Scenic Route

Clearly, there’s some sort of spacetime or quantum leak in the vicinity of my couch. Perhaps even large enough to be called a rift, although I’m not sure of these things.

But a spacetime quantum leak would explain both the appearance of a gignormous hornet-like insect this evening, and the weird dreams I’ve been having lately.

The insect is huge, as far as Vespidae go. Not B-29 large, but large enough for me to gasp in amazement when one materialized while I was eating supper. I watched as it crashed around the room, seemingly unable to see the white walls, then it disappeared somewhere behind the lampshade.

I thought, perhaps, it was ensnared in my pillow. Ever since the disastrous sleep study a couple of years ago, I sleep on the couch, and store my pillow on the back against the wall during the day. I shook it out furiously, not wanting a transdimensional bee in my bonnet, so to speak. But nothing.

I looked behind the couch, under the table, in the lampshade, still nothing. It had vanished completely.

Thinking about how it had appeared and disappeared caused me to wonder about dreams I’ve been having. I never have dead people dreams, but lately, all sorts of them. Could I be sleeping on a pillow-portal that takes my head to other dimensions where these people have not died yet?

This, BTW, was how I ruled-out traversable wormholes, as these folks are already dead in this cosmos, so if encountering them live, it must be a parallel cosmos.

Experimentation was called for in the form of an after dinner nap.

Sure enough, I was taken to someplace where where an old friend of my grandfather’s, and (at least in this cosmos) deceased owner of one of R-Town’s gay bars, was still live and kicking, although quite elderly.

I had a nice, but altogether too short visit, during which I completely forgot to ask what the heck was going on with my pillow. Just as well, I’m sure. My brains passing through branes would be too much to have to explain.

If traveling by bus is called “taking a bus”, then traveling by spacetime quantum leak could be called “taking a leak”, right? That’s how I excused myself before returning to my living room.

The quantum vespidae made a brief return after I awoke. I can’t begin to describe my gratitude at not colliding with the thing in the spacetime pillow portal.

Fortunately, tomorrow is laundry day. Perhaps a dose of liquid Tide can get the quantum flux out. I use the kind with the colorsafe bleach. Surely that’ll do the trick.

Even on my first day in Colorado this past July, I knew I’d come back. The week I spent cycling the Front Range merely whetted my appetite for more.

Now, plans are in the works for a return next year. Who knew I’d be going back so soon? (And that kills tentative plans for either a Montana/Alberta tour or BikeJournal Reunion [BJRU] in 2009.)

Apparently, my experience with the 2008 BJRU struck a chord with the gang in the 50+ Forum at BikeForums.net. Thursday someone posted that they “wish we could ride together”. Friday a trial balloon was floated. And now Saturday, we’re choosing dates.

It’s early days in the process, but it looks like we’ll all meet in Glenwood Springs, Colorado at a date to be determined between mid-August and mid-September.

The Portland has informed me it can’t wait.

The feature ride this time promises to be somewhat less strenuous than The Epic Century at BJRU. It looks like we’ll ride the 44-mile Rio Grande Trail from Glenwood Springs to Aspen and back. A second ride might be the 32-mile Glenwood Canyon Trail along the Colorado River. I’m told both these rides are easy but hugely scenic.

Our dates will be different, of course, but the more challenging Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle route has been suggested for those who want to do some climbing. This loop through Grand Mesa has also been mentioned. As long as I’ll be in the neighborhood, I’ve heard that this ride through Colorado National Monument is superlative.

Or maybe I’ll go back to Ft. Collins and Loveland to ride some more with my Club Hypoxia buddies.

Oh, the places you’ll go. “Will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed. (98¾% guaranteed.)”

We are at the beginning of a glorious Indian Summer week. While overcast, yesterday warmed up to the 60s by evening. The clouds moved out by mid-morning today and we had beautiful sunny, wind-free, 70° day for the election. Tomorrow and Thursday are to be similar, with clouds moving in Friday afternoon.

We’re getting to the time of year when the Portland gets all the miles. After all, it’s equipped for foul weather and we get plenty of it. This week is Yellow Bike’s turn to shine. Besides, I rode the Portland to the polls last year.

Today, I was ready for it. Yellow Bike is frisky as a puppy and it always wants to run and play. Sunday its motor was not quite up to it, (although our numbers were respectable) but today, the motor was ready to run too.

