It's Fall in Florida, Time for a Fast Ride

I just completed the Thursday ride with the 8:30 a.m. "show-n-go" group that I've been riding with. The temperature has finally dropped in the Clearwater area signaling the arrival of fall and better biking weather. This morning when I left our home to ride to the starting point at the Publix at Boot Ranch the temperature was a refreshing 61 degrees (Fahrenheit). Just overnight it seems the temperature has dropped from the high 70's to the low 60's in the morning. This makes biking so much easier. With the temperature drop also came a drop in the humidity. The combination means less stress on the body as one's cooling system has to work a little less perspiring to keep cool. That also means you don't need quite as much fluid. The legs feel stronger, your heart rate goes down and it really makes for a nice fast ride. Perhaps it was also a light wind from the northeast that combined with the favorable weather that turned this ride into my fastest yet for a group ride. My Garmin says we did 69.20 miles in 3 hours 30 minutes for an average speed of 19.7 mph with an elevation gain of 1,357 feet and 6,929 calories burned. There were eight of us of varying ages on this ride. I don't know all the last names and in some cases only the nick names but we had Coach (70), Mike(42), Bob(37), Glenn(38 the Terminator), Ruth(40), Alan(65 the Termite), Jeff(35) and me(61). It's a good group to ride with as they are all experienced bikers and the pace line is very steady (as opposed to squirrelly) staying at 20+ most of the time but moving up to 24-25 with a little tale wind. For September I rode 866 miles averaging 18 mph, average distance 54.14 miles per ride, 48 hours 6 minutes total time, average heart rate 126 and 82,754 calories burned. My weight seems to be steady at 255-260. Still a little more than I would like.

Why Am I Five Pounds Heavier?

Ok. In the last 30 days I've ridden my bike 48 hours and 37 minutes. I've covered 828 miles at an average speed of 17 MPH. I've climbed 16,938 feet and burned 75,623 calories. Seems to me I should lose a few pounds. But no. I have gained 5 pounds. I think it might have to do with my new bike. I'm riding faster and farther but my heart rate is lower. In the last seven days my average speed has increased to 18 MPH (5.6%) but my average heart rate has fallen to 123 BPM from 128 BPM (3.9%). My new bike weighs 7.5 pounds less than my old bike. So what has happened is that I have gained part of this weight back because my new bike is easier to ride. I'm just not burning as many calories on my new bike. So, to lose weight I need a heavier bike or I have to bike a little longer (by 5%-10%). After the ride on Tuesday I replaced the seat post that came with my bike with a new Thompson seat post. It's black and made of aluminum and looks good with the bike. It weighs about the same as the original post but is lightly scored to prevent slippage. During the ride I got to talking to a fellow rider named $Bill who had experienced the same slippage problem with his seat post. He recommended the Thompson solution and has been happy with the fix. Tomorrow I'll be testing it with a little longer ride where I can burn a few more calories.

Back to Double Bagging and a Fast Ride

I've had my new bike for a few days now and have taken 9 rides so far for about 450 total miles. I'm continuing to wonder whether my new bike is faster, sleeker, quicker and generally a better ride than my old bike. I've have a few tune up problems to contend with but nothing serious. First, my seat post has slipped down a few times causing my leg extension to be too short. The slippage has been about one inch. This doesn't sound like much but when this happens it causes one to put more pressure on the knees and the thighs. Your knees get to hurt and your thighs start to burn. This is not good and you notice it after a few hours. It's definitely more fatiguing when the seat post is too low. I took the bike in on Saturday and they adjusted the post. Because the seat post is a composite (light weight and slippery) they needed to add a special lubricant with some grit to prevent the post from slipping down. Just to be sure I moved the back reflector down to sort of act like an extra stop. Also because of the composite post, one has to be careful of the amount of torque you put on the screw which clamps it...in my case 5 foot-pounds. Another thing I've noticed is that the right toe of my left shoe is sometimes rubbing against the crank arm. I need to adjust the toe clip a little to the left and things should be O.K. Finally, my saddle is a little narrower than my Sequoia saddle and I've noticed a little rubbing and soreness on my right bum. Almost a saddle sore. I've doctored the spot with bag balm and have double bagged my bottom to prevent it from getting any worse. By double bagging I mean I am wearing a pair of biking shorts under my biking bibs. This seems to work for now as my last ride with the Thursday pickup group was a personal best for a group ride traveling at 19.4 mph for 64.3 miles. Here's a link to the Garmin site and the ride. You can click on the Player in the upper right and it will replay the ride for you.

Thursday Starkey Park/Trouble Creek Ride

How I Lost 7.5 Pounds Overnight

Today is Sunday, August 16th, 2009 and I just got back from the Sunday Suncoast pickup ride that starts at A-19 and Curlew. Due to the wind from tropical storm Claudette we decided to do the Starbucks route over to Safety Harbor and Oldsmar and back, about 43 miles for me. We usually go out to Honeymoon Island and back at the start of the ride but left that part out since there a was pretty good 20 wind from the east. We'd be heading into the wind over to Safety Harbor and have a tail wind hopefully on the way back. Here's a link to the ride map and statistics: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/11309796 . It was a great ride and somewhat easier than previous Starbucks rides. My average heart rate was 121 which is about 4-5 beats per minutes less than usual. How did I do this? I lost 7.5 pounds overnight and it was really pretty easy. See I just acquired a new bike. It's a 2006 Specialized S-Works Roubaix (see the picture). And the new bike weighs 7.5 pounds less than my trusty but weighty Specialized Sequoia. So, I'd been looking for a way to lose 10 pounds and I'm almost there, only 2.5 pounds left. I found my new bike on sale at Chainwheel Drive. It's a 2006 model that for some reason they couldn't sell. I got it at about 50% off retail so I'm very happy. I'll keep my Sequoia as a rainy day bike and for any visitors who like to ride. I'm also going to ship my Seattle bike (that Brett used) back home for visitors to ride. Now I just need to find out how to lose that other 2.5 pounds.

