Chain issue strikes again

I like riding Barons but I hate working on them, last year a poorly maintained chain ruined my summer and you'd think I'l learn my lesson but NoooooOOOOOooooooo.

Speeds at White Rock Lake have been down quite a bit, I should be doing routine 21 average rides by now but they've been in the low to mid 19's. So for the heck of it I bought a chain cleaner and boom the speed is back. Now I just have to get my endurance back.

I apparently forgot to post video from the Katy Ram Challenge a few weeks ago, I'll get it up asap.

Tour de Houston 2013

Now THIS was a ride. I almost did it last year but wimped out after the Magnolia Miles ride and I wish I hadn't. 5,000+ rider count, second largest ride I've ever done (only Hotter than Hell Hundred was bigger) and it was a madhouse at the sign-in. Glad I got there early.
 
Like the Deer Park ride last month this one was mainly through Houston suburbs. You'd think it would be slow but they had excellent police support through most of the intersections. Would have been faster but still had to stop at some lights

 Slight south wind at the start which made it even better on the way back north. Felt fast and felt good the entire 70 mile ride. Lots of fun passing thousands of slower riders. Words just cannot describe this one, it was one amazing ride!

I found out later someone collapsed and died during the ride going up an overpass. You just never know...

Magnolia Miles 2013

Okay ride northwest of Houston, Zak caught up with me at about the 50 mile mark. Ron Swift showed up and blew everyone away again. I didn't even see him at the start and apparently he was gone by the time I got out on the road.

Felt good until the last 10 miles which went into a 15-20 mph headwind, at least the road was good but I was drained at the end.

Met Ron at the end and watched as his wife pulled in.

Huntsville Raven's Revenge 2013

Great ride through Sam Houston Forest, I started using the same route from 2 years ago and didn't realize they changed it to avoid the dreaded Stubblefield road. Ended up doing said dreaded road twice :)

Rider count 200-300?

Baytown Lions Club Ride 2013

Tough ride, likely the coldest since it was 41 degrees at the start with a 15 mph northwest wind bringing the windchill down the the lower 30's. Hard riding around the west section.

Ride wore me out, got to ride with Zak who arrived late and passed almost everyone to catch me before we got the the ferry. I seriously need some cardio workouts

Katy Spring Breakaway 2013

Normally flat and fast, got to ride with Zak on his Carbent. This is normally a popular ride but the low 50's starting temperature appeared to cut down the rider count considerably.

 This ride has always been fast heading out from Katy to Wallis and today was no exception. With Zak pushing me we had a 22.5 mph average however just before Wallis Zak suffered a flat rear and I was on my own.

 The north section to San Felipe has always been a struggle with rough chip-seal although I still had a decent 21.9 average when I started hitting the final 20 miles. Unfortunately a 10-12 mph headwind really slowed me getting into Brookshire then back to Katy and the rest of the way was a struggle, I REALLY need to work on my endurance.

Nice riding with Zak, he's greatly improved since the last year and he finished with a higher average than me in spite of the flat. Along with Ron Swift on his Carbent that's 2 fast recumbent riders I gotta deal with over the next couple of months :)

Waller Bulldog Ride 2013

Good ride northwest of Houston, roads weren't the best but where fairly flat and excellent scenery the entire ride. Temperature was in the mid 40's at the start and I'm getting better at the colder rides (hey that's considered cold in south Texas). 200-250 riders and I think I finished first. This was my 3rd time with this one and my average speed was somewhere in the middle although I still need work on endurance and speed. Felt pretty good at the end.

4 years ago tonight

4 years ago tonight I wrecked on the silver Baron during a 70 mile night ride, rode the last 10 miles back without realizing I had a fractured pelvis. tonight 40,000+ miles later I celebrated by doing another 50. For a while I was worried I would never get my performance level back but it turned out I got much better. Maybe I'll break the other side and get even better :)

PS: That really long screw has always intrigued me, amazing what they can do these days.

Hempstead Peddling The Prairie 2013

Last rode this one in 2011, it's a very good and fairly flat ride northwest of Houston. Rider count about 1,000.

 I spent all week riding the hills of Flower Mound and the improvements showed here, felt pretty good the entire ride although I still have more work to do. Lots of good rides coming up soon.

Got to see Ron Swift from Waco again, managed to keep him in sight a little longer this time as he quickly rode away :)
 

Longview Texas Freeze Your Fanny 2013

This is the 3rd time I've done this ride, the last time was in 2009 just before I broke my hip. Each time they've changed the route and this one was considerably more hilly than the others.Every time I've done this ride it's been far from freezing and this time was no exception since the temp at the start was 60 degrees. (I'm told they cancelled it 2 years ago because of really cold weather)

I've been spoiled the last couple of years with flat Houston area rides and it really showed this time with a poor performance here, those hills just killed me and I can't remember being so wore out at the finish. At least it's early in the year and since this ride I've been doing 50+ rides through hilly Flower Mound to get back in shape.

One good thing was meeting Ron Swift from Waco who did a masterful job on a Carbent beating everyone in the 60 mile route. Amazing rider.

New Diggs

I've had the same apartment garage for the past 15 years and the overhead door was always screwing up so it was high time I got a different one. This came with shelving which as you can tell was much needed :)

Nice to see it clean for a change, no idea how long that will last...

50 miles tonight, January has been crap with lousy riding weather. Hopefully I can catch up in February.

Deer Park Texas Independence Bike Rally

Fun ride in south Texas just southeast of Houston, normally event rides start in town then head somewhere out in the nearby country and end back in town. This one twisted around several smaller cities in the area. Started out feeling a little blah but ended pretty strong. I got the pleasure of riding 30 miles with one of the local bent riders named Tuan riding a nice looking Carbent. Hopefully will be seeing him again in the next few months.

Coldspring Ride Through The Forest And Hills 2013

First event ride of the year, did this one 2 years ago. A little too much chip-seal but well worth the ride. A little fog at the beginning and great weather at the end. Rider count almost 800.

I was a little slower than last time, lots of work to do.

Vehicle change

Finally after 4 years and slightly over 246,000 miles the 1999 Ford Ranger died

She was a good dependable ride that took me to a lot of places but some computer

thing under the hood went kaput and would have cost way too much to replace

Taking it's place is a 2008 Ford Ranger (got it cheap too)

Finally I have a V6, automatic and more importantly CRUISE CONTROL!!!

Riding Then Climbing Stone Mountain

 
I went to Atlanta for Thanksgiving again and of course rode a few times around Stone Mountain, no video but if you go back last year you'll see what it's like. If you are in the area and want a workout it's a good one. 4.8 mile loop with 313 ft total climb

A couple of days later I climbed the mountain, 1,688 ft high and a very nice view at the top

Richmond Ride for Literacy

Good ride and likely the last this year, nice, flat and decently fast.

Weimar Ride For Lions

Nice area, great people, lousy roads

Chip-seal city on this one, lots of rough road. Was going to do the 100k but cut it short.