April 11, 2006
Saguaro East 20 mile loop- Distance 20.05 miles
- Time 01:18:00
- Max Speed 29.10 mph
- Average Speed 15.42 mph
Training week. I'm hoping to get time in on the bike every day this week, and then a mountain bike ride with Jobie on Saturday.
Clearly I haven't ridden much lately, as my knees were singing a bit midway through, and the stout climb on the way back took its toll. I just had to gut it out, and by the time I reached the flats I felt properly warmed up for the first time in awhile. If it takes me 12 miles to get warmed up, that's going to be bad news.
Comments
speaking of stout, nice pace. i'm so jealous of your terrain. that ride, from about a mile away from your house, looks so mellow. today i had one of those about-to-smack-your-hood-jackass moments with a car on butler that decided it would be fun to see how close he could get beside me (parked cars on the other side of course) before slamming on the brakes for the red light that he was rushing into just for the pleasure. idiots.
yeah, heading east from my house you can definitely find some nice smooth rolling roads, which a good shoulder/bike lane. heading into downtown isn't quite the same thing, but whereas pgh downtown was 25 mph and you could be a lot more aggressive with cars (see: your butler st. incident of this morning) here downtown speeds are like 45, so it can be a little scary if there isn't a good shoulder. the plus side is that tucson is pretty bike aware/friendly in general (you see lots of "5 feet" bumper stickers), so I haven't had too many near misses.
i often wonder what the best way is to handle jerks like that. smacking the car is a good one, and i'm also considering carrying a golf ball or two with my in my shorts. that would probably shock the shit out of someone who thinks they're being cute.
an old friend -- future lawyer cum manhattan real estate broker (cha-ching); go figure -- used to inline skate in manhattan with a length of chain in hand. he'd whip any taxi that got to close. thing is, that's just begging for a fight, and he was a much bigger more fighting-inclined boy than i am. i view smacking a car as akin to shoving a stranger, and i have trouble reaching that point because i neither see the point of nor care to participate in that sort of dispute resolution unless literally no other option remains on the table. of course, one could argue that pushing me toward a line of parked cars at speed also is that sort of provocation, but what can i say? i'm the guy who, once pushed, will probably still look for a peacable way out of the conflict. a palm to the windshield of some yuppie equally fight-averse scumbag, however, seems to me a milder, equally communicative gesture.
an old friend -- future lawyer cum manhattan real estate broker (cha-ching); go figure -- used to inline skate in manhattan with a length of chain in hand. he'd whip any taxi that got to close. thing is, that's just begging for a fight, and he was a much bigger more fighting-inclined boy than i am. i view smacking a car as akin to shoving a stranger, and i have trouble reaching that point because i neither see the point of nor care to participate in that sort of dispute resolution unless literally no other option remains on the table. of course, one could argue that pushing me toward a line of parked cars at speed also is that sort of provocation, but what can i say? i'm the guy who, once pushed, will probably still look for a peacable way out of the conflict. a palm to the windshield of some yuppie equally fight-averse scumbag, however, seems to me a milder, equally communicative gesture.
yeah, i remember you telling me about him and how he would sketch on cabs in sort of a weird symbiotic "don't try and kill me and i won't smash your window" relationship.
eh... i still love that story about the guy in london who went around systematically flattening tires on about 100 cars before he got caught because he was so annoyed at careless/inconsiderate drivers.
12 miles for a warm-up is pretty common, even with a good spin (120rpm). as you bike more, you'll notice it takes even longer. my ride to work is 10 miles one way, and that's not even near close to enough to feel good. i've been cycling regularly for over 10 years, 25 miles seems to be the point at which my spin becomes even and my legs are getting relaxed.
good luck!
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