Good Barbecue at Slows in Detroit

Margie and I took last week off and traveled to Detroit on Friday to attend the wedding of Tom and Joyce Alderson's daughter Courtney. We traveled with Tom and Jean Freeman and enjoyed several days and nights eating our way through Detroit and the surrounding countryside. I gained about 10 pounds so I have to relate how it happened and what my first ride was like after our return to Clearwater. Our first stop after we landed was in Ann Harbor where we enjoyed some tasty corned beef and pastrami sandwiches and excellent service at Zingerman's. A little pricey but very good. Zingerman's is just off the University of Michigan's campus and it brought back memories of playing at the "big house" some 40 years ago. Friday evening we attended the rehearsal dinner at Kruse & Muer in Rochester Hills north of Detroit. This is a very nice establishment in downtown Rochester Hills. The drinks and the appetizers were good, especially the lightly breaded calamari which was delicious as it melted in your mouth. I had the white fish for dinner as it is a Michigan favorite and I thought I'd give it a try. It was a little dry and without taste but apparently that's the way it's prepared in Michigan. Just add tarter sauce, I guess. The highlight was the blueberry cobbler with fresh Michigan blueberries which kept their shape and combined just the right amount of sweetness and tartness. Saturday morning we ventured out to breakfast at the Flytrap Restaurant in Ferndale, Michigan. I had the uncommon red hash made with beets as well as the regular stuff, eggs, potatoes and corned beef. Um good. We were disappointed, however, that the waffle maker was broken. Next we traveled down the road a bit to Royal Oak where we had an early beer at the Royal Oak Brewery in their Beer Garden. Royal Oak looks a lot like Gainesville, FL. and has a young college atmosphere. Up the road we found another place to have a drink and of course some food. The Rochester Mills Brewery. We thought the beers were somewhat flat at this location as they didn't seem to have much effervescence. After the wedding we spent a day traveling in and around Detroit. The first stop was Hitsville in Detroit, the small home of Motown Records for ten years between 1962 and 1972. It's just a small home with a garage that was turned into a studio. They put on a great walking tour of the place where Berry Gordy started Motown and studio A where all the music was made. Quite a good tour for $10. We all enjoyed it. If you have a chance, their is a great DVD out "Standing in the Shadows of MoTown", which documents the saga of the Funk Brother's studio band which played on more #1 records than the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley combined. Next we headed to Slows Barbecue we had some good ribs, pulled pork, chicken and beef brisket. We also had sides of macaroni and cheese, corn bread, and green beans. The brisket was especially good, while the pulled pork was a little too crispy for my liking but I did eat it all. On to a walking tour of downtown Detroit, the GM Renaissance Center, and Cheli's Bar next to Comerica Park where the Detroit Tigers play. The stadium was very impressive as it is lined all around by huge carved stone tigers. I would avoid Cheli's next time, however, as the waitresses were a bit unfriendly. We did discover a great Michigan beer at this place, it's called Oberon, a taste of citrus and very refreshing. Next we did a driving tour of one of the nicer parts of Detroit called Grosse Pointe. We stopped at the Beach Grille on the lake and had some hors d'oeuvres and girlie drinks ( I wanted an umbrella but never got one) prior to heading to a local bar in Rochester Hills where we had the Monday special; a burger, beer and fries for $4.99 (burp). This was definitely the best value of the trip. Oh, and just to finish the evening off we went back to Alderson's and had some left over but yummy wedding cake for dessert. Tuesday we headed home but not before having breakfast at Toast in Ferndale. We stopped at the Flytrap first to check if the waffle iron was fixed. To our surprise, it wasn't so we headed a few doors down to the Toast. Margie and I had a regular breakfast of toast, eggs and sausage. Tom Freeman had the best breakfast, a Grand Marne waffle. We arrived early at the airport in Detroit and had time for a few beers and bratwurst before boarding our flight back to Clearwater. It was near dinner time when we arrived in Clearwater so we stopped at one of our favorite pizza places, Anthony's and finished our trip with fire roasted wings and pizza. Luckily, on Wednesday I had a couple of appointments so I did not ride. I probably would have popped my tires anyway with the extra Detroit weight. Thursday morning I was afraid to weigh in before starting my ride and I really didn't feel like riding but knew I had to get it over with. I headed south to do a Six Bridges ride, over the Clearwater Pass, Sand Key and Belleair Causeway and return. This would allow me to test my legs over some Florida mini-hills since my return from RedSpoke. I knew the bridges wouldn't be as tough as any of the RedSpoke climbs so I gritted my teeth and pulled myself up and over each of the bridges actually standing and pumping most of the way. I got my heart rate to 160 or so before dropping down to peddle from the saddle. Not bad, but by the time I got home I was pretty spent and my legs were sore. I finished the 38 miles in 2 hrs 24 min. After a dip in the pool I crashed on the couch for a couple hours (some people call this a nap). It's a few days later now and I'm feeling better as I have ridden the Six Bridges three more times and my time is down to 2 hrs and 10 min. I actually made it up the first bridge at almost 14 mph compared to my usual 6 mph. I have taken off 5-6 of the Detroit pounds so I have a little more Slows barbecue and Alderson wedding cake to go but I think RedSpoke has made me a stronger climber so I'm happy for now.

Why I Suck on Steep Climbs

Brett found this article on the web somewhere. It basically explains why I suck on climbs of 6% or more and offers some advice on how to get better. Here it is:

Why Do Only Steep Climbs Defeat Me?

Q: I'm a strong climber with good endurance on long, gradual hills, even at the end of long rides. But as the climb steepens to 6% or more, I fall apart, especially if I stand. How come, and how can I get better? -- Mel S.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: You didn't mention your size, but from the nature of your problem I'll assume you are relatively large guy.

Size is important because climbing always depends on power-to-weight (PTW) ratio. If another rider puts out more watts per kilogram of body weight than you do, he'll climb steep hills faster even if you generate more power in an absolute sense.

Example: A 90-kg (198-lb.) rider who can produce 360 watts for 20 minutes has a PTW ratio of 4.0. A guy who's 70 kg (154 lb.) and produces 300 watts for 20 minutes has a ratio of 4.3. He'll climb the steep stuff faster even though he's putting out fewer watts.

But a big, powerful rider will go faster on the flat where gravity isn't an issue. That's why horses like Fabian Cancellara time trial better than lightweight climbers like Carlos Sastre.

As the grade steepens, the advantage of pure power lessens -- and the advantage of a superior PTW ratio increases. So, if you're pretty big and typically ride strongly on the flats, this explains why climbs get harder for you as they get steeper.

You mentioned having trouble when you stand. That's often the case with larger riders because when you get out of the saddle, you have to hold up your body weight as well as push the pedals. The more you weigh, the more of your available power goes to supporting your body.

Now, how can you improve on steeper climbs? Here are 4 fundamentals:

• Lose weight if you carry extra body fat.

• Increase power with well-designed hill interval training as described in my eBook, Climbing for Roadies.

• Get to the front of the group before steep climbs. You'll probably slip back and may even lose contact, but heavier riders can descend faster so you'll have less ground to make up.

• Finally, employ the technique all good climbers know: Suffer!

So, the coach says lose some weight, do more training, get to the front and suffer. I actually did the last two suggestions on RedSpoke so maybe I should try the first two in future climbs. I'm surprised he didn't mention my special technique of switch-backing. Perhaps this isn't legal.

RedSpoke Reflections

It's now Wednesday, July 22nd, 3 days after the RedSpoke ride ended and time to reflect a little on my experience. First, I think the ride was great. The soreness has left my thighs finally, three days after the ride ended. On the way back to Seattle from Loon Lake I was too tired to drive more than 40 miles. With the warm car, sun in my eyes and tired body I found myself nodding off and turned the driving over to Margie. My arms, legs and hands were all swollen from loading up on Gatoraid, Incite, Gui and other high potassium compounds for five days in a row. With the accompanying water retention I gained 6 pounds over five days although I burned over 33,000 calories which is almost 10 pounds. After getting off the plane in Tampa it felt like I was walking on stumps. Thankfully, the weight gain is now gone and I'm feeling more normal. Yes, it was many times more difficult than I thought it would be. The pace was not that difficult for me but the climbs were. The hills and grades were much steeper than I am accustomed. I could stay with Brett, Scott, Deb, Juan, and Ron on anything flat and up to 3% grade. Beyond that I was droppped like a hot potato. I have much more respect for the people who climb hills and especially for big people that climb hills. There was a rider named Mongo (I don't know his real name) who was 6' 6" and probably weighed 360 or more. I have the utmost respect for him.

