It was a good week.
I finished a Sunday with 22 miles, for my 50 mile weekend.
A well deserved rest day on Monday
4 great evening workouts, (okay, 1 was interupted by 2 calls for CIBA Ride schedules).
Work was great and my Apple stock was up almost $5. (It nice be a stock owner and former Mac Genius).
SonOne and I are signed up for TOSRV, or at least PayPal says so. SonOne came though, but mine is still hanging in web limbo. Hopefully I will get my number in a day or two. Otherwise the whole process, from registation to information packet was handled seamlessly, without SASE.
I thought we might we get roadable weekend, but more snow is coming tonight. So another trainer weekend. I will be adding the AirStrykes before the next session.
We have sound system for the tandem now, a TDK I'mASpeaker, a powered mono flat speaker built into a flat CD case. It will get a spot on top of the rack trunk, with a 10Gb 3G iPod. First test will be in few weeks, obviously. It may be moved to a mid ship position on the stoker bars, but we will test in the rear first. The solid state iPod shuffle may be better choice, than the hard drive based 3G; it would be nice to have backup battery option for the shuffle, which charges off USB 2. But shoes and new riding glasses are higher priorities right now.
Aside from riding, I have an RTR article to finish this weekend.
Lifetime mileage 135,380.
Since purchasing my first tandem in 1975, I have enjoyed talking and writing about tandems as much as riding them.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Pinewood Derby Daze & RAAM on NBC
Missed two days riding while wrapping up SonTwo’s Pinewood derby car, and then MC’d for the Pinewood Derby night for our cub scout pack (I am cubmaster). It was quite a night, using the Pack’s brand new SuperTrack, with 6 lanes, electronic timing, PC heat generation and timed scoring, not my Pinewood Derby, and only one engineer parent's car going awry.
Had follow-up email from Fred wintering in Florida. Turns out he was trying tandem captaining for the first time, with a former bike shop owner and co-ed tandem RAAM finisher. She (tandem owner and stoker) used to have an employee who I had met and rode with in while living in Washington state. There truly are just 6 degrees, if that.
SonOne is a definite sign on for TOSRV (105 days and counting). His price is a TOSRV T-Shirt and a replacement for his 2001 RAGBRAI hat. (He and I rode the 2001 Thursday only, and did 70 miles.) Mom thinks his price is a little low. I said negotiations were closed. I think we will do okay. No new updates on the family trainer races, we may try handicapping; trying to figure out how to get SonTwo involved.
28 miles in 90 minutes on the trainer today, watching most of the 2004 RAAM on NBC, which was nicely done. Only thing missing were the map advances. Very interesting to watch, especially after last weeks RAAM `85 revival via video tape. Sleep deprivation, over-hydration, de-hydration, kidney failure, and crew abandonment, too name just a few of trials. Maybe if I could do on a relay team.
Lifetime miles 135,259; 22 miles tomorrow to finish 50-mile weekend.
Had follow-up email from Fred wintering in Florida. Turns out he was trying tandem captaining for the first time, with a former bike shop owner and co-ed tandem RAAM finisher. She (tandem owner and stoker) used to have an employee who I had met and rode with in while living in Washington state. There truly are just 6 degrees, if that.
SonOne is a definite sign on for TOSRV (105 days and counting). His price is a TOSRV T-Shirt and a replacement for his 2001 RAGBRAI hat. (He and I rode the 2001 Thursday only, and did 70 miles.) Mom thinks his price is a little low. I said negotiations were closed. I think we will do okay. No new updates on the family trainer races, we may try handicapping; trying to figure out how to get SonTwo involved.
28 miles in 90 minutes on the trainer today, watching most of the 2004 RAAM on NBC, which was nicely done. Only thing missing were the map advances. Very interesting to watch, especially after last weeks RAAM `85 revival via video tape. Sleep deprivation, over-hydration, de-hydration, kidney failure, and crew abandonment, too name just a few of trials. Maybe if I could do on a relay team.
Lifetime miles 135,259; 22 miles tomorrow to finish 50-mile weekend.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
TOSRV- 107 Days and counting
The TOSRV apps were available today, probably posted over last weekend. This will the 44th, and I last rode in 1990 (29th). My first was in 1979, so that is a 26 year spread. (Okay, 5,371 days since my last trip down the Scioto.) I will sign us up up over the weekend.
I have singled TOSRV once (in 1979), and tandemed it 4 times, each with a different stoker. (Matt, Rick, Jack, and Dean), about has differnt a group that I could imagine. Jack is the only 1 have kept in touch with over the years. SonOne will be stoker #5, and this will be his 2nd and 3rd century (or 3-4, assuming we get training century in).
On my basic training plan there will be 1620 more training miles - or roughly 2,000 miles by May 1.
The home wind trainer competition continues. SonOne is now a personal best of 16.5 Avg (30 minutes), with Mom at 15.1. He took a rest day today, only 16.1 avg. Mom is pushing harder to catch up. I just smile.
Lifetime miles 135,271.
