Long Live Junk Miles

I got out for an hour and a half on Thursday. Just me, the Look, 60 degree temps and some of Southeast Michigan's finest roads (well, to those of you who live in the area, that last one is kinda a joke). I haven't thrown a leg over the old steed in a little over two weeks, so this was a long time coming. There is nothing like a nice ride by yourself to clear your head. No agenda, no program, no plans, the only thing dictating my effort was my own mood. I even ended up chatting with another cyclist as we made our way west and, in the process, discovered a couple new routes. That doesn't happen if you're on a "plan" or are sticking to a training regime.

This ride, by it's very definition, is what a lot of cyclists call "junk miles." I agree that the racing benefits of these unregimented rides may be debatable, but I think they are exactly what I needed mentally. And, as we all know, if you aren't up to par mentally, you won't be competitive. So, if you're feeling a little stale, I strongly encourage a spontaneous spin, break free from the fetters of your training program - your brain will thank you.

Long Live Junk Miles!!

Road Racing? Probably not gonna happen.

My planned road racing "season" ("season" because I was planning on a shortened road season to allow for more focus on cyclocross) is quickly going the way of the dodo. With 55-60 hours of work per week, an aging home that constantly requires work (UGH!) and wanting to spend time with my wife and daughter, I guess something had to give. Riding one day a week for 2 hours doesn't exactly build the kind of fitness required for road racing. Over the last three weeks, my bike has gone from a finely tuned road racing machine to a high performance, carbon fiber clothes drying rack. Sad.

Well, technically I do have some availability, I could get up at 4:30 or 5:00 AM and ride the trainer for an hour every morning, but I HATE riding the trainer when the weather is nice. And, quite frankly, I'm pretty sick of it. I'm starting to think there's no such thing as balance, just fluctuations from one extreme to the other. Either I have lots of time to ride or absolutely none. Unfortunately, the most recent trend has been no time to ride and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Oh well, you know what they say, "there's always next season"!

I Want a New Road Bike

Here's my criteria:

1. Frame: Carbon. I got my first (and only) carbon frame back in 2000 (Look 261) and I really like how it feels on the road. Having ridden aluminum and steel previously, I think carbon suits me best.
2. Geometry: Should be race-worthy. I plan to race it, (although this season may be a bust...) so it should have race-oriented geometry.
3. Drivetrain: Campagnolo. This would be helpful because my current setup has Campy and I could use some of my old parts, if needed.
4. Price: around $3,000
5. Brand: I may get accused of being a snob here, but I would really like something a little different and not ubiquitous (i.e. Trek and Specialized). Maybe something French or Italian...

Here are a few of my current considerations: 

Any other recommendations??

Dirty Deeds

I finally made it up to ride with the club this past Thursday. A unique ride (unique as far as I know) of 35 miles almost entirely on the dirt roads around Clarkston. Cyclocross bikes are the order of the day, speeds are pretty fast, and the climbs can be leg-burning.

A few observations:

1. When you hit washboard bumps at 30 mph, you gotta stay loose. If you stiffen up, the bike responds, and not in a good way.
2. Riding rollers this winter has helped my sense of balance and stability. I felt a lot more sure of myself.
3. It was great to ride with the group again - I really missed the camaraderie.

I'm going to make every attempt to do more of these rides. Dirt, washboard bumps, loose gravel and cyclocross bikes - a recipe for a great time and a helluva a good work out.

A Sunday in Hell? Not for me!

I had quite a nice little Sunday today. Got up had breakfast with my daughter, and watched Cancellara trounce the field in Paris-Roubaix. Then I went out to the local Metro Park and cooked out 50 miles of my own. Felt GREAT. Maybe not quite the epic cobbles of Roubaix, but it was fun - Plus, I feel like I'm finally getting back on track. Feeling solid on the bike, with some strength in the legs. Maybe all the time spent on the rollers is starting to pay off... 

The LOOK was running good and the weather was perfect - arm warmers and knee warmers were the only order for the day.  

Great Day.