Good Start?

I've some some limitations on the amount of time I can exercise, hence the blog and finding routes, but I think I've done a pretty good job starting out for the first two months of the year. I've been a bit of a gym rat and weather has been bad so I haven't been out in huge numbers, but I've been constant. Mind you this is just what I'm able to do on my lunch break. If you want to post numbers, only show what you can do on your lunch break not what you can do in the three+ hours after work and on weekends. I don't get weekends, I just can't compete with that. I've kept track of my running miles, trips to the gym and biking miles. Here we go, don't laugh too hard:

                 Running        Trips to gym Biking
January      12.1 miles     7                 18.5 miles
February    23.1 miles    10                12.75 miles
March        22.0 miles    8                  147.95 miles

The running miles are a mix of treadmill, outdoor on the grass and Bluff Creek dirt path; mostly treadmill. Trips to the gym usually involve a couple miles on the treadmill and a lot of upper body lifting. Biking is strictly road miles so far. I think it is just now dry enough to pull the mountain bike out of the garage. I'll have to break another column out for April, MTB miles.

There were 22 work days in March (I get every other Friday off) and I worked out, ran or biked all but two days; kids were sick one day and another I had a business lunch.

Goals for April:
- Swim: only option is the gym pool but I want to put in several hours worth.
- MTB: BLUFF CREEK!!!! And I need to sneak in a weekend trip somewhere.
- Run: nightly? I can get away for short runs @ night. Kind of iffy.
- Gym @ 6AM + lunch ride/run? Big iffy. I am not a morning person.
- Road bike: One good route a week (~20 miles).

Cheers,

Yehuda Moon - classic

I fear the day that I get hit by a car. I hear that it is inevitable. It isn't going to keep me from riding my bike. I'm just going to do everything that I can from having it happen:

• Ride on low MPH streets
• Ride on low traffic streets
• Hug the right side of the street
• Be aware of my surroundings
• ALWAYS WEAR MY FRICKIN' HELMET
• Do not antagonize 

I know that some people think that the best bike advocacy is to do some guerrilla warfare tactics.  I'm not anti-car.  I'm not super-ultra-green-hybrid-low-emission advocate nutso crazy.  I bike because I enjoy the exercise, getting outdoors and seeing a lot of stuff while exercising.  Running is a far superior cardiovascular activity but you do not get as much scenery per trip.  But the point is that you should not provoke pedestrians or cars.  It is easy for a driver to run you off the road; they can go faster, turn around and make a second pass if necessary, or a hundred other bad things.  Pedestrians can through objects at your spokes which might cause a nasty spill or jump in a nearby car and run you down.  Although I'm usually too far away by the time I think anything rhetorical to yell back.  Maybe I should just bark. Heck, I still do not have a prepared answer for people in my office elevator that see me in bike shorts. "Uh, I like outside. Outside is good. Sweat is not bad. Uh. FIRE BAD, FIRE BAAAAD!!!"

I think the next bad event that is going to happen to me is a flat tire. I can feel it. I feel as if I am due for a flat tire. I preemptively want to change out my rubber just so I do not have to do it in some random neighborhood. My Planumrotundumphobia is kicking in again.

Cheers,

Route #025 - Quail Creek

I've been biking too much.  My routes are looking like internal organs.  The shading is even proper (trails = blue, street = red).








Route #025 was great because it gave me a North/South route through neighborhoods between Penn and May. I took Greystone (THAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO SPELL GREY DANGIT) and Ridgeview through the neighborhoods. The streets were nice. Mostly nice asphalt. Some of the streets were the typical old neighborhood bumpy stuff that has been there since the 1960's.

One note of caution to any would-be commuters that would like to take this route: I WENT BY FOUR SCHOOLS!!! If your commute would take you on these streets during school drop-off/pick-up times you are going to be in some serious traffic and you will hate yourself. If you are commuting before 7:00 and after 4:00 I think you will be okay.

I've always wondered about N. Portland just north of Lake Hefner. I've wanted to take it for the longest time to see the soccer fields. Little to no traffic on it, but you do pass a school on that road as well. Sheesh, that makes the count of 5 schools on this route. HAHAH, I guess pedophiles are not allowed to pedal this route.

