Tuesday

Nothing of much interest happened this morning, really didn't want to continue after the warm-up lap, but I did anyhow! extra long weekend coming up so I can probably catch-up on bed time!

Mount: Blue Peril
Morning commute: 6
Evening commute: 6

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Monday again

A good ride except I almost go run down by a Ga Tech vehicle this morning. My timing must be off or the van's timing was off or something! Reminder to BE CAREFUL! Oh yea the actuial milage is 6 not 5 as measured by the Toyota. Round trip is exactly 12 miles.

Mount: Blue Peril
Morning commute: 6
Evening commute: 6

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Sunday

Raining Dogs and Cats out there, I do Indeed have a hole in the roof caused by the storm last Sunday! It's close to the edge on the North side of the house - no drips inside tho! Back to bed for now...

Morning commute 0
Evening commute 0

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Rest Day

Breakfast with Irwin, Trip to Kroger and the Post Office, Worked on the Trek. I discovered that the cassette is an "E" type 12-28.
Shimano 7-speed Cassette, 12-28 "E"

Morning commute 0
Evening commute 0

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TGIF

I was hard to get going this morning tho by the time I got around to Edgewood I was warmed-up and ready to attack the little rises on the road that I call (with a smile) hills! Brasstown Bald now that's a hill!! I s'pose I'm just not going to get over my affection for climbs anytime soon! Arrived on the patio of ATDC at 6:30AM even remembered my water-bottle!

Morning commute 5
Evening commute 5

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Thursday AM

I took the longer ride described in yesterdays post this morning. I actually got cold while whizzing down Lake Avenue though by the time I reached Edgewood the chill had passed and I was starting to sweat... Which reminds me, the only headband that I can find smells like a wet dog.... only not so good! My legs feel pretty good today despite the workout that the blue bomber is giving them!

I have the parts on order for the Trek. I bought them from some guy on Ebay. Three complete new Shimano hubs, no sprockets but everything else, including the skewers! $9.50 for the lot! Of course there is shipping to pay too...

I remembered my water bottle again!

Morning commute 5.0
Evening commute 4.5

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Wednesday AM

I tried a little longer route today. I went east on Lake Avenue which changes to Austin Avenue proceeding on to Euclid Avenue. Right on Euclid Avenue to Edgewood Avenue. Then west on Edgewood to and thru Five points to Marietta Street. West on Marietta Street to Spring Street. Right on Spring Street to West Peachtree Street. Speed downhill on West Peachtree Street (30 MPH!) to North Avenue. Left On North Avenue to Grant Field. Proceed to Fifth Street and turn left. Whizz past Chandler Field, then the last climb of the day! It’s all down hill (almost) from here to Delaney Street. Turn right on Delaney Street for one last downhill spurt speeding between the Baker Research Building and The Centennial Research Building. Turn left on Tenth Street, one short block (Ha! on the sidewalk) on Tenth Street to Greenfield Street. I have arrived at 430 Tenth Street. Lock my bike to the railing of the old Advanced Technology south building and I’m here in my office in thirty minutes!!!

A nice ride today without incident; I did remember my water bottle!

Morning commute 5.0
Evening commute 5.0

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Tuesday AM

Got an early start this morning, It didn't take as long as I thought to get Ole Blue outfitted. Pumped her tires to 100 PSI, that and getting road tools together is about all it took. The chain needs oiling which I will do today at lunch. Okay ride except for the tall gearing which I am not used to! The initial climb up Waddell Street wasn't fun but after that all was well; even the little climb by Chandler Field. Perhaps I was wrong about those granny gears after all!

Morning distance 4.6
Evening distance 5.0

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Ugh! Monday Again Already

I suppose the honeymoon is over! Had chain problems this morning. Everything was working fine and dandy on Friday. This morning from the get-go it was clunk clunk clunk when coasting. Apparently the freewheel isn't! That and I forgot my water bottle again!!!! RATS! Oh yea the commute was otherwise uneventful except for the chain comming off the front chainwheel as I rode into the parking lot!....

morning distance 4.5
Evening distance 5.0

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Sunday

ODO? morning distance

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Rest Day

No ride today, I'm tired! Rain last night, a rather large limb crashed upon the roof... then slid off. No leaks yet!

Today's Word from A.W.A.D.

Quote Corner: "I intend to live forever - so far so good."
(unknown)

TGIF

Nice easy morning ride, a little tired tho... cut grass with Kyle last night, what a pleasure (really!). Computer on the fritz I have no idea how fast things happened.

