Tyres are pumped and I'm dressed.
Step on to balcony to check outside: it's cold but not icy, still dark but light enough.
Pull on an extra layer, flick the coffee machine on and call the lift.
Downstairs cleats clatter on the tiled floor, and door bangs behind me
Steam belching from a broken duct
Up Madison and onto 34th. The Moon hangs above the street haloed by a ring of clouds like a veil.
Right onto 6th and sit behind a bus my lights strobing against the vodka advert, Starting to warm up now.
Pass the bus and swerve round the potholes, the jaywalkers oblivious to the traffic
A group of party girls on their way home in filmy dresses.
The early shift heading to the office
Street people on the move to keep warm
Supers hosing down the sidewalk
Move out past a delivery truck, bus holding back to give me space, turn and wave.
Into the park; temperature drops as the road clears.
Ease up to look around; new views of the city through th e now tree branches now bare of leaves
This place changes every day
Past the baseball diamond with its flags tattered like Tibetan prayer flags
Past the early morning runners and up the hill, get passed by a rider who celebrates victory in the race I haven't entered.
Thank the joggers who wave me through the crossing
Down the hill and into the right hander; ease off the roads are wet and then up the hill dodge the suicidal squirrel Sunrise over Manhattan makes me squint.
Was that the building where Lennon was shot?
What are they queuing for?
Back on the jogging route, more crowded now. Watch out for undisciplined dogs and their less sensible owners
Take the slip road back into the bustle of the city
In a rhythm now as I ride down 5th at one with the traffic
Slalom through the pedestrians crowding the road waiting for the lights to change
Dodge the potholes at the start of my block
Into the lift, open the apartment door to the smell of fresh coffee.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
How not to change an inner tube...
1. Turn bike upside down.
2. Admire pool of liquid growing from water bottles.
3. Remove bottles.
4. Shred latex gloves on sweaty hands.
5. Remove wheel.
6. Fail to notice tyre position relative to valve.
7. Remove tyre and tube.
8. Lose valve cap and retaining nut in grass.
9. Search tyre for cause of puncture but ignore split in sidewall.
10. Neatly roll punctured tube.
11. Unroll recently roll tube.
12. Realise mistake and re-roll punctured tube.
13. Repeat 11-12 until common sense sets in.
14. Replace tyre and fit (hopefully) the unpunctured spare tube.
15. Refit wheel ensuring that chain is caught under wheel.
16. Refit wheel properly.
17. When inflating tube notice that valve stem is stupidly short.
18. Deduce that tube has been fitted with retaining nut inside rather than outside the rim.
19. Finally fit tube and inflate.
20. Several hours later notice odd bulge on tyre. Realise bulge is in fact inner tube poking through tyre.
21. Buy new tyre.
22. Repeat above.
2. Admire pool of liquid growing from water bottles.
3. Remove bottles.
4. Shred latex gloves on sweaty hands.
5. Remove wheel.
6. Fail to notice tyre position relative to valve.
7. Remove tyre and tube.
8. Lose valve cap and retaining nut in grass.
9. Search tyre for cause of puncture but ignore split in sidewall.
10. Neatly roll punctured tube.
11. Unroll recently roll tube.
12. Realise mistake and re-roll punctured tube.
13. Repeat 11-12 until common sense sets in.
14. Replace tyre and fit (hopefully) the unpunctured spare tube.
15. Refit wheel ensuring that chain is caught under wheel.
16. Refit wheel properly.
17. When inflating tube notice that valve stem is stupidly short.
18. Deduce that tube has been fitted with retaining nut inside rather than outside the rim.
19. Finally fit tube and inflate.
20. Several hours later notice odd bulge on tyre. Realise bulge is in fact inner tube poking through tyre.
21. Buy new tyre.
22. Repeat above.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Importance of Units
"So if you go down 5th at 25 you'll only need to stop two, maybe three times before you get home"
David's parting words as we left the park after our morning ride.