Support was the Best
The support provided by RedSpoke was the best. From the SAG support team and stops every hour or so to the superb mechanic from R&E everything was top notch. They loaded our bags into the van at the start of each day and unloaded everything for us at the next camping spot. Debbie even put up our tent at Davenport which was extra nice and she isn't even a Rotariat or part of the SAG team. The food was plenty and varied and for the most part delicious. Scott, the mechanic accommodated everyone's request for help as near as I can tell. The first evening in Skykomish I asked him to check out my bike and I told him the strange noises it was making. He pulled the rear wheel off and gave it a spin. In less than two seconds he had diagnosed the problem; a bad rear hub bearing. At first he wasn't sure he could fix it since he did not have the exact replacement parts for my Velocity wheel. Like McGiver would do, he used a hub off an Easton wheel. However, this hub was one millimeter too short causing the bushing to stick out one millimeter too far. That did not stop him. He fashioned a 1 millimeter washer out of a bottle cap to fix the problem and handed me my bike back. Later in the ride he adjusted my front derailleur as I had crossed over some "wake-up" bumps and this had caused me to be unable to hold my big ring. Can't say enough for Scott's support.

Implications for a Ride Across America
The RedSpoke ride has given me much to think about and ideas on how to better plan for a ride across America. I now know that it's not just miles to be considered in determining how far to ride each day. The terrain, weather and support conditions play varying roles in setting mileage goals for each day. Perhaps one way to estimate mileage is to consider and calculate calories burned. I would guess my limit would be about 15,000 for one day with 10,000 being a very good ride and 5,000 being a fairly easy ride for a day. Considering elevation gain, 5000 feet is a pretty good achievement. I know what that feels like now. In Florida, my rides are averaging 40 plus miles and 700 feet elevation gain. On RedSpoke, the average mileage was nearly 70 and the elevation gain averaged 3,600 feet. On both counts RedSpoke was tougher than my daily rides. But the significant difference is five times my normal elevation gain. I'd have to ride 200 miles in Florida to get the same gain. How to carry enough water for a long ride without support is a good question. I'm not sure the RedSpoke could be done (including the Century) without carrying additional water. Perhaps a 100 ounce camelback plus two 24 ounce bottles would work. Another unknown is bike support. If you follow the Adventure Cycling routes that might not be a problem as there are lots of bikers along the way and bike shops too. But on our RedSpoke ride it was nice to have support nearby and every evening to attend to problems that crop up. Ideally, I like to ride with only a credit card and with my own support vehicle. Getting a nice shower every evening would be great. There is a web site at www.warmshowers.org that matches cyclists with folks that have offered to provide lodging and warm showers for a night. I'm not sure how it works but if you were traveling unsupported it may be a way to get a good night's sleep and a warm shower. Finally, it would be good to have someone to ride and chat with on a long ride. Although I was dropped numerous times on RedSpoke as we climbed up the hills, there always seemed to be someone at the top or at a turn to help me along and get me back to the others. Finding a rider who rides a similar pace would be perfect as you could help each other maintain a good pace and take turns pulling.

RedSpoke Day Five

Davenport to Spokane

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We spent the prior night at the bowling alley in Davenport where we bowled and had some pizza and beer. When we arrived back at the middle school camp at about 10 p.m. to the sounds of cows mooing nearby. Luckily we were tired from the ride, beer and pizza and fell asleep quickly. Apparently the cows mooed all night as others on the ride said they dreamed of steak burgers. The ride started at 8:30 am which was a nice change. The pace was fast as we left Davenport with a slight tailwind. We averaged 18.5 mph for the first 20 miles. The ride into Spokane was flat to slighly downhill with the exception of one hill at Deep Creek. It's a short but steep climb maybe 6%-8% for 3/4 mile. However, as you approach it it looks like 20%. We stopped at the Expresso stand at Airway Heights. From there it was downhill to the Cemetary where we all gathered prior to riding as a group into Spokane. We rode through Fort George Wright and up "doomsday hill" a 7%-8% grade for 1/2 mile and then through many stop lights to the end at Riverfront Park. The ride was over. 345 miles. 17,832 vertical feet. 14.54 mph average (ride time). Max speed 45.9 mph. Max heart rate 164. Average heart rate 127.6. Average cadence 66. Total calories 33101.

RedSpoke Day Four

Coulee City to Davenport

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This was the toughest ride of the day. Another 5 a.m. breakfast followed by a Century ride (100 miles). Vertical gain was close to 5600 feet and the last 15 miles were into a 30 mph sidewind. There were four of us that made this ride together. Brett, myself, Scott and Juan. Only 10 riders completed the 100 miles.The route was fairly flat at the start as we headed out along the Columbia River with a few small inclines placed in front of us to keep the ride interesting. It was a hot day and we drank plenty of water. We passed by Grand Coulee Dam but didn't take the tour. The trip down to the visitor center would have meant a four mile detour and that wasn't in the plan. The ride out of Electric City was up but not too steep and we kept a good pace through the rolling hills into Wilbur. We caught up with a Tandem along the last few miles and the others drafted it into town at a good clip. I got dropped near the top of the last hill and struggled the last few miles. The hill was only 4% but it was just too long for me to keep up. From Wilbur to Davenport we encountered a downhill grade on the way to Fort Spokane where Brett hit 48.7 mph. For me, it was one scary downhill ride with lots of turns. I hit 45.9mph with my breaks on part of the way. The downhill turned into an uphill at the bottom with a mile or so of 5% to 7% grade. From Fort Spokane we headed up again at 6%-7% for at least 5 miles. The SAG stop was in a small church at the top of the hill. Scott and Brett arrived 30 minutes before myself and Juan. They settled in the basement of the church and chilled out at 68 degrees waiting for us. The last 15 miles were brutal with a sidewind of at least 30 mph. I was toast when we finished.

RedSpoke Day Three

Lincoln Rock to Coulee City

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This morning I awoke at 3 a.m. to the noise of our next door tent neighbor packing up her tent and rustling around getting ready for the day. I got up shortly after 3:30 a.m. and started my day. After breakfast Brett found he had another flat on his rear tire. This time, however, we found a staple which was the culprit. After butchering another tube change the flat was fixed and we were ready to head out. Our ride was flat for 8 miles then 8 miles up the Orondo grade at 6% to 7%. I rediscovered how to change a 6% grade to a 3% grade about a mile into the climb. You can do this by switchbacking up the hill. This really changed my outlook. Suddenly I was moving at 6 mph to 7 mph as I zigzagged up the hill. Traffic was light so I had plenty of room to use the wide shoulder or even both lanes. It was great. I arrived at the top not too long after Brett and the others. After Orondo there was one more significant hill at the bottom of Moses Coulee. This is beautiful country but absolutely in the middle of nowhere. The vastness and emptiness of Moses Coulee is amazing. On the hill up, I used the same switchback technique and felt great going up the 7% to 8% grade. We rolled into Coulee City and it was over 100 degrees. We had silky smooth old fashioned chocolate milkshakes and tasty hamburgers at the Steamboat Cafe and a few beers at the local pub prior to dinner. It was so hot though, I blew out my flipflops on the walk back to camp. We went to bed early and had the best night's sleep of the ride.

