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Please support my 2015 BP MS150 ride!
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Credit

Although this blog was originally created by Andy Brickell and continues to be updated by him, the design and layout of the page is credited to his daughter, Mary-Claire Brickell. She's pretty awesome.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

March Madness

Kevin and the gang did the Chappell Hill ride yesterday and it was a butt-kicker - a hilly course with a strong wind on the way in.  Sadly for me (or perhaps not ...) my bike was in the shop for some preventive maintenance so I had to pass.

I planned to take a gentle run around Terry Hershey and George Bush this morning, with a view to a longer ride with Kevin on Sunday.  I didn't set my alarm, expecting to sleep in until a reasonable time.  When I woke up it was still dark but I felt pretty good so got dressed and got going.  It was only after I'd started the coffee and turned on the radio that I saw it was only 5.45!  Hence the seasonal madness...

I took the lights off my commuter, put them on the newly-maintained, freshly bar-taped, new-chained Madone and set off down Memorial.  The donut shop was baking, a very enticing odour but their coffee isn't up to much.  By the time I hit the Dam the sun was more or less up and we were off to the races.

A fair amount of traffic (bicycle and runner) on the trail but everyone knows the drill and keeps to the right when you pass.  I had a good run all the way to Highland Knolls, under grey skies with the occasional splash of rain.

On the way back I kept pace with another rider, a young woman who was cooking along pretty well.  At a convenient point I moved ahead and cranked it up for the last half-mile of George Bush.  She hung with me and we exchanged smiles when I eased back and she passed.

The day was marred a little by a very rude rider on a 29-er mountain bike.  He blew past me while I was waiting for some other riders to come through a gate, then after I passed him (calling out "on your left" very loudly) he went by without a word.  Very rude, very dangerous, very obnoxious.

I finished the ride on Terry Hershey rather than back down Memorial, basically to take it easy and wind down a bit.  Wildflowers are out in full force!

Monday, March 18, 2013

I bet this never happens to Lord Grantham

what my domestique did on his day off
I didn't get a chance to catch up with Kevin or Lee last week to sort out some weekend riding, so I was at a loss when Saturday rolled around.  The Mules were doing a recommended ride in Magnolia, basically halfway to Dallas, but that didn't appeal.  The Tour de Houston was on Sunday but I didn't fancy that either - crap roads, boring route.  In the end I stayed in bed on Saturday and dragged my aged carcass to Zube on Sunday morning.

I rolled up at 8.30 or so, no sign of the Mules trailer but Sean's truck (complete with "running sucks" sticker) was there.  He of course was long gone.  I got all dolled up, turned on the Garmin and hit the road, straight into the teeth of a screaming wind from the south.

I didn't have to fight it for long though, the route is mostly north and I flew along in fine style, with of course a sense of impending doom - before too long I'd be coming back, probably one entire chain ring slower.

Not many wildflowers to be seen, sadly - a little early in the year but we've had so little rain, I suspect they won't get much better.  Halfway down Laneview, normally wildflower paradise in the spring, I got "chased" by perhaps the crappest dog I've ever seen on a bike.  He looked like a collie/chihuahua cross, with a normal-sized torso suspended on teeny-tiny little legs.  He barked at me and gave chase - but from the other side of the road, clearly he was not allowed to cross.  I yelled at him half-heartedly and put on a bit of a spurt but we were both going through the motions.

After the usual gas station break I put my best pedal forward and prepared for the upwind slog.  It was a grind but in the end not that bad, clearly all the saddle time is having a beneficial effect.  I got back with an average speed of just under 16mph, really not bad under the circumstances.

I later learned from Kevin that he had spent the day helping right over-turned canoes in the Buffalo Bayou regatta.  Once a domestique, always a domestique, even on his day off.

Bear Creek - Terry Hershey loop

Bear Creek - Terry Hershey loop

Daily commute to work

Daily commute to work
This isn't quite right but it's close. 9.5 miles, about 40 minutes.

Terry Hershey Park

Terry Hershey Park
10 miles of safe, paved cycling bliss - except for all the foot traffic

The Sealy ride

The Sealy ride
45 miles through very pretty Texas countryside. Looks benign but there's a very hilly section at mile 35.

The Katy ride

The Katy ride
It's on the Katy prairie - flat, flat, flat