Upon my arrival, I quickly discovered there was a President’s Day sale underway.   The official federal name for the holiday remains Washington’s Birthday, but modern convention is to call it Presidents Day.  I’m not entirely sure why but I believe it was somehow more beneficial for marketing by businesses, which makes sense to me given the activities associated with the holiday.  Very little happens on this day, other than state and federal employees taking the day off work and retail stores holding sales.  Such was the case at Revolution Cycles.

The shop was offering deals on their “old” 2011 bikes in order to clear space for their 2012 line.  I told the manager my story and pointed out that I was in no condition to test ride a bike.  I asked if he could hold the price for me for a week or so, when I would have recovered sufficiently for a ride.  Failing that, I wondered if he would honor a return on a bike I bought this weekend if I found that it wasn’t to my satisfaction in a week or so.  While the manager expressed great sympathy and interest in my accident, he was not in a position to extend the sales price, nor could he accept a return.  All sales on the discounted bikes would be final.

Thus, George Washington was forcing my hand from beyond the grave.  There were good deals to be had, but only for another 30 hours.

So I looked around.  I was not interested in doing anything extravagant.   I figured a major upgrade should be a reward for progressing to another level of cycling, not a side-benefit of a mistake.  Also, that same mistake had reminded me that any major investment in a bicycle should be tempered by the fact that a bicycle can be taken from you in the blink of an eye.  I therefore focused on two options:

1.  A 2012 Trek 2.1.  Exact same bike, except the paint job is different from the version I own.

2.  A 2011 Trek Madone 3.1.  Just like the 2.1, except it has a carbon frame.  As a model from the previous year, it’s price was reduced $350.

The sale price on the Madone was about $150 more than the asking price of the 2.1.  That was close enough.  I went with the Madone and have thus entered the world of carbon frame cycling.  Here it is:

The Madone has the same geometry as the Trek (ie, the frame is built with the same angles), which solved a major problem for me – fitting the bike.  A fitting would normally have come with the purchase of the new bike, but my injuries were such that I would not have been able to pedal in my natural position.   Since the Madone’s geometry is identical to the 2.1, the “fitting” would simply be accurately measuring the set up of my 2.1 and applying that to the Madone.

On Monday, I brought my ruined 2.1 into the shop, whereupon it received the requisite amount of “oohs and ahs” from the folks there.  We then set about cannibalizing the handful of working pieces off the old machine, including:

- the pedals

- two water bottle cages

- Conti 4 Seasons tires

- GPS mount

- headlight mount

- saddle bag

I am glad I could move a few parts to the Madone.  They shall ride in memory of their first machine and shall serve as a reminder to me of the importance of ride safety.  The rear derailleur and the brakes are still in working order, which I will later salvage for some unforeseen event.

So the Madone now sits in my garage, occupying the space formerly taken by the 2.1.  It is a bitter-sweet feeling to look upon it.  I’m hopeful to be mended enough to take it on a test ride this weekend, after which I shall regale you with the bliss that is riding on carbon.

And the accident was my fault.

I was two miles from home on a sunny day with warm temperatures, looking forward to a 50 mile ride out to Haymarket and back.  I was on Rte 234, pedaling slowly as a light in front of me was red.  I saw two cars on the side street waiting to turn left and I watched them do so.

Then I did something I almost never do.  I got into the cross walk and crossed the side street against the red light.  The light was getting ready to turn and I had already seen the waiting cars go through the intersection.  What I did not see was a third car, zipping up to the intersection in order to get through it while the light was yellow.

Sadly, the driver of the car did not see me either.

We became aware of each other’s presence about three feet from contact.  I heard the brakes screech and had a moment to brace for the impact.  The car’s license plate hit my right pedal, at which point my bike and I parted company.

The evidence indicates my bike briefly made an attempt to remain in contact with the street.  In so doing, the front wheel was bent and the top tube cracked as pressure forced it into a slight “v.”  At this point, the bike traveled about 15 feet, where it came to rest in the intersection.  It appears the right brake hood bore most of the impact, as it is badly bent inward.