RedSpoke Day Two

Skykomish to Lincoln Rock

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Seems that the trains run by about every hour in Skykomish. Our tent was probably 100 feet or more from the track but it seemed like the track went right through our tent. The roar of the deisel was only outdone by the deafening bellow of the four horns as the train said hello to us each hour. Needless to say 5:00 a.m. came very early. Breakfast was tasty and included eggs, sausage and potatoes but I made sure not to eat too much. As we got ready to leave, Brett identified another flat on his rear tire and quickly replaced the tube. The ride up the pass started quickly as we left Skykomish. As the grade approached 6% to 7% I found myself slipping into my granny gear and gutting it out. It was 17 miles to the top so it was going to be a long slog. I wore my summer sleeveless jersy and was quite comfortable most of the way as temperatures were in the 60's. My pace was 5 mph to 6 mph. Brett and a lot of the others were riding up at 8 mph to 10 mph at least at the start. I missed the first alternate route up the pass which was the old Cascade Highway. It had less traffic and was a lot more scenic than straight up Highway 2. I caught the SAG stop half way and did the 2nd alternate route the last 8 miles. Brett was way ahead of everyone and blew by both alternate routes and the SAG stop without stopping. Quite impressive. I think he was at the top at least 45 minutes before everyone else. We reached the top and took pictures (I'll get from Brett and post a few). After a short break we started down the pass toward Leavenworth. It was a great downhill ride although not as steep as our ride up, only 2% to 3% grade. We didn't get up to top speed but probably averaged 35 mph for several miles as we headed down. The ride along the Wentacee River was very scenic with spectactular views of white water heading down the canyon. In Leavenworth we took a break, had something to eat and then headed out. Not a block from the SAG stop Brett had another flat on the rear tire. This was surprising since we'd replaced both tires and tubes on both wheels with new equipment. This time we checked the rim tape and found a small hole that apparently was causing all the flats. We took it to Scott, the mechanic and he replaced the rim tape and we were off. The ride to Lincoln Rock was fast and hot. At Lincoln we had a cold beer and jumped in the Columbia River to cool off before dinner. The dinner was the best of the trip with salmon, chicken and pasta, with ice cream for dessert. We played cards a little and then headed to bed since breakfast was set for 5 a.m.

ResSpoke Day One

Redmond to Skykomish

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RedSpoke started on July 15th. We stayed the night at Debbie and Scott's home prior to the ride. After a fast two mile drop, we arrived at the start in Redmond Towncenter at 7:30 a.m. and registered, got our packets and filled out bag tags for all the camping gear. Brett and I had ten bags altogether. A tent bag, two chairs, two sleeping bags, two sleeping pads, a knapsack and two duffel bags. I definitely took too many clothes, but it didn't rain and we were able to wash and dry our shorts and bibs and jerseys each day. After a nice breakfast we started out right on time at 8:30 a.m. There were 76 riders but we spread out fairly quickly as everyone found their own pace. The first few miles were easy riding as we headed out of Redmond with a police escort toward Duval. Then we started to climb what turned out to be one of the most difficult climbs of the ride. The grade approached 13% in places and it was tough. For sure I had eaten too much at breakfast since my stomach felt queasy. My heart rate climbed to 164 as we neared the top and I tried to keep up. At one point I looked down and saw my speed was 3.5 mph. I didn't think my bike would go that slow. I wasn't last but had been dropped by Brett and Scott and two of Scott's co-workers Ron and Juan who we had met and had been riding with. I finally reached the top and started down the hill into the valley. We all stopped where maintenance crews had created a big ditch blocking the road to Duvall from all but foot or bike traffic. Everyone walked their bikes a few hundred feet and then resumed the ride into the valley toward Monroe. It was fairly flat, lots of farms with the occasional smell of fresh and aged cow manure. We moved quickly to the first of many SAG (Support and Gear) stops at a park in Monroe. The support for this ride was excellent with all kinds of food, snacks, ice, energy bars, water, soft drinks, etc. at every stop. The SAG stops were placed about 1 hour apart which could be 10 to 20 miles given the speed and terrain of the ride. Brett had his first of six flats on his rear tire just outside of Sultan. It was the original tire and tube and something I had been concerned about prior to the ride. The tire had quite a gash the tube was almost glued to the tire. We put a boot on the inside of the tire, yanked out and replaced and refilled the tube. The tube failed as I must have pinched it with the tire levers. Another tube and we headed out. We rode to the Middle School in Skykomish which was located right next to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks, set up camp, took a cold shower, had a nice dinner and were in bed by 9:00 p.m. Breakfast was set for 5:30 a.m. to allow for an early start for the 80 mile ride over Steven's Pass in the morning.

RedSpoke Preparation

Maxwelton Beach

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Our Monday ride, July 13th called for Brett and I to ride to Maxwelton Beach on Whidbey Island. There we would meet up with Margie, Jadyn and Kyla and visit with Dave, BJ, Grandma Bee, Tyler and Megan. We really didn't want to ride in the rain but got a call from Margie that the weather was clear going North. So Brett and I headed out from Kim's house towards the Mukilteo ferry. As it happened the rain got harder and harder as we headed North and really didn't stop until we reached the small white church on Maxwelton Road about a mile or two from Dave and BJs. Although the ride was only 26 miles we had over 1440 ft of vertical. It took us 2 hours and 17 min including the Ferry ride. We enjoyed a welcomed hot tub at the finish with additional wine and crab and other fine food before returning home later in the evening. Although my bike didn't make as much noise on this ride I was still concerned that something was going on with my crank or rear hub. Perhaps I would be able to take it in for a quick check up in the morning.

RedSpoke Preparation

Burke-Gillman Trail

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We put my bike together and adjusted Brett's bike for doing some preparation riding on Sunday and Monday prior to RedSpoke. We'll take Tuesday off and rest our legs prior to the start of the 5 day ride. Since there aren't any hills of significance in Florida I was especially interested in doing some Seattle riding and testing my legs and my new cassette's 11-28 range with my big rings 52-42-30. Kim suggested a ride to the Montlake area where we could pick up the Burke-Gillman Trail. It turned out to be a pleasant but cool day with a little sunshine mixed with some Seattle mist until the last mile or so when we got rained on pretty good. Overall, the Burke-Gillman is quite a nice trail and high in scenic beauty as one rides along Lake Washington. We had fish n' chips at Ivars in Bothell which gave us a nice break. Our pace along the trail was 18-22 mph and we finished with an average speed of 15 mph. Later we learned the speed limit along the trail is only 15 mph. The Burke-Gillman turns into the Sammamish trail near 102nd Ave in Bothell. Unfortunately, the trail is not well marked where this transition takes place and we got a little lost near Canyon Park and turned around. On the way back we missed 175th Street somehow and had to climb up over the hill near Sandpoint (around 85th Street). This route gave us a taste of hill climbing as some parts were as steep as 13% grade. My bike started making strange noises going up these climbs, screaching and clanking at times. My thinking was my crank or rear hub needed some attention. Our ride time was 3 hr 16 min with elevation gain of 2055 ft over 48 plus miles. Everytrail uses total elapsed time so it includes the time at Ivars and stop lights which normally wouldn't be included.

Blogging from my Iphone

I decided not to take my laptop along on the RedSpoke ride and to use
my Iphone instead. So here's a post via email to my blog with a photo
attached. Hopefully I'll be able to send some updates along during the
ride (but not while I'm riding). This is a picture of Margie in
Dublin, Ireland on the way to the start of RedSpoke. I was right behind her on my Specialized when I took this picture (in my dreams).

