Latin (tem-pu̇s-ˈfü-git): Time Flies
And he’s a Canadian as well!
World’s Fastest Cyclist Hits 82.3 MPH | Autopia from Wired.com
Sam Whittingham is the fastest cyclist on the planet, having pedaled his sleek recumbent bicycle to a stunning 82.3 mph to claim the world record for a human-powered vehicle.
The bike-builder from British Columbia bested his previous record of 81.02 mph during a picture-perfect run through the desert during the World Human Powered Speed Challenge outside Battle Mountain, Nevada.
My Stats
| Distance | 97.05 km |
| Average speed | 32.06 km/hr |
| Max Speed | 57.0 km/hr |
| Ride Time | 3:00:27 |
Today’s ride was my best of the season so far! It was a cool start at 6°C but warmed up to 16°C over the course of the ride. I did well in the sprint into Selkirk and over the “Big Bridge”. After re-grouping I rode with 7 other guys in the “fast” group and we worked well together keeping a pace in the 40-45km/h range until we caught up to the main group. It was a slow pace over to Hwy 206 where I found myself at the front and then suddenly alone as the group had dropped back. On 206 I’m usually starting to fade and typically get dropped going up the two small hills.
But today, today was different. I still felt strong and again found myself at the front as we approached the hills. I kept a steady 35 up both hills and was just waiting for somebody to try and pass as I was ready to really jump on the petals and give them a run for it but nobody came! At the top, I dropped right & back to let somebody else take the lead and then there was a sprint for the Park gate on the flat. I was trapped in the shoulder side with everyone coming by on my left. Once I got a break it was time to hammer down and I caught all but a coupe of guys before the gate.
After a half lap of the park it was the long downhill to Hwy 59. We’re in the line and my buddy says “let’s go” so we both pull out and are flying down to the overpass. I suspect this is where I hit the 57km/h. The two others eased off, but I kept up a solid 40 up to the top of the overpass before taking a breather. Even going up 59 where I’m usually shot, I was still feeling good and riding well. As we turn back onto Henderson Hwy, one of the guys says “I’m just going to spin back”, I said “Did he say spin back or sprint back” and my riding buddy and I leave the group behind as we sprint back to the parking lot.
A great day and a good ride.
Lance Armstrong reportedly to seek to race in 2009 Tour de France – Los Angeles Times
Lance Armstrong will end his retirement and hopes to compete in the 2009 Tour de France, according to a cycling journal report, but Astana cycling team officials denied the comeback would be associated with them.
“He is no part of our team,” Astana team press officer Philippe Maertens told the Associated Press in an e-mail. “Team Astana has no plans with him.”
Up early today and resumed my morning workout on the Bowflex with some core work tossed in for about an hour. But, somewhere along the line I seem to have dragged a little because I got into the office about 15 minutes behind the planned schedule. I cycled hard coming in, so perhaps I’ll need to get up earlier that 6am (uggg!). Maybe the answer is in eating a faster breakfast?
In any case it was good to get back to the program and surprising how much the core work hurt after laying off the workouts for most of the summer.
I’ve been thinking about how to store the kayaks without having them on the dock for some time now. The original idea was to have two “J” shaped brackets with webbing strung between to cradle the kayak, but I was worried about the stability of the top “J” being only supported by the vertical outside post, which in turn is supported by a 2×4 bolted to the bottom of the dock. The weigh shouldn’t be a problem as I can stand on either support arm and each kayak is approximately 50lbs, so with both on the rack each end only needs to carry that weigh.
After staring at the problem for several days, I came up with this idea. The top cradle is hinged so after the top boat is removed the cradle can be flipped back to gain full access to the lower boat. This method allows for better support on the dock-side uprights and improved stability.
It was a wonderful sunny morning with a strong west wind blowing across the point, so while it is relatively calm water in front of the cottage, there is a nice breeze to keep things from getting too hot. Even so, after a while of working with my shirt off, I could feel the potential of a nice sunburn coming on, so on with a shirt and hat. Gee, is that wisdom or old age? A hat, since when…?
As I’m warping up the job and doing a little dock repair I hear Shirley scream from outside the lower door of the cottage, “Garry! Come quickly, there is something in the cottage!”. We’ll after the recent attack of the Squirrel Army, we’re a little on edge so I came flying up the stairs. Sure enough, as I go in the door I can hear a clatter, but soon determine that it’s just something thunking around in the dryer. Crisis averted. The Fortress is still secure from intruders.
I was up sort of early this morning, not quite early enough to catch the sunrise, but definitely some nice calm quiet time to do some reading down a the dock. I’m currently reading Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive by John Eldredge and enjoying the book very much.
After some reading I’m feeling the need, the need for speed, on the bike that is. So, after attaching a second water bottle cage and loading up, I’m off for a run into Kenora. The route is about a 40km return trip with the usual hill climbs to get from our branch road out to the highway. After that, it’s paved shoulders all the way, but with some longer, less steep grades. In preparation for the upcoming mountain hike of Mt. Thompson, I’m climbing every hill out of the saddle to work the legs more and hopefully simulate more of a climbing exercise that will pay off when we’re hiking.
