An open letter to Bicycling Magazine

Dear Bicycling:

Your magazine is...a standard cycling magazine. Every issue has an article on techniques for riding (currently cyclocross, which I'm obsessed with right now), clothing reviews, component reviews, bike reviews, fitness information, and of course, the smattering of feature articles. You even have occasional human interest stories, about guys who hang themselves after getting busted for trafficking pot.

But really, the one thing that you have that no other magazine has are your chef profiles. (Note that I don't know if other magazines have this or not, I really don't pay attention unless things go wrong...) Typically, you have some interesting and even tasty recipes. However, things occasionally go horribly, HORRIBLY wrong.

Your most recent issue had a profile of a scruffy, bearded vegan chef, cooking somewhere in Oregon or something. He rides a lot, talks about losing his desire to work with meat, and about the joys of veganism. He then goes on to share his "awesome" gnocchi recipe with the world. He explains the process of making his little cooked potato turdlets, and expounds on how wonderful they really are.

Let me tell you. They tasted like SHIT! Absolutely tasteless, and a huge letdown from something you'd find in an excellent Italian restaurant. I would have done better to drop floured deer turds into boiling water and see what I came up with.

So, Bicycling Magazine..
TRY these recipes before you print them. And I don't mean in the wonder-boy's restaurant, but in your own kitchen. Pretty sure you won't get the same result, and you might save someone a bit of trouble.

Thanks,

-Rob


Oh, and while I'm at it, Mother Nature, stop with the damn rain. I can't train in this crap.

As summer winds down:

The heat...oh the oppressive heat around the northeast in the past couple weeks has been unreal. Average temperatures of 85+ degrees paired with 70% or higher humidity have made riding conditions awful. In fact, there's been very little riding to be had.

My mountain bikes have been hanging in the garage with the exception of the 65 miles that I put on them around the time of the wedding in the beginning of July. I've been primarily riding my early season fitness into a big plateau, and re-building my cross bike, tuning it all up to get ready for some cyclocross races.

Cyclocross has laid an entirely new set of skills at my feet and challenged me to learn things like running dismounts and running mounts. Oh yeah, and how not to crush your...tender bits...upon remounting the bike on the fly. Sadly, since your right thigh is supposed to take the abuse of hitting the saddle first, when you MISS the saddle, it becomes a painful learning experience. I'm surprised I don't look like I've been beaten about the junk by a cheap sado-masochist off the corner of 42nd and Broadway (note that I'm clueless about that actual location, if it even exists...)

Similarly, running dismounts have been a hilarity. Not entirely hard to do: unclip and swing the right leg over the back of the bike, then swing it between the frame and your left leg, hit the ground running while unclipping, and go! Sure, easier said than done, especially when your left hand is operating the front brake from the hood and the right hand is supposed to be on the top tube, ready to hoist your beast over the looming obstacles. What could go wrong?

Let's talk about hitting a bump in the grass, the wheel turning sharp left and falling over onto the frame. Funny, right? Howabout scraping your leg on that non-drive-side cantilever brake as you swing the leg over the back of the bike? Maybe jamming the pedal/crank into the back of your right heel when the left foot doesn't unclip cleanly and you (try to) start running with a bike still attached to your left foot. Oh yes, this is supposed to be FUN!

Fun it will be. Mud, beer and cowbells. In fact, this description IS cyclocross. I'm looking forward to my first 'cross races: CX at Brewery Ommegang and the Wicked Creepy Cross Race in Bennington. Those should be a great intro to this bizarre fall/winter sport.

Now...to consider embrocation on my shaved legs (and hopefully NOT mix it up with my chamois butter...)

So I'm a married man now...

The wedding was fantastic. No wonder I've not been updating this blog with any frequency at all.

Things have changed mightily in the past season. I built a new road bike (a Look 585 Origin), rebuilt my cross bike with SRAM components (now the Origin 8 Foxtrot sports Force levers and Rival derailleurs), spent a bunch of time riding my mountain bike (right before the wedding) and have committed to racing cyclocross this fall. And yes, my wife was less than thrilled about it, but I finally dove in and pulled off the leg shaving thing, especially since I spent some time tending to wounds garnered on our mountain bike trips.

So there's been trail riding, there's been cross bike riding, there's been road riding, and there's been all kinds of partying and joy.

It's been a great summer so far, and we've got an entire month to go before its over.

It's been a long time since an update.

Unfortunately, I've been inundated with a lot of things. Planning a wedding, work and riding have been consuming me lately.

I have not ridden my mountain bike this season. I've ridden 993 miles on my road bike, built a new Look 585 up, and have been working on building a good fitness base.

In a week and a half, I'll be heading for Kingdom Trails to do a little trail riding. Maybe there will be an update then.

Until then, keep the rubber down.

Hello Spring!

