tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58954695041080040672024-03-13T11:42:02.650-07:00Cycle Folsom Club BlogRuminations from Cycle Folsom's leadership and members.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-41993983108801055802016-08-12T18:25:00.000-07:002016-08-12T18:25:11.674-07:00That Dorky Mirror Saved My LifeOK, I admit that this is a misleading headline. I was skimming through some news articles and
started reading one where the headline had little to do with the article’s
contents. I thought I would try the eye
drawing trick…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathan and Jim Just Before Iowa Hill</td></tr>
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I have been cycling with a rear-view mirror for several
years and I believe it is one of the best safety enhancements I use while
cycling. The other day, another rider
and I had fallen off the back of the main group by a few hundred meters. I was doing everything I could to catch back
up and was on a slight descent that let me carry some good speed. A left turn was approaching and I was fixated
on the approach because I would be going fast and I was looking out for debris
in the turn.<br />
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While I was absorbed with making the turn and catching back
up with the main group, I hadn’t realized a car was approaching from behind (I
didn’t hear it) and it was about to pass me.
As I was about to start the turn I did a routine check by glancing in my rear-view mirror and spotted the
car. Fortunately, I have developed a habit of checking my mirror when turning.<br />
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If I had not had that mirror, I doubt I would have looked
over my shoulder and noticed the car. The result would have been a bad crash and it
would have been my fault. So yeah, that
dorky mirror helped me avoid an accident.<br />
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Many riders use a mirror.
There are ones that mount on sunglasses (what I use), helmet mounted and
even ones that mount on the end of your handlebars. I prefer the first two as I can move my head
left to right and scan a wide area behind me.<br />
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The mirror provides a major boost to situational awareness. The 180 degrees of view behind you is now available and can provide a greater insight to your ride environment.. You can see cars approaching, evaluate how tight the riders behind you are aligned and maybe even gain a little satisfaction in watching a few riders drop behind you on a climb. On the rare times I forget my mirror, I feel awkward and partially blind.<br />
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I had the opportunity to talk to Chris Mumma, one of the most prolific riders in Cycle Folsom, about his experience with a mirror. Chris says, "a mirror has become an integral part of my cycling and I feel naked without it." After a review of our shared experiences with a mirror, he talked of an instance where the mirror was invaluable in preventing a accident. Chris added, "I was riding a performance ride and we were overtaking a slower rider (not a Cycle Folsom rider) and a rider behind me neglected to follow the paceline, attempting to pass on the left into traffic. Fortunately, I was able to spot him before we collided. "<br />
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Give a mirror a try. It might not "look pro", but it will open up your range of views and increase your situational awareness.<br />
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-54577361985255407862016-07-01T07:07:00.001-07:002016-07-01T07:07:27.399-07:00Death Ride Tune Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe and Enrico applying bar tape</td></tr>
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As the Death Ride nears, a group of Cycle Folsom's riders got together to give their bikes a final tune up to make sure their rides were in top working order.<br />
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Most of the work was similar - brake/shifter cable replacement and new chain installation.<br />
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Cable replacement takes some time and patience - especially when the cables are internally routed. This job includes:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Replacing front and rear brake cables and housings.</li>
<li>Replacing front and rear derailleur cables and housings.</li>
<li>Adjusting the brakes</li>
<li>Adjusting all shifting</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathan's red/while/black cable color</td></tr>
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<li>Replacing bar tape</li>
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Joe was a great help with the bar tape with his technique of starting on the top and winding it "backwards". This gives a cleaner look to the tape and seems more secure.</div>
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Jonathan learned the hard way that regular cable replacement is important to avoid snapping a cable during a ride. When a rear derailleur cable breaks, the only option is the smallest cog. During the Carson Pass Train for the Tours (TftT) ride, he lost his rear derailleur cable at mile 73. Fortunately, the last 27 miles were mostly a descent and he was able to finish the ride.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim's Felt getting new cables </td></tr>
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I learned this lesson as well about a year ago when my derailleur cable snapped during a ride. I now replace my cables every 6 months.<br />
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This is actually very inexpensive. A <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Complete-Brake-Derailleur-Black/dp/B001C4NJME/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1467380188&sr=1-1&keywords=jagwire+cable+kit&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011" target="_blank">cable kit</a> costs around $40 and new bar tape is about $20.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vu working on his bike</td></tr>
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Chain replacement is important in ensuring the drive train doesn't wear prematurely. As the chain stretches, it can cause the cassette and chainrings on the crank to wear out more quickly. In addition, a stretched chain makes for a degraded shifting response.<br />
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A new <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Ultegra-11-Speed-Bicycle-Chain/dp/B00CABLW7C/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1467380680&sr=1-1&keywords=shimano+6800+chain" target="_blank">chain</a> is about $40 and should be replaced when worn. There is a simple <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-CC-3-2-Chain-Indica/dp/B000BR3LHQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1467380806&sr=1-5&keywords=park+chain+tool" target="_blank">tool</a> that measures chain stretch.<br />
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To replace a chain, the easiest method is to simply remove the old chain with a chain breaker and lay the new and old chains side by side on the floor. This will give you the chain length for removing the excess links on the new chain. Once trimmed, the chain is routed and a master pin is installed to secure the chain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric installing a new chain</td></tr>
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A preventative maintenance plan for your bike is a great way to avoid problems and keep your bike in top running condition. You can learn a lot of the techniques from youtube videos. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/globalcyclingnetwork" target="_blank">GCN</a> has a great set of <a href="http://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/tag/maintenance-monday/" target="_blank">maintenance videos</a> that will give you detailed step by step instructions. A couple of inexpensive tools will go a long way toward enabling you to do your own maintenance. This will also save a lot of time and money.<br />
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If you are considering doing your own work on your bike, Cycle Folsom has many members who are excellent mechanics and can help you with your efforts. Be sure to solicit their advice.<br />
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-68665334562053647312016-06-29T21:13:00.001-07:002016-06-29T21:13:25.306-07:00What Does It Take To Be A Racer<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">The <a href="http://www.letour.com/us/" target="_blank">Tour De France</a> is just around the corner and just a month ago we were able to experience the <a href="http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/" target="_blank">Amgen Tour of California</a> in our own home town. Seeing these amazing riders compete in such an epic way may fuel your own thoughts about taking your cycling to a new level - racing. What would it be like to be a racer? How do you start racing? Cycle Folsom's </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Aaron Terrazas is a racer on <a href="http://www.revsroadrace.com/index.html" target="_blank">Team Revolutions</a> and has given us some great insight into these questions.</span></span></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "open sans";"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">What Does It Take To Be A Racer by </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans"; line-height: 18.2px;">Aaron Terrazas</span></span></b></u></h3>
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I <span style="font-family: inherit;">had no real aspirations to become a racer when I first started</span> road biking, I just wanted to lose weight, get fit and not get dropped. As my fitness increased I began to think about racing; it looked fun and terrifying. I started doing some research, talked to friends, read articles, watched YouTube videos and thought, "why not try it, if I don't like it, I can always quit".<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WagYHmyVybs/V3SakjZMZRI/AAAAAAAB8aI/TXOAGAHyCD8Gbskzbq6O8FQbHXh0vKtgACLcB/s1600/TeamRev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WagYHmyVybs/V3SakjZMZRI/AAAAAAAB8aI/TXOAGAHyCD8Gbskzbq6O8FQbHXh0vKtgACLcB/s320/TeamRev.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So what steps do you need to take to get into racing? What does it take to get started and be competitive?</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Get a Coach</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Regardless of how serious you intend to be, I would recommend getting a coach. Having a coach to focus your training and guide you. A coach will not only help you improve your fitness, they will also provide you with direction and focus during your race season. Without direction, folks tend to flounder, and drop out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Work On Your Fitness</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Spend the winter season training, working on your fitness and learning as much as you can. I find that folks who don't train before the race season, tend not to last long in racing because they get discouraged after a few races. There is so much to learn, and while the level of fitness among racers various greatly, the serious racers are on a completely different level of fitness than your average / above average club rider. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Find a Team</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is very important to have a group you can connect with, work with and be mentored by. When you race, it's very difficult to win a race on your own, unless it's a very small field. Bike racing is a team sport, with strategies, race plans, lead out trains, domestiques, climbers, sprinters, and each serves a role based on the type of race. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Get Your Race License</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You need to register and get a license to race. Get your USA Cycling license for the season: <a href="https://www.usacycling.org/">https://www.usacycling.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Racing Categories</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The women's racing categories start at Cat 4 and go up to Cat 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The men's racing categories start at Cat 5 and go up to Cat 1. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are several different types of groups for each category. Juniors (kids), Cat 1,2,3,4,5 (19-34) and Masters 35+, Masters 45+, and Masters 55+. The non-masters categories are the categories that can go pro (Cat 1).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beginner Race Program</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Every Sunday morning through the month of January, before race season officially begins, classes for road racing are provided for beginning racers called the Early Bird Races or Beginning Racer Program (BRP). There are various classes provided throughout the state, but the closest one to us is in Fremont. Instructors run through various skills you will need to know for racing like sprinting, cornering, bike handling and more. Instructors will take you through drills and at the end of the class you will get to race a Crit for 20 minutes. Each class with a race is worth 2 points which count towards your 10 upgrade points to get out of Cat 5 to Cat 4.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These classes really are essential if you plan to race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do You Need a Race Bike</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you don't have a great<b> r</b>acing bike, it is ok, try racing out first before you invest in a good race bike. Racing could also be a great excuse to get a new bike. If you do want to buy a race bike, here are a few things to consider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aerobikes are great for crits and flat races, but they tend to drop anchor on rollers and climbs, and many do not corner as well as an all round light race road bike that handles well, responds great on climbs and sprints. Consider purchasing wheels specifically for racing that you can use for all of you races (have a separate pair for training). I have a set of tubular all carbon 50s that I use only for racing, anything deeper would probably not be as great for a climbing race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Types of Races</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Criterium Races</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (Crits) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are fast paced short lap, usually 1/2 mile to 1 mile in length, with multiple laps around a closed small circuit within a 20-40 minute period. These are great for strong riders who might not have the fitness for a long endurance road race, are great sprinters or like to be in the red as riders attack and maneuver for position. Crits are known for bunch sprints, tight corners and crashes (crashes will happen in all race types).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Circuit Races</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are basically the medium between a road race and a Crit, where you race a longer lap of several miles for an hour or more several times. Usually these are not as fast as crits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Road Race</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are the longer endurance races, which can be longer circuits of 4-9 miles; these are done several times (40+ miles). The duration of these races differ from race to race and category to category.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Time Trial (TT)</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are solo races on a time trial bike (TT). The duration can range from 6 - 20+ miles. These are basically, how fast can you go for 20-40 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stage Race</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These are typically a series of races over a few days that can have a combination of all the different race types.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Winning Races</span></b><span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bike racing is one of the few sports where most people never win or podium. There are pros who spend their entire careers never having won a race because their jobs are to support their team leader. So why race?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Racing can be challenging, scary, exhausting, fun and require dedication of time and focus. Most of us who are older are certainly not going to make it to be pros or ride in any world tours, so racing is just something we do on the weekends because we love cycling, competition and pushing ourselves. Most of us don't take it too seriously (some do), and let's face it, we aren't getting paid or sponsored, at least not those of us who are Masters (older), so the most important thing it to just have fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-56310272882208558472016-06-28T06:54:00.000-07:002016-06-28T07:00:19.210-07:00A Tale of Two Rides<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday, we completed the 10<sup>th</sup> and final century
ride in the Train for the Tours (TftT) series for 2016. This one was an out and back from Sly Park to
Carson Pass and included more than 10,000' of climbing, riding at altitudes
above 7,500’ for much of the ride and some tough climbs like Carson Pass and Mormon
Emigrant. A tough ride by any measure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I did this ride last year and I thought it would be
interesting to compare my experiences since they were so different. Last year, I thought the ride was a <u>brutal</u> experience. I was totally exhausted and wiped out at the conclusion. This year I felt good the entire ride and had "gas in the tank" at the end. </div>
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Why the difference?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thanks to the Garmin Edge and Strava, I can compare statistics.</div>
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The differences between the two rides are very minor. Moving time, average speed, cadence, and average heart rate are about the same.</div>
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The only significant differences are the ride temperature and overall ride elapsed time. The temperature was 7 degrees cooler and I finished the ride 20+ minutes faster.</div>
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It looks like statistics do not tell the full story. What about my ride game plan?</div>
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This ride I tried a few minor changes to my approach to a long endurance ride. I didn't want to make any big changes as I thought it was a little too close to the Death Ride to make any significant changes. But, I did have a few areas I thought warranted some "tweaks".</div>
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First, I had been having problems drinking fluids during the latter part of the ride. I have been using electrolyte tablets such as <a href="https://nuun.com/products/nuun-active/" target="_blank">Nuun </a>and <a href="https://shop.guenergy.com/collections/hydration/products/hydration-drink-tabs?variant=11432979265" target="_blank">Gu</a>. However, I have been getting so absolutely sick of the taste, that I dreaded drinking. This was further exacerbated when the fluids got warm.</div>
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So, I decided to try using <a href="http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes-reg--extreme.xel.html" target="_blank">Endurolytes </a>(electrolyte pills) and plain water when I was tired of the taste. This was an amazing improvement. I was drinking delicious cold water in the last half of the ride as if it were an ice cold beer at a baseball game. Swallowing a couple of pills was easy when chased by the ice cold water.</div>
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Secondly, I tried eating in a snack mode the whole ride. I added a small frame bag to my top tube where I had a mix of dried fruits, pistachios and seeds. This allowed for easy access where I could simply reach down and grab a small portion as I was riding. I also put some oranges with the SAG vehicle as I find oranges clear out that "dry mouth" feeling when breathing hard for long periods.</div>
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This approach also helped the 3rd of my ride tweaks - the minimal stop. I noticed more experienced riders skipping breaks or making very quick stops. I then looked at many of my rides and I noticed my break times seemed excessive. Last year's Death Ride, for example, I had nearly 3 hours in non-riding time. My TftT breaks were about an hour. I am all for breaks, but I don't seem to get much benefit after a few minutes. I focused on replenishing my water, eating a few orange slices and then getting back on the bike - less than 5 minutes. Since I was eating while riding, I didn't need to worry about eating during the breaks. On this ride I had about 20 minutes worth of breaks (4 minutes per break) - 20 minutes below last year's net break time.</div>
