Brevet #1 (2011): T minus 1 week.

I can't believe it's finally here. After much anticipation, I'll ride in my first brevet of the 2011 season on Sunday, July 31 and I couldn't have chosen a more fitting ride. The NYC 200K is an oldie but a goody. It's also one of my favorite events since the route is outstanding and marks the first brevet I ever rode in 2007. I was instantly hooked on randonneuring after riding the NYC200K and went on to ride a full SR series that season, but did not attempt PBP. Instead, I put off that goal until 2011. As luck would have it, I'll have wait yet another four years for that glory. In 2015, I'll be 50 years old and I honestly can't think of a better way to celebrate a personal half century.

The NYC200K starts at the George Washington Bridge bus terminal in upper Manhattan and snakes its way through the Palisades and Bear Mountain to Harriman State Park and back. Coincidentally, the route passes right by the main entrance to the Helen Hayes Hospital so I plan to stop in to see who's working on my old floor that might remember my wheelchair-bound self. It sure would be a thrill to find a few familiar faces.

I feel strong on the bike and have a much greater sense of confidence for the distance after last week's successful 104-mile ride. The event should be great fun. Many of the participants will be heading off to Paris in a few weeks so the anticipation and excitement should be palpable. There's still plenty of room for additional riders. Care to join us? Rollout is 7:00 am. Registration can be completed on-line at this link, by mail or in person on Sunday morning.

My First Century! Ride and volunteer report.

Today I rode the first century since my accident and (after a nice cool shower) I feel simply maaaavelous. While not as strong as I was last June, I rode pain-free and relatively strong all day.

The event was the second annual Bike the River Valley century put on by Glen at Bicycle Shows US who also organizes the Ride to Montauk and other deluxe century offerings. Since I was not too keen on spending $100 to ride around my neighborhood with a bunch of strangers, I inquired about volunteer options which would generously eliminate my entry fee. Glen was happy to accommodate and gave me the task of leading the escorted 100-mile ride: a perfect arrangement. Talk about pressure, though. I was pretty sure I wouldn't run into trouble, but knowing I had people depending on me really helped.

We had a blast! What fun it is to pull together a group of total strangers of varying abilities into a team to take on some controlled adventure. The weather was generally cooperative, but temps did get into the 90s in the afternoon and the exposed sections of the route were a little brutal at times. Luckily much of the route was shaded. My knowledge of the area definitely came in handy when the other route leader had us heading south on River Rd. in Red Hook rather than north. While we took in an extra 10 miles due to some curious route markings, we were able to shave off an unnecessary northern loop near Germantown and clocked in at exactly the reported route mileage of 104. The route also passed directly by my driveway in the final 10 miles so my wife and son were able to bring buckets of cold water to dump on our heads as we rode passed.

So, all in all, it was a very nice day. I got to:

• enjoy the excitement of an organized ride, 
• meet a bunch of nice people, 
• ride over some beautiful roads on a gorgeous summer day, 
• feel like my efforts and knowledge of the area were really helpful and, 
• most of all, prove to myself that I can ride a strong 100 miles without pain and suffering.

Next up: the NYC 200K on July 31. Anyone care to join me?

Paul Racer Brakes: Check!

The other day while discussing stylish silver component options, Justin at Signature Cycles suggested that I consider Paul Racer brakes for the new rando bike I'm having built up. As you may know, Paul Racers are newly designed center-pull brakes modeled after the classic Mafac center-pulls. At first, I was reluctant to make the change since the Racers cost twice as much and require special braze-on mounts so there would be no turning back. Then after reading some reviews, looking at some photos and throwing care to the wind, I called Justin back and asked him to contact the builders at IF to see if the frame was too far along to make the adjustment. I also learned that it will be possible to attach a front rack to the brake bosses should I ever chose to go in that direction. Luckily, I heard back today that it's a go for the new Paul brakes. This is going to be one sweet bike!

