There's Always Tomorrow

The nice thing about bike racing is that there is always another race.  My previous sporting endeavor – long course triathlon – focused on one or possibly two big races a year, what were called your “A” races.  Sure you did some “B” and “C” races but the big daddy, the big Kahuna was “A” race; that was the one that mattered.  Problem with putting all of your eggs in one basket is what if your basket gets a hole in it.  To put it less metaphorically, what if you get sick on race day, what if you’re injured, what if unseasonably hot, unseasonably cold, unseasonable windy – your race is shot.  So much for that year.

I raced my bike twice last week – a crit and a mountain bike race – this week I’ll race a crit and a road race.  If on Thursday (Seward Park Criterium Series) and feel sick, tired, sore, or if I go out too hard and blow up or otherwise get dropped, who cares, there’s another race, another chance at redemption at Saturday’s Vance Creek Road Race.

The fact that there is always another race opens you up to experimentation, it permits you to take risks.  Who cares if I blow up, hell at least I tried and in a couple of days I’ll have the chance to put my tire on the start line and try again.

Sweet 14

I rode my cross bike, complete with knobby tires, into town yesterday.  Round trip it’s a little over 20 miles.  I knew that I would be racing in the evening and consequently kept the pace easy.  I also didn’t want to get all sweaty prior to my meeting, so I kept the pace below 14mph, and simply rolled along enjoying my time on the bike.

This is what I call riding under the “sweat threshold” or ST.  Most of my bike riding involves some sort of training, so either I’m hammering hard or hammering kind of hard.  Either way I’m pushing the flats and attacking the hills.  I’m so deep into this mindset that when it’s time to slow down and take it easy I really have to focus; a few minutes of inattention and I’m huffing and puffing my way back up to 20 mph.

So many commuters seem to think that they have to change out of sweaty clothes once they get to wherever they are going, but I figure if I can stay under the ST I’ll arrive dry and ready to go.  I’ll admit that here in hilly Seattle riding under the ST is a bit of a challenge, but with a little concentration it’s totally possible.

Riding 14 mph versus 20 mph only amounts to a time difference of 13 minutes over a 10 mile ride.

I suspect that many folks are put off bike commuting –and bike travel in general – because they mistakenly believe that there is this big complicated rigmarole associated with two-wheeled travel.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  Yesterday I rode 10 miles into the heart of Seattle under a light drizzle wearing the Gent’s Pants I’m developing for my company – Greenlite Heavy Industries – a polo shirt, an REI vest and a Pendleton wool shirt.  I was comfortable, kept under the ST and arrived at my meeting invigorated yet sweat free.

The Triple Bottom Line

Yesterday I was listening to my local NPR station and the guest brought up something she called the “Triple Bottom Line.”  She was referring to businesses that focus on three elements of success:

            Financial
            Social
            Environmental

It was good to hear someone put something that I’ve been thinking about into legible, concise terminology.  My new company – Greenlite Heavy Industries – definitely has a triple bottom line.

The art of business is to stay in business, and thus positive cash flow should be the primary goal, but it shouldn’t be the only goal.  Making money is a suitable goal, but it doesn’t have to be the mission of a company.  I started Greenlite with the mission of getting more people to lead more active lives.  Human beings were designed to be active, without daily activity our minds and our bodies atrophy; stagnant minds and bodies are ripe pickings for the drug companies.  Drugs neither make us healthier nor happier.  Stimulation of mind and body is the social goal of Greenlite Heavy Industries.

I see the automobile as a scourge.  It is the root of all of America’s recent, current and pending wars.  Why was Bin Laden pissed at the U.S?  He was very clear on this point: he was fighting against American troops on Saudi soil, what he in his religiosity considered heathens on sacred soil.  Why were American troops there?  To guard American oil interests.  It’s not complicated.  Oil is the source of unimaginable environmental destruction – 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico how do you get your mind wrapped around that?  The energy industry (i.e. oil companies) have almost unrivaled political power in this nation.  Making any significant strides in alternative energy is impossible due to the political power of big oil.  The automobile has made the United States of America stagnant, sad, stupid slaves.  Without the internal combustion engine we are powerless.

The best alternative energy source available to mankind is food.  Why is the assumption that in order to get from here to there one should exert no physical effort so prevalent?  Cars should be used for long trips, walking or bicycles should be used for short trips.  The environmental goal of Greenlite is to get more people out of their cars and onto their feet and onto their pedals.

I want Greenlite Heavy Industries to be a force for good in my community, in my nation and in my world.  In order to do this I think that I have to write down and continually reflect upon my purpose in starting this endeavor.

Freedom

I’m a real rule follower, the sign says “Don’t Walk” I don’t walk; green means go, red means stop.  I’ve been this way my entire life, and so I guess this is why I look for ways and places to separate myself from the rules, to do my own thing.  At first it was through mountaineering that I discovered the freedom of a world sans rules.  I instinctively avoided, I dare say even ran away from, guided or otherwise organized climbing groups.  Instead I found my “boys” and we did our own thing.  We went out in bad weather, we had no “team leader” and we left at home most of the ten essentials.  This was anathema to many “Mountaineers” who saw climbing as akin to a military expedition; we did our best to steer clear of the Mountaineers.

Now my freedom is found on the bike.  Much of my training is done solo, and I simply put on my kit, pump up my tires and get out there and ride.  On my bike I make my own decisions.  Yesterday I had to ride on the Burke-Gilman bike trail, it was a sunny Sunday afternoon and the trail was thick with every manner of cyclist, runner, jogger, walker, roller and crawler.  I slowed down, took my time, kept my cool, this was, after all, the first time in six months that I’d ridden in short sleeves – why get all uptight.  Near the University of Washington I got in behind a quintet of “serious” bikers: they were adorned with all manner of blinking lights, fluttering ribbons and orange slow moving vehicle insignias. 

I was stuck behind the recumbent guy who was droning on about the “tough centuries” when we came to a stop sign at a point where the trail crossed a street.  As we slowed I pulled up alongside the lead rider, and as we approached the intersection an oncoming car slowed and came to a stop, I gave the driver a wave and rolled through the intersection and continued on my way.  From behind I hear “oh I guess you don’t have to stop.”

I ride in a team kit and I take my role as a spokesperson for the sponsors seriously.  I acknowledge drivers who show a little courtesy, I wave to every passing cyclist, and I even pull over if I feel that I have a driver trapped in behind me, I never flip off or yell at inattentive drivers I just let it roll off.  So consequently I didn’t give the old gal the middle finger salute, nor did I turn around to explain to her that the driver had stopped, he and I had made eye contact, and that the smartest thing to do in that situation was to accept the courtesy and continue on my way.

I’m sure at this moment in time she is probably writing her own blog post about that crazy “racer” who flew past her riding reckless and irresponsibly.   “Why doesn’t he just follow the rules!”

Worn out Jeans - Only $300

I got a chuckle out of this hang tag, which I found on a pair of two hundred plus dollar jeans. How exactly does "each hole and rip" remind you "of a different story" when each hole and rip was made on a machine in some Asian factory. Jeans certainly do weave a tapestry telling the adventures and mishaps of their owner, but faking that "character," worse yet charging you one to two hundred bucks for that faked character, I say no thanks.

Currently I am searching out that perfect denim for my next project - urban cycling jeans. The denim will be raw and you can bet that they won't be "characterized."

Cool Ride

Saw this slick ride shining in the sun at the Volunteer Park Crit last Saturday. I've never heard of a David James bicycle. The city bars and eighteen gears made this one unique ride. I missed getting a shot of a vintage silver and maroon Davidson.

Pride

A creative display of pride in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood.