Bridge the Gap

Why NCLB inhibits STEM education

2011-09-19T14:07:00.000-04:00

There is no denying that we need to better prepare students for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and to better prepare those who enter other fields for a more technologically complex world. However, with all of the talk of "school reform", it seems that the more things change the more they stay the same. For example, I am yet to hear of anyone at the Federal level call for more systematic NCLB reform. The rhetoric is focused solely on reauthorization, with changes (but with the same or similar accountability model). With continued calls to tie this accountability to school funding http://bit.ly/qoH8oU and the Education Secretary's Blueprint for Reform, it would appear that any rewrite will look much the same as our current broken legislation. In a recent report released by the National Research Council (see below), NCLB impact is clearly seen 1) Elementary schools reported spending an average of 178 minutes per week on science, 323 minutes on math, and 3) 503 minutes on English/language arts. 2) In California, 80% of k-5th grade teachers who are responsible for teaching science reported spending 60 minutes or less per week and 16% spent no time at all. And it was noted that this survey may, in fact, over-estimate the time spent on science since those who responded are more likely to be engaged in science instruction. I am certainly not suggesting that math and English/language arts are not important, but what I am calling for is a more balanced approach. We can call on schools to produce more students ready for STEM careers, but until we show that we truly value science, technology, and engineering we are not going to see any systemic changes.

National Research Council. (2011). Successful k-12 STEM Education: Identifying Effective Approaches in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Committee on Highly Successful Science Programs for k-12 Science Education. Board on Science Education and Board on Testing and Assessment, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Say what?

2011-04-15T13:32:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I just don't get it. Once again Secretary Duncan makes a statement that just doesn't match something he stated earlier (maybe, if he would have had more standardized tests in school he would see how his logic just doesn't seem to make sense!).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagogeek/4333114156/sizes/l/

"U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will talk about the importance of arts instruction and its impact on learning ..."

-ED.gov

Say what? Secretary Duncan will talk about the importance of the arts in instruction! This, from the guy who said "proposed incentive plans must "use fair and transparent evaluations based on multiple measures including student growth." in Newsweek and didn't have a problem with the LA Times publishing teacher names and ranking them based on standardized test scores.

but hey, he's only enforcing the Administration's agenda, right?

"Now that Obama lives in the White House, he seems to have developed a certain fondess for some of the key concepts of NCLB that essentially doomed it to fail: the high-stakes standardized testing regime, the punishment for the lowest-achieving schools, the arbitrary deadlines for success."

-Washington Post

I tweeted this out a week or so ago and asked how the US Dept. of Education would assess the "effectiveness" of art teachers in this model? The best response "How well the bubbles are colored in!"

It's the Least Wonderful Time of the Year : (

2011-03-24T09:26:00.000-04:00

Aaaahhh! It seems spring has arrived here in North Carolina and that can only mean one thing for public school kids all over the state...no not spring break....End of Grade Testing!!

Thanks to NCLB, we are forcing creativity and critical thinking right out of our classrooms in favor of discrete pieces of disconnected knowledge or "choosing the best answer" (as though there's only one plausible answer).

Our nation, to a large degree, is obsessed with the standardized test, yet I am still unable to locate a job where you are asked to fill in a bubble sheet with the correct answer to a problem. You expect this obsession from the so-called "reformers" (Bill Gates, etc.), most of whom neither attended nor worked in a public school (yet know all of the solutions to the problems). But, what is truly disheartening is when our own Secretary of Education, Senators, and even the President himself extol the virtues and value of standardized test scores.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/5422793573/

What do these tests really tell us? Are they really an accurate representation of what a child has learned over the course of a year? Maybe. Can their performance be solely attributed to the work of their teacher or school? Definitely not. We treat children as though they are products assembled in schools by teachers, but in reality children are complex, social beings, with a wide range of talents, motivations, abilities, and experiences. All of these factors must be considered when we look at the education of children. Shouldn't be be expected to educate the whole child?

What has made America unique as a nation has always been our ability to innovate and it has been through innovation and creativity that we as a nation have ensured our status as the strongest, most agile economy. By limiting what (Reading/Writing & Math) and how our children learn (drill and practice, rote memorization) to the exclusion other topics (arts, science, social studies) and strategies (collaborative learning, inquiry based learning) we are developing a generation of children who are not taught the value of creativity, innovation, and problem solving.

A standardized test is nothing more than a snapshot in time of what a child might or might not know. My issue is not with testing per se, it is with all of the ancillary issues that come with the testing. We talk at length about the value of time in schools. Instructional time, the length of the school day and school year, time lost due to distractions, etc., but we never talk about lost instructional time due to test prep! In some instances we are losing as much as a month in preparation for testing. We place entirely too much time and emphasis on testing.

To make matters worse we have elected (and appointed) officials calling for higher stakes testing. Senator Lieberman wants to tie federal dollars to teacher evaluation that is based predominantly on student test scores (http://www.ctmirror.org/story/11847/liebermanteacherevalutions) and both Secretary Duncan and President Obama calling for a greater emphasis on "teacher effectiveness" as measured by student test score gains (I wonder if President Obama completed a multiple choice quiz before deciding to commit the US military to Libya or if a multiple choice test he took in school helped him arrive at his decision).

As far as I can tell we are the only nation who is this test obsessed (with the highest achieving nations following a very different model, Finland, Singapore). The highest achieving nations respect their teachers as professionals and pay them accordingly. This respect for professionalism includes additional planning and collaboration time. Time which can be used to develop authentic assessments, which more accurately portray what a students know and can do.

Until we decide to elevate the status of the profession in a similar fashion we are likely to remain on the same track...I just hope there's a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train coming the other way.

It's little wonder that the average teacher leaves the profession after just 3 short years...would you stay?

First Day of the New Blog

2011-03-21T12:23:00.000-04:00

A New Day

So, I've decided that it is time for me to "go all in". I have either taught public school or been involved in the preparation of public school teachers for 15 years now and think the time has come for me to dedicate some time and energy to voicing my opinions to those outside of my family.

On Friday, I participated in a local newspaper interview with a faculty member in my college about the links between poverty and education. Overall, we both felt really good about the outcome (but we'll have to wait until the article appears before making a final decision). How fitting then to log into my Twitter account and see this quote by Joel Klein (Former NYC Schools Chancellor) " They have it backwards. We're never going to fix poverty until we fix education".

My first thought was exactly....then I realized my mistake...

This is not and if-then equation!!! These issues are related, but "fixing" education will not fix poverty, poverty is much too complex an issue, there are both systemic and systematic factors that contribute to poverty. The United States has the highest rates for childhood poverty in the industrialized world (23% of children in 2007). It is a question of basic needs, if you live in poverty and can not have your basic needs met (food, shelter, safety) it is terribly difficult to learn.

I'm sure it's much easier to to be glib about the relationship between poverty and education when you leave a position that pays $250,000 (http://nymag.com/guides/salary/14497/index5.html) for one that pays $2 million (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-04/news-corp-s-klein-gets-2-million-a-year-salary-1-million-signing-bonus.html).

MS 150!

2010-09-15T17:20:00.022-04:00

Had a great 100 miles on Day 1, finishing in 5 hours and 17 minutes. The weather was very cooperative with overcast skies and temperature in the 80's. Were it not for the wind it might have been a perfect cycling day. I had the good fortune of riding in groups most of the day and when there wasn't a group I was paired with at least one other rider (making the work a little easier...sometimes a lot easier depending on the wind).

MS 150 Day 1

Day 2 was a different story....I slept in a little (6:00 am) since I didn't have to register or anything and I knew my bike and everything was in order for the start. I woke up to find that it had rained all night and the forecast called for passing showers all morning into the early afternoon. Thankfully, the hotel had breakfast set up when I arrive downstairs (I left too early the day before) so at least I was able to get some food before leaving for a long, wet day of riding. When I got the the event I learned that the 100 and 30 mile options were canceled and only the 50 and 75 (which was actually 80) miles were available (if you were going to ride the 30, you could ride the 50 and they would drive you back to the start from the 30 mile rest stop). So, I met up with the guy I had ridden with the day before and headed out for our 80 mile journey.

MS 150 Day 2

The weather was poor with off and on light rain, but thankfully it mostly cleared away by noon. The riding, however, was great! After my massage on Saturday I felt fantastic, legs were loose and strong, and I had a ton of energy. Despite feeling really good we initially, decided we would take it a little "easy" and only average between 17 and 18 mph, but we had a few nice large groups to ride in and spent several miles averaging 20+! Despite the strong wind, wet roads, and light rain we ended up finishing the ride in 4 hours and 27 minutes (just under 19 mph) (my finishing photo was taken from about 1 mile from the finish).

MS 150 Day 2

Even with the weather issues it was a fantastic 2 days of riding. I had the opportunity to ride with some great people and was able to raise $600 for MS! Thanks again to all of you who donated to the cause!

