I've been a busy guy since the last post. Busy eating for one thing, so climbing hills is more of a chore. Busy teaching on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings at church and attending session and committee meetings I either chair or contribute to. Busy with a weekly bike club ride/news email. Busy planning and running 9 - 12 RUSA events in this region each year. Oh, I and still work full time too. My cycling frequency and distance seemed to drop a little last year, but reviewing the stats, it turns out to have been pretty average. This year, I'm an organizer for a supported ride that will actually be in Feb 2020 to mark 55 yrs since the famous Selma - Montgomery Voting Rights March. I'm also helping to put on a gravel ride event this October. And this despite the fact that I do not do gravel! Each week, like herding cats, I try to round up our club ride leaders and determine what we have on offer. It all takes time.
Somehow, in and around and through all that, I've managed to re-build 2 bikes recently. To say they turned out well is a severe understatement. Added to the bike built last July and the other one re-configured 2 years ago, there are now 4 great options to pedal hanging in our garage. You get more of a feel for what works for you when you set them up yourself,. One is now an upright Sunday Social cruiser and local townie bike (although I did a supported ride on it recently and it was fine.) One is my hill trainer and night rider with lights on it. One is a wide range brevet bike and this latest one is a light responsive go-fast (as fast as I go anyway) bike. Gearing ranges from 26/36 (useful for climbing Cheaha or Lookout Mtns, both of which I have done) to 52/11 (useful only when going down a steep hill.) Most of the time, I like to spin at 82 - 84 rpm on flats with about 60 gear inches. Tires are all 38 mm.
Re-building these 2 last bikes after both were repainted has stoked the desire to spend more time on my bikes. Yesterday, I rode to the start of a ride for the first time in a while, because I wanted more miles. I've ridden every day this month so far. Some days, just laps in the neighborhood or a pedal to Burger King or Panda Express and the vet to get dog meds. But something. Another rider I've known for years and who I've ridden with on occasion is also feeling the bug and we've buddied up to be the caboose on the serious hill training rides held twice a week nearby.
Another rider & I presented cycling safety and basics to some American Heritage Girls on Saturday. We then led different groups on rides for their merit badges. Along the way, we would stop frequently to re-group as abilities were widely spaced. while chatting with a mom who was in our group (I tried to recruit them ALL for our club rides) I lamented waiting to around age 50 to start cycling (about 16 yrs ago). She replied, "50? can I ask how old you are now?" So I told her and she was very surprised. "It's because I ride," I answered. So that was pretty encouraging too.
Here are the bikes. The rain is moving through so I plan to get some lunchtime laps in today.
