Crossing the Delaware on Washington's Birthday

Enjoying a bit of a break from school this week, I was delighted to hear that Doug was planning to ride his new Dingman's Ferry 209K permanent on Friday. Our work schedules rarely align so I grabbed this opportunity to try a new local route and catch up with an old friend. Being Washington's Birthday, a chance to cross the Delaware River also seemed particularly fitting.

We met in New Paltz at the civilized hour of 7:30 for a quick double espresso to fuel our engines. It was only 22F at the start, but the forecast was for temps above freezing for most of the day, so we weren't too concerned.

For some interesting reasons, local politicians and bureaucrats cannot be convinced that a wider shoulder is worth the expense on this road with a million dollar view of the Shawangunk Ridge so we proceeded with caution as we left town. I was pleased to hear a few sordid tales from Doug's time on the New Paltz Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. Let's just say that my faith in local government has not been strengthened. 

The turnaround on this out-and-back permanent is just beyond the Dingman's Ferry Bridge. Not only is the bridge quaint, but it's also one of the last existing privately-owned toll bridges in the USA. Bicycles cross for free, but cars must pay a dollar each way. Two cheery guys work the gatehouse, one of whom actually stands in the middle of the narrow road collecting dollar bills from drivers. This doesn't seem like a position with tremendous job security in the present economy, but he did not seem outwardly worried about the threat of mechanization.

The route would technically meet the 200K requirement with a turnaround at the bridge, but services are few and far between in the last stretch so Doug added a 3-mile climb up to a small village complete with a country deli and a pizza spot to refuel. We opted for the deli and were met by the friendliest group of employees and patrons you could hope to see at mile 65 of a 130-mile ride. Selecting lunch was not difficult as the woman at the deli counter spoke effusively about the daily special, even going so far to walk us to the refrigerator case to point out the pre-made Turkey Gobblers for which all of the locals apparently go nuts. I'm seldom disappointed ordering local favorites and this practice was certainly reinforced today. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce with mayonnaise, salt and pepper on a fresh roll sure the spot!

Doug and I discussed the benefits of cutting the ride short at the bridge after a chilly descent to the river. While the last climb adds extra miles and makes for a cold descent in mid-February, if Doug decides to cut the required distance short at 200K and you're riding on a Friday - be sure to climb the hill and order the Turkey Gobbler. 

I love watching water and ice move through rivers in the winter. Luckily, I had the chance to see two on Friday. The Hudson and Delaware are about 75 miles apart at this latitude and each presents the rider with a view that's both historical and majestic.

On the way back, we encountered a few flurries but the weather never got particularly unpleasant. We donned our reflective gear and turned on our lights for the final stretch into New Paltz, which seemed like a glowing city on a hill as we approached, reinforcing our gratitude for living in such an amazing place. It's always good to be home after a long winter's ride.

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THIS JUST IN: Rapha's #Festive500 Roundel Actually Arrives at my House! Photo Story to Follow!

The Errandonnée in (Almost) One Day!

When you notice that MG is up to something over at Chasing Mailboxes, it's best to pay attention. Unfortunately, I've been so busy and the winter weather has been so hellacious that I nearly missed the big #errandonnée challenge. 12 errands in 12 days over a minimum of 30 miles. What's not to love about that? Luckily, I noticed an 11th hour tweet on Tuesday announcing the final 24 hours and I kicked it into high gear. With two commuting rides under my belt last week, this would only require ten errands in one day to complete the challenge. Visiting family in Western Maryland, this was not going to be easy, but as every randonneur knows, if things were easy, they wouldn't be quite so much fun, now would they? The catch - there was the 5-1/2 hour drive home to upstate New York squeezed into the middle of the day.

Last Wednesday's commute complete with a seasonal dusting.

On Friday, I left my pannier (with laptop) in the dining room.

To start, I volunteered to bring my nephews to the bus stop. 

A quick "breakfast" at Dunkin' Donuts.

A stop at the Giant in Germantown for car provisions.

Back in NY, I just made it to the post office before closing time.

Sunset is always such a lovely time to ride.

An espresso at the Mudd Puddle perked me right up.

Found an interesting book at the New Paltz library.

Picked up some fresh rugelach for dessert at The Bakery.

Treating myself to a new toothbrush.

Grabbed a bag of pasta for a quick dinner.

A little snack to fuel the return trip.

On the way home.

Done! Thanks, MG for organizing another exciting excuse to get off the couch and onto my bike.

Next up: The Dingman's Ferry 200K in honor of Washington's crossing of the Delaware on his birthday.

Rapha's Festive 500: And the Winners Are?

The folks at Rapha Central have again selected a fine collection of winners for this year's Festive 500 competition. The short film (above) is my favorite and makes me want to either run out and buy a GoPro camera or get on my bike and ride (or both).

The other submissions collected on the Rapha site are also entertaining and, taken together, reflect the vast global diversity that made up this year's contest. Take a look, you'll see what I mean.

Three Tweaks in One Week

There's nothing quite like a new drive train. After thousands of miles beneath the wheels of my Bianchi commuter, the chain started slipping under power on every climb. While it's always painful to spend money replacing parts, a new drive train makes an old bike feel brand new again and it sure costs less than a new transmission!

