Fatty, Fatty, 2X4...

It's a gorgeous summer afternoon (OK, late morning), and I am about to go for another ride.  This time on my newest addition to the stable, the 2013 Salsa Mukluk 2.  A fat bike.  What an adventure...

I first tried one of these a year and a half ago.  The shop has had a demo fleet for a couple of seasons now, and on the afternoon of New Year's Eve a few of us grabbed our bikes and headed north to Port Sheldon.  We hit the beach by Roy's house and headed south to the Holland State Park.  Even managed a walk on the pier!  In what was a complete anomaly for December weather in west Michigan, we ended up with a south wind pushing us back to the north.  It was also about 40 degrees that day, so we enjoyed some good weather!

"Where can you ride that thing?" is a frequent question I get from folks.  "Anywhere I want..."
 - Trails
 - Gravel
 - The beach
 - Snow
 - "Bushwhacking" (this is on the Salsa website.  Not sure I know...)

These machines have been used extensively in adventure racing, specifically the Iditabike race in Alaska.  An adventurous ride from the Hamilton, MI food store a couple winters ago still lives on in legend and lore around the shop: riders left in a snow storm and returned in a blizzard, averaging around 3-5 MPH as they slogged through fields and trails in the Allegan County backroads.

I prefer less adventure.  There are some great trails down near Saugatuck, and they lead directly to the Lake Michigan beach.  That is the plan for this afternoon, as a matter of fact - the water is said to be around 70 degrees, so I may dip a toe or two in!  There's something very cool about pedaling along the beach, the water lapping at your tires, the stares from people who have never experienced such a sight (the bike, not me in spandex...  though that is traumatic as well, I suppose...) as this.  As you can see, shorts and T-shirts are the outfit for this thus far.

 Here are some shots from last time.  You can look at these while I grab some lunch and get ready to go!

That's What I Like About Me

Hey, fans!  (Or even casual readers.  Or innocent passersby...)  LOTS of cool stuff coming up in the next few posts.  As I was riding this morning I hatched several new ideas, and there is this one that I was already working on, so if you've missed me you are in luck!  Shouldn't be too many days between posts for the next couple weeks.  So here goes.

First, I would like to start with the "some material may be too intense for some viewers" for this particular post.  There will be pictures posted.  Of me.  I happen to like them, but it's possible not all of you will enjoy the sight.  So consider yourself warned...

As I have mentioned before in these musings, I have lots of great talks with kids.  One thing that has come up a lot the last couple years is the fact that there are all kinds of people in the world (OK, in my life, anyway) who are simply not happy being who they are.  Too tall, too short, too fat, too thin (I'd have to give that a shot before I complained...), and all manner of shortcomings.  At least as far as they're concerned.  And I put myself in this pile as well.  I would certainly change several things about my appearance if I could; I happen to be working on the weight part at this point.

Something I learned in Weight Watchers, and has been reinforced in other areas of my life, is to do some positive self-talk.  When I think it's helpful, I encourage kids to do this as well.  "What do you like about yourself?"  It's an exercise that has proven very beneficial to me over the years.  I can think of many several a few things that I indeed like about myself.  Top of the list, in most instances?  My legs.

Seriously.  I have amazing legs.  I will not hesitate to put them against most other legs in a contest.  As a matter of fact, in my early teaching days, I won a great legs contest at one of my elementary schools.  The other guy was a runner. Skinny legs...  He never had a chance.

I'm not really sure why I'm blessed with these particular gams.  Doc had some skinny legs, as I recall, though perhaps the genetic combo of his and Helen's made mine look pretty good.  I don't really work on them much.  Riding and the occasional leg workout at TB's Gym is really about it.  One of those things that I just got lucky with, I suppose.

The thing is, though?  Somewhere in the world is a guy walking around with my torso.  You know the one: 40 Regular, flat stomach, maybe some ab definition, but not too much...  My fear?  What if I have that guy's legs??  What if he is thinking, "WTH is up with my legs?  They're all squishy and lumpy and out of shape!"  Perish the thought...  These are mine and I'm keeping them.