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Finally, I focused on a manageable and steady pace. I normally ride at a steady pace, but I made an extra effort to have gas at the end and thus be even more conservative in the beginning of the ride. As one of the heaviest riders in CF, hills are especially challenging and I have to be careful not to burn out on a big climb. I may be slow, but I figured I would be better off minimizing <u>total</u> time vs. reducing just the <u>ride</u> time. This also worked well. Last year, I felt very good on the early Mormon Emigrant climb, but the Carson and Silver Lake (Tragedy Spring Rd) climbs were miserable. Brutal even. I had to stop repeatedly to recover. This year, the climbs were hard, but I only stopped once when some other riders were stopped as well. Last year's "Tragedy Climb" was surprisingly easier. When I finished the ride, I felt good. Tired, but not wiped out or exhausted.</div>
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Overall, I was extremely happy with the ride. From a perceived difficulty perspective, I would rate the Iowa Hill, Loon Lake, and Rainbow and Roses rides as harder than this one.</div>
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I learned a few valuable lessons. First, always be open to improvement. While my changes were seemingly minor and the ride statistics were nearly identical, my perceived difficulty was dramatically improved. Second, stick with your plan. I could see riders not far ahead of me and I could have caught up. Instead I stuck to my planned pace and caught up due to my faster breaks and ended up finishing ahead of about a half dozen other riders who actually had faster average moving speeds, but used more and longer breaks.</div>
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The Death Ride is less than two weeks away and I have a plan I think will work well. I think I am ready!</div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-13721362153015986402016-06-18T17:38:00.001-07:002016-06-18T17:38:33.690-07:00Riders - Know Your RouteSeveral weeks ago, I was with a group riding a route that used very common roads. I noticed the rider(s) in front looking back occasionally and asking "which way?" We weren't in a remote area or on an unusual route by any means. They clearly didn't know the route. After a short while, I spent my time up front to ensure we took all the right turns and avoid any "bonus miles".<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0fqKQN7lI3s/V2S5X-f3fSI/AAAAAAAB8Vs/tPN1nkwtkSw9BOBuajCXJCuNhtA8EboBwCLcB/s1600/Capture2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0fqKQN7lI3s/V2S5X-f3fSI/AAAAAAAB8Vs/tPN1nkwtkSw9BOBuajCXJCuNhtA8EboBwCLcB/s320/Capture2.PNG" width="242" /></a>Confession coming... Toward the end of this ride, a little mean streak surfaced and I bet a fellow ride leader riding beside me that the rider up front was going to miss the turn. When the turn approached, it seemed as if he was going to take it, but then kept riding straight. Here is where I should have yelled "RIGHT". Instead, I silently pointed the right turn and made the turn with the remainder of the group and let the "wrong way riders" figure out they goofed.<br />
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While winning a bet is always nice; this scenario, unfortunately, is actually all too common. So why is it important to know the route?<br />
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First, and foremost, knowing the route is a matter of safety. If you are up front and don't know the route, you can endanger the riders behind you. I have witnessed several instances where a rider up front doesn't know what to do when a navigation choice is required. All of a sudden they are slowing and weaving out of their line while they try to find out what to do. The riders behind are then at risk of potentially running into the front rider or moving too far into the road.<br />
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Second confession... This happened to me once and I was the cause of a minor incident with one of the riders behind me crashing. Fortunately it was a minor incident and the rider and bike were OK. In this case I knew the route, but there was construction and I didn't recognize the street until too late and I tried to make the turn anyway. I slowed unexpectedly and caused a rider behind me to overlap wheels and fall.<br />
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Secondly, knowing the route is important should you end up riding on your own. If you get dropped or even have a mechanical issue, you may find yourself separated from the group. You should know the route so you can safely get home or catch back up to the group at a break stop. Knowing the route may also allow you to take a shortcut to get back with the group. Some riders are very skilled in using shortcuts to avoid a challenging part of the ride and still remain with the group for large portions of the ride.<br />
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<a href="http://media.dcrainmaker.com/images/2015/07/Garmin-Edge520-Comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.dcrainmaker.com/images/2015/07/Garmin-Edge520-Comparison.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
In a later post I will talk about using electronic devices like a Garmin Edge cycling computer where it will display the route, cue sheet, and provide turn reminders. I have a <a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/cycling/edge-520/prod166370.html" target="_blank">Garmin Edge 520</a> and I love it. These devices are amazing and a great asset to a ride. However, they are not a substitute for knowing the route. I consider them to be an enhancement or an added tool for following the route.<br />
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Cycle Folsom makes it very easy to learn the route. Every meetup notice has a <a href="https://ridewithgps.com/" target="_blank">Ride With GPS</a> route linked that can be reviewed. If you do not have an account, simply sign up - it is free. Then follow the link in the meetup ride description and you can examine the ride. I like to click through the cue sheet as this will show me all the turns. I will also note the planned break location(s) and any climbs. <br />
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Ride leaders take the effort to provide a safe and well planned ride. Part of that effort is creating a route and making it available to all riders in advance of the ride start. Show them some courtesy in learning the route and doing your part to ride safely.<br />
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<br />Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-51434389522385332022016-06-12T22:12:00.000-07:002016-06-12T22:12:56.152-07:00One Cool Loon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/7/8/6/highres_450986502.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/6/8/1/highres_450969857.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/6/8/1/highres_450969857.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and Brad at Loon Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Scott McKinney's Train for the Tour (TftT) series is Cycle Folsom's most grueling set of training activities. These 10 progressively more difficult century rides from February to June will get you in condition to do almost any extreme endurance cycling event you can find - including the Death Ride. One of the hallmarks of this series is the camaraderie that the ride creates. All participants, whether you are the fastest or the slowest rider, are embraced. In many ways, this training creates more memories than the "big event" everyone is targeting.<br />
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Yesterday was the 9th ride in the 2016 series - One Cool Loon. This is a 100 mile out and back from Cool to Loon Lake and features 10,000 feet of climbing with about 7500 feet of that being on the way out. This type of ride is always a challenge for me. Being a Clydesdale sized rider, a big climbing ride is always tough. This is especially true of rides where the climbing is grouped into one section as this does not allow for recovery time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vBwRo0WfA6Y/V14atJzYp8I/AAAAAAAB8Uw/M4shgbLcUtUIyWOp5z1jZcpinzmSgz6hQCLcB/s1600/Profile.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vBwRo0WfA6Y/V14atJzYp8I/AAAAAAAB8Uw/M4shgbLcUtUIyWOp5z1jZcpinzmSgz6hQCLcB/s640/Profile.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Cool Loon Elevation Profile</td></tr>
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The first part of the ride is relatively flat as we headed toward Georgetown. Georgetown is a great little town of about 2400 people that epitomizes "small town" America. There is a small baseball diamond that reminds of the one where I learned how to play baseball as a kid in a small Indiana town.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/7/a/b/highres_450986539.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/7/a/b/highres_450986539.jpeg" height="177" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stumpy Meadows</td></tr>
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On leaving Georgetown, we stayed on Wentworth Springs Rd for about 35 miles. Most of the effort is climbing. The climbing is not terribly steep, but there are a couple of challenging sections that make you take notice. A short break at Stumpy Meadows was a needed relief as we had climbed 4,000 feet and completed 29 miles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/7/3/3/highres_450986419.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/7/3/3/highres_450986419.jpeg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enrico near Loon Lake</td></tr>
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From Stumpy Meadows, we continued climbing on Wentworth Springs Rd all the way to Ice House Rd where we pause for a quick break before the final 7 mile climb to Loon Lake. This section of road is beautiful and there is an amazing view looking east into a picturesque canyon. This 20 mile section from Stumpy Meadows to Loon Lake is mostly climbing with an additional 3500 feet adding to a total of 7500 feet.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/esjjqdl_bpCK-fXieXlEa1nRXo5z5ky-0js1jkfCrr4PVggdlHT7JJcsJUB1tlW1nDN4rYSH8wWuSyjLbZFyB4NcaG8QTpF0vwZtmDPtZcouTKAX1NIzNLni_Z5k9-0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/7/8/6/highres_450986502.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vu dunking his head in Loon Lake</td></tr>
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At Loon Lake, the elevation is about 6300 feet, about the same as Lake Tahoe. This is about a 5000 foot elevation gain from the starting point in Cool. This alpine lake is beautiful and right off a postcard. I was happy to get to the turnaround point and take a break. While I felt good at this point, I was struggling to eat and drink. Neither food nor drink sounded good and I had to force myself to consume something.<br />
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Before we started heading home, Vu put his head in the water following Mike's pre-ride announcement of this head dunking tradition.<br />
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The trip home started off great. The first 7 miles leaving Loon Lake were all down hill. During this descent, we gained more appreciation for the actual climb. Turning back onto Wentworth Springs Rd, we started a 5 mile climb that was very taxing. A couple guys stopped for a moment, but I was afraid to stop as I wasn't sure I could restart.<br />
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10 miles later we stopped in Stumpy Meadows for our final break. There is a small climb out of Stumpy Meadows and I had the misfortune to get a flat. Both SAG vehicles stopped to check on me and I used a floor pump to fill my tire. Unfortunately, this also meant I was on my own for the last 30 miles. Being tired and aching when alone seems much harder than suffering with others nearby. Nevertheless, I was able to let my mind wander and the time went by quickly. I kept a steady pace and was relieved when I arrived in Georgetown as I knew there was only about 10 miles to go. When the remaining distance gets to single digits, it is a great relief.<br />
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When I finally arrived in Cool, I was fully spent. This was a very tough ride and I think I underestimated the difficulty. I think the 7500 feet of climbing to Loon Lake took more out of me then I expected. The return trip, while a net descent, was much more difficult than I thought it would be. There were several challenging climbs on the return portion that really tested my stamina. It is probably a mistake to underestimate any ride that has 10,000 feet of climbing. I built some mental toughness doing this ride.<br />
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Special thanks to the SAG support from Lois and Cindy. We all appreciate the extra help in accomplishing these challenging rides.<br />
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Chris Mumma also made a video of the ride that I am sure you will enjoy: <a href="http://youtu.be/MRNLStfAWeQ" target="_blank">Link</a>.
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I just finished reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Boat-Americans-Berlin-Olympics/dp/0143125478/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464847892&sr=8-1&keywords=Boys+in+the+Boat" target="_blank">Boys in the Boat</a> the other day. </div>
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ri3drmQpL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ri3drmQpL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="209" /></a>It is a great story about the University of
Washington crew team that won the rowing gold medal at the 1936 Berlin
Olympics. There were many memorable
things about the book, but one thing stuck with me that could translate to
cycling was the “swing”. In rowing, “swing”
is a rare condition of harmony and perfection; where all rowers in the boat are
seemingly in a state of perfect harmony.
They are so in tune with each other that they operate as a single entity
of power, speed and grace. Everyone is
in “the zone”.<br />
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This “swing” thought has been with me for a while but I only
put a name to it after reading the book.
A few weeks ago, I decided to help with a Gruppetto ride and I had the
opportunity to talk with Steve Ward about group riding dynamics. This was a great eye-opener as Steve shared
some great thoughts about group riding that gave me a new appreciation of how
fun a group ride could be when that group truly subordinated themselves to ride as one group rather than
a bunch of cyclist riding as individuals in close proximity. He talked about the idea of every rider
working for the group and adjusting the effort to match the group’s
capability. This was fascinating as it
opened up this new potential for elevating the enjoyment of cycling to a new
plane; a breakthrough in understanding and clarity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/b/8/1/highres_447052097.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/b/8/1/highres_447052097.jpeg" height="274" width="320" /></a>Could cycling have its “swing”? Could we develop group riding to the state
where we all ride in perfect harmony with each other? The pulls up front are just the right
duration. The lead rider pulls off just
as everyone expects. The pace is perfect
for the distance to go and matches all riders’ abilities. The dropping rider catches back on without
any wasted motion. The group sacrifices
personal needs and subordinates absolutely to the group. Could this happen? Could I ride in a group for a long effort in
a cycling “swing”? <o:p></o:p></div>
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I have experienced some great group rides where this seemed
to happen in moments. Some of the best
rides were the night rides on the South Canal led by Vu and Mel. I have had many other experiences like this
in various group rides, but the moment of perfection is usually broken by a
single act of personal need. A rider pushes
the pace, misses a turn, does a “hero” pull, has bad group riding skills, or
many other reasons.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Many times I have experienced the “non-swing” rides were
everyone seems like strangers on the same road.
Rider leaders are trying to “herd cats” on bikes who have left their
group riding skill and knowledge at home.
Well organized pace lines get busted by self-minded individuals looking
for a few minutes of rest on someone’s wheel.
You get the idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We have all learned the skills and techniques for group
cycling, but the more I ride with a group the more I realize how much I have yet to
learn about the true potential in a group of cyclists working<o:p></o:p></div>
in
harmony. I think this will be a new goal
of mine – to find some CF riders who want to ride in the “swing”. Maybe riding in the “swing” could be the
norm. It will be interesting to find
out.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-33004713939732699452016-05-02T06:50:00.001-07:002016-05-02T06:51:12.872-07:00Inspiration<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I get older (and maybe a touch wiser), I realize that
what inspired me in my younger days is not the same as what inspires me
today. I remember the 1981 49ers having
a phenomenal season and winning the game against the Cowboys where Dwight Clark
caught the winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana. The 49ers then went on to win the Super Bowl. And, I remember the “Miracle on Ice” when the
US team beat the USSR and go on to win the Gold Medal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today, I realize that overcoming life’s challenges is more
inspirational than sporting accomplishments.
While I still enjoy my favorite teams doing well, I find those who take
what life throws at them and then keep going to be truly inspirational. Two members in our club are examples of
inspirational character that stand out to me.</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WgEuoTA_8aY/VybYuE5Ip8I/AAAAAAAB72s/GyOqBf6AW6IWtPoJZLJ1BruEzPJOhlCRwCLcB/s1600/Debbie.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WgEuoTA_8aY/VybYuE5Ip8I/AAAAAAAB72s/GyOqBf6AW6IWtPoJZLJ1BruEzPJOhlCRwCLcB/s400/Debbie.jpeg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie Vogel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u><br /></u></span></u></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Debbie Vogel</u> – Debbie joined Cycle Folsom last year
and has been a regular rider since. She
is outgoing and always has a smile and positive outlook. What you may not know is Debbie <span style="line-height: 107%;">was diagnosed with stage
IV breast cancer in November 2013. While battling cancer, she also filed for
divorce. She refers to this as “I got rid of two cancers in 2014”. Debbie
joined Cycle Folsom in April 2015, starting with the Gruppetto training
series. I remember the Gruppetto ride
where I first met Debbie and she was wearing sneakers while the bike had SPD
pedals. She is also a sponge for cycling
knowledge to improve as quickly as possible.
That determination left an impression.
Debbie has since replaced her old bike and has pedals and shoes that
match one another. Debbie’s own words
sum up why I think she is an inspiration – “the cycling club and its ride
leaders, through their support and leadership, helped me to change my identity
from cancer patient to an athlete.”</span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XONmXgnVBVE/VybYT8qA3tI/AAAAAAAB72o/B-bXNpo-lGoJ9JFQasGjvKa1Nnn_ArCAQCLcB/s1600/Chris.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="290" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XONmXgnVBVE/VybYT8qA3tI/AAAAAAAB72o/B-bXNpo-lGoJ9JFQasGjvKa1Nnn_ArCAQCLcB/s400/Chris.jpeg" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Mumma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"></span></span><u style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Chris Mumma</span></u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> – After suffering a serious head wound in Panama as a Navy corpsman,
Chris had many obstacles to overcome including hearing loss, </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">grand mal
seizures, and temporary paralysis. These
challenges proved difficult and Chris became depressed and his weight went
to 300 pounds. However, Chris knew he had
to make a change and he did, “knew that if I wanted to continue to live I
needed to lose the weight. I changed my
diet and I joined a gym.” After joining
the gym, Chris took up cycling where he lost the weight. He then encountered Cycle Folsom at a Ride2Recovery
event and he joined soon after. Chris
has become one of the most prolific and fastest riders in the club. Chris and I became friends shortly after he
joined Cycle Folsom. It turns out we
have a lot of common interests such as our mutual enjoyment of Science Fiction
and Blue Moon beer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 2014, Chris was diagnosed with cancer in his shoulder. He has undergone two full rounds of
chemo-therapy and is 75% done with the third round. Shortly after completing his second round of
chemo, Chris completed the 2015 Deathride.