Good News! Bike Arrives in Seattle

Yesterday I checked the the FedEx tracking site to find out if anything had changed on my AirCaddy delivery. I was surprised to see that my bike had arrived in Seattle on the 9th and was now in Auburn, Wa. It was loaded on the delivery truck at 5 a.m. and the expected delivery was sometime on July 10. Now how to get it picked up. Since my daughter Kim was on vacation she had made arrangements with her neighbor to sign for the bike if it had a delivery while they were gone. Since the AirCaddy form was for a "direct delivery", the bike had to be delivered to Kim's address. FedEx won't deliver next door unless you have and "indirect delivery". I called Kim's neighbor around 8 a.m. and alerted them to the possibility of a Fed Ex delivery and asked if they could possibly intercept the truck and sign for my bike at Kim's home. Unfortunately, I got an update shortly after noon that the delivery was not made. I then resigned myself to a Monday delivery, shed a few tears and went back to watching the Tour d' France. Later that evening Kim called and surprised me with the news that she had arrived home shortly after the FedEx truck had departed (they left a door tag). She called the number on the tag and the truck made a second attempt and delivered the bike in the afternoon. Hurrah!! So it's been 13 days since I last rode. Hope my legs haven't atrophied too much and I haven't gained too much weight from lack of exercise. We leave today at 5 p.m. and arrive in Seattle at 10 p.m. We'll meet Brett in Salt Lake City for the final leg into Seattle. We'll set up the bikes tomorrow and go for a little test ride. I noticed that today's Tour d' France was in the Pyrenees Mountains and they had one climb of about the same grade but a little shorter as the climb up the Columbia gorge we'll be doing in a few days. Should be fun.

The RedSpoke Ride

The RedSpoke ride starts on Wednesday, July 15th. We get to Seattle on Saturday, July 11th. I just checked the FedEx tracking number and it says to expect my bike to be delivered on Monday, July 13th. So Brett and I won't have much time to bike in Seattle. I've packed two extra tires and four tubes in case Brett's bike needs some extra attention before we leave. I'm concerned about the tires mainly. The Bike is a 2005 Specialized Allez Competition Triple. According to the owner it only has 250 miles on it and has been stored inside. We'll oil it up and see how it shifts and check out the tires for any cracks. If it needs new tires and tubes we'll be ready. The only thing we need to buy is a wireless bike computer. Brett is bringing his own pedals and shoes. I'm also bringing two extra insulated water bottles to put on Brett's bike. Apparently, Brett can't get them in L.A. They're nice for keeping your gatoraid cool a little longer. The RedSpoke route starts in Redmond with the first stop in Skykomish. The next day takes us over Steven's Pass and on to Wenatchee. The third day starts with a hard climb out of the Columbia gorge to the central Washington plateau ending in Coulee City. The fourth day has some alternate routes that provide enough miles for a century before stopping in Davenport. The final day takes us to Riverfront Park in Spokane where the official ride finishes. We'll continue on, however, another 30 miles or so to Loon Lake where our ride will end.

Here's a map of the ride:

No Bike to Ride

I loaded up my bike and put my biking shoes, helmet and packing tape into the Aircaddy shipping box and took it to the FedEx office on July 2, 2009. My calculations projected the bike arriving in Seattle on Thursday or Friday July 9th or 10th the following week. However, I just received the projected delivery date from FedEx and it says Monday, July 13th. Wow! So instead of 1-5 business days, it looks like it will take 7 business days. I forgot that July 3rd was a holiday but that's just one day and of course, FedEx doesn't work on Saturday or Sunday. My Aircaddy might take 6 business days to get there. Maybe there's a slight chance that it will arrive on Friday, July 10th. I'll keep checking the tacking status. I'd like to set up the bike on Sunday and ride. Looks like Monday at best and possibly Tuesday if not delivered until late Monday. The RedSpoke starts on Wednesday so I won't have much time to ride in Seattle before the RedSpoke. Without a bike to ride over the 4th of July weekend I had time to go to the Chainwheel Bike sale but except for some supplies for RedSpoke I didn't find a new bike to ride. I did investigate renting a bike and Chainwheel had a 58cm Cannondale with Integra components that looked promising but I was worried the top tube measurement wasn't long enough and the saddle didn't look all that comfortable. I guess I'm getting more picky based on my riding experience but I might also be getting a case of "bike envy". After doing the research on the Craig's list bikes, I've started to dream about getting a second bike, lighter than my Specialized Sequioia and with upgraded components that will take me up the steepest hill with little or no effort. Luckily for now, my dreaming is just dreaming. Maybe someday I'll treat myself if I find the right bike at the right price. The holidays and weekend are now over and I must start to pack for the ride. I have a list of 50 separate items to take with me. I'll take one bag with just bike gear. The RedSpoke newsletter says they prefer smaller bags for handing purposes so I need to check around here for a small duffle bag or go to Target to get one.

It's Raining in Florida and No Bikes in Seattle

Usually rains on the west coast of Florida come in the afternoon about 5 pm just as you head home from work. The torrential downpours stop in about an hour and everything cools down, the skies clear and the next morning is bright and sunny. Well the last few days have been upside down. It's raining in the morning, afternoon and at night. We've had some big storms come off the Gulf of Mexico and are getting the rain we never got January thru May. So, needless to say I have had a couple days off. I got my shifter cable fixed on Monday for $20. I guess these cables can snap like mine did after extended use. They're fine until they snap. I think I will replace them as a maintenance item after the next 15,000 miles. I also have spent time trying to find a bike for Brett to ride in the RedSpoke ride coming up. We thought we would just rent a bike but I found not too many rentals available in Seattle. Not REI, not Greg's Cycles, not Redmond Cycle. Found Mountlake Cycle had two bikes that might work but they wanted over $300 for the week. So I checked Craig's List and found a few bikes that might work. I sent emails out asking if they would consider renting. I got some nice replies about being creative but it seems the market for used road bikes in Seattle is quite healthy as all responded they had sold their bikes already or weren't interested. So I changed the approach and offered a little less than full price for the next few bikes I found. I got replies that the bikes were already sold. So next I started offering full price on some very nice Specialized road bikes that were almost new or lightly used. I finally found one person in West Seattle that responded positively. I'm hoping my daughter Kim will be able to pick up the bike today and store it at her home until Brett and I arrive in Seattle. The plan right now is for Brett to ride the bike in RedSpoke and then I'll sell it on Craig's list for hopefully no less than my purchase price. So the cost of having a very nice bike to ride in RedSpoke for Brett will be close to zero. Hope it works.

My 24-Speed Became a 3-Speed

The Sunday "show-n-go" 40 mile ride south to Belleair Beach then across the new Belleair Causeway was pretty uneventful until the last 3 miles. I noticed that my rear cassette shifting had become more difficult as we neared the last downhill (for Florida) piece of the ride. It seemed that the bike wouldn't hold whatever gear I tried to shift to. Then a big pop and all of a sudden the front cable connected to my Shimano rear cassette shifter disconnected from the shifter and was waving around like a loose piece of overcooked spaghetti. I have 8 gears in the back and 3 up front. So normally, I have 24 gears to choose from. Now the chain was stuck on the next to smallest gear in the back. My 24 speeds were down to 3 speeds. With the gears I had left I could choose to ride at 15, 21 or 35 miles per hour at a cadence of 70-80 RPM on the peddles. So much for my tune-up on Thursday. I'm not sure whether this cable has been replaced yet or not over the 17,500 miles that my bike has on it. Since it's Sunday I'll have to wait till Monday morning to take it in. I am glad, however, that this happened now and not on the RedSpoke ride where riding with only 3 gears would be much more difficult. In case you were wondering, my right shin is still swollen and red due to the mad bee or wasp that stung me yesterday. The Australian Bum cream has helped to control the itching but not the swelling.

