Some possibly helpful background: I just got back from a monthlong roadtrip a few days ago, with the
fams, tent and cooler. We went from MI
Quoted message said:NoCal > SoCal > MI. Good fun.
Anyway... We stopped by Boulder, CO, for a day on the way out. It's been a few years since I was
there. Man, that is one town FULL of AMENITIES of a civic aspect. What a great new library they
have! The crystal cathedral, eh?
So I tried to ride my bike an hour a day on this trip. In Boulder I went and did my old Flagstaff
ride, after a great breakfast on the porch of the Chatauqua park lodge-thingy. I lived in Boulder
'86-88, but it's been the FLATLANDS for me for the past 10 years. Darn if I didn't realize that I
had the wrong gear on my bike when it finally came to that ride. I did this ride 3 years ago and had
a way good time at it. This time I could hardly turn the pedals. I had a 42x24 and I think I had a
26 or 28 on there last time. Rats! Well, I did make it to the very top by the mailboxes. I had to
tack, though. What misery! A wrong gear is HELL! Just misery.
I went and met Pete at Vecchio's but he didn't have anything to allieve my pain. He did rant against
all bikes except road bikes ("I hate mountain bikes, tandems and touring bikes. Oh, and recumbents.
Yeah and work bikes, too."😉 He has a great high-end roadbike shop, though! Lots of great vintage
bikes on the walls. No vintage parts, though.
A few days later I was in the SF Bay area and the great guys at Rivendell filed a 28t cog for me to
fit my '82-era Dura Ace freehub. After that every climb was a breeze, basically. --Including the
subsequent Hollywood Hills. Night and day difference.
ANYWAY! I got to the top of Flagstaff. What, is that about a 8 mile climb all told? About a dozen
switchbacks. It's a steepy. If you're ever in Boulder, be sure to do it. And eat at the Flagstaff
House if you can. It looks like it would be worth it. What a view of the city.
SO! After I got to the top, in a state of near heat stroke and wretchedness, I quickly recovered and
turned around and went on back down. I used to be able to go down this mountain and use the brakes
just a couple times.
This time I was a disaster! I have a half tube of glue on each CX-clad wheel but I was a bit nervous
about em anyway. I found that I could hardly brake enough to make it around the corners. I'd try to
brake before the turns, but they were so steep that didn't work. I had to brake hard thru them as
well. I was riding a fine and very lame line between going off the road and skidding. I had to brake
most of the way. So after just a couple miles into it my rims were WAY hot. I ended up stopping 2 or
3 times in a lame attempt to let them cool a bit. I poured my last water on them. The tires were
definitely getting mobile on the rims. Man, my descending just SUCKED. I was just about doing
nose-endo's on some of those corners. It was just ridiculous. Worst ever. Oh well, I suppose if I
had read Jobst's FAQ before this trip and reminded myself how descending works things might've gone
better. But I suppose to be good in the hills one really should just spend some time in them. I
suppose a few more times out on the steep roads would've showed me how to do it all over again.
Going on a ride with some locals might help, too.
Heck, I remember when I was pretty good at Flagstaff, I went up with a local nonracer guy. He just
blew me away going down. I only braked some, but he hardly braked at all. Crazy. I don't know how
they do it.
It's THE DARK ART. And for me it's now LOST.
--
Jeff Potter
****
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