BikeJournal is down right now, so I can’t verify, but I think we set a new best time for the medium route to Presbytery (Park, Culver, through Cobbs Hill Park and out Winton).

I know we set a new best time for the long loop home—despite slowing through a knot of kids on bikes nearing home, and having to stop to vote, and stopping to give directions to a guy looking for where we vote. Had those things not intervened, we would have shattered the previous record.

I know better than to expect this sort of performance two days in a row. But part of me is hoping for some nice numbers on the long loop to work tomorrow.

Addendum

The Democrat & Chronicle accepted the above photo for their Election Day Gallery.

Oh, and as for riding the long loop to work on Wednesday, Yellow Bike and I set a new best for the 20.03 mile route—1:06:26 for an average of 18.1 MPH. Better yet, although I was working it (average heart rate was 154, max was 168) it still felt easy.

And don’t get the impression that I think I’m all that. A 50+ or 60+ guy commuting with a backpack on a Bianchi Veloce blew by me on the Canalway.

I met my 2008 mileage goal this afternoon on a nice, nice, 37-mile ride along the lake shore. My goal of 4,750 miles is now 23 miles behind me.

Of those miles,

• 4,012.2 (84%) were ridden on the Portland, and
• 760.6 (16%) have passed under Yellow Bike’s wheels.

On to the challenge goal of 5,200 miles. With 59 days left in the year, I need to average 7.24 miles per day to achieve that. That’s less than half of my average miles per day to date. But winter is coming. Last December I averaged only 8.17 miles per day.

In other standings at BikeJournal.com, I’m

• 697 of 7,880 (8.8%) all riders
• 247 of 1,842 (13.4%) all riders age 50–59
• 217 of 1,465 (14.8%) all male riders age 50–59
• 15 of 209 (7.2%) all NYS riders
• 9 of 50 (18%) all NYS riders age 50–59
• 9 of 38 (23.7%) male NYS riders age 50–59
• 5 of 79 (6.3%) on the Commuter Cycling Century with 178 days commuting to date. Not bad when you figure I generally work only four days a week. And lest you think that’s amazing given Rochester winters, I’m only one day ahead of Commutergrrl, who lives in Calgary, Alberta (That’s Canada, eh?)
• 1 of 24 in the Car-Free Week Challenge with 31 of 44 weeks to date (70%) car-free.

Today’s ride

I was all conflicted about where to ride today. I’d originally wanted to join the club on the 45-mile ride #149, Mendon-Honeoye. But I just didn’t feel up to 70 miles (including the out-and-back to the ride start) in 45°. And I’d arrive home after dark.

I thought about riding to Mendon Ponds Park and back, but I wanted more than 25 miles. I could have added miles on the bike path, but I ride that all the time.

A ride to and along the lake sounded nice, and the winds were favorable (according to the liars at The Hyperbole Channel™) I have a loop that’s a little under 30 miles that I ride. Then I remembered. The Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge was swung shut on Friday, trapping boats in the bay, but allowing vehicular traffic to circumnavigate the bay for the next six months.

So I hopped on Yellow Bike, headed north, then east on Empire Blvd through Webster, down Bay Road and round on Lake Road across the outlet bridge. Then I joined up with my regular lake shore loop where it intersects Culver Road and the Lakeshore Bike Path.

We put in just shy of 37 miles in just over two hours of ride time, averaging just over 17 MPH, which amazed me, given the near constant headwinds and 2,100 feet of climbing.

It was a near perfect ride and it got me all sorted out for a few more days.

I had been a little concerned about clothing too. I find it toughest to outfit myself when the temps are in the 40s. I’m usually over or under-dressed. Today I nailed it.

I had stopped at Full Moon Vista on Thursday to buy yet another pair of windproof bib tights. These are a mid-weight pair made by Sugoi. The Enduras are nice, but I’m finding them too hot in temperatures over 35 or so.

The Sugoi windfront bib tights over my Pearl Izumi shorts kept my legs just right. Booties over the shoes, and my favorite Cannondale Windfront gloves did it for hands and feet. On top I wore armwarmers, a lightweight long-sleeve wicking T, and one of my commuting jerseys. A summer weight cycling skullcap completed the ensemble. I was just right for most of the ride, and was a little warm or a little cool in equal amounts for the rest.

