Tag: ventura

Rincon Morning Light

The baby had us/me up super early this morning and I could not go back to sleep.  Left a little earlier and was able to get a little more distance in, 28 miles.  The swell is up but the full moon and morning high tides are keeping me on the bike and out of the water.  Good lights are part of the combo that make riding in the dark a pleasure, my DiNotte 140 has been going strong fo ra few years now.  One of the other components are fatter cushy tires that are a little more forgiving of the imperfections in the road, Rivendell Jack Browns are my tires of choice.

View towards home from Rincon Point, Queen of the coast.  Time for a break and some pictures.

First shot is with the GoPro® Helmet HERO™ Wide Camera.  I have mostly been shooting hand-held, as this morning’s shot propped up.  While the pictures are not what you would get with a DSLR, the quality is still shockingly good.  I have not even begun to explore the video capability yet due to my own software limitations, that though will not be a hurdle much longer.  The beauty of this camera is in the size, simplicity , weather resistance and durability.  I moved from a Canon DSLR to my Panasonic GF1 to scale down the size.  This takes it two steps further and the camera is always in my bag.

Roadeo Grocery Ride – Fjord Flannel Review

Another incredible day, and I had an hour and a half window for Opie(grandpa) to baby sit.  I decided to combine errands with the workout.  I have a 15 mile loop that lets me hit two grocery stores.  Total load and therefore spending are limited by taking the Roadeo.  Temps were in the low to mid 50s and wind was crazy, one of the days where you have a headwind more than 3/4 of the ride. 

The layering system for errands is pretty different from what I wear for my morning or non-errand rides.  Most of the time I am layered up in some combination of merino wool and polyester to fend off the morning chill.  When I know that there is going to be more stop and go, time in stores etc. I wear what most would consider normal street clothes.  Flannel being one of my favorite of layers for the cooler months.  Today I busted out my new Patagonia Fjord Flannel Shirt in Fusion Orange that the wife picked out for me as a Christmas gift.  This is their heavier flannel, and just happens to be a great color combo for playing in traffic.  I ride most of the year in long sleeves for sun protection.  In the winter, flannel provides a great top layer with just a little wind resistance and the ability to quickly adjust buttons or roll up sleeves as needed.   Today there were more than a few adjustments as I had everything from a 15mph tail wind to shady cross winds and then a tail wind home.  This shirt ROCKS, it is the first heavyweight flannel I have added to the rotation in years.  I have three older ones in the closet, one 8 years old, like silk and covered in patches.  I can only hope that this shirt goes the distance as well

Two stops and about 35 lbs of groceries later I was on my way home.  As discovered this past weekend, judicious placement of the load has had little detrimental effect on the performance of the Roadeo.  This time I was pushing the limit up front with 10lbs, a gallon of tangerine juice, up front in the acorn bag.  Another 15 -20lbs in the rear and the frame bag stuffed with rice pasta, yogurt and salsa.

One thing that really helps with the loading, comfort and stability is getting the Rivendell Jack  Brown 33.3mm wide tires back on the bike.  The added cush soaks up absolutely everything between the crappy roads and the rim. 

I have been pushing the limits of how I ride this bike loaded.  Rivendell states that they will not put you on a roadeo if you are over 250lbs.  I would likely agree that around that weight load the bike becomes compliant to a point where you really need to be paying attention to what you are doing.  At the moment I weigh in at about 220lbs.  I am working to get that down another 10 lbs and use this as a nimble allroad touring bike for the summer. 

Have fun, and get outside!

Update: The shirt is gone for the saeson, What is left in flannel is going fast at the winter sale, time to buy your AC cotton, review coming soon

Loadeo the Roadeo

I could not resist the title with all the love the Roadeo has had with its model name. 

Today was much nicer out than last weekend’s ride across town to the Channel Islands Harbor farmer’s market.  Partly cloudy, light breeze and in the upper 50’s not quite shorts weather.

With fair weather for the forecast and working out some touring ideas for the spring I spent some time in the morning putting the Jack Browns back on, pulling the fenders and Roughy Toughys off and rotating the Carradice Nelson longflap back on.  I have been dropping a little weight and figure that gives me more loading room on the bike without fear of overload and wonky handling. 

Market was a success with the dry weather the farmers are able to get more out of the field and not have as bad of mud to contend with.  All three bags, Acorn Hobo, the Frame Bag and Nelson were all stuffed to the max.

It would be a lie if I said there was NO change in handling, but nothing went terrible in any way, no wobbles, shimmy, weird pulling or such as can happen when the load is bigger than rider and bike were meant to transport.  Cruising speed through the fields was about the same loaded or not.

Riding no hands was easy as always.  All of the above needs to be considered in light of the fact that this bicycle is designed and intended to be a lightweight club racer.  I am not advocating that you all ditch the heavier touring bikes to load up the club racer, but knowing how and what you bike is made of and can do is a good thin in my opinion.

The Bounty: 2 Dozen eggs, 2 onions, 3 cloves of garlic, 3 heads of brocoli, 1 cauliflower, a bunch of carrots, bag of beet greens, bunch of collard greens, 7 avocados and a large bag of vegetable chips.  Not bad for a lightweight steed burdened with my 215 lb self and all that produce.

Next up is to work out some gear lists and see if I can get it in the bags for some quick S24O spring rides.

Cool and clear this morning in the mid to upper 30’s and snow-capped mountains in the distance.  I do something close to this ride almost once a week or more.  As you head out the river trail past the old agri-hydro-cracker wasteland the graffiti is always entertaining.  Seems like there are always subtle changes.

The Bridge is almost to the right turn out in to the valleys.  This creek crossing always shows you just how much a steel frame can flex if you beat it up just right.

Once off of the path it turns into a few miles of county bliss.  And then the fence jumper in the road, yes it is no wonder California cows are happy cows.

Then the message to the phone that daddy duty is starting early today, good motivation to make the most of the tailwinds an downhills home,

What a great way to start the morning.