Beach Ride, Tune-up and Stung By a Bee

On Thursday I took a "Beach" ride of about 42 miles across the bridges and down to Walsingham and back. On the return I chased after a cyclist about 1/2 mile ahead and finally caught and went ahead of him just before the Sand Key bridge. Of course by then my legs were spent and I'm not that fast up the bridges either, so he went by me as we went up the bridge. Unfortunately for him he caught the light as we descended into Clearwater Beach. At the light I asked him where he was headed and he said he was on the way home to Island Estates not too far down the road. He said he rides regularly South to Treasure Island and back about 40 miles. As we headed toward the Clearwater Pass bridge he took a left into Island Estates and I continued the regular route home. Friday turned into a "rain day". I had the day off and took my bike in to get it tuned up and cleaned. They do a real nice job at Chainwheel Drive in Palm Harbor. Cost for a tune-up and new chain was $107. 63. I try to take it in at least every 1500 to 2000 miles. They lube everything that needs it, check and replace cables and brakes if needed, adjust the derallieur for shifting and dip the bike in a solvent that takes all the grim and grease off. The bike looks like new when you pick it up. It's important to replace the chain at least every 2000 miles to prevent it from wearing down your front chainring or rear cassette. The cost of a new chain is $15 for me but can be up to $40 for some chains. It's still less expensive than a new chainring or cassette which run about $50 each. On Saturday, my daughter Michelle and I got up and out of the house at 7:30 a.m. and headed for the Suncoast Saturday ride. Michelle rented a bike from Chainwheel for a few days. We made it to the Chainwheel parking lot where the ride begins before a downpour hit. Due to the rain, they cancelled the Suncoast ride, but Michelle and I waited a bit (about 30 minutes) and the rain subsided. We did the Belleair Beach ride (about 42 miles) out through downtown Clearwater and over the two bridges to the Belleair Causeway where we turned around and headed home. As we started back, a very angry bee hit my right shin and planted his stinger about an inch into my leg. Ouch! When we got back the shin was still sore and swollen. I'm going to try the Australian Bum cream on it and report back on the results.

The Australian Bum Cream Has Arrived

Yeah!! The Australian Bum Cream has arrived. It came in a nice little package from New Zealand about 4 inches square with a customs declaration pasted on one side. It cost $38.75 for 200 grams. This is about 6 times the cost of Bag Balm so it better be good. Unfortunately, the saddle sore I had is gone so I'll have to wait to try it out. The official name of the product is Lucas' Papaw Ointment. It's made from Papaya but the label says it also has a little potassium sorbate added as a preservative. It has a nice smell and given the ingredients I thought it might be edible. I put a little on my finger to taste but it didn't pass the test. I wouldn't recommend it for eating. The label says it's good for burns, boils, chaffings, cracked skin, gravel rash, splinters, open wounds, insect bites and nappy rash. I'm not sure what some of these things are but I hope to add saddle sores at some point. I rode today but it was not a usual ride. I averaged 7.2 miles per hour and covered 5.72 miles in 45 minutes. I was with a very young group of riders; my daughter Michelle, her 20 month old twins (Drew and Abby) and her 5 and 7 year old daughters (Hailey and Hannah). The twins rode along in a bike trailer that Michelle pulled and the girls each peddled their own small bikes. From a technical point of view the pace line was not too well organized and I found it difficult to draft behind the girls at 7 mph. I did enjoy the steady pace though and found the ride not too strenuous after a couple of days off. We started at the Publix at Curlew and Alternate 19 and peddled our way along the Pinellas Trail across at least two bridges to Dunedin. We had a short rest and smoothies at the Time Out Cafe before heading back. It was a good ride and I think we all had fun.

It's Time to Start Packing My Bike

I'm taking today off. My legs and body need a little rest. But I will use today to unpack my Aircaddy shipping container and see what is required to get it ready to ship my bike to Seattle, Washington for the RedSpoke Ride. This is the annual Redmond, Wa. to Spokane, Wa. ride across the state of Washington, a little over 300 miles. I could perhaps rent a bike in Seattle but think I should take my old comfortable and broken in cycle. It's been modified substantially to fit my unique body (XXL) and weight (heavy). The shifters, handlebars, saddle, front chainring, rear cassette and wheels are all upgrades to the original Specialized Sequoia road bike. I'm pretty sure I won't find an off-the-rack rental to fit me like my trusted Sequoia. So a few weeks ago I ordered an Aircaddy box to ship my bike to Seattle. You can find their web sit at www.shipbikes.com. The system consists of a double corrugated cardboard box that is triangular in shape and designed to be safe, simple and less costly than other methods. The box costs $99.95 and basically you just have to take the front wheel off, the saddle off and turn the handlebars down in order to get your bike ready to ship. They have an arrangement with Federal Express to ship your bike in the Aircaddy for as little as $58.00 with delivery in 1 to 5 business days. Seattle from Clearwater, however, will cost me about $100 each way door to door (from my door to Kim's door). I'm impressed by the box. Its triangular design is supposed to withstand a force of up to 3500 pounds and it's fairly simple to set up. The box is designed to be used 5 to 6 times, then you can order a replacement box for $39.95. If you want to ship via the airlines they have a set of wheels available for an additional $59.95. The cost via Delta would be $150 each way (ouch!). So I think I am ready to ship and the day off felt good.

A Sunday Show-n-go Ride

Today is Sunday, Father's Day and the day for the usual show-n-go ride that starts at the Publix parking lot at Curlew and Alternate 19 in Clearwater. It's not an official Suncoast Club ride but many of the same people participate in the ride. Ages are normally from 25-65 with both men and women showing up and usually a few couples who may ride their own bikes or share a tandem. There is no set pace for this ride and generally it's a little less structured and more of a casual ride than Club sponsored events. Where we cycle to is usually decided by those in the parking lot the day of the ride. We had about 20 people today and divided into two groups. One a little slower than the others. The slower group took off first and and with a short cut of maybe two miles it gave them enough of a head start that the faster group would probably catch them near the rest stop about 25 miles down the road. I road with the faster group but the pace was more relaxed and comfortable as many were still recovering from yesterday's very hot ride. As it turned out, we never caught slower group. They were at the rest stop 5-10 minutes before us. The ride was a modified "Beaches" ride 42 miles south across the Clearwater Pass and Sand Key bridges then west across the new Bellaire Causeway bridge before turning north and heading home. Today I made sure to carry a full 100 ounces of fluid with me and even added some chipped ice to my water bottles and camelback at the Publix rest stop. I joined the slower group on the way back but I must admit they weren't that much slower than the other group. It was a hot ride but a nice breeze out of the northwest provided some relief to the heat. My legs were thanking me for taking it a little bit easy on them today as I pulled into our driveway to finish the ride.

