IIDS, GD: Friday, August 3rd

The man who dies rich dies disgraced. -Andrew Carnegie, industrialist (1835-1919)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19089259

A few buying hints for your bike purchases? Jim

Hi Patrick

Just taking a break from Olympics watching to catch up with email. 

Track cycling just started- looks like a GB disaster with a disqualification in the woman's team sprint.

Cycling on everyone's mind after Wiggins win in Tour de France and the Olympics Time Trial. Everyone seems suddenly to know what a pelaton is tho few understand the tactics of road racing. The attendance at the road racing was outstanding. Women's beach volleyball is proving surprisingly popular!

The sheer virtuosity of some athletes astounds me eg gymnastics, white water canoeing as just two examples. I suppose the Olympics is very professional these days with the advent of lottery funding- do you have the same in Canada or equivalent. Gone are the Chariots of Fire days. We enjoyed the "Queen" parachuting into the opening ceremony and Mr Bean's contribution.

On to optimum bike weights etc. Have decisions been made? I note that Bradley Wiggins had to take several kg off for the mountains- but hesitate to offer this as a solution. I am still doing leisurely riding sometimes starting off with Chris prior to the lattes but I kid myself that I am doing High Intensity Training on the exercise bike.

Ed our son-in-law and I went running on Tynemouth beach two days ago following our attendance at a"bare foot running" seminar. I used to train on the beaches at West Hartlepool( yes we do have beaches although the second world war barbed wire had to be negotiated) and tried to re-live the experience. Things got out of hand when, after surviving several fastish strides I persuaded Ed we should do some hopping. Ended in disaster on the last repetition and I am now hobbling. Christine was not amused.Fortunately I can still ride a bike. Used the North Sea as an ice bath after the incident although Ed managed a swim.

We are taking a week in the Lake District on August 18 joined by the family when we hope to do some hill walking and cycling between feeding. We are staying at a cottage in Eskdale the western side of the Lakes for a change, normally we stay in the eastern or central areas being nearer to Wetherby.

We enjoyed seeing Ray's son Chris and his fiancee Nevada for a couple of days- they visited York on the way up to Durham and Scotland and prior to their European tour.

Hope all is well. Regards, Jim

Hi Chris and Peg-Leg Jim!

Thanks for update on latest bike technology but sorry to learn of your running injury. Trust by now your leg has healed and you are back to marathons!!!

We have been with Cora Lee's parents at their very comfortable home in Falcon Lake, (about 144K east of Winnipeg), since this past Tuesday. Had a very pleasant drive with a most interesting overnight stay, in Kenton, Manitoba, on Monday night. Left Vancouver on Sunday to stop in Cochrane, Alberta, to stay with friend, Zircon, there for the night. Have included the Cora Leelocks, Yoda and the Two Felines, episode, should you care to read this modern fairy tale!

On the biking front, I ended up buying a Madone 6, Carbon Fibre, ($3,999 for bike but close to $5,000 with tax and peripherals: fenders, odometre, [Only gives distance to .3 so I am rather distressed, as you can well imagine], lock, {Even though,  according to Sara, at Westpoint Cylces, who sold me the bike, I'm never to leave it unattended, even if locked!}, bell and twin emergency oxygen tanks! Unfortunately, latter utterly defeats entire purpose of purchasing a lightweight!!! However, I may well decide to scale Everest!)

Managed at 103.3K ride out to Deep Cove with Robo Man a few days before we left for Manitoba. He headed home with 75K on the clock but I made for UBC to push me over the 100K mark. Quite pleased with how the new bike felt, even though I was using toe clips. Had decided I would wait until at the lake to use my clip-on cycling shoes and had bought a set of pedals that could accept both types of shoe. When we arrived in the early afternoon, this past Tuesday, I went for a short ride, 25.3K, just to stretch my legs, using my regular runners. Next day, I removed the horseshoe toe clips and donned my spiffy new cleated boots. Slightly apprehensive about "welding' myself to the pedals, I clicked my left foot in and started my journey into Tour De Whiteshell Provincial Park. Took a bit of fiddling to click right foot into clip and I practiced the release movement, (ankle quickly out), a few times before I rode onto the road I would take to West hawk Lake, about 14K to the east of Falcon.

