Ride Lugged

possible modification/update. i rode 40 miles two days ago, and almost died. there was 3000 feet of climing, in big chunks. john, and I, and nick, and starmer i assume, have heart trouble for days afterwards, on rides like that. i’m proposing a vote: the old ride plan was 27 miles to thurmont, mostly flat. then riding up into the mountains, where it would be anything but flat. i made an altera route, starting in thurmont, that takes us down through union gap, and new market, and up through the bottom of frederick. it will still be a challenge. the mod will have 2000 feet of climbing (1000 less than the mountain way), but never in a big chunk like the mountains do. it will be mostly rolling. it will increase total mileage to 77 miles, or roughly 125km. so anyway, let me know what you think. the link to the new route is here. the info, again, on where to meet and when, is here. post thoughts in the comments, por favor.

Spent some quality time in Amsterdam a few weeks back. Here’s some bikes I saw.

That’s not a steamer trunk, this is a steamer trunk!

Shiny new Brooks for mom, baby has to just hang on.

Ahhh, nice carbon city bike with logo dented into the downtube?

Guy at the bike rental place: “Watch out for tourists who get high and bike around crazy.”

Bike forest.

whilst i was making my fabled three egg omelet con vermont cheddar cheese, i heard this on NPR: americans currently taking public transport, save something like 6 billion gallons o’ gas a year. thats enought to fill at least two swimming pools right? the big kind. also, on a more personal scale, you save something like 6,500 bucks a year by personally taking public transport. imagine how much you would save it if was free, like it should be!

6,500 dollars is alot of money, in terms of bikes. my proposed money grip tandem, if bought at retail, would cost about that much. i tried to make a single steel bike cost that much and came out 1,000 dollars short. at retail!

mariposa frame and fork

custom stem

custom front and rear intergrated racks

custom paint

custom honjo fenders

ta cyclotouriste rings

phil mag/ti bb

pc 89r hollow chain

suntour superbe shifters

nitto handlebars

brooks leather tape

modolo drilled levers

paul centerpull brakes

schmidt front hub

e6 headlamp

berthound handlebar bag and panniers

brooks professional, ti railed

thompson masterpiece post

ta pedals

mks aluminum toe clips with leather toe covers

ale straps

phil wood freewheel rear hub

ird freewheel

velocity 650b rims

wheelsmith xl 14 spokes

grand bois 650b tires

stronglight headset

aluminum bolt kit, for cranks, fenders, chain rings, bottle cages, derailluers

nitto bottle cages

ultegra ft and rear mechs

still under 5500!

if thats not a reason to ride yer bike or a bus to work i dont know what is.

ok, its official, cause we have a name for it, and a spoke card in the works. john helped me add 4 miles to the ride, and incorporate 2 more covered bridges. the modified map and the original, which will be followed from thurmont onwards, can be found @ routeslip, under the frederick or thurmont section. its called the frederick thurmont ride, and mod therein. this link might work. we have a place to eat lunch now: thurmont bar and grill. bring cash. still starting @ 18 west 6th st, frederick. still leaving @ 9. still meeting @ 8. still bring lights, grub for the ride itself.

this past sunday mel and i went for a ride about 30 minutes from our house, which isnt our custom, normally we leave right from the front door. but she wanted to go this amish leather seller place, which gave us an excuse to get off our beaten path. the ride started with about 1500 feet of climbing in about 4 miles. it was steep, and it just got steeper. it was spitting rain, with wind gusts up to 35 mph, but we didnt feel that, wrapped in the woods as we were. as soon as we summited the ridge, it was straight back down again, on wet roads with a blasting headwind that cut right through my windbreaker, (guess it wasnt members only) sweater, and short sleeve jersey. the decent had some nice views, the photo below is from the climb back up. the decent lasted much longer than the climb, and took us past a gorgeous river, surrounded by boulder fields and moss and dark pine trees. we eventually missed a turn we were looking for, and dumped out in a valley full of farms on the far side of the gap we had ascended. we rode into a headwind so strong that i rode one gear harder than my granny, ie 46/30 going down slight hills. we ate a good lunch, and got passed by an amish couple, then rode back, not having a map, needed to make it a loop. on the climb up, it started to rain, then it started to pour. then we got passed by another amish guy, who was pushing his horse hard up the mtn. it was a good ride, but i wish the weather had held, and we had found that turn.

i don’t want to tell all of you SLOW riders what to do or anything, but this is worth a look see.

a british genius

ok, i recently discovered than Gmaps has scanned in usgs topo maps, making ride planning slightly easier, hill avoidance wise. the current idea for the ride takes us up through woodsboro, to thurmont, which hopefully has a bar. from there the only major climbing of the ride starts, about 1300 feet in six/seven miles, followed by about 5 miles of decending, then about 800 feet of climbing in 1.75 miles. these are guestimates. it could be easier or worse. anyway, from mile 39 on home, its either downhill or flat. go to routeslip.com, and search for frederick/thurmont ride.

i want suggestions, on ways to make the ride more scenic, whatever. i want people who wouldnt normally come on one of these rides to at least be able to ride the first half to thurmont. again: ride leave 18 w 6th st @ 9am. dont be that late jerk. you know who you are. jerk. we’re gunna have lunch halfway through at some establishment in thurmont, so dont pack 25 latkeys and 3 sandwiches. do pack some lite grub for the road. last time we got back we barely beat the sun, so at least bring a blinky.

sean recently asked me to mock up some down tube logo ideas for his new company, vertigo cycles. i think he’ll have a website up soon, and when he does, we’ll link him. he asked for a classic design, citing vanilla as a major influence. i went with what i consider classic, 50-60s down tube logos from rene herse and singer. anyway, these are rough drafts, all hand done, with fairly minimal clean up. i didnt want to spend the time in illustrator until the concept was approved or rejected. feel free to weigh in on the designs.

Hey an event I don’t have to plan! 200km ride, to be completed in 13.5 hours, starting just south of frederick. With enough time to train for it. Who’s in? Here’s a link.
I’m not using firefox now so that couldnt be all fancy and hidden, sorry. Cummon kids, it will be 16 old people and us. We’ll be the only people who havnt learned french as part of thier biking hobby.