I'm telling you, the @#$%ing bridge is out

oh, right, the bridge is out

Off to Zube with Kevin for a gentle run around the standard 45 mile loop.  Sean and Adam were there when we arrived but they didn't feel like the full distance.  Ian was in from China (!), taking a course in Houston and the opportunity to catch up  with his NWCC friends.

We set off at a warmish pace but I was able to persuade Kevin to cool it a bit.  I've done a couple of Terry Hershey runs lately but I'm not in shape at all, and was hoping for a very gentlemanly ride.  I was expecting the various NWCC speed groups to pass and they did, a surprisingly large number of riders.

All was going well up to the 15 mile mark, when a rider going in the other direction shouted that the bridge was out.  I  thanked her but was a bit confused as I couldn't remember any bridges on the route.  We made the turn onto Laneview and saw three more riders who had clearly turned around.  They also said that the bridge was out.  Thanks, but what frickin' bridge??  Kevin suggested we ride for another 5 minutes and then decide if we need to turn.

We made it as far as the intersection and saw a large orange sign stating that the bridge was out.  Suddenly I remembered that there was indeed a bridge over a creek ahead!  Somewhat sheepishly we turned around and headed back.  We talked about routes but ultimately all we could do was retrace our steps and then head for the gas station.

As we got closer I was beginning to tire and was glad to slot in behind Kevin, who was looking very strong.  We arrived at the Exxon with Kevin's computer showing 33 miles (normally 25!).  We had a good break before setting off again, right behind another group of three.  We kept pace with them for a while, although Kevin was as strong as ever on the climbs and pretty much blew the group to pieces.

We made the turn onto Business 290 and I was really in trouble.  I got behind Kevin and let him do  all the work, but I was pretty much spent and very glad to get back to Hockley.  I asked for a short breather and we took 5 in the shade of a disused gas station.  Finally back at Zube and I was feeling pretty rough.  Nothing that a beer, a cheese omelette (thanks Susan!) and a nap couldn't fix, though.

just like riding a bike

For the second Sunday in a row I braved the heat, humidity and crowds in Terry Hershey and George Bush parks for a ride.  I'm still nowhere near rejoining the Mules but it may not be too long now.

I had two choices this morning - get up at quarter to Sparrowfart, drive to Prairie View, cough up a large chunk of cash and kill myself trying to ride with Paddy, or get up when I woke up and enjoy a leisurely cruise  in the parks.  This was an intelligence test that I didn't fail.  The Mules rode the Tour de Pink today and I wore my pink Mules shirt in the park to show my support for the cause.

A Farewell to Mules

Yesterday morning saw me out at Zube with a big gang of Mules, although sadly no Kevin or Jorge.  It was unusually cool for June (low 70's) but already very humid.  Paddy proposed a new route that added 8 milles of country-lane riding and off we set.

All the Speedsters were there, including Shawn, just back from riding a 240km classic in Holland, and Ian who is soon to be transferred to China.  The pace was predictably hot, and Yvonne (who had looked very strong on my last Mules run) was falling behind.  About 10 miles in she and her husband Steve decided to turn back, leaving me at the mercy of some very strong riders.

I was lagging a bit too but Ian kindly bridged me over to the Peloton a few times.  After the goat farm turn, Britt and Oz decided to put the hammer down and we were flying along in a tight paceline, rotating the lead every 30 seconds at about 23-24 mph.  I held on for a while but eventually got spat out the back.

We regrouped at the gas station and headed into Hempstead (this was the new section of the route), familiar roads for me although I normally ride them in the other direction.  We turned at Peckerwood Gardens and then turned onto Brumlow road and terra incognita (for me anyway).  It certainly was a pretty route through the country and much nicer than the usual slog up Business 290, but the pace was still high and I was struggling pretty badly.

We made a turn north and got back on Business 290 just before Waller.  The guys formed a paceline once more and left me for dead pretty quickly.  I wasn't too sad to watch them go, I was happy enough at a slower pace and you always hate to be a drag on faster riders.

I got to Waller and saw that Paddy and Charlie were hanging back for me, so I slotted in behind and let them do the hard work all the way home.  Charlie and I had a good chat near the end, he's working on the same project as me so we have a lot in common.

Back at Zube and the tent has been set up.  Paddy tosses me a cold towel and it feels wonderful on my neck and over my head.  Sadly the beer selection was rather limited (what a whiner!).

