The Necessity of Staying Upright / Balancing

A few years ago I walked up the first half mile of a climb out of a canyon (https://24hoursinthecanyon.org/) while a fellow my own age passed me on his trike. Too steep and too soon after knee surgery. But ... I was frustrated and was determined to ride my Bacchetta CA3 up that climb the next year. That `next' year was 2020 and the event was rightly canceled.

And then I started noticing the flood of interest in trikes (which had been going on for a few years ... I just didn't pay attention).

Today, on a climby (several long, steep ascents and descents) ride (https://ridewithgps.com/trips/59948708) I realized why I am so committed to two wheels: the necessity of staying upright / balance. Last week's bike handling challenge at a local industrial park (https://ridewithgps.com/trips/59824617) was hard, a little scary and very satisfying.

Pushing up 8 and 9 degree hills requires me to manage staying upright and in a (relatively) straight line. I have to minimize the wobbles: gearing, power, breathing and heart rate.

Descending into a crosswind at 40+ mph challenges my handling of braking, steering, accounting for the `push' of the crosswind.

I know that I wouldn't be so drawn to cycling if I didn't have the exciting `risk' of balance of the 2 wheel recumbent. I wouldn't spend as much time in physical intensity. My interest in tweaking the bikes wouldn't be there. I'd probably put more time and energy into indoor rowing (https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers) but the boredom factor of indoor work would be a major limiter.

No `dig' against trikes. Just another discovery that cycling has given me over the course of the last 74 years.

PICS OF THE BACCHETTA PELSO - BREVET

• Rail Gun seat 
• Tiller 
• Bullhorn handlebar 
• SRAM TT shifter / levers
• Top pull brake levers 
• Front and rear disc brake 
• 700 wheels 
• Front: Compact 50/34 
• Rear: Ten speed 11/36
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Descending on A Bacchetta CA3

• Descending on a Bacchetta CA3 
• Five Minutes of Cycling Heaven while on the return leg of THIS

Beat Him Over the Head with a Bicycle Inner Tube

So, it was about five years ago.  A bright Sunday morning.  Riding my Bacchetta Ti Aero recumbent bike.  It was the last hill after eighteen miles of climbing.  A long 6% grade of twisty two lane mountain road (the White Spars in Prescott National Forest, Arizona).  

Well, it was slow.  But I was well to the side of the road so that motorized vehicles had the whole lane to themselves.  

Along comes one of those gigantic pick up trucks.  It was huge. Massive tires. And it was loud. And it was shiny black, spotless. Completely empty with the exception of two guys in the front, the passenger side window down with a man's arm resting on the window frame.

As the pick up approaches me the driver downshifts.  A suffocating cloud of black diesel smoke comes out the tail pipe.  He leans on the horn and veers to his right, coming within inches of me.  I could hear both guys laughing while the passenger flips me the bird and yells "Get off the road, faggot." 

My reaction was instant.  Didn't give it a nanosecond of thought.  I flip BOTH of them the bird, too.  And yell, "Go **** yourself!!!" and keep pedaling.  

And then it happened.  

The entire back end of the truck flashes RED.  It comes to a sudden stop.  Like a giant wall of TRUCK dead in the middle of the road.  

I stop, too.  Thinking, "Oh ****!  They're coming after me."  And then bright white backup lights flash and the truck starts to rapidly reverse towards me.  

Me, I'm flummoxed.  Worried.  Chastising myself for `taking the bait' and reacting.  "How do I defend myself?"  

Under the frame I had a long black tool bag containing two little plastic tire levers, a few CO2 cartridges, a few inner tubes and patches. And, of course, several sheets of toilet paper.  In case I got a flat tire...or something more serious.

So, while the truck is backing up I nervously reach under my bike for the tool bag, unzip it and what? pull out an inner tube or something?!!!  Threaten them with toilet paper?!!!

And then the monster pickup truck comes to a sudden stop, about 10 yards ahead of me.  It sits there for about 20 lonnng seconds.  I can see the two guys looking back at me, talking to each other.  

The backup lights go out.  No brake lights either.  The pickup truck literally burns rubber accelerating up the hill.  It looked like they were escaping.

