Preventing Wrist and Hand Discomfort

As I look at pictures of other bike setups I notice that the position of my brake levers are much higher than most. I realize that brake levers are usually set up for the standing position. However, especially when I am pulling a loaded BOB trailer, I do not stand up much. I am hoping that removing the front panniers will allow me to stand up more easily for pressure relief on my ischial tuberosities (sit bones).

On this basis, when I am resting my hands on the handlebar while seated I try to achieve a slightly (10-20 degree - viewed from the little finger side of the wrist) cocked back (wrist extension) position at the wrists and with the first finger lined up with the forearm. This is "neutral position" and the position that opens the carpal (wrist) tunnel to the maximum for the nerves, blood vessels, and tendons from the forearm to the wrist and hand. It is also your strongest grip position. Any position much out of neutral position closes the carpal tunnel causing nerves (primarily the median nerve) and blood vessels to be compromised. Over time this leads to tingling, numbness, and eventually to nerve damage. Also by not holding (or resting on) the wrist so that it is side bent toward the thumb very much or putting pressure on the little finger side of the wrist, then I decrease the possibility of causing ulnar nerve injury.





Besides using Ergon grips I added Marsas Audax padding that has exceptional shock and vibration absorbing characteristics. Unfortunately, the Marsas Audax padding, which I bought from
Wallingford Bicycles, does not seem to be available anymore. (Update: 4/18/08 Wallingford Bicycles does indeed have the Marsas padding. There is a discrepency between a couple of web pages, but I emailed them and they are correcting the discrepency. One page says they are out of stock and the other page shows them in stock. I have been looking at the wrong page for weeks! Also, if you use IE for your browser, then I had some difficulty with the shopping cart too. Again, Bill Laine from Wallingford Bicycles is looking into it. I would expect it to be corrected quickly now that they are aware of the problem. I switched browsers (to Mozilla) and the problems went away.) However, there are other shock absorbing materials available. I then wrapped all of that with cork handlebar tape. It looks quite shabby, but it is very comfortable for endurance riding. If you can overcome the aesthetic issues, then you may be able to greatly reduce your discomfort and the risk of nerve damage. Incidentally, be sure to allow enough clearance for the shifters to function properly.

If you have persistent numbness and tingling, then get examined by a doctor to be certain that you do not have some other health issues. Generally speaking if you stay fairly close to a neutral wrist position and avoid prolong pressure on your wrist, then you can greatly increase your comfort level. By positioning the brake levers so that you can comfortably operate them with your first and/or second fingers, with your wrist in the neutral position, then you will probably have better control of your steering and braking while decreasing the likelihood for nerve injury. Of course you want to leave the brake levers just loose enough that they will move with an impact, but not so loose that they keep falling down.

It is too late tonight to get some pictures, but tomorrow I will add some pictures to this post.

Shakedown Lessons - Part 2

You always hope that you have worked the bugs out before the start of a big adventure. Lonesome Mesa probably is not the best place to find out you needed more water carrying capacity, that your favorite tires do not work well in the sand, or that maybe you should have tried some sealant before you got 23 flats in one day. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) in New Mexico is not the best place to try out your solar powered credit card either, because there is no one around to buy anything from anyways. It is nice to go light, but credit card touring is definitely not what this route is all about. So, that means that within the group, you had better have everything that you are going to need from the start.

The three good multi day shakedowns convinced me that I need to find a way to replace the carrying capacity of the front panniers in order to move the load closer to the mid-line of the bike. Even with only 4 - 5 lbs hanging off each side of the front rack it markedly increases the effort to steer at slow speeds and in rough conditions (i.e., most of the GDMBR). On the road the front panniers are no big deal once you get rolling, but in bumpy, slow conditions they wear you out trying to control the front end of the bike. The original idea was use them to hold the front of the bike down on steep climbs, but when the inclines get over 10% I get off and push so that I will not wreck my drivetrain.

As an aside, I am embarrassed to admit that I had my chain slip into my spokes four times on this shakedown. The pulley wheels on the rear derailleur got crapped up and the derailleur stop apparently came out of adjustment. It is doggone difficult to adjust when you are all loaded up, but I should have taken the time to get it right after (before) it happened the first time. Even though I was moving less than 4 mph and I stopped immediately, the chain badly nicked 8 spokes. I had to replace them when I got home. Luckily none of them broke during the shakedown.

In any case by getting the weight nearer the mid-line of the bike I will have far more ability to choose the line I want to ride instead of having to wrestle constantly with the front pannier load to stay out of the ruts and ditches. My custom frame bag, Gas Tank, and Super Twinkie Seat Post Bag from
Epic Designs arrived yesterday. My goals are to significantly lighten the load and also to move that weight out of the front panniers and into the mid-line bags that Eric Parsons made for me. Unfortunately, my pictures show the Super Twinkie Seat Post Bag all screwed up. When it is packed and mounted properly it looks and works great. Thanks Eric! I will get a better picture soon. If you want to see how it should look, then check out his web site at Epic Designs.







I cannot wait to try out the Gas Tank to carry my camera. I stop often to take pictures, and sometimes I am tempted to not stop because it is such a hassle to get the camera out of the handlebar bag when I have the SPOT and the Solio strapped on top. I put them there because I need to keep an eye on them. I tried clipping the SPOT to one of the front panniers and it fell off. Luckily I only had to hike about a quarter mile back up the trail to find it. Now I keep it in plain view, which is on top of the handlebar bag. I am hoping that I can also put it in the Gas Tank Bag, but that needs to be tested to see if the transponder signals go out okay from there.





Another important lesson I learned on this last shakedown is that I had better figure on using an efficient, wind resistant propane stove. The alcohol stoves just do not cut it at high altitude in the wind. Most of time I was around 8000 feet above sea level and the wind was blowing 10-30 mph day and night. With my Primus ETA stove I never had an issue. I think it will take about 2 canisters of propane a week if I cook and heat water for hygiene everyday. It is very likely that there will be fire restrictions in the Gila National Forest this summer. Typically propane is the only type of stove allowed in those conditions. The rangers do not screw around if they catch you using anything else, because the risks and dangers are too great. Just think about the fires in California last year.

On a happy note, the trailer wheel I built performed very well ... at least until the mud and rocks trigged the wheel. However, once I cleared the mud and rocks out from between the fender and the tire it was restored to proper functioning again.

All and all I think my equipment is nearly ready for the trip. I repacked the bearings on the rear wheel, popped the seal of the freehub and coated the bearings with Slick Honey, and tore down and serviced the rear derailleur pulleys. The only thing I am not happy with are the rear derailleur pulleys. I have a new XTR rear derailleur with reverse shifting that I am going to try out soon. I will let you know what I think about reverse shifting. It is suppose to be more efficient and more reliable. After wrecking 8 spokes I hope that is true, but I do not think the Deore XT would have come out of adjustment if I had paid more attention to the pulley bearings sooner.

The only big item in need of service before the trip are the front shocks. I will make an appointment to get that done soon. However, I am tempted to take a look at it myself so that it is not such a "black box" to me.

Okay, that is three posts for one day! Spring break is over so it is time to go finish out this school year. May 23rd will be here before we know it.

It Is Time To "Lighten Up!"

On the first day of the shakedown as I pushed my bike and trailer up the "road" (see picture above) to Seco Tank the realization happened more as a blazing flash of the obvious, rather than like Saul's conversion experience on the road to Damascus. It suddenly became very clear to me that it is time to lighten up the load. Actually this was not a new insight, but rather an acknowledgement that it is time to reconsider the inverse relationship between how much gear weighs versus its cost. I enjoy a good physical workout as much as anyone, but in terms of the GDMBR trip the extra weight is going to cost time and therefore money. I did not do a formal Cost-Benefit Analysis, but each step that I pushed the load I kinesthetically increased my understanding that I might not be able to cover enough distance each day to finish by the beginning of August.

