In Austin, Texas for work and riding hills

Wow, first and foremost I had forgotten how hot Texas can be, but it's a different heat than Ontario.
I flew down on a Tuesday evening with Robert Brehn, with a layover in Chicago we arrived at midnight. We were up at work a little later in the morning. The store was ready for us, and we managed to get a lot of work done, despite the scaffolding company had given us the runaround about delivery, in the end it was delivered to the Houston store and they sent it over to us.
Back at the "house" after work the first task of the day is to assemble my bike, I was quite tired from Tuesday being a long day so I just pedaled around the neighborhood, which is very hill, to make sure the shifters were going to work. The route I had planned for Austin is from epicRides a cycling training video company, and epicAustin literally passed outside of our house. So I had it all setup for Thursday and after grocery shopping Robert and I went out for BBQ brisket. On to Thursday where we had another very productive day at work at the store. I then headed out on my epicAustin ride, in 33°C (92°F) heat, which is not bad for flats but it takes so much effort on climbs it is very hot, some of the grades are at a max of 20% and I'm about 10 pounds overweight so I felt every percentage point and every pedal stroke.

You might observe in the route a lot of "pig tails" in order for epicAustin to punish you and get the steep climbing they head off of main roads. The video/Map my Ride route also starts and finished under the MoPac by the river, not in front of my house. Texas has a rugged beauty and I do miss it a lot.

Friday was another day at work and rest in the afternoon then Robert and I went downtown to watch the bats come out from the bridge and he then treated me to a fantastic Mexican dinner... Some bosses are "OK". :P

Saturday I ran Robert off to the airport and I went out for Mexican breakfast. All this for under $5 including a 15% tip! BTW that's eggs with cactus 

Back home, and I did a little bit of office work, try and fix my map so I could find my way around the Colorado River, Garmin Connect likes to have a good internet connection and we don't have much more than a fast dial-up at this rental, ARGH! I then got ready for my ride and grabbed my flashing rear light as it might rain at 2:00 p.m. and out to do the full epicAustin.

And it sure did look like rain when I got down to Westlake drive...

So I attached my flashing rear light and headed into the clouds the rain held off till I was on Riva Ridge at the end of the climb, which was nice. For those of you who are not cyclist climbing on steep hills in the rain is very difficult because your wheel will slip on the tarmac especially on grades over 7% and Riva Ridge is one of the climbs that has a max of 20%. It poured rain I could not see anything in front of me on the shoulder of North Capital of Texas Highway. When I turned off the hill at Hidden Valley was a sit in the saddle the whole time to keep the rear wheel from slipping too much, it has gone from down pour to a sprinkle and by the time I got to the top of that it had stopped all together. City park is an easyish downhill all the way and an easy return 4% or less, so I was in a nice rhythm and working on my mental skills for getting up Jester, it's long, and it's at the end of my ride so this time I wanted to be prepared for it, and I just started a bit slower at the bottom, because I knew that it would slow me down anyway, climbs like that are best when your done with them, the last tail home is not hard and as I was coming up Smokey Hollow the Taxi was dropping Jared off. I met him, took a shower and a nap.

For the evening I had planned on going to the Pecan Street Music Festival, and Jared was game. Great fun and we got to hear some good music.

The rest of the week was a bit more work and cooking at home. Because of Austin's hills I just could not ride every day. Tuesday I rode on "flat" and Thursday I made a run to Mellow Johnny's as Jared went golfing. Some how my bike computer did not charge up and did not record all of Thursday's ride.

We went out one night to Rudy's and had more Brisket... sitting outdoors drinking Iced tea.

Saturday was an all day trip home... then Sunday was church, and the church picnic at Mohawk Park, with a great fall day, and in the evening I took the dogs out for a run, then off to work in Burlington on Monday.

Go East for them Hills!

I have been in two cities I did not know too much about, but have driven through the area. The first city is Pittsburgh, I was here for a few days and I just was mostly working and I did not fare too well getting served in a locals restaurant, and that happened to me again on this visit.

I arrived to do the store here with Robert Brehn, with our bikes in tow. I think that if it was not for Karen all the Brehn boys would eat only spaghetti and burritos! So while he was here I at Chipotle which is a burrito chain, a pretty good Oriental place and a burger joint... So food (or is that fuel?) was consumed!