Just after starting the ride, it started to rain, and then it rained harder, but hey it’s warm and it’s only water so I push on to Kenora. It rains the entire way for about one hour, and I’m fully soaked. After a little crusing around town, it’s back to the cottage. This part of the ride is rain-free, but there are still puddles and spray from cars. When I’m back I notice a gritty feeling in my mouth were I’ve apparently inhaled some road debris. Yummy!
After making a post-ride breakfast of bacon and eggs, it’s down to the dock, where it’s now hot and sunny with very few clouds. Shirley and I head out for a paddle in the kayaks down to the bottom of the bay and I’m starting to think that a shirt would have been a good idea as the hot sun is frying my back. However, things change quickly and as we’re paddling back a thunder clap is heard and we’re caught in a downpour and get totally soaked by the time we’re back at the dock. An hour later as I write this, it’s clear and sunny again. It’s been quite a weather day!
Tonight, nobody cooks as we’re going out to the Plaza Restaurant to celebrate a birthday.
My Stats
| Distance | 107.32 km |
| Average speed | 30.05 km/hr |
| Max Speed | 49.8 km/hr |
| Ride Time | 3:20:12 |
Today’s ride was a little longer that typical due to taking the Cooks Creek route option. The weather was very fine with temperatures in the mid-20s and a clear sky for the ride as you can see from the picture that I took during the ride. The photo was a little tricky, but now I have my own photo’s of the group.
It was a very large group today and at times quite unruly with people riding 4 across, some cutting into the line, and a near bump on River Road, but nothing compared to what happened at the end.
We’re just coming up Henderson Hwy approaching the Legion, just a few minutes from finishing the ride, and two riders go down right in front of me. I manage to brake without getting rear-ended and put off onto the grassy shoulder and avoid getting tangled up in the crash. Wow, do these things happen fast!
From what the riders involved said, the first rider to go down had his front wheel bumped by the rider in front of him as he moved over a bit. This started a nasty wobble for the first rider to go down that he couldn’t recover from, and the second person was just unable to get out of the way. It may be a little harsh, but this was a self-inflicted crash, as the first rider to go down must have been overlapping wheels with the rider ahead. I’ve been cautioned on this before and now I’m quite careful to avoid overlapping for just this reason. Perhaps in a race, or the Tour de France the pro’s will ride in this position, but on a group ride of amatures, it’s a receipe for trouble. Well, both riders seemed physically OK, but bike damage my be another story. Being that close to a crash gave me a new respect for the issues of riding in a group in a tight formation.
Yesterday I took this photo of my cycling computer. It’s seen a few kilometers, 10,570 to be exact. It’s been on the Rockhopper since the bike was new except for a short time when I tried out a different computer.
Today, on the ride to work it fell off on the street, so I think I’ll need to replace it.
I’m at the lake this weekend with Eric & Scott for “guys” weekend. While they were sleeping I was up shortly after sunrise. After brewing some coffee to go, I headed out in the kayak for a paddle. How convenient that even the kayak has a cup holder. After a leisurely cruise around the bay I returned to the cottage to find out it was 8am and I’ve been gone for 2hrs. Time flies when you’re having fun. I captured some great pictures down in the small marsh at the end of our bay
The May long weekend is the traditional cottage opening weekend for us. “Opening” a cottage for those not familiar with the process is primarily about starting up the water system and other lesser tasks to get the place up and running after being shutdown for the winter. If friends invite you to the lake for either May long weekend or Thanksgiving, it’s best to decline unless you’re into working a lot.
Starting up the water system was relatively easy. There were no “surprise” breaks in any of the lines and the pump prime kicked in on the third time lucky. It would have started on the first try, but I couldn’t get the screen off the foot valve to let all the air out of the line. After opening the valve to the cottage a fast look around confirmed that there were no floods taking place. However, a little dripping sound in the shop area where the washing machine is located indicated a small problem. One of the connection hoses wouldn’t seat correctly and will need to be replaced. Well, I guess after 25 years some things will need to be replaced from time to time.
The new lake “toy” for this year is a second kayak. We enjoyed the first one last year and decided that two would be even more fun. While I like solo paddling, company can be great too! So, after getting the basics tended to around the cottage Shirley and I headed out for our first paddle with both the boats. Things went well for the first few minutes until Shirley’s new boat has a minor breakdown at sea. One of the rudder cables where it’s attached to the rudder decides to let go. It’s a stainless steel cable crimp that must have been defective. We manage to carry on with out the rudder, the way all good pro paddlers paddle anyway.
After a short loop around the bay, the clouds are rolling in and it’s not too warm in the first place, so it’s back to the dock. All in all a great first outing.
Oh yeah, I took the pictures with my Olympus SW790 waterproof camera. I’m looking forward to may more great shots from water level. While it may be waterproof, dropping it in 70′ of water could be a problem. I think I’ll hook up a tether to my PFD for subsequent trips. (More kayak photos).
Technorati Tags: kayak, lake, cottage