Group Riding in Hot Weather

I rode today with the Suncoast Cycling Club. This was the Trinity Ride, about 52 miles. The weather was hot and muggy with temperatures was in the 90s with high humidity. The wind was dead still when we started but finished blowing slightly out of the west. I think today was the hottest ride I've ever been on. The last few miles were like being in a moving sauna. Suncoast is one of the largest clubs in Florida and I'm thinking one of the best. I'm not really a joiner type of a person but Margie encouraged me for some time to join a local cycling club, I guess thinking that riding solo all the time wouldn't be much fun for me. She's always looking out for me, you know. For me, I think I was more concerned about being able to keep up with the others and didn't want to be embarrassed. At that point I was riding 20 to 30 miles a ride with an occasional longer ride thrown in. I think at some point I decided to try it and went up to the Chainwheel Drive parking lot on US 19 one Saturday morning to see what group riding was all about. What I found was something I really enjoyed. Club riding is a great way to get in more miles and experience riding in a group which is usually at a faster pace than you could do individually. As it turns out, the rides are subdivided into smaller groups based on expected sustained pace. Each person decides which group they want to ride with. There's a training ride for those who want to do intervals, i.e., riding balls out for 5 minutes then slowing to bring the heart rate down for a while, then doing it this over and over for the length of the ride. This ride is for the young and adventurous, with speeds up to 30 mph. I don't go out with this group. Next is the "A" ride. This ride maintains a pace of 24-26 mph. Next is "B-Plus"; they ride at 22-24 mph. "B-tween" is next , the pace is 20-22 mph. "B" is next at 18-20. "B-hind" follows at 16-18. And finally a recreational "C" ride at 16 and below. With about 100-120 riders each Saturday, you usually end up with 15-20 riders in each group. That's a good size for group riding and keeps it much safer than a bigger group would be. I've riden with all the groups from "A" through "B" and today rode with the "B-tween" riders. When Saturday arrives, you judge how you feel and what pace you want to ride at, look at what some of the other riders you have cycled with are doing then go out and ride. When I rode with the "A" riders, the ride was "very intense". When you go out on a group ride you normally take your turn "pulling", that is leading the group at some point. Depending on wind and hill conditions, you might "pull" for a few seconds to two to five minutes before peeling off to the left while the other riders pass you on the right. When you "pull" you are expending 20%-30% more energy than those drafting behind you. When the last rider in the group passes you, you pull in behind and draft, waiting your turn for your next "pull". With the "A" group, I only pulled once and the rest of time just hung on for dear life. I'm sure I was outside my heart range for the entire ride and when I got home I was exhausted and hit the couch for a long nap in the afternoon. I did it but the ride was not a good ride. Today's ride was good. I took a turn pulling three or four times and I was tired but not exhausted. Better yet my saddle sore seems to have vanished. I want to thank Bag Balm and my 148 cm saddle. Maybe the "sauna" weather is helping too.

How Much Water Should You Drink

Just finished a nice 51 mile beach ride in the heat. Yesterday the temperature in Clearwater set a record 96 degrees with the heat index in the 100s. When it's that hot your body sweats a lot to try to keep itself cool. That sweat depletes your body of water and if you don't replenish it you could be headed toward heat stroke and a bad cycling experience. If you ever find yourself getting the chills when it's a 100 degrees out, it's a good sign you need to hydrate. For cyclists the key is to drink before you're thirsty, eat before you're hungry, and rest before you're exhausted. If you wait too long on any of these you'll probably "bonk" on your ride. Bonking is fatigue, i.e., exhaustion caused by muscle glycogen depletion. So how much fluid do you need per hour? Here's a simple way to figure it out. I'll use my fluid intake today to give you an example. Before I left home I drank two 12 ounce glasses of water. I filled my camelback with 40 ounces of Gatoraid (Go Gators) and 20 ounces of water, total of 60 ounces. The Gatoraid is better than all water since Gatoraid helps to extend internal muscle glycogen stores (to help you not "bonk"). On the way back, I stopped at the 43 mile mark at the Time Out Cafe in Dunedin and treated myself to a 16 ounce berry, banana smoothie (um, good). I finished the camelback a couple miles before home. So, in total I drank 100 ounces on the ride. I weighed myself when I got home and weighed 10 pounds less than when I started. Since 16 ounces water weighs one pound, I lost the equivalent of 160 ounces of water. So the total fluid for the ride was 260 ounces. The ride took about three hours so 260/3 = 86.7 ounces per hour. That's what I should figure consuming on a long hot ride. Since I can carry only 100 ounces on my bike, it looks like I might have to tow a small water truck behind me for longer rides. The bum is feeling better and I'm still waiting for the Australian Bum Cream!

The Day the Music Died

Ok. I'm not referring the crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, or Don McLean's American Pie lyrics that memorialize the threesome. What I'm referring to is Pandora on my Iphone. When I'm cycling solo I like to listen to tunes. The music seems to relieve the cares of the day and helps to pass the time on rides that can otherwise be a little monotonous. I used to use an itty bitty Apple Ipod which was fine but I went thru two or more as they seemed to get wet with sweat or rain and would just stop working. When I got my Iphone, Brett turned me on to the Pandora app. It's pretty cool. Just pick the type of music you want to listen to and it's streamed continuously to your little ibuds through the Iphone. Well, today it stopped. I was going through Tarpon Springs on my Bag Balm ride when the music died. I tried to get it going again but was unsuccessful. I had to finish the 50 mile ride without music, just the sound of wind rushing through my helmut earholes. Oh well! The ride wasn't a total loss, however, as I was able to find a feed store in my area that carries Bag Balm, the ‎Circle G Ranch & Pet Supplies store in New Port Richey. I also saw some fly repellant that looked interesting but didn't buy any. The bum is still a little warm today. I'm waiting for the Australian Bum Cream to arrive.

Beaches Ride With a Sore Bum

Took off this a.m. for a ride south along the Pinellas County beaches. Still feel just a little soreness and discomfort in the posterior but the pain seems to be dissipating. Did not put on the Reskin patch and noticed little change so I'm thinking that it did not help much. Perhaps it works better on sore feet. The ride going south had a little tail wind and therefore a little headwind on the way back. Just about 40 miles but you get four bridges to ride over. Actually, there are only two bridges but you get to ride over going south and ride over again going north on the way back. I picked up a rider on the way out after the Sand Key bridge. I passed him and he pulled in behind me for about five miles doing 21-22. Due to the wind on the way back it was a little slower for the most part but it turned into a slight tail wind going over the Clearwater Pass bridge which I appreciated. I'm gearing down to my granny gear over these bridges in order to keep my heart rate in the proper range. They are both about 6% grade for maybe 1/2 mile. I got beeped by my Garmin 705 only twice on the ride so I did o.k. The bum is feeling better after a jump in the pool and a shower. Not sure I even need some bag balm now. I'd like to try the Australian bum cream. Hope to get it soon.

Cycling 44 Miles With a Saddle Sore

Took a quick 44 mile bike ride this morning to test out the Reskin patch and the Bag Balm treatment. It was a nice ride up to Trouble Creek which is close to New Port Richey, Florida. I cycled down to the Pinellas Trail checked the wind direction and headed North since the wind was a little bit from the West Northwest. I like to ride into the wind on the way up and get a little tail on the way back (that's tail wind). Not much traffic on the way up and didn't see any unusal wildlife. Yesterday, I saw a sea otter just off the road trying to get back to the marshy waterway about 4 miles from the turn-around. I picked up the pace a little on the way back as I saw another cyclist about two minutes ahead of me rounding the first turn as you head back. I thought I might be able to catch him but was surprised when I rounded that first turn and couldn't see him in front of me. I picked up the pace to 20-23 mph to close in on him. I caught him as we entered Tarpon Springs. It took me 10 miles. My Garmin Edge 705 sent out heart rate warnings at least three separate times as I exceeded my target heart range by a few beats per minute. Got home and just felt a little warm on the bum but nothing serious. Not sure if the Reskin patch stayed in place or helped. Perhaps I'll go without tomorrow. I think I might need that Australian Bum Cream!

Have You Tried Australian Bum Cream?

