Friday Bicycle ride, with Strava

The ninety degree temperatures finally let up a little, and the front tire on my 2005 Specialized Allez Sport held 105 PSI long enough to get out and ride.  Naturally, the tire let out a very long, tired, sigh this morning, and the work continues...

Nice Ride 145

This past week-end, I joined a friend for a tour of the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, performed entirely on Nice Ride bicycles, traveling from one rental station to the next.  The total mileage of the planned route, starting in Northern Minneapolis and ending in West St. Paul, was a little over eighty miles.  Including the mileage for me to bicycle to the start, I may have been close to a century on the day.  I have already posted a lot about it on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr, so I'll avoid any more sensationalism and just add this, a short note I made to myself after completing the day -

- low point

I got turned around on Washington avenue and tried crossing, but got stuck between the median island and a quarter ton red Chevy pick-up truck...

I was going into traffic. 
The truck passed on my left.

I pulled the bike against the median, put one foot on the curb and watched the group, now a block ahead of me, change their bicycles and disappear around a corner.  Getting stranded or lost in downtown Minneapolis was not the plan.  Neither was slaloming traffic.  

- high point

At the Wilder Foundation, my bike got locked into the kiosk before realizing the station was not allowing rentals.  Close enough to home to call it quits and walk away, far enough in to a hundred miles on a three speed 50 pound commuter bike to feel thwarted.  With some deliberation, I ran a brisk mile and a half to the next station, got another bike and kept going.  

Penn and Lowry Nice Ride station, 6-30-2012.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Near 501 Franklin, Minneapolis.  6-30-2012. 

At the Walker Art Center, crossing Lyndale.  6-30-2012.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

One of many downtown Nice Ride stations.  6-30-2012.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Joe, Ed and Nathan on Fairview after stop #108.  6-30-2012.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Footnote - it has been a long, long, long time since I have slept so very, very well.

That pretty much sums it up for me. 

Do It Yourself, part one.

My twelve speed Schwinn has been holding up well for this go round of 30 days of biking, though the past two days have seen some inclement conditions - Saturday night I got caught in a rainstorm and the chain stretched, a bit, or got extra clean from all of the rain water.  The result was today's painful and nearly sadistic bike ride.  After getting under way, about fifteen miles on the roundabout to the library, I shifted my chain between my rear cassette and my spokes.  (ONE).  This occurred, (TWO), numerous, (THREE) times before, (FOUR), making it to the library, (FIVE).  (SIX).  The first three or four times, as the rear wheel came out of alignment and connected with the frame of the bicycle, I was stopped short and removed myself from the bicycle in order to de-spoke the chain and re-align the wheel.  By the sixth occurrence, a little less than a block from my destination, I got all Walter Langowski, Bruce Banner, Dr. Jekyll and went into a 2001 Space Odyssey, "This is my club, hear me roar!" routine. What seemed at the time a display of strength and mechanical mastery was more akin to George Costanza as Koko, the talking chimp.  Highly ineffectual.

Bless those librarians though. 
I walked into my local branch, literally dripping blood from the gouges on my fingers, (did I mention the chain, rear cassette and front cranks actually tore skin off my fingers as I sought to separate the chain from the spokes and cassette), and proceeded to clean my hands, apply band aids from a first aid kit, and soap away what grit had gotten into the cuts.  I even stayed for the free wi-fi before quietly exiting, hoping I hadn't elicited a disaster preparedness drill.  I am eternally grateful.
I snapped a quick photo of downtown St. Paul, (for some reason this corner, with the buildings, reminds me of a Georgia O' Keefe painting, from the New York series), stopped for lunch and hoped the worst of it was behind me.  Wrong. 
(Seven). 
(Eight).
Mercifully, the rear derailleur snapped in half, and the day was over.  Well, half over.  A good Samaritan rolled past and asked if I needed help.  I replied yes, introduced myself and proceeded to relate my tale of woe.  Oscar, as he introduced himself, quickly helped me transform my twelve speed into a single speed, which allowed me to motivate to the nearest DIY.  Not incidentally, the rear wheel decided to re-align itself every time I started from a stand still, thus finding myself on the side of the road, again re-aligning the rear wheel as traffic honked and gawkers gawked - I understand this is why single speeders prefer not having a quick release.  Two hours later at the DIY, some gauze and bandages and I'm all set for tomorrow.  Big thanks to The Hub. 

Downtown Saint Paul, 4-23-2012.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

New Cassette, Chain, Rear Derailleur.  Photo and work by Michael McKinney.

Some really sharp, dirty objects.  Photo by Michael McKinney.