On the first day after work we headed out south, to find out we needed to make a few detours as bridges were out. I later found out that Pittsburgh had had two major floods this year that had taken out several bridges. Detouring routes around bridges or cyclo-crossing over bridge construction became the "theme" of Pittsburgh riding. So without any further adieu here are the Pittsburgh rides:

These are by my lonesome:
This one the "pigtail" to the West is where on a descent the paved road just disappeared, turned to a rock road and it took me awhile to slow to a stop and turn around.



Friday after my ride I went to the southside flats where the "hipsters" hang out, here there wanna be's and really just college students on bikes. But I found a very nice restaurant with an inexpensive dinner (bonus). While down there I found Pittsburgh Pavé.

Now on Saturday it was Thunderstorms (feels like a theme for this summers travels), then it cleared up about 2 p.m. So should I ride or see the town, I went out to see the town. There is a tram that lets you see the whole of the city and the stadiums.

It seems that there are very few cyclist for all the great riding, but no shortage of bikers, and if your into sports and bars to watch sports in this would be a fantastic city. 

Sunday a.m. I was up early to head off to my next assignment Baltimore, but via Gettysburg... I grew up with a Civil War buff, and I took Civil War history at A&M with one of the great scholars before he retired. I did run Strava on this, just to see where I had gone, but if you do get a chance, a bike is a great way to do it, but bring a MTB or a cross bike with shoes you can walk in, and a lock. I had the lock and a change of shoes, but riding up Big Round Top I met up with people walking down and I had to dismount and walk the rest of the way up, in road cycling shoes. If you don't know what they are well go here. I have a lot of photos of the fields and views but here are just a few...

David Wills on Lincoln Square where Lincoln stayed while in Gettysburg

This is general Unknown, but there also by state plus all the known.

The plak from cemetery ridge

The real thing

view from Warfield ridge of little round top and artillery ridge

artillery ridge looking at Devils den.

Then on to Baltimore, I arrived not knowing much at all, and found out I was in the middle of the shoppers mecca of Baltimore. Monday was a nice evening and I sat at my computer looking for the best place to ride, I had picked a few areas that were drive and ride (not my first choice). Tuesday it rained and rained and thunderstorms, so I went looking for food, and Yelp failed me BIG time, shoppers mecca means chain food places, and no real good places to eat. I was depressed no ride and no good food. 

Wednesday it rained and then looked like it wanted to rain, but a co-worker had told me about Fells Point and Bertha's Mussels. It is a historical part of Baltimore and in a revival. I had parked down at O'Donnell and  Boston at a park and talked to several dog owners, this is Michael Phelps home turf. I walked down the waterfront promenade to Fells Point, which is where Meg Ryan lived in "Sleepless in Seattle" and had nice evening looking at all the old buildings.

Oh BTW Baltimore Pavé

Thursday RAIN again, but again a co-work had told about a place call Iron Horse for good food and Nati-Bo's on tap. I binged on "junk food" I had $5 pound of wings with, OF COURSE, in Baltimore Old Bay seasoning and Sweet Potato fries, ah well not healthy but good, and this place was out of town a bit... on rollling hills. "Oh my what's a cyclist to think?"

Friday as some may know from my post it was raining after work and I began my laundry which was FREE at this hotel, score! As soon as I got the first load in the sun came out! Stupid Baltimore weather! So I planned Saturday while laundry was going. It was going to be tricky, light showers in the a.m. cloudy afternoon and a T-Storm at 4:30. The weather was not quite so stupid, it became sunny around 1:00 and I got a little red, and the evening was cool and fantastic (cept the mosquitoes).

Sunday I wanted to see the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum so after hotel breakfast off to see planes and spaceships! The engineer in me.

Once I got back to the hotel it was just too nice not to go riding so... 

Monday was just a very long day of work, then hop in car and drive all the way up to Long Island, getting late. Today rained but after work it cleared up. I was oh so tempted but just too too exhausted, so I made the Thai Curry recipe that Greg Niemialkowski had given me, its easy and forgiving for travel with small grocery stores. Tomorrow's ride is planned and no rain in the forecast! 

July in New York

It's been a busy time here, first was getting in work with an injured worker, and I made up for his not being able to work.

On Wednesday the 3rd after work I figured I better stretch out my legs, and I headed over to Prospect Park, I got in a few laps then I could feel that it was going to rain, and I got soaked coming home...

