Sunday, August 26, 2007
The End of Summer
My summer is officially over. The end started last Monday, when I started learning how to be a teacher again. But tomorrow is the real end. At 8:30 in the morning I will be standing up in front of 23 sleepy undergraduates trying to convince them that understanding the rhetorical process is indeed important for a happy and fulfilling life.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Anamosa/Stone City Century
Yesterday was gorgeous. The temperatures were in the low 70s. It was dry. The winds were light and out of the northeast. And I had the day off. So I decided to set out on my bike towards Anamosa. I figured I'd get around a hundred miles in and get to see some new places. Numerous times I have been very close to Anamosa, but never all the way there. So it certainly held some sort of draw for me.
The route there was beautiful rolling farm land and I saw very few cars the entire ride. A few miles south of Anamosa it started to get significantly hillier. When I rolled into town I had not quite reached fifty miles and I still had some fluids so I continued north a little ways and came to Stone City. The road dropped steeply down towards town, with a quarry and and nice slow moving river. Like the name suggests, everything was made of stone. There were stone houses, farms, and churches that looked to be well over a hundred years old. They had so much stone there that parts of the road were lined with gigantic slabs of limestone. I did not have my camera with me, so I don't have any pictures. But I did find a painting of Grant Woods called "Stone City." He was born in Anamosa and used to run an artists community in Stone City during the summers.
On my way back through Anamosa I stuck to Main Street rather than the neighborhoods I zig zagged through to get to the county road that led to Stone City. The first thing that stood out was a sign for the Anamosa Penitentiary. Only about a block away from downtown, this eerily beautiful monstrosity houses numerous criminals, and has for well over a hundred years. I don't know anything about the complicated nature of the prison system, and I wont pretend too. But it was odd to think that the stone used to construct this prison came from the quarry just up the road in Stone City that most likely supplied the stone for the houses, farms, and even the churches. They were quite possibly built by the same people.
This is the view on the ride up the street.
And here is a nice aerial view to give you an idea of how big the stone structure is.
The rest of town had small shops, bars, and restaurants. It was quite nice. I would definitely go back again. They also have the National Motorcycle Museum there. I didn't stop in, but I looked through the windows and noticed that they also have a few interesting samples of the motorcycle's great predecessor, the bicycle.
The ride home was nice and uneventful. I had chocolate milk, gatorade, coke, and a tailwind. I had one low spot that lasted a few miles, but I came out of it and felt quite good the last twenty or so miles. I got home with 102 miles in 5 hours and 55 minutes. Pretty good for a hilly, solo century.
The route there was beautiful rolling farm land and I saw very few cars the entire ride. A few miles south of Anamosa it started to get significantly hillier. When I rolled into town I had not quite reached fifty miles and I still had some fluids so I continued north a little ways and came to Stone City. The road dropped steeply down towards town, with a quarry and and nice slow moving river. Like the name suggests, everything was made of stone. There were stone houses, farms, and churches that looked to be well over a hundred years old. They had so much stone there that parts of the road were lined with gigantic slabs of limestone. I did not have my camera with me, so I don't have any pictures. But I did find a painting of Grant Woods called "Stone City." He was born in Anamosa and used to run an artists community in Stone City during the summers.
On my way back through Anamosa I stuck to Main Street rather than the neighborhoods I zig zagged through to get to the county road that led to Stone City. The first thing that stood out was a sign for the Anamosa Penitentiary. Only about a block away from downtown, this eerily beautiful monstrosity houses numerous criminals, and has for well over a hundred years. I don't know anything about the complicated nature of the prison system, and I wont pretend too. But it was odd to think that the stone used to construct this prison came from the quarry just up the road in Stone City that most likely supplied the stone for the houses, farms, and even the churches. They were quite possibly built by the same people.
This is the view on the ride up the street.
And here is a nice aerial view to give you an idea of how big the stone structure is.
The rest of town had small shops, bars, and restaurants. It was quite nice. I would definitely go back again. They also have the National Motorcycle Museum there. I didn't stop in, but I looked through the windows and noticed that they also have a few interesting samples of the motorcycle's great predecessor, the bicycle.
The ride home was nice and uneventful. I had chocolate milk, gatorade, coke, and a tailwind. I had one low spot that lasted a few miles, but I came out of it and felt quite good the last twenty or so miles. I got home with 102 miles in 5 hours and 55 minutes. Pretty good for a hilly, solo century.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Fighting Gravity
Many moons ago, Robin suggested that we hang some of the bikes in our basement. Well, that day finally came. We have spots for five bikes, two frames, and a set of wheels or a bunch of tires.