Want to see them?  You know you do...  I'll tell you, though, that taking "selfies" of one's legs is somewhat of a challenge.  Here are a couple that turned out pretty well:

 After my ride the other day.  Some decent definition there!









Now, I don't claim to have the best legs anywhere.  BUT - I have received many compliments over the years.  Most recently - "dude, your calves are like baseballs.  How do you do that?"





For comparison, though, here is a shot of Lance Armstrong's legs:

Might be a bit much, actually...  And you could argue that he was a doper, so maybe that helped.  My understanding of EPO, however, is that it is a recovery/endurance supplement, not a muscle-builder.  (You could also argue that if you recover faster/better that you can build more muscle faster.  So either way.)

So now you know one of the things I'm happy about.  There are a couple more, but they don't really fit the blog topic.  Have a great weekend!  And since that is kind of a bad closing, here's another music video link to sort of pump up the end:

24-Hour Challenge

Next week an event takes place that will rank among my favorite and least favorite experiences on a bicycle at the same time:  the National 24-Hour Challenge.  The event I love to hate.  Hate to love?  Ah, the joy of completing that first circuit, mixed with the trepidation of heading back out.  The elation of a personal best one year, only to be followed by deflation the following year after completing only 75 miles.  

Every Fathers' Day, the Rapid Wheelmen, GR's cycling club, puts on this grueling nightmare/dream.  I've participated three times, each one ending differently than the last.  It's cool to compete against yourself and see how you stack up.  Oh, and you get the pain and suffering of the short, sharp, steep hills in Barry County,MI.

Here's how it works*:  starting from Thornapple-Kellogg Middle School, you take off at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.  The first loop is about 125 miles, and each rider must complete that loop to continue.  There are three checkpoints along the route, and you must have your event number punched at each location to prove you were there.  Riders must complete this125-mile loop by 5 p.m.
*disclaimer: I haven't done this in a couple years; these are the rules from my last run.

Once you complete the first loop, you may begin the second, about 25 miles in length.  You may do as many times around the second loop as desired, but at least ONE is required.  Once you have completed that one (riders must be done by 8 p.m., I believe), you begin the "night loop" of 7.5 miles.  There's one important kicker on the second loop, though: if you're not off of it by 8 p.m., the mileage from the loop you are on doesn't count!  No half-loops are allowed, so you plan carefully...

Once you have completed the first and at least one of the second, there are no more time constraints.  You are allowed to enter and leave the night loop at will; the event is simply 24 hours, not "ride until you drop," though that does happen.

Year 1:  I finish the first loop in decent shape, do my single second loop.  Brother-in-law Mark does two of the second loop on his quest.  We begin the night loop together, and do several.  At some point around 1 a.m. I begin moving my brake/shift lever in a vain attempt to turn on my bright lights as if in a car.  Having enough of my faculties still about me to realize that I am in danger, I head in for a nap.  After a couple hours I get back out and do a few more night laps, finally quitting about 6 a.m.  Total in almost 24 hours - 202.5 miles.  I will be happy tomorrow.  Right now I want to lie down...  And eat Peanut M&M's, which my lovely wife had the forethought to purchase.  5 pounds of them...  It WAS Fathers' Day, after all!

Year 2:  Feeling like a much stronger rider and knowing the course, not to mention a lot more pre-ride miles, I figured I could better my previous year.  My goal was between 250 and 275.

The day dawned HOT and humid.  I don't remember the temp when we started, but it had to be close to 80 already.  Checkpoint 1 was good at mile 36.  Somewhere around mile 60 I started feeling not so great, but figured I could make the 75-mile check.  Around 68-70 I was seriously thinking that lying down in the road and letting a truck run me over would really not be so bad at all.  I called Dana and told her to bring the van to the checkpoint - I was done at mile 75.  When we got home the next day I was very surprised to learn I had lost 9 pounds in 48 hours!  Holy dehydration!!  I gained 6 of it back on Sunday...