As for myself, I recall sliding across the hood of the car on my right side.  The next five seconds are a little hazy for me, but the location of various abrasions and contusions indicates I landed about ten feet from the car, mostly on my hands and head.  My helmet cracked by the right temple and I received some nasty gashes around there and my ear.  The helmet twisted violently and the pressure of the strap caused another large abrasion under my chin.  Somewhere in all of this, I received a nasty blow to my left knee.  That may have been the first body part to hit the street.

I gathered myself and attempted to stand.  I was very pleased I was able to do so.  My head and knees both hurt, but I was encouraged that I was conscious and ambulatory.  The driver of the car – a teenage girl – was now outside the vehicle asking me if I was ok, and if I needed an ambulance.  She was very distraught.

I tried to convince her that I didn’t need an ambulance, but by now several bystanders were present.  When each one saw my face, they became very concerned for me.  This was quite troublesome for me as I could only imagine what was wrong.  I then noticed blood dripping from my right glove.  Fearing for the worse, I took it off and discovered only a deep cut – no compound fracture.

An ambulance arrived very quickly and the EMTs brought me into it, where they checked me for concussion symptoms and dressed the cut on my right ring finger.  They looked me over and recommended I go to the hospital.  I refused, saying I was ok.  They made me sign a form on an electronic tablet, indicating I was refusing treatment.  They chastised me for not having any ID and were surprised to see my Road ID.  Amazingly, they had never heard of this and were intrigued by it.  They took pictures of it which they intend to use in their training.  I had always placed a great deal of faith in my RoadID and was very disappointed to see two actual EMTs would never have thought to look for it.  Good thing I was still conscious.

When I left the ambulance, the girl’s parents and a police officer had arrived.  I asked the father if there was any damage to the vehicle.  He said the vehicle was fine and that he was more worried about me.  I told him I would live, but my bike would not.  The only damage to the car was a bent license plate and the plastic frame that held it to the vehicle was broken.

My wife soon arrived with my daughter and they helped me put my bike into the back of the vehicle and took me home.  They were both concerned I didn’t go to the hospital.  While I showered, my wife called a triage nurse who advised taking me to the ER.  I relented and got to experience the brand new ER at Ft. Belvoir Community Hospital.  It was quite a nice facility and everyone was very professional and helpful.  The resident doctor confirmed that I did not have a concussion and a nurse further cleaned and dressed my wounds.

It was at this point that the nurse remarked that I should shave my legs.  Gerry, I believe that in all the emergency rooms in all the hospitals in the entire world, I was the only person who thought of you yesterday afternoon.

(For those not aware of the back story, Gerry is a very nice Canadian who lives in France and takes pride in shaving his legs, which I tease him about occasionally – the shaving part, that is.  I generally don’t tease him about living in France.  Some things just aren’t appropriate for teasing.)

I woke up today in decent shape.  I am now sporting a black eye and the wounds on my face have scabbed over, making it look worse than it did yesterday.  Four of my fingers and both thumbs work without difficulty.  I’ve got scratches down my right thigh, an abrasion on my right knee, and a slight pain in my right ankle.  My left knee has a larger abrasion and is swollen.  Sigh.

And that’s my accident story.  I knew I would have one eventually.  I wish it didn’t involve my own stupidity, but I am glad that I made it through the crash with as little damage as one could hope for.  I’ll rest up and think about what I’m going to do for an encore.  Hopefully, it will involve keeping both wheels on the asphalt.

1.  Night Rides Are Nearing An End.  There are 25 more nights before Daylight Savings Time returns.  That’s 17 more weeknights where a ride after work will occur in darkness - not that I’m counting or anything.  Soon enough, evening romps will be fully illuminated by BOB (“Bright Orange Ball,” as the sun is sometimes referred to in the Army) and the hybrid will be set aside until late October.  In honor of another winter of faithful nighttime service, I provide the below picture of Old Ironsides standing before the intersection of Minnieville and Spriggs Roads, taken during last night’s ride in very mild conditions.

