Fall Has Arrived

Yep, that's right, Portland is seeing the changing of seasons. Just when I was really enjoying the sunny, warm weather, which seemed to come so late this year. We have had some rain, more clouds, but at least we still have reasonably warm weather, though I must admit it does feel cool at times.

The changing seasons has been fun to see how the videoing changes. You know, things like wiping the rain from the lens once in a while. I've also been taking my new DSLR around so I can learn all the nuances and controls (the picture above was taken with it). Maybe I'll also have a chance to try out the video mode.

Our Bike Commute Challenge month was a lot of fun! Our work team really was awesome, and looks like everyone had a really good time. I know I enjoyed seeing all the new commuters, getting to meet people at work who I've not really met before. Sometimes, it takes more than just work activity to bring you and your coworkers together! Oh, we ended up with 500.5 trips for 5,314.80 miles for a bike trip rate of 8.3%.

To recognize the team, I put this poster together and placed it in our lobby area at work. The nice thing is that others are seeing what the team has accomplished and are very positive and supportive.

I must be feeling a lack of bike projects as I ebay'd another Bridgestone project bike, a 1992 MB-1, highly prized in Bridgestone circles (Bridgestone's top of the line at the time). Here's the posting picture:

This is the same size as my SUB, 1 year older, and lugged versus welded joints. Weight-wise, the MB-1 should be a bit lighter, will run it on my scale and see where it starts at. Who knows, Evan may get the other bike as an all weather and I will build this up as my new SUB all arounder. Stay tuned.

Enjoy your season change and, who knows, maybe I'll see you out there on the roads.

Wow, 2 Weeks Since Last Post, Really?

I must be rolling along in zombie commuter mode or time has just sped up and the moment I stop to catch my breath it has been about 2 weeks since my last entry. I prefer to think it is the latter, of course.

We (Portland) are starting to dry out and our river levels are a bit lower, at least the Willamette River is low enough that our floating section of the Eastbank Esplanade is re-open. Gee, I really missed riding along this section. Of course, coming up with detours has also been nice for breaking up riding the exact same route day in and day out. Perhaps there is a subtle hint there.

The drier weather has also given me the incentive to bring the road bike (Bridgestone RADAC) out again, and that has been fun. I mean, being 10 pounds lighter, it is sweet riding. I have found, though, the ride feeling is pretty close between my two bikes now and that has me pretty pleased. I can easily go from bike to bike with very little adjusting.

I'm so so with the Power Grips pedals on the SUB. They are nice in that I can ride any shoe and has some level of attachment to the bike. I went with them because I got tired of struggling to adjust the cleats on my Keen shoes, not to mention I was starting to have some minor knee pain. So I took a break and enjoyed infinite adjustment while riding to get my feet in the "right" place on the pedals. I think it is also the fact the pressure is spread across the pedals rather than in the tiny spot where the SPD cleat is attached. The downside is getting my left foot back in from a stop takes more time.

Not to be outdone, the RADAC now sports Time ATAC XS carbon pedals. I have ridden them all thhis week (hahaha 2 days) and so far really like them. The cleats strictly align the fore-aft position on the pedals. Rotational float is handled by the pedals themselves, which is nice. I also like that the shoe actually contacts the sides of the pedals spreading the pressure points across a broader area. I am using my carbon bike shoes so that also means carrying an extra pair of walk around shoes for work. But, since I am not carrying extra rain gear, it is okay.

Tomorrow, I'm testing the pedals on the SUB and see how I like them on that bike. If good, then I'll get another pair of ATAC pedals.

When the clouds really clear out and there is nothing but blue sky, everyone seems to be in such better moods - especially given how grey we have been. I have also been enjoying stopping just before getting to work at the Breakfast on the Bridges (one at the Steel Bridge and one at the Hawthorne Bridge). Last friday was great and everyone was so happy because it was sunny and warm, plus the hosts are always happy and pleasant.

Today, as if to celebrate the official start of summer, a fireboat was out and entertaining everyone with its huge spray from the water guns. Definitely, everyone seems to be in a summery frame of mind. Of course, if it stays mostly nice we will start saying how hot it is or humid or too dry - funny we humans is.