Of course I know that I can section the GDMBR, and with the Extreme Fire Danger currently in the Gila National Forest coupled with the heavy snow pack in the San Juan Mountains, I just may be forced to section it anyway. Nonetheless the extra weight is going to significantly slow me down and cause more wear and tear on me, the bike, and the trailer. The more time on the route as well as the more repairs that the equipment require are conspiring to force me to upgrade some equipment. Not only that, if there is going to be any hope of completing the route in the time frame that I have available, then I need to get the weight and the volume down. In my other two shakedowns I never had to push the bike and trailer. However, one of the reasons I chose this location for my final shakedown was because I expected to encounter these conditions and I wanted to see what I was capable of enduring.




My goal has always been to get my base load down to 20-25 lbs. I would love to get it down to 15 lbs, but it seems to cost at least $100 per pound to lighten the gear. Base weight does not include the food and water. Ten days worth of food should weigh about 20 lbs. By using freeze dried food I am going to try to not go much over 12 lbs. I will be shy on the calories, but I have calories to burn. I just need to ensure that I have enough nutrition to keep from bonking and that I can recover sufficiently from each day's ride.

Fortunately I did not have to carry extra water this time, because the springs and tanks were close enough apart that I just had to allow extra time to filter water. Twice I poured out my extra water on much appreciative flora. In New Mexico I plan to carry eight liters of water each day. That is between 16-17 lbs, but there will be at least three days from Antelope Wells to Grants when I will double that part of the load. However, as I eat, then the food part of the load will decrease.




So where can I get the most bang for my buck? On this shakedown I used a lightweight, but expensive, bivy. I left the almost 6 pound tent, poles, and stakes at home and went with a 1 lb bivy shelter. In the past I have not enjoyed the bivy as much as my luxurious 2 person tent, but I more than made up for that feeling when I was pushing through the mud and snow or up a 13% grade. On this basis, I ordered a Contrail tarptent designed and made by Henry Shires. It weighs about 1 1/2 lbs and takes up very little volume when packed. It costs about the same as the bivy. My rain gear is another weight and volume hog. With my REI rebate and 20% discount coupon I bought a Integrated Designs Sil Poncho/Tarp for less than $24 (including $5 tax). It retails for $85.

My experiment with the Stan's No-Tube system is working out well. Take a look at his video "Tire Sealant Path of Death Puncture Demo." Without the tubes to get pinch flats at low pressures (for sandy conditions) I am saving a couple of pounds there (including the spare tubes). When I returned from Barrel Spring I accidentally ran over some cacti with long needles. Yesterday I yanked at least 50 broken off needles and thorns out of my tires. The Schwalbe Marathon EX tires combined with Stan's No-Tube system worked like a miracle. I have not lost any pressure out of my tires all week.

These are some of the things I have been doing to get ready for my epic ride on the GDMBR. I still have a lot more to report on the lessons I learned. Stay tuned...

Are We Having Fun Yet?

I know that my posts on the local road rage and deaths of cyclists may not seem relevant at a glance, but from the beginning these types of events have been a major motivation for me to transition from road cycling to mountain bikecamping. As a bicycle commuter I deal with that road rage crap on almost a daily basis. It use to be rare to have a motorist get enraged at you, but now it is rare that they don't. When I report in to my wife after my early morning bike commute the key word that she wants to hear is "uneventful." Unless you are a fighter pilot that is the way you want the ride to go - "uneventful." "Uneventful" means no significant problems with others, mechanicals, or health.

That is why I chose the Ignacio Chavez Grant for my latest shakedown ride. Right now the gates are locked to motor vehicle traffic. It is perfectly legal for hikers and mountain bikers to be in there, but not for motor vehicles or any kind. Yeah!!! Typically wildlife will only attack for a reason. If you study their behaviors, then you can usually avoid giving them a reason to attack. Of course if they have rabies, then that is the reason. If you see a nocturnal animal like a raccoon roaming around in the middle of the day, then you had better be highly suspicious that there is something seriously wrong with this picture. On the other hand, humans will attack unprovoked or just for the charge they get out of it. I did not see anyone else up on Mesa Chivato. Apparently a nature photographer, Bart Smith, (http://www.bartsmithphotography.com/) was up there too, and he saw my tracks. However, he was about a half day behind me. We did not cross paths until Thursday around noon (see post "No Humans - That's a good thing!").

I strongly believe that my posts on attitude and strategy are critical to anyone considering any epic ride like the GDMBR. If a person does not have a strong reason to do an endurance ride of this proportion, then the chance that they will have enough will power to survive the hardships is unlikely. I believe that the etymology of the word "travel" is from the French word "travail," which means "to work." We are going to work damn hard on the GDMBR. The "fun" part is largely a matter of the perspective and the attitude that you bring with you. Attitude is not heavy or hard to carry, but if you don't have the right attitude everything little thing seems like a tremendous burden. The right attitude is like a strong tailwind - it will help get you where you want to go.

Shakedown Lessons - Part 1

A big part of these shakedowns is definitely to have some fun, and I usually have about as much fun as I can stand on these mini-adventures. At the same time, getting away from civilization usually makes you appreciate certain aspects of it when you return; especially potable running water at will. Other reasons to do the shakedowns include an opportunity to train under actual conditions, and also to try out the equipment and strategies before the epic adventure.

My first meal out was so bad that even I could not eat it. I have eaten stuff that would gag a maggot, and I hardly ever throw food away. Nevertheless, I dug a hole and buried it. I have come to favor the Mountain House freeze dried ProPaks. They are lightweight, easy to prepare with about half the amount of water, and taste great. I do not want to dis other brands, but Mountain House freeze dried has definitely won me over for the New Mexico part of the GDMBR. As explained in earlier posts. I am planning on carrying 10 days worth of food from Antelope Wells to Grants, and then another 10 days worth of food from Grants to Del Norte, Colorado. After that I expect the resupply logistics to improve dramatically. New Mexico is extremely tough for food resupply, and south of Grants is also harsh for finding water.

North of Grants I expect to find water more often, although too many GDMBR riders grossly underestimate their water needs at this altitude and in this arid climate. You have to use the BLM maps and some GPS Geocaching skills to find the springs. The springs are almost always hidden. Sometimes you have to dig down a few inches and let the water seep into the hole. All the water definitely needs to be filtered and/or purified too. At Seco Tank I practiced getting water out of a stock/wildlife water hole. There is always deep mud surround them and often algae and crap floating near the edge. The wind was moderate and it took three tries to get the water bag to open up and sink before I reeled it in at an sharp upward angle to avoid capturing too much filter clogging algae and crap near the edge of the pond.

Then, to add insult to injury I set the water bag down and it immediately collapsed spilling most of the precious, hard earned water. Oh well, I went back to the pond and got some more, but this time I hung the bag on a dead tree branch. You guessed it, the branch broke, but I caught the handle quickly enough that nothing spilled. Finally I thought, why not hang the water bag from the handlebar of my bike? Dah!

I discovered that the PES membrane filter on my MSR Waterworks really slowed down the filtration and markedly increased the amount of effort to pump the water through the filter. I was already using a MSR Sweetwater Silt Filter in front of the main ceramic filter, so the PES membrane seemed like massive overkill. I removed it and the pumping went much easier and quicker. Then the silt filter cartridge split, so I replaced it with a new one. The replacement silt filter cartridges come in 3 packs for about twenty dollars.