Year 3: Ah, the wind....  And the hills...  And the heat.  It seems I can do 2 out of those 3, but that's it.  My brother and I did the first loop and called it quits.  It seemed that every time we turned we ended up into the wind.  Feeling weary we decided we'd had enough.  Now if you'd like to hear some excuses in addition to the above-mentioned elements, I can tell you that the night before we ended up sleeping in our cars.  Dana and Erin ended up in the gym; the third member of my faithful crew, son Nathan, slept in the van, and I ended up in the Pacifica.  Because the torrential downpour that occurred during dinner pretty much wiped out the entire campsite at the school.  We returned to carnage!!  Gave a whole new meaning to "pitch the tent" as I threw it into the trash can when we got home.  And as flat as the floor of my station wagon-type car looks when you put stuff in it, it just ain't that great for sleeping.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...  One summer Tuesday a few years ago I was opening the shop at 10 a.m. as usual, and was greeted at the door by an older gentleman.  Looking pretty fit and determined, he said good morning, and proceeded to walk into the shop to look around.  "I need a new bike.  I want a Cannondale Synapse carbon.... and I have about three grand for a budget."  Sweet.  And I sold him a Cervelo RS.  He needed a new bike because the one he borrowed didn't fit him very well, and he was quite sure he could do better.  Better than the 400+ miles he had just done in the 24 Hour Challenge...  (You remember that one, right?  The one I did the first loop of.  I could feel my accomplishments circling the drain...)

Since then Bob has gone on to finish in the top three in his age group every year, though can't quite squeeze that first place out.  He's a great guy - has a farm north of town, and apparently rides his bike a lot.  A whole lot.

Other notables we have run into include a guy who ended up competing in the Race Across America (those guys are really crazy!), and many folks just seeing how they can do.  The times I rode, the top male finisher ended up with 475-ish miles (do the math 475/24 = 19.8 MPH.  For 24 hours.  Which doesn't count the checkpoint stop time, etc.  Dude.)  AND the top male finishers were in the 40-49 age group.  That really surprised me.  The RAAM guy we met was maybe 30; he finished 2nd that year.  (boy, was he pissed when he found out the one rider had passed him at some point!)

Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  It is difficult, though, to do something like that at this time of year, at least for me.  My job doesn't quite fit the demands of the training required, but I could make it work if I really tried.  The sense of accomplishment in knowing that with every pedal stroke I am riding farther than I ever have in one day is pretty cool.  And the folks you meet are pretty cool, too.  My biggest challenge is the nutrition and hydration required while on the ride.  It's hard to figure that one out.  But yeah, I'd do it again :)

Here are some pics from the 2010 ride:

The view from our freshly constructed tent on Friday evening.

Nathan lounging in anticipation of being a crew member...

Every year the event begins with a bagpipe band!

Feeling pretty badass with the Cannondale canopy...

The remains of the tent the next day!

The starting line.

Me and brother Kevin (he's in orange).

We're off!!

 

Impatience is a Virtue

I forgot my cell phone the other morning.  I realized this about half way to school, and we really didn't have time to turn around and go back for it, so I decided to just move on.  It was the day that the new drummers came to the HS for auditions for next year, and I picked them up and dropped them off.  And then I couldn't stand it any more and drove home on my plan period to grab my phone...

I give kids crap about this stuff all the time.  And here I was, in the same position.  Now, I'm not as bad as most of the kids who have phones; I have subjected them to many rants about how addicted they are to immediate feedback and constant contact.  (They love those, let me tell you.)  And I am serious - I really wonder how close to addictive behavior this is and why no one really seems to be worried about it.

And therein lies the problem we shall discuss today: what a colleague or two of mine like to call "immediate needs gratification," or "The ING."  "Avoid The ING," my English-teaching friend cautions.  And it's so hard any more, what with the interweb, cell phones, iPads, iPods, and all kinds of things that give us immediate feedback.  