We snuck two others (including Robin's newly reclaimed Jamsis) between the stairs and the washing machine.
And after you walk up the stairs and into the kitchen you will be enticed by our newly hung wine rack, courtesy of Robin's parents.
We snuck two others (including Robin's newly reclaimed Jamsis) between the stairs and the washing machine.
And after you walk up the stairs and into the kitchen you will be enticed by our newly hung wine rack, courtesy of Robin's parents.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Travels With The Radler
Last night, while walking along the streets of downtown Iowa City, Robin and I were astounded to run into her Jamis that was stolen from our porch three months ago. Due to our detailed description in the police report, the cops sided with us, chopped the lock off, and let us walk away with it. You can read more about it here.
That was a very welcome surprise in general, but coming on the heels of a very nice Friday made it even better. Late that morning I took off on my new Brooks saddle (firmly affixed to the Pacer, of course) for a long ride. I had gone on a short ride with it on Thursday and it felt pretty good. I loved the smoothness of it, and my sitbones felt very secure on the back of it. The only thing that was a little different from my Selle Italia Flite was the higher and harder nose. So I continued to play with the tilt and the fore and aft adjustment, but I think it will continue to loosen up.
Back to the ride though. It was quite warm out, but not as bad as the few previous days. And I was intent on getting a long ride in. With a few snacks and three bottles of water and gatorade I rode north into the hills. My legs were a little sore early on because for some reason on Thursday's ride I thought it was a good idea to sprint up a bunch of the hills. Oh well. They loosened up shortly.
I took Sugar Bottom rode out towards Solon and then continued north and east on Sutliff Rd. I really enjoy this route to Sutliff. It is quiet, pretty, and hilly. When I neared the famous old bridge I resisted the urge to stop at the bar for a cold beer and turned north to ride up to Lisbon. I had never been to Lisbon before. It was nice. Upon riding into town I was greeted by a large banner welcoming me to Sauerkraut Days. The town was full of vendors and carnival rides, but none of it was starting until later that afternoon. So I had to pass on funnel cake and cotton candy and settle for refueling at the Casey's. I skipped on pizza this time and went with the potato wedges, cheesy crackers, and more gatorade and water.
I rolled back south towards Sutliff. Again the bar was calling to me, and it was stronger as I rode right by it this time. But it was really hot out and baking in the sun with beer or sitting in the smoky bar did not sound like fun. Instead I found myself on some dirt roads outside of Sutliff. I was hoping that I would be able to find a paved road that would lead me to Cedar Bluffs, but that was not the case. After a few miles of poking around on gravel I decided to head back to Solon, the way I came, rather than blindly picking dirt roads and ending up riding hours longer than I intended.
When I came into Solon I was hot. Damn hot. The kind of hot that makes your head throb. I had been riding for a little over three hours and I needed a short break. My mind was conjuring up memories of the Millstream pilsner that I had the day before at the brewery. This time I decided I did need a beer and sought out the Savvy Cafe that I had heard about but never visited. When I walked in it was cool and empty. I strolled over to the big beer cooler looking for the closest thing to a true Czech or German pilsner. The friendly owner mentioned that they had some beer on tap too and suggested I try a Leinie's Summer Shandy. I skeptically asked if it was a wheat beer, as heavy wheats don't wholly agree with me. She said it was a light wheat, but infused with lemons and was very refreshing. This description reminded me of the German beverage the Radler, which literally means bicyclist. In Germany and Austria thirsty cyclists would drink a mixture of about two-thirds pilsner and one-third lemon-lime soda. In England the term for a similar beverage came to be known as Shandy. The Savvy owner's suggestion did not disapoint. I quickly downed one and ordered a second to savor. The cafe is an excellent place to stop for cold or hot drinks, depending on the weather, and I have every intention of returning in the near future.
The rest of the ride home was still hot. And having only consumed beer and no food on my resent stop, I started to get the weak pre-bonk feeling. I quickly downed the rest of my cheese and crackers and bottle of gatorade and made it home five hours after I left, with four hours and fifteen minutes of riding. Oh, and my butt felt great too.
And here are the pictures I promised. Only a day or two late.
That was a very welcome surprise in general, but coming on the heels of a very nice Friday made it even better. Late that morning I took off on my new Brooks saddle (firmly affixed to the Pacer, of course) for a long ride. I had gone on a short ride with it on Thursday and it felt pretty good. I loved the smoothness of it, and my sitbones felt very secure on the back of it. The only thing that was a little different from my Selle Italia Flite was the higher and harder nose. So I continued to play with the tilt and the fore and aft adjustment, but I think it will continue to loosen up.
