Jackson Park CX 2009--Wayne on the attack

Another Picture From Jackson Park

First lap. Third turn. I think this was the last time I saw Pablo.



Photo by Luke Seemann

Jackson Park Cyclocross Race

Great form. I understand he's a decent writer, too.

Thanks to Inga and Wesley Walker for the photo.

Trail Ride

Pictures are up from this morning's trail ride. A great ride with great weather and, of course, our usual camaraderie. I nearly earned a new nickname today right at the start of the ride. Mike clearly called out a right turn to begin the ride on the "Jedi Loop" while muscle memory forced me to initiate a left turn which I quickly corrected before nearly taking out SG. Here's a thumbnail of one of the pictures I took on the ride. The rest are here (click to see bigger).

Stolen from the "Fat Cyclist" Blog Site

How to Size Up the Competition
06.17.2005 3:14 pm
Part I: The Rider
When does riding become racing? Two simple rules:
When there are two riders: It is possible for two cyclists to ride together without it turning into a race — but only if it has already been established that one of the two cyclists is the alpha rider.
When there are three or more riders: If there are three or more cyclists, there will be racing — whether it be a race to the summit, a race to the next signpost, or a race of fatigue. The race may not be aknowledged, but it is there.
Of course, before you embark upon any race, you want to understand your competition. Today, I will begin to explain how you can assess your chances against your cycling foes.
The Cyclist
Clothes Fit: The type and tightness of the jersey and shorts give you a good indication of the relative confidence of your opponent:
Loose fitting: If the shorts and/or jersey are loose-fitting, the cyclist has something — ie, fat — to hide. He knows he’s not at the top of his game. Plan to destroy this cyclist on the climbs.
Form fitting: You don’t need me to tell you what this means. This is a person who has earned his physique. All you can hope for is that he earned it in the gym, not on the bike.
Used to be form-fitting, but now looks uncomfortably tight: Oh, that’s me. Don’t worry, I’m no threat to you.
Sponsor branding: This is complex. Bike clothes with sponsor branding can mean different things on different people.
Full team kit on a guy with hairy legs: This person read a Men’s Health article about the benefits of cycling a couple years ago and watched the Tour de Lance last year, whereupon he decided to “get into” cycling. He has money to spend, but no biking skills whatsoever. Toy with him, then ride away.
Full team kit on a guy with shaved legs: Could mean trouble. He’s clearly a fanboy, and cares enough about cycling that he probably rides plenty. Going to have to go to secondary clues: leg definition, evidence of a spare tire, suntan pattern, bike clues.
Jersey advertising a non-bike-sponsoring consumer product: This is a person who buys his jerseys at a bike store, as opposed to getting them as souvenirs for races he’s done. This person does not take biking seriously enough. A few intermediate sprints should demoralize him nicely. That said, I desperately want the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup jersey advertised in the current Performance Bike Catalog. Have I mentioned that Saturday is my birthday? Size Large, please.
Race / Event branding: This is helpful only if you know the circumstances under which the jersey can be obtained. If it’s a jersey you have to buy, it means your opponent wishes he were fast, but isn’t. If the jersey can only be obtained by finishing — or worse, winning — a race, you may have a serious race on your hands.
No branding whatsoever: Inscrutable. This is clearly a guy who either wants to fade into the background because he sucks (70% chance), or likes to go stealth so that you feel that much worse when he cleans your clock (30% chance). Look for secondary clues.
Legs: Evaluate his tan, his hairiness, and his quads and calves.
Tan = trouble. But check where the tan starts and ends. If he’s tan right up to the bike shorts line but not beyond, and his quads are the tannest part of his body, you’ve got a real cyclist on your hands. If his forehead has a strange tanning pattern on it that suddenly makes sense when he puts on his helmet and glasses, this spells trouble with a capital T.
Shaved legs = serious cyclist. Why do shaved legs matter? Because they mean he’s made a commitment to cycling. They also mean he’s vain, because the purpose of shaved legs is to increase the visibility of your leg muscle definition.
Leg definition and size: Finally, check the size and cut of his quads and calves. If he’s just cut, you can probably take him on the flats. If he’s just big, you can get him on the climbs. If he’s both, just try to draft.
Part II: The Bike
Anyone who’s ever gathered at a start line knows that there’s an awful lot of sly bike inspections going on. But gauging the quality of the cyclist based on what he’s riding isn’t limited to start lines. You can do it practically anytime — looking at bikes on car racks and looking at bikes people are riding as you pass / are passed are two common times. Today, let’s take a look at how you can quickly size up the competition, just by looking at what they ride.
Reflectors: This is the absolutely most obvious way you can be sure someone’s not serious about cycling. If he’s left the reflectors on his bike, he’s clearly not considering the extraordinarily deleterious (wow, I just used “deleterious” in a sentence!) effects on his speed the weight and poor aerodynamics of the reflectors will have. (
Drivetrain: The drivetrain is a good indicator of the person’s riding style:
Shimano = all about the efficiency and reliability. 80% chance that the rider also drives a Japanese car. High likelihood that the rider will be a good tactician and a a smart rider.
Campagnolo means the rider cares all about the history of cycling and the passion of cycling and will fly into a fit if you do not profess an undying love for Eddy Merckx. This person corners with passion. He climbs with passion. He descends with passion. He attacks with passion. And when you beat him, he will throw a raging fit.
SRAM: This person isn’t interestedd in beating you. He’s interested in doing his own thing, man. If you suggest working together, he’ll look at you like you’re from Mars.
Singlespeed means that he no longer cares about winning, or at least wishes to project the image that he no longer cares. He’s jaded, like James Dean on a bike. OR it’s possible that he is bringing enough game to the ride that he’s confident he can beat you even without the benefit of technology.
Wheels: Everyone talks about wheels as if they’re the biggest factor in how fast you go. Let me tell you a secret: your wheels aren’t going to make you any faster or slower. They’re not going to change the quality of your ride. So, if you see that your competition is riding with very expensive wheels, don’t worry about him being faster than you. Instead, just make a mental note that this person is gullible and that you’ll probably be successful at selling him NuSkin products later.
Frame: A brand-new frame says more about your opponent’s income than about his ability on a bike. It could mean he’s new to biking. It could mean he just nailed a sponsor. It could mean he wore his previous bike out. However, a well-worn bike says a lot about the rider. If it’s well-used and well-maintained, count on a tough race. If the frame is a couple years old but still looks new, your competition is more likely riding a New Years’ resolution — one that didn’t work out — from a couple years ago. If he’s riding a frame that’s several years old and still in good shape, you know you’re racing a lifer. If the rider looks strong, be ready for some serious competition.
Pedals: Better to have them than not. Okay, I can see I’m running out of steam here.