2. White Tape Update.  Imagine my surprise when I happened upon an article discussing the history of white tape!  It turns out that the use of white tape was once an honor exclusively reserved for team leaders.  It was sort of a badge of honor in a day when that sort of embellishment was a bit expensive.  While I like the historical angle to my new tape job, I am at the same time perturbed to learn that (as I suspected) the tape will make me look like a poseur.  Oh well – it’s not coming off!

3.  Calendar Contest Update.  My bid to make it into Revolution Cycles 2012-2013 calendar has fallen short.  My beach photo jumped to a strong 4th place after the first day of voting and lost ground each subsequent day until finishing in a tie for 14th place.  I must now reassess my plan to become a major force in the cycling world.  Thank you very much to those who voted!

Today’s ride was not for the meek.  The temperature warmed to a little over freezing and winds were gusting over 35 mph.  On a day this cold, I’d ordinarily go for a run or find an excuse to sit about the house.  Since the winter has been so mild this year, I felt obligated to get in at least one “freezing weather” ride.  So with the wind chill near 24 degrees, I bundled up and headed out on one of my rare forays east of Route 1.

The flags of the USA, Virginia, and Prince William County snapping in the wind over Garfield Police Station

If you consider that water tends to be at the lowest nearby point, you will quickly discern from the map that my initial route took me downhill.  Those nasty winds were coming from the northwest, meaning they were at my back as well.  Yippee.  With almost no effort, I was averaging 19.5 mph when I reached the stop light at Route 1.  Of course, I would be paying for this enjoyment later, but lets not rush the story.

Traces of ice indicate the temperature

Leesylvania State Park was much as I left it 13 months ago when I last visited.  There were a few brave souls out for hikes and one person towing his boat from the storage area.  I can only imagine what he was hoping to accomplish in this weather.  I pulled to a stop near the boat launch and took some pics of the water.  I couldn’t see anyone else on the shore or in the water.  During the summer, I would be sharing this view with a few thousand people.  I tried to appreciate that fact while not concerning myself with the question, “what do those several thousand people know which you don’t?”

On my way out, I paused to take some pics of a grand railroad bridge across Powells Creek where it joins the Potomac River.  You can see the railroad line on the map at the top of this post.  It’s the major line along the East Coast, carrying commuters from points South up to DC.  It also handles Amtrak routes from Florida to Maine.

Good Times

Rather than simply returning on the route I started on, I opted to explore Powells Landing, which is presumably named after the same Mr. or Mrs. Powell as Powells Creek.  I could confirm none of this as the history of the place seems to be a well kept secret, both online and in the immediate area.  I did learn that Powells Creek is part of a watershed that runs through Lake Montclair (where I live), Lake Terrapin, and all the way past the county landfill.  It is reportedly one of the most virbrant natural wetlands in all of Northern Virginia.  So we’ve got that going for us, which is nice.

I pedaled toward a street with the hopeful name of Panorama Drive, but found it to be a bit of a misnomer.  There were glimpses of the creek and the same railroad bridge, but it was hardly “panoramic.”  I had traveled 14 miles at this point and the cold was beginning to seep into me.  It was time to go home.

Uphill.

Against the wind.

Let me just say for the record that riding uphill for six miles against a steady 25 mph wind with gusts around 35 mph on a freezing day was not enjoyable for me.  I was pleased to be done with this ride.  Although it was only 20 miles long, it felt harder than many 40 milers I have done.

Calendar Contest Update!  Thank you very much to those of you who have “liked” my photos in the Revolutions Bicycle Store calendar contest.  As of this writing, my top three pics (all with 20 “likes”) are in 6th place.  There are seven photos within striking distance, so the issue remains in doubt.  Voting continues until Wednesday, so if you’re inclined to vote and demonstrate to the entire world that we are incredibly awesome people, I’d be obliged.  You can vote here, and my pics are 100 through 104.

I’m in a bike store photo contest!  Fortunately, none of the pictures are of me so my chances of winning have improved dramatically.