Work commuters have been cool and we pretty much have a full main bike storage room. We even created a bicyclist email group so we could all share our accomplishments and other bike related information with each other. For me, I just use our first overflow area as my primary, saves moving around once I am at work. It is nice to see the new commuters especially since our Bike to Work day event. It's cool.

Change My Attitude - Have a Zen Moment

Okay, following the last venting session it was time to re-focus, reset my attitude about being out there with everyone else trying to soak up as much of the nice weather as we can, because after all, it is Oregon and this year each of those nice days are so darned short-lived. We are all going to be out there and so, let's just focus on the good whys versus on the baddies.

While I enjoyed a nice spot along the Eastbank Esplanade, so did the SUB. Together we focused on the beautiful Spring day, the light breeze, the light and shadow and went to our happy places. Well, at least I like to think the SUB went to her happy place.

For me, I think I just had not adjusted to the shift in season and weather here in Portland. In my significant cycling past, I did more recreational riding, training rides in preparation for those 100-200 mile events, some with a few friends and some solo. Oh sure, you would see others but not in the numbers one sees in Portland today. Then when I started my utilitarian era (actually, don't really like that term, utilitarian) I started smack dab in the middle of winter. I think I done gots spoiled. Quiet roads,, solitary times, I could mostly just ride and focus on being out and not have to watch out so much around me.

As our weather has changed, so has the slow, quiet morning pace. So the season changed, my mind did not. And after I thought about this for a bit, all this change is really a good thing, I mean this truly shows there is life in the city, right?

So, I think my mentalness is catching up with my physicalness and we are adapting to the changes. We all are out there, moving about, doing our outdoor thing, wanting to get somewhere, accomplish something.

Speaking of accomplishing something, this year is the first year our work, which moved to downtown from the suburbs, had a more "official" Bike to Work Week/Day set of activities. We organized a waffle breakfast for bike to work day and held an informational brown bag a few days before. That was pretty cool and I totally loved doing something at work bike related.

We had 22 bike commuters on Friday. While that was about our previous max, we did have quite a few first time bike commuters (not all of our bike commuters are 100% bike commuters). We had the most bikes in our overflow space, 5, so we had quite a few firsts. I was so glad we did have the great weather to help motivate people to give bike commuting a try.

So, I'll drink in those moments of calm, enjoy the blend of city and nature and just have fun doing what I love - riding my bike.

Esplanade Es Crazy - The Price of Sunny Spring Weather

{R.I.P. Wouter Weylandt}

I did not watch any of the Giro D'Italia yesterday, so I was totally unaware of the tragic accident until a coworker friend asked if I had heard. Wow, how sad. After watching the tribute stage I am touched by the support of so, so many people and the closeness of these elite athletes. I reminisce of my past riding days with a close group of friends and the support we had for each other, the support I received - whether riding well or absolutely bonking. No one left behind, friendship first.



This morning was cloudy and cool, my hypersensitivity, again, thought I felt a rain drop or two. Probably because I decided not to wear the rain jacket or pants. Fortunately, I stayed dry and enjoyed a nice ride in. The closer I got to downtown, the more people I saw. I slowed and stopped a few times along the Eastbank Esplanade because I saw the two barges heading down river and eventually saw the Steel Bridge's center span go up - well no sense hurrying just to wait.

Work had some fun moments as I have been helping with our Bike to Work planning for the week of the 16th to 20th. That's been fun, focusing on cycling. The sad news is the waffle breakfast for Bike to Work Day, the 20th, will end just before I get there after riding with Evan in the morning. A few promised to save me some food.

Wow, just like the weather folks said, the afternoon was super clear, sunny and warm. Rather than rushing on home I slowed down and watched and absorbed all the activity going on. Whooosh! Wow, there are certainly people out who don't quite get the concept of sharing - how about slowing down when there are lot's of people walking, biking in the same 5 foot area. That is not say everyone was like that, but, then again, it only takes a few.

I still believe my theory that there are some converted individuals to biking/healthiness that have, unfortunately, brought their "me" world concept from the car world - spreading out across over half the path width, zipping in and out unpredictably, unyielding so they can pass first - sound familiar?

Despite the invasion of the less fun people, I am enjoying seeing many others - like the dad riding with his kids, helping them out, building up their riding skills. Hopefully they are also learning courtesies, as well.

