A Rare Christmas Day Bike Ride

How often is it in the upper-40s and sunny on Christmas Day? Son of Cyclingprof accompanied me on a 20-mile jaunt out to Dolan and back. In something of a minor Christmas miracle, I made it all the way up Earl Young hill without getting off the bike.

The New Arrival

I'm proud to announce the arrival of a new bike in the Cyclingprof household, a healthy Bianchi Oltre Nero frameset measuring 59 cm and weighing in at about 1500 grams for the frame, fork, seatpost, and seatpost clamp. Here is generic photo of the bike (mine was sold in "like new" condition, having been ridden under 500 miles, but it looks absolutely brand new):

My build plan for the bike includes a new Campy Record 11 gruppo (2011/12) with a compact crankset and an 11-25 cassette, 3T Ergnova Team handlebar and ARX Team stem, Speedplay X2 pedals, a Specialized Toupe saddle, and HED Ardennes SL wheels. Total weight should be under 16 pounds (I'll weigh it and let you know after it's built). 

New Bike

I just bought a new bike (well, new to me). Details to follow, including photos, when it arrives.

My New Commute

Here's the profile (to and from, just under 10 miles round trip):

Saturday Ride

I got out late this afternoon for what I thought would be a short and easy recovery ride. I stayed off the hills, and just rode up Bethel to 45, south on 45 until I hit the tracks (blocked by a slow freight train), and then back north past New Unionville. Just as I was turning around to spin back home, it started raining, not especially hard, but hard (and cold) enough that, with 4-5 miles left to home, I didn't want to dally. So, now I need to recover from my recovery ride.

As the weather's supposed to be nasty tomorrow, I plan to head back north to Indy, where Coach Bob is holding a special 2-hour indoor training session. It's worth the two hours in the car just to work out with the group, rather than on my own in the basement.

Day After Thanksgiving Ride

I drove up to Indy this morning for what turned out to be quite a big group ride. A small group of us rode to the ride, which officially started at Nebo Ridge, from Traders Point. Another 20 or so riders met us there, including a former pro and several other really strong (and in-shape) riders. I knew I should have turned tail then. With a strong wind blowing from the south, we quickly rode north with Kirklin as our (initial) destination (part of the group would carry on from there to Frankfort, while other riders, myself included, would turn back south toward home). On the northern leg, I was riding between 25 and 27 mph heading north, but couldn't stay within a mile of the pack, riding at well over 30 mph.

By the time was started heading back south after the SAG in Kirklin, the wind was gusting to over 25 mph. It wasn't long before I lost my tether to the back of the group, and found my self riding into the wind on my own, suffering like a dog. Fortunately for me, the dynamic duo of Mark and Graham Dewart dropped back to pick me up and shepherd me (along with a couple other wayward sheep, err, riders) back home. I wound up with 64 miles on the day, but I can't honestly say it was a good ride, except in the sense that any ride I survive is a good ride.

It was good to see several of my old cycling buddies, even if I had only scant chance to talk with any of them (aside from Mark and Graham) because they were so far ahead of me.

Thanksgiving Day Ride

Had time for just a couple circuits today. Two times west on Bethel, north on Old 37, east up Old Meyers Rd (which runs into Boltinghouse just before Bethel), and back west on Bethel. Only 14-15 total miles, but those two climbs up Old Meyers hill certainly give a good work-out and pre-burned at least some of the calories I'll consume later this afternoon. Tomorrow, I hope to burn off the rest at a group ride up in Indy.

Saturday Ride

Thanks to Dr. Coughlin for showing me a new route around B-town today. After riding across campus and up Hinkle Rd., we headed over to Old 37, which we took north toward the Orchard. After crossing 37, we fought a pretty strong headwind all the way back along Bottom Rd, before heading back home across town. It was the longest ride I've done in some time, and between the 2800+ feet of climbing and the 30 mph wind gusts, I bonked at about mile 30. It remains to be seen whether Bloomington will make me a better rider or a non-rider.

Whatever Happened To...

...the federal investigation into doping by Lance Armstrong's US Postal Service Team? Back in May, there were news reports about the ongoing investigation and coverage on "60 Minutes." Since then, nothing. Not a single news report. Is the investigation still ongoing?

UPDATE: My question has been answered. See here. Apparently, everyone's still waiting to see whether the grand jury will hand down any indictments. Since May, its deliberations have been very, very quiet.

Winter Training Season Begins

Hard to imagine on a day when temperatures soared into the mid-70s, but winter training officially started today.This evening, in Indy, many of my cycling buddies gathered in the gym with Coach Bob to begin the first of two eight-week sessions of core work, stretching, spin-ups, pyramids, threshold tests, sprints, killers, stomps, and various other kinds of torture that make us stronger cyclists (by increasing our threshold power) for the next season.

Now that I'm living in Bloomington, I had to make alternate plans. I've joined the IU gym, and signed up for "Little 500" power training on Tuesdays and an ordinary spin class on Thursdays. The first "Little 5" training session was this evening - one old man and a small group of 20-somethings. Definitely felt strange not training (and trashing talking) with the usual suspects, but I did get a good work-out.

