commuterDude: The big shift

November 29, 2005

The big shift

Even though winter doesn't officially start until mid-December, it's defintely testing the proverbial waters around here. After a week of near-record temps, the bottom kinda dropped out Sunday afternoon, with REALLY weird Kansas fall weather in the form of a late season tornado outbreak and severe thunderstorm event, complete with hail and high-winds. Crazy for November! I think I got the last official semi-warm ride in Sunday morning, before the major stuff blew thru. Not feeling much like riding, or waking up early, I just mounted up the fixxer and rode to nearby Spring Hill and back, but reprised a small section of the Hillsdale Gravel Road Ride, making this glorified coffee-run a near-70% gravel event! Even though the speeds are a little lower, and the going a little tougher, I REALLY enjoy this new-found off-season activity. I'm seeing scenery that I've never seen before, simply because in the past I was riding on tires that wouldn't have done too well on gravel and silt. 191st and Renner got added to the list of "never been here before", as well as a few more of Spring Hill's back-streets that wind through the old "down-town" area. Really cool. I was having so much fun, the constant drizzle/mist and 20+MPH headwinds didn't really bother me that much. Also checked off the list was the fact that the fixxer does really well on sketchy pavement and gravel -- making me almost regret having not taken it on the Hillsdale ride a few weeks back -- but there will be other times. After a bit, I stopped off at the Casey's on Webster Rd., had a coffee and a couple fig newtons, and was back on the bike - now with a wicked tailwind! Still taking my time, but the return trip did go faster, and I checked a few new sections of gravel off the "to-do" list in the process. Very cool, and with the dark skies, the drizzle, the 32c tires and the Carradice bag all in attendance, it seemed very comfortable and appropriate - as opposed to "weird" and "different", which is how I viewed the gravel-road riding thing a month ago. Granted, I'm not going to spend ALL my time on gravel now, but it's certainly not off-limits anymore -- and it may well solve finding that elusive back-route to the Cidermill for next weekend.
Assuming winter lets me get it in: more, heavier snow scheduled for arrival next Sunday... the big shift is coming. Ride while you still can!!!

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What is bicycle commuting?

Simply put, bicycle commuting is the act of travelling to a place of work or education by bicycle. In many areas it is common to combine bicycle commuting with public transport. Worldwide, the bicycle remains the most common commuter vehicle, and bicycle riding the second most common form of commuting, second only to walking. While the absolute number of bicycles in existence globally is unknown, it is clear that significantly more bicycles are manufactured than automobiles. In the United States about 40% of automobile trips are two miles or less; using a bicycle for these short trips can reduce your emissions and expenses. If you live within ten miles of work, you could save thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance and automotive maintenance costs each year. This webpage seeks to highlight bicycling as a viable transportation platform and a fun, exciting, healthful way to improve your life! Visit the commuting links below and get started today!

What is Randonneuring?

The French term "randonnée" loosely translates as a long tour or ramble along a defined route, and persons embarking as such are dubbed "randonneurs". In cycling, the term defines a hard-riding enthusiast attempting a long-distance randonnée (called a "brevet", usually 200 kilometers or greater) within a certain time allotment. Non-competitive by design, randonneuring encourages camaraderie: riders test themselves against the clock, the weather, and a challenging route - but not each other. Randonneuring's ethos embodies self-sufficiency and mental toughness; support vehicles are not allowed and brevets are held regardless of weather. Randonneurs USA (RUSA) organizes brevets in the United States under the auspices of the Audax Club Parisien (ACP) and the Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM), and rider's results are recognized world-wide. This website seeks to highlight the excitement and challenge of long-distance bicycle riding by sharing personal ride accounts, with the hope of growing the sport. If this type of bicycle riding interests you and you'd like to find out more, visit the RUSA webpage to find rides in your area!

For ride announcements and discussions on randonneuring in the greater Kansas City area, visit KC Ultra Cycling, and join the KC Ultra-Cycling Email List:

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Courtesy Randonneurs USA

What is Ultra-Marathon Cycling?

Just as the 26.2-mile marathon represents a benchmark for runners, bicyclists generally consider the "century", riding 100-miles, a worthy endurance challenge. Ultra-marathon cycling involves exceeding that benchmark, often several times over, offering the long-distance challenge of randonnuering with a more competitive flavor. This is the world of 24-hour races, double-centuries, and beyond. Where randonneuring rewards all finishers equally and emphasizes self-sufficiency, ultra-racers compete for time and placing, maximizing speed by utilizing support crews for hand-ups and fast repairs. Event courses can be long and scenic, but may take the form of many laps of a looped course. Winning ultra-distance events requires the rare combination of endurance and a high average speed. Randonneuring and Ultra-Marathon often complement one another: brevets can offer base-training to prepare for racing, and fast randonneurs often enter ultra events for a new challenge. Visit the World Ultra Cycling Association's website for more information.

Courtesy World Ultra Cycling Association

November 29, 2005

The big shift

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