Parting shot. I stopped and enjoyed the view from a bench area, and to also make a slight adjustment to one of my cleats before heading on and away from the esplanade. SUB is lovin' this nice weather, too. We'll soak it all up today - tomorrow we return to the chance of showers type weather.

Ramping Up for National Bike Month

Yep, May is the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Month. In Portland, the big focus is on Bike to Work Week (16-20) and Day (20). It's kinda fun helping at work to promote Bike to Work Day. We'll be having a waffle and fruit breakfast for riders. Sadly, I'll miss it because Friday is my late arrival day. I'll have to take advantage of the more public free eats offerings throughout the week, I guess.

Evan was looking forward to it, as well, until he found out the school is not recording miles. Sad, but he knows his totals and is pretty proud that he has been riding all year, rain or rain, hail, cold wind, we seen it all.

I thought this was an interesting ship name. Made me think, "Yeah, that would be nice, a full spring, hahaha." Well, I was dry today and tomorrow is suppose to be dry, too. After that, back to cool, rain; sigh.

I had a nice encounter on my ride in. Another rider complimented me on my bike, he said he use to have one (I was on the SUB - Bridgestone MB-5). Cool, someone that actually recognized and knew about Bridgestone bicycles.

With more pedestrians and cyclists out I am finding the esplanade more challenging than riding on the roads these days. I think the on and off weather has some effect as people are not getting enough exposure to lot's of different people out. Of course, there are those who would not care anyway. Sometimes, it is like they think everyone else should watch out for them, sound familiar, reminds me of driving - haha.

Lot's of clouds out this afternoon, but I stayed dry, so it is all good. I am liking the skinny tires (Continental SportContact, 26 x 1.3). I think it drops my gearing by maybe a half tooth, will have to ride a bit more to know for sure. Aesthetically the bike looks good with the smaller tires, even more balanced looking than the road bike. The road bike because is it a smallish frame, 51cm, sometimes looks like all tire and wheel.

Hope you all are able to enjoy some of National Bike Month, get some free food and enjoy some of the events happening all around. Now, if the ol' sun would come out for a bit, that would be just, plain, awesome.

Old School = New Bars, Plus New Tires

Have really gotten into the rhythm of commuting now, even in the rainy weather there is no thoughts of if, just what am I going to have to wear or bring. Must be spring as we are having a few more dry days and rides, though we do continue to have those wet days, too.

The sunny mornings, especially, are such a nice treat.

Around the water front there are definitely changes going on, as well. Way more cyclists, artists and meandering people. Huge lines form at the many food carts placed around downtown. Outside of the heads down, no slowing down speedster cyclists and the 3 abreast stroller pushers I really enjoy slowing down along the waterfront area and watching and taking it all in.

The bike room at work was overfull a couple times this week, must be the nice weather. I've been working with our facilities team to locate a secure overflow area. We happened to have a old, unused storage area in our parking garage, so we have a bike rack coming (the one in the picture is no good). To keep my life simple, I've decided to use the overflow as my standard storage location. See, my bike has a nice window view, too.

I decided that riding in the drops of my ergo style handlebars was not working out, so I began a search for some old school drop bars. Ideally, I looked for the same brand and model as my road bike as I know those fit and work well for me. Being the Nitto Model 185 is a product of the late 80's and early 90's, my search was not turning up a lot. There are certainly a many newer models, but I'm stubborn. Finally, I found one online store in Japan that carried a version of the Model 185 in 40cm (many other bars seemed to start at 42cm, which is too wide for me). Done.

Loving the Continental SportContact 1.6" tires so much, I wondered if I could find a narrower set, since Continental's site listed a 1.3" tire. Must be relatively new as when I first bought mine, the 1.6" was the only size available. Well picked up a set of 1.3" tires and put them on. Discovered that not only are these narrower, they are also shorter, so there was a huge, dork gap between my fenders and tires. Fortunately, I still had the full fenders that use to be on Evan's road bike (he wanted me to switch his to RaceBlade fenders).

Well, a few hours of trial fitting, adjusting, making new brackets the SUB  has well fitting fenders to compliment the new skinny tires. Looking forward to some fast riding now.