And so the time has come for the Mules and I to part company, at least until the weather is a bit less aggressive.  I'll try a few rides with the Truth Squad, but I may just Lone Wolf it for a while.  Wtach this space...

The Little Mexican Truck that did!

(Followers of this blog may recall a somewhat facetious post about my friend Kevin and his classic steed, titled "The Little Mexican Truck that Could".  Here, as promised, is the sequel)

The Little Mexican Truck that Did!

The Little Mexican Truck felt nervous and excited all at the same time.  He and his rider Kevin had just finished their umpteenth Houston-Austin ride together, but this year, instead of riding home in the back of a real truck, they were actually going to do it - ride all the way to Marfa!

Sure enough, the next morning, at the crack of dawn, Kevin loaded up the truck like a burro in a spaghetti western and they set off.  The first day's ride was through rolling green countryside but after that it was mile after mile of dusty brown flat lands.  The Truck felt pretty good but was a bit worried about letting Kevin down, especially on the long days when they went for 40 or 50 miles without seeing any signs of civilization, other than Border Patrol helicopters and Greyhound buses.  Kevin was feeling good too, and enjoying the chance encounters with other oddballs when he stopped for lunch or overnight.

The Truck did its best to keep rolling but it couldn't help getting the odd flat tire.  Kevin was well equipped to deal with minor roadside problems, but his patience was tested to the limit when three of his stock of new inner tubes turned out to have leaky valve stems.  He'd got them from the hippies at REI and it seemed that someone had enjoyed a little too much wacky baccy at some point in the process.

In the end, they were both glad to see the Marfa city limits sign.  The Truck was relieved and happy but a little concerned - how was it to get home?  Surely Kevin wouldn't leave it?  Not to worry, after a good night's sleep, Kevin unloaded the Truck and took it to a bike shop in Alpine, where they broke it down and packaged it for the train ride home.

A few weeks later, Kevin and the Truck showed up for a ride with Andy, Paddy and some others.  Did they treat the Truck with new-found respect after its epic adventure?  Hell no, they still ripped the piss out of it (Paddy was particularly unkind - the Truck does not have any barnacles on it), while giving Kevin all kinds of praise, when all he had done was sit on it.  There ain't no justice.

Ready to Roll!

ready to roll!

After the brutal wind from the south that made my last training ride so painful, I was hoping that it would hold for a week, giving me a nice tail-wind for the event.  Alas, a strong front blew through on Friday, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms and a change in the wind direction but no easing of intensity.

So on Saturday morning we grouped outside my house (Kevin, Tom and I), anxiously anticipating a beautiful Spring day in Texas spent battling a 20 mph cross/head wind.  We were not disappointed.

My brother-in-law David the Randonneur was riding again but had decided to make things difficult for himself.  He planned to do the entire ride in one hit, starting from Houston at midnight on Saturday so as to catch me in La Grange for the second day.  What a maniac.

Jorge wanted to ride with us but started with his team (with no BHP team this year, he opted to join some Colombian friends riding with BP, while we signed up with St.Arnold's Brewery).  We planned to meet at the first rest stop but in fact he caught us a few miles before it.

The route to Bellville is becoming very familiar!  The first long stretch north directly into the wind split us up, with Jorge and I pulling ahead of Tom and Kevin.  They wouldn't catch us all day.  We rolled into lunch feeling pretty good, although Jorge was regretting the lack of training a bit.

Back at it, with rollers all the way to La Grange now.  Jorge was tiring and with about 20 miles to run, he dropped back.  I wasn't doing that great myself but Fayetteville was a great boost.

Soon enough I saw the road junction that lead to the last rest stop of the day and I was glad to stop and take off my shoes - my right foot was really painful.  I walked around in my socks for a while and then ran into Kevin (my BW&F buddy) who was riding with his sister Pattie.  Kevin had agreed to do the ride on his fixie and there it was!  Amazing to ride that far in that wind on that bike.  When it was time to put my shoes back on I found that I'd been walking in burrs and had a ton of them stuck to my socks.

Back on the road and at long last a down wind run - the last 7 miles are more-or-less due south.  Even so I was glad to cross the finish line and accept a taster-size St.Arnold's beer from a raucous (possibly drunk) volunteer.

smiles of relief

At the team tent, Chris was already in and looking a bit bored, Kevin and Tom were still on the road.  After a swift  IPA I decided to take advantage of my top fundraiser status and use the priority shower line.  There was still a decent wait, but we had seats under a canopy and towels were provided too.

