Great weather

This week has been full of great weather. Sure it was wicked hawt on Tuesday but I made sure to ride really early in the morning and then, since I was stuck at work until 9pm, it was a mild 65 degrees for my ride home. Last night, after getting in from my ride, I overhauled the mtb. Granted there is not much that needs to be overhauled on a hardtail singlespeed but the thing was filthy and creaking worse than an old lady's arthritic hip when we rode on Saturday. I also had a new front wheel built by Brian at JRA Cycles and I wanted to inspect the condition of it after 2 rides.
The 650b experiment seems to be working out great. It fits my Fox Vanilla fork with room to spare and feels just big enough to give me a little extra rolling momentum over the technical stuff without feeling sluggish or challenging to maneuver when it gets really technical. For those that like 26 inch wheels but are on the taller side of the scale (and thus carrying some body mass up higher than average) I'd recommend the 650b wheel option, at least on the front.

With a cold beverage in one hand and some simple green soaked rags in the other I scrubbed the ti frame clean and then moved on to cleaning the parts. I even pulled out the EBB to clean and properly lube it and I moved the bb to the bottom of the shell instead of the top just like Thom recommends. While I wouldn't call the bike spotless, it is a lot cleaner than when I started and it is (seemingly) creak free which is even more important.

The other big motivator for cleaning the Verve is that tonight I've been invited to an exclusive session at some of the best trails in the greater Boston area and I don't want to disappoint the audience with a dirty, noisy machine. I may not keep up, but it won't be due to mechanical issues.

The right way to start the day

I woke up early, had some breakfast, aired up the tires on the "nice weather bike" and then set out on a long route to work. Man, I love spring!

How is your Monday?

Spotted

I tested my homing beacon this morning and it seems to work. I last used it during my cross country trip and it was fun for my family to map out my daily route and report back to me at the end. Although it was annoying when my dad called and tried to give me directions because he thought I took a wrong turn. I just went into town to get some groceries.

Anyway, my wife and I are heading off to Peru tonight and will be hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu early next week. We're also doing some sightseeing in Cuzco and Lima before returning on April 18th. If you have any interest in seeing where we are you can follow this link to the Spot transmitter. Hopefully it works in South America.

My dad is better than your dad

I remember a "reality" show last year called my dad is better than your dad where the fathers and their child competed against one another in athletic and "intellectual" challenges. Being 28 years old I think I am just a bit too old to take part in such a show with my father but last Thursday night confirmed in my mind that my father is truly better than everyone else's.

After spending a week in Providence helping my sister and brother-in-law welcome their second child into the world, he agreed to spend Thursday night helping me pimp out my basement workshop area with high quality lighting and electrical outlets. Those who have visited my basement workshop know I am quite fond of the space. Being a bit of an afterthought when we bought our condo it has been an absolute savior for a guy with too many bikes and a general addiction to "gear." In fact I think the only way I get away with owning so much stuff is because the stuff is out of sight and out of mind most of the time.

So yeah, my basement is an invaluable space but it needed some upgrading, so with the help of my dad we pulled down the old low wattage track lights and installed blindingly bright flourescent lights. We also rewired the lights to function off of wall mounted switches instead of impossible-to-find-in-the-dark pull strings. Not being satisfied with improved lighting and switches, I also mounted a bunch of outlets (previously had 0) in the workshop area so now my entertainment sources for winter trainer sessions and my power tools can have appropriate homes instead of relying on extension cords run throughout the space. I can't help but brag about the improved functionality of my basement now. I am just a couch and fridge away from moving in full time.

Oh, but back to why my dad is better than your dad. After supplying the majority of the knowledge and tools to conquer this job, he's heading back to Connecticut to perform his real job, saving peoples' lives as a physician. How many people do you know that can cure disease during the day and re-wire a basement lighting and electrical system during the evening.

Wednesday Single Speeding

I rode my single speed 'cross bike to work and conned my buddy into transporting my single speed mountain bike to the trail head. 15 mile morning commute, 14 miles of evening riding, 2 different bikes, and no shifting. Add a few post ride beers at the trailhead and you've got a great Wednesday.

Perfectly dialed

Now that my commute is 15 miles each way I've had more of a challenge getting my attire selection correct each morning. Sure in the warm weather it'll be easy but in late winter and early spring it's a daily struggle between freezing and overheating.

Today, I had it dialed. Knickers, toe covers, thin long sleeve jersey and the wind resistent Rapha coat I inherited last June. I'm not very good at riding a leisurely pace to avoid sweating so it was even more rewarding to arrive to work without being frozen to the core or pealing off sweaty base layers. It almost makes the fact that today is Monday seem tolerable.

Charitable Donation

Maybe hanging out with a group of roadies last night was a bad idea. Why do I bother with this yearly donation to u-sucker-cyling? Because I naively think this year will be the year, every year.


UPDATE: Already made use of the license by joining the first Wells Ave crit of the 2009 season. Maybe I'll get my money's worth before cross season starts.

Why do I lie?

Recently I've caught myself lying repeatedly at restaurants. It doesn't matter how bad the food is, I still feel compelled to lie to the staff when they ask me "how is everything?" Why don't I tell the truth. "Actually the chicken is rubbery, the lettuce is rusty, and the beans are burnt." That's what I should have said last night at our company gathering. And I know I'm not alone because as soon as the staff retreated we all talked about the sub-par quality of our meals.

Perhaps this is why Americans are overweight and why big chain restaurants are flooding the landscape. Too many people have become complacent (lazy?) and willing to accept poor quality in the interest of not offending or challenging the establishments we patronize. Too many Americans prefer the safety of a familiar menu or greasy spoon from one town to the next. I don't make a habit of visiting chain restaurants (Subway and burrito joints excluded) when given the choice. I usually find myself at one of these sub-par spots as a result of the desire of others or the result of being in "Anywhere, USA" and not having other options.

The truth is, it is not the waitstaff's fault that the food sucks but they are the faces the customers see. Since I am in the mindset of making changes to my behavior, I am going to change the way I respond to the sub-par food I too often receive. I'm going to be honest and tell them what they don't want to hear. If the cooks never get negative feedback about their food, they are never going to improve, right?