For Chris, cycling has been a key to overcoming life’s challenges – “cycling
has kept me going and I cycle when I would rather sit on the couch and be sick.
Cycling has been the best part of my treatment to beat this disease and I plan
on cycling </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">until I can no longer do it.” Q'APLA, my brother!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">For me, Chris and Debbie are an inspiration for overcoming the obstacles life throws in your way. I think we all can take their example as a guiding light for courage in facing those challenges.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">=======================================================================</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">On Tuesday evening (May 3rd), there is a fundraiser being held at <a href="http://www.petesrandb.com/locations/folsom/" target="_blank">Pete's Restaurant & Brewhouse</a> in Folsom from 5:00 - 8:30. <span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5665; line-height: 18.76px;">Free buffet from Pete's Restaurant and silent auction. Please join in helping to raise funds for Chris.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">See the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1082899855108256/?active_tab=highlights" target="_blank">Facebook Event</a> for more info.</span><br />
<br />
I hope you can join us!<br />
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-31713226983758341202016-04-27T21:09:00.000-07:002016-04-27T21:14:16.562-07:00Nutrition 101 - Fuel For The Ride One of the great things about this time of year as Spring takes hold, is the great cycling events coming upon us. For many of us, we have big goals being realized in the Summer. Maybe it is the <a href="https://deathride.com/" target="_blank">Death Ride</a> or the <a href="http://www.davisbikeclub.org/annual_events/davis_double_century" target="_blank">Davis Double Century</a>. You might have plans for your first century or metric century. Whatever your goal may be, it is likely to involve a big ride with lots of miles.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yDbx6SHevow/VyGKeCrSf2I/AAAAAAAB708/_D73g8nYtMsM7oqmWtaOs5GWgVxC22OTQCLcB/s1600/highres_448965151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yDbx6SHevow/VyGKeCrSf2I/AAAAAAAB708/_D73g8nYtMsM7oqmWtaOs5GWgVxC22OTQCLcB/s320/highres_448965151.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2016 - Dutch Flat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just over a week ago, many Cycle Folsom riders joined in the Train for the Tours (TftT) ride - TftT #5, <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/events/227066082/" target="_blank">Not Flat to Dutch Flat</a> (a perfect ride description if there ever was one). In the TftT series, I think this is where the rides go from difficult to hard (and then insane). In this transition in difficulty, it is important to make sure you are prepared to with a good hydration and nutrition plan. In the last post, we gave you a good rundown on hydration - <a href="http://cyclefolsom.blogspot.com/2016/04/hydration-101.html" target="_blank">Hydration 101</a>. This time, <span class="sender-name">Aaron Terrazas</span> gives us a great rundown on nutrition.<br />
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======================================================================<br />
<br />
<div>
<strong><u>Fuel For The Ride by <span class="sender-name">Aaron Terrazas:</span></u></strong><br />
<strong><u></u></strong> </div>
<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;">There are two ways to eat, </span><b style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;">fuel for your body</b><span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"> (breakfast, second breakfast if you are a Hobbit, lunch and dinner), and fuel for your ride. Let's talk about </span><b style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;">fuel for the ride</b><span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;">.</span><br />
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When, what and how much you eat, is a little different for everybody, so it's important to know what your body needs for different types of rides. I find it best to eat small, not big, and spread out your fuel intake over the entire ride. This allows your body to digest food easily, rather than having a brick in your stomach while riding. </div>
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It is very important <u>not</u> to wait until you are hungry or feeling fatigued by staying ahead of your body and eat every 40-50 minutes. If your are pushing the pedals hard, you may find it beneficial to eat every 30 minutes. On the opposite spectrum, if you are on an easy recovery ride, you may only need to eat once an hour. Your ride intensity and ride duration will determine what and when you need to eat and how much fuel your body will need on a ride, so have your ride fuel plan and food ready the night before.</div>
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On a long endurance ride of 80-100 miles, I have found it beneficial to double up your food intake at 40-50 miles and again around mile 80. On longer rides, don't not to wait for the rest stops, eat on the bike. This is where planning ahead with a ride fuel plan and having your food organized in your pockets comes in handy. You will find it much easier to eat while on the bike by having your food open and ready to eat (just don't do this with gels or it will go bad really quickly - just saying).</div>
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Choose ride fuel foods that are natural, easy to eat, low in sugar (NOTE: pro-racers do drink soda, but they are on a different level than we are) and offer fuel that your body can process quickly during a ride. <b>Fuel for the ride</b> is the key here because it's about fuel your body can use <i>during the ride.</i> This is why it is better to stay away from anything heavy like sandwiches and hamburgers because our bodies tend not to process the sandwich or hamburger during the ride quickly enough to be used during the ride. </div>
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Some food bars may seem healthy, but are basically candy and do not offer a lot of nutrients your body can use during a ride. It is best to stay away from junk food like cookies and candy because our bodies need real food, nutrients and fuel that it can process and use quickly. </div>
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Here are a few things I eat on the bike and why I eat them. </div>
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<div>
I typically eat <b>Enduro Bites</b> (<a href="http://endurobites.com/why-enduro-bites/" target="_blank">http://endurobites.com/why-enduro-bites/</a>) because they are easy to eat on the bike quickly, they are healthy and easy to digest. I found that eating Cliff bars while on the bike can be challenging because they do not go down easily, while Enduro Bites are much easier to get down at 20-30 mph. </div>
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</div>
<div>
I also include some gels on my rides, I personally like <b>Cliff Shots</b>, but there are many too choose from (<a href="http://www.clifbar.com/products/Athlete-Series/clif-shot/razz" target="_blank">http://www.clifbar.com/products/Athlete-Series/clif-shot/razz</a>). These are great to get quick sugar into your body and get your energy back up.</div>
<div>
<b>Honey Stinger</b> (<a href="http://www.honeystinger.com/" target="_blank">http://www.honeystinger.com/</a>), but they can't be eaten while in the bike, so I only take them if I know there will be a rest stop.</div>
<div>
</div>
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<b>Kind Bar</b> (<a href="http://www.kindsnacks.com/store/types/kind-bars" target="_blank">http://www.kindsnacks.com/store/types/kind-bars</a>), l are one of my favorite pre-ride fuels and mid-ride fuels. They can be a little tricky to eat while riding because they stick to the wrapper.</div>
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</div>
<div>
On a long ride, I love a banana and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. </div>
<div>
<b>Pre-Ride fuel</b> (<i>the day before</i>) is also important and what you eat depends on the type of ride (long vs short, hard vs easy). For the sake of discussion, let's stick to the long endurance ride fuel. Depending on what you like to eat, you can go with pasta, veggies, and/or protein (steak or fish). Some people like to eat eggs, a bit of steak or potatoes right before a ride; personally I am not a morning person, so usually just have a Coffee Late, a banana and a Kind Bar.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Here are a few tips help you on your next long endurance ride:<br />
</div>
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<b>TIP: </b>Always take more than you will eat, you never know when your body will just need more fuel.</div>
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</div>
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<b>TIP: </b>Plan ahead; know what you will eat and when you will eat it. </div>
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</div>
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<b>TIP: </b>Don't wait to eat until you are hungry or your energy to drop out.</div>
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</div>
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<b>TIP: </b>Listen to your body, learn how it responds to different foods on a ride, we all are a little different, so find what is right for you.</div>
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</div>
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<b>TIP: </b>Eat every 45 minutes and double up midway through a long endurance ride and a again in the last 20 miles so you can have enough to finish well.<br />
</div>
<div>
<b>TIP: </b>Eat real food that is easy to digest and avoid processed foods and junk foods with high sugar, and corn syrups (HFCS).</div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-75396018310918444492016-04-07T18:34:00.000-07:002016-04-08T21:09:41.927-07:00Hydration 101As we start moving into Spring and everyone is thinking of the big rides they have planned for the Summer, one of the key things to consider is your hydration game plan while on long endurance rides. In 2015 as I was preparing for the Death Ride, I had dialed in a hydration system that worked well for me and kept me out of trouble. The Train for the Tours (TftT) series leading up to the Death Ride let me make some mistakes, try different options and gain confidence that I had solved this part of my riding tool kit.<br />
<br />
A recent ride, the 2016 TftT #4 to Plymouth, Union Mine and Prospector, served as a reminder that following that plan is vital as I was a little over confident and a tad arrogant about this key preparation and I had a near miss on the climbs up Union Mine.<br />
<br />
My time tested plan for hydration is relatively simple.<br />
<ol>
<a href="http://www.camelbak.com/~/media/CamelBak/Sports-Recreation/Main-Images/52309_m.ashx" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.camelbak.com/~/media/CamelBak/Sports-Recreation/Main-Images/52309_m.ashx" height="198" width="200" /></a>
<li>I like to use large, well insulated water bottles. I have the <a href="http://shop.camelbak.com/podium-24-oz/d/1411_c_755_cl_7161" target="_blank">24oz Camelbak Podium</a> and the 20oz <a href="http://www.camelbak.com/en/Canada/Sports-Recreation/Bottles/Podium-Ice.aspx" target="_blank">Camelbak Podium Ice</a> bottles. The Podium Ice bottles are worth the extra few dollars. Last year, Rob Pucci showed me this bottle and, more importantly, he showed be the unmelted ice cubes still in the bottle after a 50 mile ride. On a hot summer ride, cold water is an amazing treat and actually helps you to drink more frequently. Warm water is not very quenching. Add a lemon-lime flavoring from a Nunn table to that warm water and drinking becomes a real chore. </li>
<li>I use <a href="http://nuun.com/shop/nuun-active/" target="_blank">Nunn</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/OSMO-Nutrition-Hydration-Blackberry-Canister/dp/B00BMARBB8" target="_blank">Osmo</a> as an electrolyte supplement. The Nunn tablets are very portable and I will have extras in a "pill purse" or a plastic baggie. The Osmo also comes in single serving containers for easy handling. I am sure there are other excellent products. For me, these two options work fine and I have not found a reason to try anything else. I like any flavor other than lemon-lime. This is what I used for the Carson Pass TftT ride. I still remember that taste.</li>
<li>The most important thing is to actually drink from your bottles. I've read a lot about how much you should drink and various factors impacting hydration. The important point is to figure out how much YOU should be drinking. Everyone is different and reacts to the cycling conditions differently. For me, I found that I should be consuming about 1.5 - 2 bottles an hour depending upon the cycling conditions. </li>
<li>The route is an import influence on your hydration as well. I like to look at the stops and see where I can refill. I've had to take 3 bottles on rides where there were larger gaps between stops. This also helps me gauge my water consumption. For example: if there is about 25 miles between stops, I know both bottles should be empty when I get to the rest stop. If they are not empty, this serves as an "alarm" that I am off the plan. </li>
<li>Water stops are a good place to actually drink water too. I know this seems obvious, but people will start explaining how their brake was rubbing during the last climb, using the facilities, cleaning their sunglasses, or eating a snack. Then, before you know it, that sadistic ride leader is yelling "60 seconds" and you barely have time to get your helmet and gloves back on and you haven't had any water. So, make drinking water and refilling your water bottles a priority at a water stop - after you adjust that rubbing brake, of course.</li>
<li>While on the bike, you obviously need to drink. It important that you get comfortable grabbing a bottle, taking a drink, and returning the bottle to the cage while maintaining good order in a group. This includes keeping your pedals turning so you don't make the rider behind you nervous (see <a href="http://cyclefolsom.blogspot.com/2016/03/paceline-skills.html" target="_blank">Paceline Skills</a>). If you are not comfortable drinking while in a group, then you run the risk of skipping vital water consumption and run the risk of getting dehydrated. So, practice this valuable skill so you stay hydrated in a group situation. </li>
<li>One "trick" I like to use is to have my <a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/cycling/edge-520/prod166370.html" target="_blank">Garmin 520</a> remind me to drink on plan. I set the Garmin's <a href="https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/edge520/EN-US/GUID-9E4D6AB0-1500-45C2-900C-3756A4C0A0F7.html" target="_blank">Auto Lap</a> feature to beep every 5 miles which prompts me to drink. As a general rule, I want to consume about a 1/2 of a bottle every 5 miles. This helps me stay on plan, especially early in the ride, to avoid problems later.</li>
<li>I also like to use Hammer Endurolytes. I usually take 2 tablets at each stop and carry them in a pill box or plastic baggie. To be honest, I am not sure these tablets do anything. But, I haven't cramped while using them so I hate to mess with a successful formula.</li>
<li>Preparation is an equally important component to good hydration. I have a spreadsheet I use that helps calculate how much fluid I will probably consume. This uses a formula based on your weight, ride distance, and climbing. I use this information to identify the number of water bottle refills I will need so I can make sure I carry enough electrolyte supplements. The day before the ride, I will get them all counted (with a few extras) and packaged and then put them with my cycling gear.</li>
<li>Be well hydrated <u>before</u> the ride. I like to ensure I am well hydrated the day before and the morning prior to the ride. I will make a concerted effort to drink plenty of fluids and continue this all the way up to the ride start. I don't overdo it so that I am constantly heading to the bathroom. A few hours before the ride, I will drink 16 oz with an electrolytes supplement. There is little benefit in being behind on fluids even before you start the ride.</li>
<li>Cooler riding weather can be problematic as you can be fooled into drinking less than you need. We always think heavy sweating is how we become dehydrated. However, exhaling is a big source of fluid loss and cooler weather actually makes your perspiration evaporate more quickly. So, don't get careless about hydration when it is a cool day.</li>
