A good ride home



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Ryan Cousineau

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No, I didn't witness a car smashing into a parked car as it tried to pursue me, but I did save some
money on my car insurance!

Today seems to be the official day of cyclists coming out of hibernation. On my ride home I caught
not one but two roadies out for a roll. The first was a gent a bit older than me on a Cunningham
(custom road bike made somewhere locally) who paced me all the way up a long, shallow climb. On one
hand, impressive, because I'm climbing a lot better these days. On the other hand, I was packing a
lunchbox and saddlebag (mostly full of bike tools and clothing) and he was not. We were both happy
to cane each other for a couple km at a painful but not breakaway pace.

Next up, I outran a dump truck from a standing start, by a lot. He never caught me, despite the road
being a nominal 50 km/h four-lane commuter chute with a slight rise for the first few hundred
metres. I think he was still behind me when I got home, a few km later.

The second roadie was a young woman with tri-bars, doing some suffering up a slight grade. She was
probably coming from downtown or something. Having seen her well ahead of me, I cheated a bit by
slightly drafting a bus (bad Ryan...) until I caught her, and kept going. By then my legs were
feeling the effort, so I just stayed ahead of her for a few blocks before I had to turn for home.

My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was. And
then, you know, I saw a cyclist.

Keep in mind I did this work on my deliciously ratty Bianchi, complete with non-matching fork, rack,
and in my dorky orange "commuter jersey" (just a synthetic long-sleeve shirt I bought at the thrift
store). Now I know how it feels to be my old arch-nemesis, Camo-pants guy with the old rigid GT
mountain bike.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Ryan Cousineau <[email protected]> writes:

> My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
> them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was.
> And then, you know, I saw a cyclist.

Last year I took on a guy on a 'bent, on the downgrade on 45th from Boundary Rd. He clobbered me, of
course. My rationalization was, I let him trigger the traffic light detector at Earles for me.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca
 
Ryan Cousineau wrote:

> My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to
> catch them.

You have some Golden Retriever in your ancestry, yes?

EFR Ile de France
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Elisa Francesca Roselli
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>
> > My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to
> > catch them.
>
> You have some Golden Retriever in your ancestry, yes?

All chase, no brains. That's me in a nutshell. My parents have a rottweiler/retriever cross like
that: looks like a rottie, lives to fetch.

I race to teach me humility,

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club
 
> My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
> them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was.
> And then, you know, I saw a cyclist.

I'd be like that if I wasn't so durn slow. I mean, why try to catch someone if you know you
won't succeed?

Austin
--
I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please!
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"AustinMN" <[email protected]> wrote:

> > My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
> > them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was.
> > And then, you know, I saw a cyclist.
>
> I'd be like that if I wasn't so durn slow. I mean, why try to catch someone if you know you won't
> succeed?

Because if you keep trying, one day you will.

Seriously: I started riding to work three years ago, basically because at 27, I figured it was my
last chance to have decent fitness before I entered the Long Decline. I was right. The first time I
rode to work, it took 45 minutes and I thought I would die. I could only do it twice a week.

Today, the same ride is my routine, done at least 4 days a week, it takes about 30 minutes, and it
doesn't hurt much. On top of that, I do long weekend rides every chance I get, and I will race
seriously this year (as opposed to semi-seriously last year, and non-seriously the year before).

Find a hill, and keep riding up it. Within 6 months you'll be faster than most other cyclists. Give
it enough time, and you'll catch almost every roadie you see (hint: don't chase the guys in blue
unis on the Treks).

Just do it,
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club
 
"Ryan Cousineau" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
> them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was.
> And then, you know, I saw a cyclist.

How about racing a bus? That's what I did on Monday. There was a 225 right next to me, just as I was
getting off of the I-90 bike trail and it was getting off of the I-90 itself.

I know I can beat the 225 when I'm racing it from the top of the hill, but we were both at the
bottom. Further, I had planned my "after-dark" route home, that takes me through BCC, and is not
just longer, but hillier than the usual.

