June 2013
-
Goin’ on a Bike Tour: a Return to Simple
As I write this post, Felkerino is breaking apart and boxing up our Co-Motion Java (more on that burly beast and the S&S Coupler cases in a later post) and we’re packing for our upcoming bike tour out west. Continue reading
-
Friday Coffee Club: Big Bicycling Edition
One of the reasons I love living in Washington, D.C., is because it is a destination city. Every day my path intersects with tourists who are out and about, taking in the sights, and most often blissfully oblivious to my bike bell. Today, as Felkerino and I enjoyed our pre-work morning at Friday Coffee Club… Continue reading
-
Endurance: What the Research Doesn’t Tell You
When mainstream media picks up a thread about the effects of endurance pursuits on health, I usually hear about it. The most recent one I know of was covered in the Wall Street Journal. The article’s focus was “extreme exercisers,” and how they may experience some health benefits from their activities, but likely put their… Continue reading
-
Something Old, Something New… Falling (in Love!) with Off-Road Tandeming
Felkerino’s and my years of randonneuring on tandem together combined with our growing interest in off-road riding made the Hilly Billy Roubaix, a 74-mile ride largely on the unpaved gravel and dirt roads in Monongalia County, West Virginia, an intriguing challenge. With the exception of tires (which Felkerino researched and purchased prior to the event)… Continue reading
-
Hilly Billy Roubaix: the Short Version of our Ultra Cross Race
More than 24 hours after completing the Hilly Billy Roubaix, I am still riding high on the post-event rush. This 70, 72, 75, approximately 74-mile ride, billed as an ultra cross event, was held this Saturday just outside of Morgantown, West Virginia. Felkerino and I rode it on our “lead sled,” i.e., the Cannondale mountain… Continue reading
-
The Gift of Slowness
I seldom experience slowness in the city. I rush around every weekday morning, I try to arrive at my office on time, and I work diligently throughout the day. I make post-work plans to meet up with others at a certain time, and lots of my day is scheduled. The tours and rides Felkerino and… Continue reading
-
Anticipation: a Bike Commuter’s Friend
Do you ever have commutes where you feel like you are in the middle of an urban obstacle course? Dodge this! Veer around that! Watch out for the crazy driver! No one is following the rules! As I rode through the post-work milieu today, a particularly gorgeous early summer day in the city, I realized… Continue reading
-
Bike Plus Jump
I never used to take photos during bike rides, but over time I realized that I like having a tangible memory of a day in the saddle. Nothing can replace the actual experience, but it is nice to have a photo to help recall rides gone by. I’ve developed an affinity for stopping at some… Continue reading
-
From Middletown to Monterey: Two Days, 255 Miles
Felkerino and I have been making the most of our weekend warrior lifestyle with two straight weekends of bike overnights on our Co-Motion tandem. This past weekend we toured with our rando-friends John and Cindy, who also ride a Co-Motion tandem– a 650B Speedster. Isn’t it beautiful? Both days included plenty of climbing and stunning… Continue reading
-
The Camelbak: A Reluctant Brevet and Touring Necessity
I generally like the look of most of my cycling clothing and gear with the exception of a few items such as booties, balaclavas, and the topic of today’s post, my Camelbak. However, much as I dislike the overall aesthetic, you will not see me on a brevet or bike tour without some kind of… Continue reading
-
Bike Parking in the City: Issues and Etiquette
Bike parking in the city can be a tricky business. Many parts of the city (at least the ones I visit in the District) do not have enough racks to accommodate all the bikes of those who want to park in the area. Bikes get crowded onto racks or, if those are not available, we… Continue reading
-
The Weekend Warrior
Like many people in this town, I work in an office environment Monday through Friday. I spend lots of time in front of a computer or sitting in meetings. Lots. For over 40 hours each week, I sit. And sit. And sit. To compensate for my largely sedentary work life I bike commute, pepper in… Continue reading
-
A Peak, a Valley, and a New Ascent: May by the Miles
May turned out to be an exciting month around the edges with a big blah and some good lessons learned in the middle. Numbers-wise, it looked like this: 1 Marathon 91 miles run 0 Brevets 485 miles on the bike 11 trips to the gym for general weightlifting workouts First, a peak: The first weekend… Continue reading
-
Randonneuring: From Doing to Being
I started riding with the D.C. Randonneurs in 2005 when I was invited to participate on a flèche team. At that time, I had never ridden farther than a century and I had no idea what randonneuring was. Despite my ignorance the flèche sounded like an exciting opportunity to test my limits. To prepare for… Continue reading
-
Escape from the City: Weekend Bike Tour to Martinsburg, West Virginia
Felkerino and I took advantage of the recently arrived summer weather and ventured out for a weekend bike tour. We departed the District on Saturday morning and took a circuitous route out to Martinsburg, making sure we plodded a few miles through the Catoctins of Maryland. That was some hilly stuff. Overall, we rode 122… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 