Fixie Ryder

I took my new Salsa El Mariachi out on a test run today.  It was very windy because of the storm waves coming through, so maybe not so accurate a test.  Very strong head wind.  But, I was able to travel 10 miles on the C&O Tow Path in about 47 minutes, at a pace that I think that I could maintain all day.  This is around 14 miles an hour, which is within my operating limits for time (~14 hours to finish).   My total ride for the day was around 50 miles.  I have to say, that this is one phat ride.  It handled the packed gravel very smoothly, so smoothly in fact that I was able to ride with no hands!  The steel frame on this bike damped the bumps on the trail wonderfully.  Handled like a dream.  Based on my initial experience, I can heartily recommend this bike!

What a wonderful day!  I got a new Salsa El Mariachi 29er from the good folks at Spokes, Etc in Alexandria.  And, and, it’s not a fixed gear bike!  This bike shifted so smoothly that I was sold on keeping the cassettes on it.  What a pleasure to ride.  The oversized 29 inch wheels make the ride as smooth as silk, and they should make short work of the rough spots that I may encounter on the C&O Canal Tow Path during my ride from Cumberland Maryland to Arlington Virginia.

Working with software development tools this morning with a combo of shaking cob-webs, and learning.  It was fun, and moved a skill set into working memory (if you’re a software developer, you know what this means).  I had to go to the docs for my ear pain today. They think that I may have a benign tumor pressing on my auditory nerve.  I found out during their tests that I’m part deaf in my left ear from this!  Anyhooo, I’ll be getting an MRI to help figure this out.  It was a cloudy old day, and I went on a medium intensity ride on the Rush.  Then stopped by Spokes, Etc to try to get a 29er figured out for my ride down the C&O Canal Tow Path.

Here are some pictures of the 29′ers that I’m looking at for my ride down the C&O Canal!

Hoooly cow it’s hot out!  I took the Rush out for a ride today, and man did I work up a sweat!  It was a training ride, pushed hard, long stretch, many pullups, and many pushups!  I was sweating like a pig when I rolled in to Bradlee to get some bagels for the fam.  Maybe I’ll hit the pool to cool off today.

I picked up some software detective work to track down a bug in an old system that I used to work on, made good progress figuring it out.  Also figured out a view navigation thing in my iPhone software development.  I may be coming down the home stretch on it!

I had a great ride today.  It was very hot and muggy out.  Typical DC summer.  I was a little sore from my pushups, and pullups yesterday, so I took it easy on the exercises.  Out on the Soma Rush …, chillin’ at Robeks.

rollin’ on ma fixie
gleaming black
specialized seat
restin’ in my crack
poundin’ on the track stands,
turnin’ low
fixed gear rider,
so I flow
skiddin’ in the road
down a long ass hill
yo, car to da left
and stay outta my grill.

Curious how many times that I turned the crank on my fixed gear bicycle when I did my 125 mile ride. Diameter of wheel(28), times teeth in chain ring (44), divided by teeth in cog(14) = 88 gear inches. 88 gear inches * pi (3.14) = 276 inches. Bike goes 23 feet per crank turn. 5280 feet in mile divided by 23 feet per turn = 229 turns per mile. 125 miles * 229 turns = 28,625 crank turns on this ride!

I took da Fillmore out for a trick ride today.  Very intense.  Skiddin’, track stands, hopped some obstacles.  I wound up at one of the fitness apparatus out near Falls Church and did many pullups, and many pushups.  I changed the tape on ma Fillmore to white, and put a silver rust stopper chain on it.  It looks totally sick.

The young lad went out and got busy in the water, on the bike, and running!  Very strong showing, and very proud of him for finishing.  Had a great visit with the family in Lumberport, WV.  And a good time was had by all.

I rode down to DC on the Rush today.  It was really fun.  Watching the tourists, and getting a snack.  Matt and I had huge sandwiches for dinner tonight!