Back at the tent Kevin and Tom had rolled in and Jorge was there too - he had finished only a few minutes behind me.  We had a dinner and another beer, before turning in for an early night.

I slept as poorly as ever due to nerves, unfamiliar surroundings and an air mattress that deflated within about an hour of use.  The lights came on at 5 as always and I was ready to get up.  Breakfast comprised packaged kolaches and surprisingly good coffee and I took full advantage of the latter.  I packed my gear, cleaned up my bike and got ready for my day.

David checked in - he had decided to modify the route a little and had hit an unexpected dead end, so was running late and suggested we meet at a rest stop.

The line for the start was already pretty long when I joined but again that's par for the course.  It was probably an hour before I got going and when I did it was damn chilly in the shade.  I saw Kevin stopped by the road side and pulled up just past him to see if he needed help.  In fact he had lost touch with Tom and was waiting for him.  A little further on I passed Tom, who had actually got ahead of his partner.

I was riding the Challenge Route but the Parks were closed due to construction, so we got the big descent into Smithville and then were funneled onto Route 71 with the Fanny-pack set.  It was still moderately challenging, the same climbs but on smoother roads and more drawn-out.  We hit Bastrop for lunch but we were guided to the Middle School, rather than the High School where we'd had lunch every year previously.  I got my lunch and texted David, who was close behind.  Unfortunately in the crowd we failed to make contact, and he started without me.

The final afternoon of the ride is always a chore, not a great distance but boring roads and fatigue really starts to set in.  About halfway through when I was seriously dragging a paceline blew past so I jumped on to see if I had anything left in the tank.  It seemed I did, I hung on for a few miles, and felt a lot better about the ride.

phew, made it

We passed the Austin City Limits sign, always a boost, but there's still plenty of ride left, with several pretty good climbs before the end.  On one descent I was blowing and going just as a cop decided to wave some cars through.  I nearly locked up my back wheel and gave him a reproachful look as I passed.  All that was forgotten as I cruised the last few hundred yards and made the turn onto the home straight.  I took the opportunity to exchange high fives with the crowd on the finish lane and crossed the line, feeling relieved more than elated.

I dropped off my bike and made my way to the St.Arnold's tent which was absolutely packed.  I got my bag and a beer and headed off to the VIP shower truck.  I ad to check in with a cop of some variety and tried to disguise the beer in my hand as I did so but I don't think he cared.

After showering I thought about going back to the tent but didn't fancy the crush and went straight to the bus back to Houston instead.  But I should have stayed a little longer to wish Kevin Bon Voyage for his forthcoming cycle epic.

It's Showtime, Folks!

Yesterday was my last long ride before the MS150.  The Mules had outings planned, but Kevin got in touch looking for a ride with more climbs, and I suggested the Sealy route.  I put the word out, and Brent came forward too.  He was looking for a slower ride than the usual 45 mile gallop around Zube - I assured him that we were looking for an MS-paced ride, 17-18mph all the way.  Jorge couldn't make it but Kevin was planning to bring Tom, an old BP buddy who is also his usual MS150 riding partner.  Kevin offered to drive, but when he arrived at my place he was alone - Tom had opted to attend his kid's track meet instead.

We set out for Sealy, with The Raphael Gadot Trio's new CD, Hypnosis, playing.  The bass player in the trio is a co-worker and I thought that Kevin, also a bassist, might appreciate his work.  We talked about his upcoming trip to Marfa, and all of his back-up plans.  What once seemed like a crazy-ass, mid-life crisis dream now looks like a tough but doable ride.

Once at Sealy we hooked up with Brent, saddled up and headed out.  There was already a strong wind out of the south that promised to make the run home down Route 36 pretty tough, but it gave us some Lance Armstrong moments on the north legs (as in cruising at 20+mph without breaking a sweat).

Birds galore today, including at least four scissor-tailed flycatchers (one flew right in front of us, giving a great view of his plumage), an eagle and plenty of vultures.  As we got into the ride, Brent began struggling with the climbs and I wondered how he would handle the hilly section at mile 35.

We reached Bernardo and took a break.  For once the Feed Store was open (I usually do the ride on Sundays and it's closed) and we went in for water.  Kevin has rigged up a triathlete-style dual bottle rack behind his saddle and it had worked loose, so we made some running repairs.