In contrast with last Thursday…

Last Thursday I was too warm while I ran errands, which explains the stop at Full Moon Vista for lighter tights.

It was a sunny day and errands require pockets, so I wore my ANSI Class-3 windbreaker from AlertShirt.com. Somewhere along the line I forgot the zip the pocket shut. And somewhere along the line, my Ti-framed tri-focals fell out. I backtracked and searched my route twice before I had to go to work. Never found them.

The week ahead

So tomorrow, instead of putting in some easy miles on a 60° day, I’ll be at the eye doc’s getting a new prescription. Then I’m subbing for for a co-worker who left Winton Branch. On Tuesday, on a sunny 65° day, I’ll be looking at new frames at One Hip Chic Optical. Oh, and I have to vote. Can’t forget about that.

Wednesday and Thursday I may get some nice rides in before going to work. Each day is forecast to be sunny and in the mid 60s. Friday a short riding day, what with a full day of work. And I’m looking forward to doing the long loop to work on Saturday. Maybe I’ll also do it again coming home.

We’ll see.

This is my first day off in several weeks, and likely my only one for another several weeks. Yeah, there was our annual Leaf-Peeper Century to Letchworth on Columbus Day, but that was a lot of work. And I don’t count Sundays either.

I subbed a lot in October. A co-worker at each library took a lot of time off. I’ll be subbing again a lot in November. A co-worker at Winton Branch left for a full-time position. There’s still the hiring freeze for the city, so the rest of us have to cover her shifts. True there’s the extra money—I won’t turn it down. But if I wanted to work six days a week, I wouldn’t have taken a three day a week part-time job.

Actually, there’s a strong possibility I’ll have this coming Saturday off for the Ellison Park Cyclocross races, but I won’t know until tomorrow. I’d already make the arrangements to take the day off, found a sub an d everything, then my co-worker quit. It takes two to handle the desk on Saturdays.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot that’s been happening.

Leaf-Peeper Century

I caught another three-week cold at the end of September. It lasted straight through to our Leaf-Peeper Century. Hndlebar was under the impression I was faking in order to get out of the ride. The hardest 15 miles I ever rode was that morning from home to the starting point in Scottsville.

Although it was in the lower 50s, and I’d dressed appropriately (as opposed to overdressed) I sweated-through all my layers halfway out. Itty-bitty rises in the road were epic granny-gear climbs. I rode out only so I could back out of the ride face-to-face (and smack Hndlebar if he gave me any shit.)

I arrived five minutes late and no-one was there. After a while Bikerjohn showed up. Hndlebar showed a at 8:30 with a song and dance about having waited for me out on Scottsville Road. Anyway, after a hour’s ride and a half-hour rest, I felt a bit better. Well enough to ride another 15 miles where we were to rendezvous with another BikeJournaler, HandyHannah.

Heading for Perry, I began to perk up. By the time we stopped for lunch, I was feeling okay. Lunch was the clincher. I felt pretty good after that and my climbing ability returned in part, which is a good thing because through the park there was a half-mile climb that reached 21% grade, (yes, twenty-one percent).

That behind us, the ride home was fairly uneventful. I hit my century on the way into Scottsville, and SAGged home with Bikerjohn. (I’d have been short of a double-metric by 10 miles without padding in some miles somewhere, and I’d have gotten home after dark. And I was hungry.)

The route Hndlebar came up with this year, and our improvised variations, was just perfect. I asked if I could submit it to the RBC as an official route, and add it to next year’s calendar as an official ride. But we missed the deadline for submitting new ride maps for next year. Oh well. Maybe next year.

Before that

I caught a few rides with a new sub-group of the RBC, the RBC Daytimers. Once a week they ride one of the RBC routes in the 30-40 mile range. I’ve enjoyed the rides, but wish fewer of them were on Thursdays.

I also had quite a nice time at the Cobbs Hill Cyclocross races. It was a beautiful, warm, dry, sunny autumn day. Unfortunately, I had somehow gotten my camera lens very dirty, so no pics. I didn’t notice it until after the Leaf-Peeper Century, so no pics from that either.

Anyway, the upshot of all this riding—despite all sorts of extra shifts and poor weather cutting into my riding time—is that at the close of this month I’ll be within spitting distance of my 4,750 mile goal for the year, and within striking distance of my 5,200 mile challenge goal. It will all depend on weather and how badly six-day workweeks cut into my riding time.

