I like the way he keeps his cuffs out of the chain ring.

However, I ended the previous week with a great idea, an idea of where to carry my spare tire for the Stratus XP. I slid it under the curve of the fairing where friction seemed to hold it firm. I tried the idea out on my 8 January ride. I was so pleased with myself.

$26 is not that much money and we spend much more than that eating out which we then turn into poop over night. Basically I don’t like the economics of loosing things. I don’t even like movies or comedy episodes where things are broken or damaged. I just don’t think it is funny. I didn’t think this was funny, or fun.

Back to the search: I rode at a compromise speed, i.e. as fast as I could and still scan the pathway and the shoulders. (If I keep loosing things, i.e. red gloves and tires, I am going to be really physically fit) The more I searched, the less hope I had. Then, within two blocks of my house, in the middle of a parking lot, just past a really rough section of pavement was my salvation. Well, I felt better anyway. The vibrations of the bike must have dislodged the tire and the noise kept me from hearing it fall. I grabbed the tire and went on home, not in the mood to ride any more that day. I was tire tired. I think I will still carry it under the fairing but will zip-tie it in place and trust that I will always have a blade to cut it free. Oh, yea.

New personal best: The return trip from Epley, i.e. 11 miles, saw an average speed of 18.5 mph. This is about a 2 mph improvement for me and came with an elevated heart rate, between 90% and 95% of max (my max is 160 bpm). I usually maintain 80% to 85% on a performance ride and when with Jeanne and Kurt about 70% of max. The next couple of rides will be rest rides or spin practice at lower speeds. I have been reading the forums for advice on a training schedule but not ready to put one in pixels (we use to say “in ink” or “on paper”).

I know what you are thinking but the fairing is not cheating!

Last Ride of the year: The three of us closed the year with a ride Friday of about 10 miles. It was cool, overcast, and damp but still better than not riding. I will have to estimate some of the distances for the year as we started without a GPS record and relied just on the less-than-accurate bike computers. In addition I knocked my Rocket computer off the holder and it reset but I think I had about 300 miles on it. So here is the chart for the 7.5 months we were bent:

First Ride of the year: On 1 January, 2008, it was just me to Epley and back, 24 miles. And, it was cold but I wanted to start the year off bent. The actual temperature was around 50 but the wind would cut you in half. When riding against the wind on the way out my average was 13+ mph and with the wind on the way back it was 17+ mph. I selected the Stratus XP for this ride as much for the fairing’s wind shielding as for speed and comfort. At the turn-around I had a few nuts and some dried apple slices, no sugar added. There is plenty of room in my seat-back bag for food, tools, and repair items, e.g. tubes, chain links, patches. (Note that I secured my red gloves under the elastic straps of the bag lid. The monkey learns).

I decided on two riding goals for the year:
Goal 1: 2500 miles
(50 miles per week for 50 weeks + 2 catch-up weeks).
Goal 2: Exceed goal 1.

So, I already have 24 miles on the riding thermometer (sidebar) with 1476+ to go, but who’s counting? Well, not me, at least not for a couple of days. It is supposed to be really cold. They promised 14 for last night and project 22 for tonight.