Spring is sprung

"Jay Beattie" wrote in message
...
On Mar 23, 8:02 am, "
wrote:
On Mar 23, 9:44 am, Andre Jute wrote:





On Mar 23, 2:33 am, John Henderson wrote:

Andre Jute wrote:
Went out today without longjohns for the first time this year.
Even took my jacket off. Now for some good rides, working up to
a short tour. It's official: I've declared the spring open to
all comers.

Andre Jute
I'd love to be a fairweather cyclist, if only the fair weather would
hold year-round

Thank you, but it's Autumn here in the southern hemisphere - and
a glorious Autumn at that. 30°C (86°F) here in Canberra today.

John

Yes, I've heard that from your fellow Canberry, Patrick Turner,
already on RAT:
"He, he, our coming winter might be just as cosy as your northern
summer, and our weather leads us to the roads so that we are always
recovering from a decent 70 miler, and with wheels never wet."

Thanks, fellers. But I'm not so sure I'd survive your cycling summer
if the autumn is 30 degrees (1). I've become accustomed to my weather,
even in a perverse way attached to it; whenever I return to Oz, I find
the summer unbearably hot. I suspect the mid-Westerners among the
Americans who're always telling us about their appalling weather do so
at least a little out of pride in their own hardiness.

Spring made an appearance in the midwest USA this weekend. Brief
though. Its now rainy and 50 F degrees this week. Although 50 and
rainy is a typical midwest spring. Summers aren't too bad. It gets
up to 100 F every now and then. And humid. But if you ride early in
the day, its pleasant. And even the hottest days are better than not
riding.





Andre Jute
Sitting inside in his cycling pants, waiting for the cold (spring,
huh?) wind to die down a little

(1) As boys in the Little Karroo, a desert with extremes of hot and
cold, we would on Wednesday afternoons after school watch the plane
from the city arrive. The attraction was British tourists coming out
onto the top step into that dry heat and keeling over. They used to
put a hooded bench on the tarmac and station the co-pilot below the
door to catch the passengers before they let them try to disembark.
The bench was to prop up the fainthearts; a bizarre detail I remember
vividly is that a porter stood by with a parasol. Can't say that I
would consider that so funny now...- Hide quoted text -

In PDX on Saturday it was oscillating between sun breaks and showers.
I was climbing around through the hills, sort of day dreaming up a two
or three mile climb when I was caught by a guy I used to race with
almost 20 years ago -- actually, he won all the local and regional
races for 35 years, and I just happened to be pack filler in the same
jersey from time to time. The guy is now 59 years old (seven years
older than me). We road together for maybe ten miles, including
another steep mile climb -- where he outsprinted me in the last 20
meters. Dropped by the first old dude of spring. Some things never
change. It was fun chatting about the old days, though. -- Jay
Beattie.

Jay,
His initials aren't D.A. are they?
Kerry

On Mar 23, 12:17*pm, "Kerry Montgomery" wrote:
"Jay Beattie" wrote in message

...
On Mar 23, 8:02 am, "





wrote:
On Mar 23, 9:44 am, Andre Jute wrote:

On Mar 23, 2:33 am, John Henderson wrote:

Andre Jute wrote:
Went out today without longjohns for the first time this year.
Even took my jacket off. Now for some good rides, working up to
a short tour. It's official: I've declared the spring open to
all comers.

Andre Jute
I'd love to be a fairweather cyclist, if only the fair weather would
hold year-round

Thank you, but it's Autumn here in the southern hemisphere - and
a glorious Autumn at that. 30°C (86°F) here in Canberra today.

John

Yes, I've heard that from your fellow Canberry, Patrick Turner,
already on RAT:
"He, he, our coming winter might be just as cosy as your northern
summer, and our weather leads us to the roads so that we are always
recovering from a decent 70 miler, and with wheels never wet."

Thanks, fellers. But I'm not so sure I'd survive your cycling summer
if the autumn is 30 degrees (1). I've become accustomed to my weather,
even in a perverse way attached to it; whenever I return to Oz, I find
the summer unbearably hot. I suspect the mid-Westerners among the
Americans who're always telling us about their appalling weather do so
at least a little out of pride in their own hardiness.