I am really looking forward to this coming weekend and my next ride!

If you are interested there's still time to donate I have another ride this weekend!

Ride Without Limits:
http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2010Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1180

Days to Ride Without Limits: 3
Total Miles in 2010: 1028
Total Miles Blogged: 3395

One last ride...

2010-09-10T07:46:00.000-04:00

Another 18 miles yesterday morning before work. I feel like I should be in great shape for tomorrow...but we'll see.

There's still time to donate

Ride Without Limits:
http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2010Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1180
or
MS 150:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NCTBikeEvents?px=8613105&pg=personal&fr_id=13428

Days to MS 150: 1
Days to Ride Without Limits: 8
Total Miles in 2010: 848
Total Miles Blogged: 3215

A true "Labor" day weekend

2010-09-08T13:50:00.000-04:00

3 days, 140 miles....so how did you spend your weekend?

The real countdown has begun, with less than one week until the first big ride!

I was hoping to knock out about 100 miles this weekend, but had the good fortune of being able to ride all 3 days and added an additional 40 miles to my goal.

Saturday, I left the house at about 6:15 am (It's definitely getting cooler out in the morning) and rode 40 miles before returning home to refill my water bottles and eat a snack. After that short break it was back out on the road for another 20 miles.

Madeline's new bike!

Sunday, I went out around 1:00 pm, great weather again, but somewhat windy, and was able to log another 30 miles. The highlight of Sunday was when a deer darted to the edge of the road, got within 6 or 8 feet of me and turned and ran. I was on a slight downhill at the time doing about 25 mph, so if it hadn't turned, it would have been quite the accident (and maybe story). When I returned home, Madeline and Megan wanted to bike ride so we went out for 2 trips around our neighborhood (each trip is about 1 mile). Madeline on her new bike, I can't believe she's outgrown her last bike already : ( and Megan on her first "long" and hilly post-training wheel ride : )

Monday, I was back at it again at 6:15 for another 50 miles, this time all in one shot with no return home for snacks or water bottle refills. Once again saw a few deer at the entrance to my neighborhood as well as some wild turkeys crossing the road in Franklin County!

So, last week I set a goal of 130 miles before the MS ride and was able to ride 140 over the weekend, now it looks like one more short ride will be "icing on the cake" but either way I definitely feel prepared for this weekend. My goals for the rides are to finish each day in 6 hours of less (time in the saddle) and a total time of less than 24 hours, which means I need to average just under 18 mph for the 2 combined rides. I'll post an update at the conclusion of each day

Again, I want to thank all of who have already donated!

If anyone would still like to donate:

Ride Without Limits:
http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2010Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1180
or
MS 150:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NCTBikeEvents?px=8613105&pg=personal&fr_id=13428

Days to MS 150: 3
Days to Ride Without Limits: 10
Total Miles in 2010: 830
Total Miles Blogged: 3197

Another day, Another 18 miles...

2010-09-02T14:50:00.003-04:00

Had a great ride today before work...waited with the girls at the bus stop and once they were loaded up I set off for a quick 18 mile ride. I love when I can see my fitness level getting back to where I expect it to be. When you have good days on the bike it is definitely extremely addictive! I feel like I could head out again for another 18+ this afternoon, but I'll just have to wait until the weekend. The plan is to take tomorrow off with the expectation that I will ride at least 100 miles this weekend. I am shooting for 50+ on Saturday and another 50+ on Sunday (with Monday available if something comes up). But ideally with 100 this weekend and another 30 or so next week I should definitely be ready for next weekend.

If anyone would still like to donate:

Ride Without Limits:
http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2010Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1180

or

MS 150:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NCTBikeEvents?px=8613105&pg=personal&fr_id=13428

Days to MS 150: 9
Days to Ride Without Limits: 16
Total Miles in 2010: 690
Total Miles Blogged: 3057

Amazing!

2010-09-01T15:10:00.001-04:00

First, I need to express my extreme gratitude to my friends and colleagues who, within a 3 hour period, donated enough money for me to accomplish my fundraising goals for both rides! Amazing, in that three hour span $650 was raised for MS and CP!

Now, the pressure is really on....with the money in place, now I need to do my part and finish the rides...but first, I need to do a little more training.
I am thinking that I need to get in about 160 miles between now and the MS 150 (Sept. 11). That means I need 2 weekdays each week with about 15 miles and a 100 mile weekend. Anything more than the 160 I'll take as a bonus. The good news is that I logged 17 miles Tuesday morning and am hoping for another 18 or so tomorrow morning. We'll have to wait and see.

If anyone would still like to donate:
Ride Without Limits:
http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2010Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1180

or

MS 150:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NCTBikeEvents?px=8613105&pg=personal&fr_id=13428

Days to MS 150: 10
Days to Ride Without Limits: 17
Total Miles in 2010: 672
Total Miles Blogged: 3039

Only a 65 mile weekend : (

2010-08-30T11:50:00.004-04:00

I had hoped for an 80 mile weekend, but ran out of both time and energy....I was able to log 30 miles on Friday afternoon (a nice route with several big hills), but only 35 miles on Saturday (only 5 miles longer but much hillier with nearly 2000 ft. of climbs, link).

Why am I getting nervous, you might ask? Because in just 2 short weeks I will be heading to New Bern, NC for the MS 150 (where I am going to ride 100 miles on Saturday and 100 miles on Sunday) and one week after that I will be riding over 200 miles for the Easter Seals/UPC Ride Without Limits.

This will be my 3rd year participating in the Ride Without Limits, a fantastic ride (see prior blog posts) that begins in Wake Forest (not far from my home) and heads North and West. This year the ride will be extended a few miles north and actually cross over into Virginia! for a total of 112 miles per day.

This will be my first year participating in the MS 150. I have had friends ride this event in the past and have heard nothing but great things about the event. This route will be significantly different from the Easter Seals ride (it is nearly entirely flat and windy).

These are two great organizations that benefit children and adults in North Carolina and throughout the United States. I thoroughly enjoy (as grueling as it is) donating my time and some money to support both causes. I hope you will consider it too.

If you are interested in donating to one or both of these events please visit my fundraising pages:

Ride Without Limits: http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2010Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1180

or

MS 150: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NCTBikeEvents?px=8613105&pg=personal&fr_id=13428

Days to MS 150: 12
Days to Ride Without Limits: 19
Total Miles in 2010: 655
Total Miles Blogged: 3022

Please Forgive Me!

2010-07-20T16:16:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been 250 miles since my last confession (er..blog post). In the last 3 months (since my last post) I have had a few (far too few) rides either alone or with a group and 2 organized charity rides.

On April 24th, I rode the Tour of Grace with a few friends. It turned out to be a great day of riding. It was only a little windy and the course was not very difficult. We started from Louisburg College and headed south and then east into Franklinton before turning north and finally south again to complete a large loop. We rode a total of 54 miles with about 1600 feet of climbing. The temperature ranged from the upper 60's and into the 70's as the day wore on with wind at about 10 mph. So overall, one of the easier days of riding. A very nice way to start the season.

My second organized ride was the Duke Multiple Myeloma Metric, held in Durham NC. It was a grueling 66 mile ride with nearly 3000 feet of climbing. The weather made the ride slightly more difficult with temperatures ranging from 80's into the low 90's and only light wind. The fun of the ride really started for me at mile 13 when I dropped my chain the first time and then again at mile 25...this, of course, was followed by a flat on mile 35 (going uphill also). Fixing the flat helped me to realize that my back brakes were also broken!!!!! (I know, this is starting to sound like one of those "If you give a pig a pancake" books!) And some of you wonder why I enjoy cycling so much!!! Even with the dropped chains, flat, and tough ride I still really enjoyed my day on the road...I brought my bike to the shop later that afternoon (and it is killing me that I still don't have it back) for a tune-up, new tires, and a new crank (I wore out the existing one which led to my dropped chain issue).

Miles in 2010: 480
Total Miles Blogged: 2,847

WIND!

2010-04-20T12:44:00.003-04:00

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” - William Arthur Ward.

I think it should be added "and the cyclist just pedals right on through it."

Sunday was my single longest ride of the new season at 40 miles. It certainly felt good to get out on the road again, but the constant battle with the wind took quite a bit of energy out of me. According to the online weather almanac, the winds were constant at 9.2 mph and gusting up to 16.4 mph. I think only T.Boone Pickens could love a day like this...

I have certainly written before about my disdain for the wind (while cycling) so Sunday was no exception. I am definitely hoping that 40 miles into the wind (mostly, or at least that's what it felt like) will help my fitness for Saturday's 53 miles in Louisburg. The Tour de Grace looks like it is going to be a pretty nice ride through scenic/rural North Carolina...and trying to recreate their map in bikely (to the best of my visual ability) leads me to believe it will be about 1650 ft. of climbing over the 53 miles.

At this point I'll just have to wait and hope for the best. Although, as Bob Dylan said "The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind".

