Bicycling

Avoiding Rain

Last Friday we rode the tandem to work. The weather forecast called for a 20% chance of afternoon thunder showers and when we mounted up to leave for the trip home, we thought we were in big trouble. Looking off to the southwest, our predominate direction of travel, the skies were dark black. Not only did it appear grim, but there was a fairly brisk breeze in our faces, AKA a dadblamed headwind that slowed our progress. But the further along on the ride we went the skies seem to lighten as we went. With less than a mile to go to home the gray skies had receded and we didn’t even come close to getting wet.

This Friday we rode the tandem to work and the weather forecast called for a 30% chance of afternoon thunder showers. After last weeks dodge we thought for sure we could do it again. Quitting time is 4:00 PM and right around 3:15 it started to rain lightly. I checked the Weather Channel’s radar and there was an ugly cell of thunder bearing down on us. About 3:30 it was pouring down, but the animation showed that it was a small, fast moving cell and I had my fingers crossed that it would pass by the time we got ready to go. Sure enough when Donna and I changed and started to load up the bike, the rain had stopped and the roads were starting to dry. We did get a little damp on the trip home from a couple of small puddles near work and a few damp spots on the roads near home.

Next week I’m betting we get soaked no matter what the forecast.

Free Iced Coffee Day

We took advantage of the nice weather to ride the tandem to work today. The kids are all off of school this week because of that little golf tournament in Augusta that is named in honor of the car club we’re in. This made the ride in and the ride back at lunchtime doubly nice as the traffic was very, very light

I got lucky and got a free small iced coffee late this afternoon, but only because Donna wanted to get something cold after our yearly eye exam.

One of our local DD shares the same building with a Baskin Robbins. We went in because we had a coupon that was going to expire soon for a Buy One Get One 50% Off ice cream cone. While standing there waiting to get our cone Donna asked the fellow behind the counter, “Has it been busy today because it is Spring Break?” He replied, “Its been busy, but probably more because it is Free Iced Coffee Day.” Then he offered us one. I accepted.

5 Months Later

Back in May we stumbled onto the Google Street View Car on our bike ride home from work. The updated views are now online. If you click on the photo above, you will be taken to the street view in question. Feel free to move the little man along the block of Park Ave between Marlboro and Williamsburg.

To witness an anomaly in the fabric of space and time, start at Williamsburg and work your way east (to the right) and at one point Donna and I, along with the person walking along the street, flash out of the picture for an instant and then pop right back. Where did we go?

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 1174

Top Count Placeholder

The top went up on Monday because of a threat of rain and stayed up ever since due to the cold. That same cold didn’t prevent us from riding the tandem to work on Tuesday though because there is a remarkable difference in windchill factor between 15 MPH and 55 MPH. Plus at fifteen you are working, as opposed to just sitting still at fifty-five. Tomorrow it will go down for the way home from work as it is supposed to be back in the low 80’s.

The top is starting to look a little ragged in a couple spots. The tan fabric is worn enough that the black under layer is showing through. Where that is happening is a double layer of material anyway because that is where the top shop repaired it when it was wearing through on the inside a while back. With the advent of Purple Whale ownership the rate of top transitions has decreased to a trickle, so I’m sure we can get a couple more years use out of it, if we can stand the unkempt look that long.

I don’t know if it is that particular Robbins top or the installation of the top or a little of both that is to blame, but the top count stands at about half of the OEM top before it needed replacing. But, I guess you get what you pay for, because the Robbins top was about half the cost of a official Mazda unit…

Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Tran­si­tions since 10/24/08: 1173

Sunday in Aiken

A short bike 10 mile ride. Breakfast at DD. Grocery shopping at Kroger.

Lunch. Wash the Purple Whale.

Afternoon spent watching the Weather Channel and listening to the FRS on the internet. Which is more related than you think in that they are both like rubbernecking at a car accident on the Interstate, horrible to see, but you just can’t turn away.*

Evening spent blogging and surfing the web.

Try and reel in your jealousy.

*On a related note, I just got an email that offered MLB.TV on my Roku for the rest of the season for a measly $10, so that if I actually wanted to see that wreck…

‘Le Tour Est Termin?

We were up early this morning to get in a short bike ride, so we could be home in time to see the finish of the Tour de France.

Next year we probably won’t do the cable upgrade to watch the race. There isn’t any tension or suspense any more, the guy who wins is **SPOILER ALERT** always the guy wearing the yellow shirt.

20,000 Miles Of French Roads

Actually the tour only covers a little more than a tenth of that figure at 2,173 miles, but on yesterday’s short flat stage from the Provence of Kroger to the department of Boardman the Purple Whale crossed the 20k mile figure.

As we do every year we’ve upgraded our cable package so we can watch the bike race. What started as the Outdoor Life Network and morphed into VS (later they spelled it out, Versus) is now this year the NBC Sports Network. NBCSN doesn’t show as many repeats as Versus did, so it is not as convenient for us to watch the weekday stages. Last year Versus had a 2 hour show be tween 5 & 7PM, but this year we have to wait until 8:00PM.

We were tempted to try their live streaming, but try as I might I could not find any information if I could replay the stage when ever I wanted, Like 5:00PM…