October Off

So what is October's challenge? You can take October Off from running, biking, swiging, but...

if you want a BRS point, this month's challenge will focus on stretching or yoga. Log at least four hours of stretching / yoga, and list the different types of exercises that you do. For instance, I'm currently in the full split position as I compose this post.

TdM 2008 Photos

The day started with a Category 1 climb, 92nd street hill. Sorry the photos are out of order, I tried.
My hands got cramped just braking en route to the base of the hill, not a good sign. We passed an old dude walking his dog, who saw us lining up to climb. "y'all gonna race up this thing?" I could not tell if he was laughing or shaking his head in disbelief. I can safely say, my chest never hurt so badly in my entire life; this is what a coronary must feel like.
There was much coughing and some vomiting en route to the 2nd climb, the Goat Loop Trail, a mere category 2. The photo does not do justice to how steep things actually are. I did not even make it to Chennault beach (got lost), maybe this was a subconscious decision after nearly dying on Stage 1, as this was "HC", i.e. even harder. Kudos to those who plowed through this killer and the triple of stage 5 ending in St. Andrews, which I also did not do. Spiz demonstrates the typical facial expression of a rider immediately following the St. Andrews stage. Even having ditched both HC stages, I was shivering with hypoglycemia by the 1st time trial. Thank goodness for our support crew (thanks Steena and Garrett, and Wolfgang/ Erica for taking photos), armed with water and cereal bars, as well as expert timekeeping skills. Here we pose with our bottles of Liquid Massage, in the glittery race shirts artfully crafted by Ventoux. Of course Crash was too cool to wear his to the Tin Fish for fish, chips, and Scuttlebutt ale. Too cool to wear a helmet! The rules are going to change for next year.
Steena and I saw a cyclist climbing St. Andrews who asked what was going on. The reply "Tour de Mukilteo" definitely raised some interest.

2008 Tour de Mukilteo

2008 Tour de Mukilteo - Saturday, Sept 27. (Sponsored by Wine)

Details:

Approximately eleven hills to climb, two flat stages, all jam packed into one morning ride. Prizes awarded to the GC, KOM, and 2nd-5th place finishers. There will be no time bonuses for the GC competition. KOM competition will issue the following points: 1.5 pts to the first rider to finish the stage. 1pt to the 2nd place finisher. 1pt issued to the rider who reaches the designated Sprint Mark approximately 1/3 or 1/2 way up each climbing stage.

NEW 2008 TdM Guarantee!!! 100% assurance that this year's route will exceed all pain threshold expectations.

Stage Profiles:

Prologue 92nd Street (CAT 1)

Stage 1 Goat Loop Trail (CAT 2)

Stage 2 Chennault Beach (HC)

Stage 3 Boeing Parking Lot (individual TT)

Stage 4 Harbour Heights (CAT 2)

Stage 5 Picnic Point Loop (Picnic Point Climb) (CAT 3)

(Switchback Climb) (CAT 2)

(St. Andrews Climb) (HC)

Stage 6 Old Boeing Plant (Individual TT)

Epilogue St. Andrews Climb (Optional Bonus Stage for KOM race. After Stage 6, KOM leader can be challenged by any trailing KOM rider within 2 pts of the KOM point total. Riders will ride repeat climbs up St. Andrews for one hour without rest. If KOM declines challenge, rider proposing challenge must climb St. Andrews three times to earn extra two points).

5:57.38

Thanks Crash. Usually I only feel like I'm about to have a cardiac after climbing St. Andrews. I can honestly say I hope I never run that fast again. If the Kenyans ever invade I'm going to wave a white flag because I'm not running from them.
On that note I'd like to introduce the October challenge. The working title is "October Off". Thats all I have so far.

Scenery Status:Lol'd

Let the TdM smack talk begin.
Personally I am guaranteeing right now that I will finish in the top ten. Book it.

Scenery Status:Chewed

Crash, you missed nothing out there today. You wouldn't have enjoyed this ride. As you can see, there wasn't much to see. Chuckanut, with its rocky cliffs overtaken by madrona trees perched on the sandstone outcroppings, and the blue water beyond was really not much to look at. We would have been just as happy pedaling through Federal Way, no?





Salmon fisherman littering Edison Creek, we passed through here in a hurry with the promise of strip malls ahead.







































Promises unfulfilled, we found ourselves in Padilla Bay. Hitting it at the low point in the tide make it probably the low point in the ride too as you can see. Waves gently lapping the submerged sandbar a hundred yards offshore just angered me. Can't wait to get back to Mt. Vernon's railroads and concrete.




Skagit Valley's apple orchards are only exacerbating the situation.





















Mike had an important call, with Mt. Doom's Baker's evil eye poking out. Shortly after we found ourselves back home and I was able to spend the rest of this lamentable day indoors where I should have stayed all along.

at least it maintains lateral rigidity?

Michaela, my oldest, says she wants to learn to ride her bike without training wheels. I've tried a number of approaches but I've found the biggest obstacle to be that she doesn't want to learn in any more than two minute increments.

She seems to have inherited both my work ethic and my attention span. She'll have to work hard to...hang on...there's something shiny here...

Nevermind, it was nothing.

Now what was I saying? oh yeah, so my latest gimmick was to employ a tactic that Susie says she observed in Switzerland. The little kids there kick around on these little contraptions called Like a Bikes. They are basically a mini bike minus the drivetrain. The idea is the kid can put their feet down at any time, but still kick themselves around and learn balance in the process, almost a by product of the scooting. Totally makes sense, right? But I'm not gonna go spend 25o large on what amounts to a kiddy gap bike. But that's okay, I just decided to mod her current bike a little to create the same effect. It wasn't too difficult, removed the bottom bracket & crank (all one piece actually) and pedals, chain and guard. Aha, instant Like a Bike.

Two problems though First, kids bikes these days are crap. I am reluctant to spend $300 on a tiny kids bike from a big maker (Trek, Specialized, etc). So instead she has a Schwinn that we paid a little less than half that for. These cheaper bikes are targeted at what kids want, rather than what they need though. Kids want bikes that have coil shocks, and crazy tube designs that resemble the badass mountain frames they see around. Michaela's bike has quite a few needless welded buttresses and fatty tubes made to look like like aluminum or carbon, but they're not. They're very thick steel. I've never weighed her bike, but it's more on par with my mountain frame than my road frame. More than 30 pounds I think. This thing is difficult for her to handle and keep upright. I don't completely blame her for getting frustrated.

But I guess that is the other problem, she (like a lot of year olds, I imagine) wants to be instantly good at stuff, and not have to work at them. Since she can't ride her bike 'right now' then she just doesn't want to do it all. At least not for more than two minutes to verify that she hasn't suddenly learned the skills without her knowing. Oh well.

I gave up on the Like a Bike theory after she's now refused to get in the saddle for about a month. Drivetrain is back on, along with the training wheels. She is back riding around our sidewalks, but not as much as if she could ride without her trainers.

I can't wait until the someday when she graduates to a big girl bike. I guess it's all about the journey and not destination, right?