First, I'm relieved. Then, I'm wondering.  What the hell just happened?  They could have yelled, threatened, thrown water and trash at me.  Even beaten me up.  But, No.  Nothing.  In fact, it looked like they were frightened and sped off.  

----

A few years go by.  

And then, cycling up that same hill, I see an old small pickup truck on the side of the road with an older fellow sitting next to it in a lawn and garden chair.  On the ground in front of him was a cardboard box on which he wrote, in big black letters, GUNS.  He waves at me.  I wave at him. Yeah. He was selling rifles and handguns from his pickup truck on the side of the road.  LOTS of them  In broad daylight.  All day long.

I thought, Well, this wouldn't happen back home in Chicago.  I'm in `Arizona.'  

----

So, it took a few years to pass.  And I was still wondering how I escaped being pummeled by two faux macho guys in a giant tank-like pickup truck. 

It dawns on me.  

When they saw me reaching into a long black bag under the frame of my bike ... they figured I was `reaching into a holster for my gun.'  

Reaching for my gun!  

Me!

On my bicycle.

And they feared a gunfight.  

Like I was gonna shoot them.  

----

Arizona.  

Selling guns out of a pickup truck.  

On the side of the road.  

In a lawn and garden chair.

Arizona.  

Natchez Trace 180

Last week I entered an event called the Natchez Trace 444. From Nashville Tennessee to Natchez Mississippi on a national park called the `Natchez Trace.' The Natchez Trace is one long two lane road with no stop signs, no stop lights, no commercial enterprises and no commercial traffic. In most respects the road quality was excellent. There were a few sections that were `lumpy' but didn't have potholes. Some bridge sections had rough separators that caused me some worry about a pinch flat. 

The weather for this event was unusual. A cold snap resulted in temps in the mid-60's (F) during the day and all the way down to 39F at night. When descending at 25-35 mph into an ambient temp of 39F the wind chill is makes it feel like 25F on `dry' skin. With sweat it felt like it was in the teens. 

I had hopes for completing the event in under 35 hours; but my realistic expectation was that I'd not complete the entire 444 miles. As it turned out I completed 180 miles and 7,000 feet of climbing in 14 hours of cycling.  After 12 hours of cycling it was 1:00 AM and extremely cold.  I took a 2.5 hour break in the crew vehicle.  Back on the road at 3:30 AM I rode another 2 hours (25 miles) before I called it.  At that point I was exhausted.  Of course, there were more miles `in the tank' but it would simply have been pointless to risk physical destruction to add another 25 or 50 miles.  

A few candidates to explain the lack of stamina.  First my age: 74.  Another the weather: it was so cold that I wore five pair of socks, four leg coverings, five jerseys and jackets and three head coverings and thick, insulated lobster gloves.   Finally, insufficient training for such an endurance event.  

Of these `candidates' I'm least inclined to accept age as a major limiting factor.  But I will be putting this to a test in mid-November.  I plan to do a solo 24 hour on the World Time Trial Championship course in Borrego Springs, CA.  The temperature there should be far less cold at night.  The climbing (feet per mile) will be half of that on the 180 miles of the Natchez Trace (19 ft per mile v. 39 ft per mile).

It was worth it.  So many cycling events have been canceled this season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  

My crew was exceptional.  Attentive, extremely capable and very supportive.  The bike was mostly flawless.  At one point a link on the chain `hooked' on something metallic and didn't allow me to pedal.  I stopped, reversed the rotation and that issue was resolved, allowing me to continue on.  Clothing for the cold was as good as it could be.  Layered with a final jacket of rainproof / windproof material.  

Not much more to say about this event.  I've heard that several other cyclists didn't finish due to the extreme cold.  At the third time station (1:00 AM) I noted that the van of likely the strongest rider was parked and remained there even after I rested and resumed the event at 3:30 AM.  Wise.  

Desert Training

Desert training gear. Air horn and buck knife. Horn to scare critters (coyotes, mountain lions, javelina, skunks, rednecks). Buck knife to ... cut things.