And that immediate feedback then becomes needed in every facet of our existence.  We have to have immediate results when we start something or do something.  Twice today I have sighed and "encouraged" two devices - my Garmin GPS on my bike and the laptop I am using right now - to HURRY UP.  Yeah, GPS unit, find those satellites in space faster, dammit!  You and your little 1.5 x 3" sealed box that tells me how fast I'm going, where I am going, how fast my heart rate is, plus a billion other functions...  GO FASTER.  Really?  My cell phone was a little slow getting something online the other day.  "Stupid thing."  IT TALKS TO SPACE AND GETS ME WEATHER, A WORLD OF INFORMATION, AND A GOOD PLACE TO GET A BURGER.  Go faster...  Remember the phones we had when we were kids?  My house had exactly one phone, attached to the kitchen wall.  By a wire.  It had an actual DIAL on it.  Now my iPhone 4S is too slow and I get pissed when Siri can't understand what I want.

"First world problems," my students call them.  Yeah, sounds about right.  Your phone doesn't talk to space fast enough?  What a shame...  GPS gave you incorrect directions?  That stuff was all military secret technology 20 years ago...

So we let this run our daily lives.  "Why am I not very good at trombone yet??"  Well, kid, you're 11, you just started in September, and, unlike World of Warcraft or whatever, there are NO online cheat codes to make you better.  YOU HAVE TO WORK AT IT.  EVERY DAMN DAY.  If you gave it even half as much time as you give to that electronic device that was supposed to save the world of education but you use it as a toy to play games with, you'd be in the dang Chicago Symphony already.

And so that brings us to food.  And losing weight.  I frequently have to remind myself that these extra pounds did not arrive here overnight, and I should not expect them to leave that fast, either.  "Why have I only lost 8 pounds?"  Maybe because you gained 15 over the course of a full year and you can't just get rid of it all by Tuesday...  So I keep at it, hoping that little by little I can work it off.  And it seems to be going OK at this point.  I even got asked last week by a student if I was losing weight.  "I don't think so; this time of year the fat just kind of shifts around..."  (She thought that was funny; there's probably another blog post about our inability to accept compliments!)

I have been paying at least a little more attention to my intake, and I notice that smaller amounts help (whoa...  no WAY!), but more surprisingly, less/fewer carbs make me happier as well.  Slightly higher protein and fat holds my appetite at bay longer and I don't feel that awful, weird bloated/full/ugly thing that I get after bread products or fried stuff.  I love bread...  Sigh...  

OK, I'm back :)

Also, this past week was quite a victory for both Dana and me - we cooked some stuff last weekend that we were able to eat as leftovers and such, and neither of us went OUT for a meal for like 5 days.  FIVE DAYS.  Seriously, that's a record during the school year.  And it was good stuff, too - chicken and pork chops and asparagus and other vegetable-type things.  I also had several (yes, several) glasses of milk this week.

Speaking of victories, it's June 1st.  Here's the latest in the statistics column: 

Weight as of Jan 1 - 226
Weight as of June 1 - 215
Net loss - 11 lbs.  (YAY!)

13 workouts in May
142 miles on various bicycles
4 weight lifting workouts (heading back Monday, I think - physical therapist says I should be OK) 

So there you have it.  Five months to lose 11 pounds.  Seems like forever, but if you multiply that out over the year I think it equals 24, maybe?  Which isn't bad.  And summer is coming up, and June and July are usually 6-700 mile months :)

This post needs a pic.  Hmmmm...  I'm STILL waiting for my phone to email it to me!!!  This is taking FOREVER!!!!  Ah, there it is...  Here is a shot from the new Salsa Mukluk 2 from a couple weeks ago at Lake Michigan near Saugatuck.  What a blast!  You'll get to hear about that bike soon.

I'm off now.  Time to do some laundry and such.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!