Heading out the door, the neighborhood is still asleep. My blinky red light is protecting my rear, and my headlight is shining on the road ahead. It’s just about 5:30, and there’s not much of a sign of dawn yet.
So last week, I rode across Valley Road to East Petersburg and then on to Centerville Road by Kelly Cadillac. It was after that where the uphill ruined me mentally last week. Today, I tried to find a route that would get me to 462 without many hills. Problem is that there is no easy way to get there. I finally decided on a route that would involve me zig sagging across the three Pikes here until I could reach Dillerville Road. Dillerville Road would take me directly to 462 while avoiding most of the downtown traffic.
Cruising down Oregon pike, I zig on to Roseville Road. I promptly Zag on to Lititz Pike. Then, I zig and zag through a neighborhood shoehorned between Lititz Pike and Fruitville Pike. This dumps me out to Fruitville pike and I only have about 100 yards to Dillerville Road. On Dillerville, I see some things unexpected, like a guy riding against a green light through a busy intersection, and another guy on the Dillerville bridge smoking a stogie as he rode his bike.
Crossing over Harrisburg Pike, I enter another unknown neighborhood. It turned out to be a very nice neighborhood with some very pretty homes. A slight uphill and then some downhills, across Marietta Ave, until I finally reach my turn, Columbia Ave, 462.
462 was not what I expected. Despite the shoulder, I really had to ride in the road. The shoulder was comprised of many patches, loose stones, and sewer covers. Traffic was light, so it wasn’t much of a problem. The dawn has finally arrived and I switch my headlight from constant to blinky. The rough shoulder persists for the better part of two miles. However, many landmarks tic past, and I feel like I am making good time without exerting much effort. In fact, I realize that I am conserving energy, which is good, since it is a long ride to York.
Past Centerville Road, the road and shoulder really smooth out and I am really in a good zone. Even though I am not really thirsty, I force myself to take frequent water bottle breaks. This seems to be helping keep me moving.
Cruising in to Columbia, I note that I am doing the posted limit, 30 MPH! I also adjusted the tire size in my onboard computer, and I think it just about correct. I feel the cross breeze in my face and start to think I’ll have a nasty headwind going across the bridge.
Crossing the bridge, I find out I am right! Ugh!! It’s Ok, I still have a lot of energy this morning. I also think the bridge is not as flat as it first appears. After about half way, I notice I am pedaling faster. The steep climb out of the river basin is even easier today. I had told myself I’d take a break somewhere along the way, but I’m feeling good, so I keep moving.
The rolling hills leading to Hellam and beyond melted away this morning. Getting closer to East York, I start trying to see if I can smell the donuts cooking at Maple Donuts. It was almost half a mile I had to smell that sugary goodness.
Riding in the city of York today was different than last Friday. There were a lot more cars, and I got stuck at more red lights. Again, I didn’t have a problem at the I-83 entrance, and same for the media stripped Philadelphia street.
Rolled in to work, it was 7:10, the same hour and 40 minutes from Friday, but I was much less exhausted. After my shower, I was dressing and realized I had forgotten my belt!! Whoops! Oh well. Been grazing since then. Two packets of oatmeal, a banana, a corn muffin, a cup of coffee, and water. I will get a ride 18 miles to Mountville. From there, I’ll ride the rest of the way home.
Today’s ride was really encouraging. I didn’t feel tired at all during the ride or that I was over exerting myself. This reminded me of a long slow distance run. My goal is to keep the same level of exertion and increase speed to decrease time. Certainly, weight workouts and hill workouts are going to be the key to that.
Mark
I’m a bit ahead of schedule, so I take my time double checking my list (forgot my belt anyway, but it wasn’t on the list!). Tires pumped up to 120 PSI, and I am ready to roll. Based on last week's ride in, some adjustments to the route were necessary. That monster of a hill up Centerville Road was a ride killer. I think it took me a long time to recover from that, so I wanted to see if I could avoid it. Chomping on a the remains of a rock hard PowerBar, I go over my route in my head again and again.
I have a general idea of where I am going this morning, but it will be a little bit of winging it. Heading out the door, the neighborhood is still asleep. My blinky red light is protecting my rear, and my headlight is shining on the road ahead. It’s just about 5:30, and there’s not much of a sign of dawn yet.
