Cycle Ti Thunder

Tonight I rode on the  Cycle World Tuesday Night Fun Ride.  This is a ride that is no drop and geared for a relaxing evening ride with friends in the country.  Tonight I decided to do what I have seen +Kent Wheeler do and take pictures of the cyclist in the group.  The evening light was just gorgeous as we rode down Flowing Well Road.

I woke up at 4 AM today to finish working on a web project.  I drove my truck to work.  When I got home I was excited to go out for a nice relaxing ride.  I was riding up Eight Mile road and I just could not pass up the reflection of the oak tree in the cattle pond. It was a good 70-68 degree ride.

Date night at the Mellow Mushroom must get home fast

See the Texas Long horn? The weather was so nice yesterday that I could not pass up the chance to capture all of the colors that I was seeing from my bike.  I like taking pictures when there are large clouds in the sky.  The even lighting that the clouds produce are what I like to capture in landscape photography.  When the sun peeked through the clouds the long warm rays painted a golden wash over the fields where the cattle were grazing. I ride on Eight Mile Road a lot and it is always an adventure in lighting and seasonal changes that make my bike commute so interesting. The weather was near perfect this week for cycling.  the mornings are just cool enough to want to have arm warmers on but not cold enough to ride bare legged.  In the evenings it is warm, but not sticky hot.  Yesterday I decided to go to video mode on my phone and give you city folks a gander at my bike commute. Sometimes I forget what it is like to have cross traffic.  I on...

Today was a perfect day to ride in SW Georgia.  It was cool , not sunny and not humid.  There was a slight wind from the NNE.  I stopped on Eight Mile Road to take a picture of a cotton field covered with green grass. Sometimes I take it for granted how peaceful these country roads are.

I added a personalized decal to my bike. I also added a new saddle bag that will take my large pump.  I can now carry more than 1 inner tube.I can now carry more than 1 inner tube. The new bag came with a plastic insert that made it to wide for my seat post.the new bag came with a plastic insert that made it to wide for my seat post. When I rode my bike yesterday the bag rubbed on my legs as I pedaled.  I will test this new configuration out tomorrow on my morning my commute to work.I will test this new configuration out tomorrow on my morning my commute to work.

Going back two tires that I really know well Gatorskins. I am going to run these at a hundred psi and see how my bike compares to these tires.

3/17/2014 3/17/2015 One year ago on March 17, 2014 I was riding my bike to work and I did not make it because I was struck from the rear by a Honda Pilot.  Today I rode my bike to work and I was so happy that I am doing what I love. Last year I was inspired by the Bicycle Commuter Cabal  (BCC) to wear green so I took a picture of me wearing my favorite jersey, featuring the BCC logo a Zombie Raccoon.  That was the last time that I wore that jersey. It was cut off of me at the scene of accident. My current Zombie Raccoon jersey was a present from the  Bicycle Commuter Cabal .  I had ordered a new jersey during the 2014 spring store order. I did not want to open my package when it arrived until I was bike commuting again.  When I did  open it in December 2014 in addition to the new jersey that I had ordered I found a replacement Zombie Raccoon jersey.  That is what I wore to work this morning. I was really moved to get another one from the...

I rode to work this morning a few pounds lighter than usual.  I decided to leave my "winter" seat post bag at home.  Today was going to be a wonderful ride with no fear of cold or fowl weather so arm warmers were all I had on for extra clothing.  The temperature dropped to 40 degrees, but I did not care because I was going to ride fast. It is going to take a while for me to get use to riding out of the saddle without my bike bag.  The bike is so much lighter that it flops around when the seat post and bag are not attached when I am out of the saddle. To the point, I wanted to make note of the fact that I am sprinting during my morning commute.  The sprint zone I selected is right at the bottom of a slight rise as I come out of a low land marsh area all the way until I cross from the country road into the city at HWY 91.  I usually get to this point of the ride in about one hour and some change.  My goal is to make it here in under one hour. ...

I always relate to my cycling experiences like model rail road hobbyist, everything is a prototype.  I am forever testing equipment, or methods in my cycling.  that is what keeps my brain intrigued with cycling. Selecting the right tire for my bike is the focus that i am currently engaged in.  My new bike came with Vittoria Corsa CX tires.  I put  2,146.37 miles on these tires and they are shot.  I had two flats last week in one day.  I love these tires for the smooth comfortable ride, but I knew that they would not last long. I have a set of Continental Gator Skins on order and they will arrive on Tuesday.  I am going to install a new set of  Vittoria Corsa CX  tires today so that I can ride this week.  In the past I use to change my commuter tires for racing tires when I was planning a long ride on clean roads.  I may start doing this now.  I am also seriously considering trying out some 28 MM  Schwalbe Maratho...

There was too much lightning really close.  I called she who must be obeyed to come and get me. If I had waited 10 minutes I could have finished my ride home. On the bright side it is always nice to ask for a lift home.

I am always excited when the days get longer.  When daylight savings starts I know it is the time to start riding my longer routes when I bike commute.  Yesterday evening I took my route on Mud Creek Road.  Taking this route adds about seven miles to my ride home. I stopped to take a phone call from my wife because my Garmin tracking had stopped and she was wondering what happened.  After I restarted it I decided to take some pictures of Leary Road.  Normally I do not stop on this road to take pictures.  I am going to be taking more pictures of my world in the future.  One of the main reasons that I ride my bike is to enjoy being outdoors.  When I stop to take pictures, I take time to enjoy the moment of not moving and I actually notice how beautiful the world is. Truck traffic on Leary Road.  Milo Pecan orchard in the background.  Testing the stopping power of the camera in this Samsung Note 3 This is what I call a double sta...

Tonight I have a mountain bike train meeting.  I rode from Albany State in a loop to Chehaw Park.  It is not too warm and not too cool, just beautiful.  First evening ride during daylight saving time.  I wonder if I will be alive when they end daylight savings time in the United States.

Flint River flowing higher than usual. Yesterday on my ride home I had the pleasure of riding five miles before remembering that I had forgotten an appointment.  Saturday is the day of the marathon in Albany, GA.  I am going to be a race Marshall like last year.  I needed to pick up my volunteer packet back in downtown Albany.  So I turned around and road back into town.  When I got to the Bridge House on the Flint river the building was shut tight.  I was confused so I called my neighbor, Rachelle Bitterman, who works for the Albany Chamber of commerce to asked her what was going on.  She told me that the volunteer pickup was the next day, Thursday.  I got back on my bike and started home with the happy notion that I will add 10 miles to my commute. While I cannot post pictures of 4 inches of fresh snow like by fellow bike commuter  +Kent Fackenthall I can post pictures of the Flint River.  Yesterday at the start of my ride home t...

It takes a lot for me to replace equipment.  I generally try to buy the best, but I will use it until it is worn out.  Sometimes this is not a good thing to do as you may damage yourself or other equipment that interfaces with the equipment that is worn out. My old pair of Sidi shoes are about 11 years old.  They have served me well on hot and wet rides.  I did not realize how soft and worn out they had become until this morning when I  rode my bike to work wearing the new carbon fiber bottom Sidis.  Wow, what a difference in how much power transfers to the pedal.  My old shoes were made of plastic so they were not as stiff as the new shoes even when they were new. The ratchet mechanism has changed a bit on the new Sidis.  Instead of pushing down on the red clip to take them off you pull up on it.  The ratchets seem to work better and quicker than the old system. This documents my first ride at 1,481 miles for the year. Wonder how man...