Once I started riding, I felt very comfortable and didn't have a spot of trouble for rest of ride. By the time I had  left West Hawk I had 20K on the odometre and my intended goal was to Rennie River, about 36K from there. I have done that ride a reasonable number of times in the past so knew what to expect. Not overly many hills, mainly slightly rolling countryside, through pine forests, small lakes, etc., but the wind was simply dreadful, particualrly on the outward bound leg. The summer temperatures on the Prairies create incredible winds and they are a constant fact of cycling life, even more so than on the Coast. Nevertheless, I plugged on, making much better progress with my 16lb steed and clip-ons, than I would have done on my hybrid and toe clips.

Had 55K on the clock when I turned around just past small town of Rennie River and was absolutely delighted to finally have the wind at my back. Literally sailed along now, energized to be on the return leg with the strong gusts shooting me along. Unfortunately, Aeolus, Keeper of the Winds showed his fickle self and by the time I was near Caddy lake, about 25K from home, the helpful tail wind turned into a hurricane force head wind! Raging against my fate, I pedaled on, uttering a curse or two, from time to time, bemoaning the unfairness of it all.

Had just over 100K on the odometre when I rode into Falcon Lake itself and so did a quick dipsy-doodle around the townsite to bring my distance, once back at the Falcon Lake Fontainbleu, up to 103.5K, with an average speed of 20.1K, maximum of 46.8K, and an elapsed time of just over 5 hours. My shoes felt terrific and I discovered that if I lifted my knees on the upstroke I gained more force as well as allowing my feet to flex a tad, allowing a brief, pleasant stretch of sorts, as my right foot, in particular, felt a bit cramped at times. I was a bit concerned that I might suffer some cramping later that evening/night but I am pleased to report that this did not occur. I had my camel pack on so I drank plenty of Rose's Lime Cordial infused water over the course of the junket, although he bladder was almost completely drained by ride's end.

Overall, am extremely pleased with how bike/shoes performed as this is precisely the result I had hoped for, going to the Carbon Fibre adn clip-ons. I trust that with more rides and increasing familiarity, I'll be able to increase average speed and drop times. Yesterday I went for a "lazy" 65.7K ride and it really was enjoyable as the shorter distance was relatively "effortless" compared to the previous slog into the wind. My average speed was up a tad at 21.1, (as one might expect over a shorter distance), and my max was 53.3K as I consciously tried to go as fast as I could on one of the long down slopes at West Hawk. Elapsed time was 3:06:24.

Another "test" will come early this afternoon when I plan to cycle to War Eagle Lake, about 55K from Falcon. Cora Lee's sister, Pamela, and her husband, Grogg, have a lovely cabin there and we will spend the next two nights with them. From West Hawk I will have to ride on the wide shoulder of the Trans Canada Highway, #1, but it really isn't any different than riding on the Island Highway between Parksville and Lantzville, or slightly better than on Marine Drive to Horseshoe Bay where there really isn't much of a riding lane for most of the way.

Since I've never ridden this leg before, I'm not sure how punishing the quite numerous hills will be. If all goes well, I might ride to Keewatin, about 5K beyond the turn-off to War Eagle. Crossing the highway there is very tricky but if I ride into Keewatin the speed limit drops as one approaches the township and there are many more places to "dipsy-doodle" in order to wait for a break in traffic. As well the "extra" 10K is welcome if I'm not completely exhausted by the time I reach War Eagle. Wish me luck! (Hope that my delight with new steed will prompt Robo Man to rethink his decision about not following up on his original plan to purchase a Carbon Fibre road bike.)