So last week, I rode across Valley Road to East Petersburg and then on to Centerville Road by Kelly Cadillac. It was after that where the uphill ruined me mentally last week. Today, I tried to find a route that would get me to 462 without many hills. Problem is that there is no easy way to get there. I finally decided on a route that would involve me zig sagging across the three Pikes here until I could reach Dillerville Road. Dillerville Road would take me directly to 462 while avoiding most of the downtown traffic.
Cruising down Oregon pike, I zig on to Roseville Road. I promptly Zag on to Lititz Pike. Then, I zig and zag through a neighborhood shoehorned between Lititz Pike and Fruitville Pike. This dumps me out to Fruitville pike and I only have about 100 yards to Dillerville Road. On Dillerville, I see some things unexpected, like a guy riding against a green light through a busy intersection, and another guy on the Dillerville bridge smoking a stogie as he rode his bike.
Crossing over Harrisburg Pike, I enter another unknown neighborhood. It turned out to be a very nice neighborhood with some very pretty homes. A slight uphill and then some downhills, across Marietta Ave, until I finally reach my turn, Columbia Ave, 462.
462 was not what I expected. Despite the shoulder, I really had to ride in the road. The shoulder was comprised of many patches, loose stones, and sewer covers. Traffic was light, so it wasn’t much of a problem. The dawn has finally arrived and I switch my headlight from constant to blinky. The rough shoulder persists for the better part of two miles. However, many landmarks tic past, and I feel like I am making good time without exerting much effort. In fact, I realize that I am conserving energy, which is good, since it is a long ride to York.
Past Centerville Road, the road and shoulder really smooth out and I am really in a good zone. Even though I am not really thirsty, I force myself to take frequent water bottle breaks. This seems to be helping keep me moving.
Cruising in to Columbia, I note that I am doing the posted limit, 30 MPH! I also adjusted the tire size in my onboard computer, and I think it just about correct. I feel the cross breeze in my face and start to think I’ll have a nasty headwind going across the bridge.
Crossing the bridge, I find out I am right! Ugh!! It’s Ok, I still have a lot of energy this morning. I also think the bridge is not as flat as it first appears. After about half way, I notice I am pedaling faster. The steep climb out of the river basin is even easier today. I had told myself I’d take a break somewhere along the way, but I’m feeling good, so I keep moving.
The rolling hills leading to Hellam and beyond melted away this morning. Getting closer to East York, I start trying to see if I can smell the donuts cooking at Maple Donuts. It was almost half a mile I had to smell that sugary goodness.
Riding in the city of York today was different than last Friday. There were a lot more cars, and I got stuck at more red lights. Again, I didn’t have a problem at the I-83 entrance, and same for the media stripped Philadelphia street.
Rolled in to work, it was 7:10, the same hour and 40 minutes from Friday, but I was much less exhausted. After my shower, I was dressing and realized I had forgotten my belt!! Whoops! Oh well. Been grazing since then. Two packets of oatmeal, a banana, a corn muffin, a cup of coffee, and water. I will get a ride 18 miles to Mountville. From there, I’ll ride the rest of the way home.
Today’s ride was really encouraging. I didn’t feel tired at all during the ride or that I was over exerting myself. This reminded me of a long slow distance run. My goal is to keep the same level of exertion and increase speed to decrease time. Certainly, weight workouts and hill workouts are going to be the key to that.
Mark
Monday, August 11, 2008
Success!
After a night of fitful sleep, the alarm started ringing at 5:05 AM. I got out of bed, but left the lights off. I could hear the breathing of my sleeping bride, and looking at the baby monitor, the only one awake was me. Still too dark to see, I groped my way around the room and located the clothes I had laid out the night before.
I dressed quickly, if not silently. Kissed my wife goodbye, and patted the sleeping dog's head before heading down the stairs.
5:17 am. Moving around the kitchen, I am going over the checklist in my head for the fourth time. I have 10 minutes before I will be late for my start. I look up and it is now 5:28. Where did 11 minutes go? I try an strech a little while downing a chocolate peanut butter PowerBar and drink some water.
The garage door opens and the cool morning air rushes in. The steel frame is clammy as I ease my bike down from its cieling perch. Its 5:40, and I am already late.
