Day 24 I was on the stupid computer all day long, but at least I got my flat fixed.

Day 25 I felt like crap so I didn’t ride.  Not riding made me feel worse, but I was anxiously awaiting a ride for day 26.

Day 26 Morning Stats

Distance: 11.60 miles
Time: 00:45:00
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 58F, cool, overcast, no humidity. Chipmunk index of 3.

Day 26 Morning Ride

Back in the saddle!  Felt wonderful.  That’s all I have to report.

Day 26 Evening Stats

Distance: 11.60 miles
Time: 00:39:55
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: RAINING! Chipmunk index of 0

Day 26 Evening Ride

SETTE Vexx Fuse Riding Glasses

It was a very wet ride, but it really put my new riding glasses to the test and proved their usefulness big time.  My feet were totally soaked – felt like there was water sloshing around in them.  Nasty.

KEEN Commuter Sandals

I can’t wait to purchase some riding sandals from REI.

One nice thing I did during the ride home was to stop and grab a HUGE bundle of clover for the bunnies and strap it onto my lunch bag with bungee cords.  It must have looked funny seeing some dude flying down Rt. 179 with a 8 inch pile of greens and flowers strapped to him.

Morning Stats

Distance: 13.40 miles
Time: 00:40:20
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road

Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 7:30a – 75F, partly cloudy, nice air.

Morning Ride

I was making excellent time.  I had already made it 13.4 miles and I was only 40 minutes into my ride, so yeah, I was haulin’ ass.  In Collinsville, I had to make the decision to take the old bridge and the trail, but that was a lot of up and down and bumpy stuff, so I decided to stay on the road and continue kicking ass … much to my dismay.  About 100 feet past the old bridge on 179 I heard a sharp popping sound.  By the time I was approaching the church acorss from Bridge St., I started feeling resistance from the bike … by the church door I felt the dreaded gachunk gachunk of a flat.

ANGER!

But lesson learned; just yesterday, another competitor in the challenge, River_rider, mentioned getting a flat, and I responded that I’d be sure to get a spare tube and pump and carry it.  Of course, I didn’t, and this is where it got me.

Tonight, I hope to get to the bike shop before 7 so I can grab a new tube and get the bike back on the road tonight or tomorrow morning.  I’m thinking about installing the Slime tyre liners again too, which is contra to the wisdom of the guy who sold me the bike at Bikers Edge 2 in Torrington.  Let’s see who’s right.

Morning Stats

Distance: 5.90 miles
Time: 00:25:00
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 73F, sunny, slightly moist. Chipmunk index of 1.

Morning Ride

I made kind of crap time getting in, but I was riding right after eating a big breakfast of a veggie omelet with feta, 2 pieces of toast and 2 cups of orange juice.  Not exactly your typical pre-performce power-up.  But it was prepared by the lovely Sharry Revillini, a chef of limitless talent and lucky for me, my wife.  I also got up late so I had to keep the ride short. Bummer – I felt like doing the 16 mile ride.

Incidentally, I’m still on the same tank of gas that I had on May 15, and that’s not even the day I filled up … I think I’d filled up like 5 days prior.

WOW!  DAY 20 in the contest!

Evening Stats

Distance: 5.90 miles
Time: 00:35:00
Terrain: Road: Flat
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 5:30p – 75F, sunny, humid. Squipmunk index of 1.

Evening Ride

This evening I didn’t push hard, I just tried to work on technique and let the crank spin freely.  My feet want to point at 45 degrees toward the ground all the time.  This works certain muscles and doesn’t make the most efficient use of each turn, because it puts the most pressure on the downstroke.  Ideally, I should make 75 – 85% of each turn on each side a working motion.  The only time when it’s acceptable to have very little energy is transfered into moving the bike forward is just before it begins the next cycle from the top.  By the way, don’t take my word for science.  I’m just putting into my own words what I think I’ve heard from other cyclists.

Day 20 is done, man.  I hope I can wake early enough tomorrow to ride the whole way to work.  It’s the BAYYYST!

Morning Stats

Distance: 11.60 miles
Time: 00:35:00
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 8:30a – sometimes sunny, sometimes foggy and cool.
Chipmunk index of 7.

Morning Ride

Took a nice easy 11 mile ride to work.  The road seemed to fly under me.  I made really good time getting to work.  I was dripping with sweat when I arrived, but I did not feel very tired.

Evening Stats

Distance: 11.60 miles
Time: 00:40:00
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 8:15p – 68F, dark. Chipmunk index of 0.

Evening Ride

This was my first ride at dusk in a long time.  The sky was beautiful, but the bugs were out in full force.  I ordered some eye-wear that should be arriving in a few days.  It has replaceable lenses that sort of wrap around the eyes, so I hope to avoid getting pelted in the eyes with bugs.

The Stats (2 rides)

Distance: 11.60 miles
Time: 00:38:00
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 74F, humid, foggy.

Distance: 11.60 miles
Time: 00:47:00
Terrain: Road: Rolling
Bike: Specialized Allez Road
Club: 2010 TerraTrike Car-Free Challenge
Weather Conditions: 71F, very humid, foggy.

The Rides

NOTE: I’m recording this a few days after the ride.  Took a ride from Winsted to Canton visited friends, and then headed back.  Not much to report except that it was humid as hell and there were torrential rains while I was visiting.  It was probably good that I didn’t get caught in that.