Cheers,

Yehuda Moon - classics

I read the whole Yehuda Moon archive. My obsessive compulsive order rocks!!! No seriously, rocks like geology. As in is painful. [grin]

Click image for link to archived image:

I wish I could make cars jump at lights like this. I can never remember to try it. Gotta remember next time.

Cheers,

Route #024 - Silverhorn

Sheesh. I wrote down some things and future plans for rides just a few posts ago. I didn't think I would knock off 2 out of 3 so quickly. Just needed some good weather, eh? I'm going to have to edit that huge map again. Bummer.  I'll have to focus on actually doing those triathalons now. 

Route #024 took me up to Silverhorn Golf Club. Just another destination on the map that covers new ground. The new roads I took today were Hefner Rd and more of Kelley Ave. Kelley is great. You've got low traffic with some nice overhanging trees. Nice road. Hefner is busier once you are between Hwy 77 and Hwy 74. Hefner is definitely wide enough that a bike lane could be painted in right now. Drivers were pretty good for the most part on Hefner. I had some pedestrians yell at me. But pretty good overall. I need to try to take 122nd next time just out of curiosity.

I've not ever had too many bad instances with drivers much like editorials and other people have said. I wear my bright colored shirts so drivers can see me. I don't lean on cars. I stay way back when stopped at intersections so that cars can go around me and turn right on red. My only problem is I don't often get much room for "give" from people speeding by. I like to dodge potholes. So if I get an extra foot or two on my left (because I pretty much hug the right side of the lane) it is appreciated. Not today but another day I had a car honk at me for dodging potholes and patches in the road. I bet they complained to whomever they were talking on the phone.

This is not the original route I was planning on taking. I was planning on cutting through the middle a bit. Here is a snapshot of my original idea.

I got on Hefner and got to Hudson Ave and was going to go southwest but that did not work out. Hudson is *^@#&!@$ gravel road. I'll have to find another route that explores that area. Oh well. Just another road that needs to get paved or GOOGLE MAPS NEEDS TO FRICKIN' WARN ME!!!! hehehehe.... TGIF.

Cheers,

History of Bicycle Art - Part 1 - a satirical comedy

I have ideas that pop into my head.  Usually they are spin-offs of someone else's great ideas.  Ralph Steadman was a crazy artist with a passion of gritty life.  I've linked one of his books on my book list on the right.  I read the book many years ago.  He did a fictional history of whiskey, or whisky as he spells it.  I want to write a fictional history about the art of bicycles.  I do not have a way with words.  Most times I get tidbits that are good ideas but endings do not come to me.  So here is a rough draft of this idea.  I hope it is entertaining and someone gets a kick out of it. 

----------------------------------

Man was given a special gift, the gift of free movement.  We can move like no other animal in the world.  We can run, swim and climb.  Our skills may not be the best in any of those three categories but we excel quite well regardless.  What other animal do you know that can scale a shear cliff wall?  What animal can swim and hold its breath while exploring ocean floors?  We may only run 15 MPH but that may be just fast enough.  Or is it?

This free movement empowers human kind.  It allowed development in all those areas as well.  We realize our limitations.  We can only run so fast, dive so deep and climb so high.  So man invented other modes of transportation, tools to allow him to dive deeper and means in which to concur new hieghts.  The early cavemen knew their limitations.  The development of tools would be necessary for them to get an edge.  They built spears, arrows, hammers and other rudimentary devices.  Cavement even tampered with the idea of improving their limitation of travel. 

Their lack of mechanics proved their devices to be impractical. Especially with the absense of roads and the existance of unforgiving terrain.

Mayans explored devices of alternate travel as well. The images from their history are hard to decipher. There are many theories about the power source that was used on these early devices. It is not understood if the Mayans used slaves to push these devices or power straight from the Gods propelled them along their primitive roads.

Even Egyptians demanded more freedom of movement. The image below is a drawing taken by a college student from inside of one of the famous pyramids.  The red lines are the cracks in the rock.  The imagery shows that Egyptians regarded alternate modes of transportation as being closer to the Gods.  This allowed them to move unlike other animals in the kingdom. 