The darkness is no longer complete, but I wonder how well the drivers will be able to see me. I have a red blinking tailight, a LED white headlight, a bright yellow vest, and reflective striping on my tires. Still, the darkness and the hour of the day have me on edge. I come to the first light at Lititz Pike and have half a mind to ask the lone car driver if she saw me. Before I can, however, the light turns green and we are off.
As I whiz past the fields on my way toward York, the darkness is starting to give way to the dawn. Cars are passing, but giving me a wide berth, so my high visibility scheme must be working. As I roll through East Pete, I have more and more confidence of my riding ability. I can do this! Everything is going well, and I can see my first challenging hill in the distance. This is the one I hit 44 MPH riding down the previous Friday. The light is bright enough now, that I switch the headlight from steady to flashing.
Starting from a dead stop, I easily reached 12 mph. Thirty feet later, I am down to 10. Changing gears to get to the easier ratios does not improve the speed. Slowly it drops all the way down to almost 6 MPH! I can run fast than that. My breathing increases force, and I feel myself working hard to keep moving. Struggling, I finally reach the part of the hill where the steepness eases. My speed increases, but I feel deflated. As I roll through this hilly section of the ride, I think "Maybe I should have gone through town, instead of up over this nasty hill!"
Finally, I reach the crest of the final hill along this segment, and enjoy a nice, long downhill run to Mountville. As I pass over Route 30, I am recharged and feel better about the ride. Upon reaching Mountville, I join 462 and continue down in to Columbia. The landmarks come faster than I expect, and I am holding a steady 18-20 mph. I reach Columbia, and try to maintain the speed limit of 30 MPH, but have to be content with 20-25. However, I am starting to think about the next big hill on the other side of the river.
Crossing the Wrightsville Columbia Bridge, I am suprised to find that I am struggling a little to keep 20 mph. This could be due to the slight headwind. However, the sight of the Susquehanna being hit with the first rays of sun is breathtaking and inspiring. As I roll in to Wrightsville, I am ready for the start of another steep climb. However, compared with the wall I climbed earlier, this hill does not present much of a problem. I am counting down the miles to Brian's house in Hellam.
Brian and I were going to meet up at about 6:30 and ride to York together. I arrive at Brian's about 6:45 to find him dressed for work. He explained that he needed to bring home files for a trip, and so he'd be driving to work instead. No problem, but it was a bit of a downer. It did feel good to take a short break, however, and I drank a lot of water.
Back on the road, I found the rolling hills of York county to be challenging without breaking me. As I approached Route 24, the smell of Donuts fill the air. I felt like yelling out "Damn you Maple Donuts!!" but didn't. Instead, I started to focus on the drivers around me. It was now after 7 AM, and there was a lot more traffic on the road.
Market street from PA 24 to the I-83 interchange is a very busy stretch of road. There are several large strip malls, and two major home improvement stores. The road itself is a 4 lane road, but essentially no shoulders. I decided there was not so much traffic that they couldn't go around me, so I took the right tire rut as Mine. Again, people shared the road and I had no problems.
Westbound 462 turns after the I-83 interchange on to Philadelphia Street. It is a two lane, one way with cars parked on both sides. Again, I took the right tire rut as Mine. However, for about 2 blocks, there is a center median between the two lanes AND cars parked on both sides. With no room for cars to pass, I did the only thing I could do: the speed limit. I was able to maintain 26 mph through this strech, and didn't feel bad at all about taking a lane.
I arrived at my office at 7:20 AM. All told, it was 1 hour, 40 minutes on the bike. Showered, shaved and was dressed and ready for work by 7:35. I was a little sore, however, and very hungry! Had it been a normal day, I would have run for about an hour, and then driven 40 minutes to work. This way, I was able to work out for an hour and forty minutes while getting to work on time.
Looks like I will be able to work out full and 3/4 rides to and from work.
I dressed quickly, if not silently. Kissed my wife goodbye, and patted the sleeping dog's head before heading down the stairs.
5:17 am. Moving around the kitchen, I am going over the checklist in my head for the fourth time. I have 10 minutes before I will be late for my start. I look up and it is now 5:28. Where did 11 minutes go? I try an strech a little while downing a chocolate peanut butter PowerBar and drink some water.