I also tried out the SteriPen and the MSR Miox purifiers. The SteriPen uses UV light, so the water must be fairly clear for the UV light to work. The Miox generates its own chlorine from salt. I had not used it in several months, and not much before that; to my dismay the low battery light started flashing the first time I tried to use it. It worked anyway, but I will have to buy some more CR123 Lithium batteries for it if I want to keep using it. The SteriPen felt like I was using a magic wand. I could barely see the indicator lights, so I was not certain that it was actually working. Nevertheless, I used it several times and I am did not get sick from the water.

More later ...

No Humans - That's a good thing!

After only two and a half days of no human contact, except for planes and jets far overhead, I was becoming somewhat feral. Nevertheless, as I regained visual contact of the Jemez Mountains to the north I turned my cell phone on and in a few minutes I had service. I called my wife to see how she was doing and to give my own report. We considered the pluses and minuses and then decided that it would be better if I stayed out another night. Our plan was to rendezvous at Hunters Camp at 11 a.m. on Thursday. By mutual agreement I shut off the phone knowing that the service would vanish again as I dropped down off Mesa Chivato. There would be no sense in wasting valuable battery power if I needed it later. Although I could signal out with the SPOT, in case of an emergency, the two way contact is always better in times of dire need.

I stopped about every 100 feet all the way down to Hunters Camp to take more pictures. There was no point in rushing. I had over 18 hours to ride downhill less than 3 miles to the rendezvous location. Why not soak in every moment of desert beauty below? The many ancient volcanic plugs before me had withstood the ravages of time. What was my rush? I seem to always be in a hurry to go nowhere and to do nothing worthwhile. I have so many bogus deadlines and phony goals. My biggest challenge was to learn how to relax and enjoy the moment. Here was my chance. In this short, steep descent I took more pictures than anyone would want to suffer through. However, the goal was to take time to really look.

On the way down from Mesa Chivato there is a sign for Barrel Spring. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) guidebook states that the author was unable to find it. This is my 36th year in New Mexico. So, when all the indications are to go in a particular direction, I automatically go in the opposite direction. For example, the Barrel Spring parking lot and the trails leading out of it are on the opposite side of the road from where you should be heading. Eventually you might find the the unmarked game trail on the other side of the road (the wildlife knows where the water is located), and follow it until it splits into a broad well-trodden trail that soon dead ends versus a steep, rocky, uninviting branch off this nice trail that leads to the spring. With less than 300 feet to go according to my GPS unit, I stayed on the nice trail. Even when I suddenly ran out of trail I thought that I could not be very far away from the elusive Barrel Spring. Despite well established rumours to the contrary, I believed it really existed. With some bushwhacking and help from my GPS unit I found its hiding place.

Following this small victory I decided that I would camp near Ojo Frio. From any direction Cerro de Ojo Frio looks like a giant ant hill. Near its base is a spring box and a little further down is a typical round cement trough.

From above it on the BLM road that I was descending it looked like something was happening at the Ojo Frio spring. I zoomed in with my camera and discovered a road grader parked at the base of Cerro de Ojo Frio. I could not tell if anyone was nearby, but instinctively I wanted to avoid contact. Although I planned to camp inconspicuously using Leave No Trace strategies, avoiding human contact would very possibly make my night safer.

On that basis I approached Ojo Frio via the Hunter's Camp and then down a long ago abandoned road that was now barely suitable as a game trail. On either side of the trail erosion had gnawed away at the steep terrain leaving deep gullies. I could have approached Ojo Frio from the freshly graded County Road 25, but my tracks would have tipped off my location to pranksters and those with malicious intentions. Besides, I wanted to see what was on this side of the hill from the Hunters Camp. Dodging rocks, cacti, and drop offs I threaded my bike and trailer down to the spring. I stayed far away from the road grader, because I did not want my tracks to tip off my proximity. Out of sight, out of mind was my strategy.

With some pushing, tugging and lifting I found a suitable hideout for the night. I wrestled my bike and trailer into a secure spot and preceded down to the spring box to get some water. On the way to the spring box I found a much better location to spend the night. From the note I found in a bottle there it seems that this location was built by elk hunters as a natural blind.

I know this post is out of sequence with the main part of my shakedown, but I wanted to jump ahead to tell you about serendipitously meeting Bart Smith the next day. He was walking down the road towards Cuba, New Mexico pushing a baby jogger loaded with a backpack and a gallon jug of water. I had never heard of Bart before. We might never meet again, but it is not everyday when you see someone pushing a baby jogger along through the desert with a pack, a gallon jug of water, and at least ten pounds of camera equipment.

In the course of our visit I found out that he was also carrying a heavy satellite phone that did not work, and a SPOT that he barely turned on for a couple of minutes once or twice a day. He also had a Garmin Legend GPS that he clearly did not know how to operate or even calibrate to use as a compass. Yet, despite the obvious differences in our personalities, I knew quickly I was talking to a kindred spirit; someone who feels most alive communing with nature away from people.

It felt as though I was magically drawn to have my wife pull over so that I could meet him. There was another vehicle pulled over and the driver was out talking to Bart when we pulled up. This seemed to give him the opportunity to leave, so as I approached the other driver left. I never even noticed the gun on the other fellow's hip. My wife mentioned it later. I have been approached by so many ranchers and cowboys with guns, that I do not even acknowledge the threat. Bart did not seem to pay any particular notice to the weapon either. Like myself, he was obviously entranced with the other-worldly landscape near Cabezon.

After a quick introduction I started giving Bart the tour by naming the landmarks around us. Down the road about a half mile there was a rancher working. My wife listened from the vehicle as we exchanged information. After a while the rancher drove up and stopped. I expected the usual: "You are trespassing" speech. Instead, by both scurfy appearance and body odor he quickly determined that we were genuine sojourners - modern day Don Quixotes. He sternly suggested we move away from the corner where we were yakking, because he told us that "people regularly drive 80 mph around that corner." He also informed us that these speeders routinely run over his calves. I suspect he was also making sure that we had not rustled any of his cute little calves.

The ones we saw appeared to be about a week old, and I can fully understand his concerns. I do not blame ranchers for being testy over these matters. Usually I give them a business card with my personal contact information so that they can check me out. More trusted eyes are better than fewer in terms of watching over their herds. Unfortunately, that trust has been violated so many times that they would rather run you off than let you "ride for the brand."

So, after scrupulously avoiding human contact for several days, it was a mixed blessing to be back in human society again. My wife Googled "Bart Smith and photography" when we got home. The search yielded: http://www.bartsmithphotography.com/. Check him out! What a treat! His web site is a work in progress, but his photography and philosophy are solid gold. I know where I am going to buy some birthday and holiday gifts this year. I cannot wait to see what treasures he comes up with for the Grants to Cuba, New Mexico part of the CDT.

Wind and Mud

I just got back from my "final" shakedown. Here are four pictures that give a glimpse of what I have been up to since Monday. My wife graciously dropped me off at the north gate of the Ignacio Chavez Grant around 4 p.m. on Monday. Commencing immediately with a 0.6 mile push up a 13 % grade with a 50+ lb. load I rode/pushed my bike and trailer about 5 miles to the Seco Tank. I know it does not look like much to write home about, but it turned out to be a gathering place for a herd of elk.



I messed with my gear; including my water filter and purifier. I packed and repacked until I felt completely oriented. The next day after another half mile push up a muddy, snowy two-track I finally got to ride down the other side. My front wheel washed out and down into a ditch. I was unceremoniously ejected and the bike/trailer ended up in a new version of the "parked" position.



Besides the nearly constant 20-30 mph wind the other theme of this shakedown "ride" was "mud."