Aborigines down under tried the concept as well.  Their ideas were flawed like the caveman.  Designs were drawn on the inside of cave walls.  The only thing we can assume is that one of their designs was smashed in a testing accident.  The handlebars may have become what is known as a boomerang. 

The closest piece of art that we have to today's date that truly uses all the concepts of todays machines came from Japan.  The Japanese have always been good at taking an idea and making it more efficient and useful.  The same goes for travel.  The use of a pulley system helped propel people.  This sketch below is a copy of an ancient Japanese mural of the early machine.  The basic principles are all there.  The Japanese did ignore this device and rather spend most of their time sharpening blades and perfecting other arts.

Bike Comic - Yehuda Moon & the Kickstand Cyclery

Seems fitting for 20 MPH today.


Caption: "$%%@#$%^ HEAD WIND"
Click for comic strip

Nice Response Back from the Mayor's Office

I don't normally email/mail our political leaders. I see good and bad in every situation. I'm opinionated but conservative enough I keep my mouth shut. I'd rather just everyone get along. So this was pretty rare. I emailed our fine Mayor and gave him some props for his work on the Maps 3 project. Sure I would like more money to have gone towards bike lanes because I'm a bit biased, but I think it is a fine project. And I'm looking forward to the bike lanes. But I got a nice response back from the Mayor's office:

Dear Mr. [I removed my last name because I like going incognito],

I took the liberty of forwarding your email to the Planning Director and the Parks and Recreation Department Director because you may have insight that would be useful to them in the future. Thank you for taking the time to send an email to Mayor Cornett. He will read it later today.

Gayleen Keeton
Executive Assistant to the Mayor

I mean that was really nice. The response was immediate and WAY MORE THAN I EXPECTED! I didn't think anyone would ACTUALLY read the email. I'm not going on a diet or anything. (I would mess up the average because I'm trying to maintain or even gain weight.) But I have stopped drinking soda and that was a nice email back.

Cheers,

Never Buy Gas Again... and save on insurance too

Sure gas is expensive. But I think insurance is another ridiculous cost. Everyone always attacks gas. But I at least use gas. I could go YEARS without using a bit of that insurance money I've been putting in other people's pockets.

[jumping off soap box before I get really going]

Cheers,

Route #023 - Downtown

This was more informative than fun. Good gracious there are a ton of stoplights and crossings to get downtown and back. Although I did find a favorable route. I went across neighborhoods to try and find a suitable back route. Although I think I have found better using main roads. I took Hudson and 30th St on my way back to the office. These two streets are the way to go. 30th does not have any exits from either Interstate 44 or Interstate 235. This makes it a great E/W route that is low traffic. Hudson is along Walker. Hudson goes through some great neighborhoods. It made me want to change the colors of my house.

Downtown is a nightmare. I bob and weaved through traffic just as I should. But I really should learn to not stop and every light and run a couple of them. I spent a great deal of time waiting on stoplights. Although, running lights should not be advocated. Safety first!

It was nice seeing the Gardens. I would like to take my camera back and take pictures of the Gardens and the neighborhoods along Hudson.

Cheers,

2 Years Worth of Riding Around OKC

I made a composite map of all the routes and roads I've taken around OKC. I'm happy and sad at the same time. I've got a lot of gaps to fill! I've found where to go and where to avoid. I know the slow streets, the crowded and the ones riddled with pot-holes. My basis of operation is close to 50th and North May.

Going around the lake and back to work is a favorite. It is easily done within a lunch break no matter the wind.

I haven't been out around Eastern and Britton often. It is nice and quite out there between Highway 77 and Highway 44.

Wiley Post can be windy on a non-windy day. Always good for wind-resistance training.

Neighborhood streets are really rough (potholes, gaps, cracks, etc) in Warr Acres and Bethany. But the neighborhood streets are incredibly low traffic. Good for jogging!