<li>Test your plan and make changes to optimize it for your needs. Get the knowledge you need and test your hydration plan. What works for me may not work for you - maybe you like warm lemon-lime flavored water. One thing I would caution you on is making big changes in a targeted event. The Death Ride, for example, is not a good place to try something new.</li>
<li>Finally, watch for subtle signs that you are dehydrated. Dehydration will degrade your performance and failing to replenish your electrolytes can lead to cramping.</li>
</ol>
<div>
As I mentioned above, I didn't follow my plan during the last TftT ride. I had turned my auto lap feature off and the cool weather tricked me into not drinking enough. By the time I got to Plymouth, about 30 miles into the ride, I should have consumed both water bottles. Instead, I had almost 1.5 bottles of water remaining. Thus, I had only consumed about a half bottle. I felt fine and didn't worry about the big departure from my plan. Shortly after the stop in Plymouth, we were heading up one of the steep grades on Union Mine. I happened to look down at my Garmin and noticed an unusually high heart rate. My first reaction was my chest strap was not aligned or the sensor was not snapped in well. The next part of the ride was mostly descending and my heart rate quickly declined but not down to normal levels. After thinking about this for a few minutes, the two data points clicked - low water consumption and my slightly elevated heart rate. I was starting to dehydrate! Fortunately, I was upon a rest stop and was able to take a long break while we regrouped. I drank a healthy portion of water and relaxed for a while. The remainder of the ride, I was very diligent in drinking on plan and recovered from my mistake. I was lucky.</div>
<div>
<a href="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/f/8/f/highres_447992655.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/f/8/f/highres_447992655.jpeg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
On a final note, don't forget your post ride hydration. A pitcher of beer at Pete's will make that ride more memorable when you share your epic effort with your cycling mates. Hey Chris, did I tell you about my brake rubbing on the Union Mine climb?</div>
</div>
Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-87867231076643927882016-03-29T10:15:00.000-07:002016-03-29T16:46:17.611-07:00Thoughts About Performance and Nourishment for Your SoulThis is a <u>very</u> lengthy post, however, I hope you’ll consider it a worthy investment of time.<br />
<br />
As the leader of this club, I am tasked with creating and nurturing a culture for a group of more than 800 people who have a variety of divergent opinions about cycling, respect for others, the law, what constitutes "fun," what's okay and not okay, etc. It's a real challenge to find a middle ground.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, I rely on a couple of things: "life's golden rule" and "soulful pride." When I focus on those two things, I am able to extract fulfillment that has more nutrition for my soul than if I allow myself to be nourished by adrenaline and testosterone alone.<br />
<br />
I received a lengthy e-mail from a member who I will not name. It really doesn’t matter who it is. I simply appreciate that this person invested the time to carefully and respectfully share their thoughts about a variety of problems they witnessed during one of our rides (Miller Time, 3/26). I did not attend the ride so I cannot judge, however, more than a half-decade of club leadership experience allows me to gauge validity pretty well.<br />
<br />
I have posted the content of that e-mail in a reply below. Our ride leaders have provided very good feedback, but I'll rely on them to post their comments here as I want to give them the opportunity to edit as desired.<br />
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My goal here is to provoke thought and highly respectful discussion. More importantly, I’d like to foster immediate change to our collective thinking <u>BEFORE</u> and during rides.<br />
<br />
Speaking on behalf of ride leaders, we do our best to plan routes that are safe and predictable. We try to set the tone with pre-ride announcements that touch on safety. However, these announcements are often given the same attention as pre-flight safety announcements on a plane. Also, some members join us en route, so they miss this effort. In the end, we rely on each member who is riding that day to bring safety—and an awareness of others around them—to the forefront of their minds.<br />
<br />
As cyclists, we naturally get a LOT of satisfaction from increases in our performance and endurance. It’s exhilarating to know that we achieved our goal of keeping up with “Jim” or “Bob” or “Monica” or “whoever” this week. Speaking for myself, after a great ride my brain keeps pumping its fist for hours—relishing its ability to command my entire physique to disregard conflicting thoughts of fatigue, aches, shortness of breath, and more, all to get me to keep riding hard and finish strong!<br />
<br />
Frankly, each of us—and our brains—deserve kudos. Riding at the level of many CF riders is truly amazing and awe inspiring. Those of us who are committed to challenging ourselves each week should be incredibly proud. Most mere mortals can’t understand what it takes, and why we can be so proud of our accomplishments.<br />
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PRIDE COMETH BEFORE THE FALL — of the Club.<br />
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As a group, most of us can relate to having an “innate urge” to improve. To challenge each other with friendly competition. To push ourselves and each other while we ride. It contributes to the sense of camaraderie and support we have for one another. It creates bonds and friendship—and pride.<br />
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The problem is that the rest of the world can’t relate at all. When they see us riding down the road, they have zero understanding of the exhilaration we’re experiencing as they drive behind us. They simply see a group of cyclists that are causing them anxiety, or perhaps frustration. The rest of the world doesn't have a clue about the fulfilment a cyclist feels while waiting at a stop light after tackling a really tough hill or stretch of rollers. They just see an annoying “pack” of “people” on “bikes” taking up a lane that is meant for cars. They aren't aware of the years of cycling experience that we have as we “carefully” zip past them on the trail as they try to unwind, relax, and soak-in nature. They simply see a bunch of crazy-ass cyclists who scared the bejeezus out of them as they rode by wayyyyy too fast on a multi-use trail that is intended for ALL members of the public.<br />
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Consequently, when our focus is PRIMARILY on <u>performance, fitness, and keeping up</u>, we become less aware of the world around us—especially others who may be affected by our antics. We also miss a major opportunity to nourish our brain with more sustenance.<br />
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PRIDE WITH MORE NUTRIENTS PREVENTS THE FALL — of the Club.<br />
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I’m not a nutritionist or scientist. The following is provided for imagery, but as with most things, there are some elements of truth.<br />
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As cyclists, most of us pay attention to our nutrition on and off the bike. We learn very quickly that eating the wrong things can have adverse effects, and eating the right things can lead to more enjoyable, fulfilling rides.<br />
<br />
The same is true for how we conduct ourselves on our bikes. The Golden Rule <i>(do unto others as you would have them do unto you)</i> is easy to forget when you’re faced with the daunting challenge of keeping up with a CF ride. But think about it. When someone you encounter demonstrates a proactive awareness of you and your perspective, is thoughtful, courteous, and respectful towards you, your natural response would likely be to act in kind. You’ll likely extend the same courtesy to them, and you’re more likely to be respectful and courteous to others who may be like that person in the future.<br />
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And, whether you know it or not, in those moments your brain experiences similar chemical reactions. It generates chemicals that make you feel good. Proud. Fulfilled. These chemicals possess much more nourishment than testosterone and adrenaline alone. The “brain juice” generated by respecting others, by being kind and considerate, and from working to ensure the safety for all, well, it also nourishes your soul. It creates a much deeper sense of pride than physical achievement alone. And the feeling lasts longer too. But here’s the BIG bonus, non-cyclists <i>can</i> understand this type of fulfillment. They <i>can</i> relate to and respect it. So you can more openly bask in that pride and feel really good about it.<br />
<br />
Living—and riding—according to the Golden Rule is a skill, just like every other skill in cycling. It takes conscious practice. In fact, it takes <u>more</u> deliberate effort than any other skill because there is no pre-cursor brain chemical to promote it (i.e., adrenaline or testosterone). It requires absolute discipline and <u>forethought</u>. It also often requires you to lead others in the same direction.<br />
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To me, one’s ability to perform at the level of a CF cyclist while also living by the Golden Rule represents the epitome of Top Level Cycling. It’s something that is even harder to do than to simply focus on performance alone.<br />
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So how about it? Will you pack your jersey pockets with a few servings of patience, respect for others, awareness of your surroundings, caution for laws? To me, this “nourishment” is just as important to have with you as an energy bar or electrolytes. Perhaps more so.<br />
<br />
Feel free to post comments here. Please keep them respectful and absent of profanity. More importantly, talk about this concept BEFORE each ride. Help create an awareness BEFORE each ride. Set the stage for yourself and for others BEFORE each ride. In the end, your soul will become as powerful and beautiful as your physique, and it will generate more respect from others around you.<br />
<br />
If you’ve read everything above, you represent the kind of cyclist we want to have within Cycle Folsom. Thanks for investing the time. I really appreciate it.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Stan Schultz<br />
<br />
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[Email from Club Member]<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I joined CycleFolsom in January
20XX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was attracted the club’s mission
statement, commitment to being good neighbors as cyclists, and by the large
number of riders with whom to ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the pre-ride gathering for a Peloton ride on January 6th, you spoke about the
importance of being good cycling citizens, singling up when cars are around, of
being good ambassadors of the club and of cycling in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked that. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Before I get too far ahead, let me preface what I am about
to say with a confession:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was at least
a small part of the problem I will be describing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I am writing specifically about the
“Miller Time” ride on Saturday, March 26th, but I have noted some of the same
problems on other rides, including the March 19th TfT Union Mine/Prospector
ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the TfT ride I simply dropped
off the back and rode on my own until catching up with a smaller and much more
manageable group on Prospector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
being said, let me lay out what I observed on the Miller Time ride last Saturday.
<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>This first point is something that I was a part of most of
the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know how many actually
attended the ride, but it was at least 30 and I heard the number may have
exceeded 50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the case, a group
that large is really just a difficult-to-control mob and the ride was not
difficult enough to force the break-up of the group into smaller similarly
experienced groups, which would have been easier to manage. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>When I am riding alone, or with just a few riders, I will
slow and ride through stop signs as long as there are no cars within ~100 yards
of a 4-way controlled stop intersection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will make a complete stop, or near complete-stop at an intersection
where the cross-traffic is not controlled, depending on the traffic (or when I
can’t see clearly in all directions that are controlled by the sign). <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>On Saturday, at most intersections the brakes were barely
applied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not sure what to do about
this, really, because it may be more the size of the group that presents the
problem than what’s being done at the front of the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just something that makes me nervous and
fearful that, at some point, we are going to be called to task for the
infractions (until CA can adopt ordinances similar to those in other states
regarding bikes and stop signs that allow for roll-throughs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, I then become the problem due to
my hesitation while everyone around me isn’t ready to hesitate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do know that Placer County Sheriff’s
deputies have, in the past, been ticketing stop sign runners, and perhaps it’s
only a matter of time before they, or the CHP, witness our activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that if law enforcement was in sight
we would stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did do much better at
traffic lights. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Coffee Republic ride, aka the Chick Ride, was the
subject of much scrutiny in 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blair
Anthony Robertson of the Sac Bee wrote a much more effective article on the
subject I am trying to convey, which you can find at this link: <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>http://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/545204-article-has-folsom-bike-ride-spun-out-control.html<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I have also copied the article to a Word doc, which is
attached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without modifications to our
pack riding style, I am afraid we may some day soon be the subject of similar
scrutiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the only saving grace
being that we are not riding the same route every Saturday at the same time
and, therefore, may be harder to find. . . except they can remember the CF
jerseys. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>What comes into play, of course, above and throughout my
note, is ego:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>no one wants to be left
behind, no one wants to be the slowest one out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some, in fact, want to prove that they are
the fastest one out there. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Enough of that, on to the next point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing I have noted on numerous rides is a
seeming obliviousness to what is going on around us as a group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tend to not pay attention to the impact of
our presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, we stopped at
a red light on Penryn Rd. at I-80 (see, we did stop at signals).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that intersection is a right-hand turn
lane for cars to enter westbound 80.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What we ended up doing is congregating as close to the front as possible
which included taking up the entire right-hand turn lane prohibiting several<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cars that wanted to make that right turn from
doing so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could have easily cleared
the lane but enough of the riders were not paying attention to the fact that
they were withholding access unnecessarily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I and a couple of others called out to clear the lane, and why, but
everyone was busy talking and were clueless. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In another case of obliviousness, on the short climb on Mt.