The Englewood 600K: A Volunteer's Perspective

Past and present NJ Rando RBAs: Leroy and Laurent

What a great weekend for a hilly 600K romp through New York's gorgeous Catskill Mountains! Easy for me to say, of course, since I wasn't one of the participants, but the riders I spoke with at the Phoenecia controle on this weekend's Englewood 600K seemed to be fully enjoying the camaraderie, the route and the fine weather. I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first ever stint as a brevet volunteer. I could make up all kids of excuses, but it really comes down to the fact that with time constraints I'd always just rather be riding. Luckily, others have sacrificed their time over the years to make all of the brevets I've completed possible.

NJ Rando's Katie R. got in touch a few months ago to ask if I'd be able to help staff one of the controle's on the Englewood 600K route which swings rather close to my house and I was more than happy to confirm that I'd love to do something to begin to repay the many favors that NJ Rando has done for me over the years. Great news arrived last week when Katie confirmed that my shift would begin at 11:00 am at the Phoenicia controle located 40 miles from my front door. This meant that I would be able to volunteer AND get a great 80-mile training ride in (my longest one-day mileage total since the accident) AND catch up with some friends along the way.

The day started for me with a glorious ride to Phoenicia over low traffic roads that skirt the Ashokan reservoir as they enter the Catskills Park. I arrived at the controle at about 10:45 am to find that the lead group had just left the Rhinebeck controle roughly 40 miles away. It looked like I was to have a little time on my hands. Soon after I arrived at the Momma's Boy Cafe and settled into a shaded Adirondack chair, I was approached by Leroy V., the NJ Rando RBA, who drove up after checking riders in at the start to spend some time along the route. While I had packed the Jonathan Franzen novel I'm reading into my Detours bag, I much preferred chatting about rando life past and present with this four-time PBP ancien, whose first trip to the Catskill mountains from his native NJ by bike took place in the early 1940s when he was a mere 15-years old. As the father of a 15-year old, I'm not quite sure what his folks were thinking.

The first pair of riders who arrived just before 1:00 pm looked fit and full of steam as they took advantage of a little shade and ice cream. They stretched their planned 10-minute stop into 25-minutes, but did not seem bothered by the extension.  The next two groups to come in followed close behind and displayed a similar level of energy at the 1/3 mark on this hilly course. Several more riders came through after a short while and soon there was just one final pair bringing up the rear. Several of the riders in the day's event had come from great distance to participate in what was billed as a hilly tune-up for PBP.  Illinois, Canada and Florida were all represented. Sadly, one of the riders from Florida, who needed this event to qualify for PBP, arrived at the controle with his bike in the back of a farmer's pick-up truck, the victim to some nasty full-body cramping.  His partner, though, was fresh and full of energy as she pedaled off into the high Catskills after restocking her celery supply, fixing her light mount and applying some fresh sunscreen. All told, 18 riders in and 17 riders out.

I began my journey home at 5:30 pm after enjoying a day filled with conversation and merriment. The return trip was even more pleasant than the ride up as I took full advantage of a small tail wind, the sun on my shoulders and a slight decent all the way home. While I'm disappointed not to have been among the riders fin-tuning their fitness for PBP, I'm glad to have been a part of their excitement and to have been able to ride 80 miles with a smile on my face. Next up: the Ride the River Valley century on July 17.

A few minutes of shade and refreshment

Paved (Summer 2011): Handmade Ecstasy

Have you seen Paved yet? The world probably needs a new cycling magazine like a hole in the head, but this one is good, really good. Luckily, I was hanging out with my friend Jim this week and he passed along his copy knowing what a sucker I am for old-school steel frame bikes. The magazine is great, and I especially like the photo essay on modern handmade bicycles in the style of the mid-century French constructeurs. Peter Weigle, the grandfather of the modern constructeur renaissance, is featured as are Tony Pereira, Sasha White, Ira Ryan, Dan Boxer and a handful of others. The photos are delicious and the article is informative and very well written.

It was this bike above, though, built by Black Cat Bicycles that really caught my eye. It's no secret that I love a good set of Honjo fenders, but these along with the beautiful light blue frame looks quite a lot like my Independent Fabrication bike currently under construction. Seeing this has inspired me to build my frame up with silver components, and white cables and bar tape as well. What a beauty it is and will be!

Paved is a skinny tire spin-off Bike magazine edited by Joe Parkin of Dog in a Hat fame. Published four times per year, it's not yet possible to subscribe, but last time I checked, the local Barnes and Noble was stocking it and it's also possible to order online off their blog. Thanks, Jim!