The contest is held by my Local Bike Shop, Revolution Cycles.  They’ve asked folks to submit their favorite cycling photos and the 12 pictures with the highest votes will go into their calendar, which will be sent to 20,000 of their closest friends.  The stakes are high as the winning entrants will receive a $50 gift certificate to the store.  More important to me is the immeasurable boost to this blog should its mighty army of followers put my pics into the winner’s circle!

There are 114 entries and many are extremely good.  Therefore, my only hope of making it into the calendar rests with my secret weapon – you.  If you have a few minutes, swing by Revolution Cycles’ Facebook photo album for the contest and “like” my photos.  My entries are pics 100 through 104.

You can find the photo album here:  https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.10150563119568553.379016.148105723552&type=1

Since you can only “like” a picture one time, there is one vote per Facebook account.  Fortunately, most people have a spouse, child, distant relative, dog, etc… who also have accounts.  Feel free to encourage these people and animals to vote as well.

As they say in Chicago, “Vote early and vote often!”

Point of Order - the guy on the left counts with his fingers correctly; the guy on the right does not.

Since I have a blog which concerns itself with cycling, I am obligated to discuss this week’s happenings in the professional ranks.  Most Americans are generally aware that federal prosecutors have dropped their investigation into possible doping activities of Lance Armstrong and his teammates during his epic seven consecutive Tour de France streak.  Only the most cycling-focused of us Yanks are aware that three-time TdF winner Alberto Contador was ordered to forfeit his 2010 victory by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (cycling has a court!) and suffer a two-year ban.  This same court is expected to issue a ruling tomorrow on yet another TdF winner, Jan Ullrich.  No American has ever heard of him.  Ok, a few Americans have heard of Ullrich – but not many.

Regardless of their overall popularity in The States, all three cyclists are very popular in the cycling community.  What are we to think of the prospect of doping featuring so prominently in the sport we love?  How does this impact us as cyclists?

My answer to the first question is, “What’s new?” and to the second question I say, “Not at all.”

Cycling has an extremely rich and consistent involvement in performance enhancing drugs.  It has been this way for over a century and has continued unabated despite 50 years of efforts to remove them from the sport.  My only surprise in the continued infractions is that people are surprised by them.   A significant PED scandal hits the cycling world every few years for the past century, so another is hardly a novel thing.  In this regard, cycling is no different from any other sport where millions of dollars are at stake.  When the margin between greatness and average is very small and the incentives to cheat are extremely large, cheating is to be expected.

So why the ruckus?  I believe it is because cycling fans make the common mistake of idolizing the champions of the sport (“fans” is short for “fanatics,” after all).  What happens when our heroes are exposed?  Illusions are shattered and enjoyment of the sport is lessened.

So should we all stop watching and supporting professional cycling?  Of course not.  I suggest we simply take it for what it is and not attempt to embellish it with the stuff of myth and legend.  It’s a beautiful sport with sweeping vistas, fascinating strategy and tactics, teamwork, and tremendous hard work.  That’s enjoyable to watch and when some of these millionaires are caught crossing the line, they are punished and the show goes on.

If you want heroes, I encourage you to look elsewhere.  For cycling heroes, the Blogroll on the right side of your computer screen is an excellent place to start.  You will read inspiring stories of people overcoming all sorts of obstacles to achieve their best.  There are people cycling across continents, folks climbing mountains in their spare time, losing incredible amounts of weight, riding in extreme heat and cold, and doing so in all manner of age, gender, and physical ailment.  If we spend more time admiring folks like this and less time trying to make professional athletes something they are not, I think we’ll all be better off.

An Abridged Timeline Of PEDs in Cycling

(submitted for your reference – I could have added more, but this suffices, I think)

1896 – Arthur Linton dies of exhaustion and typhoid fever a few weeks after finishing 2nd in the Bordeaux-Paris race.  At least one researcher claims Linton was “massively doped” for this race by his manager, the infamous Choppy Warburton, who was known for doping his charges.

1896 – Participants in Six Day races are routinely given Nitroglycerine to improve their breathing.  The drug was a hallucinogen and was often used to stimulate the heart after heart attacks.  Marshall Taylor, one of the world’s most accomplished cyclists, refuses to continue in the New York Six Day Race, stating, “”I cannot go on with safety, for there is a man chasing me around the ring with a knife in his hand.”