Vernon from Millertown Rd., there was a series of cars backed up behind
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called “car back”, and several
riders ahead of me either didn’t hear me, or didn’t care, because they stayed
right where they were in the middle of the lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it is true that even if the riders had
“singled up” it is doubtful the cars would have been able to pass us safely
anyway, but these guys were out in the middle of the lane making it utterly
impossible for anyone to attempt to pass and it reflected poorly on the club. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The road widens at the top of the climb and visibility
improves and the three cars that had been hung up behind us were able to safely
pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the crest of the hill, on
the downhill side, the leading car of this group of three needed to make a
right turn onto Enterprise Drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
driver put on his right signal and then had to stop and wait as rider after
rider passed him on the right (the other two cars had gone around him on the
left, and I passed him on the left—which is what I would have done had I been
in a car; who would have passed on the right, right?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not see what the driver experienced
when he approached the right turn, i.e. I don’t know if there was already a
stream of riders along the right, or if he had simply done the safest thing he
could do by stopping since he knew we were nearby because he’d been stuck
behind us coming up the hill. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Enterprise intersects at Nevada St, where there is another
3-way stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bikes were running the stop
sign despite the fact that there was a car waiting to turn right onto Nevada
Street from Enterprise (and there were cars in the oncoming direction).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group was split up enough at that
particular point to allow for a stop to be made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had slowed down and dropped off the back by
that time, due to the confusion we were causing, and I could clearly see what
was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did stop and let the
car go through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>That same car, however, got caught behind the pack at the
signal at Fulweiler Ave. (we stopped for a red light).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, again, the pack was not lined up behind
one another on the right, but bunched up together taking the entire lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the light turned green the Prius from
the previous stop sign was stuck behind us because, again, we were across the
entire lane and riders were not singling up after clearing the intersection. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The next stop sign at Placer St. is a difficult intersection
because it is difficult to see if cars are coming from the left until you are
very close to the intersection and because it’s coming at the bottom of a
downhill there is usually some speed to contend with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We blew through this stop sign, me included,
despite cars coming from the left which were close enough to the intersection
to warrant a stop on our parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went
through at full speed. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>At Union and Maple in Auburn a woman yelled from a car,
“hey, you’re supposed to stop”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
the women in our group yelled back “we did stop!” (to self satisfying chuckles
within the group).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, we clearly did
not stop and we had not been doing so all day except for the red lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can remember one stop sign where we did
stop—at Ophir and Wise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my
recollection, that was it. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>We had a short re-group at the Valero in Newcastle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole bunch took over the station
blocking any car’s ability to pull up to half the available pumps to refuel,
clearly interfering with the business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The clerks didn’t say anything, but if it was my gas station I would
have been ticked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately no cars
came in to get gas while we were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is the same thought as before, we simply do not pay attention to the
impact our presence can have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
that had a car entered to get gas it would have dawned on the crowd to clear
the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My point is that it shouldn’t
come to a collective realization that we are in the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to be mindful of where we are and
what we are doing at all times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, and
two others, instead of descending into the Valero lot waited up on Chantry Hill
Rd. for the folks to get back to the road.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Once we got going again, on Newcastle Rd. riders were riding
as though we were on closed roads riding nearly to the center line and, for
some reason, feeling the need to move up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What is THAT all about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the
way on Newcastle, Brennans, and AF Road, we had riders who are evidently not
pleased with the pace and were clearly faster than everyone else (roll of the
eyes), moving up on the left as though they are contesting for position in the
bunch sprint to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just do not get
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it a group ride?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is all the jostling for position
about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Coming down AF Rd. there were several riders that didn’t
think the bike lane was enough room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Personally, I think the shoulder on AF Rd. is one of the best in the
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plenty of room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was one dude in a VW Trek jersey—one of
several riders noted on Mt Vernon earlier—that could not manage to stay out of
the traffic lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t mean riding
right on the line, he was wholly over it in the traffic lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>At Douglas and AF Road we stopped at the light and evidently
someone in a pick-up truck said something about staying out of the roadway and
questioned the sexuality of the riders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of our number, a guy in a CF jersey, I don’t know his name but I
have seen him around before, picked up on it and was having a shouting match
with the guy in the pick-up (across the hood of another car with two women in
it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, get out of the truck and
say that” kind of stuff, for the duration of the signal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing more came of it then (the truck did
not pull over after the signal), but I am sure several people will remember
seeing the CF jerseys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, truth be
told, we probably were in the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact, I KNOW we were in the road on numerous occasions coming down AF Rd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When called out—by the woman in Auburn and
the pick-up driver on AF @ Douglas—everyone seems to have collective, and
selective, amnesia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an
embarrassment. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>A woman in our group chuckled and said “I’ve never seen that
side of you before”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CF dude responded ,
“well he told us to stay out of the road and called us f---ots.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our CF friend was returning the
compliment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks dude, way to
represent CycleFolsom since 90% of the group was wearing CycleFolsom jerseys (I
was not, I am waiting for mine to arrive). <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Coming up the last rise on AF Rd before Beals Point a dude
in a non-CF race jersey pushed his way up on my right, nudging me into the
traffic lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said “on your left”, and
he said “I see you”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why are you
nudging me into the traffic lane?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
only conclusion was he was positioning for that all-important final sprint back
to FB after cresting that little hill. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I apologize for the length of this note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I mentioned earlier, the Coffee Republic
ride was called out in 2009 over the group’s comportment and I can envision
something similar happening to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
groups are too big, too out of control and we are asking for trouble, be it
running stop signs or interfering with traffic, either of which leads to bad
feelings with our biggest potential enemy—drivers and their cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can be ticketed and it has happened
before, particularly in Placer County (sheriff’s dep’t); or worst case, of
course, there is an encounter with a vehicle or someone/thing else. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>One thing I remember from the Grupetto rides, and the first
time I rode with you out of Folsom Bike—be good citizens, single-up, be a good
neighbor, represent well, wave occasionally, do not antagonize autos and other
road users. . . we did not live up to those standards Saturday (and we did not
at the March TfT ride).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>There were at least four CF ride leaders on the ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know if any witnessed what I did or,
if they did, whether they said anything or came to the same conclusions I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I am overreacting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to let me know if you believe that
to be the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>My fear is that we are going to be the focus of specific
complaints and eventually censured in the same manner that the Coffee Republic
ride participants were a few years ago. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Well, I have made a bunch of observations, do I have any
suggestions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess the only thing we
really can do is be clear at the start of every ride, as you did in my first
ride last month, what the expectations for behavior are and, during rides, to
call out any actions that deserve mention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Thanks, Stan, for wading through the entirety of this
message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CycleFolsom has been a
revelation and welcome addition to my cycling life.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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[Stan's Reply to his E-mail]<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Thanks for taking the time to share your
experience. I understand the concern and have found myself constantly trying to
build and reinforce a culture that is absent of stories like these.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>While I don't want to discount anything you've stated, I
know from experience that different people experience situations in different
ways. I sometime share letters like these with other ride leaders who were on
rides together with me, and we often have different perspectives as to what
happened and why. I admit, I am probably the one who leans most toward being
extremely courteous to others on the road. It makes me feel proud, like I'm
fulfilling life's golden rule. Others sometimes have a bit more lenient
approach. But all of us Ride Leaders truly do care about safety. Our challenge
often comes from trying to calm the adrenaline and testosterone of a bunch of
members who get caught up in the moment—especially if it's a beautiful day and
they're feeling fast and frisky.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Since I did not attend the ride, it creates a greater
challenge to determine the best way to handle it. With that in mind, I am
forwarding your e-mail to the other ride leaders and ambassadors who did
attend. I have removed your name from the message, as well as the references to
when you joined. Truthfully, those things shouldn't matter when it comes to
their assessment.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Speaking as someone who was once a normal member, I recall
being called out by a few seasoned members in my early days when I made some
bone-headed moved or rode unsafely. As I became more experienced, I really
appreciated those who had grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and provided
deliberate, candid feedback. As a result, I became more vocal about it after
rides—which prompted discussion, but it was also awkward at times. I later
figured out that it's much easier to try to set the stage before the ride, and
then to try to reinforce those thoughts during the ride at times when I sense
things are building for some bad behavior. I've had pretty good success. Other
ride leaders are less comfortable doing that. I also try to get other members
to take the same approach. More voices tend to shine a light on bad behavior.
With that in mind, try to get comfortable calling things out if you see them. I
try to do it without judgement and instead present it as, "Hey, would you
be open to hearing an observation about what I'm seeing? I think there is a bit
of a safety problem here." People don't always respond positively, but if
they don't it usually just results in a smirk and a shrug, not an argument. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The other approach to take is to hang out with the group
after the ride and raise your concern(s) as an observation without judgement or
calling anyone out, and say, "Guys, today was a beautiful ride and route,
but I have to tell you, I had some serious problems with the way we all
conducted ourselves out there. Here are some things I observed..." Again,
that will usually spark a discussion and you'll find people start to admit that
they let adrenaline get the best of them. I think it's very important to be
open and objective to their opinions about why they did what they did, and to
try to account for their perspective about the experience.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I recognize that these approaches call for you to
potentially put yourself in an uncomfortable position, but members who do it
successfully help reinforce the culture of the club.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>With all of that said, I'll wait to hear back from the ride
leaders who were there. I'll be curious to get there take, and possibly their
recommendation about how to handle it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Thanks,</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stan</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-4565993716947969502016-03-10T21:56:00.000-08:002016-03-10T21:56:02.349-08:00Sometimes, Its About the BikeOutside of actually riding a bike, there are a few other awesome things about cycling - (1) getting a new bike, (2) talking about cycling (while enjoying a few beers) and (3) giving your bike a major upgrade. Well, our fellow CF cyclist Dave Holbrook, provided the opportunity to do two of those three things. Dave decided to upgrade the groupset on his bike from a triple crank with a 9 speed cassette to a current state <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209029721924567&set=a.1381580463883.55260.1363099583&type=3" target="_blank">Shimano 105 5800 series 11 speed with a compact crank and a 11x32 cassette</a>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/535109_10209029721924567_6673042474392017820_n.jpg?oh=6b66003d2eda2c494804524e90c50a32&oe=57566969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/535109_10209029721924567_6673042474392017820_n.jpg?oh=6b66003d2eda2c494804524e90c50a32&oe=57566969" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shimano 105 11 Speed Groupset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
This upgrade will give Dave a nice climbing update with the new 34x32 versus the former 34x27 gearing combination. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Dave, being the generous fellow he is, also allowed some of his friends to help with the upgrade and last night we were able to get the bike upgraded. We also included a good <a href="http://www.petesrandb.com/restaurant/folsom/" target="_blank">nutrition </a>and <a href="http://craftshack.com/products/deschutes-chainbreaker-white-ipa" target="_blank">hydration</a> plan to ensure we wouldn't bonk during the upgrade.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7uNnzSDIW7E/VuJHD1bHPhI/AAAAAAAB7X8/oN85ZGbsYlMl-YtszW4rfslqCoEFcfX2w/s1600/12471292_1275647819118486_692141031_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7uNnzSDIW7E/VuJHD1bHPhI/AAAAAAAB7X8/oN85ZGbsYlMl-YtszW4rfslqCoEFcfX2w/s400/12471292_1275647819118486_692141031_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric removing the aero bars</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<div>
Overall, the upgrade went well.</div>
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The first task was to remove the aerobars and the bar tape. Eric jumped on this and we soon had the shifters exposed.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3u2TYCOGDwk/VuJHEiK_aHI/AAAAAAAB7YI/gtdGy74O6m0OmOaT_uwa3onVXuvWya-fA/s1600/12837658_1275647865785148_745423103_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3u2TYCOGDwk/VuJHEiK_aHI/AAAAAAAB7YI/gtdGy74O6m0OmOaT_uwa3onVXuvWya-fA/s400/12837658_1275647865785148_745423103_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Installing the Bottom Bracket</td></tr>
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<div>
While Eric tackled the aero bars and bar tape, Dave worked on removing the old bottom bracket. He then installed the new 34/50 double compact crank; replacing the old triple crank.</div>
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<div>
Sean had the job to remove the Speed Play pedals off the old cranks. As we all know, removing pedals can be a challenge. Fortunately, Sean (with a little help from his friends) was able to remove the pedals from the old crank arms. After a little cleaning, the pedals were installed on the new crank arms.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwPu119XhsE/VuJHD5Fpy2I/AAAAAAAB7X0/h9H4u6MmzxQhOG6Gc6VM-yVY_HtnPAnEg/s1600/1071156_1275647765785158_468111769_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZwPu119XhsE/VuJHD5Fpy2I/AAAAAAAB7X0/h9H4u6MmzxQhOG6Gc6VM-yVY_HtnPAnEg/s400/1071156_1275647765785158_468111769_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Installing the Cables</td></tr>
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<div>
Next we mounted the brakes so we could start working on the the shifters and cables. We marked the position of the original shifters and then removed them. This let us put the new shifters in the same position as the old ones. From there, Eric and I got the new shifters installed, sized the brake and gear cable housings and routed the cables. Dave was carefully watching to ensure we didn't switch his braking levers to opposite sides. In the meantime, Dave mounted the rear derailleur to the derailleur hanger.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Eric and Dave removed the old cassette and installed the new 11x32 11 speed cassette. We then installed the wheels and connected the brake cables to the brakes. The brake pad alignment and adjustments went smoothly and we adjusted the brake pull "feel" to Dave's preference.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VH-WfVnldkw/VuJHElC9REI/AAAAAAAB7YE/a1DZez1CwGcjiJtSTA6GK6igTP_7qRziw/s1600/12823198_1275659959117272_1178693162_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VH-WfVnldkw/VuJHElC9REI/AAAAAAAB7YE/a1DZez1CwGcjiJtSTA6GK6igTP_7qRziw/s400/12823198_1275659959117272_1178693162_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Compact Crank Installed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Eric and I then installed the chain. Eric and I had a nice debate on which link to brake to shorten the link to the proper overall length (Eric was right). We used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DJE1L8/ref=sr_rp_1?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ie=UTF8&qid=1457673968&sr=sr-1&keywords=kmc+11+speed+link" target="_blank">KMC 11 Speed Missing Link</a> to connect the chain.</div>
<div>