Then came July 4th a day off. I was going to meet with some of my Brooklyn crew but I slept till 10:30... Ugh, Oh well still good day for a ride. I headed over the Brooklyn Bridge and over to George Washington Bridge up 9w. I rode up to Nyack and stopped for coffee where I met "Joe" from Jersey City who is a R.N. and uses cycling to unwind after work, and rode back to Washington Bridge with him, the Bike path on the bridge was closed to had to cyclocross stairs in road shoes and I meandered back through the city as the West greeway was closed.

Then that night I went over to the west side and watched the fireworks..

And here I met Ali who is visiting NYC for a couple of months and we got our photo in front of the Empire State building lit up in Blue,White and Red for Bastille day...Oops someone did not pay attention in history class... France is Blue white and red, USA is Red, White and blue... Viewed TOP DOWN!

Then back to work on Friday to finish the store in Brooklyn and on Saturday my daughter Céline came to town, and we Citi-Biked on Saturday all over town and then on Sunday we Sub-Wayed and walked all over town as she took photos of everything... Later in the week she dissed me in the street for looking to touristy. 

I then had her working in Long Island with me, and the following weekend Heather joined us and we went through the city again seeing all the sights. 

All this work, touristing and with Céline I've only gotten one ride in so far and it seemed to be mostly in rush hour traffic... I have another ride planed I was hoping to get it in tonight but Céline was tired and I needed to get her supper... so I hope Thursday.

Till then take care all.

Another Week in Brooklyn

The hotel in Brooklyn does not have a kitchen but I've requested a fridge and they threw in a Microwave... I don't have much use for the microwave but the fridge has given me the ability to live off Müesi; Yogurt with cocoa, nut-butter, and rolled oats (thanks to Krista's blog); salad and store roasted chicken. So I stay nice and healthy. Eating like this does make the desire to get out to eat even more imperative and I went over to a Thai place and had a Basil Udon with Duck, for a change on Thursday night. The hardest thing with going out to eat in this area is do you walk over two blocks West and choose good food or do you walk three blocks East for good food? Oh its such a difficult issue... And I know so many people feel sorry for me... HA!

Just behind the hotel is Brooklyn Boulders, which is a warehouse that has been converted to an amazing climbing "community". The hotel has a free pass per week for each resident so for my Friday night entertainment I headed over to climb late afternoon.

I managed to get up all the "0" climbs but could not get up the "easy" "1", it gets even harder, and you can climb the Brooklyn Bridge, it's for the "advanced" certified regulars.

There is also an exercise room where you can develope your grip, pull-ups, and tight rope. I went for the tight rope, it takes concentration and balance, I got up to one minute and a few steps. It's a lot harder than it looks (kind of like Yoga).

After four (4) hours my forearms and back was worn out, I was tired. I then went back to the hotel and went to bed early for an early morning ride.

The majority of weekday riding in Brooklyn is in Prospect Park. Though I wanted to say I rode through Manhattan during rush hour. Tuesday I took off over Brooklyn Bridge and hit rush hour, which was safer riding through than Saturday riding down King George Street in Brantford.... which is a bit of a sad statement. I also went over Chelsea to get a closer look at the greenway, which I want to walk on before I finish up, and "got to" ride on the Pavé there... 

Thursday night was training intervals in Prospect Park, it is easier to do intervals when you're limited to just going around circles rather than explore roads. Thursday after dinner I had walked into a bike shop and had started talking to a young rider, that belongs to a group that meets at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge every Saturday at 7:30 a.m. for a fast ride. It's a "no drop" ride but it is a very fast ride, we stopped several times to regroup, there were 5 of us hammering up and over hills, and on the sprints... on roads that are "not on the map". Last year I was on that side of Manhattan and I had ridden up 9w, and had been on the main roads, not knowing all these little side roads (not that I know them now), makes riding with locals so much fun. We did stop at the halfway point for coffee and it was a town that I had ridden through. 

This was one of the first rides that I finished and NEEDED a nap afterwards, and felt much better for it. I then chatted/texted with my daughter Céline while she was watching a Dr. Who marathon, then used my Skype to phone home and talk to my wife, after all the news from home went and picked up my laundry, then I did go out and have a good burger and fries for dinner, I figured I earned it. 

Today it is pouring down rain, and I have to say I feel for all the cyclist who paid good money for the NY Grand Fondo, it's a cool wet day which is not my favorite to ride in, and I do avoid it if I can. A good day to catch up with reading and podcasts.