At one point I felt like I was dragging an anchor. This picture shows you what I found. I was skidding the trailer along, because the trailer wheel was completely trigged with mud and rocks.

I actually had a wonderful time, and if time had allowed I would still be out there. My wife has a workshop all weekend, and it is 80 miles one way to the drop off/pickup point. So, that is the end of this shakedown. I discovered a lot of good, and a few things that definitely need to change before the GDMBR ride.

SPOT On

I activated my SPOT service yesterday and tried it out. I discovered that I need to carry it in a better location so that it can track me more consistently. The "OK" and "Help" functions worked great. I called my wife when I was about 20 miles out to see if she was receiving any SPOT email messages. You can also have text messages, but we do not do text messaging yet. Happily she was able to find my location on Google Earth very accurately.

I did a little 40 mile ride yesterday down to and along the Rio Grande to build my confidence in the Stan's no-tube system. Check out the Puncture Path of Death video. I also tried out a freeze dried meal and some freeze dried ice cream. The Chili Mac and the Neapolitan bar were both delicious and filling. The nice thing about the freeze dried food is that in a pinch you can just add water and eat. I had an issue with an alcohol stove that I was field testing, but after a fashion I had a warm meal. I had to imagine the "ice" part of the freeze dried ice cream, but the taste was authentic. I wonder when they are going to freeze dry Snickers bars? Jill Homer reported that at -20 degrees they are fantastic (see "First day of spring" post). I think a freeze dried Snickers would be fantastic at 110 degrees too.

The final big shakedown is about to begin. However, first I am going to ride in a memorial ride this afternoon for a bicycle commuter who was mowed down on March 3rd. Until trail crossings are treated like school crossings (which actually does not mean much around here), then we are not serious about encouraging alternative transportation and healthier lifestyles. It is often the difference in the speeds between the cyclists and the vehicles that determines the fatality rate. The speed limit should not be more than 20 mph wherever there is a crossing. I do not expect drivers' attitudes to improve, so we need a safer environment. Put some traffic cameras at the crossings and make a fortune! Quit blaming the victims.

After the memorial ride, then I will finish packing and get my wife to drive me to the GDMBR. I will have her drop me off for at least 2 to 5 days. My actual course and duration will depend on how ridiculously strong the wind is and from which direction it is blowing. I have several different options available, and with the SPOT she will be able to see where I am and where I am headed. I will also be able to signal her when I have had all the fun I can stand. "Beam me up Scotty."

Besides the physical training, I will be trying out different strategies and equipment; including the placement of my SPOT GPS transponder so that the tracking signals work better. I do not have my frame bag yet, but I am only going to carry 5 days worth of food. I will not need the extra carrying capacity until I carry 10 days of food on the GDMBR through New Mexico (Antelope Wells to Grants, and then Grants to Del Norte, CO).

Let's Not Forget ...

Tomorrow I am going to ride in this memorial ride. It is the second one in a few months, but I fully expect the frequency to increase. The amount of road rage is increasing. You don't have to be on a bike. I had a women try to hit me in a parking lot as I was getting out of my vehicle. She was starring at me the whole time and then called me an "F___'n A____w____" because I was in her way. It was amazing. I bought my cabbage, and got the heck out of there.



Here is an example of where the city actually scratched up the crosswalks where a bike/pedestrian trail intersects with a busy street. Then they painted over the little bit of markings that were left. So, technically you are always J-Walking when you cross here.



Helmet Law? This is at the same crossing looking back from the other side of the street.



These signals were recently installed at the same intersection, but I did not see a single vehicle slow down. In fact, most of them accelerated through this crossing.




I hate to keep complaining, but someone has to. This is exactly the garbage that inspired me to consider riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

Frame Bag and Gas Tank

Eric Parsons of Epic Designs just emailed me these pictures of my frame bag and "Gas Tank." Some of my group members wanted to know what the heck is a "Gas Tank?" The Gas Tank is on the right. It sits on top of my top tube just behind the stem. It is a little bag for your snack "fuel", camera, etc. The seat post bag, which he calls a "Super Twinkie Seat Post Bag," is in the process of being made. I cannot wait to try them out. I am still planning my final shakedown for next week during Spring break, but I may not have the bags yet. That's okay.

New Pictures Uploaded In Albums

The house smells like warm applesauce tonight as the Cameo apples are still dehydrating. However, I have already uploaded pictures of the hamburg, broccoli and corn after being dehydrated. You can actually see how much volume is saved by the dehydration process. With the broccoli you can see on a postage scale how the 3 lbs of broccoli is now 5 ounces (including the gallon freezer bag)! Look in my Cooking and Eating Picasa album in the sidebar. If you open up the album, then you will see that there are captions with every picture.

I also uploaded pictures of the process of replacing the bearings in the external bottom bracket cups of a TruVativ GXP. Bottom bracket bearings are a place where manufacturers often save a few bucks. Since it does not show, you will never know the difference. That is ... until they fail. On mountain bikes, that often does not take very long. Most people will just replace the whole assembly, but I like to be able to service the bearings myself. Even though they are "sealed" you can often carefully pop the seal up enough to clean the bearings and re-lube. A set of Enduro bearings and dust covers is only $20, whereas the whole assembly is at least twice that amount. I like to press the bearings out and slather grease on the inside part of the seals too. That will help prevent grime and water from penetrating into the bearings themselves. I know the cups are "sealed," but the housing seal around the axle is not perfect. I suppose you could also pump some grease to the inside of the bearings in the cups without pressing the bearings out, but I like to be thorough. Then I usually do not have to worry about an equipment failure for many, many miles. You can find these pictures in the Equipment Choices Picasa album on the sidebar.

I did forget to get a shot or two of the new wheel mounted on the BOB trailer. The clearance issue I was worried about must have been a brain fart with the calculations, because there is plenty of room for the Phil Wood KISS mountain hub between the stays. I will upload a shot or two of that setup for your review soon.
Update: 3/17/08 I now have three photos of the new wheel I built for the BOB trailer in the Equipment Choices Picasa album on the sidebar. Also, the apples are out of the dehydrator. I took several pictures of them to give you an idea of what what 15 medium-large apples look like dehydrated. They pretty well fill a gallon size freezer bag and weight about 17-18 ounces including the freezer bag. I uploaded the pictures to the Cooking and Eating album in the sidebar.

Resupply in NM? "Few and Far Between"

I am continuing to consider my resupply logistics throughout the GDMBR in New Mexico, and the options are literally "few and far between." A major advantage of traveling the GDMBR southbound (sobo) is that by the time you reach New Mexico you are trained well enough to travel long distances in terms of speed and/or long days in the saddle to significantly reduce your resupply problems. By going northbound (nobo) with such long distances between resupply locations, the possibilities seem to be well trained from the getgo, have caches stored along the way, have sag support, carry an extraordinarily heavy load, or run out of food.

We are planning on starting at Antelope Wells, which literally is in the middle of nowhere, and passing through Silver City on Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately, this eliminates the possibility of mailing a resupply package to yourself. Then we are proceeding north through the Gila, the Plains of Agustin, and El Malpais National Monument, while hoping to pass through Pie Town when either of the two cafes or the post office are open. That means the Pie Town, New Mexico resupply is a bit dicey too. In fact, other than resupplying in Silver City, there may not be another opportunity to resupply until Grants. With a slow, gradual start it is easily ten days from Antelope Wells to Grants. Even if you resupply with heavy store bought food in Silver City, it is probably six or seven days from Silver City to Grants. It could be longer if it rains very hard and the dirt roads become impassable from the mud, injuries, mechanicals, forest fires (common in the Gila at that time of the year), etc.