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<div>
We then connected the rear derailleur cable and started the adjustment process. First, we set the high limit and then the low limit. The B screw also needed a tweak to get the proper spacing to the cassette. After a few minutes we had it dialed in nicely.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Unfortunately, the front Derailleur is a band type clamp and we didn't have the correct size so we couldn't finish the installation.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NXXu7TaFaAA/VuI3aXhen7I/AAAAAAAB7Xc/I8zuWysEc1YF9Q8AxleT8ZjQ47seEXi0Q/s1600/20160309_192816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NXXu7TaFaAA/VuI3aXhen7I/AAAAAAAB7Xc/I8zuWysEc1YF9Q8AxleT8ZjQ47seEXi0Q/s400/20160309_192816.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave and Eric Installing the New Groupset</td></tr>
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Even without the front Derailleur, Dave took a test ride and reported everything was great. He even "climbed" the driveway in the 32 tooth gear.</div>
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Dave and I then finished the bike off with new handlebar tape. Dave also installed these cool bar plugs that have LEDs for night riding.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hd5wHRiXDko/VuJHERKeE3I/AAAAAAAB7YA/hbyNXUlyMicJRjAYCdKEpV-JFmXeeJ1dQ/s1600/12823147_1275659949117273_1087298031_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hd5wHRiXDko/VuJHERKeE3I/AAAAAAAB7YA/hbyNXUlyMicJRjAYCdKEpV-JFmXeeJ1dQ/s400/12823147_1275659949117273_1087298031_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready For The Chain </td></tr>
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This was a fun night and I think Dave was happy with his upgrade. We are all looking forward to seeing how the new bike rides when Dave takes it up Beatty Hill.<br />
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Congratulations on the upgrade!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KeI2N3RljKE/VuJHDzlOi2I/AAAAAAAB7X4/aJ2bVqn8NG8e91yeDtruqWfqGveenGEqg/s1600/12790166_1275647795785155_1919955706_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KeI2N3RljKE/VuJHDzlOi2I/AAAAAAAB7X4/aJ2bVqn8NG8e91yeDtruqWfqGveenGEqg/s400/12790166_1275647795785155_1919955706_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Removing The Old Cassete</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ds5pMNaWjQ0/VuI3aRhOoyI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/SObMJI3ko8ssAelmozxzv6500XT0efZFw/s1600/20160309_192808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ds5pMNaWjQ0/VuI3aRhOoyI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/SObMJI3ko8ssAelmozxzv6500XT0efZFw/s400/20160309_192808.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric Adjusting the Rear Deraileur Cable</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2YG88jxHA4/VuI3aaaYDbI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/VfzUygXKB4U3osjq8X1KJIxb5aw8ZKI2A/s1600/20160309_192759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2YG88jxHA4/VuI3aaaYDbI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/VfzUygXKB4U3osjq8X1KJIxb5aw8ZKI2A/s400/20160309_192759.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the Left Pedal from Sean</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XNTuOhXnhnc/VuI3adBg1QI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/TG0kzK3gBPY2hioCchH6VkbA1FUUvhDKA/s1600/20160309_192735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XNTuOhXnhnc/VuI3adBg1QI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/TG0kzK3gBPY2hioCchH6VkbA1FUUvhDKA/s400/20160309_192735.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Supervisors - OZ, Sean and Chris</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iTTG0ek47T8/VuI3aaOjumI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/xVoZ1AjlYy4otnuOu7mIlMy_WaSyWxEtQ/s1600/20160309_211008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iTTG0ek47T8/VuI3aaOjumI/AAAAAAAB7Xc/xVoZ1AjlYy4otnuOu7mIlMy_WaSyWxEtQ/s400/20160309_211008.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wrenches - Dave, Eric and Jim</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DwNkIvPLa-U/VuI3aXucA9I/AAAAAAAB7Xc/DViQsMZE_lIML3Cv3GCcKhUuKvpYHqhng/s1600/20160309_210946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DwNkIvPLa-U/VuI3aXucA9I/AAAAAAAB7Xc/DViQsMZE_lIML3Cv3GCcKhUuKvpYHqhng/s400/20160309_210946.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave With His Upgrade</td></tr>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-13936372938177043682016-03-05T21:35:00.001-08:002016-03-05T21:35:28.058-08:00Paceline SkillsToday was one of those days where the weather is giving you a perfectly reasonable excuse to stay inside and relax while your fitness conscience is saying <a href="https://shop.spreadshirt.com/cyclefolsom/cycle+folsom+htfu!+t-shirt+(black)-A11325476?appearance=2">HTFU</a>. Unfortunately, when you are a ride leader and you post a ride, your choice is much more limited. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cklg1D5MVYo/VtuvLONxq6I/AAAAAAAB7UU/8VK2mh4TksQ/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cklg1D5MVYo/VtuvLONxq6I/AAAAAAAB7UU/8VK2mh4TksQ/s200/Capture.PNG" width="190" /></a>Joel and I had posted a Gruppetto Graduate ride going up to Newcastle and targeting climbs on Callison and Indian Hill roads. The intent is to allow riders who recently completed the <a href="http://cyclefolsom.com/our-groups.html">Gruppetto training series</a> to transition into Peloton group rides. These rides also allow riders looking for a more casual pace to join.<br />
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Another purpose of these rides is to help newer riders practice group riding skills and offer constructive feedback to improve these skills.<br />
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Today's ride finished with a long jaunt down AF. This is a great road for working in a paceline. At a stop light, Joel took the opportunity to talk to a rider and pointed out one of the more subtle skills in group riding that can make a big difference in a paceline's dynamics - <u>soft pedaling</u>.<br />
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When you are in a paceline, I find that it is important to keep your head up and pay attention to your surroundings. I tend to "look through" the rider in front of me instead of locking my focus on his rear wheel. However, when that rider stops pedaling, my attention will shift immediately to that rider. A lack of pedaling is like a caution light that alerts you that something is wrong and braking may soon follow.<br />
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<a href="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/a/f/0/highres_447051952.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/a/f/0/highres_447051952.jpeg" height="215" width="400" /></a><br />
If you are a rider that tends to pedal - stop - pedal - stop, you are likely sending confusing messages to the rider behind you: go - caution - go - caution. This can be disconcerting.<br />
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Rather than stop your pedaling when you need to slow down, there are a couple of techniques to use. One is to soft pedal. <u>Soft pedaling</u> simply means you are pedaling slowly without adding any power to the drive train. The rider behind you will see your pedaling being constant and stay more relaxed.<br />
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Another technique is to <u>catch more air</u> by sitting up taller or moving to the side slightly to get partially out of the draft of the person ahead of you.<br />
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The important point is to control your speed AND do so in a deliberate fashion that keeps the paceline in a calm state. So, think about the value in soft pedaling to "communicate" to the rider behind you. She/he will appreciate it.<br />
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Want to learn more about paceline skills? Check out some of the instructional <a href="https://www.cyclefolsom.com/instructional-videos.html" target="_blank">videos</a> at <a href="http://cyclefolsom.com/">cyclefolsom.com</a>.<br />
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By the way, if you want some CF gear like the shirt shown above, you can buy it <a href="https://shop.spreadshirt.com/cyclefolsom/" target="_blank">here</a>.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-79965624818222530332016-02-28T06:07:00.001-08:002016-02-28T06:07:09.053-08:00Cycle Folsom Blog Revival<br />
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While doing a “Rescue Me” ride, I happened upon Jason Rogers and we started chatting about the great changes to the <a href="http://www.cyclefolsom.com/">cyclefosom.com</a> website and some of the challenges faced in making those updates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this conversation we talked about adding a CF blog and how it could be used for a variety of reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after the ride, I contacted Stan about the idea and he revealed CF already had a blog, but it had not been updated in a couple of years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also thought it would be great if we were to provide new content for the blog.</div>
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Originally, I thought about using the blog as a way for ride
leaders to constructively identify opportunities for improving group riding
skills and address safety concerns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
this way, readers would have a resource that could be used to openly discuss
ideas and gain valuable insight into why safety is such a key factor for CF
rides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However; after spending some time
looking at the original CF blog posts, I started revising my initial
ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These early posts were really
well done and I thought the themes of “shared suffering”, camaraderie and fun
on the bike should be continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
embody all the positive things I experience when I go on a ride.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What I would like to propose is we use the CF blog for four
primary topics (1) <b>safety</b>, (2) <b>ride remembrances</b>, (3) <b>member experiences</b> and
(4) <b>technology</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to try and
line up blog posts in advance from volunteers; asking them to write about one
of these topics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending upon how
active members are, I would hope to get 2 to 4 blogs per month and a lot of
activity in the comments area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Safety</b> – The
primary authors would be the ride leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Either general or specific observations could be identified to improve
group riding safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, a
current “pet peeve” of mine is not singling up when cars are trying to
pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when the rear-most riders
call “ car back”, I constantly see riders remain doubled/tripled up and causing
havoc for cars trying to responsibly share the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am fine with people doubling up to chat
while using quiet roads if they go back into single file when cars are
coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While supporting a TftT ride
this year as SAG, I ran into a group of 20+ cyclists (not CF) on the Garden Hwy
that had taken over the entire lane and half of the oncoming lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They refused to allow me to pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to be a complete jerk and keep my horn
down just to get them to clear the opposite lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see why some drivers cannot stand
cyclists when they take over the roads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Specifically, I believe this causes unsafe conditions when impatient
cars are not able to easily pass and can endanger cyclists and motorists by
taking unnecessary risks when passing – such as blind corners.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ride Remembrances</b>
- Like the original posts in this blog, stories about a specific ride or event
would capture the “essence” of the ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 2014, I was following the comments on the TftT series and I was
impressed by the camaraderie developing as the rides progressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This inspired me to want to want to do the
series the following year, invigorate my focus to ride consistently and
register for the <a href="https://deathride.com/">Death Ride</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, I could foresee the inclusion of
video snippets such as the one Stan did for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deLPru-SJyo">2014 Death Ride</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Member Experiences</b>
– All of us would like to hear success stories from various riders about key
accomplishments in their cycling endeavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This could be finishing 5 passes of the <a href="https://deathride.com/">Death
Ride</a>, doing the <a href="http://www.davisbikeclub.org/annual_events/davis_double_century">Davis
Double Century</a>, losing weight, overcoming a health issue or any number of
similar things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the great things
about CF is the encouragement people offer to help you attain your goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you put the effort in, your fellow CF
riders will notice and offer help and advice so you can reach your goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was doing the TftT series in 2015 for
the Death Ride, I received constant support and encouragement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not for CF, I would never even have
attempted the ride let alone finish all 5 passes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Technology</b> – We
have all heard the joke – “How do you make a small fortune in cycling?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start with a large one”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond N+1, this section could be a lot of
fun and offer some constructive advice on equipment and gadgets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you configure a Garmin Edge 520?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are aerodynamic spokes worth it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should I get a 32 tooth cassette for
climbing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My derailleur is not shifting
smoothly, how do I fix it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should I
clean my drive train?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are the best
tires to prevent flats?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What lights
should I get for night rides?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The list
of questions is endless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately,
there is a lot of knowledge and experience in CF that could be helpful to those
looking for help.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cycle Folsom has a lot to offer fellow cyclists. This blog could be an additional means to get
newer members engaged, help people exchange information and enable everyone to
share their passion of cycling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What things would you like to know or what would you like to share? Please add you comments.</div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01752441424524989537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-20592193048188517472015-12-30T22:09:00.000-08:002015-12-30T22:09:00.097-08:00The resurection of a club blog.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jnfmtyQUqhU/VoTFsqMC0lI/AAAAAAAAAQI/QPp5PSSL6I0/s1600/Stan-Camp-Far-West-3-23-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image of Stan Schultz" border="0" height="241" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jnfmtyQUqhU/VoTFsqMC0lI/AAAAAAAAAQI/QPp5PSSL6I0/s320/Stan-Camp-Far-West-3-23-14.jpg" title="Stan Schultz (a.k.a. Stanimal, Stan-bagger, The Chief Evangelist)" width="320" /></a></div>
Cycle Folsom has been around for nearly a decade now. Being an all volunteer organization, the club's activities, interests, service levels and member involvement go through what I consider to be normal ebbs and flows. As new members come in, they bring new talents, interests, and enthusiasm. And then things change. Those same members move on to new interests, or technology changes, or <i>something</i> forces change. For better or worse.<br />
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Such is the case for the Cycle Folsom Club Blog. I initially launched the blog back in 2011 because the Cycle Folsom web site was not equipped to handle regular updates from multiple contributors. The blog worked well for a while and had many subscribers. But then the club made a big change. It moved its event calendar and social exchange activities to the Meetup platform. Meetup was new, it was cool, and members were having a blast exchanging comments on the site. As a result, interest in our blog wained, and it got left behind.<br />
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Fast forward 5 years. The club has grown tremendously, and Meetup still does a great job handling group comments and our calendar. But it doesn't allow our leaders and members to post more in-depth ruminations about their cycling experiences, inspiration, tips or techniques.<br />
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Recently, Jim Ramseier and Jason Rogers inquired about starting a blog. They were pleasantly surprised when I gave them a link to our long forgotten, but still not dead blog of the past.<br />
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So I went ahead and dusted it off, added a new theme, and have prepped it for new authors who may emerge. Jim Ramseier has some plans in mind, and I look forward to supporting him to resurect the blog and start the flow of new content for your reading enjoyment.<br />
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I've left all the posts from the past. It's kind of fun to see the motley crew from the early days—<i>back before we looked stylish in our Cycle Folsom apparel.</i><br />