4 Man 60k TTT - Utica, Illinois

Final Results not yet posted = unofficial time = 1:30 approximately 25.1 mph
John, Pablo, Greenie and AC

North Shore Century

Me, AB, Fast Freddy and 3W rode the Evanston Bike Club North Shore Century today. I took some pictures (click on the image to see it larger)...

It was a beautiful sunrise. The type that makes you want to hold hands and sing kumbaya. Or maybe more like the type that gets you psyched for a 100 mile ride.



We cast some long shadows as we started out.



We rode into a little fog.



And we passed an adult guy wearing a Bert and Ernie jersey. Maybe he was wearing it ironically.



I'm seeing more and more of these jerseys. Now if only more cars would see it, read it, and live it.



A textbook turn--safe and smooth.



Fred leads us out on the northern extension to the bunny trail.



Leaving Kenosha along the lake front. No, we didn't see Mike and Rod.



Do we look good, or what?

For When You Run Out of Tubes

We could have used one of these recently when one of our riders experience a TFE (three flat event).

Labor Day Ride

Cooling down, riding the bunny trail.

Sunrise

I blew a setting on my camera (I left the ISO at 800 from another day) so the shot came out grainy. Anyway, this is what the rest of you missed this morning.

FYI-RBR On-line Survey

Stopping at stop signs and red lights.