5 More Miles to 1000 - Euphoric Riding Has Returned

Willamette River, Hawthorne Bridge from Eastbank Esplanade

Even though my morning commute was in the rain, I totally loved being on the bike. Over the weekend, I did a couple of tiny fine-tunes and was anxious to give them a test ride. The rain was somewhat light, so it really did not bother me. I am so thrilled riding the SUB these days. With the recent changes of tires, brake adjustment and all of that, the bike rides so much faster than back when I started my daily commute. I am really amazed and love riding the SUB even more.

I saw one other cyclist out this morning and I rolled up to him at the 50th and Lincoln signal light. He glanced both ways and heading on through the red. In contrast, I sat and waited. I thought about the reasons, I thought about the justifications I have seen from others. I felt perturbed because they do make justifications and have created their "logical" rationales. My perturbedness comes because why don't they just say, "Because I felt like it." I mean, just be honest really, because that is all running a red is, a personal choice.

Oh, and I got the green when the guy was about 3-1/2 blocks up and by the light at 39th I actually caught him and rolled past. I suppose that means he saved 4 blocks worth of time? Not sure. Anyway, like I said, why don't they just say, "because"?


Downtown from the Eastbank Esplanade

The sun came out this afternoon, though the wind was blowing a bit and temps were not super warm. After my picture-taking pace of warming up along the esplanade I picked up the pace up my Clay-Harrsion-Lincoln route. I am starting to feel close to what my old riding memory is - if that even makes any sense. My riding has brought back memories of my long ago riding, the happy comfort, the euphoria of constantly improving my riding skills, the pride of accomplishing a particular riding goal/riding event goal, the happy place of being in control of my riding. I am feeling those feelings again, that's pretty cool.

Still amazed at how many miles we consume just going back and forth to work. Tomorrow, I'll top 1000 miles across 73 commutes and I live only 6 miles from work. If I had not been tracking I would have guessed a lot lower number.

Gotta Love This Sunny Riding - Project SUB Impressions

What a gorgeous day for being on the bike! So much so, I added about 11 miles to my going to work commute by biking to my optometrist's to pick up my new glasses. I believe I am part solar powered as I felt like I was re-energized, like I had a bit more energy. My climb from downtown Portland up Barbur Blvd was so much easier today than it was back in the fall of 2010. Not saying putting nearly 1000 miles in since then did not have an effect, just saying the sun energy absorbed made it even easier.

Riding back down to Portland was icing on the cake. The miles flew by, time melted away, I felt comfortable on the bike. Memories came back of my past live to ride days. Every aspect seemed perfectly in tune, perfectly matched and I just cruised at speed without feeling like I was at my limit.

Apparently many other co-workers felt it was time to get on the bike today. For the first time since we moved in back in December the bike room was overflowed. Rack space holds up to 15 bikes and we had a record 17. Since I was last in, you can see my blue handlebarred bike back against the lockers. We should have an overflow space ready to go by the end of this week.

Project SUB Impressions

Yep, I have decided to call my on-going pursuit of perfection, Project SUB*. I am very pleased with the shift lever location, they are within easy reach and, yet, out of the way of hand positions on my bars. Shifting is smooth and the up and down shifting are nearly intuitive. A few more rides and I should have the shift direction firmly recorded into muscle memory.

The bike feels fast with the new tires (Continental Sport Contact, 26 x 1.6). They are just a little wider than I would like, but their low rolling resistance is making up for that. I seem to notice a bit more road noise from them, but again, a small trade off for the speed.

I am enjoying having this project bike, gives me something to tinker with, to fine-tune that is absent of review panels, proposal reviews and personal judgments like I experience with work and trying to improve things there. Each change has added to my bag of tricks, to my library of information on how to accomplish a challenging fitment issue. Absolute control over design, approach and method.

This project is as much art as it is science and creative engineering. The engineering makes it effective and useful, the art makes it not only aesthetically pleasing, but creatively innovative in some instances. Not to mention I also throw in some environmentally friendly re-use actions.

The project is one of my meditation methods, I think. See, not only physical exercise, but exercise for my mind. Can't go wrong with that, can you? We will see how long I go before making some other change or fine-tune.

(*SUB = Sport Utility Bike)