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Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-69036772811155360462011-04-09T20:26:00.000-07:002011-04-09T21:12:29.475-07:00Spring South Canal Time TrialA great group of Cycle Folsom newbies and old dogs showed up to challenge themselves on the <a href="http://ridewithgps.com/routes/220970" target="_blank">10 mile South Canal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">TT</span> course</a>. The <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/events/16805314/" target="_blank">Spring Cycle Folsom time trial</a> is not meant as a contest with your peers, but a contest with yourself. Many cycling coaches and trainers recognize the value of a standard 10 mile <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">TT</span> as a benchmark to gauge fitness. This was an early season benchmark that these dedicated cyclists will be able to smash later in the season when they are in peak riding shape!<span id="eventWhy"><br /><br /></span>The morning was cool with temperatures dipping down into the low 50s, but the sun was shining. Winds started to pick up a little, but nothing too significant. Believe it or not, everyone was all smiles before and after conquering the 6 small climbs and the flats down and back to Jackson Hwy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/9/0/600_22554672.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/9/0/600_22554672.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/d/8/600_22554744.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/d/8/600_22554744.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Others had their game faces on ready to test themselves and set a fitness benchmark to gauge future progress.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/a/1/600_22554689.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/a/1/600_22554689.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/b/0/600_22554704.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/b/0/600_22554704.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />A great time was had by all those that participated. Next, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">TT</span> should be in July.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/c/6/600_22554726.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/5/c/6/600_22554726.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/9/b/4/600_22551636.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/9/b/4/600_22551636.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/a/6/1/600_22551809.jpeg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/a/6/1/600_22551809.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08810032870129672944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-55328880577139514532011-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:002011-04-07T08:13:05.466-07:00Tuesday Climbing RideNice ride everyone! 14 cyclists took on the slopes around Folsom and El Dorado Hills; there were some brand new faces riding along with the familiar faces. This past Tuesday we did the <a href="http://ridewithgps.com/routes/285759" target="_blank">clockwise loop</a> around Folsom. I'm not sure if Gary went too early or if he was leading us out, but Ed & I came around him for the county line sprint on Green Valley. I got the sprint, only to get dropped on the climbs a few minutes later. After regrouping at the park, the front end of the group got pretty fast. It was partly my fault. I gradually increased the tempo heading south on Sophia up the gradual climb to E Natoma. I thought if I kept the pace high no one would have any gas left for the Folsom City limit sprint. Wrong! Patrick C. & Ed were right on my wheel, & Patrick easily came around me for the sprint. After regrouping at E Natoma after the sprint, John & Patrick hammered the pace to Cote de Costco. After the summit it was every man for himself. Ed, Erik, and myself caught John and Patrick at a red light. Green light, hammer down, & the race to the bike trail was on! Patrick, John, Ed, & myself slipped away off the front with a nice rotation, but were later caught at a red light a couple of miles from the trail.<br /><br />My Garmin broke a few weeks back, so I don't have good stats for the ride, but my overall average speed for the 27+ miles was 17.5 mph. Oz got me setup with is old Garmin, so next time I'll be including elevation.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08810032870129672944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-19857382519302875902011-02-28T19:51:00.000-08:002011-03-09T21:25:03.402-08:00Snelling Road Race, 26 Feb 2011There were all kinds of reasons <u>not</u> to race <a href="http://ncnca.org/ncncaevent/snelling-road-race" target="_blank">Snelling</a>: the weather (cold rain & snow predicted earlier), flooding (last year the course was flooded), my fatigued legs, and my recent cold. The weather was cool, but not wet. There wasn't any flooding, and I wasn't as sick as I was a week or 2 ago. But my legs did feel dead, but that's racing, right? I lined up with everyone else for the Masters 35+ Category 5 race; myself (<a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/12301220/">Brian</a>, Folsom Bike) along with <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/12846291/" target="_blank">Jeremy</a> and <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/11140514/" target="_blank">Jeff</a>, both Cycle Folsom notables and racing for Bicycles Plus. Turns out <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/13058859/" target="_blank">Miles</a> is racing for Team Revolutions; today was the first time I've seen him since he had a little spill on a wet road back in November.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/5482382740_218f0d5775_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first of four, 12 mile laps, was very tame with the peloton moving around 18-20 mph. I pre-rode the course a week earlier and knew some of the corners were tricky and possibly had sand on them. I went to the front for the first set of 15 mph chicanes to pick a clean line. It wasn't my intention to be off the front, but everyone else was content riding slow. The peloton was one compact group rolling through the finish after the first lap.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5481786837/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/#/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5481786837_2be2b161a2_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5481787613/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5481787613_7a06c2f03e_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the 2nd lap, a DBC rider went off the front, but no one was willing to chase him down. Jeff made a little effort over one of the small climbs and I followed his wheel. Without much effort we had a gap. We ended up catching the DBC <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ih42NVU-GM8/TXhdfKSjOkI/AAAAAAAAAiM/aRKJBOohHYg/s1600/Jeff%2B%2526%2BBrian%2Bbreak%2BSnelling%2BRR.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ih42NVU-GM8/TXhdfKSjOkI/AAAAAAAAAiM/aRKJBOohHYg/s400/Jeff%2B%2526%2BBrian%2Bbreak%2BSnelling%2BRR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582314528045218370" border="0" /></a>rider and briefly had a 3 man break. I was feeling the fatigue in my legs and every time the DBC guy pulled through, I was at my limit. I didn't want to blow myself up on the 2nd lap, so decided to drift back to the peloton. A few seconds later, Jeremy comes cruising up with another guy with some distance off the front of the peloton. I tried jumping on their wheels, but again, I was at my limit. This ended up being the winning move. On the first time check the 4-man break had 50 seconds. On the 3rd lap I tried to get the guys at the front of the peloton organized in a rotating pace line to chase them down, but after two rotations it fell apart. Both Body Concepts and Peninsula Velo had 4 or more guys (none in the break), but neither team could get organized. By the end of the 3rd lap the break had 2 minutes; everyone else was racing for 5th.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5482386588/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5482386588_2a3ce1fcec_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5482387952/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5482387952_dc94ab88db_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the 3rd lap the peloton had a crash on the back side of the course. On the 4th lap, a pro woman <a href="http://www.teamtibco.com/" target="_blank">Tibco</a> rider in a solo breakaway passed my Cat 5 peloton [Later I read that it was <a href="http://www.teamtibco.com/erinne-willock?iframe=true&width=80%&height=100%" target="_blank">Erinne Willock</a> and she soloed the win]. We were slow. She looked like she weighed 90 pounds, but was riding faster than us into a headwind. Eventually the Cat 5 peloton would get passed by the Pro Women's peloton, but this was right before the fast part of the course and we were literally right on their heels. Just before heading into the corner before the bumpy road, the same corner other guys in our group crashed, the Pro Men's peloton raced up the side of us. Great, 150 cyclists all going into the same tricky corner. Relief, no one crashed. But then my Cat 5 group got neutralized to create a gap behind the woman's group because the finish was about 3 miles away. Because we were neutralized, everyone moved up to the front and were then able to recover, and this was right before the finish. Sure enough, with about a mile to go including one corner and a small hill, we were set loose. Guys nearly started sprinting from a mile out. The pace shot up to 28 mph. I stayed near the front in the top ten, but there was no way I was going to take any wind at that speed from that far out. I picked a good line through the final right-hand turn and kept my speed. A guy in front of me went way wide which was fine, but then he cut back across the course. I literally had to grab a handful of brake, fishtailing my back wheel like a power slide, but was able to quickly recover and get back into a sprint. I was gassed, but kept pushing to the end up the hill. There was a Rio Strada guy in front of me, so it was my final goal to sprint ahead of him. The official results were not in when I wrote this, but I counted about 7 guys in front of me, plus the break away of 4, so that would put me somewhere between 10-15. Not bad considering my legs were cramping over the small climbs on the last lap and a half. Miles also had a strong finish just a few places behind me. <b>Jeremy went on to take first with a solo break from his break-mates; Jeff would then sprint from the 3 man chase group for second</b>. Way to go guys!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3WULTUkrRj4/TXheav2-kiI/AAAAAAAAAiU/schgUz-5Zfw/s1600/Jeremy%2Bwinning%2B35%252B%2BCat%2B5.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3WULTUkrRj4/TXheav2-kiI/AAAAAAAAAiU/schgUz-5Zfw/s400/Jeremy%2Bwinning%2B35%252B%2BCat%2B5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582315551742399010" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5482389740/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/5482389740_51c899a789_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/10733816/" target="_blank">El Patron</a> raced the Masters 35+ Category 4 race which was on the course at the same time as my race. Apparently he got in a 2 man breakaway and finished second.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482643628/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5482643628/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5258/5482643628_842feea962_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />No need to sprint for a finish when no one is in sight around you...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5481792101/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5481792101_aa4f05121c_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Thanks <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/12693134/" target="_blank">Krysta</a> for taking the great <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/#/photos/bcacord/5482382740/in/set-72157626155488378/lightbox/" target="_blank">photos</a>!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/10245637/" target="_blank">Chad</a> and <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/members/12691131/" target="_blank">Patrick</a> also raced. You can read about their events in the <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/messages/boards/thread/10497255">Cycle Fol</a><a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/messages/boards/thread/10497255">som Meetup discussions</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2X_FAlCnRME/TXhfbmFzXdI/AAAAAAAAAic/nJu8HN104B4/s1600/Patrick%2BElite%2B5%2BSnelling%2BRR.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2X_FAlCnRME/TXhfbmFzXdI/AAAAAAAAAic/nJu8HN104B4/s400/Patrick%2BElite%2B5%2BSnelling%2BRR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582316665811721682" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08810032870129672944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-9637954287713679912011-02-20T14:28:00.000-08:002011-02-20T14:31:55.210-08:00Overnight Precipitation Made for Cool RideSteven Paine had posted a "Deer Valley Loop" ride for Saturday, 2/19. The weather forecast was a bit dicey; chance of rain was 50% in the morning and it was certain to rain overnight. Steve sent out an email notice Friday evening that he was canceling the ride. I didn't see the notice, and Joel Brandt and I had already committed to ride---rain or shine. We're both trying to get some reasonably-paced hills training under our belts before trying to stay up with the Peloton Group again. Julie Ni also didn't see the notice, so she showed up ready to roll, too.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>It was a bit chilly at the ride start, but bearable. It's always a bit of a slap-in-the-face-wake-up-call when you start a ride heading up the steady uphill grade on Folsom-Auburn Blvd., Folsom Lake Crossing, and Green Valley. On the other hand, by the time you reach Malcolm Dixon Road, you're definitely warmed up for the rest of the hills to come.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t17tEqQ6jac/TWGVYS92R9I/AAAAAAAAAL0/kUBnpcdm2I0/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t17tEqQ6jac/TWGVYS92R9I/AAAAAAAAAL0/kUBnpcdm2I0/s320/IMG_0095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>We all agreed that we'd hold a steady, laid back pace and re-group at the tops of climbs. As usual, Malcolm-Dixon Road was a pleasant ride with very little traffic and a smooth, recently paved surface. We popped out onto Green Valley for a mile or so before turning on to Deer Valley. By then, the sun was peaking out of the clouds. We noticed that a couple of cars were coming down the road with snow on their hoods. Sure enough, we looked around and saw a bit of snow on the ground. As we made our way back to Rescue, we saw more snow. It was pretty cool---figuratively, and literally.</div><div><br />
</div><div>After a brief water stopped, we made our way back. A decent headwind on Green Valley renewed our appreciation for pace lines. Joel and I traded pulls. Julie isn't yet comfortable in speedy downhill pace lines, so she fell off the back. We stopped and gave her a little coaching, hoping to instill some confidence for future rides.</div><div><br />
</div><div>As we neared Lake Natoma, Joel and I decided to pick up 10 more miles by accompanying Julie to the other end of the Lake where she would head home, and we would make the loop back.</div><div><br />
</div><div>It was a ride that would have been easy to bail on. Fortunately, Joel made me commit to show up "Rain or Shine." As a result, it was one of the most enjoyable rides I've had in a while. Kudos again to Julie. I love her determination as she continues to train for the Davis Double Century, with a long-term goal to capture the California Triple Crown. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-13427165942070302562011-01-30T20:01:00.000-08:002011-02-28T20:21:08.300-08:00Weekend RacingMore Cycle Folsom Ride Leaders and members are racing this year. While the <a href="http://cyclefolsom.blogspot.com/2011/01/damp-wont-dampen-our-spirits.html">Peloton Group was heading down to Pocket for wet 78 mile jaunt</a>, and the Gruppetto Group was tackling the local Folsom Cols, Performance Ride Leader Phil and new Cycle Folsom member Mark, both riding for the Folsom Bike Race Team, had a wet and wild ride at the Cal Aggie Criterium in Land Park on Saturday. Check out <a href="http://www.meetup.com/CycleFolsom/messages/boards/thread/10371339" target="_blank">their race reports</a> in the Cycle Folsom Race Report discussion.<br /><br />Since I'm new to racing (Folsom Bike Race Team), I headed down to Fremont for the <a href="http://ncnca.org/ncncaevent/early-bird-criterium-4" target="_blank">4th Early Bird Criterium</a>. I think this is a great program that combines a skills clinic followed by a criterium. I almost didn't line-up for the race. Some guys got a little too squirrely in the clinic and there was 2 crashes. Not a good sign, but I ended up lining-up along side Cycle Folsom member Jeff racing for Bicycles Plus.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KxkLBRgntfU/TUY4_94oPQI/AAAAAAAAAho/osElsURTE3A/s1600/IMG_3839.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KxkLBRgntfU/TUY4_94oPQI/AAAAAAAAAho/osElsURTE3A/s320/IMG_3839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568200660885191938" border="0" /></a>The sun came out after a wet morning and the race turned out to be uneventful in a good way. I tried to stay up near the front for most of the race to stay out of any trouble. I few guys every now and again would take a flyer off the front; I felt the need to shut 'em down. At one point Jeff and I ended up on the sharp end of the peloton. All in all, it was a good practice race; no crashes. Sunday, February 13th will be the real race. I hope I can mix it up in the sprint.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KxkLBRgntfU/TUY8Bqle4LI/AAAAAAAAAhw/XOLqeESiclY/s1600/IMG_3867.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KxkLBRgntfU/TUY8Bqle4LI/AAAAAAAAAhw/XOLqeESiclY/s320/IMG_3867.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568203988599234738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KxkLBRgntfU/TUY_z3FL7yI/AAAAAAAAAh4/IA3p5NWhurQ/s1600/IMG_3880.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KxkLBRgntfU/TUY_z3FL7yI/AAAAAAAAAh4/IA3p5NWhurQ/s320/IMG_3880.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568208149481778978" border="0" /></a><br />More photos on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcacord/5402946937/in/set-72157625817794469/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>, thanks to Krysta.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08810032870129672944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-87384455498775826412011-01-29T15:53:00.000-08:002011-01-29T17:45:09.409-08:00Damp won't dampen our spiritsThe Peloton group started the morning at Karen's Bakery with about 17 riders - and 2 more planning to meet up on the route. It wasn't terribly cold, but it was rather foggy and damp. Nonetheless we started out in great spirits. We modified the planned route just slightly after hearing about a rather large amount of mud covering our intended route. Not a huge detour, but it kept us entirely off of the American River bike trail until we rejoined it at the Guy West bridge.<br /><br />The entire first half of the ride was pretty steady, except for the string of stop lights that cycled a little too quickly to get the entire group through. No sprints or attacks, so as we started to come into Discovery park I decided to try my luck.<br /><br />I came from about fourth position and pulled off the front. It didn't feel like anyone had immediately followed me, so I settled into a steady pace that I thought was still faster than the group, waiting to see if anyone would follow.<br /><br />I started to hear what sounded like rubber rolling across wet pavement. I notched up the pace a little bit. Then I heard the sound of gears and knew someone was on me. I pulled harder, pushing up the pace, still not sure who had taken the bait. A quick glance past my right elbow - and there was still a wheel right on me. Damn. I pushed the pace up faster as the lactic acid started to build in my legs. There didn't seem to be any moves to attack, so I took a chance and let up slightly, hoping for a few seconds of recovery before pouring it into an all out sprint. Right at that moment Brian pulled around me with one other rider right on his wheel (who was that second chaser??) I was caught out, tried to catch the wheel but missed it. Damn. I was beat. I rolled the rest of the way into Discovery park - out maneuvered and out gunned.<br /><br />Unfortunately, both bathrooms and water are <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> shut off at Discovery park, so after a few folks braved the temporary porta-potty, we rode through Old Sacramento, Captain's Table road and stopped at the rest rooms at Scott's Seafood. Somewhere between Discovery Park and Scott's Seafood we lost a few riders - two of whom were Stan and Brian. After waiting a bit while folks used the restrooms or filled up water bottles, we decided to push on.<br /><br />We cruised down Riverside - which was almost completely covered in an oil slick (!!!) and rolled into the Pocket area. Here, Riverside becomes a 4 lane Boulevard, with wide lanes, so we were able to group up two abreast and push the pace up a little bit until turning onto Greenhaven and essentially starting our trip back home. It felt like we had a nice tail wind here, because the pace picked up, yet I was pedaling easier. For the record, any rumors you hear about an alleged botched attempt to clip in at the Florin-Greenhaven intersection - resulting in a rider almost hitting the tarmac - are <span style="font-style: italic;">completely untrue</span>.<br /><br />Back on the trail we had a nice paceline going, and this time we stuck on the trail instead of diverting to surface streets at Guy West bridge. We stopped for water at William B Pond park, and that is when everything changed for me. As soon as we were back on the trail after the water stop, I realized I wasn't able to keep the pace. One word crossed my mind - bonk - as I realized that I'd just done 60-some miles at this point, and eaten way less than I needed. I backed off the pace for a moment and watch the bulk of the group pull away.<br /><br />Things got worse for me, however, as I realized it was actually issues with my blood sugar levels (I'm diabetic) that were holding me back now - and I was out of food. Nothing to do but spin easy and get back to the car, all hopes of catching the group now lost.<br /><br />But then I rolled up on almost the entire group, sitting on the side of the trail. "Huh.." I thought. Since I was in no shape to hold the groups pace, I simply road past. I later learned that a couple of folks had slid out on the corner. Since I was now, ironically, the one being caught, I was sitting at the front with Krysta when Clair, OZ and a few others flew off the front in a break away. I knew I didn't have it in me to follow, so I <span style="font-style: italic;">once again</span> watched the group ride away from me.<br /><br />By this point we were all pretty much strung out, and it didn't take long until I was all alone in the back again, just focusing on finishing.<br /><br />Suddenly - I heard a loud "Yip! Yip!" from behind me - a rider letting me know I was about to get passed, and fast. It's the OZ/Clair group! How in the hell did that happen? I still don't know - I can only guess that perhaps they looped back around on the trails along Folsom Blvd - while we were on the trails river side, and came back around again. Good for you guys!<br /><br />All in all - another awesome Peloton ride. Let's get rid of the fog, though!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-56191337198721551802011-01-25T08:37:00.000-08:002011-01-25T08:37:17.924-08:00And so the Race Season Begins for some CF MembersThe spectrum of cycling talent within Cycle Folsom is pretty broad. Most of our Members range from "inspired cycling enthusiasts" to "performance-oriented cycling devotees." Over the years, Cycle Folsom has seen many of its members make the move to the amateur racing circuit, too.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>The early race season has begun and I just received a couple of enthusiastic e-mails from ride leader Brian Acord, and Cycle Folsom founder Steve Ward. I enjoyed the write-ups and found them inspirational, so I thought I would share them with you. If you're a member of our Meetup Group or our monthly New & Info e-mail, you may also be familiar with Steve's posts to our forum and articles about his training efforts, nutrition/weight loss strategy, and performance testing at <a href="http://www.athleticamps.com/">AthletiCamps</a>.<br />