Back to the ride though. It was quite warm out, but not as bad as the few previous days. And I was intent on getting a long ride in. With a few snacks and three bottles of water and gatorade I rode north into the hills. My legs were a little sore early on because for some reason on Thursday's ride I thought it was a good idea to sprint up a bunch of the hills. Oh well. They loosened up shortly.
I took Sugar Bottom rode out towards Solon and then continued north and east on Sutliff Rd. I really enjoy this route to Sutliff. It is quiet, pretty, and hilly. When I neared the famous old bridge I resisted the urge to stop at the bar for a cold beer and turned north to ride up to Lisbon. I had never been to Lisbon before. It was nice. Upon riding into town I was greeted by a large banner welcoming me to Sauerkraut Days. The town was full of vendors and carnival rides, but none of it was starting until later that afternoon. So I had to pass on funnel cake and cotton candy and settle for refueling at the Casey's. I skipped on pizza this time and went with the potato wedges, cheesy crackers, and more gatorade and water.
I rolled back south towards Sutliff. Again the bar was calling to me, and it was stronger as I rode right by it this time. But it was really hot out and baking in the sun with beer or sitting in the smoky bar did not sound like fun. Instead I found myself on some dirt roads outside of Sutliff. I was hoping that I would be able to find a paved road that would lead me to Cedar Bluffs, but that was not the case. After a few miles of poking around on gravel I decided to head back to Solon, the way I came, rather than blindly picking dirt roads and ending up riding hours longer than I intended.
When I came into Solon I was hot. Damn hot. The kind of hot that makes your head throb. I had been riding for a little over three hours and I needed a short break. My mind was conjuring up memories of the Millstream pilsner that I had the day before at the brewery. This time I decided I did need a beer and sought out the Savvy Cafe that I had heard about but never visited. When I walked in it was cool and empty. I strolled over to the big beer cooler looking for the closest thing to a true Czech or German pilsner. The friendly owner mentioned that they had some beer on tap too and suggested I try a Leinie's Summer Shandy. I skeptically asked if it was a wheat beer, as heavy wheats don't wholly agree with me. She said it was a light wheat, but infused with lemons and was very refreshing. This description reminded me of the German beverage the Radler, which literally means bicyclist. In Germany and Austria thirsty cyclists would drink a mixture of about two-thirds pilsner and one-third lemon-lime soda. In England the term for a similar beverage came to be known as Shandy. The Savvy owner's suggestion did not disapoint. I quickly downed one and ordered a second to savor. The cafe is an excellent place to stop for cold or hot drinks, depending on the weather, and I have every intention of returning in the near future.
The rest of the ride home was still hot. And having only consumed beer and no food on my resent stop, I started to get the weak pre-bonk feeling. I quickly downed the rest of my cheese and crackers and bottle of gatorade and made it home five hours after I left, with four hours and fifteen minutes of riding. Oh, and my butt felt great too.
And here are the pictures I promised. Only a day or two late.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Of Bombs and Saddles
I always question names, particularly of things. In general they are meant to sell a specific object. Cars have some of the more silly names out there. I'm sure Ford would like the buyers of their Escapes do believe that they are in fact capable of escaping life's challenges and those paved roads that "society" tells them they need to drive on. And my Ford Focus could mean anything from the small size of the car and its supposedly meticulous craftsmanship to the way drivers like me approach a road, or a problem, or some such nonsense. Then there are others that seem to make no real sense, like Celica, which Don DeLillo, in White Noise, lumps with Toyota's Corolla and Cressida, marveling at the fact that they are "surpranational names, computer-generated, more or less universally pronounceable" (155). Very strange stuff. And equally as strange are the models that come with numbers and letters, like Acura's RL, or the computer I'm typing on right now, the HP dv1000.
So when I ordered my Brooks B-17 the other day, I wondered about the letter and number designation. What does that mean? They also have saddles with names, like the "Swift" and the "Finesse," but then there are also others with letters and numbers like the B-66 and the B-72. These strike me as surprisingly militaristic, and I was not at all surprised to find that the B-17 was in fact an aircraft in World War II. It was known as the "flying fortress" and it participated in numerous strategic bombing offenses over Germany and other countries. I could not make any connection between saddles and bombs until this afternoon though.
My own B-17 came in today, my last day at the shop, and it was definitely a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing stretch of summer. But I wont go into specific details here, I will just say that there are some people and some places that you respect for their actions, and others that you do not. And today there were a number of bombs dropped that I wasn't comfortable with, but would in no way describe as strategic. Nevertheless, they were destructive and left a few lasting marks.