Meanwhile, I turned-over 5,000 miles on the Portland last weekend. Still love that bike.

I haven’t made a single TNUA yet this season. I hope to change that starting next week. An Election Day TNUA sounds like fun.

New tights

I’m all set for winter with regard to equipment. Truth be told, I could get by with what I already have in clothing too. But cycling is also a good excuse for shopping and there are places for improvement in my winter cycling wardrobe.

Last year I got by with a pair of Nashbar tights. Whatever it is they call their basic tight. They were fine. I’ve been wearing them on cold mornings with no problem. For an inexpensive basic tight, they’re great. But, in the deepest of winter required extra layers—sometimes two—and they aren’t wind proof or water proof. Both would have come in handy several times in the winter.

With that in mind, and remembering what it’s like with the elastic waistband of shorts, baselayer and tights all squeezing the same place, I went shopping a few weeks ago for new tights. My timing was perfect because Kyle at Full Moon Vista was unpacking a fresh shipment. He showed me two pairs of windfront tights, differing by amount of insulation and relative water resistance.

I had to wait until payday, and two weeks ago Saturday I returned and bought a pair of Endura Thermolite Windtex Clip-Bib tights.

For me, the big selling points were

• Bibs—no elastic waistband
• Quick release buckles on the bib straps—easier to make yellow snow
• Thermolite insulation
• Windtex windproof/waterproof panels on the front and sides
• Contoured/Articulating knee—easier pedaling
• Ankle zips—easier on and off, potential to zip over booties to keep the rain out.

I’m glad I bought them in-person so I could try them on. I ordinarily wear a medium, but I couldn’t get teh mediums over my massive quads. I bought the large instead.

Early season testing is positive. I was already wearing kneewarmers under my Nashbar tights this autumn, but with the Enduras, I’ve worn only my lightest pair of shorts underneath—shorts that are a little breezy even in the 60s.

I’m pleased. It hasn’t been really cold yet and I was afraid that they’d be too warm. They are, a little, but I don’t get sweaty legs from that, so it seems the breathable part works just fine. They are windproof too. Gusts yesterday reached to 35 MPH and from the waist down, I wasn’t aware of it. And they’re so waterproof that rain runs down inside my booties if I forget to zip them over the booties. They won’t fit over my Lake winter cycling boots. I’m not sure if that will be an issue or not.

In any event, I very pleased and expect to remain so.

So I’m working along at the front desk of the library when I look up to see a tall guy in a yellow Bell helmet come in. I thought he looked familiar. When he presented his library card and his account came up, sure enough, it was Adam, contributor to RocBike.com.

Naturally we talked bikes for a while. But I had other patrons and his Xtracycle was loaded with groceries outside, which limited things a bit. Still, it was nice to meet up again.

I guess I wasn’t paying attention when the embargo was lifted.

Just after the three-day 2008 Rochester Omnium, I was at the shop talking with Scott Page. After thanking him for bringing world-class cycling to R-Town again, I mused on two things.

First, he was surprised, asking, “Where did you hear that?” Then, much to my own surprise, I found he was a couple of years ahead of me. Then he asked me not to talk about it until things became official.

My first musing, is not yet official, so I assume it’s still embargoed. The second musing was published in the October 3 edition of VeloNews.

What began in 2004 as the Rochester Twilight Criterium, grew this year to the three-day Rochester Omnium, will in 2009 become the six-day Tour de New York.

The racing schedule looks like this:

• Saturday, August 8—Rochester Twilight Criterium
• Sunday, August 9—Individual Time Trial
• Monday, August 10—Genesee Valley Park Road Race
• Tuesday, August 11—Ellicottville Circuit Race
• Wednesday August 12—Warsaw Road Race
• Thursday, August 13—Pittsford Road Race

Googling around, I found announcements on (in order of publication date)

• VeloNews
• Cyclingnews
• Daily Peloton
• SpokePost

There are other aspects of the TdNY Scott and I talked about that remain unannounced.

Meanwhile, I thoroughly enjoyed the Second Annual Cobb’s Hill Cyclocross Race last Sunday. The weather was perfect, the racing tremendous, the conversations with friends and fellow spectators were warm as the day, and my camera lens was filthy. Thus, no pics.