Spring made an appearance in the midwest USA this weekend. Brief
though. Its now rainy and 50 F degrees this week. Although 50 and
rainy is a typical midwest spring. Summers aren't too bad. It gets
up to 100 F every now and then. And humid. But if you ride early in
the day, its pleasant. And even the hottest days are better than not
riding.

Andre Jute
Sitting inside in his cycling pants, waiting for the cold (spring,
huh?) wind to die down a little

(1) As boys in the Little Karroo, a desert with extremes of hot and
cold, we would on Wednesday afternoons after school watch the plane
from the city arrive. The attraction was British tourists coming out
onto the top step into that dry heat and keeling over. They used to
put a hooded bench on the tarmac and station the co-pilot below the
door to catch the passengers before they let them try to disembark.
The bench was to prop up the fainthearts; a bizarre detail I remember
vividly is that a porter stood by with a parasol. Can't say that I
would consider that so funny now...- Hide quoted text -

In PDX on Saturday it was oscillating between sun breaks and showers.
I was climbing around through the hills, sort of day dreaming up a two
or three mile climb when I was caught by a guy I used to race with
almost 20 years ago -- actually, he won all the local and regional
races for 35 years, and I just happened to be pack filler in the same
jersey from time to time. *The guy is now 59 years old (seven years
older than me). *We road together for maybe ten miles, including
another steep mile climb -- where he outsprinted me in the last 20
meters. *Dropped by the first old dude of spring. Some things never
change. *It was fun chatting about the old days, though. *-- Jay
Beattie.

Jay,
His initials aren't D.A. are they?
Kerry- Hide quoted text -

They are! The hill sprint was Greenleaf. He is a nice guy and just
as quirky as ever. -- Jay Beattie.

In article
,
" wrote:

On Mar 23, 9:44*am, Andre Jute wrote:
On Mar 23, 2:33*am, John Henderson
wrote:

Andre Jute wrote:
Went out today without longjohns for the first time this year.
Even took my jacket off. Now for some good rides, working up to
a short tour. It's official: I've declared the spring open to
all comers.

Andre Jute I'd love to be a fairweather cyclist, if only the fair
weather would hold year-round

Thank you, but it's Autumn here in the southern hemisphere - and
a glorious Autumn at that. *30°C (86°F) here in Canberra today.

John

Yes, I've heard that from your fellow Canberry, Patrick Turner,
already on RAT: "He, he, our coming winter might be just as cosy as
your northern summer, and our weather leads us to the roads so that
we are always recovering from a decent 70 miler, and with wheels
never wet."

Thanks, fellers. But I'm not so sure I'd survive your cycling
summer if the autumn is 30 degrees (1). I've become accustomed to
my weather, even in a perverse way attached to it; whenever I
return to Oz, I find the summer unbearably hot. I suspect the
mid-Westerners among the Americans who're always telling us about
their appalling weather do so at least a little out of pride in
their own hardiness.


Spring made an appearance in the midwest USA this weekend. Brief
though. Its now rainy and 50 F degrees this week. Although 50 and
rainy is a typical midwest spring. Summers aren't too bad. It gets
up to 100 F every now and then. And humid. But if you ride early in
the day, its pleasant. And even the hottest days are better than not
riding.

Here in Minnesota the spring has been remarkably nice, especially
compared to last year when the weather was basically winter until May.
Ugggh. We've gotten up to 60F several times already and the trees are
starting to bud out.

While we have a wide temperature range here (45 deg N and 1000 miles
from the moderating effects of oceans) of about 150F between the coldest
days of winter (-45F) and the hottest days of summer (105F), it's pretty
rare that we reach those extremes and then only for a short time. I
prefer the hot weather to the cold. If my water bottles are going to
freeze, I stay home.

The problem with all of this is that Andre is absolutely as apt with
tubes as he is with bicycles - he might purchase something nice - or
state that he does (has anyone actually seen the latest claim with
both Andre and a recent newspaper front page for verification? Or just
the photo-shopped brochure shots?), but the efforts of his own hands
are far less worthwhile - as is amply and regularly demonstrated by
his posts. Now, a question to the cycle group(s): Does Andre force his
tube drivel on you there as well, or does he spare you?