Back to the bright spot though (and I would like to point out the my particular B-17 did not do any of the actual bomb dropping). It looks great. The leather is extremely smooth and stiff, and I look forward to breaking it in. For the next few weeks it should ensure that I do not ride more hours than I think I'm capable of. I can't wait to see it on the pacer. I think the classic silver will go very well with the antique brown leather. I promise pictures in a day or two, but at the moment I'm preparing for some visitors. Robin's parents and sister are flying in from Tucson. They will be staying with us for a week. They understand bikes though, so I should have some time to tinker and post more pics.
So when I ordered my Brooks B-17 the other day, I wondered about the letter and number designation. What does that mean? They also have saddles with names, like the "Swift" and the "Finesse," but then there are also others with letters and numbers like the B-66 and the B-72. These strike me as surprisingly militaristic, and I was not at all surprised to find that the B-17 was in fact an aircraft in World War II. It was known as the "flying fortress" and it participated in numerous strategic bombing offenses over Germany and other countries. I could not make any connection between saddles and bombs until this afternoon though.
My own B-17 came in today, my last day at the shop, and it was definitely a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing stretch of summer. But I wont go into specific details here, I will just say that there are some people and some places that you respect for their actions, and others that you do not. And today there were a number of bombs dropped that I wasn't comfortable with, but would in no way describe as strategic. Nevertheless, they were destructive and left a few lasting marks.
Back to the bright spot though (and I would like to point out the my particular B-17 did not do any of the actual bomb dropping). It looks great. The leather is extremely smooth and stiff, and I look forward to breaking it in. For the next few weeks it should ensure that I do not ride more hours than I think I'm capable of. I can't wait to see it on the pacer. I think the classic silver will go very well with the antique brown leather. I promise pictures in a day or two, but at the moment I'm preparing for some visitors. Robin's parents and sister are flying in from Tucson. They will be staying with us for a week. They understand bikes though, so I should have some time to tinker and post more pics.
Monday, August 6, 2007
The Post Where I Get Soft Things and Announce Silly Intentions
Sorry for my lack of posts. For the most part my life has not been post-worthy. I doubt many of you are interested in the fact that we got new pillows for the couch (though they are really soft and cushy) or that I got a new bath towel (also soft). And yes, those are the highlights.
I have been doing a better job of riding my bike though. Over my four day weekend I managed to ride three days. I can't remember the last time I rode three out of four days, it might go back to Spring Break in Az. Anyways the new tires are really great. They do not offer the gravel traction that I hoped they might, but that is alright. They work well off pavement so long as the gravel is not fresh and loose. And they are a dream to ride on the road. Very sticky rubber, a wide and plush footprint, and they are light. For the protection they offer I can't believe how light they are. So they are definite keepers.
Today and tomorrow are my last days at the bike shop and I'm looking forward to being done. I like the shop, and I like the people I work with, but it can be hard to be around bikes all the time but not have time to ride. So now I will have a few weeks before school stuff really starts to get back into the pretty good shape that I was in this May/June. And while I do not know my teaching schedule yet, there is a good chance that I will have three day weekends and can use one of those days for a very long bike ride. This will help my sanity. And it will also help me prepare for the somewhat difficult and silly task of riding a double century. I am still a little bummed that I missed the big ride with the Eppens earlier this summer, so I'm going to shoot for a late September or early October double. Maybe by informing you of my intentions they will actually happen (it worked for Robin and her novel). And this way if any of you would like to come along you are welcome too.
I have been doing a better job of riding my bike though. Over my four day weekend I managed to ride three days. I can't remember the last time I rode three out of four days, it might go back to Spring Break in Az. Anyways the new tires are really great. They do not offer the gravel traction that I hoped they might, but that is alright. They work well off pavement so long as the gravel is not fresh and loose. And they are a dream to ride on the road. Very sticky rubber, a wide and plush footprint, and they are light. For the protection they offer I can't believe how light they are. So they are definite keepers.
Today and tomorrow are my last days at the bike shop and I'm looking forward to being done. I like the shop, and I like the people I work with, but it can be hard to be around bikes all the time but not have time to ride. So now I will have a few weeks before school stuff really starts to get back into the pretty good shape that I was in this May/June. And while I do not know my teaching schedule yet, there is a good chance that I will have three day weekends and can use one of those days for a very long bike ride. This will help my sanity. And it will also help me prepare for the somewhat difficult and silly task of riding a double century. I am still a little bummed that I missed the big ride with the Eppens earlier this summer, so I'm going to shoot for a late September or early October double. Maybe by informing you of my intentions they will actually happen (it worked for Robin and her novel). And this way if any of you would like to come along you are welcome too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