Days to Tour of Grace: 4
Miles in 2010: 230
Total Miles Blogged: 2,597

Spring has Sprung...Here come the bugs : (

2010-04-13T17:41:00.000-04:00

Spring has certainly arrived here in North Carolina. The weather was fantastic on Saturday (80 degrees, slight breeze) for riding. I was able to knock out a nice 28 miles, which included some nice hills as I prepare for my ride at the end of the month. Definitely more cars that I would have liked, but that's certainly how it goes (as long as the idiot's are kept to a minimum I'm alright, which includes the Minivan road warriors).

Just as an aside, you do not look any cooler in your minivan if you put flames on the side...your minivan is not fast (no matter how fast you bolt from a red light)...and (being a former minivan driver I know this to be true) you never look cool in a minivan no matter how much you try. Why the aside, you might ask? Because the worst drivers on the road are people in minivans (especially guys trying to be cool) and those in minivans and SUV's on cell phones...just because you drive some large, earth-destroying vehicle you do not own the road.

But I digress...It was a great day for riding...except for the BUGS! On one 28 mile ride I was hit in the face with no less than 6 flying insects! Certainly a good reminder to keep my mouth shut while riding, which incidentally improves my fitness (at least that's what I tell myself) although those bugs, if ingested, could be some potentially much needed protein on a long ride : )
So, aside from feeling like Jim Carey in Me, Myself, and Irene...it was a really great day to ride.

Days to Tour of Grace: 11
Miles in 2010: 190
Total Miles Blogged: 2,557

The start of another great season!

2010-04-05T16:46:00.000-04:00

Well, the riding is certainly picking up:

January = 1 ride (25 miles), 2 runs (7 miles)
February = 0 rides, 1 run (2 miles)
March = 4 rides (78 miles), 2 runs (5 miles)
April = 2 rides (45 miles already)

Usually, the warm weather rides are also a little more interesting as well.

On Saturday while riding through Youngsville (as part of my 24 mile ride) I came across an interesting sight...parked on the side of the road was one of their police cars like any respectable citizen, I slowed down as I got closer, not really to help mind you but rather to "rubber neck"....What was he actually doing?
SHOPPING AT A YARD SALE!

Easter Sunday was another great cycling day...what could be better than eating a bunch of candy and then heading out for a bike ride? Could not have asked for better conditions, the weather was warm and the traffic was light, the hardest part of the ride was keeping the sunscreen out of my eyes (if I don't sunscreen my bald head I end up with some very funny stripes on in from sunburn). The great conditions and light traffic did allow me to figure out just how fast I could go through a roundabout. I was heading down a hill in Wake Forest that leads to the roundabout, doing about 31 mph when I entered it and quickly figured out that the max was about 21 mph....hit the brakes pretty hard, averted disaster and continued on (it would have been really hard to explain to everyone how I fell and broke my collarbone/wrist/arm falling in a roundabout by going too fast).

All in all it was a great 2 days of riding, I finally feel like my fitness might be coming back and can't wait to get back out on the road, which is always a good sign. I have my first organized ride coming up at the end of the month, the Tour of Grace, in Franklin County which should be a great 53 miles (if the weather holds out) and I am also planning on 2 "big" rides this year, the Ride without Limits again and new this year the MS 150 (which will be over 400 miles of cycling in 4 days for both events). My goal for the year will be to ride 2010 miles (as suggested by my wife) which will be a big improvement from last year (1035 miles)!

Days to Tour of Grace: 18
Miles in 2010: 162
Total Miles Blogged: 2,529

2009 Recap

2010-03-23T09:16:00.017-04:00

My 2009 cycling season culminated with 2 days and 206 miles of rolling hills from Wake Forest to Stovall, NC and Wake Forest to north of Satterwhite, NC. On Sept. 19^th, I completed day one of the Ride without Limits, 104 miles in under 5 hours and 45 minutes (3^rd rider to finish). Day 2 consisted of 102 miles, which I finished in under 6 hours (2^nd rider to finish). This is the second year that I have participated in this event and both years have been fantastic! This is absolutely the best supported ride I have ever been on and thanks to the generosity of many individuals, I was able to raise over $650 for Easter Seals/UCP!

On an unfortunate note, this ended up being my last ride of the season due to schedule issue and consistently bad weather (I definitely do not remember this much snow in the Raleigh area). I am planning on a better start and finish to 2010 though!

· Total Miles Blogged: 2,367

· Miles in 2009: 1035

A long time...no blog!

2009-09-16T13:47:00.012-04:00

It's been quite difficult trying to find time to blog lately...but since my last post I have ridden 314 miles. Most of the miles were pretty routine, but they do include 70 at Bikefest and 4 with Madeline (her first extended ride outside of our neighborhood) and one 35 mile ride where I was nearly hit by, not 1 but 2 Wake County School Buses (the second of which I caught at a railroad crossing and gave a piece of my mind).

BikeFest was great! The weather really cooperated in the morning as it was mostly cool and overcast. It didn't start to heat up until very late in the ride, which made it a very nice 70 miles. Rode with my 2 usual riding partners (Gooch, left in Michigan jersey and Adam, right in Carolina jersey). There are a lot of other great pictures linked to the TarWheels site here for those intersted in some great scenery (including some with folks on horses and in horse-drawn carts!). What made the ride even better was that we were able to hold a nice high pace nearly the entire time (as hilly as it is) because there was plenty of paceline riding (we usually were in groups ranging in size from about 6 to 16 riders).

The other highlight of the month was my ride with Madeline. With Cyclocross season only a month away (schedule) I have just begun to take that bike out of the garage and out on the road. Madeline has decided that she would like to race in the youth category (under 10) at the first race in Cary at Bond Park. Here's a nice short video of the course in Cary. She and I went out and did a combination of on and off-road riding (including 2 falls on some rough terrain) and she handled every minute of it fantastically. I think I might be as excited as she is about getting to ride together and her competing in some races.

Before I get to cyclocross season though...I have my biggest ride of the season this weekend! Ride without Limits is this weekend and I am looking forward to the 102 mile Saturday and 101 mile Sunday. Now for the bad news....I brought my bike to the shop for a tune-up and some bar tape on Monday...only to find out that I also need a new chain and rear cassette (why does cycling have to be so expensive)! It will really be nice to ride a freshly tuned bike this weekend though...I am really hoping the weather cooperates. Last year it was cold and windy, this year it will not be cold (the ride is a month earlier) but it might rain (and as most folks know, I really do not like to ride in the rain). I'll be sure to blog the ride early next week!

Fundraising Update:

Thanks to all of you who have already contributed to my fundraising efforts and to those of you who haven't but still want to you still have a chance:

Once again this year I will be participating in the Ride without Limits (http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage) a great ride that raises money for United Cerebral Palsy. Last years event was great (a little cold) (see blog posts below) and I am definitely looking forward to it again.If you are interested in donating, please go to the link below:http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2009Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1160

Days to the Ride without Limits: 3
Total Miles Blogged: 2,161
Miles in 2009: 829

A Fauna-Filled Ride

2009-08-05T14:01:00.006-04:00

A very interesting 40 mile ride on Monday including a number of climbs (to prep for BikeFest). I was able to get a good, challenging ride in between camp dropoff and pickup's, doctor appointments, and Tae Kwon Do! A while ago, I told Catherine that I saw a wild turkey (are there tame/demosticated turkeys?) around the corner from our house...of course she didn't believe me! Well, a few weeks ago I snapped this picture of the turkey (of course I am assuming it is the same one) with my phone. As I turned out of the neighborhood, I saw that turkey again, only this time she also had flock of about 5 or 6 babies with her. They are actually kind of neat looking...not necessarily cute, kind of an awkward looking little bird.

I figured this would be the animal highlight of the ride...but not to be outdone, once again I saw 3 deer not very far from the road. Deer always tend to freak me out a little, I am sure you have seen the damage they can do to a car, so imagine what kind of damage they can do to a person on a bike should they get spooked.

Once again, since it was late morning and quite hot, I figured that would be all of the animal sightings for the day...but wait there's one more...and I hope someone can explain this one to me! On the border of Wake and Granville County, link here, I saw a DEAD FISH on the road! If you look at the map there are a few ponds/lakes in the area...but how exactly does a fish end up on the road? Did someone decide at the last minute they didn't want fish for dinner? Is it illegal to carry fish across county line?

No post is ever complete with the Fundraising Update:

Thank You to all of those who have already donated to the cause! It is greatly appreciated! In fact...I have made the honorable mention list (for donations received for individual riders) with 63% of my goal accomplished. It is important to note that my original goal was $250, and I raised it to $500.

Days to BikeFest: 2
Weeks to the Ride without Limits training ride: 4
Weeks to the Ride without Limits: 8
Total Miles Blogged: 1,847
Miles in 2009: 515

Dogs & Bikes don't mix!