The bus had the advantage in its gas motor and its route had a higher speed limit (and it could
travel mostly at that limit). Its disadvantage was that it was a rush hour run, and it would have
more stops and wait longer at them to disgorge passengers.

Me, I had the extra hills, the longer route -- but I didn't have to worry as much about traffic, and
the only stops I needed to make were at lights and stop signs.

The light turned green -- and we were off. Me, grinding my way up the Big Hill; the bus turning left
to make it to the park-and-ride. We would see who made it first to where we'd intersect, at 164th
and Lake Hills Blvd, about five miles away. If I couldn't see the bus ahead of me, or if it was
behind me, I'd declare myself the winner.

I felt confident in my ability to beat it out until I narrowly missed the long light at 148th and
Lake Hills Blvd. I sat there and stewed at the red, waiting and waiting, tapping my toe, imagining
the bus speeding along its designated route far to the east of me.

After the light turned green, I took off, heedless of fallen birch twigs and other minor hazards,
pumping the legs, anticipating the coming Moment of Truth.

As I was approaching 164th I thought, maybe, I could hear a bus motor. Couldn't be sure, and
couldn't see around the bend in the road. I entered the four-way stop at 164th. I looked right.
No bus. Looked left. There was the bus, just having made it through the four-way, working its way
up the hill.

Oh no! I lost! Forlornly I turned up the final hill home, trailing behind the victorious bus.

It was a sad final mile home.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com

Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm

New CD coming out this month! See: http://www.tiferet.net

"To forgive is to set the prisoner free and then discover the prisoner
was you."
 
In article <zIEWb.11007$yE5.56001@attbi_s54>,
"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> writes:
> "Ryan Cousineau" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:rcousine-
> [email protected]...
>
>> My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
>> them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was.
>> And then, you know, I saw a cyclist.
>
> How about racing a bus? That's what I did on Monday.

This all tends to support Eric Sande's contention that it's all a sport.

Jeez, Eric -- you wuz right!

But maybe it's a sport in the same way as, say, bullfighting? One can go through fits & starts
trying to categorize bullfighting as sport or spectacle or drama or dance ...

Oh, well. I'm being too analytical.

cheers, Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD Above address is just a spam midden. I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn
[point] bc [point] ca
 
Some years ago when I got my new Mercian tourer, I was out on a ride when I spotted someone ahead on an old rally shopper, know the one made out of gas pipe with 20" wheels, his crank was bent and hitting the chainstay.

So I approached from behind in stealth mode and went for the break behind me now I could hear the crank Clunk...............Clunk.......,,,.....Clunk. I decide to put the pressure on and upped my speed to about 24mph behind me I could hear him still with me Clunk........Clunk........Clunk. Right we can't have this, pedal to the metal time 26mph, and behind me Clunk....Clunk....Clunk OK this is getting embarrasing, head down and get that gap, 29mph ...... and behind me? Clunk..Clunk..Clunk come on you can do it, 32mph, ClunkClunkClunk

By now I was well and truly red lining so sitting up I made a big play out of checking my watch as if that part of my traing ride was over and turned off onto a side road as the guy passed me with a cheery "cheers mate" I noticed that he had calf muscles about as big as my thighs. Meanwhile I went off to quietly throw up in the hedge and call for an ambulance.

I still hear that damn crank in my nightmares Clunk.......Clunk......Clunk

Steve D
 
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...

...

> Find a hill, and keep riding up it. Within 6 months you'll be faster than most other cyclists.
> Give it enough time, and you'll catch almost every roadie you see (hint: don't chase the guys in
> blue unis on the Treks).

LOL! Very true. Not a lot of experience with this, but from what little I've seen, I've found that
few cyclists do any work on hills; they tend to avoid them whenever possible. I've found that I kind
of like working on my hill climbing, so I do it at least once a week (and maybe twice) when I can
get outside, and it really shows when I come across other riders on the road, or in a race. I
haven't come across the guys in blue, though <GGG>.