Well so I put it into practice. On 46 x16 25mph's pretty much by top speed before my legs fly off but David and I rode at a similar speed so it was achievable. I span up to speed and as if by magic the lights turned green in a wave down 5th for me only going red at 52nd. So far so good; OK pulse was racing, I couldn't breathe and I was drenched in sweat but the theory was working so far.
Lights go green and I speed up again, a little harder this time but I manage to settle at about a steady 24mph. OK I made that it up, there was no way that I could focus but it seemed about right. Another 20 blocks or so and I was home without another red light.
So the theory worked! In fact I'd beaten the theory, I only stopped once. It was only when I was packing my lungs back into my chest that I remembered an important fact. David's computer was set to kilometers.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
The city that never sleeps is surprisingly quiet at 630 am, the only cars are cops' or cabs. As I'd have plenty of time for hills later I took the flatter path by the river up to the George Washington Bridge rather than face the hills of Harlem.
Manhattan from George Washington bridge:
Once over the bridge and into New Jersey I followed 9W to Nyack. Despite being a highway there's a broad hard shoulder that's mostly debris free. even without that the drivers are mostly patient with the exception of a few who would sound their horn on sight of a cyclist even on the 4 lane roads. Perhaps they were just trying to warn me that they were very bad drivers :). I'm fairly familiar with this route as it's my 'Escape from New York' run so was able crack on at a fair pace.
Nyack at 30 miles saw the first stop of the day at the Runcible Spoon, the best muffins I've had and really well set up for cyclists with racks, pumps to borrow and water coolers to top up bottles from.
The leg from Nyack to Harriman on Highway 59 State Park was a drag; the worse overall road surface, too many traffic lights which would turn green the moment I unclipped. I had my only visitation of the day on that part aptly just outside the village of Suffren. Worryingly I couldn't find the cause but the spare stayed up for the ride and is still fine now so I'll chalk that down to experience.
The most memorable sights along here were a group of (I assume) Orthodox Jews walking along the side of the highway in synagogue wear including some form of bearskin hat in the 70 degree heat and groups of migrant workers waiting at the pick up points for day work opposite the Ferrari garage. The road got more motorway like as I climbed to the park. At one point I thought I'd got lost as the road gained a concrete central reservation but a quick check on the GPS showed that I was on track and I soon rolled into the park.
At the welcome centre I took the opportunity to stop an SUV and borrow a pump from a group of riders from New Jersey who'd just finished their ride.
"Where've you come from?" one of them asked
"Manhattan" I replied
"But where's your car?"
"England"
"So you've ridden all the way?"
Once they realised the length of my ride they brought out food just to make sure that I would be OK.
Harriman State Park was a welcome relief from the turmoil of the highway. I rode along Seven Lakes Drive, passing, unsurprisingly some lakes.
Nyack at 30 miles saw the first stop of the day at the Runcible Spoon, the best muffins I've had and really well set up for cyclists with racks, pumps to borrow and water coolers to top up bottles from.
The leg from Nyack to Harriman on Highway 59 State Park was a drag; the worse overall road surface, too many traffic lights which would turn green the moment I unclipped. I had my only visitation of the day on that part aptly just outside the village of Suffren. Worryingly I couldn't find the cause but the spare stayed up for the ride and is still fine now so I'll chalk that down to experience.
The most memorable sights along here were a group of (I assume) Orthodox Jews walking along the side of the highway in synagogue wear including some form of bearskin hat in the 70 degree heat and groups of migrant workers waiting at the pick up points for day work opposite the Ferrari garage. The road got more motorway like as I climbed to the park. At one point I thought I'd got lost as the road gained a concrete central reservation but a quick check on the GPS showed that I was on track and I soon rolled into the park.
At the welcome centre I took the opportunity to stop an SUV and borrow a pump from a group of riders from New Jersey who'd just finished their ride.
"Where've you come from?" one of them asked
"Manhattan" I replied
"But where's your car?"
"England"
"So you've ridden all the way?"