More than 3,800 RBR readers voted in our poll -- "When riding, what do you do at red lights and stop signs?" Others complained that we didn't differentiate between signs and lights. These riders offered various scenarios, some quite intricate, for when they stop and when they don't. Our thinking was that "stop" means stop. Either you do, or you keep rolling. If you don't stop, what's the frequency? The poll came out this way: ---I always stop: 24%---I usually stop: 54%---I occasionally stop: 19%---I almost never stop: 4%

QUACS -

Quality Consulting Services

call: for thoughtful and discreet consultation

It Pays to Advertise - hmm but Maybe Not Here

Dual Use Helmet

see more Fail Blog

Announcing - WGAS Lite

Less frustration - Less Speed

Here it is. Stop whining - set your sights low. WGAS Lite let's you enjoy an early morning rendezvous with the ton & coffee at Starbucks in a competitive yet less stressful way.

You start by meeting all your friends then simply sacrifice some calorie burn by bonking on the Church Hill & Russian & cutting a couple miles off the route so you can meet the boys for some hot Joe. On a really fast day you can also relax a bit heading south as you watch the groupo hit 27+ heading towards plaza.

You don't miss much; BT is listening to tunes & can't hear you, Greenie won't sweat on you, & it's better for the psyche not trying to compete with Chippo, Pablo, AC or Ellman....Trust me it's all good.

One rule - NO WHINING!

Tips

Just got pointed to 10 Quick Tips at the Cycling Tips Blog. They're all good. My favorite is #5. It's one that our group seems to break constantly. "Start a ride slow, finish a ride fast. This will make for a much better quality ride and simulates what happens in a race."

Last Tuesday, we averaged 22 MPH on our ride froM HP to Wilmette. On the return trip, I checked, and it had dropped to 21.3. At my level of fitness, a 22 average is not a warm up. Let the flames in the comments begin.

Caption Contest #2

Friendly's is an ice cream shop that was a popular hang out when I was in High School. A friend of mine just went back for his 30th reunion and snapped this photo of their current menu. Thoughts?

WTF was that?

Be a Sharp Lookout for Your Group

Besides setting the right tempo, the lead rider in a paceline or pack has another vital responsibility: warning those behind of dangers in the road.

For riders who are drafting, potholes and debris are hard to see. They shouldn't need to worry about being led into danger.

But some people overdo their warnings. They yell "Pothole!" "Rock!" or "Dead skunk!" at full volume or even for minor obstacles. Others point at the object with such a violent gesture that they swerve dangerously.

Here's a better way to be the eyes of a paceline:
Alertly scan the road. You can't warn of dangers that you daydream out of existence. And if through inattention you spot something too late, your after-the-fact warning may do more harm than good. Surprised riders could veer in a panic, touch wheels and crash. So pay attention and look far enough ahead to smoothly lead the line past each hazard.
Point, don't shout. There's usually no need to call out the name of the obstacle. Your yell probably won't be understood by riders toward the back, anyway. Simply remove one hand from the bar and point down toward the side where the danger will be when you pass it. (Point down at about 45 degrees, not out, so the warning isn't mistaken for a turn signal.) Do this 5-10 seconds in advance, then move over smoothly.
A related technique is to tap the saddle or snap fingers with the hand that's coming off the bar, then point. The sound is just enough to wake up the rider behind.

Tip! One time a yell is helpful is when nasty stuff like glass, gravel, sand or ice covers the lane, like part way through a corner, and there is no way around it. As soon as you realize the predicament, call out the hazard so riders behind can fend for themselves. Same goes when you spot a dog up the road.

Potholes and such

If you aren't ready to try jumping over obstacles, you can lighten the impact by unweighting the bike so you don't hit so hard. As the pothole approaches, stop pedaling, hold the crankarms horizontal, and rise slightly off the saddle. Support your weight evenly on hands and feet. Relax your knees and elbows. Keep your head up. Have you played basketball? This is the defensive stance. Be like a cat -- light on your feet and ready for action. Then use this bike-handling technique: Just before the front wheel reaches the pothole, crouch deeper and then rise up to unweight the bike. You don't have to hop if you're inexperienced or afraid. A well-timed upward pull with your hands and feet will lighten the wheels equally and lessen the impact.

Timing is everything. Practice to develop a feel for it. Don't start with real potholes. Use cracks or seams that aren't going to be a problem. Keep trying and soon you'll get the knack. This technique works best with small potholes and other imperfections in the pavement.