2009-07-28T15:06:00.013-04:00

Well, 3 days of riding to report on...two of the three were very uneventful, 22 miles on Friday and 19 miles on Tuesday without incident. Saturday, however is another story.

What started as a great day of riding quickly changed to fear (a little, followed by a lot of anger) and then exhaustion. I left the house with my neighbor at 7:30 for a "quick" 28 miles and rode almost to Franklinton before turning and heading back to Wake Forest. We rode a few really nice climbs on the way into Franklinton and saw 7 deer (of various sizes and ages) while encountering very light traffic (always a plus, especially in rural North Carolina where they don't always take to lycra clad guys on bikes!). We finished the ride in about 1.5 hours and I swung back by my house to refill one of my water bottles and eat a sandwich before heading out for another 30+ miles on my own.

Unfortunately, all of the "fun" started at around mile 35. While on my way to Youngsville I was riding down Old Wake Forest Rd (a route I routinely ride) and saw a dog out of the corner of my eye. It only took a minute for me to realize he was coming after me, so I tried my usual "SIT!" (story here) but unfortunately it didn't work...not only did the dog not stop, it didn't bark either (usually a really bad sign). I began sprinting as fast as I could and very quickly was riding over 25 mph, but the dog just seemed to be gaining on me (I couldn't belive how fast he was). About 1/3 of the way through the chase I began riding in the middle of the road, 1/2 through the chase I moved to the other side of the road (not recommended as it is really dangerous) and just beyond that a car nearly hit the dog (and to be honest, I was hoping it would). Finally, the car that nearly hit the dog pulled over and started yelling at the dog. At that point I think the owner (who was in the field where the dog came from, I think) caught up to it in a truck finally got it to stop chasing me. I mapped the chase here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/331052, in all I sprinted (along with the dog) for 1/2 mile. Not only could I not believe how fast the dog was, but I couldn't believe how far he ran. Once the chase was over, and my arms and legs stopped shaking from the mix of adrenaline and sprinting, I was really angry. I think it is not only irresponsible to leave dogs like that untethered, it is dangerous and illegal. Maybe I need to add a new cycling partner (would a Michael Vick joke be in poor taste here)?

After the chase, I still had about 20 more miles to ride! Thankfully, the rest of the ride was fine, though had it not been for the dog, my legs probably could have handled at least another 10 miles (I need all of the distance and hills I can get to be prepared for BikeFest).

No post is ever complete with the Fundraising Plug:
Once again this year I will be participating in the Ride without Limits (http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage) a great ride that raises money for United Cerebral Palsy. Last years event was great (a little cold) (see blog posts below) and I am definitely looking forward to it again.If you are interested in donating, please go to the link below:http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2009Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1160

Thank You to all of those who have already donated to the cause! It is greatly appreciated!

Weeks to BikeFest: 2
Weeks to the Ride without Limits training ride: 4
Weeks to the Ride without Limits: 8
Total Miles Blogged: 1,807
Miles in 2009: 475

Lawn Mowers are Dangerous!

2009-07-21T14:12:00.013-04:00

I spent Sunday morning cutting the grass (which by the way looks great since we put in the zoysia sod), pulling weeds, and planting two bushes. I didn't really think much of it until I went out for a nice 19 mile ride (normally an easy outing, even though it is about 1000 ft. of climbing on the route) that afternoon. I thought that even after a week off of the bike (vacation) my fitness level would still be pretty high. But what started off as a nice ride turned into what felt like a climb up the Col du Galibier!

Apparently several hours of grass cutting, weed pulling, and bush planting will make your legs tired! I am hoping for a redemption ride during the week and looking forward to a long ride this weekend, maybe the cup n' cone (67 miles, 2750 ft. of climbing), but will shoot for a 50 mile day either way on Saturday.

I am open to suggestions for my grass cutting, weed pulling situation,

I'm thinking one of these two options might be best:

The Ever-Present Fundraising Plug:

Days to the cup n cone training ride: 4
Weeks to BikeFest: 3
Weeks to the Ride without Limits 9
Total Miles Blogged: 1,708
Miles in 2009: 376

Firecracker 2009

2009-07-06T09:32:00.004-04:00

Fantastic day of riding on Saturday. The weather cooperated, good riding partner, and plenty of paceline riding. A friend from work and I joined 400+ others for the Firecracker ride in Cary NC on a 64 mile ride:
The Spin Cycle 4th of July Firecracker - 100 km
Find more Bike Rides in Cary, North Carolina
Completed the ride in 3 hr. 45 min (ride time) and averaged just above 18 mph for the ride. This was my first "long" ride in a while and it really felt great to get back out and log some miles.
(I shouldn't forget to mention that I ran 4 miles on Friday!)

Gratuitous Fundraising Plug:
Once again this year I will be participating in the Ride without Limits (http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage) a great ride that raises money for United Cerebral Palsy. Last years event was great (a little cold) (see blog posts below) and I am definitely looking forward to it again.
If you are interested in donating, please go to the link below:
http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2009Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1160

Of course I am already looking forward to the next long ride! Hopefully, it will be one of the following 2:

Days to the RWL 102 mile training ride: 18
Weeks to BikeFest: 5
Weeks to the Ride without Limits 11
Total Miles Blogged: 1,689
Miles to go in 2009: 4,643

Rim Tape!

2009-07-02T11:47:00.004-04:00

Finally a flat-free ride! It seems that my streak of flats was due to the tiniest of holes in the rim tape. They guy at the bike shop had to match the holes in the two tubes I brought him to the space on the wheel where the holes were occurring and found a small spot where a spoke was poking through, popping my tire each time. So after spending about $25+ dollars on tubes it was the $3 rim tape that I really needed. I was able to log 20 miles yesterday so I shouldn't complain too much. Left the house at about 6:00 pm and it was still about 90 degrees, although the wind was much worse than the temperature. The wind was blowing at about 15 mph and gusting at 20, making my uphill climb into the wind slightly difficult (to say the least). Overall, it was a great ride, probably because it was finally flat free, but also the number of maniacs on the road was at a minimum. Ran on Tuesday and am looking forward to another run Friday morning. My legs will determine whether I ride 60 or 30 at the Firecracker.

Days to the Firecracker 2
Weeks to the Ride without Limits 12
Total Miles Blogged: 1,621
Miles to go in 2009: 4,711

I HATE FLATS!!!!!!!

2009-06-30T12:45:00.004-04:00

How many flat tire's can one person endure? I dropped my bike off at the shop (again!) to have my rear wheel looked at after 2 more flats yesterday (in only 11 miles), now bringing my grand total to 7 straight flats!!!!! Fortunately (or unfortunately, I'm not sure which) I also started running, so at least now I still continue to get some exercise when my bike is out of commission, even though I can always ride my cyclocross bike. Over the past two weeks I have run a total of about 15 miles and biked about 29, not quite the ratio I was hoping for! This Saturday will be my first group/supported ride in a while and I am really lookin forward to it. This will be the 3rd or 4th time I have ridden the Firecracker (http://www.capcycling.org/events-fireCracker.php) and have really enjoyed it. We are only planning on riding the 50 k (about 33 miles, 700 feet of climbing) so it should'nt be too tough, although it is supposed to be hot. It will be nice to finally get back to some more serious mileage (as long as my tire's hold out!) and I am looking forward to riding a few metrics (100k rides) before the Ride without Limits in September.

Days to the Firecracker 4
Weeks to the Ride without Limits 12
Total Miles Blogged: 1,598
Miles to go in 2009: 4,735

Back in the Saddle!!! or should it be on the saddle?

2009-06-04T13:18:00.003-04:00

Finally!!! After more than a month off the bike, I was able to get a ride in. After multiple sets of stitches in my back over the past few months (18 stitches in 3 layers in the last set), I am finally healed enough to get back on my bike. On Saturday, I was able to put in 18 miles (not bad for taking all that time off) but my fitness has definitely decreased. That 18 miles felt like 30!

If you are interested in donating, please go to the link below:

http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/TR/2009Ride/General?px=1104841&pg=personal&fr_id=1160

Total Miles Blogged: 1,554
Miles to go in 2009: 4,779

What's worse Dogs or School Buses?