Once they realised the length of my ride they brought out food just to make sure that I would be OK.
Harriman State Park was a welcome relief from the turmoil of the highway. I rode along Seven Lakes Drive, passing, unsurprisingly some lakes.
Nice smooth roads, a few cyclists, runners and walkers and most of all fresh air and peace and quiet. The ride through the park is a gentle climb through the forest past the various lakes with a couple of minor descents but all on nice wide smooth roads. Quiet enough to see a beaver by the side of the road, but was going too fast to get my camera.
The road continues to climb gently until Perkins Drive - the only downside of this section being having to cross a busy interstate and ride along for a quarter of a mile before getting into Bear Mountain State Park. Perkins Drive (at about mile 58 on the plot below) is where it gets steep and I had my one 'clipless moment'. Slowing to take a breather I didn't unclip in time and ended up in a heap below my bike on the verge, fortunately unhurt. The two motor cycles following stopped to make sure that I was OK which was a friendly touch.
This was the steepest I think I've done, certainly on single-speed, and was the only moment where I was tempted to get off and walk when a rider on a geared bike drifter past and shouted "One gear, way to go!" which gave me the motivation that I needed to press on. I ground my way up to the summit at, according to the eTrex 1302ft, at a snail's pace but finally made it and with a far greater sense of achievement than anyone who had driven up. Some great views from the top:
This was the steepest I think I've done, certainly on single-speed, and was the only moment where I was tempted to get off and walk when a rider on a geared bike drifter past and shouted "One gear, way to go!" which gave me the motivation that I needed to press on. I ground my way up to the summit at, according to the eTrex 1302ft, at a snail's pace but finally made it and with a far greater sense of achievement than anyone who had driven up. Some great views from the top:
The visibility was great, I could see Manhattan although it doesn't really come out in the photo (it's just to the right of the second smaller 'vee' in the middle ridge, but you'll have to probably trust me on that :)).
Bear Mountain Bridge and the Hudson Valley
From the top a nice fast winding descent to the Hudson and then following the river back to Nyack for another visit to the Runcible Spoon, onto the George Washington Bridge and home. This was where the tiredness showed I was having to rest on climbs that I'd normally easily glide up but I made it home.
Overall I great day out, I managed to remember to eat and avoided bonking, saw some great scenery and discovered that once you get out of New York the riders are a lot more friendly.
Finally, some 'encouragement' that I received from the first rider I spoke to during the day on the way to Nyack:
"You're not going up Bear Mountain on that?" he asked
"Yes"
"But I thought it was single-speed?"
"It is"
And he mumbled something about being on a shorter ride rode away as if I was contagious ???
Well if you're reading - I made it, Bear Mountain's just another hill. :)
Stats
Distance: 115 miles
Time Taken: 10 hours
Rolling Average: 14.9 mph
Max Speed: 41 mph
Climbing: 5131 ft
Roadkill: Deer, raccoon, rat, squirrel, unidentifiable bird
Route
From the top a nice fast winding descent to the Hudson and then following the river back to Nyack for another visit to the Runcible Spoon, onto the George Washington Bridge and home. This was where the tiredness showed I was having to rest on climbs that I'd normally easily glide up but I made it home.
Overall I great day out, I managed to remember to eat and avoided bonking, saw some great scenery and discovered that once you get out of New York the riders are a lot more friendly.
Finally, some 'encouragement' that I received from the first rider I spoke to during the day on the way to Nyack:
"You're not going up Bear Mountain on that?" he asked
"Yes"
"But I thought it was single-speed?"
"It is"
And he mumbled something about being on a shorter ride rode away as if I was contagious ???
Well if you're reading - I made it, Bear Mountain's just another hill. :)
Stats
Distance: 115 miles
Time Taken: 10 hours
Rolling Average: 14.9 mph
Max Speed: 41 mph
Climbing: 5131 ft
Roadkill: Deer, raccoon, rat, squirrel, unidentifiable bird
Route
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