>
> Just do it,
>

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.
 
Claire Petersky wrote

<description of race with bus snipped>

>
> Oh no! I lost! Forlornly I turned up the final hill home, trailing behind the victorious bus.
>

No! No! That was the PREVIOUS 225 bus. you actually WON!

Austin
 
Claire Petersky <[email protected]> wrote:
: How about racing a bus?

cabs! have you not seen quicksilver? i mean, recently. i'd forgotten the movie featured fix geared
bikes ('cept for the downhill chase scenes where they apparently flipped the wheel over to the
freehweel side). the opener features a messenger chasing down a cab.
--
david reuteler [email protected]
 
On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 10:37:17 GMT, sdorrity
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I still hear that damn crank in my nightmares Clunk.......Clunk......Clunk

The Telltale Crank?
--
Rick Onanian
 
In article <zIEWb.11007$yE5.56001@attbi_s54>,
"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Ryan Cousineau" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:rcousine-
> [email protected]...
>
> > My deep and wacky competitive instincts don't let me see other cyclists without wanting to catch
> > them. This was supposed to be an easy ride home, and for the first half of the commute, it was.
> > And then, you know, I saw a cyclist.
>
> How about racing a bus? That's what I did on Monday. There was a 225 right next to me, just as I
> was getting off of the I-90 bike trail and it was getting off of the I-90 itself.

Sweet! I race buses on my route, too. The express manages something like a 30 km/h pace along my
route, so I really have to be on the ball to catch and drop that bus. It's a good pace indicator,
and helps me know when I've gone from "Winter pace" to "Race-season pace".

> I know I can beat the 225 when I'm racing it from the top of the hill, but we were both at the
> bottom. Further, I had planned my "after-dark" route home, that takes me through BCC, and is not
> just longer, but hillier than the usual.

> Oh no! I lost! Forlornly I turned up the final hill home, trailing behind the victorious bus.
>
> It was a sad final mile home.

Perk up. You sound like the rest of my lunchtime floor-hockey team. In any sport, losses happen. The
trick is to remember that for all of us non-pros, victory is a treat; joy is in participation. Give
a tip of the hat to the bus, and promise to catch it next time.

Have a train to catch,
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club
 
I've had similar days myself, commutting home on my mostly-for-the-daily-grind Schwinn Sierra, which
was decked out much the way you described. Rear rack holding a lunch box, front handlebar bag (with
AM/FM cassete and amplified speakers, no less!) and a NightSun headlight w/bottle battery. IOW, a
total Phred-cycle.

Thanks for the memories! :-3)>

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
Oh, did I mention that I would ride in my "official blue collar" uniform? "Sure, rub it in!"

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
Eric wrote:
>How about racing a bus? That's what I did on Monday.

As I did for four years. The bus being the school bus. A designated amount of stops and
debarcations, faster, but with a slightly longer route. His: 9 miles, mine: 7.5.

Both had hilly routes, and we both left at the same time. He had to make a stop at the Jr. high, and
that would be my "handicap". if he didn't catch me too far before turning off for his "Tower Road"
loop. I could usually count on beating him to the bottom of my parent's street.

After the first couple of years, I think he was getting into this as well, as he would usually give
a friendly toot when he passed.

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
"Beep, beep. Beep, beep, His horn wen't beep, beep, beep!"

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
"Hunrobe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >"AustinMN" [email protected]
>
> wrote:
>
> >No! No! That was the PREVIOUS 225 bus. you actually WON!
>
> Thanks for unintentionally clearing up a nagging question Claire's post
created
> for me, that question being, "what the heck is a 225?" I thought maybe she was boasting about
> being able to outrun an old Buick Electra 225.

I thought it was obvious from context.

If you really need detail, see: <http://transit.metrokc.gov/cftemplates/show_map.cfm?BUS_ROUTE=225>

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com

Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm

New CD coming out this month! See: http://www.tiferet.net

"To forgive is to set the prisoner free and then discover the prisoner
was you."
 
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