The garage door opens and the cool morning air rushes in. The steel frame is clammy as I ease my bike down from its cieling perch. Its 5:40, and I am already late.
The darkness is no longer complete, but I wonder how well the drivers will be able to see me. I have a red blinking tailight, a LED white headlight, a bright yellow vest, and reflective striping on my tires. Still, the darkness and the hour of the day have me on edge. I come to the first light at Lititz Pike and have half a mind to ask the lone car driver if she saw me. Before I can, however, the light turns green and we are off.
As I whiz past the fields on my way toward York, the darkness is starting to give way to the dawn. Cars are passing, but giving me a wide berth, so my high visibility scheme must be working. As I roll through East Pete, I have more and more confidence of my riding ability. I can do this! Everything is going well, and I can see my first challenging hill in the distance. This is the one I hit 44 MPH riding down the previous Friday. The light is bright enough now, that I switch the headlight from steady to flashing.
Starting from a dead stop, I easily reached 12 mph. Thirty feet later, I am down to 10. Changing gears to get to the easier ratios does not improve the speed. Slowly it drops all the way down to almost 6 MPH! I can run fast than that. My breathing increases force, and I feel myself working hard to keep moving. Struggling, I finally reach the part of the hill where the steepness eases. My speed increases, but I feel deflated. As I roll through this hilly section of the ride, I think "Maybe I should have gone through town, instead of up over this nasty hill!"
Finally, I reach the crest of the final hill along this segment, and enjoy a nice, long downhill run to Mountville. As I pass over Route 30, I am recharged and feel better about the ride. Upon reaching Mountville, I join 462 and continue down in to Columbia. The landmarks come faster than I expect, and I am holding a steady 18-20 mph. I reach Columbia, and try to maintain the speed limit of 30 MPH, but have to be content with 20-25. However, I am starting to think about the next big hill on the other side of the river.
Crossing the Wrightsville Columbia Bridge, I am suprised to find that I am struggling a little to keep 20 mph. This could be due to the slight headwind. However, the sight of the Susquehanna being hit with the first rays of sun is breathtaking and inspiring. As I roll in to Wrightsville, I am ready for the start of another steep climb. However, compared with the wall I climbed earlier, this hill does not present much of a problem. I am counting down the miles to Brian's house in Hellam.
Brian and I were going to meet up at about 6:30 and ride to York together. I arrive at Brian's about 6:45 to find him dressed for work. He explained that he needed to bring home files for a trip, and so he'd be driving to work instead. No problem, but it was a bit of a downer. It did feel good to take a short break, however, and I drank a lot of water.
Back on the road, I found the rolling hills of York county to be challenging without breaking me. As I approached Route 24, the smell of Donuts fill the air. I felt like yelling out "Damn you Maple Donuts!!" but didn't. Instead, I started to focus on the drivers around me. It was now after 7 AM, and there was a lot more traffic on the road.
Market street from PA 24 to the I-83 interchange is a very busy stretch of road. There are several large strip malls, and two major home improvement stores. The road itself is a 4 lane road, but essentially no shoulders. I decided there was not so much traffic that they couldn't go around me, so I took the right tire rut as Mine. Again, people shared the road and I had no problems.
Westbound 462 turns after the I-83 interchange on to Philadelphia Street. It is a two lane, one way with cars parked on both sides. Again, I took the right tire rut as Mine. However, for about 2 blocks, there is a center median between the two lanes AND cars parked on both sides. With no room for cars to pass, I did the only thing I could do: the speed limit. I was able to maintain 26 mph through this strech, and didn't feel bad at all about taking a lane.
I arrived at my office at 7:20 AM. All told, it was 1 hour, 40 minutes on the bike. Showered, shaved and was dressed and ready for work by 7:35. I was a little sore, however, and very hungry! Had it been a normal day, I would have run for about an hour, and then driven 40 minutes to work. This way, I was able to work out for an hour and forty minutes while getting to work on time.
Looks like I will be able to work out full and 3/4 rides to and from work.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Trial Run = Success!
Friday, August 1 was the trial of riding to work by bike. For the trial, I rode from Hallam, PA to Lancaster. It’s a bit shorter than the total route, but I had a buddy to ride with, Brian. The ride went well, but my tires are messed up. The tubes in them are the wrong size (I realized this after I got done with the 20 mile ride!). Also, my rear derailieur needs to be adjusted. More on that later.