North/South & East/West
Routes that go North/South are tough. I would not suggest streats like MacArthur or Meridian between NW Expressway and Route 66; too much traffic. I would suggest Tulsa, Ann Arbor, Independance or some neighborhood street. Going East/West you can take 36th, 50th, Wilshire, or Britton quite easily. But 63rd Street can be very busy. Grand is a great East/West street through Nichols Hills.

Hills
Hills are far and few between. You got some good hills out on Kelley and Eastern. You can find some practice hills around South of 36th St around Tulsa. But the one I run up the fastest (because it is the shortest) is when Grand crosses Lake Hefner Parkway.

Future Plans
Keep riding. Duh. I would like to ry and get as far as Silverhorn Golf Club and Quail Creek Golf Club. Those are some blank spots on my map that need some red marks. I have little interest in going SW of my map. Roads are too bumpy and traffic is too high. Iwould like to find a route that gets me downtown and back. Other than that, don't know yet.

Cheers,

New Shoes

I know these are running shoes and this blog is about biking but I'll do my best to tie them together.  I'm planning on doing a Triathalon in June and some other running events. WOOT WOOT! These are my intentions. Of course life throws curve balls, sliders and knuckleballs. We shall see. So... I got some shoes.

Asics Enduro 5

Adidas Marathon 10

I'm gonna be straight pimpin' in blue and yellow. The Asics are the gels while Adidas is a foam show. I'm going to take turn running in one or the other to figure which is best for me.

Now I need to gear up with the triathlon shorts and shirt. Comment if you know any good or bad gear.

Events planned (Brownie Points Pending):
- April 10th - RedBud Classic 33 mile bike ride
- Aprill 11th - RedBud Classic 10k run
- June 5th: ROUTE 66 SPRINT TRIATHLON Swim 0.5 kms Bike 20 kms Run 5 kms
- September 25-26th - MS Bike Oklahoma Tulsa to OKC

I'd like to throw on MTB event in the loop as well. I just haven't figured out which one yet. I still need to upgrade my tires, pedals, shoes and legs. I'll check on the Tour de Dirt and see what I can find.

Preaching to the Choir

Bike blog to checkout

http://2drunk2shift.blogspot.com/

Bike blog to checkout

http://wrenchinthegears.blogspot.com/

Google Maps gets bicycle routes

WHOOHOO, is what I should be saying. But OKC is pretty disappointing when it comes to bike lanes and bike paths. I've got some comparisons below of some of my favorite cities around the US, well cities I've been to. I will try not to be biased. OKC does beat up on Little Rock.

Route #022

Route #022
Distance: 21.5 miles

This was a fun route. The only problem I had was a 20 MPH head wind. So it was some good "wind resistance training", if you will.

I thought the route looked a little bit like Idaho, but then I looked at a map of Idaho. And I determined that my map is more interesting.

Keep pedallin',
Cheers,

Route #021

I'm trying to standardize my maps a little. I've added some directions for all the streets used. It gets tough to tell with these compressed maps for longer distances in the city. Country routes are easy. "20 miles to Minco then head north 10 miles to Union City then take a right and go 10 miles to Mustang."

Route #021
Distances: 21.65 miles

Yadda, yadda. Thank goodness for Spring being just around the corner.

Cheers,

Route #020

20 Routes!!!! WHOOHOO!!!! As my hero once said on Jeopardy, "Suck it Trebek!" Route #020 is right over 16 miles. This first time and quite easily paced time took right at an hour. I lost track of how many times I had to stop for lights. So you have to account for all that stop and go. This was a great route regardless of its "wandering" and stops. I like to wander. Isn't that what were supposed to do? Are we not supposed to "get lost"? Get wrapped up in not thinking about anything that troubles us? I think instead of having a devil and an angel on each shoulder I think I have a tiny little buddhist monk sitting on a shoulder. I know right and so much fun it is wrong. I think my monk tells me to slow down. Sucks he disappears when my kids are melting down. Obviously he has a problem with LOUD NOISES!!!

I took this route counterclockwise. There are some green dash marks north of Wilshire. That is grass. :) I thought there was a paved path there. I created it with my mind. Jesus said if you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains. I tried to put a path there with my mind obviously. All I got was a dirt path. I'm getting close so get off me bodaggit! The blue lines are bike path.

Cheers,