From Grants, New Mexico to Del Norte, Colorado the resupply logistics do not look a lot better. In fact, they may even be worse! After Del Norte I am hoping the resupply situation will drastically improve. I always plan based on the worse case scenario; that is without any good luck or trail angels. Usually things go much better, than I planned. However, if they do not, then I will be fine. I just have to slog along until the situation improves. On this basis, the worst case scenario between Antelope Wells and Del Norte looks to me like two ten day stretches with a resupply about midway in Grants, New Mexico.

Grants is only 72 miles from Albuquerque, and my wife can (and wants to)make the run. Usually it is less than an hour and a half drive each way. She will be tracking my progress from the GPS signals of my SPOT and will even know when I am arriving in Grants. As I am headed down Zuni Canyon I can press the "Help" button when I think I am about an hour and a half from town, and unless I need obtain a permit from the ranger station, due to a high fire danger, I can be out of town in an hour or two.

Although Grants is the largest town we will pass through in New Mexico, unless you have a car to visit the surround attractions (El Malpais National Momument, El Morro National Monument, Acoma Publeo and Sky City), then other than food, drink, sleep, and hygiene the Mining Museum in Grants is about the only attraction in town. Depending on who actually shows up to the start, and who is still with me by the time I get to Grants, I may or may not even layover in Grants. I might resupply, and keep the momentum going by heading up Lobo Canyon to San Mateo Springs in order to set myself up for a good ride the next day to Ojo del Frio Spring.

My suspicion is that I may be the only one who wants to ride the extra 18 miles on the main route to the east of El Malpais National Monument. I think most everyone else will be ready to roll down the paved alternate route, NM 117, straight to Grants. I also doubt everyone will want to take the main route from Grants to Cuba. It is rugged and strenuous. Many people get lost out there, and they do not know where to find water. Nevertheless, I think it is one of the most geologically interesting sections of the GDMBR. There are unmarked roads going everywhere, lots of gates to pass through, and a couple of short 18% sandy grades! For sure, if you do happen to run into a rancher or cowboy, they are going to tell you that you are trespassing. It is still the wild west out there, and I love it.

So, my challenge is to be able to carry enough food on board to last about ten days. Furthermore, until I get to Grants (almost 400 miles from Antelope Wells) I need to carry at least eight liters of water per day. On days when I may not be able to find any water I may haul as much as 20 liters. There are three stretches between Antelope Wells and Grants where that might be necessary. It will be hot in the Chihuahuan Desert, because the summer rains will not have arrived to cool things down yet. I plan to carry extra water from Separ to Silver City. I would like to camp somewhere near where the Butterfield Trail crosses the Separ Road. I do not know of any water near there. I will also carry extra water between Beaverhead Work Center to NM 12, because that can be a long dry stretch. Finally I will carry an extra day's supply of water between Pie Town and Grants.

Weather and road conditions permitting, I want to ride the main route all the way to Banff. It will take me an extra half day to ride the main route around El Malpais National Monument. Unless I beg water from a rancher, I only know of one stock tank that is usually operational in that stretch. Just north of NM 53 there is also a Divide crossing with a 5 - 7% climb over 1 1/2 - 2 miles on the main route, which the alternate route folks will not negotiate. Another reason I am looking forward to riding the main route is because I have a favorite dispersed camping spot out there.

The alternate route to the east of El Malpais National Monument is very good too. It is pretty, the road is paved and good, but best of all it is mostly level or downhill at about a 2 - 3 % grade for nearly 30 miles. There is an insignificant amount of climbing; mostly it is a joy to ride north on NM 117. Often you will have a tailwind too! However, on the other side of the coin, you do have to be aware of cars and trucks flying by very fast. There are not many, but they go like a bats out of hell. There is plenty of room, but if you drift off towards the center of the road then you might get whacked. They come up on you very, very quickly and you do not always hear them coming. It depends partly on which way the wind is blowing. Just be careful, and be sure to stop at La Ventana Arch. The Sandstone Cliffs are great too, but most cyclists are not going to want to climb the steep dirt roads even for the spectacular view of the Malpais. There is also a ranger station with water, bathrooms, and a wonderful interpretive exhibit about 11 miles south of I-40 (and old Route 66).

So, how will it be possible to haul that much food? I think that freeze dried food is the lightest (and most expensive) way to go. It works for the astronauts and it will work for me. I ordered a pile of it a couple of days ago, and I will order more next week. Although freeze dried food does not save on volume, it does save tremendously on weight. That means I need plenty of storage volume, and I need to be able to distribute the weight so that I my front wheel is neither plowing or floating. Although a floating front wheel is nice in the sandy stretches, it is absolutely dreadful while climbing.

Another major advantage to freeze dried food is that it does not have to be cooked. In a pinch, you can easily rehydrate it in cold water and it is still quite edible. That means you could skip the weight and volume of the stove and the fuel. If the fire danger is high, then it might make a difference with being able to maintain good nutrition when open flames are not permitted and strictly enforced. It also means you can easily eat a nutritious breakfast, and still get a fast start in the morning before it gets too hot. Yet, even on the hottest day you can stop and have a freeze dried ice cream sandwich or Neapolitan bar! Besides, while I am traveling through the other-worldly landscape around Cabezon I can enjoy my Astronaut food. Far out!

The Really Important Stuff!

Chili Beer Bread is great fresh and very good dehydrated as long as you soak in some soup to rehydrate it.



Well cooked and seasoned hamburger ready for dehydration.



Get as much grease out as possible without washing it.



Ready for the dehydrator



The real "Hamburg Helper"



Tomorrow I will show you how much it shrinks when it is dehydrated.
This weekend I will dehydrate some broccoli, and then some apples. Stay tuned...

Road Rage and Rants Against Cyclists

Yesterday I received the following email from my LBS:

BICYCLE HATERS ON KKOB!
THE OWNERS AND STAFF OF ALBUQUERQUE BICYCLE CENTER RECEIVED THIS EMAIL ABOUT KKOB RADIO. PLEASE READ THE EMAIL AND CONTACT KKOB AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS TYPE OF CONTENT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE BICYCLING COMMUNITY!

Hi all, I'm a pretty avid bicyclist, and like most, I've confronted irate drivers who find it amusing to stomp on their accelerators or swerve toward me. So when I heard the host of a local radio station basically condone scaring the hell out of bicyclists, declare that motorists own the road and use a feminine lisp to demean bikers, I thought it necessary to write a letter to the editor. I wanted to share this letter with you all, since you are all active in the bike community and encourage you to forward this on to business people in the bike community and others who would be concerned that a major radio station is condoning these kind of remarks. I would love to add your reactions to this letter.

My [the bicyclist] letter:

As this paper concerns and is dedicated to the community, my letter has credence in these pages despite the fact that it takes issue with nothing this paper has done but rather the seditious comments made on a local radio program last Friday. On Friday, Pat Frisch was sitting in for the host of *The Jim Villanucci Show* on AM 770 KKOB. Every Friday, the program opens up its phone lines to irate callers, who are encouraged to "rage" about something. It's a method of dealing with frustrations that would segue nicely into Domestic violence or a shooting spree.

At around 5:53 in the afternoon, Frisch fielded a call from a man who said (and I paraphrase) "Yeah, I just want to complain about these bikers in their Spandex pants who are supposed to be in their own lane and they always end up riding right square on the white line. They just think they own the road, and I'm fed up with it." "Good call," Frisch said as he hung up on the caller. Then, speaking in a feminine voice with a lisp, he said, "I'm in my Spandex, and I look so good." Then he spoke in a normal voice, saying, "I saw one of these bikers on the road the other day, you know what I did? I crept up till I was right behind him and I slammed on my horn. He almost had a heart attack. See their problem is they think they own the road. Well let me tell you something you don't own the road and you're not entitled to the road. Those of us in cars own the road because we're bigger than you." Sadly, Frisch went back to imitating a supposed biker in a feminine lisp, generally associated with homosexuals, and said, "You get out of my way, or I'm going to scratch you."