Bargain: Andre keeps his cycling habits to cycles and those interested
thereto and I spare you all the cross-posting.

Thanks in advance!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

Andre Jute wrote:

On Mar 23, 2:33 am, John Henderson wrote:
Andre Jute wrote:
Went out today without longjohns for the first time this year.
Even took my jacket off. Now for some good rides, working up to
a short tour. It's official: I've declared the spring open to
all comers.

Andre Jute
I'd love to be a fairweather cyclist, if only the fair weather would
hold year-round

Thank you, but it's Autumn here in the southern hemisphere - and
a glorious Autumn at that. 30°C (86°F) here in Canberra today.

John

Yes, I've heard that from your fellow Canberry, Patrick Turner,
already on RAT:
"He, he, our coming winter might be just as cosy as your northern
summer, and our weather leads us to the roads so that we are always
recovering from a decent 70 miler, and with wheels never wet."

Thanks, fellers. But I'm not so sure I'd survive your cycling summer
if the autumn is 30 degrees (1). I've become accustomed to my weather,
even in a perverse way attached to it; whenever I return to Oz, I find
the summer unbearably hot. I suspect the mid-Westerners among the
Americans who're always telling us about their appalling weather do so
at least a little out of pride in their own hardiness.

Well, there are far worse places worth avoiding for their heat such as
almost anywhere in the middle east, or parts of the tropics.

Today was 32C and quite bearable because it wasn't 32C all the time - in
fact when we cycle here in hot weather we always start out before 8am
when its under 20C and 3 hours later its maybe 27C, and we are resting
in our swimming pools doing a few recovery laps.
The humidity is very low here so the heat ain't too bad.

In mid January when maximums can be 35C + for days on end, I ride in the
early mornings, ideally starting at 6am. I can fit 100km before 11am
including a coffee stop.

Occasionally I have cycled in snow falls here in July but that has
become a very rare occurrence in winters for the last 15 years.
My pool used to freeze over just a little several times a year but I've
not seen ice on the water now for 10 years at least.
Instead of starting out at 8am on a bicycle in July, I leave at maybe
10am when the temp is above 8C, and there's plenty of time for 100km+
before the shadows lengthen, and I think about lighting a fire.
Long black lycra knicks and a skivvy top under lycra are the go after
about June 1 until about September 1. Winter has a certain mystique and
majesty of exciting weather, mountain mist, extended views through ice
burnt grass and tumbling waters after rains have fallen.

The group numbers turning up to do Sunday rides beginning at 8am dwindle
down the hardy few.
I find some mornings are so cold its impossible to warm up; the faster
you ride the harder you work but the chill factor wins.
So I tend to leave the masochists alone and ride out alone after 10am in
winter. Then I can have a decent pasta stop somewhere 1/2 way around the
ride.

Canberra is 70km from the coast and about 1,600 ft above sea level so we
get cold weather, but its never unbearable. At the coast its always 5C
lower and in Sydney its quite nice to ride on winter days without long
leg wear. Shame about Sydney traffic though.

Patrick Turner.


Andre Jute
Sitting inside in his cycling pants, waiting for the cold (spring,
huh?) wind to die down a little

(1) As boys in the Little Karroo, a desert with extremes of hot and
cold, we would on Wednesday afternoons after school watch the plane
from the city arrive. The attraction was British tourists coming out
onto the top step into that dry heat and keeling over. They used to
put a hooded bench on the tarmac and station the co-pilot below the
door to catch the passengers before they let them try to disembark.
The bench was to prop up the fainthearts; a bizarre detail I remember
vividly is that a porter stood by with a parasol. Can't say that I
would consider that so funny now...

Jay Beattie wrote:

On Mar 23, 8:02 am, "
wrote:
On Mar 23, 9:44 am, Andre Jute wrote:





On Mar 23, 2:33 am, John Henderson wrote:

Andre Jute wrote:
Went out today without longjohns for the first time this year.
Even took my jacket off. Now for some good rides, working up to
a short tour. It's official: I've declared the spring open to
all comers.