<br />
You'll also find a new "Race Reports Forum" on our Meetup site. Any of you Members who are racers are encouraged to post your experiences and comments there. We all would welcome the inspiration and/or entertainment that your post might generate.<br />
<br />
~Stan Schultz</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">[Written by Brain Acord, Performance Group Ride Leader and 1st season racer]</span></div><blockquote>Hey Stan, </blockquote><blockquote>Do I get extra credit points for racing in the CF colors, or a cool sponsorship deal? Folsom Bike hasn't received their new kits, so I've been flying the red, black, and white (don't tell anyone). </blockquote><blockquote>Today was the first road race of the season. Jeremy Barns, Jeff T, and I all raced in the same group (35+ Cat 5). I think Jeremy was the strongest rider today; he took monster pulls going up Del Puerto Canyon (the pace wasn't fast enough for him). The top of the climb hits 18% near the top, with the last couple of miles all above 10%. Jeremy was over the top first with a big gap, then followed by a group of 4 with Jeff T in it. They gapped me on the climb and I couldn't catch back on on the descent. Just too much wind. I ended up in no-mans land and couldn't see riders way down the road in front of me nor behind me; I was left out in the wind. Jeff's group caught Jeremy. Jeremy took second with Jeff T taking 3rd (good for Bicycles Plus). After riding about 10 miles out in the wind alone, I finally got caught by a small group of 4 which was a relief. Finally someone to draft off of! I took the sprint out of that group and rolled across in 6th out 21 racers. Not bad for a first race. Beat a Victory Velo/Hammerin Wheels (Auburn) rider and a Body Concepts (Folsom) rider out that group. </blockquote><blockquote>El Patron took 4th in the 35+ Cat 4. Curt Mills (Road Rash, Folsom) and Chad Richards both flatted (but Chad didn't come in last!).</blockquote><blockquote>I'll have my agent give you a call to work out the new contract and sponsorship deal.</blockquote><blockquote>~Brian</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">[Written by Steve Ward, Cycle Folsom Founder, Masters 35+ Cat 4]</span><br />
<blockquote>(37 riders in our field; just one team mate in this race: Tim Zsoka)</blockquote><blockquote>Tim's training has been derailed over the past few weeks, so he showed up to the race claiming he had "pack-fill" legs. With just the two of representing BP Sierra Nevada in our category, there wasn't too much we could do in terms of strategy.</blockquote><blockquote>The early pace was slow, so Tim decided to go to the front and up the pace a bit, giving me a friendly wheel to follow; it allowed my to ride in second position without having to stick my nose into the wind.</blockquote><blockquote>In this sequence of pictures below, Tim is riding on the front (your left) of the field, and I'm just on his wheel (it almost looks as if we're riding a tandem). In the second photo I magically disappear before reappearing front and center in the third photo.</blockquote><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hnvsnlcu5tw/TT4rLsQ3bII/AAAAAAAAALk/rAhLxqeddMo/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-24+at+5.42.35+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hnvsnlcu5tw/TT4rLsQ3bII/AAAAAAAAALk/rAhLxqeddMo/s320/Screen+shot+2011-01-24+at+5.42.35+PM.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Hnvsnlcu5tw/TT4rqImL5ZI/AAAAAAAAALs/pa95nxAgcvg/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-24+at+5.46.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Hnvsnlcu5tw/TT4rqImL5ZI/AAAAAAAAALs/pa95nxAgcvg/s320/Screen+shot+2011-01-24+at+5.46.07+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Hnvsnlcu5tw/TT4rkIgsBwI/AAAAAAAAALo/IJ-OAHsLrnc/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-24+at+5.44.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Hnvsnlcu5tw/TT4rkIgsBwI/AAAAAAAAALo/IJ-OAHsLrnc/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-24+at+5.44.14+PM.png" /></a></div><blockquote>If you look closely at the second photo again, you can actually see the red stripe of my jersey sleeve between Tim's right arm and his chest. Talk about cheating the wind, drafting expertly, and saving energy; this is how to do it. How well does it work when you do it well? After riding Tim's wheel for 20 miles on a 2-3% uphill grade, I arrived at the base of the decisive climb with an average heart rate of 118 bpm.</blockquote><blockquote>Having an awesome team mate like Tim made it possible for me to mix it up with skinny little mountain goats who attacked the field on the 1.4 mile 9.7% average grade climb (that's almost a full percentage steeper than Prospectors Grade). The higher up this climb, the steeper it got, peaking at 19%</blockquote><blockquote>Half way up the climb, I was the last rider in the eleven man group that was stretching a 80 meter gap over an exploded, strung out field still chasing up the climb. 75% of the way up the climb, I was starting to yo-yo off the back with another guy while the guys up front were turning the screws a little harder with each pedal stroke.</blockquote><blockquote>Turning the cone at the top of the climb to start the 20 mile screaming mimi ride back to the finish line looked like this:</blockquote><blockquote>3 riders in the lead group 6 riders, more or less, rounding together about +5 seconds 1 solo rider rounding about +10 seconds Then me, rounding alone about +13 seconds - no one else even close enough to put a clock on.</blockquote><blockquote>I rounded and stomped the pedals, expecting to gain time on the riders ahead of me on the steep, twisty descent. The solo rider ahead got a quick launch and passed another rider who had been dropped from an earlier field.</blockquote><blockquote>On a rapid descent, I encountered the dropped rider next, but he was panicky and freaked out when shouted out I was coming on his left. He started swerving, almost uncontrollably and squealing that "it's not safe!". I had to back off, let him calm down then ask him nicely to ride on one side of the lane or the other...he just panicked again.</blockquote><blockquote>So I decided I would just have to suck it up, wait until we bottomed-out on the descent and then hope I had the legs to get back up to chase group 1. If not, there would be no top 10 finish for me.</blockquote><blockquote>With all of that pent up frustration, when I finally got around him, I drilled it. I looked up the road and estimated 200 meters to the solo guy, and another 200 (400 total) to Chase 1. Man, that was going to hurt.</blockquote><blockquote>I closed the 400 meter almost twice as fast as the solo guy, because we both caught Chase 1 at almost the same moment - about 4 minutes of V02 Max effort to get it done.</blockquote><blockquote>We were both gassed and sat out two rotations each while the other six riders worked the business end of the paceline. I jumped into the rotation and found out quickly that me and one other guy were all of the hard work. He and I worked in a 3 man rotation after that (him & I, along one of the other six, they would rotate one guy through every six).</blockquote><blockquote>After about 3 miles we blew two of our eight off the back, after about 5 miles it was mostly just the one guy and I doing all of the work. With 10 miles to go (we averaged 28 mph over the final 20 miles), I dropped to the back for a few minutes to jam down some Endurolytes, Anti-Fatigue Caps, Race Cap Supremes and Perpetuem. I followed that up with half a bottle of water and got back to the front to help drive the pace again.</blockquote><blockquote>We were closing ground on the three leaders, but not fast enough, maybe 5 seconds per mile, we weren't going to catch them unless they bonked...not likely.</blockquote><blockquote>With 3 miles to go I had a caffeinated GU and some more water. With 1k to go I moved to the back of the bus again where I could watch everyone. They all looked gassed: shoulders heaving, pedaling squares, hands on hoods, steering esses...all the tell-tale signs - everyone that is but the other strong guy, he had a poker face on, I couldn't get a read on him so I marked him as a definite threat.</blockquote><blockquote>With 500 meters to go, I could see a string of dropped riders from a previous field suffering in a single file line on the right side of the road; and with the centerline rule in effect, that meant they would become a limiting factor in our finishing sprint. I decided I could use that to my advantage when the time came.</blockquote><blockquote>With 350 meters to go on this uphill finishing section, I launched the best attack I could muster, coming from last wheel and blowing right by the other five guys about 30 meters before coming up on the line of riders struggling up the right side. That effectively closed down any attacks from the right side, I only had to defend one side. I must have caught them all by surprise; I think with the up hill finish no one wanted to go too early. My guess is they were all waiting until about 200 meters. I waited that long, I would have gotten boxed out.</blockquote><blockquote>I had such a good launch that I was riding away to easily capture 4th place, I was spinning 100+ rpms, so I shifted for good measure to keep increasing my speed and not take any chances. Ooops, blew the shift! I scrambled, shifted quickly and reengaged the chain. Only now my cadence was down to about 70 rpms and I had to re-accelerate.</blockquote><blockquote>While struggling through all of this maneuvering, I faded to the left side of the lane and opened up a space on my right side. Wouldn't you know it, a wheel appears out of my peripheral vision on my right hip. Now I had my rpms back up to 80 and was rapidly accelerating again. That wheel stalled out and then started to fall back again. I kept kicking and was lucky to keep my position and finish 4th (by about a bike length).</blockquote><blockquote>Great race, lots of fun, and a good test for evaluating my early season fitness. I'm still doing base training (I'm in my Base 3 period), so I haven't been doing any threshold or Vo2 Max efforts, just SE, LE, ME and SFR. Placing well and not too far behind the leaders is promising and gives me hope that I might become competitive later in the year when I get to the end of my Build and Race periods.</blockquote><blockquote>Also, most of the credit goes to Tim. He put in almost 20 miles on the front to keep my front wheel protected from other riders, and my nose out of the wind. Getting me to the base of the climb on second wheel with an average heart rate of just 118 bpm put me in a superior position to get a good result. And after a team mate puts in a dig like that for you, you feel a very heavy sense of obligation to do your very best to place well so that he will feel his efforts contributed to the teams success.</blockquote><blockquote>El Patron</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-23037167476785996082011-01-23T14:13:00.000-08:002011-01-23T15:13:34.906-08:00New Combined Group Blog for Cycle FolsomIn the past, prior to the creation of CycleFolsom's Meetup.com site, Cycle Folsom maintained separate blogs for the Peloton and Performance Groups. The purpose of the two blogs was to give people a sense of what transpired during our rides. Now, this is done through comments and reviews on our Meetup.com site.<br />
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After some discussion between the CF's ride leaders, we've decided to combine the two blogs together into one, and to use it to post thoughts and ruminations that might be to lengthy for our Meetup site or forums.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">IMPORTANT NOTE: </span>On January 23rd, all the previous blog posts from the old Peloton and Performance Blogs were imported into this blog. Unfortunately, this process changed the authorship of all previous posts to "Stan Schultz." I wish I could figure out a way to identify who posted all the previous posts, but I can't.<br />
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Feel free to comment on this or other posts that will happen in the future.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-82747503156798851422011-01-05T10:30:00.000-08:002011-01-23T14:03:23.412-08:00Happy New Year 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">[Posted by Phil Blay, January 1, 2011]</span> <em>Happy New Year to all the readers of this performance ride blog. Ride updates have been few and far between in 2010. I'm going to try and post a new ride writeup at least once a month. I plan to lead Saturday rides in 2011 working around racing and ride events I am planning on participating in. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>A couple of CF members in 2010 that need acknowledged:</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Steve Ward (CycleFolsom Founder) has been a big inspiration for me to keep improving my fitness level. His tips have proved invaluable to me. Everyone in this club can benefit from Steve's knowledge. Thank You Steve.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Stan Shultz (Chief Evangelist) took over the reins of CycleFolsom from Steve a while ago and has made many changes to improve this club. I dare to say the club will continue to push the limits of each and every rider that joins in a ride at any ride level. Thank you Stan for all the time and hard work you have put into the two CF kit designs, the CycleFolsom meetup site and the discount for club members at Folsom Bike. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Last and not least......A big thanks to all the CF ride leaders. They did a fantastic job in 2010! </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Signing off for now, Phil Blay</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5895469504108004067.post-68360215271034358282010-11-21T20:19:00.000-08:002011-01-23T13:45:19.293-08:00November 20th ARP-Levee Rd-RosevilleSaturday 6am.....getting up and checking weather conditions. Wet roads, slight sprinkles and roads seem to be drying. 6:30am, taking in the usual bowl of oatmeal <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre-ride</span> breakfast meal. Watching the news wondering if the rain will hold off until the ride is completed today. 7:20am start to get dressed, piecing together what layers to wear. Do I need a rain jacket? Booties? Ear warmers? It's a crap shoot on what will be found out on the road today. 7:35am, check bike tires, put on shoes and start pedaling to meet the group at the covered parking lot <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">across</span> from Karen's Bakery. The first mile I'm a little cold but after the second mile rolls by I'm thinking I have picked the right combination of layers and winter gear. 7:50 or so arrive at the parking lot. Say hi to Steve Ward (El Patron) who is getting ready to ride up to Georgetown on a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">BP</span> training ride. He states he might see snow.......<br /><br />Five riders show up to start this ride. Brian (ride leader), Chad, Claire, Miles, Eric and myself. We are feeling pretty good about today's ride. We might beat the forecast of rain later today. As we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">roll</span> out the roads are semi dry across the Auburn Folsom bridge. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Descending</span> to the north AR bike trail the pavement is wet/dry. Brian and I are at the front pulling the group for the first ten or so miles at a medium pace. Clair and Miles take over and pull for a long period taking us close to the first major route turn at (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Northegate</span>) rain drops start hitting us. The levee bike trail is wet with light rain falling. I am riding next to rather than right behind the rider in front to keep away from the wet rooster tail off the rear wheel. We make the one stop for restrooms and water with rain coming down at a pretty good rate.<br /><br />We get a much needed tail wind down Levee road. I'm seeing an average mph between 22-25 depending on who is on the front. We are all getting wet at this point. Staying warm is on our minds. The easy part of the ride is winding down as we make the turn onto <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Riego</span> road heading east. Just as Brian gets a pace set....I have the rear tire go flat. I get the tire off and find something in the tread. Brian gets the offending particle out for me, and I get the new tube and tire mounted a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">quickly</span> as possible. My hands are freezing! Just as we are ready to go the rain lets up. I get out to the front and start soft pedaling until everyone is on and then start to slowly wind up the pace. With the cross wind I'm seeing a 19.4 mph average speed and I keep pounding out this pace not looking back as there is not much shoulder to work with and traffic speeding along the road. After a while I get the feeling that no one is behind me. I take a quick look and see Chad back a couple hundred meters and the rest of the group back even further. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Geeze</span>.....I did not mean to drop the group on this stretch of road, just pace them though without slowing too much. I slowed down and let Chad catch up, he said he dropped back to help pull the group back. Chad and I slowed to let the Brian, Eric, Claire and Miles catch up. Then Chad went up front and took a long pull with me on second wheel and Claire third wheel. Chad pulled us all the way to the next turn onto <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fiddyment</span>.<br /><br />The rain was spotty the rest of the way through <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Roseville</span>. The group was split a few time at stop lights and rollers on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Roseville</span> Parkway. The last section of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Roseville</span> parkway has a slight climb to Barton Road. Miles went off the front, Chad and I chasing. Brian, Clair and Eric were kept pounding out a reasonable climbing pace. I caught up with Chad, we passed Miles and put a little gap between us and Miles by the time we reached Barton Road. Brian, Clair and Eric arrived soon after.<br /><br />The last section of the ride should have been easy to return to Karen's. I was in autopilot on Barton telling Brian that these rollers used to hurt me bad. Not so much today! Just after the last roller we encountered a 90 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">degree</span> right turn. Brian went in first, Miles dove in looked <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">OK</span> but suddenly the back end broke loose and Miles was down hard on the tarmac. I was back a few bike lengths and had just <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">committed</span> to a line through this turn. Miles was right in my line. Race day instincts took over.....A quick assessment of options went <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">through</span> my mind.....#1 slow as much as possible before hitting into Miles, #2 Get off line, slow as much as possible and look for a soft place to land. I went for option #2. As I slowed I over braked and locked up the rear, passed by the outside of Miles and spotted the point where I wanted to hit the wood fence and hopefully glance off it and stay upright. Once I hit the fence I knew that I was going over the bars. I tucked my head and rolled with the bike. I finished the roll laying on my side with my left leg still clipped in. Somehow I managed to not to get hurt. Miles was not so lucky and was not getting up too quick. We took a little while to let Miles get up and make sure he was not hurt bad. Checked the bikes over to make sure they were in riding condition and then rode the last 1-2 miles together back to Karen's.<br /><br />Everyone was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">soaked</span> to the bone during this ride. I have to give Claire credit as she wore the least amount of gear for the entire ride. One layer of arm warmers, no leg warmers and light gloves. Claire, I do not know how you stayed warm today!<br /><br />Brian contacted Miles on Sunday and he is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">OK</span>. He has some road rash on one hip that will heal. No broken bones. His helmet cracked so he must have hit his head on the pavement at some point in the crash.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1