I’ll bet there is a whole group of active cyclist out there who don’t know why the current pedal technology is called “clipless”. They probably accept it as simple fact – that pedals are now called “clipless pedals” just because they are.
Having been actively engaged with cycling for over 25 years, I’ve participated in the evolution of pedals to not only know why clipless pedals are called “clipless pedals”, but have firsthand experience with the pedal technology that has lead up to the removal of clips.
I really shouldn’t be too …

So, I’m digging through some old albums in search of a picture of me with torn jeans for yesterday’s post and stumble across this picture:

Given my height, I’d guess I was either 13 or 14 in that photo. I’m standing in my grandparents’ kitchen along the shores of Lake Minnewaska. They lived along North Lakeshore Drive, right near the DNR fish hatchery, and were a convenient stop for my numerous trips around the lake.
This photo represents some of the earliest stages of my adventures into cycling. With an older brother …

There is no greater motivation than investing in something moderately expensive. Thus, this past February I sat with my brand-new New Steed™ in the basement and wished to get back into regular riding.
This corresponded with the launch of this blog and I took the opportunity to record the bicycle-related events. Early posts simply described the rides, but I soon realized that it is difficult to properly describe the experience with words alone. For those who might not ride regularly, it’s hard to articulate what riding a bike is really about. …

Watching the thermometer climb this morning, I didn’t really have any specific plans to ride. This weekend is all about housework – both inside and outside – as I know there are just a few opportunities remaining to be fully prepped for winter. I have leaves to collect, a pool cover to secure, windows to clean, and a host of other things that need dry, above freezing temps to accomplish. Thus, when the temps looked like they would at least stay inside the 50’s with only gentle winds, I changed …

The radar looked clear. Of course, it was REALLY gloomy, as most of the cars on the road had their lights turned on. But the radar did not indicate it was actually raining.
So much for my faith in technology.
Within five minutes of leaving the house, a light mist started to envelop me and it eventually became heavy enough to be classified as true rain.
With yesterday’s ride in my legs and still fighting a nasty cold, it wasn’t the best of circumstances for a ride. Add the cold, wet weather to …

Nothing about today should have led me to a ride. It was:

cold (mid-40s)
a little windy
I hadn’t been on the bike in two weeks
I’ve been physically feeling ill – possibly H1N1
there is a plethora of yard work to do at my house

But, I have come to realize that riding isn’t about enjoyment. It isn’t about fitness. It isn’t about the “freedom of the road”.
It’s about suffering – but in a good way. Rides that have no obstacles are fundamentally boring. They need something to overcome. They need some event to occur …

Before I get into the details of the ride, I have a small confession to make.
I wore underwear wrapped around my toes for today’s ride.
There, I said it – with no real sense of embarrassment. That might be due to the “old guy syndrome” that is slowly creeping into me as I near 40. It is the syndrome where men begin to care little of what others may think of their outward appearance. I see it in my 65 year old neighbor, who regularly goes out to get his mail …

For any cyclist, Fall is a transition period and one that comes with much trepidation. Whereas in the Spring, 40-degree days are met with joy and excitement, those same temperatures in the Fall are looked at with disdain and despair.
Minnesotans are rather finicky with the weather. A sunny, 45 degree day in March can result in breaking out t-shirts and shorts, while the snowpiles barely begin to melt. That same 45 degree day in October yields woolen hats, gloves, and heavy coats to avoid the “chill in the air”. Of …

I did it.
I didn’t want to do it, but I did it.
When Mother Nature deals the cards She has of recent, it’s impossible not to play the hand that is given.
Yes – if you haven’t already figured it out – tonight was the first night on the indoor trainer.
I’ve been dreading this evening for a long time. But, two weeks of bone-chilling temperatures and steady rain have meant too little time on the bike. Too little for my comfort. Too little to maintain the balance of food/beer intake …

A busy day at work and other locations is best closed out with a bike ride.
After a cold front moved through last night, today was also the first day of fall rearing its cold and blistery head. We’ve had un-seasonably warm weather throughout most of September, so it is a shock to the system when the temps move down into the 50’s. When I left the house for the ride, the thermometer indicated that the temps were hanging around 56F. Couple that with the temperature inside my house at about …