1924 – The Pelissier brothers (Henri, Francis, and Charles) drop out of the Tour de France and give an interview in which they claim to have used strychnine, cocaine, chloroform, aspirin, “horse ointments,” and other drugs to improve performance.

1930 – Taking drugs was so accepted that the Tour de France rulebook reminded riders that race organizers would not provide drugs to cyclists.

1949 – Italian champion Fausti Coppi states that there is no alternative to taking amphetamines if one wants to be a competitive cyclist.  He jokes that he only takes the drugs when absolutely necessary, “which is nearly always.”

1955 – Jean Mallejec collapses on the famous Mount Ventoux during the Tour de France.  In the ambulance, he claims he was drugged against his will.

1958 – Roger Riviere sets the hour distance record.  He later admits he accomplished the feat under the influence of amphetamines.

1960 – Denmark’s Knud Enemark Jensen collapses during his team’s 100km Olympic time trial, fractures his skull, and later dies in the hospital.  An autopsy reveals the presence of amphetamines and Roncil, a drug which decreases blood pressure.  Jensen’s death lead to pressure on the IOC to establish drug controls.

1960 – During the Tour de France, Gastone Nencini was discovered in his hotel room with plastic tubes running from each arm into a bottle of blood.  Transfusions like this were legal at the time.

1960 – Roger Riviere ends his career in a crash during a descent on Mt. Aigoual.  Riviere believes the crash was caused by his use of the painkiller, Palfium.  Riviere states his fingers were so numb he couldn’t work the brake levers.

1965 – Jacques Anquetil claims “only a fool” would attempt to ride the Bourdaux-Paris route without drugs.  “Leave me in peace,” he says.  “Everybody takes dope.”

1967 – Tom Simpson dies on Mount Ventoux during the Tour de France.  The autopsy found amphetamines and alcohol in his system.  More drugs are found in the pockets of his jersey and in his hotel room.

1969 – Eddy Merckx, one of the all-time greats, tests positive for drugs during the Giro d’Italia.  In what would become a familiar defense, Merckx denies the charges and claimed his urine sample wasn’t handled properly.

1972 – Juan Huelamo finishes 3rd in the Olympics and is later disqualified after testing positive for coramine.

1973 – Eddy Merckx is stripped of his 1st place finish at the Giro di Lombardia Classic after testing positive for a banned substance.

1974 – Advances in testing technology helps catch 13 prominent riders.

1975 – Benard Thevenet wins the Tour de France with the assistance of cortisone.  “I was doped with cortisone for three years and there were many like me,” said Thevent.  ”The experience ruined my health.”

1976 – Rachel Dard details how he and fellow riders tricked testing officials by using condoms containing uncontaminated urine.

1977 – Another improvement in testing nets Eddy Merckx yet again, along with Freddy Maertens and Michel Pollentier.  Pollentier would be caught a year later trying to trick testing officials using a bladder containing somebody else’s urine.

1978 – Jean-Luc van den Broueck states, “In the Tour de France, I took steroids. That is not a stimulant, just a strengthener. If I hadn’t, I would have had to give up… You can’t call that medically harmful, not if it’s done under a doctor’s control and within reason.”

1980 – Dietrich Thurau tests positive in three separate races.  After his retirement in 1988, he admits to doping and states most cyclists do it.

1984 – Francesco Moser breaks Eddy Merckx’s one hour record and admits to blood doping to prepare for the event.  At the time, this was not banned.  Seven members of the American Olympic Team admit to taking blood transfusions to prepare for the games.  The US Federation banned this practice the following year.

1989 – Johan van der Velde retires and undergoes hospital treatment for his addiction to amphetamines.

1991 – Sean Kelly is surprised to learn he failed a drug test despite using the urine of a team mechanic.  Unfortunately for Kelly, the mechanic was also using banned substances to provide a lift while working late at night.

1996 – In 2007, seven members of Team Telekom admit to taking banned substances (including EPO) during the season when teammate Jan Ullrich won the Tour de France.