I won’t make that mistake in ten days time at the first Ellison Park Cyclocross Race, Saturday November 1.

I’ve even taken the day off from work without pay. See you there.

Join us on the Columbus Day Monday holiday, October 13, as we ride to Letchworth State Park and back to look at the leaves.

Last year we rode a 74-mile route at 13–15 MPH, and had a blast along the way, despite the wind shifting to give us glorious headwinds in both directions. I rode to the ride and back, racking up 102¾ miles on the day. (Ride report and Gallery)

This year, Hndlebar has mapped out and ridden a new route that promises even better riding and viewing. The 74-mile course (plus optional extra riding in the park) begins and ends at Johnson Park in Scottsville, behind Scottsville Union Presbyterian Church.

We meet at 8AM, ride out at 8:15. Here’s the route. By using the park’s Perry entrance, we avoid most of the traffic from the annual Letchworth Arts & Crafts Show.

Up for a century or maybe a double-metric? Meet across the street from my apartment in the Goodman St lot at the Memorial Art Gallery, University Ave and Goodman St in Rochester. It’s 15 extra miles each way. We’ll meet at 6:45 for a 7AM start.

This ride is self-supported—there is no SAG.

Bring your own spares, tools, beverages and food. We stop for lunch in Perry, NY on the way out, and hit stores along the way. And remember to print your own map and cuesheet.

See you on Columbus Day (observed)!

Shortly after I moved into this apartment in 2004, a new neighbor moved in. I won’t say my life has been hell since then, but this neighbor isn’t one you’d want to live next to—unless you like noisy, loud, obnoxious drunks with no respect for other people on the other side of your wall.

But I like my apartment, I like the location, and I really like the low rent which includes abundant steam heat in the winter. And, since I once was one of those loud, obnoxious drunks (or rather, crackheads) with no respect, I figured what goes around comes around. I’ve lived with it for four year, hoping every June that he would move.

I finally got fed up one night shortly after I returned from Colorado. I called the police on him, and again later when he retaliated. The next day I sent an email to the office with an utimatum—he moves or I do.

I left them free to choose the type of tenant they wanted to keep. All I asked was that if they chose him, that they’d let me out of my lease early.

Apparently, this caused quite an uproar in the office, since I detailed my complaints to them about him for four years, and I copied-in the owner. In any event, I was told they began the process of removing him. Given all the previous empty promises I’d heard from them about him, I said I’d believe it when I see it.

As recently as earlier this week, I was scouring Craigslist and RentRochester.com for new digs. As it turns out, I’m fairly particular in my needs. It wasn’t until this week that I found a couple of nice ones just up the street too. A little more expensive, but perhaps moving slightly upscale in rent will get me away from the riff-raff.

Since these were all in buildings, and there were likely to be others available in those same buildings, I decided to think over whether not I wanted to give up certain things—like vacations and stuff—for a 20% to 25% increase in rent. And there’s the economy to consider too.

Then, two days ago big heavy things started being bounced down the fire escape. I thought, Could it be? Maybe it is, because things are being bounced down again this afternoon—right into his pickup truck—and being driven away.

I’m cautiously optimistic, but it could just be a bout of redecorating, or maybe the cat peed on the couch.

If it turns out he is moving out, I’ll be sending flowers and candy to the girls in the office.

And then, I’d like to repaint…

Addendum Mon 9/29

Yes! I just overheard him joking with a neighbor that maybe he’ll leave his cats here to annoy me. So it seems he is moving. Yippie!

I’m still not any closer to fixing the gallery and posting pics from Canada and Colorado. Nor am I any closer to writing up the ride reports. It’s still pretty busy around there.

But I took some time this morning to freshen the look here, rearranging and updating things in the sidebar, and adding an image rotator of selected shots of my ugly mug.

Part of the goal was to highlight a change at BikeJournal, where members now have a blog option. I’m using it.

Here’s the link to my BikeJournal blog.

I’m not sure how I’m going to use two blogs, especially when there’s no easy way to integrate content between the two. Although, maybe that’s a good thing. Too early to tell.

Dodged a bullet

Riding the Portland on the way to the weekly Wednesday RBC ride starting in Mendon Ponds Park, my rear dérailleur (RD) overshifted on a climb, and dumped the chain off between the spokes and the cassette. This can be very bad. A similar thing happened to Howard in Colorado (who helped me on the Mt. Evans climb) Saturday, and it destroyed his frame and RD.