The run from Bernardo to Cat Spring is through very pretty countryside and we enjoyed the wildflowers and views, before getting down to the serious part of the ride.  First though a stop at the Cat Spring Country Store, another locality that I've never seen open.  By now the wind was really blowing and gusting.

Off into the hills.  We dropped Brent pretty quickly but under the circumstances it had to be every man for himself.  We slowed back a couple of times to keep him in view but otherwise hit the descents and ascents pretty hard.  Half-way up the toughest climb, I tried to shift chain rings but my drive train locked up, forcing me to drop into my granny ring before I needed it.  Kevin surged past and I couldn't catch him.  One more tough climb and then we were through.  Brent appeared pretty quickly and we regrouped, ready for the last push down 36.

When we reached the turn for 36 I was surprised to see that the road construction started two years ago was still not complete.  A second carriageway had been built but was not in use, so were were forced onto a fairly narrow shoulder.  Kevin told Brent that he and I would take turns at the front, aiming for a 17-18mph pace.  Unfortunately, when I took the lead it was all I could do to hold it to 15mph, into a 20+mph head wind with strong gusts.  When the pace dropped Kevin went past but he was too strong and I called him back.  On my next turn at the front I led the group onto the unfinished carriageway, and we had a smooth surface all to ourselves.  Brent dropped back but with the wind so strong we couldn't wait for him and forged ahead.

Kevin dropped me just outside the city limits but I wasn't far behind when we pulled up at the cars.  I was pretty drained but Kevin felt OK, a good omen for his big ride.  Brent was a few minutes back - he'd lost sight of us and had stopped to check the route (and maybe get his breath back).  I think he enjoyed the ride.

Back home to watch the trees swaying in the wind and a good nap.  Next ride - LaGrange and then Austin!

Lone Wolf

hard to see I know but trust me

The Mules and Direct Energy guys were all planning to ride the Gran Fondo today but I didn't fancy it (boring route, too many riders), so I talked Jorge into a longer Zube run instead.

Sadly, once again he had a late night (we were both at The Raphael Gadot Trio gig at Ovations, but I left early) and bailed on me.  So I loaded up the car and headed out, giving myself the luxury of a late-ish start.

There were a few riders getting ready at Zube but no-one I knew, so I was a lone wolf.  That's never a good idea when cycling the back country but in this area on a Sunday traffic is always light and drivers are always very careful around bikers.

I got into my stride quite quickly and began to enjoy the ride.  Boys being boys, there's always a little competitiveness when we ride, even though we're all friends, and someone will be pushing the pace.  As a Lone Wolf I didn't need to be chasing anyone, although of course I wasn't stretching myself either.  I'd brought my camera with me and planned to stop and photo any interesting birds, something else that doesn't happen in group rides.

As I made the turn onto FM1736 at about the furthest north point on the ride, I saw a big group of riders going through ahead of me, almost certainly the Gran Fondo.  They were the last riders I saw on this normally busy route until the Exxon.  A blast from the past as I made the turn on Laneview - two dogs appeared, barking furiously, right where Sean of the Dog earned his nickname.  Fortunately they were slow on the draw and I was out of their range quickly.

Rolling down Laneview I spotted two scissor-tailed flycatchers on a telegraph pole and immediately hit the brakes for a photo stop.  I was able to get quite close but the pics didn't turn out very well - the best is on this post.

Just a short run to the Exxon for a break.  No other riders were there when I arrived, although someone showed up shortly after me and we exchanged greetings.  I ran drainage and imbibition cycles (a little petroleum engineering humour for you) and got back on the bike.

The next stretch was an extension of the normal route.  Instead of turning on Business 290 I stayed on FM362 for a mile or two, before turning west and then looping back into Hempstead.  I was beginning to feel the wind a bit and was glad to get a boost on the north run into town.

Just the usual run home left, with a quartering wind that wasn't really having much affect on me.  I was glad to see the Waller water tower, which meant about 6 miles to run.  With the Hockley traffic  lights in view, I stood up on the pedals to get some blood flow back into my perineum, and when I sat down I had a flat rear tire!  I pulled over, looking for a flat area on the shoulder, but it was all grass, so no choice but to get after it where I was.  Rear wheel tube changes are harder but I got it done reasonably quickly.  My crack pipe CO2 adapter worked like a charm, what a great purchase that was.

With a reinflated rear I was able to knock out the remaining few miles quite comfortably.  Back home for lunch, then I took the bike to Bicycle World and Fitness for an MS inspection, new brake cables and pedals and new bar tape (how did that happen?).