Now, what if the pothole is big? You'll probably get the front wheel over safely but bang the rear tire on the sharp lip. This can cause a pinch flat like you experienced, with the tube being popped between the tire and rim.

That's why jumping your bike over a pothole can be better in terms of wheel protection. Jumping means your wheels never touch a pothole's sharp edge. The trick is to assume the position just described but increase the upward lift so both wheels leave the road simultaneously. Your speed then carries you over the danger.

Jumping is rarely necessary, though. And unless it's done correctly it can damage equipment (or cause a fall) as surely as riding into an obstacle.

The landing is as important as the take-off for avoiding wheel damage. Flex your knees so they absorb the shock of wheels coming back to pavement. Practice this move on a grassy field by jumping over something soft like a rolled-up towel before you try it on the road.

Some roadies fly over potholes or railroad tracks just for the fun of being airborne. But jumping is a tool to use in critical circumstances, not for a cheap thrill.

Caption Contest

Enter your caption in the comments.

Quench That Thirst

Bicycling Magazine online has a nice article about hydration myths and reality written by Monique Ryan. It's presented in that stupid slide show format, but the information is top notch. And now, a quick test. Which of these is not true:

1) Ideally, you should weigh yourself before and after each ride to make sure you replaced every lost ounce of fluid on the ride.

2) Caffeine lowers your rate of perceived exertion while improving your strength, endurance and mental performance.

3) Trained cyclists' performance is about the same whether they drink carbohydrate-only beverages or carbohydrate-protein beverages.

From the WGaS Mussette

WGaS Couples Nite

Margaret and Pablo deserve tremendous kudos for taking on the challenge of coordinating and hosting the evening-----

All who were present can attest to the fact that the evening was an overwhelming success----
The food and drinks were amazing, the conversation stimulating and it was great meeting the significant others who joined us--------

When in the Presence........

from the WGaS Bylaws:

000.001-Rider conduct when spouses, significant others, children or other relatives or friends of the aforementioned are present:

(a)Conversation regarding any of the following: cost of, current ownership of, purchases of, future ownership of , potential ownership of, interest in ownership of , lusting for possession of: bikes, bike-related equipment, bike accessories or other such items shall not be discussed in any manner or fashion in the presence of any of the above for any reason

(b) Statements of any kind which could be perceived to praise the spouse or significant other while disparaging the WGaS member is forbidden- examples would be: "How have you put up with him for so many years" or "I can't believe you let him ride so often".

WGaS members violating this prohibition shall be relegated, sanctioned and disciplined in accordance with the opinion of a Board of Inquiry comprised of no less than one (1) WGaS member

Evanston Grand Prix

iPhone Apps for Cyclists

Via Cyclelicious, here is a link to 5 apps for your iPhone (some work with iPod Touch) that replace various cycling add-ons.

2009 Evanston Grand Prix-Masters 40+

Good Article from BKW

Good Article on how much time cycling takes up and why we do it ...

http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/2009/07/time-management.html

Lemon-ade Law

from the WGaS Bylaws

539.000-Lemon-ade Law

The peloton shall without fail stop at any and all curbside lemonade stands manned by children and purchase lemonade in ample amounts to produce oohs and aahs from the operator(s) of the stand.

When a lemonade stand is observed there shall be a sharp and loud announcement of the stands sighting and then the group shall slow down in a safe and orderly fashion and proceed to the stand for purchase of the drinks.

Newest Members of the Peloton?

Just wanted to share some video of the some potential new riders to the 'ton.

http://www.veloist.com/video/big-dreams-for-a-little-boy

and

http://www.veloist.com/video/williams-first-ride-51009


Pablo & sons

Guest and Uninvited Riders

FYI: from the WGaS Bylaws:

410.000-non WGaS riders who join into the paceline

410.001- guest riders invited by a member-are the responsibility of the WGaS rider who invites said guest
1) guest riders shall be relegated to the back of the paceline and not rotate through until they have been determined to be able to safely do so;
2) in the event a guest rider is "dropped" during the ride it is the responsibility of the WGaS rider who invited the guest to go back for him/her and bring him/her back up-if so desired;
3)in the event a guest rider is deemed unsafe for any reason that determination shall be presented to the WGaS rider who invited the guest and that shall be relayed to the guest and the guest will not be welcome to ride with the group-this is a unilateral decision and there are no appeal rights and the decision is binding and final unless three (3) WGaS Board Members step forward and speak on that former guest's behalf after a reasonable period of expulsion has passed

410.002-non-invited riders who join the group without an invitation by a WGaS rider shall be informed that they must ride as the last rider in the paceline and are not to rotate through until the group has determined that the rider is capable of safely doing so. If said rider is deemed to be unsafe or for other reasons unwanted in the group he shall be promptly told in an appropriate manner that the group does not welcome his/her presence and to fall off the back and not rejoin the paceline.