Monday Ride

Another beautiful fall day in South-Central Indiana (and indoor training starts tomorrow evening), so I decided to make time for a ride after the noon Workshop colloquium (a terrific presentation by Russian economist Leonid Polischuk on the rise and relative effectiveness of homeowners associations in two Russian cities). That was a good decision. No so good was my decision to try riding up Mt. Gilead Rd. toward Lake Lemon. With legs still aching from the longish ride on Saturday on the flats northwest of Indy, there was no way I was going to be able to climb up one side, turn around, and climb back up the other side on the way home. If I had tried, I probably would have ended up here:

Saturday Ride

I got up to Indy this afternoon for a 50+ mile ride with the old group. It was a gorgeous day for a ride, upper-50s to lower-60s, and just a mild wind from the SW. We rode out a long way west from Trader's Point before riding back in to Lebanon and then back to the start. It was a fairly big group, including a lot of friends I hadn't seen in quite some time, including Adam, both Brians, and Woz. Everyone looked and rode great. By the end of it, though, I was suffering like a dog. For the rest, it was an "easy" ride. Go figure.

Tomorrow looks to be a carbon copy of today - perhaps a bit warmer. But I'm not planning to head back to Indy; I'm too worn out from today's ride. I'll try to get some recovery miles (perhaps with a few hills through in) around home, instead.

Profile of Rebecca Zink

Former teammate and still good friend of Cylingprof, Rebecca Zink, is featured in a rider profile at Peloton Star.com. It's great to see Rebecca getting recognition for the success she has earned through several years of hard work. Here's one of the cool photos from the profile:

What, No Hilly Hundred Post?

Actually, I didn't ride the Hilly this weekend. My wife returned home yesterday after nearly three weeks in Poland, so both of my days this weekend were spoken for.

I hope everyone who participated had a good and safe ride. The weather seemed to cooperate pretty well. It was blustery, but a bit warmer than usual.

I confess to being a bit disappointed that none of my friends from Indy who drove down for the ride got in touch for a post-ride beer.

Himalayan Glaciers, the Tour de France, Thongs, and Climate Change

In response to my recent post about the retreat of Himalayan Glaciers since the early 20th century, Coach Bob mounts what could be one of the strongest and most heartfelt pleas not just for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions but reversal of global-warming trends:

You can watch footage of the TdF from the 80s and note that the mtns were covered in snow back then. People on the slopes were bundled up in jackets, sweaters, and even coats. Nowadays, you see people in thongs; sadly, men, too! If for no other reason than to get men out of thongs, we've got to reverse the climatological change!!

Well said, Bob. Well said.

Eye Candy for Cyclists

Now that I live in Bloomington, I've been thinking of buying a super-light bike for the hills. The current leading contender (although not on price) is this gorgeous Bianchi Oltre Nero. With Campy Chorus 11-speed, HED Ardennes wheels, and Speedplay pedals, total weight would be just over 14 pounds. Bianchi, for those who don't know, is the world's oldest bike maker in continual existence, founded in 1885 in Milan. My trusty 2001 Bianchi XL Boron still is a lot of fun to ride, and gets me kudos from mechanics and steel-is-real aficionados.

Tough Commuting Weather

Yesterday, it was 39 degrees for the morning ride to school. By the time I rode home, the temperature was in the lower 70s, and my messenger bag was stuffed full of the winter cycling clothes I was wearing for the morning ride. It was easier last week, when it was consistently chilly all day. Same weather today as yesterday, but I'm driving in.

Congratulations to Adam Leibovitz

The current national champion in the pursuit (a track event) just signed a pro contract to ride for Team Garmin's developmental squad. In addition to training with the likes of Dave Z., Tyler Farrar, Christian VandeVelde and many other experienced pros, Adam will be riding mostly races on the UCI's continental circuit in Europe this coming year.

I heard the good new from Adam and his folks last night during a lovely soiree at Dr Karl's house in Indy. I'm heading back to Indy this afternoon to ride with several of the guys who were at the party.

Congrats to Cav

The road course for the World Championship, held in Copenhagen this past weekend, was tailor-made for the sprinters, and Mark Cavendish is the dominant sprinter of the current era, which made him the prohibitive favorite to win the gold medal. And he did not disappoint. His Great Britain teammates kept up a vicious pace that was designed to deter attacks from the likes of Cancellara and Gilbert. And Cav out-sprinted Matt Goss and  Andrei Greipel for the win. The only "surprise" among the top finishers was fabulous Fabian Cancellara, a non-sprinter, who nearly pipped Greipel at the line for the bronze. But in this race only the top place on the podium matters. The winner will be conspicuous in the peloton throughout the next year wearing the World Champion's jersey in all (non-TT) road races.

Back to the Flats

Coach Bob organized a really nice group training ride in Indianapolis this morning. Sixteen or seventeen cyclists, riding easy-to-moderate tempo pace for 42 miles. A lot of the guys (and gals) needed such a ride after riding "The Bear," a CIBA-sponsored 50+ mile ride in the hills down towards where I live, yesterday. It was good to see a bunch of my friends, as well as some new faces in the group. Makes me wish I could ride with them all more often.