On the Olympic front, we've been enjoying the coverage as well, pleased that our 8's rowers, both men's, (Sorry Great Britain!), and women's teams took Silver. With respect to swimming, I was delighted that Brent Hayden took Bronze in the 100m freestyle, after Lochte and Phelps. Pretty select company. Although I don't 'know" Brent, we often said hello to one another as I regularly saw him in the change room at UBC's Aquatic Centre where the swim team trained.

With respect to next year's house exchange in Cornwall, Derek and Gayle will actually be in Vancouver when we return from Falcon so we hope to iron out details of the visit. Will let you know as soon as we have finalized dates, more or less, so that we can plan the pub/latte rides over the Yorkshire moors and dales!

Time to pack my overnight bag for War Eagle so that I can give it to the "Domestique"! After that, I will have a big plate of lasagna to fuel me for the coming Test of Mettle! Fond regards from Cora Lee to you both, Cheers, Patrzzio!

That is the funniest story Poppa!!!

Pat,

    Sylvia and I had a good chuckle about the accommodation at the Gray's? Glad that Cody's injuries are not life threatening and that the family treated the faux pas in good spirits.

    It looks like a great bike and now that you are getting used to the clip-ons, and with the additional miles you are putting in, there will be no holding you. Haven't given up on the idea of a new bike and will investigate further once I'm in the mood again. You are scaring me with those statistics especially with both you and George away and limited riding for me. Sylvia wanted to ride along Spanish Banks this afternoon which was very pleasant. A bit of wind so lots of surf sailing or is it sailboarding? We combined some shopping at 'No Frills' and 'Young Bros.' and filled the panniers on both bikes. Followed this with an hour of weeding after a gym workout this morning.

    You might have read the technical aspects of the British team bikes forwarded by Jim Brownlee. Interesting that the minimum weight allowable is 6.8kg, about15 pounds. Watched some great performances by the GB cycling today. Haved no experience of the Keirin (popular in Japan) until today. Had to smile at the pacemaker in the front on a motor assisted bike. Have a look if you get the chance.

    I was in contact with Jenny as she was watching the Canada v GB soccer today. Told her that Canada's success was due to the coach who was a Geordie!

    One of Sylvia's NZ cousins, Emma Twigg,  is competing in the single sculls tomorrow at Eton/Dorney Lake much of which was developed by a good friend of mine in London. Toured the facility with him several years ago.

    Riding to Richmond/Steveston in the morning to meet a woman who was a secretary at the Jewish school I worked at for the last few years. She has changed carreers and is involved in a Farm School out there. She is going to give me a tour of the facilities. They have a garlic festival comimg up in a couple of weeks.

    Sylvia and her friend have asked me to meet them at Deep Cove on Monday when they have finished their kayaking, so I will get a bit of riding in.

    Enjoy your riding and no more 'who's been sleeping in my bed.'

    Reading 'Vanished' by Liza Marklund which is very good.

    Regards to Corinne. Ray

Hi Raymond!

You sound as busy as ever! How did the ride to Deep Cove go? Which route did you take? Sylvia will be out kayaking with Mark and Giorigo before long! Remind me about Vanished. Is Marklund a Scandinavian? This just in from Kimberlee, my cousin's youngest daughter:

Hi Pat,
 
I love your whole story and in Kenton you two are celebrities everyone knows the whole story!!!! I hopefully will see you on your way through again as I am going to a festival thing as a nanny!!!! You could really be a news reporter hehe!!!

Apparently, the Two Bears live on! Should actually be "deer" as I saw ten today, two, a fawn and doe, on Dusty's lawn this afternoon and eight yesterday, two of them bucks, one with an impressive set of antlers, near West Hawk.



Hi Whirlygig!
Trust you are still enjoying the summer, wherever you happen to be! Best wishes from Cora Lee to The Sisterhood! Cheers, Patrizzio!