Aside from the evident homophobia and sexual insecurity, Frisch's hateful remarks serve to encourage and promote road rage, possibly injuries or fatalities and they damage the legitimate business of the area's several dozen bicycle dealers. As I shared news of these remarks with the proprietors and employees of bike shops in town, I was met with incredulity and anger. Can parents trust that their children are safe on their bikes or must they worry that people like Pat Frisch and his followers will scare the hell out of them to teach them that they "own the road," possibly causing them to crash?

Can experienced bicyclists continue to feel safe on the side of the road when in other communities bikers have been clubbed with bats or beaned in the head with projectiles? As the custodian of a 50,000 Watt radio station, Frisch and AM 770 KKOB have the responsibility to refrain from inciting lawlessness in our community.

PLEASE CONTACT THE FCC, KKOB RADIO, THE NEWSPAPERS AND ANYONE ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF. THANKS TOM & MARY DECARO, (OWNERS) AND THE STAFF OF ALBUQUERQUE BICYCLE CENTER
--------------------------------------------------------------
My response to to this email:


Hi Tom and Mary,

Thanks for the email. I wish I could say that Mr. Frisch's attitude and behavior is uncommon. I have bicycled for at least 50 years, and it use to be that maybe once every few years you would be exposed to an aggressive display on the road. However, anymore road rage happens nearly every day. It really does not matter whether you are riding your bike or driving a vehicle. This is the sad state of our society.

I really do not care what people call me when I am all twinkied up in my Spandex and tropical bird colors. "Sticks and stones ..." Not too long ago I had a driver who was blocking the crosswalk that I was walking in with the crosswalk signal roll down his window and tell me I was a "Worthless piece of shit." So what! That is his opinion. Everyone is welcome to their opinion. In full view of several dozen stopped vehicles we had a brief and frank exchange. I will spare you the details, but I was no longer confused for someone who was unable or unwilling to take appropriate action. He backed his vehicle out of the crosswalk. I called the police, but I am sure you know that that was a waste of time.

Name calling is trivial compared with the reckless and illegal driving habits of many drivers. There is little to no enforcement, and even fewer consequences. It is extremely rare for a motor vehicle driver to be charged even when they kill a bicyclist. Bicyclists are always blamed for poor riding habits, and sometimes that is true. However, I think they learned to drive first, and then discovered the joy of riding a bike. Unfortunately, they bring their driving style to the bicycle riding. Much re-education is needed for both sides, but it is probably like trying to make an abusive spouse go to counseling. It will probably only increase the rage in people with this type of personality defect.

At the same time, there are many places on Albuquerque streets where as a bicyclist it is dangerous to obey the letter of the traffic law. For example, it is often far safer to ride on the sidewalk or roll through a stop sign. Especially early in the morning, I have found that many traffic lights do not respond to bicycles. Even dismounting and pushing the pedestrian walk signal button is futile. Either you wait 5 or minutes for a car to come and signal the sensors or you look both ways and run the light. I learned that behavior from watching many, many cars run lights and stop signs early in the morning. Meanwhile, in the winter, your glasses get completely fogged from the lack of air circulation and you are essentially blinded. Also, when you complete ly stop at a stop sign it is a guaranteed slower start up. However, it is extremely common for cars to accelerate when you are crossing the street.

Again, this aggressive driving behavior is true at any intersection, and especially true wherever pedestrian/bike path with city street intersection. It is actually far safer to try to roll through without stopping than to stop and try to start. If you stop and your foot slips off the pedal when you are desperately trying to get your momentum going again, or if your chain slips when you mash down on the pedals trying to escape someone accelerating toward you, then they have got you. One time I did stop crossing Jefferson at Hawkins during rush hour and my foot slipped off the pedal when I started, as I struggled to gain momentum I had two lanes of traffic in each direction barreling down on me. Fortunately a gentleman in a pickup stopped and let me cower in front of his bumper allowing me to survive. Now, as much as possible, if I have to cross without a traffic light, then I will not remove either foot from the pedals and I will try to keep rolling. It is far, far safer, than completely stopping. At the same time I have had many instances when I was crossing with a traffic light and I have been nearly right hooked, left hooked, or run over by someone running the red light. So, please, spare me the garbage about recklessness of bicyclists, because we cannot even hold a candle to the recklessness and aggressiveness of many drivers.

My apologies to the many kind, courteous and patient drivers out there. Thank you!

Many cycling traffic safety courses teach that it is safer to “take a lane” than to ride on the sidewalk. That is sometimes true, and sometimes not true. It varies with the time of day and the volume of the traffic. On the sidewalk you are not as readily seen. That is when I become a pedestrian at the intersection. However, at almost any intersection where you cross under I-25 your life is not worth a nickel during rush hour. The city traffic engineers did change the timing of the crosswalk light at one location at my request. Previously it was set so that you would have to walk at 7.5 mph to make it. Actually drivers pay no heed to the crosswalk signals in Albuquerque. That is true all over the city and especially at public school crosswalks. Often they w ill accelerate as you enter the crosswalk even if they are stopped 100 feet back.

Perhaps you are unaware that the city actually removed the crosswalks lines at many of these pedestrian/bicycle trail and street intersections. So essentially you are always J-Walking. You never have a right-of-way. When I pointed this out to one of the city traffic engineers, he told me that my estate could sue. Nice attitude! My wife was very pleased by that remark too. To add insult to injury if the traffic is backed up due to construction or during normal rush hour volume, then it is also very common for vehicles to actively block your path so that you cannot cross the street. Keep in mind that I am dressed in colors similar to a tropical bird, so it is a little difficult not to see me. From their perspective you are crossing illegally, because there are no crosswalk lines.

Nevertheless, the most serious issue of all is the incorrect belief, as reiterated by Mr. Frisch on-the-air, that bicyclists have no place on the road at all. That is just plain legally incorrect. However, despite occasional Letters to the Editor expressing this misconception, I am unaware of any effort from any governmental authority or agency to correct this serious and grievous misconception. The worst part of this incorrect belief is that is seems to empower people to take matters into their own hands.

Socially well-adjusted people universally realize that “two wrongs never make a right.” Nevertheless, I believe that after you stand down and attempt a retreat, if pursued you must be prepared to exercise your right to stand and deliver. Most people are either unable or unwilling to do that; so they quit bicycling. I understand their fear, but when I am not negotiating aggressive behaviors in traffic and at poorly designed intersections I really enjoy bicycling. I bicycle as many miles each year as I drive.

I am sure that you are aware that some of the signed bicycle routes in Albuquerque are death traps. Many of the intersections are terribly designed. For example, it is very difficult and dangerous to cross under I-25. There are very few places in Albuquerque to safely negotiate the extremely dangerous intersections near I-25 on and off ramps. I have attached pictures of some prime examples to this email. Ever since I was told that my estate could sue, I have been collecting photos of traffic on these routes and at these intersections so that my estate will have plenty of evidence to sue both the driver and the city if necessary.

The real tragedy is that if you feel safe bicycling in Albuquerque, then you probably are not going to live long. It is meaner, more brutal, and more aggressive than riding in NYC. I have ridden my bicycle in many places, and Albuquerque streets are among the most treacherous I have ever ridden on. Based on many years of riding experience Mr. Frisch's statements and open bigotry were not news to me. However, using the media to encourage lawlessness is reprehensible, barbaric, and a new low standard of appropriate behavior. Apparently the feminine, perhaps homosexual connotation of Mr. Frisch's lisp was to imply that bicyclist are fairies or maybe even in need some corrective action to realign them with the rest of society. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is no big challenge to disable even the biggest, fastest, "badest" vehicle in a few seconds using common tools - not weapons.