Maybe not. But this special cream from Australia may be the remedy for saddle sores that everyone is looking for. My wife, Margie has been in a discussion with a lady that had first hand knowledge of a special cream from Australia that is touted to be better than Bag Balm. Now that would be quite something, but she says that as good as Bag Balm is, this special cream is better. I have an order in for some. You can't get it locally or even in the USA. I ordered mine from New Zealand. It's a little expensive but my bum is worth a lot, at least to me. After I receive it, I'll let everyone know the results I get and what I think of the product. I can't wait!

A Saddle Sore Cure?

I'm back from my 40 mile ride and have good news to report. Although the bum was tender going out, the pain seemed to subside quite a bit the further I rode. I'm not sure why, but maybe the wider base of the 148 cm saddle had something to do with it. More like riding on a tractor saddle with a lot more support. More weight per square inch supported by this saddle than the narrower one. I'll keep using the new saddle configuration for the time being. As for the Reskin pads, I'm not sure. They could have helped But I don't know. They are sort of like an oversized stretchy bandaid. When I got back from the ride I threw everything in the wash. When the cycle was done, I took everything out to air dry. The Reskin pad went through the wash too and I think there is still some sticky left on it. Quite frankly, I haven't figured out if the sticky side goes on your bum or on the Chamious. PerhapsI'll try it on my bum next time. For now though, more balm and I'll try it again tomorrow.

More Saddle Sore Remedies On The Way

OK. So, finding what is not working perversely moves me closer to finding what will work; a cure for saddle sores. I know bag balm helps but it won't cure saddle sores alone. Something else very sinister must be going on. I'd like to try one thing at a time so I know what finally gives some relief but with my 300 mi RedSpoke (see my blog jimsbigride.blogspot.com) ride across the state of Washington coming up, I'm running out of time (and patience). My next step is to replace the 143 cm saddle with a 148 cm saddle and at the same time try the Reskin pads out. I'll take a short 40 mile ride to test the new configuration. The weather is still hot. I'll do without my two 20 oz water bottles but take the 60 oz Camelback with me. I've changed the saddle and got my level out and put my saddle in a 100% level configuration. No uptilt or down tilt, just level. I've taken out one of the Reskin pads and put the sticky side down on my chamious. I lubed up with the balm and headed out. What will I find?

The Heat Is On!

Ouch! Just completed a century ride and the treatment for the saddle sore that I thought was healed did not work as previously thought. It came back like a recylcled girlfriend. I ride many miles a week but after about 60 miles, this century ride was truly a pain in the butt! Forty miles to go and I was struggling to not sit down and at the same time keep up the pace into increasing wind from the north. The weather was very warm (in the 90's) and humid as well. I was carrying a Camelback with extra water and needed to stop almost every 10 miles to rest the old patudy and take some fluid on. I tried all the tricks about standing and adjusting myself on the saddle without much success. I stood up when going uphill and I stood up when going downhill. My arms were even getting tired due to my new riding position trying to the take the weight off where it hurt most. I had planned to do a back-to-back century with a return to home the following day, but drove back instead giving up on my plans. Bag Balm and give it a rest for a day, that's the best treatment for the saddle sore now.

ReSkin Arrives

Just received my package of ReSkin. This is the product made by BioRacer in Europe. You need to order them directly via their website at www.reskin.eu. I received 5 little pads for a cost of 32 euros including shipping. The info on the back of the package says they can be washed and reused but I'm unsure how the stickem would hold up. And unfortunately, the need for ReSkin has vanished due to the success of Bag Balm. I will keep the pads just in case some hot spots develop. They can be cut down to customize to the shape of the sore spot and can be used on the inside of the thigh, on the heal or the ball of the foot also.

The Secret to Curing Saddle Sores

Nothing hurts a cyclist more than a sore spot on the tush. This is especially true if you have been riding 50-100 miles a day for several days in a row. Some have described the pain as something between sitting on a golf ball and someone taking a nice swing with an ice pick to your bottom. It hurts! And every mile you ride hurts a little more. I should know since I have been fighting a bad case for a little while now. I've done some research though and have some secrets to pass along.

1. Make sure the saddle fits your bottom. We all have "sit bones" that should support our weight on the saddle. If the saddle is too big your inner thighs will rub against the saddle and you'll get a great rash and soreness where it hurts most. Most well respected bike shops will help to fit your bottom to the right saddle. It may take a few tries so be patient. The Specialized brand works for me and comes in various widths corresponding to how wide your sit bones are. For the most part try to avoid the cushy gel saddles since these compress over long distances and cause soreness of the bottom after feeling great for the first few miles.

2. Make sure the bike fits your body. If the bike is too big or too small or the saddle is too high or too low you may be a candidate for saddle sores. The reason is that part of your weight is going to be supported by the saddle but not all of your weight. If the saddle is too high your hips may rock back and forth causing friction and a possible fire where you rather not have it. If the saddle is not level you may be finding yourself riding either too far forward or too far back. In either case more friction and/or rubbing will occur than you want. Your local bike shop should be able to fit your bike to your body.

3. Wear the proper biking attire. By this I mean bicycle shorts or bibs that have a smooth chamois. Most of the popular brands such as Trek, Specialized, Pearl Izumi, etc. have seamless pads that provide comfort where you need it most. I'm not so sure about the discount brands so be sure to check out the chamios before you buy. Also do not put underwear between you and your chamios. This defeats the purpose of the smooth chamios and you may find that your underwear has a seam that gives you a wonderful sore spot. Go "commando" and you'll be happier.

4. Lube it up. Most saddle sores start out as small skin abrasions that then get infected. The best way to prevent abrasions is to lube up your inner thighs and soft tissues before you ride. Some of the products that I prefer are Chamios Buttr and Bag Balm. Chamois Buttr will work in most instances but if you already have a problem it might not be enough. Bag Balm is more viscuous and seems to soften and heal sore areas. Try some Bag Balm (originally made for sore cow udders) and you'll be smiling again. I have tried the baby balms like Desiden but found they smell a lot and did not heal the sores like Bag Balm. The only issue is you may have a problem finding Bag Balm at a local pharmacy. It's commonly available at feed stores or tack shops. I ordered mine online. I paid $3.95 for 10 ounces plus shipping.

5. Move around to keep the blood flowing. Once you start riding, don't be a couch potato on your bike saddle. Stand up or adjust your posterior frequently to keep the blood circulating and your bottom happy. Use natural situations to key your moves such as small inclines, stopping at intersections, rough pavement, etc. You'll become a stronger biker and your backside will bless you for it.

6. Keep it clean. After your ride all your bicycle gear goes in the wash. Your shorts, jersey, socks, bandana and gloves all get washed immediately. Take them out after the cycle and let them air dry. They'll be ready in the morning for the next ride. Now for your tush, it goes in the shower right after you start the washing machine. Use soap and water (not alchohol) to get everything clean. Dry and if you wish, use some bag balm on any hot spots. They'll be cooler in the a.m.

7. Other remedies. I have heard that Preparation H might help to deaden the pain but I have not tried this. Also it may be effective to use corn pads or moleskin as a way to get some relief of particularly troublesome spots. You may need to cut these in circles to cover the area in question. Make sure the pads are large enough so they don't curl up and create another irritating spot. I am also investigating a new product made by Bioracer called Reskin which is like a pad that you can wear between your bottom and the chamios. I'll have more details later.

Once you have a saddle sore do your best to keep it clean and medicated. An antibacterial soap might help and also try bag balm as it will keep air from the surface and lubricating the area will reduce the chance of friction inflaming it further.

jimthebiker