Erik's

This afternoon I visited Erik’s on its first day of business in downtown Grafton. The new shop occupies the space that until earlier this year housed Grafton Ski & Cyclery. The Minnesota-based chain now has six Wisconsin locations. Grafton's store is really nice looking, though not all of the remodeling is finished. And it’s a little snowboard heavy at the moment; I’m sure I will like it better once warm weather returns and the cycling stuff gets displayed even more prominently. It’s mostly Specialized with a little bit of Raleigh.

From Erik’s it takes just a few minutes to reach the new mountain bike trails at Pleasant Valley Park. That was my next stop today, just to see if anyone was around. The parking lot was empty and I assume no one was on the trails. With several inches of snow in the forecast for tomorrow, and with a week of vacation ahead, I might return to Pleasant Valley Park in the next few days for my first snowshoe outing since March 2. The fatbike crowd is grateful whenever snowshoers pack down fresh snow, and I will be happy to help if I can. I am definitely not going to ride outside anytime soon. At Erik’s I spent a couple of minutes looking at a Surly Pugsley, but only out of curiosity and without even the smallest twinge of desire.

Moving Around

Visiting all 50 states is a “bucket list” project for a lot of people. I have visited the 41 states you see in blue on the map above. I may or may not visit the remaining 9; completing the list isn’t a priority for me. And to whatever extent reaching 41 was an achievement, it was mostly my parents’ achievement. I have not been to any state as an adult that I did not first visit as a kid.

A generation ago, having children encouraged my parents to travel more than they might have otherwise. For my wife and me, having children has had the opposite effect. Our only trip west of the Mississippi River was in 1999 when our first child was just 1 year old. Our second child was born in 2000 and, well, here’s what things have looked like since:

Business trips to Florida, Georgia and Tennessee have added a little southern flavor to the map. Without them, my out-of-state adventures would have been confined to the I-70 and I-80 corridors that connect me to my native Pennsylvania like umbilicals. The occasional dash down I-95 to visit Washington DC is an add-on to a trip whose main purpose is to reunite with family in Philadelphia.

Beginning in 2014, I would like to use some of my vacation time to explore relocation possibilities. I don’t expect to move away from Wisconsin earlier than 2019, but I do expect to move someday. My “must haves” for a new community include significantly warmer weather, a stable local economy, access to quality healthcare, and abundant cycling opportunities. I assume that I will be a cyclist for many more years. That assumption drives my desire for better weather, but it also adds a dimension to my search that isn’t important to the rest of the family. With that in mind, I might be traveling solo to some of the locations in which I am interested. If I find them bike-worthy, then they may merit further consideration!

Mid-sized cities with major universities are emerging as some of the most attractive options. I’m talking about places like Fayetteville AR, Columbia MO, Knoxville TN, and my current infatuation, Lexington KY. I have been touring houses on Realtor.com and taking virtual bike rides with the Street View function of Google Maps, but I have no real-world experience with any of these places.

The things that make a city fun to visit are not necessarily important to daily life for the year-round residents. I want to experience my relocation possibilities like a local. I’m sure I can find a nice house in a nice neighborhood almost anywhere, but can I find a place surrounded by 750 square miles of good cycling country? That’s roughly the size of my current range, which includes most of Washington County, most of Ozaukee, and parts of Fond du Lac and Sheboygan.

With just 5 years to go before my earliest feasible relocation date, I need to get busy. There are more possibilities on my list than those I mentioned above, and a good goal for 2014 would be to narrow the list rather than to expand it.

Estranged

The idea of cyclocross appeals to me, but the reality is far from a perfect fit.

As   the Cat 4 Masters race began this morning at the state cyclocross championships in Milwaukee, the wind chill was -12. Far from being able to rally myself to compete, I did not even go to Dretzka Park to spectate.

I love cyclocross, but not unconditionally. My collarbone fracture was just one of the factors that kept me out of the action this year. I was on the bike again by Oct. 8, in time for the Grafton race and everything thereafter. So, why didn’t I come back? What made me feel like a stranger to the cyclocross world this fall? Here are the other factors:

• The weather. I want warm and dry conditions. This season had several cold, wet races. For some people, that’s “real” cyclocross. I understand why they like it, but it’s not for me.
• Series points. In my category, there weren’t any. This was a departure from previous seasons, a “scorched earth” policy by the WCA to weed out sandbaggers by removing what it saw as an incentive for them to remain in Category 4. The better solution would have been to compel upgrades in the few cases where it was needed. With no series points on the line, the only race that really mattered was the state championship.
• Media changes. As I fan of professional cyclocross, I depend on streaming video from a handful of websites to watch races from across Europe and the United States. This season the European feeds have suffered from more than the usual number of technical problems, and coverage of the top American races is now available only by subscription. I chose not to pay for races that I used to watch for free … races that aren’t even part of a series anymore, now that the USGP is dead. Even “Behind the Barriers” has lost much of its charm.

So, I still have never done a race later than Nov. 5 and I should stop lying to myself that next season will be different. I expect to return to cyclocross racing next year, and to mountain bike racing, but I think my main focus will be on the road. I am not prepared to share all my plans—the ABR, WCA and Wisport dates haven’t even been published—but already there are five time trials on my 2014 calendar. Add a couple of road races and it should be an interesting year, one in which I will again be a jack of all trades but a master of none.