The law requires you to stand down. Then, if possible, retreat. Finally, and only as a very last resort, do you have the right to defend yourself. Hopefully, you will never be forced to defend yourself. Unfortunately, because of the way lawlessness towards bicyclists (and pedestrians) is being openly endorsed in the media and passively condoned by law enforcement in Albuquerque, there is a high probability that a bicyclist or pedestrian may find themselves in a situation with no other viable option for survival than self-defense. Perhaps it is only a matter of time until the Spandex crowd is put in concentration camps? There is not much difference in the openly expressed attitude and stated behavior of Mr. Frisch towards bicyclists than a Nazi Fascist towards a Jew, or an antebellum slave owner towards a slave. Shame on Mr. Frisch, and shame on KKOB.

Mr. Frisch (and indirectly KKOB) has taken a stand that will force some people to either drop out of cycling or never try it. It is possible that some children will never experience the sheer joy of bicycling, because parents will be justifiably afraid to let them try it. His on-the-air stated behaviors towards at least one bicyclist, and his verbal encouragement to other like-minded people was totally irresponsible and socially inappropriate (and perhaps illegal?). Furthermore, I am not sure how "Hate Crimes" are defined in the law, but I think his bigotry and open hatred is in desperate need of serious corrective action from KKOB.

Maybe the bicycling community should also consider whether it would be worthwhile to contact the FCC. Perhaps they need to reconsider the appropriateness of allowing KKOB to continue having a broadcasting license when they openly encourage bigotry, hatred, and lawlessness on-the-air?

Bob Morgan

P.S. The pictures made the file too large to send. [I have posted some of the pictures in my post: "The Lobster Mitt Saga."

A Salute to Jill's Courage

If you want a real treat, then surf over to Jill Homer’s blog and read the story of her preparation for and participation in this year’s Iditarod Invitational. She rode, pushed, and carried her bike 350 miles through the Alaska Interior. She completed the rugged and treacherous course in six days, two hours, and twenty minutes. Bravo Jill!

I regularly surf the Internet for blogs and web sites on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) and on the Great Divide Race (GDR). I found Jill’s blog linked to a GDR racer Dave Nice’s blog. Jill is an Alaska journalist who has developed a taste for ultra-endurance events; as well as for goldfish crackers and Pepsi for breakfast.

Sometimes she carried her heavy-weight snow bike, and sometimes it carried her, but together they endured extremely harsh Alaskan winter conditions for almost a week. For example, another Iditarod Invitational participant experienced flash freeze and frost bite on her eyes and eyelids, which temporarily made her blind. Fortunately, another racer came along and got her into a sleeping bag and bivy while he went for help. Had he not come along when he did, then death would have been certain.

I do not want to upstage her well written account of the experience. Go read it for yourself. Suffice it to say that women sometimes need to viscerally experience courage too. It is not just a crazy testosterone driven concept. There is no need for any chest thumping or Tarzan-like calls into the jungle. She succeeded with a quiet determination and perseverance; like running water gently shaping stone. There is only one way to truly know whether you are courageous, and that is to do something that tests your mettle. That is exactly what Jill set out to do, and she succeeded. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind, especially in her own, whether she is courageous. Now she knows that, for sure, she is courageous. She pitted her hopes against her fears. She felt deep fear and maybe even moments of terror, and then doggedly went on despite them. That is courage.

My only hope is that she also gained some wisdom. She is too intelligent to have missed some important life lessons. She is not a naïve wilderness rookie anymore. She is one of the initiated. I trust that before she does another event like this again that she will get both some wilderness survival and some wilderness first aid training. A lot of people, including yours truly, were praying continuously for her strength, safety, and good judgment. Our prayers and good thoughts were rewarded, but nature is not always so kind. People take short-cuts, they get away with it a few times, and then bam. A bigger than expected storm moves in, and there is no escape for the unprepared. When you travel so lightly that you have to keep moving, then you are playing cosmic craps. If you are not strong enough to carry the load, then do not go out there.

I have received comments and emails that I should chill a little concerning my intensive preparations for my GDMBR trip. I am one of the initiated too. Even with the wilderness survival training and extensive wilderness first aid training I have experienced equipment failure in severe winter weather in the wilderness. I have gone to sleep with the stars shining brightly and been awakened by weight of the snow tearing my tent to shreds. I have fallen through the ice. I have pushed on through chest deep snow for a couple of days with no edible food because the stove would not light. I almost did not make it back. Without getting too melodramatic about it, you will not catch me out there without excellent preparation and tested equipment. If I am too weak to carry what I might need to survive in bad conditions, then I will stay home.

Although I do not care two hoots about racing myself, I thoroughly enjoy tracking the GDR. I think that is because I know the route through New Mexico fairly well. I also think it is because you actually get to hear the racers’ voices calling in on a fairly regular basis. Unfortunately, I found the Iditarod Invitational reporting vague and not very timely. If it was not for Jill’s account I do not think I would have had much of an idea of what actually happened out there. Based on my experience, I had a high index of suspicion that the official reports were understated, and that facts were glossed over to keep the folks back home pacified. That is just my opinion. Enough said.

So, give yourself a treat, and go read Jill’s blog. If you like it, then donate a few bucks to her Iditarod fund. We need to encourage her to keep writing, and to get some more training in wilderness survival skills. Be Prepared!

Hook me up! I need my fixie!!

I was surfing the Internet a couple of months ago reading the blogs of some Great Divide Race (GDR) participants to see how they interpreted the race last year. Dave Nice is a fellow who has attempted to complete the race twice on a fixie. The first year he was fortunate enough to have his bike stolen fairly early in the race while he slept beside a Forest Service road in Montana. I say “fortunate” because riding a fixie for 2500 miles on Forest Service and BLM roads, up and down approximately 200,000 feet of vertical ascent and descent is insane. It is an exquisite form of self-torture, and eventually a slow suicide.

The unique feature of a fixie is that the front crank and the rear sprocket never stop turning even on the down hill sections. In other words you can never coast. The best you can do is to take your feet off the pedals and ride it out. Without the support of your legs on the pedals you take every bump straight up through the yin yang. Perhaps this is some form of birth control? In any case, it really is just a question of how much fun can you stand? I thought my butt callouses were bad, but you have to have callouses all the way up to your pineal gland to tolerate much of this abuse.

To his credit Dave made it to Flagg Ranch near Yellowstone National Park last year before he was completely thrashed. This year he is going to start in Banff, another 211 miles north of the US-Canadian border. Dave – you are the man, but why? Nevertheless, this does give new meaning to the phrase: "Have a Nice day!"

My first encounter with a fixie was in New York City a few years ago. One of my daughters lived in NYC while she was attending acting school. I use to visit her every year and inevitably I would rent a bike and tool around. Usually I would contact a bicycle tour guide named Joel Seidenstein who owns a company called “Bike The Big Apple.” Joel is a retired NYC public school system social studies teacher. He is also a native New Yorker. I learned more about NYC on his tours than my daughter and her boyfriend knew living there for several years.

In any case, Jesse is one of the young guys who works for Joel, and Jesse rides a fixie in NYC. He has no brakes other than applying a resisting force against the pedals, which is a terrific eccentric muscle contraction workout. Remember, when the bike is moving, so are the pedals. There is no freewheel or freehub of any sort.

