I can’t call yesterday the best day I’ve ever had. There were a few bright spots, but in general it was a day I’d just as well write off.
I think it started with watching a video from a cardiologist. I’m going to do a post of it eventually, so I’m not going to get into it right now, but the thing left me pretty depressed, which isn’t my normal state and I don’t deal with it very well. Next, I was trying to put the Di2 electronic shifting on my cross bikes and after dealing with it for a good while, realized that I didn’t have the right length wires to connect the shifters to the junction box at the bottom bracket or the junction box to the rear derailleur. So, my “A” bike is completely disassembled the day before I hope to race. And it’s not going to get together in time either.
Plus, the daylight seems to be gone right after I wake up. What’s up with that? I had planned to take a rest day, but was still thinking of riding a little, but it got dark before I had a chance to get out. I hate the winter just because of that. I think I must be an endorphin addict, because if I don’t do something, it puts me into a funky mood. I can’t imagine living in Alaska or somewhere that it is dark nearly the whole winter. Talk about depressing.
Anyway, today I have to try to figure out if I have enough equipment together to this weekend. It will be a hodgepodge of stuff, but that matches my physical assets at this point, so it seems right. I am mildly panicking about my form, or lack of it, at this very moment. At least it is mildly. It won’t become real panic for another month I hope. Something seems to be off kilter, but I have no idea what it is. I’m usually pretty good at figuring these things out, but this has eluded me so far.
Heard about the summit they are holding this weekend in London, The Change Cycling Now Group? I’d like to go there and listen to what these guys have to say. I’m thinking it is going to be a very hard task. And here’s the one of the reasons why-
In a 1995 poll, 198 elite athletes were asked if they would use a banned performance enhancing drug given the guarantees of not getting caught and winning. Only 3 of those athletes said they would not use a drug (Bamberger & Yaeger, 1997).[v] Other studies also conform to the theory that athletes believe that the use of a banned harmful substance is a viable response to a career-threatening situation, and many would be prepared to use drugs if they found themselves in a situation that threatened their performance or career.
Think this looks real?
That is going to be a very hard thing to change. I’m not sure that cycling will ever go the way of golf, where the players call fouls on themselves. Plus, I’d bet just about anything, that golf has it’s own issues with PEDs. I have no idea what they are, but I’m sure it’s there.
I have to applaud the effort though. It’s not going to be easy.
Okay, I hope today goes a little better. The days seem to be going by about as fast as I blink. Time is strange that way. Sometimes it seems to nearly stand still and the very next moment it seems to accelerate out of control. I sort of like it that way.
The front derailleur to the battery wire was about the only thing that fit yesterday.
I added electronics to my MTB. I got these heated grips to test. They run on a Lithium-Ion battery. They have 3 setting and I chose 3 for 35 degrees and really thin gloves.
This was the outcome. Blisters on both hands. And I don’t get blisters on my hands hardly ever. Obviously, these things can get very hot and I’d guess will work down to just about any temperature you can stand for the rest of your body.
I did get a new cylinder and piston for my Stihl MS200t chainsaw. That was a highlight of the day.
How about this from Johan? I didn’t like the guy much before, but thought he might be fairly smart. That isn’t the case.
Steve here is something for a short cloudy winterday=long winternight
It is good exercise too, so you can mix up things,,,,,you can stay of the bike
Hoping the ” London Summit ” gets the thing done since ” UCI ” currently has the smell of a dung heap ! I hope they create a way for ” Cycling Fans to contribute their ideas of what they wish to see as Cycling moves into the future !
As the winter is supposed to be full on here in Austria , i am finding that unless there is frost on the grass , i can continue riding in shorts with extra layers on the body mass . Getting motivated to leave the house when feeling under the weather is another thing . With sun i am able to get out but rain and wet roads discourage any but the minimal effort .
Noticed that Catherine Marsal ( past french womens’champ ? ) had negative attitude to the Summit . JB is obviously feeling ignored , so needs to be controversial , to remind people he is still around . Have to laugh at a comment that he has 100K twitter followers , since LA now has 4M +( last year 3.3M ) even after all the controversy generated
Steve, not sure of your religious beliefs but I will pray for you health.
Steve we must be skeptical of everything. Question their motives. Fair play is not what folks are after. They are protecting their wallets. I have no problem with that but they should be honest. People who want to do good work at soup kitchens. That is giving back.
Did you get your ferritin checked yet?
Take care
Thomas
Just don’t try+use those on the bike parts body heater things on your bicycle seat….muchos caliente por pavor..aieee
For some reason I got back into motorcycling for a couple of years a few years ago. The BMW R1200GS had heated grips. Before I got an electric jacket liner, I was on a cold ride in pouring rain from Olympia, Wa. to Vancouver, BC. When I got cold and switched them on to high, it was amazing how much they affected core temperature. I guess the body must put the blood where it’s warm even in an extremity. I assume they’d be amazing on a freezing day on the bike, too.
I found hard to believe JV’s transition from a doper to an anti-doping advocate and the other guys at the summit. And they are not shy to hire convicter dopers in their team. I wish JV would just walked away from cycling and do something else.
It is pretty easy to splice Di2 cables together. I wanted to make a modification to mine and needed longer wire so I cut the cable in half and spliced telephone wire in the center. Works great.
Hey man, where did you find a new cylinder and piston for your Stihl? I screwed up a really nice chainsaw and would like to rebuild it.
Sir-I saw it new on eBay, but bought it directly from the guy. It happened to be in Kansas City. The cylinders for the MS 200t saws are pretty pricey because they are the saw of choice from professional tree guys. Pretty much the lightest top handle saw out there. The cylinders and pistons for other saws are much more reasonable.