Another place holder

Photo Courtesy of ASI Photography

Photo Courtesy of ASI Photography

Photo Courtesy of ASI Photography

Photo courtesy of ASI Photography

Photo Courtesy of Skinnyski.com

Photo Courtesy of Skinnyski.com

Photo Courtesy of Skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of robbiehalvorson @ flickr

Photo courtesy of skinnyski.com

Photo courtesy of Skinnyski.com

2000
Summer TCUL League, Sport Grey

2001
Summer TCUL League, Brick red
American Birkebeiner 53 Kilometer Freestyle, 4:32:31

2002
Lumberjack days 5 K, 23:51
American Birkebeiner 53 Kilometer Freestyle, 4:01:04
TCUL Summer League, Maroon

2003

2004
American Birkebeiner 53 Kilometer Freestyle, 3:28:43
Summer TCUL League, Lime green

2005
American Birkebeiner 53 Kilometer Freestyle, 2:49:36
Summer TCUL League Apu
Northshore Inline Marathon, 1:33:57

2006
American Birkebeiner 53 Kilometer Freestyle, 3:01:13
Northshore Inline Marathon, 1:36:23

2007
Northshore Inline Marathon, 2:07:13
American Birkebeiner Open Field Participant
TCUL Men's League, Subject to Change
Lake Rebecca Cyclocross, 26th
Boom Island cyclocross, Cat. 4, 53rd
The Hub cyclocross, Cat. 4, 40th
LGR Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 44th
Rum River Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 22n

2008
City of Lakes Loppet, 1:34:1
American Birkebeiner 53 Kilometer Freestyle, 3:04:54
Climb for the Cure IDS Stair Climb, 9:35
City of Lakes Tri-Loppet, 2:09:40
City of Lakes Trail Loppet, 2:00:47
Big Woods Half Marathon, 1:50:51
In Yan Teopa 10 mile, 1:25:45
Hoigaards Challenge, 5:44:44
YMCA Cyclocross, 30t
Wirth Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 49th
The Bikery Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 23rd
The Red Barn Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 34th
MN State Championship Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 31st
NSC Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 25th
Green Acres Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 31st

2009
SJU Saints Invite 11 Kilometer Freestyle, 34:56
Marine O' Brien 12.5 Kilometer Classic, 42:30
City of Lakes Loppet 35 Kilometer Freestyle, 1:41:50
Climb for the Cure IDS Stair Climb, Unofficial, 8:46
Mora Vassaloppet 35 Kilometer Freestyle, 1:34:26
American Birkebeiner 54 Kilometer Classic, 3:34:35
Pole Pedal Pant Winter Triathalon, Unofficial, 1:43
City of Lakes Tri-Loppet, 1:48:33
Summer TCUL Leage, Jacob's Ladder and Warmouth
City of Lakes Trail Loppet, 2:03:37
Hoigaards Challenge, 5:34:01
Wirth Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 45th
Bikery Cyclocross, Cat. 3, 16th
Red Barn Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 24th
Behind Bars / Velodrome Cyclocross, Cat. 3, 42nd
Minnesota State Championships Cyclocross, Cat. 4, 23rd

2010
City of Lakes Loppet 35 Kilometer Freestyle, 1:45:28
Marine O' Brien 25 Kilometer Freestyle, 1:17:18
Climb for the Cure IDS Stair Climb, N/A
American Birkebeiner 54 Kilometer classic, 3:04:58
Summer TCUL League, Akita and Jeweled Lacerta
Jon Francis Memorial Half-Marathon, 1:44:41
4th Annual Wooly Mtn. Bike Race, Recreational Category, 34:53
City of Lakes Tri-Loppet, 1:43:42
City of Lakes Trail Loppet, 1:53.04
Hoigaards Challenge, 5:22.15

2011
King Boreas 15 k freestyle, 42:05
Marine O'brien 25 k freestyle, 1:17:17
City of Lakes Loppet 33 k freestyle, 1:46:01
Mora Vassaloppet 58 k freestyle, 3:15:02
Pole Pedal Pant, 1:36:59
Get Lucky 7 k, 31:56
Surly Trail Loppet, 2:01.18

2012
Marine O'Brien 21 K Classic 1:09:56
Climb for the Cure IDS Stair Climb, N/A
City of Lakes Loppet 17 Kilometer Freestyle, 50:04
UCare Tri-Loppet 1:55:26
Minneapolis Duathalon 1:31:18

Nice Ride 145
Surly Trail Loppet 1:41:13
Hoigaard's Challenge 4:26:43
TCUL Fall League, Thundercats

2013
Twin Cities Ultimate League, Mens Hat Tournament, Team 3M
Marine O'Brien 25 K Freestyle, 1:20:52
City of Lakes Loppet Hoigaards 25 k Classic, 1:35:10
American Birkebeiner, 51 k Freestyle, 2:57:34
Saint John's University Red Ride Century participant
UCare Tri-Loppet, 1:55:58

Nice Ride 170
Surly Trail Loppet, 1:47:08
Hoigaards Challenge 5:32:58

2014

Twin Cities Ultimate League, MLK Jr. Day Hat Tournament.
Surly Trail Loppet, 2:04:57

2015
City of Lakes Loppet Age Gap Relay

2017
City of Lakes Age Gap Relay
TCUL, Masters League, Flintstones