Portrait Night at Signature Cycles with Rob Vandermark of Seven Cycles

When I was visiting with Paul Levine of Signature Cycles last week for a fitting at his Central Valley location, he invited me to the upcoming Portrait Night at the Greenwich Signature studio. The idea is simple, Paul invites an important figure in the custom bicycle business to speak, spreads the word to people who have bought or might buy through Signature and then additionally offers the opportunity for bike owners to have their portrait taken alongside their custom Signature bike by professional portrait photographer James Patrick Cooper. I've seen a few of these portraits and they're really quite nice.

The event is scheduled for this Thursday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 pm and features Rob Vandermark the founder and chief designer at Seven Cycles in Watertown, MA. I'm a huge Seven fan and look forward to hearing Rob speak about the Berlin Show Bike, the gorgeous urban utility bike he's planning to bring (pictured above), among other things.

The funny thing is that I'll be having my picture taken alongside my totaled Independent Fabrication Club Racer. I told Paul that I'd love to come, but only if I can get an additional portrait taken with its replacement which should arrive within the next 6-8 weeks. It should make for an interesting before/after comparison.

George Rides the Ridge!

Well today was the day I've been looking forward to for quite some time. My first event (and longest ride!) since the August 26 accident and, as you can see from the photo above, I look nearly normal. The Ride the Ridge Hudson Valley Challenge is a fixture on the local riding calendar and a fundraiser for a very nice independent school in the area. Not to sound snooty, though, but until this year, I never felt that a 50-mile event was really worth suiting up for. My how things have changed.

I live about 20 minutes from the start, so I didn't have to rise too early to pick up my registration materials and prepare for the ride. It was a thrill to go through my checklist last night and scurry around the house looking for all of the necessary items. It was hard falling asleep last night knowing that in a few hours I would be experiencing the excitement of a large group ride for the first time in over nine months.

I know I should be glad to simply be riding pain-free in an event of this length, but my weak legs and terrible cardio fitness really created a disconnect between my mind and my body. I was able to override the impulse to hammer, but finding myself in an unfamiliar part of the pack of riders huffing up hills I used to charge up was a bit disorienting. For the most part, though, I was able to climb seated on this ride with 2000 ft. of gain which was a pleasure to see. I really prefer to climb in the saddle unless things are really nuts.

While this was a local event, I was surprised to see so few familiar faces. I did run into my friend Doug from Woodstock at the start with his beautiful new carbon Serrota. I also had the pleasure of riding with Andrey and his son Alex in the last few miles of the ride as they were finishing the 30-mile loop. When I saw him in the distance, I knew that anyone with bar-end shifters and a rando bag had to be a friend of mine. It was great to catch up with Andrey who is in the midst of a successful season filled with qualifying rides for PBP.

The only physical discomfort I felt today came in the last few miles when I felt a little soreness in the area where my left femur enters my hip. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is nothing more serious than some tight and/or weak muscles and tendons rather than any nascent problem with my bones.

Next up: I hope to ride the Flatlander's Delight 200K permanent before the end of the month, but I may have to fit in a 100-mile training ride first, just for good measure.

Finally Time for a Fitting!

Today I made the trip back to Paul Levine's Signature Cycles studio for a proper fitting to see if anything's changed since the accident that would affect the build on my new Independent Fabrication Club Racer. Luckily, I found that my numbers were pretty similar to the ones Paul had on file from 2008. My hamstrings are still tighter than I'd like them to be, but my pedal stroke remains strong and symmetrical. The only modification I may need (which may be temporary) is to slide the left hood back just a few centimeters to accommodate a slight limitation in my left shoulder range. That will probably straighten itself out and I'm very pleased that none of the permanent measurements on the new frame will be affected.

I've decided to go with the exact same model, same color, same component group and same accessory set-up. I was completely satisfied with the last version, and without going crazy over researching a replacement, I'll be very happy to just get back on the road with a familiar friend. In only six to eight weeks, this chapter will come to a close.

I may go with the hammered rather than smooth Honjo fenders. Need to think about that one. Perhaps I'll take a spin through my new copy of The Golden Age of Hand-built Bicycles for inspiration.