Andre Jute
I'd love to be a fairweather cyclist, if only the fair weather would
hold year-round

Thank you, but it's Autumn here in the southern hemisphere - and
a glorious Autumn at that. 30°C (86°F) here in Canberra today.

John

Yes, I've heard that from your fellow Canberry, Patrick Turner,
already on RAT:
"He, he, our coming winter might be just as cosy as your northern
summer, and our weather leads us to the roads so that we are always
recovering from a decent 70 miler, and with wheels never wet."

Thanks, fellers. But I'm not so sure I'd survive your cycling summer
if the autumn is 30 degrees (1). I've become accustomed to my weather,
even in a perverse way attached to it; whenever I return to Oz, I find
the summer unbearably hot. I suspect the mid-Westerners among the
Americans who're always telling us about their appalling weather do so
at least a little out of pride in their own hardiness.

Spring made an appearance in the midwest USA this weekend. Brief
though. Its now rainy and 50 F degrees this week. Although 50 and
rainy is a typical midwest spring. Summers aren't too bad. It gets
up to 100 F every now and then. And humid. But if you ride early in
the day, its pleasant. And even the hottest days are better than not
riding.





Andre Jute
Sitting inside in his cycling pants, waiting for the cold (spring,
huh?) wind to die down a little

(1) As boys in the Little Karroo, a desert with extremes of hot and
cold, we would on Wednesday afternoons after school watch the plane
from the city arrive. The attraction was British tourists coming out
onto the top step into that dry heat and keeling over. They used to
put a hooded bench on the tarmac and station the co-pilot below the
door to catch the passengers before they let them try to disembark.
The bench was to prop up the fainthearts; a bizarre detail I remember
vividly is that a porter stood by with a parasol. Can't say that I
would consider that so funny now...- Hide quoted text -

In PDX on Saturday it was oscillating between sun breaks and showers.
I was climbing around through the hills, sort of day dreaming up a two
or three mile climb when I was caught by a guy I used to race with
almost 20 years ago -- actually, he won all the local and regional
races for 35 years, and I just happened to be pack filler in the same
jersey from time to time. The guy is now 59 years old (seven years
older than me). We road together for maybe ten miles, including
another steep mile climb -- where he outsprinted me in the last 20
meters. Dropped by the first old dude of spring. Some things never
change. It was fun chatting about the old days, though. -- Jay
Beattie.

I raced for 6 years '86 to '93 as a veteran aged 38 to 44. Then I gave
up bicycles for 13 years and came back again but with no interest in
racing, and all I wanted to to was rebuild the body after 13 years of
neglect. But some amoung the Sunday bunch of tourists I now ride with
are not so easy to stay with. Its anything but leisurely and 30kph
averages are sometimes attained. One guy does Audax rides which are
endurance things of maybe 500km in a weekend, but I've never been
attracted to that. At 62 I'm beginning to feel the strain of constantly
having to work real hard to keep up with about 5 who are mainly 12 years
younger and faster. One guy I could never beat 20 years ago turns up and
I still can't beat him up hlls now. But along flat stretches i tire him
out.
Not many of the blokes I used to race are still around. Some still race
though, and I see their race results in the newspaper.

When the current veteran time trial champion rides past me I only have
time to say "Goodbye".....

Patrick Turner.

Bill Sornson wrote:

Jay Beattie wrote:

In PDX on Saturday it was oscillating between sun breaks and showers.
I was climbing around through the hills, sort of day dreaming up a two
or three mile climb when I was caught by a guy I used to race with
almost 20 years ago -- actually, he won all the local and regional
races for 35 years, and I just happened to be pack filler in the same
jersey from time to time. The guy is now 59 years old (seven years
older than me). We road together for maybe ten miles, including
another steep mile climb -- where he outsprinted me in the last 20
meters. Dropped by the first old dude of spring. Some things never
change. It was fun chatting about the old days, though. -- Jay
Beattie.

One friend I ride with is 12 years younger than I, and much bigger and
stronger to boot. Can flat-out smoke me at will.

HOWEVER, on some climbs, usually steep ones on long (40-ish) rides, if I can
stay ahead or even near the top, I almost always can "sprint" (VERY loose
terminology) by him and get to the finish first. (At least so far this
year; he's prolly going to get in better shape shortly and the glory will be
gone.)