2009-03-02T10:36:00.012-05:00

3.2.09:

Well, had a great 27 mile ride on Friday...great that is, except for the dog hanging out the car window and the school bus. About 8 miles into my ride, headed toward Youngsville, a car passed me with a dog hanging out the window who proceeded to bark like crazy at me as the car came up along side me. Needless to say, I nearly fell off of my bike! I would like to quietly walk up behind people who have dogs like that in a mall as they are strolling along and then scream in their ear "I'm right next to you!!!!" as I walk past them! It's not that I dislike dogs (I like my sisters dogs, my brothers dogs, and my sister-in-law's dog), I dislike dogs that do not mix with bikes or owners who lack control of their dogs. What's worse (maybe) than dogs who chase bikes or bark from windows...school buses perhaps? School bus drivers might be the most dangerous drivers on the road (more dangerous than the make putting-on, cell phone talking, coffee drinking, soccer moms in SUV's and the proving their masculinity speeding mini-van driving dads, with the racing stripes (or flames) on the minivan). Toward the end of my ride I was passed by the usual caravan of school buses returning to their schools when I was illegally and dangerously passed by Wake County Public School Bus 1012 returning to Wake Forest Rolesville Middle School. I am wondering who exactly are these bus drivers? I can't decide between Chris Farley from Billy Madison (Right) and Otto form the Simpsons (Left). I decided not to pull into the school parking lot or call the school system to inform the bus supervisor (from what I have heard they receive a number of complaints about school bus drivers, but could not do anything about it because of the lack of drivers, I do hope however, that the economy changes that) and instead I plan on posting the bus numbers each time I encounter one of them doing something dangerous or illegal. Even with all of the craziness I still can't wait to get back on the road (maybe that's what makes cycling so much fun?)

Total Miles Blogged: 1,506
Miles to go in 2009: 4,827

Whitecaps on the Lake!!

2009-02-23T08:58:00.007-05:00

2.22.09
Had a great 36 mile ride yesterday (with 4 others). We left Cary at about 1:45 or so and had a great ride out into Chatham County and around Jordan Lake (pictured, though this is not what it looked like yesterday!). It was about 50 degrees when we left the house but the wind was incredible...gusting between 27 - 30 mph and blowing steadily between 13 - 18 mph (hour by hour accounting of the weather). The bad thing about the wind is that 75% of the time it is negatively impacting your ride (crosswinds are definitely worse than headwinds, and you get those about 50% of the time). Several times I felt like the wind was going to blow me right off of one of the bridges and into the lake (those of you who know me well know how what a great swimmer I am)!!! I can only hope that the weather is better next month when we group ride out of Wake Forest.

Total Miles Blogged: 1,479
Miles to go in 2009: 4,854

Disgusting...but Necessary!!

2009-02-13T11:07:00.012-05:00

2.13.09: Had a great 32 mile ride this morning. Left Wake Forest, up through Youngsville and into Granville County before heading back toward home. The wind definitely picked up around mile 18 or so and I spent a good portion of the return battling the wind! On my way to Youngsville I got a nice (sarcasm is so difficult online) view of some turkey vultures feasting on the Opossum du Jour. While they are quite ugly to look at, I am sure glad they keep the roads fairly clean, plus I think opossum's are definitely uglier!!!!

Total Miles Blogged: 1,443
Miles to go in 2009: 4,890

Finally!!!!!

2009-01-30T15:49:00.004-05:00

It has been a long time since my last post...it took more than a month for my back to finally stop hurting after the cyclocross fall in November, the weather wasn't all that helpful either. I have been able to get 3 rides in this month so far (still well below my average in terms of the number of rides and distances), but I am hoping for good weather and time. I was able to ride in WF on the 4th and 11th, 20 and 30 miles respectively and had the good fortune of riding with my 2 of my friends in Hillsborough last sunday (about 28 miles). Not the best of days...it was about 35 degrees when we left and the route was extremely hilly. All of that time off has taken a toll on my fitness...

I have decided to set a goal of 5000 miles this year (I figure if I put it online and see it regularly I am more likely to accomplish it) Last year, I rode about 1200 miles in 5 months so it will be considerably more challenging particularly if I have any health setbacks (like my back again).

Total Miles Blogged: 1,411
Miles to go in 2009: 4,922

Cycling can be painful!!

2008-11-25T09:41:00.009-05:00

One thing I have learned about cycling is that it can be painful....some of this pain is, of course, self-inflicted and is easily dealt with. Occasionally, I will intentionally ride extra hard if I am not going to be able to ride for a while (that kind of pain or soreness is welcome) but when the pain is not self-inflicted I think it is that much worse!! At times my knee will hurt and I usually try to ride through it, knowing that the advil at home will eventually help. When I fell the second time in Southern Pines I did actually hurt myself...I landed on my back but it didn't seem to hurt very much so I thought everything was fine. I stayed off of my bike (not necessarily by choice) for a full week and was feeling pretty good. I went out for a ride on Sunday (36 miles) and had a great ride, however about 1 hour into the ride I made my first red light stop and when I stood up I felt some serious pain in my lower back. It turns out that the (somewhat) long ride really aggrevated those lower back muscles and now they are in full spasm. I went to the doctor yesterday, trying to make sure it wasn't a disc issue, and he prescribed some muscle relaxers and pain meds. I took the relaxer but will try to stay off the pain pills if I can help it. He did say I could ride when I feel up to it, but I'll probabl take at least 1 1/2 weeks off (since I would like to ride in Salisbury on Dec. 7). I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Days to Cyclocross (Salisbury): 12
Total Miles Blogged: 1,333

Finally, a chance to post!

2008-11-20T11:19:00.010-05:00

Well, it has been a while since I have had an opportunity to update the blog. I have been able to get a little bit of riding in between the RWL and this past Sunday, mostly short rides though (15 - 30 miles). I competed in my 4th cyclocross race on Sunday, the aptly named "Sandhell in the Sandhills", in Southern Pines NC. This was definitely the worst race of my short history...the course was challenging due to the abundance of sand pits (there's a reason they call that area of the state the sandhills). Not only was there sand all over the course they had a hill of sand that you had to run up with your bike!!!! After 2 falls, including one trip over the handlebars, I finished 37th, out of 38 riders. My back has been a little sore for the past few days but nothing major...so, once again I met all three of my goals. The cycclocross circuit moves to Hendersonville this weekend so unfortunately I will not be able to ride either of the two races (it is a 4 hour drive out there), should be exciting though since there is supposed to be some snow out in the mountains where the races are being held. I am hoping to race again in a few weeks (Dec. 7, Salisbury). Hopefully, I will be able to get a few rides in before then. (*These images are not of me, obviously, but they are from the actual course)

Weeks to Cyclocross (Salisbury): 2
Total Miles Blogged: 1,297

Ride without Limits - 203 miles!

2008-10-13T14:26:00.019-04:00

Finally, a chance to update my blog...first, let me thank all of you who so generously contributed to my fundraising for the Ride Without Limits. I exceeded my goal, in spite of the challenging economic times. I think it is important to remember that the fundraising challenges non-profits face are exacerbated during an uncertain economy. There were somewhere between 150 and 200 rides who participated over the two day period and the total raised was over $115,000! Here's a link to the Easter Seals/UCP of North Carolina site with a wrap-up on the event.

This was really an outstanding event, it was extremely challenging, but it was the best supported and marked ride I have ever been on.

Day 1, 102 miles, 3,130 feet of climbing, about 55 degrees, exactly 6 hours. Saturday started out cold and windy. I left the start, tried to keep a comfortable pace to warm up, and ended up riding mostly alone. What really made the ride challenging was the headwind. Overall, I felt really good throughout the ride, tried not to overwork (knowing I had another full day of riding tomorrow) and kept telling myself that once I turn around at the 50 mile mark or so I'd have a tailwind! Well, I hit the 50 mile mark, beat the lunch setup by 10 minutes, ate, and got back on the bike. Unfortunately, the front blew through and the wind changed direction. HEADWIND AGAIN...so I rode the final 53 miles into the wind. I was among the leaders most of the day, 2 guys left the lunch stop before me, I caught one of them on a hill with about 20 miles to go (he ended up finishing about 30 minutes behind me) and I finished the day second overall (5 minutes behind the first rider). After the ride, I got a nice leg/lower back massage, had some lasagna, went home and watched a movie with the girls' (who were waiting for me at one of the rest stops, doing hula hoop tricks while they waited) and prepared for Day 2. If you want to see the route...http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/216422

Day 2, 101 miles, 2493 feet of climbing, cold again, 6 hours 14 minutes. Sunday started out really cold but warmed up quite nicely (about 60 degrees for the second half of the ride). I had the great fortune of riding with two other riders most of the day so that made the work much easier to manage. Once again our first 50 miles were into the wind, but unlike Saturday the wind did not change direction and I did have a tailwind for most of the second half of the ride. We were only chased by dogs twice during the ride...seems like a little bonus since, apparently, the guys behind my group were chased about 6 times! This route was somewhat easier as we traveled nearly due north for the first 50 miles and it was definitely less hilly, the only problem was at the end of the route there were a number of hills (try climbing after having ridden over 170 miles with another 30 to go!). If you would like to see the route...http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/217969 I finished the day 3rd overall, but the two riders finishing ahead of me did not ride on Saturday, so I was the first 200 miles finisher with a total time of 12 hours and 14 minutes! Surprisingly, I felt great when it was over and definitely plan on riding 200 miles again next year.

I hope to have some pictures up from the ride later this week or early next week so be sure to check back.

Again, thanks for all of the support.

Total Miles Blogged: 1,277

Exhausting but Exhilarating!!