I was luckier. I broke two spokes, damaged at least five more (there are only 12 on that side of the wheel) and ruined the chain. Fortunately, I have that second wheelset, and I had a new chain in-stock at home, and while I was at it, I re-cabled the RD before adjusting it. Then I had Steve at Full Moon Vista double-check my work. I don’t think the bike has ever shifted as nice as it does now.

I can’t say what caused Howard’s problem, but there were two things working in concert to cause mine. It’s the third time this has happened, and it finally occurred to me that the L screw might not be properly adjusted. It sets the limit of RD travel towards the spokes. Duh!

Second, that loop of cable housing back at the RD gets worn pretty easily. When that happens, the major symptom is sluggish shifting in both directions, despite making adjustments with the barrel adjuster on the RD. (It starts as being able to get good shifting in one direction only.) This has been happening since I got back from Colorado. I simply deferred maintenance and lived with it. Sort of like the “Can’t fix the roof when it’s raining, and don’t have to when it’s not” school of building maintenance.

I’d have been in real trouble if the Portland’s RD had snagged in the spokes like Howard’s did. Although, being aluminum instead of carbon fiber, the Portland’s frame may have fared better than Howard’s Scattante CFR Elite did. I’m glad I didn’t have to find out. I’m not in a position where I can afford a new RD, let alone a new frame.

And I’m certainly not going to defer that maintenance again. Which reminds me, Yellow Bike could use the same work… There. I’ve gotten the parts out to remind me to replace Yellow Bike’s RD cable too.

Parts is parts

In any event, I’m trying something new. When I last stocked the spare parts bin—when all my spares had been stolen along with the Giant—I got Teflon-coated cables to see if they really work smoother than regular stainless-steel ones. I had also gotten a grease injector needle a while back. Ordinarily, one dribbles chain lube through the cable housing before installing it. I injected it full of Pedro’s Syngrease synthetic grease. Boy that RD works smooth now.

Back when I had the Giant and was first buying parts to rebuild Yellow Bike, I bough some chains for them from Nashbar. Cheap was the reason. Eight-speed chains were $20 at the bike shop, and just $6 at Nashbar, or even free when you buy one of their 8-speed cassettes.

I found the chains to be every bit as good as the big names. When I had to buy a spare for the Portland, I figured I’d try a Nashbar. At not quite $30 on sale, their 10-speed chains aren’t quite the bargain as their 8-speed ones, but they’re still cheaper than Shimano 105 chains.

I’d tried a Shimano Ultegra chain in there too, but found it to be noisier than the 105 and there was no noticeable improvement in shifting. (In fact, it was the Ultegra chain I trashed back in May when it overshifted and dropped between the cassette and the spokes.)

Well, this Nashbar 10-speed chain, besides having nice, shiny, nickel-plated outer links, is both smoother-shifting and quieter than either Shimano’s 105 or Ultegra 10-speed chains. It’s early days, of course—I have less than 100 miles on it—but I think it’s a keeper. I like it well enough that I’ll restock the spare parts bin with another one.

Goal report

At the end of August, I have 3,761 miles for the year.

I’m 311 miles ahead of target for the year-to-date, and 989 miles from my goal for the whole year at 4,750. Not only am I going to hit that, I stand a real good chance of hitting the 5,200 mile challenge goal, which is just 1,439 miles away. Considering I was just 50 miles shy of that many in July and August combined, I’m feeling pretty confident about the challenge goal.

Breaking it out by bike, 3,168 miles have rolled under the Portland’s wheels, and Yellow Bike has racked up 593, or 15.77% of the total.

I’m presently ranked 725 of 7,502 riders at BikeJournal putting me at 9.66%, within my goal of the top 10%. and the top 1,000. I rank 15 out of all 201 riders in New York State, and 9 out of 38 NY State men in the 50-59 age bracket.

Finally, I have my first 10,000 miles behind me, with 10,907 since I began logging on Bike Journal in May 2006.

My anniversary with the Portland is coming up in three weeks. So far, we have 4,262 miles together. That’s kinda interesting, since that’s 87 miles a week on average. Add in another 15% on Yellow Bike, and you’re at 5,200 for a year.

No matter. the big thing is that I’m still smitten with the Portland, especially now that it’s shifting perfectly again.