The first year I met Jesse on his fixie track bike I asked him the obvious question: Why? His reply was that he felt more in tune with his bike and with the road on a fixie. I meditated on that for a year. The next year I almost did not recognize the bike because he had completely wrapped it in black electrical tape. Again I asked: Why? This time there were two reasons. First, he got tired of the bright chrome color of the bike. Second, it was less conspicuous to thieves. Unfortunately, it was also less conspicuous to motor vehicle drivers too.

However, Jesse was a former NYC bicycle messenger, and he knew what anyone who bicycles more than 10 nanoseconds on any street anywhere needs to know. That is that many motor vehicle drivers would just as soon run you over as look at you. Your best defense is to not be there when they try to do it. Yesterday, a bicyclist went through the windshield of a car on my morning commute route. Last week a lady intentionally tried to left hook me. She glared at me and then floored her SUV at me. I escaped unscathed. I had the light and the right of way, but she was determined to kill me if she could. I anticipated her aggressive intention and out maneuvered her. Sorry lady! Better luck next time.

Having ridden all over NYC, including participating the 2006 NYC Century Ride, I love watching You Tube videos of bicycle messengers in action; as well as of Alley Cat races. There is one You Tube video of a NYC bike messenger that I particularly enjoy. His name is John Yacobellis, and he is a former Navy SEAL. "Yac" is such a classic New Yorker. Even though "Yac" is not riding a fixie in this video, like Jesse, many NYC bike messengers prefer fixies. While you are at it check out Squid. He is another famous/infamous NYC bike messenger who does show you his style on a fixie.

I am not a bicycle historian. but I am speculating that once upon a time some fool rode home from a velodrome somewhere on their track bike and that started a movement - the fixie phenomenon. So, are Dave, Jesse, and thousands of other fixie fanatics all wrong? No, not at all. Other than the shear idiocy of not having brakes in traffic it is a terrific workout.

During the 2006 NYC Century ride I followed a fixie devotee for a few miles through Queens and up into the Bronx. Not only did he not have any brakes, but his wheels were moderately tacoed. It was a good thing he did not have brakes, or else he may not have been able to ride at all! Gee whiz, I wonder how his wheels got so twisted? Perhaps it was from running over a pedestrian, or maybe from slamming into a car door? Oh well, no brain, no pain. I guess that is why they usually do not wear brain buckets (aka: helmets) either.

So, if you want a fabulous muscle building eccentric contraction (negatives) workout, then hop on a fixie. However, before you play in the traffic, please get some brakes and a brain bucket (if necessary). Also, before you ride the Great Divide, get a freakin freewheel! It is a lot cheaper than the cosmetic surgery to have the saddle removed from your yin yang. Have a "Nice" day!

Nutrient Timing

In my last post I blogged about the deleterious effects of eccentric muscle contractions over a prolonged period of time such as during endurance events. Of course, you can train to tolerate eccentric contractions, and that is exactly what body builders and other athletes strive to do. In this post I am going to consider another cause of muscle tissue damage.

For those readers who have only looked at my profile and not read along as I have developed this blog, let me mention that besides being a high school math teacher by choice I am also a licensed physical therapist. I herniated a disc in my neck almost ten years ago and became unable to safely continue lifting, transferring, or provide contact guard to wobbly post-surgical, Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA - stroke), or Traumatic Brain Injured (TBI) patients. I went into teaching and discovered a lifestyle that on most days I thoroughly enjoy. I have learned how to live on far less money than my income as a physical therapist, but I have infinitely more time to pursue a life. Fortunately, my physical therapy training and my very colorful life experience have conspired to allow me to maintain a very active lifestyle. I have been able to work around my physical deficits, and the untrained eye does not detect any physical problems.

I am a voracious reader. I devour books and consume information the way most people eat gas station “food.” However, so that you have a reference besides what I write here, let me recommend a book called “Nutrient Timing” by John Ivy and Robert Portman. I have mentioned it in an earlier post and in my Shelfari blog (see sidebar), but I have not mentioned any of the fairly recent scientific findings regarding nutrition and athletic performance discussed in this particular book.

Besides traumatic insults and overuse issues one of the most significant causes of muscle protein breakdown is from increased levels of the hormone cortisol that gets released in physical and psychological stressful (fight or flight) situations. In endurance activities as we become hypoglycemic (e.g., “bonking”) the nervous system interprets this as a significant stress and stimulates the release of cortisol into the bloodstream. Although cortisol is very beneficial when being pursued by a saber toothed tiger, over time it has many negative effects on the body and on health.

During exercise cortisol can be regulated by sufficient intake of carbohydrates. This cortisol regulatory effect of carbohydrates is due to the release of insulin, which has effects that counterbalance the effects of cortisol. By now most athletes realize that there are carbohydrates that have a quick effect and others that seem to “burn slower.” This is known as the glycemic index rating of the particular carbohydrate. So, even within the macronutrient family of carbohydrates there are those that stimulate more insulin release than others due to the high intense spike in blood glucose levels the cause.

That means that in an ideal world we can carefully regulate how fast our metabolic “fire” burns. If the “fire” is dying out, then we throw on some dry pine needles, and pine twigs. Once it is roaring along, then we add some oak sticks to make some nice coals. Likewise, with our carbohydrates we can choose a carbohydrate with a high glycemic index rating like a bagel or honey. Whereas to maintain a more steady blood glucose level and to stimulated a more moderate level of insulin production then we choose to snack on a lower glycemic index rated food like an apple or a banana.

Another interesting fact related to nutrition and muscles that Ivy and Portman mentions is that there is a short, but critical, window of opportunity immediately after exercise when insulin significantly increases muscle tissue sensitivity to the uptake of carbohydrates and protein in order to rebuild glycogen (the principal source of fuel for muscles) and to decrease the catabolic effects or breakdown of muscle proteins. In other words, if you do not maintain a flow of carbohydrates as fuel for muscles, then the catabolic effects of cortisol will produce muscle protein loss.

Carbohydrates and proteins work synergistically to protect the muscles from the negative effects of cortisol. Ivy and Portman cite experimental research that has determined the most effective ratio of carbohydrates to protein is between 3 or 4 to 1. Research also reveals that these nutrients must be digested within a critical 45 minute window of opportunity to maximize their anabolic effects. After that the insulin induced sensitivity for muscle tissue to uptake these nutrients is greatly reduced, and another opportunity may not occur for another 16 – 17 hours! That means that it may take that long to overcome the negative effects of the cortisol on the muscle tissue. Chronic physical or psychological stress can result in much more profound negative consequences. Over training can also lead to severe deleterious physical and psychological symptoms essentially triggered by too much cortisol and not enough insulin.

I realize that this is a greatly overly simplified explanation of the effect of insulin and cortisol on muscle tissue. I also know that there are other systems of energy production in the body, and that there are other important nutritional components necessary for optimal athletic performance. Nevertheless, the point I want to make in this post is that not only is good nutrition important during endurance activities, but the timing of the appropriate nutrients is at least as important. If we miss the body’s window of opportunity to maximize our physical recovery through appropriate nutrition, then we must pay a significant physical penalty for our ignorance or neglect.

I will fill in more details as I elaborate on my personal nutrition plan for the GDMBR. However, it should be abundantly clear by now that I will be carrying a stove and plenty of taste-tested food. As much as possible I will be eating healthfully and on a schedule. During endurance events the appetite center in the brain is often inhibited (also in part due to increased levels of cortisol). That means that you have to eat on a schedule, and not necessarily when you feel hunger. By then it is often too late to optimize the beneficial effects of the nutrients. These hunger suppression effects are also increased by extreme heat or cold, which makes it even more critical to eat on a schedule.