I have singled TOSRV once (in 1979), and tandemed it 4 times, each with a different stoker. (Matt, Rick, Jack, and Dean), about has differnt a group that I could imagine. Jack is the only 1 have kept in touch with over the years. SonOne will be stoker #5, and this will be his 2nd and 3rd century (or 3-4, assuming we get training century in).
On my basic training plan there will be 1620 more training miles - or roughly 2,000 miles by May 1.
The home wind trainer competition continues. SonOne is now a personal best of 16.5 Avg (30 minutes), with Mom at 15.1. He took a rest day today, only 16.1 avg. Mom is pushing harder to catch up. I just smile.
Lifetime miles 135,271.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Harder than it looks
Monday, I will catch up tomorrow..
Tuesday, well it's only been a couple of days..
Thursday, you didn't make it yesterday ..
Friday, day off for my birthday party (48th, thank you!)
Saturday, day off for day off
Sunday, Pinewood Derby and all that other stuff
Monday, I will catch up tomorrow..
Okay. So in the last 7 days, 79 miles, all indoors. Total for the month is now 242, and life time is 135,248 miles.
(Managed in database I have maintained over the last 10 years, with over 4089 ride entries, along with annual summary, day and bike records.)
Home wind trainer competition is getting more interesting, with oldest son now a averaging 1.5mph faster than Mom; but still 2 mph behind me. He is getting very interested, and Mom and #1 are pushing each other. Next month our church sponsors "A walk to Jerusaleum' fitness challenge. We are going to sign up has a family, and my goal is 600 miles, 15 miles per day, and maybe we can get the family over a 1,000 miles.
I heard from my good friend Fred Evans, the cancer survivor, now wintering in Florida. He did had 53 mile ride over the weekend, and is very pleased with himself. I have to get him into blogging, he is natural.
Still waiting for TOSRV applications.
Tuesday, well it's only been a couple of days..
Thursday, you didn't make it yesterday ..
Friday, day off for my birthday party (48th, thank you!)
Saturday, day off for day off
Sunday, Pinewood Derby and all that other stuff
Monday, I will catch up tomorrow..
Okay. So in the last 7 days, 79 miles, all indoors. Total for the month is now 242, and life time is 135,248 miles.
(Managed in database I have maintained over the last 10 years, with over 4089 ride entries, along with annual summary, day and bike records.)
Home wind trainer competition is getting more interesting, with oldest son now a averaging 1.5mph faster than Mom; but still 2 mph behind me. He is getting very interested, and Mom and #1 are pushing each other. Next month our church sponsors "A walk to Jerusaleum' fitness challenge. We are going to sign up has a family, and my goal is 600 miles, 15 miles per day, and maybe we can get the family over a 1,000 miles.
I heard from my good friend Fred Evans, the cancer survivor, now wintering in Florida. He did had 53 mile ride over the weekend, and is very pleased with himself. I have to get him into blogging, he is natural.
Still waiting for TOSRV applications.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Weekend Riding (Half and Half)
Saturday was a wind-trainer day, an hour and change on the Racermate for 20 miles. The Star Trek-Voyager marathon running on the local FOX affiliate made that (seem) very easy. It was below freezing outside, with lots of snow and hidden ice on the back roads, so riding out doors was not an option. The family now competes via a white board, with average speed at 30 minutes being posted on the family room wall. I am #1, followed by #1 son and wife. Nobody want to match me for distance.
Today (Sunday) saw temps about 40, with the roads clearing on a sunny afternoon. The Assenmacher came out for brisk 23 miles to Zionsville and back. The only hazard were the piles of melting ice, snow and branches falling where trees leaned over the roads. Since there was a Colt NFL playoff game today (Colts over Denver), the afternoon roads were very quiet.
Very good end of the week, a great start to the new year with 2 40+ weekends in a row.
Lifetime miles now at 135,137.
Today (Sunday) saw temps about 40, with the roads clearing on a sunny afternoon. The Assenmacher came out for brisk 23 miles to Zionsville and back. The only hazard were the piles of melting ice, snow and branches falling where trees leaned over the roads. Since there was a Colt NFL playoff game today (Colts over Denver), the afternoon roads were very quiet.
Very good end of the week, a great start to the new year with 2 40+ weekends in a row.
Lifetime miles now at 135,137.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Welcome to Think Tandem
Welcome to my first blog for thinktandem. (Okay, let's clean this up a little
It has been 30 years after my first tandem siting DALMAC (http://www.biketcba.org/DALMAC/), and the year I purchased my first (Gitane Interclub). I have been writing and commenting on tandems for bike clubs since the late `70s. I sold them for 7 years in West Lafayette, IN, working my way through Purdue. I have had articles published in newsletters in Michigan, Indiana, Washington, and most recently, Recumbent and Tandem Rider.
So this is the next step. It should be fun!
It has been 30 years after my first tandem siting DALMAC (http://www.biketcba.org/DALMAC/), and the year I purchased my first (Gitane Interclub). I have been writing and commenting on tandems for bike clubs since the late `70s. I sold them for 7 years in West Lafayette, IN, working my way through Purdue. I have had articles published in newsletters in Michigan, Indiana, Washington, and most recently, Recumbent and Tandem Rider.
So this is the next step. It should be fun!
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