Sort of like when I used to run. Finally passed someone...and she didn't
even trip me with her walker!

Bill "bada bing" S.

Last October I rode a ride called the 'five peaks tour' of Canberra, and
maybe 300 people turned up to do the 80km ride with 5 big hills.
I was 20 minutes late to start but I made it up by not stopping for the
tea and coffee breaks. But I did start the biggest hill amoung about 20
riders all in their 20s. They roared off ahead of me at the bottom of
the hill. Then as I proceeded for the next 3km, one by one I caught and
passed them except one young turk at the top who had tried to sprint
past me twice, then he'd blow up, so I pass him again, until finally he
just made it past me in a third sprint. But he stopped to rest and I
kept going.
About 25km later as I topped hill no 4, and finally ahead of all those
I'd started with, this delicious blonde young sheila overtook me, and in
a laconic tone of voice says " Are ya winnin'? " . All I could think of
replying was "Nah, you've just beaten me up this hill".
But the stopped for a rest, and I continued, and when coming down hill
no5, a couple of those I started with were just starting the climb.
I'd given some of them a 40 year start advantage.

But from here its all down hill for me and a man loses about 30 seconds
for each 40km he cycles each year.

And between 60 and 90 there are all these attacks by bung knees, sore
backs, tired hearts, and I swear the hills are getting steeper and the
winds are blowing harder each year.

Patrick Turner.

Don Pearce wrote:

On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:53:14 -0700, "Bill Sornson"
wrote:

Jay Beattie wrote:

In PDX on Saturday it was oscillating between sun breaks and showers.
I was climbing around through the hills, sort of day dreaming up a two
or three mile climb when I was caught by a guy I used to race with
almost 20 years ago -- actually, he won all the local and regional
races for 35 years, and I just happened to be pack filler in the same
jersey from time to time. The guy is now 59 years old (seven years
older than me). We road together for maybe ten miles, including
another steep mile climb -- where he outsprinted me in the last 20
meters. Dropped by the first old dude of spring. Some things never
change. It was fun chatting about the old days, though. -- Jay
Beattie.

One friend I ride with is 12 years younger than I, and much bigger and
stronger to boot. Can flat-out smoke me at will.

HOWEVER, on some climbs, usually steep ones on long (40-ish) rides, if I can
stay ahead or even near the top, I almost always can "sprint" (VERY loose
terminology) by him and get to the finish first. (At least so far this
year; he's prolly going to get in better shape shortly and the glory will be
gone.)

Sort of like when I used to run. Finally passed someone...and she didn't
even trip me with her walker!

Bill "bada bing" S.


Last summer my brother and I, together with a few lads twenty to
thirty years our junior did the stretch of Sustrans Coast and Castles
route between Edinburgh and Newcastle. On every leg of the three day
journey my brother and I arrived at the rest halts first. This year we
will be doing Coast to Coast over the Pennines, and I don't expect
things to be any different.

It really doesn't matter how much you practice leading up to the
event, it is what you do for the rest of the year that makes the
difference.

Unless you are Lance Armstrong, cycling teaches you there are always
will be someone stronger, fitter, or faster.

But even Lance just broke a collar bone for the first time, so his best
laid plans have just gone awry.

To remain athletic past fierce youth and all its battles you have to
like yourself and feel the wonderment of what you are doing. You don't
spend too much time comparing your efforts to anyone else, or worrying
about the damn clock.

And if you are lucky you'll find a just a few others who go along at
about your pace and they become your friends because its never necessary
to win over them, and you'll know why.

Occasionally, you'll pass a female who is worth slowing a little for,
and if she's attracted to you she'll try to keep up, and that's a
natural response that probably goes back millions of years to the first
versions of running humans. So men would be fools to make their women
run all day with them; better to leave them behind some days so they'd
invent things like clothes, and cooking, and child raising.

And I don't take a mobile phone with me on rides. I don't have a mobile
phone.