The ride started out in an apartment complex. At the bottom of a hill. We rode up to the main road, PA 462, and headed East. The road generally is downhill to the SUsquhanna River bride In Columbia. Some long downhills early with short steep uphills, made for a relatively easy ride.
When we entered Wrightsville, we hit traffic. Interestingly, I was able to scoot around most of it and proceeded to take the full lane as we headed down to the bridge. A tractor trailer was turning, so I was able to get around all the traffic. Cars didn’t start passing me again until I was about half way across the bridge. I was amazed to see I was holding a steady 22mph as well. Upon entering Columbia, traffic stopped again. However, like before, I was able to move along with traffic through the borough. Once out in the country again, traffic flowed past at a steady rate.
The road gradually climbs to Mountville. Still, I didn’t have much trouble maintaining 15-16 mph. At Mountville, we turned on to Spooky Nook Road. This is a steeper climb with a narrow shoulder. Cresting the top of the hill, we rolled down to PA 23, and turned right. One block later, turned Left on to Centerville Road.
Centerville is a 25 MPH road through here, and I had no problem maintaining 25. It was flat, maybe slightly downhill. Then, out of the blue, the bottom dropped out. Next thing I knew, I was doing 44 mph! As soon as I saw this, I also saw the traffic light and the line of traffic. Grabbing the brakes, I realized that I needed to get this bike’s tires really trued up!
Continuing along, we crossed over PA 283, and swung in to Turkey Hill for a Gatorade break. It was very hot, and Brian was having some difficulty with the ride. The break was good for both of us, and we took off again for East Petersburg.
We cruised through town, crossing Manheim Pike, and sailed right on through to NEffsville. By the time we reached the house, it was close to 5 pm. We had made the trek in a little less than 90 minutes, including several stops. Total bike time was 72 minutes. Not bad for 20 miles the first time riding it!
Following this successful ride, I decided that a professional tune up of the bike was required. I consider myself an apt mechanic on bikes, but it has been so long since I have done that kind of work, that I decided to go to a professional. My Uncle Phil, an avid daily rider, recommended Cycle Circle in Lancaster, PA. I checked rates, and they were cheapest around . When I dropped the bike off on Saturday, I knew I made the right call. They stock Red Line bikes, and it was more of a shop than a showroom. Meaning they are serious about getting bikes repaired and running than selling new bikes. Plus, it was cool to see a place where Red Line is so well represented. I also need to get a tire pump, headlight and taillight.
The next planned ride will be for this Friday. This time, I will ride from home all the way to work. Brian may be back from his trip and will join me in Hallam. Given the pace of last Friday’s ride, I should plan to give myself about 2 hours to make the trip. Even though we averaged 16.5 mph for the ride to Lancaster, the overall speed was really 13.3 mph. Perhaps I won’t need to stop as often since I will be on my own. However, traffic conditions and the time of day might necessitate going a little slower. Also, the hills in York county will probably slow me down.
I am looking forward to Friday’s ride, but have a lot of running to do in the meanwhile. The ride was not as physically demanding as I expected. I attribute this to the running I have been doing. Especially the long runs. I will need to run at least two 8 mile runs this week, probably tomorrow morning and Thursday morning.
The ride started out in an apartment complex. At the bottom of a hill. We rode up to the main road, PA 462, and headed East. The road generally is downhill to the SUsquhanna River bride In Columbia. Some long downhills early with short steep uphills, made for a relatively easy ride.
When we entered Wrightsville, we hit traffic. Interestingly, I was able to scoot around most of it and proceeded to take the full lane as we headed down to the bridge. A tractor trailer was turning, so I was able to get around all the traffic. Cars didn’t start passing me again until I was about half way across the bridge. I was amazed to see I was holding a steady 22mph as well. Upon entering Columbia, traffic stopped again. However, like before, I was able to move along with traffic through the borough. Once out in the country again, traffic flowed past at a steady rate.
The road gradually climbs to Mountville. Still, I didn’t have much trouble maintaining 15-16 mph. At Mountville, we turned on to Spooky Nook Road. This is a steeper climb with a narrow shoulder. Cresting the top of the hill, we rolled down to PA 23, and turned right. One block later, turned Left on to Centerville Road.