2008-10-07T15:05:00.008-04:00

10.7.08: What else can be said about cyclocross? I raced again last weekend, this time in Winston-Salem at SECCA. Another awesome ride, but this route was definitely more challenging! The route included 3 sections of singletrack (see the picture), wet sloped grass (4 guys wiped out at the start of the race), a patch of rocks, a patch of sand, 2 uphill 2 ft. barriers, a fallen tree, and some cobblestones. Leading up to this ride I was able to get two rides in, on wednesday I rode 15 miles and Friday 36 miles. The CX race was about 50 minutes long and I rode about 15 miles total (including warmup) in that time. I was pretty sore yesterday, as you might imagine, riding and running while carrying a bike over the course of 50 minutes will do that to you. Unfortunately, just as I am really getting into the racing I have to take over a month off!!! The next races are Oct. 18 & 19, the same days as my Ride without Limits (where I will be riding 100 miles each day). The race on Oct. 26 is in Boone NC and the next two weekends are also in Western NC (none closer than 3 hrs away) probably a little too far to drive for a 40-50 minute race : ( I am planning on racing on Nov. 16th in Southern Pines NC though so I have that to look forward to.

Days to Ride without Limits: 11
Weeks to Southern Pines Cyclocross: 6
Total Miles: 1034

Let the Racing Begin!

2008-09-29T16:26:00.015-04:00

9.29.08: Last weekend I prepared for and this Sunday I competed in my first two cyclocross races. Last weekend I rode 20 miles on Friday, 27 on Saturday, and 10 on Sunday. The 10 mile day was on my new cyclocross bike at a construction site and on a circuit of hills. This saturday I rode 30 miles and followed that up with a 12 mile day of racing in Salisbury NC. I competed in the First Timer's Race at 11:40 and finished in 7th place (out of 12 riders). I completed two laps on the course at about 10 minutes per lap (averaging about 11 m.p.h.). That race finished up right at 12:00 (it was a 20 minute race) and at 12:10 I competed in the Cat 4 race!!! In the second race, 40 minutes long, I finished 14th out of 22 riders, maintained my 10 minute per lap average and didn't even puke! (one guy got off his bike to walk into the woods during the race to throw up!) Overall, I thought it was awesome, I was completely spent after the ride and am pretty sore today (especially my back and arms from carrying my bike while running up stairs (actual picture of the stairs on the Salisbury Course
-------------------------------->
and jumping over barriers). Once again I accomplished by goals 1) no major injury, although I did end up with a nice little shin bruise from losing hold of my bike after going over a barrier during my warm-up 2) I finished both races 3) I didn't finish last. I am really looking forward to the next race though I am not sure if I will be able to compete in Winston-Salem next week or not and the next race I will be able to ride in will be sometime in November. The miles are still adding up, though not at the pace I would like....too much work and not enough riding!!!

Days to Winston-Salem Cyclocross: 6
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 3
Total Miles: 968

Mission Accomplished!

2008-09-17T13:41:00.005-04:00

9.17.08: On May 1, 2003 President Bush proclaimed "Mission Accomplished" yet the war rages on today. Well, I raced in my first criterium on Sunday and met all three of my goals, but the riding (and racing) will continue on! I raced in the Cat 5 race at 8:00 a.m. and had a great time doing it. The 1 K course was essentially a rectangle of streets through downtown Wake Forest, roughly 3/4 of the ride being uphill. I believe it was one of the most physically challenging things I have ever done...I was thoroughly exhausted by the time it was over, we raced the course for 20 minutes and I averaged just over 20 m.p.h during that time. I also rode about 10 miles before the start of the race to get loose so in total I rode about 17 miles that day. Catherine informed me when it was over that she would certainly not choose to watch me participate again, there were 17 cyclists in my group and taking corners at over 20 m.p.h. can be scary looking! Madeline and Megan seemed to really enjoy the event and apparently refused to cheer for any other cyclists in the race. My goals, as you can see in my post below, were to 1. no injuries 2. finish 3. do not finish last. Well, I did not fall and thus did not get hurt, I did not drop out (at least one other rider did), and I finished 12th out of 17 riders. While I definitely would have liked to have finished higher I was pleased overall with my performance. My new bike (for cyclocross) was delivered last week and I picked it up from the bikeshop on Monday, I am definitely looking forward to my next race (cyclocross this time) on Sept. 28 in Salisbury.

Days to Salisbury Cyclocross: 11
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 5
Total Miles: 869

Racing in Wake Forest? Who Knew?

2008-09-11T13:58:00.004-04:00

9.11.08: Last week I read about a criterium race right here in Wake Forest! On Sunday September 14th Wake Forest will host the Inaugural Historic Downtown Wake Forest Criterium and I will be racing in the CAT 5 race at 8:00 a.m. The course is a .6 mile loop through downtown (3/4 of the loop are uphill) and racers compete for 20 minutes, with the winner being the rider who has completed the most laps. In preparation for the race I have ridden twice this week (Sunday 31 miles, 6 hill circuits; Tuesday 18 miles, 10 minutes on the criterium circuit + one extra hill circuit) and I am hoping to get an "easy" ride in on Friday (only 18 - 25 miles at an easy pace) to keep my legs loose for Sunday.

When I told the girls' earlier this week that I would be racing on Sunday all they asked was "Will you get a trophy when you win?", I informed them that "I might not win" and that was quite shocking to them! I guess it has never occurred to them, that there are a lot of people who are much faster than I am on a bike! I guess I had better enjoy my "Super Dad" status while I can, because before too long they are going to believe that they know it all and I know nothing!

Days to Wake Forest Criterium: 3
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 5
Total Miles: 852

Cyclocross?!

2008-09-05T10:39:00.004-04:00

9.5.08: Well, after a few weeks of negotiation, the CEM (similar to a CEO only the boss of the house rather than a company) agreed to allow me to ride cyclocross this year. Cyclocross, for those of you unfamiliar, usually occurs in the Fall and Winter and consists of a series of races over multi-terrain courses. Riders compete for 30 minutes - 1 hour over a course roughy 1.5 - 2 miles long that features varying terrains and obstacles, in all weather conditions. This undertaking requires a different type of bicycle, which my wife agreed to allow me to buy. So, throughout the Fall and into the winter I will be riding the North Carolina Cyclocross Season (NC Cyclocross) trying to compete in as many races as possible. I am definitely looking forward to this new challenge and have 3 goals for my first season: 1. No Serious Injuries (I think I am guaranteed to have a fall or two so as long as I am able to get up and continue I'll be alright), 2. Finish! (believe it or not riding as hard as possible, over varied terrain, for 30 minutes is harder than it seems), 3. Do Not Finish Last! (There are a variety of riders who compete in these races of varying abilities, but knowing my competitive nature (and knowing that I will not win...I do have a family and a job so I can't dedicate my life to cycling) I will be disappointed in myself if I finish last. The first event I am planning on competing in is Sunday September 28 in Salisbury NC. I'll be sure to give some updates/details as this new saga unfolds.

I did get 18 miles in on Wednesday early evening (rode as fast/hard as I could the whole time, as I was battling the impending darkness). I am hoping to get some riding in this weekend but as Hannah approaches the NC coast it is looking less and less likely that the weather will cooperate.

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 7
Total Miles: 803

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-02T16:03:00.015-04:00

9.2.08: Three day weekend...three rides...only 1 interesting sight. Saturday I was able to ride 25 miles (I know...I know...only 25 I should have ridden more) but after being off for nearly a week I didn't want to ruin my legs so early in the weekend. Sunday I dodged rain showers, well, not really as I rode in and out of 3 of them in different areas. I was able to get 45 miles in, but with soggy feet it's not that much fun. I did feel good however and could have ridden more if the weather had cooperated. Monday ended up being more of a challenge that I originally thought it would be. I was hoping to ride about 60 miles but could only muster 51. With about 7 weeks to go until the Ride Without Limits I really need to be able to log back-t0-back 50 mile days (and I am hoping that within a few weeks I can log 70 mile days). My Monday ride started out great, I kept a nice comfortable pace at the beginning and my legs felt really good, after about 35 miles or so I really felt like I had lost a lot of strength, climbs became much harder and maintaining a good fast pace was nearly impossible. Amazingly, I was only about 1 m.p.h. slower on Monday than I was on Sunday...but it just felt much more difficult. Hoping to get out Wednesday and Friday evening this week if possible.

Looking for the Trifecta!!
I know most of you who read this do so only for the funny stuff...so here's my latest. I am now in the hunt for the Southern Stereotype Trifecta. As you know, I saw some folks shooting skeet between houses and under high voltage lines already. Well, to fulfill the second part...I saw 2 Monster Trucks in a driveway on Sunday!!! I am not sure what I will see in the coming weeks but, I am open to whatever recommendations you might have as to what the third leg of the trifecta should be. you might have as to what the third leg of the trifecta should be.