1998 - The entire Festina team is ejected from the Tour de France when a large haul of doping drugs is found in a team car.

2001- The Giro d’Italia is marred by drug raids conducted by over 200 police officers. Numerous cyclists are implicated, including contender Dario Frigo.

2003-2004.  Eight riders die of heart attacks.  This is an unusually large number, even for a sport which routinely sees its world-class athletes suffer inexplicable numbers of heart attacks.

2006 – Tour de France favorites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso are banned from participation due to their connection to the Operacion Puerto doping case.  Eventual Tour Champion Floyd Landis would relinquish his title due to a positive doping test.

2007 – Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen misses drug tests then lies to officials about his whereabouts.  His team eventually drops him from the race.  Four other riders test positive and two teams are asked to withdraw by officials.

2012 – Alberto Contador has his 2010 Tour de France title stripped due to a urine test which discovered the presence of clenbuterol.  Contador blames the result on contaminated meat.

I am excited to present a change to the Trek which will fundamentally alter its handling and performance.  It’s an important new piece of gear that I have placed a great deal of thought into.  Like most cycling equipment, this gear will wear out and I hope to come up with a new version each year.  With a little luck, this announcement will become an annual event eagerly awaited by you, Dear Reader.

I have changed the color of my handlebar tape.

Ta Da!

I thought it would be fun to change the tape color each year, if for no other reason than it will be easier for me to identify when a given picture was taken.  This is not a decision to be taken lightly.  The color of a bike’s handlebar tape says a great deal about its rider.  For example, the original color of black says, “I just want to blend in with everyone else using the stock tape that came with my bike when I bought it.”

The color white looks snappy (to me, at least) but it runs the risk of giving the impression that I am a “poseur.” Poseur is a French word for “poser,” which is an English word for someone who takes on the mannerisms and fashion of serious cyclists without actually having the ability to ride like a serious cyclist.  This is a very serious allegation in the cycling community and I will need to be mindful of this issue as I come into contact with other cyclists – an event which occurs about once per every 500 miles cycled.

I took the tape (along with the rest of the bike) on its maiden voyage yesterday.  Winter remains pleasantly mild, but much of the weekend was shot due to rain and personal errands.  With a few hours of sunlight remaining on Sunday, I shoved off for Quantico Marine Corps Base’s “downrange” reservation.  This is the part of the base west of Route 1 where field training occurs.  I had never ridden these roads and was alerted to their existence by Roger, when we met for a pedal last Fall.

Before reaching these new roads, I had to fight my way through the hazards of Dumfries.  I managed this with nothing untoward other than the elevated frustration levels which are normal for me in that place.  I stopped by one of Quantico MCB’s gates to take a picture of a replica of the Iwo Jima Memorial.  This one is considerably smaller than the original monument, which stands next to Arlington National Cemetery.  For those interested in a detailed account of this battle, I highly recommend Clint Eastwood’s Flags Of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima.

After enduring the swarms of traffic along Route 1, the back roads of Quantico were very refreshing.  The roads were quite hilly.  The first 3.5 miles were at a steady 7-8% grade.  This gave way to a series of rollers which had grades of 7-10%.  I think I’ve found a good place for some mountain training, which I’ll need for the Civil War Century this September and its 7,400 feet of climbing.  Sunday’s 30-mile circuit was 1,600 feet, meaning I’ll need to climb at approximately 1.5 times this rate for the CWC.  That is a humbling prospect.

Historical Marker Segment!

It’s been awhile since I have been able to bring you one of these.  This marker is close to the Iwo Jima Memorial outside of Quantico MCB’s gate.  Although I often drive by this spot, I’ve never noticed it before.  In it, we learn the ancient and glorious history of Quantico.  The nearby town of Dumfries used to be one of the largest and most important ports in America, due primarily to the huge tobacco crop which was exported from there.   This fact is remarkable to contemplate as the creek is no longer navigable and there is no remnant of the port facility that once existed.