Centerville is a 25 MPH road through here, and I had no problem maintaining 25. It was flat, maybe slightly downhill. Then, out of the blue, the bottom dropped out. Next thing I knew, I was doing 44 mph! As soon as I saw this, I also saw the traffic light and the line of traffic. Grabbing the brakes, I realized that I needed to get this bike’s tires really trued up!
Continuing along, we crossed over PA 283, and swung in to Turkey Hill for a Gatorade break. It was very hot, and Brian was having some difficulty with the ride. The break was good for both of us, and we took off again for East Petersburg.
We cruised through town, crossing Manheim Pike, and sailed right on through to NEffsville. By the time we reached the house, it was close to 5 pm. We had made the trek in a little less than 90 minutes, including several stops. Total bike time was 72 minutes. Not bad for 20 miles the first time riding it!
Following this successful ride, I decided that a professional tune up of the bike was required. I consider myself an apt mechanic on bikes, but it has been so long since I have done that kind of work, that I decided to go to a professional. My Uncle Phil, an avid daily rider, recommended Cycle Circle in Lancaster, PA. I checked rates, and they were cheapest around . When I dropped the bike off on Saturday, I knew I made the right call. They stock Red Line bikes, and it was more of a shop than a showroom. Meaning they are serious about getting bikes repaired and running than selling new bikes. Plus, it was cool to see a place where Red Line is so well represented. I also need to get a tire pump, headlight and taillight.
The next planned ride will be for this Friday. This time, I will ride from home all the way to work. Brian may be back from his trip and will join me in Hallam. Given the pace of last Friday’s ride, I should plan to give myself about 2 hours to make the trip. Even though we averaged 16.5 mph for the ride to Lancaster, the overall speed was really 13.3 mph. Perhaps I won’t need to stop as often since I will be on my own. However, traffic conditions and the time of day might necessitate going a little slower. Also, the hills in York county will probably slow me down.
I am looking forward to Friday’s ride, but have a lot of running to do in the meanwhile. The ride was not as physically demanding as I expected. I attribute this to the running I have been doing. Especially the long runs. I will need to run at least two 8 mile runs this week, probably tomorrow morning and Thursday morning.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
One day to go! Ouch! My THUMBS!!
OK,
So I went out and got new road tires for my bike yesterday. I've changed tires before, but holy moly I wrestled with these two for the better part of 2 hours last night! I was able to get one on and pressurized. But the other would not cooperate. I even tried reversing the tire and rim, but to no avail. Brought it in with me to work to take out to the shop at lunch time. Might have to purchase a tool to help get those tires on and off.
Getting psyched. The weather tomorrow is going to be near 90 with some humidity. That's OK, we'll take it real easy.
Mark
So I went out and got new road tires for my bike yesterday. I've changed tires before, but holy moly I wrestled with these two for the better part of 2 hours last night! I was able to get one on and pressurized. But the other would not cooperate. I even tried reversing the tire and rim, but to no avail. Brought it in with me to work to take out to the shop at lunch time. Might have to purchase a tool to help get those tires on and off.
Getting psyched. The weather tomorrow is going to be near 90 with some humidity. That's OK, we'll take it real easy.
Mark
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Countdown: 2 days
My cycling co worker did part of the ride last night and gave me a good report of what the last 5 miles of the ride to work will be like. It looks like we've got a good country road in a pretty well developed area, and that's a good thing! Less cars!
Today we got a notification that the parking garage we use will be renovated over the next 10 months. That means parking is going to be an issue. If I am using a bike to get to work, it'll make my life a little easier from the parking situation. At least 2 days of the week!
Preparation:
Tommorow I will purchase the new tires to replace the dry rotted ones on my bike. I will also purchase a spare tube to carry just in case. The bike needs to be ready to roll so I can drop it off at my buddy's house after work on Thursday. I'll be getting a ride to a co-workers house Friday morning and riding with her to work. After work, I'll go to my buddy's house and we'll ride the 20 or so miles East to my house.