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 7

Total Miles: 785

Another First

2008-08-25T15:14:00.010-04:00

8.25.08: Spending a lot of time on a bike, traveling at your own pace (or another rider's), and riding on roads you normally do not traverse in a car, you get to see some really interesting (read: scary, crazy, outlandish, peculiar, etc) things/people. I had a great ride yesterday, 51 miles and about 3000 ft. of climbing, with Brent (sister-in-law's boyfriend). During the course of our 2.5+ hr. ride we saw a few interesting things. First, we saw a healthy sized groundhog...usually an interesting enough sight on a ride like this, but it gets even better. About 18 miles into the ride and climbing up a nice little hill we hear a dog coming fast (and of course we are going uphill) and all of a sudden we see a large black lab tearing down his driveway at us. On a flat road I would normally try to outrun it while holding my waterbottle toward him (to spray at him, if he gets close enough)...no chance of that this time. So, on instinct alone I yell at him "SIT" and amazingly she stopped dead in his tracks and sat on the driveway! He looked at us with this confused sort of face and turned around and headed back toward his house. I read about yelling sit (or heel or something like that) at dogs in Bicycling magazine about a year ago but had'nt tried it before...I guess it works (sometimes!). Remember now, this happened at the 18 mile mark, we had only just begun to ride. At about the 35 mile mark or so we hear an interesting bang/pop...I look over at Brent and say "I hope that's someone hammering on their house", needless to say it wasn't a hammer. We ride about 2 miles and what do we see on the right (between two houses, with high voltage power lines overhead (the big tower kind that sometimes hum) but two men shooting skeet! Watching in amazement at this sight, I've never actually seen someone shoot a shotgun let alone in between their houses and under powerlines, I manage to give the guy holding the gun a friendly wave (hoping he doesn't have a thing against guys in Lycra with shaved legs!) thankfully he waved back, then proceeded to turn and shoot the next flying disc. Thankfully, the rest of the ride was uneventful, except for the two brain-dead drivers, one who I think might have been trying to draft us (he was close enough for us to grab on like in the Tour) and the lady who yelled at us from her pickup truck...I think we got in the way of her driving and smoking. Of course, I am definitely looking forward to riding again as soon as possible...some of the things you see on the road make it all worthwhile.

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 8
Total Miles: 664

40 miles = relief?

2008-08-21T10:03:00.005-04:00

8.21.08: I was able to get out and ride yesterday morning and it definitely made a huge difference with my "painting" soreness. Rode 37 miles before work and hope to knock out at least one more day of riding this weekend. At this point I am consistently trying to ride over 100 miles/week and it is quite challenging to find the time, I definitely have the energy and legs for it, if only there were more time...I think time is the most precious commodity there is.

I am thinking about riding the Tour de Moore, a 100 mile ride throughout Moore County NC. Unfortunately, all of my usual riding partners are going to be out of town or not able to join me so this would be a solo expedition. I'll have to make a decision this week about the ride, I need the miles, but I might be better served to ride closer to home.

Ride Without Limits Update:
Thanks to all of you who contributed to my Ride Without Limits fundraising campaign. I am at 84% of my goal with $420 in donations to this point.

Days to Tour de Moore: 11
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 9
Total Miles: 613

Oh, My Aching Legs!!

2008-08-19T09:35:00.003-04:00

8.19.08: Due to an extremely busy work week I was not able to ride at all during the week. So, after a full week off the bike I was finally able to ride again on Sunday 8.17 and went out around 7:30 am. I got in a great 40 miles, it was humid but not too hot and traffic was light. When I got home it was time to paint the girls' bedrooms and of course both wanted colors (orange and yellow) that required primer before painting. After priming both walls and painting for a total of about 6 hours of work Catherine and I were finally finished. When I woke up on Monday, my legs were unbelievably sore! I had hoped to ride this morning, but wasn't able to, thankfully I will finally get back on the bike tomorrow morning. As crazy as it seems, riding my bike should give me some relief from the ache (by getting rid of some of the lactic acid) rather than add to it.

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 9
Total Miles: 576

BikeFest!

2008-08-11T07:31:00.003-04:00

8.9.08: Had a great ride at BikeFest, even after having another flat tire. We rode 70 miles and averaged 20 m.p.h. while traveling through Orange, Alamance, and Person counties. The weather was beautiful, sunny and in the 80's. We were in a group of about 20 riders through the first rest stop (where I had a great peanut butter and jelly on a bagel, my favorite riding food). Four of us left that stop together and began picking up riders along the way creating a group of about 10 riders, eventually we saw another group ahead of about 12 riders and were able to bridge that group creating another group of 20 or so. My flat came about 1 mile from the second rest stop. It was a slow leak so I stopped at the top of a hill (I barely made it up on the tire), reinflated it and rode the final mile on a slow leak (I had to get out of the saddle and ride as fast as I could for the final .5 miles in order to make it all the way to the stop). We changed the flat at the stop and continued on for the final 20+ miles back to Hillsborough. Amazingly, I really wasn't very tired when I got home and my legs were only slightly sore. We (me, Greg, and Adam) did see a spectacular (not in a good way) wreck about 5 riders in front of us about 25 miles into the ride. A guy went off the shoulder into the grass and tried to get back up onto the road and couldn't, he ended up going down hard with about 15 riders in a paceline behind him, we were luckily able to all swerve to the left, he got up pretty quickly, and fortunately no one ran over him. Some other interesting sights included horses running along side us (in their field, for some reason this happens alot when you are in a large group ride) and an Emu Farm.

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 11
Total Miles: 536

8.10.08: I was hoping for a recovery ride, but after we finished breakfast thunderstorms broke out (our first rains in 2+ weeks). I was able to squeeze in a ride right before lunch though. The ground was still wet and it drizzled off and on but I made it 18 miles and had another great ride. The hardest part now is to continue to add miles between now and the ride in October.

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 11
Total Miles: 554

Did you really pass a scooter? The foot powered kind right?

2008-08-07T16:44:00.002-04:00

8.7.08: Yesterday, my own wife doubted that I passed a scooter on the road...but in all fairness it was really more of a moped rather than the fancy Vespa type. Now that I've got that out of the way, I passed a deer today! Alright, it was dead on the side of the road so it couldn't really run, but I still passed it! I rode 37 miles this morning and it was really humid. I did actually see 2 deer and 2 groundhogs, at least the groundhogs ran away this time (the deer still look at me kind of funny...must be the lycra). BikeFest is Saturday and we'll ride at least 70 miles so I really wanted to get at least half of that distance in this morning. No riding tomorrow, but I will be trying to drink a lot of water and eat extra carbs for the ride. The weather is supposed to be nice, low 80's, for Saturday so it could turn out to be a great day of riding.

Days to BikeFest: 2
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 11
Total Miles: 466

The Never-Ending Quest for Miles

2008-08-06T07:04:00.004-04:00

8.5.08: I left at about 5:45 in the morning to get a 19 mile ride in before work. It was already 76 degrees and humid and because it was still somewhat dark (the sun didn't come up until after 6:00) I had to wear my vest, which reflects when headlights hit it. A little bit of excitement during the ride, rather than frustration (a welcome relief from the series of flats lately) I did see one rabbit and one deer. I tried Catherine's "Scat technique", since she has been running in the morning she has seen a lot of deer and they tend to just stay there when you run or bike past them. Her scat technique entails yelling "Scat" at the deer until they run away. When I tried it the deer just looked at me like I was crazy or something, but eventually ran away. The other exciting part of the ride was when I caught and passed a guy on a scooter! --------------------->

Days to BikeFest: 4
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 11
Total Miles: 429

The Start of Another Week

2008-07-28T11:39:00.009-04:00

8.2.08: Well, I didn't have one flat on this ride...I HAD TWO!!!! Maybe I jinxed myself in the earlier post or maybe it was just bad luck, but I didn't get my 60 miles in today, I was only able to ride 33. I left the house this morning feeling good and was riding great for the first 20 miles. Then while climbing up Hwy. 98 my rear tire went flat again. So I spent the next 15 minutes or so changing the tire and turned down the hill to head back to the house. I use handheld CO2 containers to reinflate flats on the road so the compressed air doesn't quite make the tires full enough. My new tires get pumped to around 140 p.s.i (your car is usually about 36) and the CO2 only inflates them to about 80 p.s.i. I rode the 5 miles back home, refilled my water bottles, ate a small powerbar, pumped my tire and headed back out for, hopefully, another 35 miles. Well, about 8 miles later another flat...I just didn't have the desire to change the tire again so I called for a ride and thankfully my father-in-law came to get me. I think I'll bring the bike back to the shop Monday and have them change this flat. I am praying that I do not get another flat next week during BikeFest (it just makes the ride so much more difficult and changing tires makes your hands really dirty and greasy...and those of you who know me well know how much I like to get dirty!)