ODO ? morning commute 4.7
Reset Computer
ODO 6: evening commute 6.3

Today's Word from A.W.A.D.

Quote Corner:

Thursday AM

Humid and hazy morning in the city. I must be getting tired as the climbs seemed tough today. Dirty air couldn't be helping too much either. Clocked near thirty MPH this morning coming down West Peachtree, in top gear, I cleared all of the traffic signals! Riding thru the bouquet of fresh-cut grass on campus this morning was quite nice. The lawn guys must start at 6AM - in the dark!

ODO 124, Morning Distance 4.69, 11 MPH

Quite Corner
"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes".
Mark Twain

Wed AM

Nice ride this morning. On the road at very close to 6AM the commute took 25 minutes excluding docking time on this end. Took the short route. It's probably best to make up the distance in the afternoon as long as the weather is agreeable.

ODO 114, Morning Distance 4.69, 12 MPH

On Climbing Hills…

The nuts and bolts:
Once upon a time I would climb hills using brut force never going to my lowest gears. I would stand, throw myself on the pedals, and use my arms much like a sculler using both arms and legs. But that was twenty years ago and a lot of muscle has swirled under the dam since then. Nowadays I use the lowest of gears while trying to maintain a comfortable, stainable, cadence. Of course the real test will be when I return to Basstown Bald. The last time I made the climb was eighteen years ago. On that climb I had to dismount twice, at the one mile post and again at the two mile post. It was my last big climb before Chron’s disease really caught up with me. Since then bicycle riding has been difficult to impossible. The disease has taken away a chunk of my active life but I now feel like perhaps I can do it again even if I have to dismount from time to time, so be it. I have moved away from the idea of climbing being a physical test to it being a test of cunning and will. I am for sure older lets see if I am any smarter!

Tuesday AM

Nice and cool and dry when I departed this morning at 5:55 AM. Leaving a tad earlier does make a difference. Less traffic, the city center is much quieter. remembered my water this morning so the ride home will be a lot more pleasent! Altered my route slightly to try to make it an even 5 miles and was almost successful with a the ODO registering 4.89-

ODO 104, Morning Distance 4.89, 11 MPH

Monday's AM Commute

Only a few sprinkles this morning, altogether satisfactory ride even if I did leave my water battle in the fridge. Didn't miss it until my turn onto Spring Street, two miles too late to do anything about it! Sun rise at 7AM it's quite bright outside, the sky sort of dirty blue as usual. First day on "Gulliver" the Trek, the ride was easy however the STI shifting is still iffy! I have made the discovery that you must stop peddling when clicking the lever, works a whole hell of lot better!

First day useing the cyclocomputer too. Ave Speed 12 MPH ODO was 88 miles at start, so I'll use that as the bench mark.
Morning distance: 4.66 m/km

Light Ride Day

Light Ride Day
Distance ridden 6.00 m/km

I adjusted the Trek today, moved things around. STI shifters are accurate tho the throw to down shift is a bit much. It requires taking my hand off the handlebars to get it done. On the other hand up-shifting is relatively effortless easily accomplished with me fingers! All in all I do believe that elegant, simple, down-tube mounted analogue shifters are superior in many ways. Perhaps if I ever refit her I'll use older analogue components. Mean while maybe the digital STI will grow on me. She still needs more tweaking to be perfectly comfortable but Monday morning she'll be on the road at 6AM!

PS: her new name is now Gulliver… I am certain that at the end of her days there will be stories to tell.

Rest Day

This will have to be a rest day. My legs are really tight and I'm tired. Two weeks now and it's getting better all the time. Next week I ride the Trek for the first time! Sure seems like a great bike. Only 5 miles yesterday and none today. Breakfast with Irwin, he is feeling quite chipper these days! Then the weekly Kroger trip hand home to nap.

Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast,--

Macbeth act II

Rain, Rain, Rain

Rain! Rain! and More Rain!
Very wet this morning. Pothole infested streets are just about no fun. Wet-to-the-bone it also slowed me up about 5 minutes. Hopefully it will clear up by tonight. Measured the commute yesterday, inbound route is 4.5 miles. I can increase the mileage with a little loop between ERB and Baker, I did too, in the rain! Same deal going home, there's a loop down to Druid Circle that adds the half-a-mile. Anyway I want to keep the discipline of riding a minimum of 10 miles a day. Perhaps one longer ride on a weekday evening and one long ride on the weekend. Be good to get to 100 miles a week.....