There’s No Place Like Home Gym

Tin Man, I feel you.

This morning I went to Froedtert Hospital for another pair of X-rays and a consultation with my orthopedic specialist. Make that a final consultation: the doctor is happy with my recovery and I shouldn’t need any more medical attention for the collarbone fracture I suffered back on Sep. 8.

My doctor gave me the OK to resume upper body strength training, so tonight I returned to the home gym for my first weightlifting workout since Sep. 6. I began, as usual, with a set of pushups to awaken the muscles gently. Wow. I could feel the effects of my long layoff immediately. I moved on to other exercises, using much lighter dumbbells than normal. Tonight was all about knocking off a little rust and rediscovering the discipline of the movements. If you can’t handle the weight with proper form, then the weight is too heavy. Moving today through two sets of six different exercises, what once was very routine had become much more deliberate. But I have been here before and I know that I will need a few more sessions like tonight’s before I can add any real weight.

After breaking my collarbone for the first time back in August 2008, I returned to the home gym with a new emphasis on exercises for the shoulders. I got back all of my original strength and more. From that point I continued to work the shoulders hard, and I think such dedication contributed to the relative ease with which I endured my most recent injury. Consistency is the key and I have both time and motivation. It’s a long road but the first step is now behind me.

Training (Just A Little)

Regner Park on Saturday.

I rode outside yesterday and again today, making this my first two-ride weekend since Nov. 2-3. The weather has been cold and I have been less than properly motivated. Statistically, there isn’t much to say about this weekend’s rides. In both speed and distance they were completely ordinary for this time of year. Saturday’s ride was remarkable only in that it pushed me past 500 miles post-injury. In the immediate aftermath of my collarbone fracture, I had good reason to believe that I was done riding for the year. And today’s ride was remarkable only because it occurred in December, so I now can say that I have ridden outside every month for the past two years.

The last month in which I didn’t record any outdoor miles was January 2011. In recent years I have made an uneasy peace with winter riding, and working from home creates opportunities that simply didn’t exist when I was a commuter. There may even be a couple of opportunities for lunch hour rides this week. But not on Tuesday: that’s when I will have another set of X-rays on my shoulder to see how the collarbone is healing. Hopefully it will be the last such visit to the hospital. And I really hope the doctor clears me for weightlifting, something I have avoided since my crash. Usually I am several weeks into a new off-season conditioning routine by December 1.

I have almost completely abandoned the idea of competing in the state cyclocross championships on Saturday the 7th. My fitness is not where it was at the beginning of September and the weather forecast is extremely unfavorable. With 15 degrees as the afternoon high, what will the temperature be at 9 a.m. for the Cat 4 Masters race? Cold air is such a reliable trigger for my asthma that I just don’t think I can compete. My goal for next year should be to accumulate upgrade points quickly at the beginning of the season, then jump to Cat 3 so that I can take advantage of the later starting time! That still wouldn’t matter on a day like I think we will see next weekend, but there are plenty of autumn days when the temperature rises 10 degrees or more between 9 a.m. and 2:15 p.m., and for me every degree counts.

Thankful For You

Happy Thanksgiving, gentle reader, this post is for you. When I started this blog in May 2010, I never imagined that someday I would have more than 1,000 visitors per month. At first it was pretty much just me in the role of a diarist. My earliest readers were friends and other cyclists from Washington County or thereabouts. But eventually I found a broader audience and now I don’t know every visitor on a first-name basis. In December this site should reach its 30,000th visitor, and sometime next spring I should make my 500th blog post. There’s more to do and more to say.

Since the inception of this blog you have had the ability to add comments to my posts. And I enjoy hearing from you, so I’m giving you an additional way to contact me. If you have questions or comments that you want to keep private or that don’t seem to fit with any particular post, use the new Send Me Email function. You can find it in the column on the right side of this page.

Now, I don’t expect to hear from everyone. Sometimes I can see the keywords that bring visitors from Google and not all of them are here for the cycling! This little post from July 2010 continues to attract people who apparently are looking for nothing more than a picture of Wally Gator, a goofy cartoon character from the early 1960s. It’s one of my most reliable sources of “hits.” But whatever brings you here, thanks.

The Eisenbahn I Want To See

Did you ever wonder just where the Eisenbahn State Trail would take you if it kept going south instead of ending at Rusco Drive? Don’t get too excited; the railroad corridor is still in use by local industries. But it’s fun to fantasize and it’s not unrealistic that someday we will see additional development of the trail.

Just within Washington County, the Eisenbahn could be extended another 14.85 miles to the south:

From that point you would be less than five miles from the southern terminus of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail in Mequon and less than four miles from the eastern terminus of the Bugline Trail in Menomonee Falls.

Jackson would be the big winner. An extended Eisenbahn would bisect the village from north to south, forming the western boundary of Jackson Park. Just one block away from Jackson Elementary, the new trail would be an attractive route for school children. Get those kids riding to school at an early age and maybe they will follow the trail north to West Bend when they’re in middle school and high school. From Main Street in Jackson to Decorah Road in West Bend, it’s an easy 6.25-mile ride. For some kids, taking the trail would be quicker than riding the school bus.