Patrick Turner.




d

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:57:28 GMT, Patrick Turner
wrote:



Don Pearce wrote:

On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:53:14 -0700, "Bill Sornson"
wrote:

Jay Beattie wrote:

In PDX on Saturday it was oscillating between sun breaks and showers.
I was climbing around through the hills, sort of day dreaming up a two
or three mile climb when I was caught by a guy I used to race with
almost 20 years ago -- actually, he won all the local and regional
races for 35 years, and I just happened to be pack filler in the same
jersey from time to time. The guy is now 59 years old (seven years
older than me). We road together for maybe ten miles, including
another steep mile climb -- where he outsprinted me in the last 20
meters. Dropped by the first old dude of spring. Some things never
change. It was fun chatting about the old days, though. -- Jay
Beattie.

One friend I ride with is 12 years younger than I, and much bigger and
stronger to boot. Can flat-out smoke me at will.

HOWEVER, on some climbs, usually steep ones on long (40-ish) rides, if I can
stay ahead or even near the top, I almost always can "sprint" (VERY loose
terminology) by him and get to the finish first. (At least so far this
year; he's prolly going to get in better shape shortly and the glory will be
gone.)

Sort of like when I used to run. Finally passed someone...and she didn't
even trip me with her walker!

Bill "bada bing" S.


Last summer my brother and I, together with a few lads twenty to
thirty years our junior did the stretch of Sustrans Coast and Castles
route between Edinburgh and Newcastle. On every leg of the three day
journey my brother and I arrived at the rest halts first. This year we
will be doing Coast to Coast over the Pennines, and I don't expect
things to be any different.

It really doesn't matter how much you practice leading up to the
event, it is what you do for the rest of the year that makes the
difference.

Unless you are Lance Armstrong, cycling teaches you there are always
will be someone stronger, fitter, or faster.

But even Lance just broke a collar bone for the first time, so his best
laid plans have just gone awry.

To remain athletic past fierce youth and all its battles you have to
like yourself and feel the wonderment of what you are doing. You don't
spend too much time comparing your efforts to anyone else, or worrying
about the damn clock.


It is never about the clock on these long rides - the scenery is just
too nice. It isn't a race either, just a matter of each of us riding
at the pace that is most comfortable. We generally stop every twenty
miles or so and have a stretch somewhere nice. Everybody regroups
then.

Unfortunately we did last year's ride "backwards" against the
prevailing wind, and my, did it prevail. When you are going down a
steepish Scottish hill, and pedalling hard to do 15mph, you know it is
windy. The lesson learned? If the wind is going to be helping you,
take panniers. If it is in your face, put a small bag on top of the
back rack.

And if you are lucky you'll find a just a few others who go along at
about your pace and they become your friends because its never necessary
to win over them, and you'll know why.

Occasionally, you'll pass a female who is worth slowing a little for,
and if she's attracted to you she'll try to keep up, and that's a
natural response that probably goes back millions of years to the first
versions of running humans. So men would be fools to make their women
run all day with them; better to leave them behind some days so they'd
invent things like clothes, and cooking, and child raising.

And I don't take a mobile phone with me on rides. I don't have a mobile
phone.


I wouldn't be without my mobile, particularly on these country rides.
We used mobiles every day to coordinate the lunch stop.

d

" wrote:

The problem with all of this is that Andre is absolutely as apt with
tubes as he is with bicycles - he might purchase something nice - or
state that he does (has anyone actually seen the latest claim with
both Andre and a recent newspaper front page for verification? Or just
the photo-shopped brochure shots?), but the efforts of his own hands
are far less worthwhile - as is amply and regularly demonstrated by
his posts. Now, a question to the cycle group(s): Does Andre force his
tube drivel on you there as well, or does he spare you?

Bargain: Andre keeps his cycling habits to cycles and those interested
thereto and I spare you all the cross-posting.

Thanks in advance!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

In the absense of much thought provoking posting about tube craft from
yourself, or anyone else, I would propose that all those present remain
tolerant while some mention is made of the changes in weather and of
cycling expeditions on roads hopefully free of ice, or not so hot that
one tyres get stuck in the tar.

Spring is sprung,
The sun is riz,
I wonder where
de birdies iz.

Please come out of your hibernation and don't remain grumpy old bear
forever.

Patrick Turner.