Weekend Spectacular

I must say that Saturday's ride and Starbucks interlude, in my humble opinion, rate up at the top for our group---
The pace was jizzy fast-yet safe-the group was large enough to allow for breathers when off of the front-except on our guest rider Tyler's 33mph+ pull out of HP toward Everett where no one caught a breath-and the jovial coffee time was a blast
Hopefully, we'll have many more similar rides this season and beyond

Improve Your Sprint

If you hear me cursing as we sprint to the top of "the russian", it is because I just learned that using profanity allows the swearer to tolerate pain better.

Another Fast Tuesday

Yesterday was another fast Tuesday ride. In fact, by the time we hit the Fort, my cyclometer showed the fastest average speed I have ever recorded for a weekday ride, 22 MPH. At the roundabout, there was some confusion and we reduced speed to regroup on the way to coffee. Even with this, I still showed an average of nearly 21.5 MPH at coffee.

It was great to have such a large group out and all in our "team" kits. I would have taken a picture or two, but I was drafting for dear life and fumbling with a camera didn't seem like a good idea. BT wants me to get a helmet cam, but I just know that without being able to see the display, I would wind up with plenty of pictures of the road and the sky. I have been thinking of rigging a mount for the camera on the handlebars, but the lovely rutted roads we ride on would probably destroy that too. For now, it seems like I'm gonna have to stick with hand held shots like this one from last Friday.

Beautiful Tuesday Morning!

A beautiful morning for a "tangy tuesday" (AB's words) ride. I think I had one of the highest averages I have had on a WGaS ride at 21.5 mph for 28+ miles.

Sorry I missed coffee - as I had an early phone conference.

On a separate note - today Eric was scheduled for back surgery - we all wish him well - I think he will try to update us when he is done/home.

See you tomorrow - weather permitting?


Pablo

Our Motto

From Gaping Void Gallery.

Saturday Ride Photos

I took about 20 pictures this morning. About 10 were worth saving. I have enough pictures of the paceline from the rear. Although those usually have a nice artful quality to them, it is nice to get a couple of shots of people's faces for a change.



Though I did like this paceline shot:

Saturday Ride Report

A beautiful Summer morning for a bike ride. We had a large group - my count was 14 - 1A12, Big John, Pat Kent (did you see the fold marks on that new uniform?), Frankie, Tucci, Fast Freddie, AC, Whiskey Mike, AB, BT, Greenie, Moots, Chippo and myself. Did I miss anyone?

Nice route - good pace - sorry about not having the route clearer at the beginning of the ride.

Overall stats for me - 75 miles ~ 20.6 mph avg.

Good to see 1A12, Pat and Whiskey Mike out there today. Mike - BT will let you know the fine for wearing a non-WGaS shirt with WGaS shorts (even if you did do an ironman and have a shirt to prove it) The fine is in a confidential section of the By-Laws.

See you all next week!

Pablo

FYI

exerpt from the WGaS By-Laws

Section 230-Paceline Protocol

230.01-it shall be expressly prohibited to use the right side gutter to encroach, pass or in any other means impede other riders

230.02-it shall be expressly prohibited to use improper, exaggerated, or otherwise bizarre hand signals for turns, stops, road hazards

230.02(a)-riders in the #1 pull position should lead the paceline away from road hazards (ie: potholes, glass, etc.) precluding the need for verbal or hand alerts
230.02(b)-when verbal or hand signals are indicated they should be simple and specific

230.03-it shall be expressly prohibited for a rider who is not familaiar with the planned route to stay in a #1 position for a pull; in such a situation the rider shall relinquish his pull to the next rider

230.04-all riders shall signal clearly using an elbow "wag" of their intention to give up a pull-the choice of left or right will indicate the side that the rider wishes to be passed on-right elbow=right side/left elbow=left side

230.05-if a rider is unable to maintain the pace speed upon acquiring the #1 pull position, that rider should immediately signal and relinquish the pull

Sanctions:

First Violation-warning
Second Violation-stern warning
Third Violation-Banishment from the WGaS Peloton

Hot Fun in the Summertime.....