Hosted by the Swedish Embassy, the Vasaloppet is named after the world’s longest-running cross-country ski race.  At least that’s what the Swedish Embassy claims and I’m in no position to argue with them over matters involving snow.  The ride is the same distance as the ski race – 59 miles.  I’m sure the Swedes would have preferred to host a ski race, but this is simply not practicable in this part of the world during the first week of March.  Still, it’s likely to be on the cold side with a slight chance of quite frigid temperatures.

It has already been established that it can pour buckets of rain on this date.

The ride is self-supported on open roads.  The Washington Area Bicycle Association co-hosts the event and provides cue sheets for the riders.  With no T-Shirts, mechanics, and water/food stations, this is a very spartan ride (for $15, one can hardly expect much more).  The big attractions are getting together with others on one of the first events of the season while eating blueberry soup in a foreign embassy and ruminating on the life story of King Gustav Eriksson Vasa.  That’s more than good enough for me, so once again I’m in the peloton for this event!

This year, I’m bringing the Trek.

If you’re interested in signing up, you can do so here.  They’re only taking 400 riders, so move quickly!

Alert reader and regular contributor Brian G. has sent me a link to the most perfect and amazing bike ever invented – for me anyway.

It’s made of steel (which is what I want out of my next bike) and it’s set up for randonneuring (which is what I’m hoping for as well).  This particular model has a custom metallic gold paint scheme which is the bee’s knees.

And its name?  It’s called the There And Back.

The bike is made by the Beloved Bike Corporation out of Portland, Oregon.  They specialize in high-end commuter, touring, and randonneuring bicycles which they will customize to costumer specifications.  They’ll use almost any commercially available RAL paint you can name and will happily provide a listing of recommended components to fit your chosen frame.

This particular frame sells for approximately $2,495.  Fully kitted as depicted in the photo shoot will cost about $6,250.

That’s going to take a very hard swallow and some dedicated penny saving for several months/years.  But man does that look nice – and it has my blog’s name on it!

The calendar insists that it is late January, but the weather begs to differ.  I was able to zip about the area in shorts yesterday, which was a big boost to morale.  I’ve also cycled 50 miles more than last January with a few days left to go – a testament to the improved weather rather any improved dedication on my part.

I know you are desperate to learn my first impressions of the iPhone while cycling, so let me delay you no further:

The first thing I noticed is that full-fingered gloves won’t operate the phone, meaning I need to take my glove off every time I want to use it.  Bummer.  My wife (the runner) has a nifty set of running gloves which feature a silver-tipped index finger which enables iPhone use.  If there is such a thing for cycling gloves, I haven’t seen it yet.

I brought my digital camera with me and took two pictures of the same scene, which I now present for your consideration:

Casio Exilim Camera

iPhone

There is some loss in clarity with the iPhone, but nothing terrible.  The biggest disadvantage is the lack of a zoom lens, meaning I’d better be pretty close to the things I want to take pictures of.  It was also a bit of a hassle taking off my glove and getting the iPhone out of the plastic bag I was carrying it in to prevent water damage.  The camera does not require such protection and can be operated while fully gloved.  Advantage: camera.

I fired up the Strava app, which acts as a cycling computer and allows me to post my ride online for others to see and chat about.  Strava also creates stretches of road known as “segments” where people can compare times against each other.  This was a disappointment.  The app said my ride was a half mile longer than my Garmin reported, which was extremely disconcerting to a guy who is particular about his ride stats.  I double-checked the distance with MapMyRide and it agreed with the Garmin.  Additionally, I didn’t get credit for doing any segments, despite there being two on my route.  The only possible explanation is that I was riding on the road while the segments appear to be on the mixed-use pathway on the other side of the road.  Sigh.

Finally, running the app for a two-hour ride almost drained my battery.  The phone was not fully charged at the beginning of the ride, but it does reinforce in my mind the necessity of being mindful of your battery life when running apps.  I suspect a full charge would last only six or seven hours when being used continuously by a cycling app.  This makes its use on centuries questionable.

So it was a less than steller beginning for the iPhone, but it wasn’t a disaster either.  I’m fully committed to getting the most out of it as I have no other choice.  I’m sure it will only improve as I figure out all the many benefits I can gleen from it.