Days to BikeFest: 7
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 12
Total Miles: 410

7.31.08: Left the house this morning ready to do a short (20 miles), hopefully fast ride. It didn't quite turn out that way though. Only .5 miles into the ride a bug flew into one of the vents in the top of my helmet and was buzzing around. Of course when you have a bald head and there is a bug flying around on it, while riding a bike you worry a little about getting stung and "freak out" a little. I got stung on the leg last summer while riding and it is no picnic! Of course I was wearing my sunglasses on my helmet (it wasn't that sunny yet) and while shaking my head they went flying off so I had to turn my bike around to pick up my sunglasses (which I hoped I hadn't scratched or broken). I did get the bug out and got back on my way (but should have seen that as an omen or something). 4.5 miles later I got a FLAT!!! I stopped to change my tire and my CO2 container was defective so I had to be rescued by my pit crew (everyone who lives in NASCAR country should have a pit crew). Fortunately, my crew hadn't yet begun to eat their cinnamon roles so they were able to pick me up pretty quickly (I walked about .8 miles to meet them). I had been putting off changing my tires and maybe waited too long, but when your bicycle tires cost nearly as much as your car tires to tend to run them to the end. So, yesterday during lunch I visited Performance Bike and bought a new helmet (same as my old one only in a different color, I should have replaced my helmet last year after my crash in Cornelius NC) and some new tires. I am really glad I had the flat on a short ride and not on Saturday when I am planning 60+ miles.

Days to BikeFest: 9
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 12
Total Miles: 377

7.29.08: Started the day with another morning ride, rode 36 miles (1750 ft. of climbing) and really felt great. Nothing really exciting on the road today (no animals, houses, etc.). Still hoping for 2 more rides this week, the weather has been really cooperative (no rain), I can deal with the heat but the rain can be dangerous. Still waiting for the routes to be posted for both BikeFest and Ride without Limits.

Days to BikeFest: 11

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 12

Total Miles: 372

7.28.08: T00k an early ride today, 8:00 a.m. 19 miles. I felt good to get some of that stiffness (lactic acid) out of my legs from Saturday. I expect a pretty good week of riding this week. I am planning on riding tomorrow, thursday, and saturday. My mileage goals for the week are Tuesday 35, Thursday 20, Saturday 60+. Bikefest is rapidly approaching so I need to continue to pack on the miles.

Days to BikeFest: 12

Weeks to Ride without Limits: 12

Total Miles: 336

Weekend Rides

2008-07-28T11:12:00.005-04:00

7.25.08: Picked up my bike from the shop (http://flythecyclery.com/) yesterday, what a huge difference! I rode roughly the same route this afternoon as I did on Wednesday (3 more miles, total of 22 Friday) and was nearly 2 mph faster over the course of the ride. The extra weight certainly makes a difference. I am thinking though that I might ride the Fuji more often on short rides (strength training of a sort). Tried to keep the ride relatively short since I will be riding 50 miles tomorrow.

Days to BikeFest: 15
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 13
Total Miles: 317

7.26.08: Left the house today at 8:10 or so planning on 50 - 60 miles. Tried to keep my average down to around 15 mph for the first 10 miles (so I didn't overexert early and fade at the end). Felt great and my average steadily climbed over the next 20 miles. Very interesting ride today. About 16 miles into the ride their is a pretty steep climb (about 100 feet in 1/2 mile), well just as I got into the climb I look over to my right and not 4 feet away is a Deer! It was a doe with 2 fawns close by (about 6 feet from me) startled me quite a bit. Back when we lived in Apex I routinely did a group ride (usually between 15 and 20 cyclists) in the late afternoon where we saw a number of deer. On one of the nights I didn't ride the group was in a paceline traveling about 24 mph when a deer ran out from the woods and crashed into a rider. The guy ended up with a broken hip and ankle and his bike was broken in two. Needless to say, deer that close freak me out a little. Not 10 seconds after seeing the deer I hear police sirens up ahead and I'm thinking "Oh great, what next" fearing the rode is going to be closed and I am going to have to ride back up the hill I just went down. As I climb a little further a policeman stops me and says I need to get off the road. They were bringing a HOUSE down the road I was on and it took up the entire street (both sides and shoulders). Fortunately, there was a side street I could turn onto and wait out the house. Thankfully, the rest of the ride was uneventful. At 47 miles I hit the wall, so I pushed through another 3 miles and finished with a total of 50 miles and 3000 ft. of climbing for the day. I'll be taking Sunday off to recover and get ready for the next week.

Days to BikeFest: 14
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 13
Total Miles: 367

Posts moved from Ride Without Limits website

2008-07-28T07:47:00.002-04:00

7.23.08: 6:00 a.m. 19 mile ride today. Great to get back on the road after a few days off. I did bring the bike to the shop on Monday and they told me it wouldn't be ready until THURSDAY!!!! So, this morning I had to ride my old bike (8 year old Fuji, have I really been riding that long?) My Trek is about 18 months old at this point so the difference in riding the two bikes is like going from a Ford Mustang to a Ford Ranger! (notice I didn't say Porshe or something like that since Catherine wouldn't let me spend that much on a bike) My Fuji is at least 5 pounds heavier with components not nealy as nice making for a much more difficult ride. Overall I was between 1 and 1.5 miles per hour slower this morning. I may have to ride the Fuji again tomorrow if I get to ride at all so I shouldn't complain too much.

Days to BikeFest: 17
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 13
Total Miles: 295

7.20.08: Left this morning at 8:30, good to be back home, 76 degrees when I left the house and 92 when I returned 3 hours later. Rode 49 miles today with an estimated 2000 feet of climbing (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/172089). The ride started out great but turned out to be one of those rough days in the saddle. Every now and then a terrible ride slips in (felt like I was fighting the climbs, wind, and BIKE! from mile 22 on). It felt good to fight through a bad ride though. I'll be taking my bike in to the shop tomorrow for a tune-up (it is overdue, yes even bikes need to be tuned especially when it is making as many creaking noises as mine is, usually it runs pretty silent). I'll probably get a few days off waiting for my bike to get out of the shop so hopefully I'll follow up this bad ride with a good one later this week. Only 3 weeks until I ride BikeFest in Hillsborough NC (http://www.tarwheels.org/clubportal/ClubStatic.cfm?clubID=1660&pubmenuoptID=17065)I will be riding this with two of my friends (Adam and Gooch), this will be our third year riding this event. We haven't decided whether we'll ride the metric century (100K, 62 miles) or English Century (100 miles) either way it will be challenging as this ride climbs between 4000 and 5000 feet (it is quite hilly!).

Days to BikeFest: 20
Weeks to Ride without Limits: 13
Total Miles: 276

7.17.08: 2:30 p.m. ride, still hot but windy (33 miles). Had a riding partner today (my sister-in-law's boyfriend Brent) so it was great to get a break from the constant wind. It is definitely easy to become dehydrated under these conditions, you sweat a lot but don't realize it because of the wind. Climbed the causeway again (as fast as I could since I really am not too fond of heights and while sitting on the bike you are taller than the wall!!!). No ride tomorrow so I am hoping to log some extra miles when I get home on Saturday.

Total Miles: 227

7.15.08: 1:30 ride, 85 degrees. Went over the causeway today (only climb on the route). The ride wasn't too bad, a lot of traffic and windy! Luckily I beat the rain back to the beach house. 25 miles, here's the route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/169299

Total Miles: 194

7.13.08: 1:00 p.m. island ride. Not my favorite conditions, FLAT and WINDY! Rode up and down Ocean Isle for a total of 21 miles (although the island is only 8 miles long). Hoping to ride over the causeway tomorrow and ride on the mainland (Brunswick County). Animal Watch- we saw a fox running down the beach this morning!

Total Miles to date: 169

7.12.08: Another 6:00 a.m. ride, another 72 degree (and humid)morning. Animal Watch - 2 rabbits and 2 deer this morning (again in Youngsville but in a different area). Rode 40 miles before leaving for our vacation at Ocean Isle NC.Total Miles to date: 148
7.10.08: 6:00 a.m., 73 degrees, and humid again. Animal Watch - 1 rabbit and 2 deer in Youngsville. 27 miles today, not much else to report. Here's the route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/166490Total Miles to date: 108

7.8.08: Another early morning ride after a week off the bike (long weekend in NJ). Left the house at 5:45 and it was already 74 degrees and humid, only the rabbits were out this morning. Rode a fast 19-miles. Year-Round schools are back in session so there were plenty of buses on the road...they definitely top the list of most uncourteous drivers! If you want to see the route go here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/165484

7.1.08: Left the house at 5:50 a.m. and rode 15-miles, not much traffic which makes the riding so much nicer and the weather cooperated (64 degrees when I left).

6.29.08: Completed a 32-mile ride that included Wake Forest, Youngsville (Franklin County), and Granville County. 94 degrees and I almost ran over a small snake! Overall a great ride though, felt like I could ride another 20 miles.

6.27.08: Training began with a 15-mile lunch time ride. A balmy 92 degrees.