I also did some cost analysis to see how long it will take for me to recoup my investment. I am estimatating that I will spend about $350 to get myself configured for the daily commute. I am planning on only riding 2 out of 5 days to work. The remaining 3 will be split between carpooling with one co worker and driving myself. I anticiapte a gas purchase savings of about $23 per week, or about half what I currently spend. Once we get in to our new office, later next year, the commute will be about 5 miles shorter.
Concerns:
My biggest concern is automobile drivers in the city portions of my ride. Mostly, I have a nasty intersection at North Hills Road/Market street in York where I will have to conend with 2 lanes of traffic trying to merge on to I-83 South. I think I figured a way around it (instead of using the right turning lane, then trying to merge left, I'll wait at the light, then turn right. I will be able to use the left lane and avoid that merge area. Once past, I can get right and get on the side street.)
Around here, there are a lot of people who ride motor cycles and bicyles poorly. The motor cycle people drive way way too fast and erratically. The bicyclists I've seen seem to think they are exempt from the traffic laws, specifically riding the wrong way on one way streets and stopping for stop signs. That makes it tough for me when I am battling auto drivers for my share of the road.
Also, I am a little concerned that my wife is holding back on her feelings for me commuting by bike. After the ride on Friday, I will have a better idea of what I am attempting and can communicate that to her. She is working part time, and usually needs me to be home before she can get her work day started. I need to discuss with my boss about the potential for shifting my work hours from 8-5 to 7-7:30 to 4 or 4:30. I don't know if it will be a problem or not, but as long as I am getting my work done, it should be OK. I am estimating a 1.5 hour bike commute. As I get in to better shape, I think that time may come down some, but for now, that's what I am estimating.
OK, back to work..
Mark
PS Is anyone out there reading this? The main reason I started it was to help other folks get started commuting and to get feedback from other bike commuters. So if you have any comments, feel free to post. Thanks
Today we got a notification that the parking garage we use will be renovated over the next 10 months. That means parking is going to be an issue. If I am using a bike to get to work, it'll make my life a little easier from the parking situation. At least 2 days of the week!
Preparation:
Tommorow I will purchase the new tires to replace the dry rotted ones on my bike. I will also purchase a spare tube to carry just in case. The bike needs to be ready to roll so I can drop it off at my buddy's house after work on Thursday. I'll be getting a ride to a co-workers house Friday morning and riding with her to work. After work, I'll go to my buddy's house and we'll ride the 20 or so miles East to my house.
I also did some cost analysis to see how long it will take for me to recoup my investment. I am estimatating that I will spend about $350 to get myself configured for the daily commute. I am planning on only riding 2 out of 5 days to work. The remaining 3 will be split between carpooling with one co worker and driving myself. I anticiapte a gas purchase savings of about $23 per week, or about half what I currently spend. Once we get in to our new office, later next year, the commute will be about 5 miles shorter.
Concerns:
My biggest concern is automobile drivers in the city portions of my ride. Mostly, I have a nasty intersection at North Hills Road/Market street in York where I will have to conend with 2 lanes of traffic trying to merge on to I-83 South. I think I figured a way around it (instead of using the right turning lane, then trying to merge left, I'll wait at the light, then turn right. I will be able to use the left lane and avoid that merge area. Once past, I can get right and get on the side street.)
Around here, there are a lot of people who ride motor cycles and bicyles poorly. The motor cycle people drive way way too fast and erratically. The bicyclists I've seen seem to think they are exempt from the traffic laws, specifically riding the wrong way on one way streets and stopping for stop signs. That makes it tough for me when I am battling auto drivers for my share of the road.
Also, I am a little concerned that my wife is holding back on her feelings for me commuting by bike. After the ride on Friday, I will have a better idea of what I am attempting and can communicate that to her. She is working part time, and usually needs me to be home before she can get her work day started. I need to discuss with my boss about the potential for shifting my work hours from 8-5 to 7-7:30 to 4 or 4:30. I don't know if it will be a problem or not, but as long as I am getting my work done, it should be OK. I am estimating a 1.5 hour bike commute. As I get in to better shape, I think that time may come down some, but for now, that's what I am estimating.
OK, back to work..
Mark
PS Is anyone out there reading this? The main reason I started it was to help other folks get started commuting and to get feedback from other bike commuters. So if you have any comments, feel free to post. Thanks
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