This is a link to a 5 minute Youtube vid of this environment (today's training ride).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rWo9OvoVQo

Natchez Trace 444

TS NAME MILE POST CUM MILES TS to TS MILES TS - TS CLIMB TS - TS DESCENT 0. Start 444 0 0 0 0 1. Merriwether Lewis 385 59 59    4,406 (4,524) 2. Colbert Ferry 327 117 58    2,379 (2,626) 3. Donovan Slough 283 161 44    2,385 (2,633) 4. Witch Dance 233 211 50    1,757 (1,780) 5. Kosciusko 160 284 73    2,294 (2,248) 6. Choctaw Agency 100 344 60    1,198 (1,190) 7. Rocky Springs 54 390 46    1,742 (1,868) 8. End of Trace - Natchez Grand Hotel 0 444 54    2,576 (2,678) 444  18,737 (19,547)

Dangerous Cyclists and Dangerous Drivers

I live in a mountain bike and gravel rider paradise.  If I were willing to retreat from cycling on the open road I wouldn't be writing this blog post.  

I don't ride a bike for casual recreation.  I `train' so that I can participate in competition.  I'm on the road for 12 to 20 hours each week.  

Not all dangerous riding/driving is illegal.  Courtesy and mutual regard make the road safer for both.

• It is irresponsible (but not illegal) for a cyclist to `hog' the lane when there is room to the right of the road/fog line.  
• It is irresponsible (but not illegal) for a cyclist to not use flashing rear and front lights so that drivers can see him/her.  
• It is irresponsible (but not illegal) for a cyclist to wear `earth tone' clothing, making him/her less visible to drivers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• It is irresponsible (and illegal in most states) for a driver to pass a cyclist with less than 3 feet clearance.
• It is irresponsible (and illegal) for a driver to place a cyclist in danger when passing another vehicle from the opposite direction. 
• It is irresponsible for a driver to harass a cyclist with a blaring horn.  
• It is irresponsible for a driver to place a cyclist in jeopardy by driving dangerously (sudden stop, sharp right turn, entering lane from opposite direction, etc.)

THIS is a link to a video of a truck driver placing a cyclist in unnecessary danger with careless (but probably not illegal) driving.  

THIS is a link to a summary of states requiring drivers to give cyclists three feet of clearance when passing.  

"Too Much Is Never Enough" - Wisdom from Larry Graham

As a cyclist I owe Larry Graham more than I'll ever be able to return.  Larry is one of my ultraracing models and mentors.  He and his wife Christine directed the Calvins Challenge in Ohio for many years.  Larry corresponded a little with me in 2009 as I learned about and became interested in ultracycling.  He lent me equipment, drove out on the course in a driving rain to help me with a stubborn flat.  And advised me on many of the traps and tricks of ultracycling. 

Perhaps the most lasting wisdom from Larry came while I was flailing around trying to train too hard, too much for too far.  His experience in ultracycling taught him that the term `ultra' triggered all kinds of responses in people who take on the challenge.  On one of my whining lamentations about my poor results from training he responded that, for some in ultracycling, "too much is never enough.'  

It shouldn't come as a surprise that, as a psychologist, I often exempt myself from heeding the wise advice of others.  In this situation, however, Larry struck a nerve.  I've considered it a virtue over the course of my life to do more than what is necessary to achieve an objective.  Half the time this had good result. The other half ... I tended to fault myself for being less than capable.  

Larry's wisdom is still a lesson I am learning today.  It is harmful to myself and others to go beyond `excessive' in training.  And ... in other areas of life. 

So, a shout out and a heartfelt thanks to Larry Graham.  

In Praise of Police

So ... I'm riding/training (bike) this morning going north on Skull Valley Road, climbing up the hill to Skull Valley USPS. 

A passenger vehicle pulls up alongside me. 

Guy says: "Hi I'm Deputy {NAME) of Yavapai County Sheriff's Office." 

I say: "Hey! Meet at USPS up ahead?"

He was on his way to work. We spent about half an hour just chatting. He mentioned he spoke to the driver of the truck that buzzed me on the 5th. 

"He works at one of the local ranches. Nice conversation. Just told him to watch how he drives. He apologized. He's a good guy. Things should be better now."

With so many police body-cam vids on social media it would have been great if we recorded this interaction. Just to show how great and essential it is to have local police prove that they, too, are in the helping profession.

I'm not sure why but I felt proud of him.  Real intelligence.  Building strong sense of community

Mid Arch Cleats on Shimano Sandal

Participating in Ultra Cycling Events During the Pandemic

Like most of us I am trying to find ways and methods to still participate in ultra events during the C19 pandemic.  I'm sharing some of a recent email I sent to a good friend who had earlier offered to be a crew member for me on the Natchez Trace 444 in early October of this year.  It would be helpful to me to get your thoughts and opinions. 