Hello sunshine! It's been too long since your sparkling rays have warmed the dank and depressed earth here in NY. Amazingly, you've managed to show yourself after a record setting run of snow...good for you.

Yes indeed, with the sunshine and 60 degree days comes the thrill of RIDING OUTSIDE! Mind you that the trails are still covered in snow and ice (thanks snowmobiles) but the roads are mostly dry. The only problem is the excess of sand, salt and cinders that can shred even the toughest tires in seconds.

Sunday we shocked the world with a 35 mile ride, with nearly 2000 feet of climbing, and we finished feeling awesome. Fitness wise, I'm actually at a point which I was at in the middle of May last year. That's what only 4 weeks of indoor training will do for you. I am able to ride all the climbs that gave me even the slightest hint of trouble last year, and now I'm doing them almost effortlessly and using larger gearing (I manned up and swapped out my compact double for a standard double this year.) The only downside of this was a flat tire in the driveway of all places, then another flat on the road, and finally a third flat when the valve core of the presta valve inexplicably disappeared. Incredible, that's all I have to say.

Today, since I was given the green light to do nothing in honour of my birthday (another year older, another mark off my max heart rate, I know....) I took my newly built cyclocross bike out for a jaunt. 25 miles later, I've learned that there is a big difference between my 16.9 pound road bike in it's climbing garb, and my 24 pound cross bike with boat anchor wheels. No flats this time around, probably because those tires are thicker than a doormat. Oh well, it's good training nonetheless, and I'm more than happy to be able to get out and ride in March of all times.



And so, as spring hits us head on, I beg of you to get out there and ride. Test your form, enjoy the spring air and keep the rubber side down.

January is down the tubes:

Tonight is the Pro Bowl. Tomorrow is February. A week from today is the Superbowl. In 2 weeks Valentine's day is here. This year is moving right along, with 1/12 of it history already.

I've been outside for two rides this new year, and with only two rides outside in January, it's been the horrifying spectre of trainer riding. As insane as that thought is, I'm actually happy to say that I've been seeing some improvement in my fitness and because I've set a target date for my first training peak I'm actually enjoying my indoor rides. What? Yes, that's entirely correct, I've fallen completely into the pit of despair and forced myself to enjoy trainer rides so that I'll have some fitness by April 18th.

Surfing around the web looking for races in the area turned up a criterium about 10 miles away from me that looks quite fascinating. I've toyed with the idea of racing my road bike all throughout this past year, but just never committed to it (not to mention that I had that little thing called the Livestrong challenge looming large.) So, a criterium sounds like a good way to start the adventure. 1.2 mile laps, 10 laps in total. The weekend after the Tour of the Battenkill (which I'll be going to, of course) it has a taste of the best of the European classics. It features a sharp climb, speedy descent, wicked corners and cobbles. Yes, COBBLES! Awesome!

With that news on the table, the pre-season has been great. I've upgraded from a compact double to a standard double (roadie speak) and worked on technique and form over the off season. I should be in pretty good shape come April, and I'm looking forward to my first experience on the road (and cobbles.)

The mountain bike? It hasn't been touched. With hunting season still in effect here in NY, frigid weather (4 degrees Fahrenheit), a distinct lack of daylight and a wedding to plan all sucking away my time and motivation for riding, the mountain bike has been hung in the garage for the winter.

Of course, there is always the newly built cyclocross bike...

Ahh, I'm pulling myself in too many directions. One day I'll have enough time for all this riding I need to do.

And on another note, I'd just like to say Happy Birthday to Mountain Bike Tales. Five years of writing, reviewing, editing and answering questions and MBT is the best it has ever been. Thanks to all the people behind the scenes who make it happen and to all the writers, editors and development folks who bring it to the forefront. Happy fifth, and many more!

Happy holidays, I think...

Almost two months since an update. Sad indeed, but there is a good reason for it.

Insert real life here:
I posted about my road bike crash that had taken me out of commission for a while. Fortunately, the wounds have healed, except for the obvious scars that will be with me for a while. Unfortunately, I did not post about the slip and fall that I experienced while walking on the rocky beach in La Jolla California the weekend before the crash. Well, as of today, I am STILL having problems with my right wrist, and finally got the news that it had indeed been fractured in that fall and was still not healing well.

Subsequently, I am STILL off the mountain bike (road riding is tolerable with a wrist brace/support) and it looks like I may be for a while until it is pain free.
End insertion of real life:


In the meantime, the hurried arrival of winter's snow and ice has driven me inside and insane (the two seem to go hand in hand quite often) and forced me to begin building up a cyclocross bike. Twisted, I know. But it will pave the way to a good solid ride option for the poor weather.

In any case, keep the rubber side down, have a safe and healthy holiday, and welcome 2010 with a bang. Ok?