Well Summer came in with a hot blast on Sunday after a last slap of a crappy non-spring like Spring on Saturday------

Tuesday and Wednesday saw great rides with 14 riders on Monday and 13 Tuesday--both days were quite spirited --

Looking forward to a long ride filled season with continued great attendance

BT

Horribly Hilly Hundreds

1Adam12, Bob and yours truly did the Horribly Hilly Hundreds ride yesterday. It was a perfect day for a ride. Sunny, warm and beautiful scenery. And then the climbing began. This was a ride of extremes. It seemed like we were either doing 6 MPH or 36 MPH. At one point, I hit 48 MPH, a new personal best. The climbs were long and steep. How steep? Like climbing up from the Park Avenue beach for a mile or two.

So how'd we do? Did we finish in record time? No. I won't bore you with all the details here (I'll save that for coffee one morning), but Bob and I wound up calling it a day after 103 miles, taking the short cut to the finish after rest stop #4. Adam pushed on solo and finished the ride (what a stud!)

Here we are happy at the top of the first big climb.

Put This in Your Calendar

Come to a meeting of the Highland Park Traffic Commission on July 22, at 6:30 pm. Lina Hoffman from
The Active Transportation Alliance (formerly The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation) will be making a
presentation on Complete Streets. The goal is for the Traffic Commission to begin taking all users
(including pedestrians and cyclists) into consideration when making decisions that impact the roadways
in Highland Park. We need to have strong representation here.

The meeting will be at Highland Park City Hall, 1707 St. Johns Avenue.

Crossposted from my other blog.

Sometimes We Do Give a Sh!t

John Culligan Olin

John Culligan Olin was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota October 17, 1957 and died suddenly in Highland Park, Illinois June 9, 2009. John was the father of two children, Cecilia (15) and Caroline (13). Sharing the loss are Elinor Olin (née Nichols), his mother Molly Johanna Culligan, his brothers Tony and Brendan, and Mimi Noonan, and Reilly Grant. He was preceded in death by his sister Meghan and his father John Philip Olin. He was the owner of Higher Gear Bicycles in Wilmette and Highland Park. John touched many lives as a cyclist, windsurfer, skier and the organizer of many community gatherings, including formal and informal fundraising events. John was honored as a Local Hero by the American Red Cross for the lifesaving donation of his kidney to Jeff Miller in 2002. A Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated on Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 11:15 a.m., Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, 1775 Grove Street, Glenview, IL 60025. A memorial celebration of John's life in Minnesota will be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Olin Girls Educational Fund or to the National Kidney Foundation. For more information, please contact N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home at 847-998-1020.

Today's Ride

A great ride this morning. This is how it ended.

Memorial Day 2009-

Once again there was a fine turnout for the annual ride to the Ft Sheridan Cemetary. It is always a special ride for us because of the opportunity to honor those who have served, as well as specifically pay respects to my wife's Uncle Ernest Blackmon who served in Vietnam and is buried there.

BT

Help A Fellow Cyclist In Her Fight Against Cancer

This is worth reposting from Ride-Strong.

Colleen Whealdon-Haught is a cyclist fighting metastatic breast cancer. Read her story and help her out if you can.

Morning Ride

My 2000 word post...

BT at the Velodrome

Start of his first track race of the year.

Opening Night at the Track 2009

Levi Says...

...that going 70 MPH on a bike is, well, a bit risky.

In Case You Don't Feel Like Riding Tomorrow...

Last AZ Update

Last riding day for Fast Freddie and me .... Gates Pass - short and steep!

Another AZ Update

Took it easy today with a 50 miler through Saguora National Park East and then home via Pistol Hill. Winds and temps were kicking up by the end of the ride.

AZ Update

Beautiful day to climb Mt. Lemmon - 6300 feet of climbing.