"At the outset (March and April) of the pandemic I was spending a good deal of time adapting and making adjustments to both my personal and professional life.  But in the past few weeks things have straightened out and a new normal has taken hold.  My wife has found ways to socialize without risk (which helps me not feel like I'm `abandoning' her while I work and train), my practice is completely virtual (i.e., telephone and video only, no in person work), and I've returned to steady and progressive training on the bike.  

As I've learned methods to minimize exposure to the virus I've reconsidered how and if I would participate in biking events.  Of course, most of these events have either been canceled or rescheduled to later in the year.  But there has been no notification as to whether the Natchez Trace 444 schedule has changed.  And I'm giving serious consideration to participating, still.  But my participation will have several caveats. 

If you're still up for crewing, and if I continue to plan on participating in it, here are a few considerations:

• You, me, and another crew member would have to be tested for the Covid-19 virus immediately before the event.  At my expense.  
• As well, we'd all have to have a robust antibody test. Again, at my expense.  
• I think it responsible and prudent for each of us to get the Covid-19 and antibody tests after the event.  At my expense.
• During the event we'd want to minimize proximate contact with other participants, their crew, vendors, gas station and store personnel.  
• Wearing and using masks, hand sanitizers and handi-wipes would be essential.

Would you be willing to comply with these actions?"

The Loneliness of A Long Distance Racer

As I've said in the past, December is the most dangerous month of the year.  That is the month when I look out at the warmer months ahead and tell myself that "Sure!  I can do that!"  I check my `Events Calendar,' look at the other demands on my time and make the calculations.  

So last December (2019) I concluded that I could combine two events into one long trip.  The Pace Bend Ultra in Texas (Feb 1) and the Sebring Bike Race in Florida (Feb 8).  After Texas just a 2 day drive to Florida, a few days of easy training and then the Sebring race.  Then a long 3 day drive back home to Arizona.  Effective.  Time and resources efficient.  Two big events logged early in the year.  Goals to train for.  

Well, I did the Pace Bend event.  (Registered for the 24 hour, decided at the time to do the 12 hour, and completed the 6 hour).  

What I didn't consider was how lonely I'd get along the way.  Driving.  Staying in anonymous motels.  Sleeping a few nights in my van.  

So ... the morning of the Pace Bend event I told my wife that I was dreading the long, lonely drive to Florida.  That the two or three days before the Sebring race I'd be holed up in the motel with a few hours each day consumed with easy training.  And then the long, lonely 3 day drive back to Arizona, with more stays at anonymous motels.  

I mean ... what do I do for a living, f'chris'sake!  I'm a psychologist.  And I completely ignored the fact that I'd be both actually and virtually alone the entire two weeks away.  

Before the Pace Bend event I was feeling the pressure of `dread' regarding the Florida event.  My thoughts went to my ego.  "What will people think of me wussing out simply because I'm feeling homesick and lonely?!"  All the self-talk about `the tough get going when the going gets tough' hammered my head.  

And then the `big brother' on my left shoulder lectured me on `perspective.'  (Imaginary big brother who is mature, wise and cares about me).  

• "Dan, who are you doing this for? "
• "Dan, the Texas and Florida events grounded your winter training.  That's a `good' thing."
• "Dan, are you allowing the thought of what others think of you to tyrranize you?"
• "Dan, platitudes like `the tough get going ...' are simplistic and probably do more harm than good."
• "Dan, is your sense of self-worth so shallow and brittle that you can't admit you were overly enthusiastic and simply wrong?"  
• "Dan, are you making your life painful just so others may be `impressed' with you?"

So, I'm mortal.  My good sense to not brutalize myself over `ego' is valid.  If people look down on me or, worse, don't even `look' at me ... big woof!  

Maturity is something we have to deal with every time we wake up.  

Besides, I'll bet there are dozens, if not hundreds, of cyclists out there who are heartened to hear these words.  

Turns out I'm getting more time and training on the bike by being home and not being stuck driving for another five or six days.  

Perspective.  

Thanks `George.'  (My big brother).