When I was forced to use duct tape to secure BOTH of my winter shoe covers after the left zipper failed me, I realized it was time to shop for a new way to keep my toes warm in these harsh temperatures. My research suggested that winter boots like these amazing offerings from 45NRTH or these from Lake would be the best option, but my budget (and global warming) led me to these simple Pearl Izumi shoe covers. The sleek form and velcro closures indicate an improvement over my previous Performance covers, but time (and long, long rides in cold, cold weather) will tell.

The bike and my wardrobe were not the only things that got tuned up this week. While being fitted for a pair of new glasses with (gulp) progressive bifocal lenses, my doctor asked if I ever wore contacts.

"Why yes," I explained, "it's common for me to wear contacts during my long bicycle adventures."

"Do you ever need to read anything at close range?" he continued.

"Only at night, in the rain, after 2 hours of sleep, and by the light of a dim headlamp," I replied.

Luckily, he had just the thing. Apparently, as a result of some fairly complex brain wiring, humans can wear contact lenses of different strengths in each eye to see both close and far at the same time. The brain simply makes adjustments. The doctor determined that I should wear one of my typical long distance contacts on my dominant right eye and a less powerful contact on my non-dominant left eye for up-close reading at 2 or 3 feet. This arrangement theoretically allows me to see both the road up ahead and the directions at handlebar height that will enable me to get there. Today was my trial run and I'm pleased to report that all systems seem to be GO.

LEL Sells Out in 11 hours 45 minutes!

I cannot believe it! After receiving an email from London-Edinburgh-London organizers this week indicating that registration for the 2013 edition was now open, I discovered this morning that despite increasing capacity from 600 to 950 riders, the event sold out in less than twelve hours! While the event website indicates that additional places may become available in the future, I would not place my eggs in that basket.

Having just finished reading Barring Mechanicals, a very enjoyable book-length ride report on LEL 2009 written by a British recumbent rider and first-timer Andy Allsopp this morning, I have been feeling particularly nostalgic about the event. Barring Mechanicals is available as an e-book on Kindle for merely $3.25 and is worth the time it will take you to read it whether or not you're planning to ride in 2013.

If you are one of the lucky ones to have secured a spot on LEL 2013, a great source information for planning is YACF (Yet Another Cycling Forum). Filled with chatter about everything from weather to gear and clothing choices, first-time participants will find a wealth of helpful advice from this group. Posts often reflect a typically dry British humor which is an added bonus. As I've written before, this really is a must-ride event for all sensible randonneurs. If transportation from the US weren't so expensive, I'd be registered for a second go at it myself already.

If you were hoping to ride LEL, but were not lucky enough to register in time, there are still spaces left in several of the domestic 1200s, such as the Gold Rush Randonnee where you'll find me in June 2013. Don't hesitate, though, these spots won't last forever . . .

Festive 500: New Year's Eve Edition (Stage 6)

500 kilometers in 8 days. To a seasoned randonneur, it barely sounds like a challenge. Believe me, though, the riding was the easiest part of the Rapha Festive 500. Despite sick children, family commitments and snowstorms, I made it: just under the wire. 500 kilometers, done and dusted. 

The best part of today's ride? I began with a plan to ride a 200km permanent route, but after 70 miles or so, I decided to change tack, cross the River at a different location and weave together a bunch of familiar roads into a 190 kilometer ride. As much as I like having a plan, the looseness of today's ride was liberating and connected me to the joy that cycling brings to my life. Good to switch things up from time to time, to keep the sense of adventure fresh.

Today's ride: 190 kms. 

Festive 50 total: 501 kms.

Festive 500: Flat Tire Edition (Stage 5)

Flat tires are never welcome events, but changing a tire in 25F weather is particularly unpleasant. In this case, my old Michelin tire was so rigid and hard to remove from the rim that I thought two tire levers might not be enough to get the job done. A task that typically takes 5-10 minutes stretched to 30. On the positive side, not one but two people stopped to see if I needed a hand, one going so far as inviting me to use his workshop. I have decided to immediately stop denigrating all people who drive pick-up trucks: some are apparently quite nice.

Riding rarely feels quite as good as it does immediately after fixing a flat and this was certainly the case today. I took off with renewed spring in my legs and enjoyed the crisp morning . . . until it began to snow. I like snow just as much as the next guy, but on a bike, it's not my favorite condition. As snow began to blanket the roads, I was unable to spot the black ice and slush I'd been avoiding up to that point. As a result, my speed fell even lower, yet I was glad to log another 38 miles towards the Festive 500 before the full strength of the storm arrived.

Today's ride: 61km
Festive 500 total: 310km

Festive 500: Black Ice Edition (Stage 4)

Clearly, the person who thinks this bridge path has been cleared of snow is not a cyclist. This was just one of the many spots I had to portage my bike on today's Festive 500 ride as a result of leftover snow and ice along the route. Honestly, the black ice on several of the roadways was far more concerning, but I kept an eagle eye on the surfaces and made out just fine. The defensive cycling routine wreaked havoc on my time today, though.

I decided to ride my commuter bike today since it holds up better against road salt than my Indy Fab. I do wish I could run wider tires, if not studded snows on this baby, but sadly, there is barely clearance for the 25mm Conti GP4000s I have on there now.

I designed a lovely route today that kept me on main roads with generally large, clear shoulders and gave me the pleasure of a double river crossing: once on the Rhinecliff Bridge (above) and the other on the Mid-Hudson Bridge (top) since the Walkway Over the Hudson was closed due to icy conditions. With just three days remaining and 252 kilometers to ride, it's time to get busy!

Today's ride: 101km.

Festive 500 total: 248km.