Things get more complicated south of the county line. In Milwaukee County this rail line connects to many others and crosses a lot of surface streets. Once you link up with the Oak Leaf Trail, it probably doesn’t make sense to push farther south. But wouldn’t that be nice enough?

Extending the Eisenbahn to the north should be a no-brainer … someday. All of this takes money and coordination just to get off the ground, and then the willingness of local authorities to maintain the corridors that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the railroads make available. Today the trail ends in Eden but it’s not hard to imagine it extending another 6-7 miles north to Fond du Lac:

Once in Fond du Lac, the Eisenbahn would connect easily to the Wild Goose State Trail, the Prairie Trail, the Mascoutin Valley State Trail and the Peebles Trail. Fond du Lac is a major trail hub already. Imagine it with access to the Eisenbahn and to an extended Old Plank Road Trail, something that Fond du Lac County and Sheboygan County have been talking about since at least 2006.

New Eisenbahn Access At MPTC

There’s a new access point for the Eisenbahn State Trail. A wide 0.10-mile trail now connects the parking lot of Moraine Park Technical College to the trail just northwest of the Milwaukee River. I don’t know if it will encourage more students to commute to school by bicycle, but it can’t be a bad thing.

For folks unfamiliar with the area, the map above needs a little explanation. There’s no trail access at River Drive, which passes under the trail, or at Woodford Road, which passes over the trail. The next-closest access points are 0.25 miles south at Northwestern Avenue and 0.62 miles north at Lighthouse Lane. That makes the new access from MPTC a nice development for people who live in the neighboring residential areas on the west side of the river.

Bicycle Rider Injured In West Bend

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A 44-year-old bicyclist suffered minor injuries when he stopped short to avoid hitting a motor vehicle on Rivershores Drive in West Bend and flew over his bicycle shortly after 4 p.m. Friday.

West Bend Police said the unnamed bicyclist was riding northbound on the sidewalk of N. Main St., but veered onto a crosswalk to cross Rivershores Drive.

A motorist heading southbound on N. Main St. and turning onto Rivershores had to stop abruptly to avoid hitting the cyclist.

Police cited the bicyclist for failing to yield.

Maybe there is more to the story. If we can assume that the reporter has shared all of the relevant facts, then this one is on the bike rider and not on the motorist. This is a pretty hard intersection to screw up:

Google Maps Street View

It’s a two-way stop for traffic on Silverbrook/Rivershores; traffic on Main has the right-of-way. Sight lines are excellent and there are turning lanes on Main Street. In the picture above you can see the intersection from roughly the point of view of the southbound driver.

Just four weeks ago I explained West Bend’s rules for sidewalk riding. On Friday the injured rider wasn’t doing anything unlawful by being on the sidewalk in that part of town. But had he been on the road itself, then he would have had the right-of-way and it would have fallen to the motorist to yield. Riding on the sidewalk turns every cross street into an intersection at which a bike rider must stop. Riders who utilize the sidewalk already are less visible to motorists than they would be on the road. Sounds like the rider in this case was lucky not to be more seriously injured. Let’s hope this becomes a lesson learned.

Keeping One Streak Alive (At Least)

With my cyclocross bike I averaged 17.4 mph and topped out at 32.6 mph on today’s 26-mile ride.

Today I reached 4,000 miles of cycling. This is the fifth consecutive year in which I have reached that milestone, and the sixth time in my 10 years as a cyclist.

Year  Miles
2013  4,001
2012  5,005
2011  5,113
2010  4,650
2009  4,800
2008  3,787
2007  4,410
2006  3,161
2005  3,050
2004  1,454

Back in 2008, I was certainly on my way to a 4,000-mile season when I crashed and broke my collarbone on Aug. 20. I didn’t ride again until 17 days later. Daylight waned and temperatures grew cold. I wasn’t as well prepared then as I am now, and I did my last ride of that season on Nov. 2.

This year I crashed and broke my collarbone on Sep. 8 and I didn’t ride again until 30 days later. Having the right clothing is allowing me to push deeper into the fall than I could five years ago, but working from home is the more important difference. Every day now comes with at least a chance for a lunch-hour ride. Today’s ride was my 12th on a weekday since resuming my season on Oct. 8. Getting to 4,000 miles became a worthy goal when I started riding again. I was stuck on 3,547 while I waited for the doctors to decide whether I would need surgery.

What’s left before the end of 2013? There’s a chance that I will break personal records for miles in November and December, but I’m not very motivated by those. If I come up short, then this will be the first season in which I didn’t establish any new monthly standards. Here are my existing records:

Month  Year     Miles
01     2012      117
02     2012      137
03     2012      516
04     2010      650
05     2009      750
06     2007      772
07     2011  1020
08     2011      756
09     2009      800
10     2010      532 (Tied in 2011)
11     2012      330
12     2012      175

As much as my non-cycling friends think I overdo it already, just imagine the numbers I could put up if I didn’t feel so restricted by bad weather …