Tag: Cycling

Check out these awesome cycling videos

Carl Setzer

I’ve been an avid cyclist pretty much all of my life. For nearly a decade I went without owning a car, where my bike was my main mode of transportation, along with buses and feet. Over these past few decades in suburbia, I’ve lost some of my advidness. But this is still my soul. Now, good ol’ YouTube has detected this and started feeding me videos to get my love re-ignited.

Though I’ve been been a fixie/fix-gear rider, I am enthralled with those who ride ’em. And especially those who ride them in cities. Bold! With “fixie mulhouse – my legs are my gear”, I enjoy watching them ride through the city. I also wish I had a group of rider friends back in those days for me.

 

This one is a blast. Reminds me of the days when any potential girlfriend needed to love cycling as much as me. (I’m fortunate that this description fits my wife)

Now, though most of my cycling is urban, I have a lot of experience mountain biking. I’ve long admired trials riders like Hans Rey and Danny Macaskill, who blows my mind. His talent, balance, and skill are, simply, amazing. I’m proud that I can do a track stand.

 

Lastly, I have been adding things to my cycling playlist on YouTube. Give it a look!

 

Near My House: A Cyclist Hit By Van

Carl Setzer

Deeply alarming news for me:

From the Everett Herald: “Cyclist hospitalized after van driver hits her in Lynnwood“

So, though glad no “serious” injuries occurred, I feel a bit dis-ease. This happened a very short drive, and rather short walk from my house. With that, I pass by this exact spot several times a week as part of my regular walking/exercise regimen. As an avid cyclist (though a rather fair-weathered one right now) I ride past here quite often, too. From middle-school through high-school, I walked and rode past this intersection at least twice a day. Thus, my connection to this stretch of asphalt runs deep.

For me to see something as senseless as DUI/injury accident this deep into my personal geography unsettles. Reminds me of the tenuous nature of life, the randomness that permeates all our days. The great line “there but for the grace of God go I” captures my current feeling.

 

What a lovely day, thunderstorms and all 

Carl Setzer

Today’s weather was certainly quirky. Earlier in the afternoon, it was nice enough in Marysville to get a 20 minute walk in. 

Not too much later the thunderstorm rolled through. My son and I planned to hit the gym, but the weather knocked the power out there. So, we went out for a little ride. 

Now, it had cleared up as we were gearing up. But it started to pour as we headed out. We opted to keep going. It was my son’s first real rain ride. 

I’ve become a fair weathered cyclist over the years. So it was nice to get out and get wet on the road. I love riding so, and need to get back in the saddle more. 

I want to push my fitness higher again. Not get my fitness back. Rather, adapt and create a new life, with a solid center of fitness. 

Besides riding, I want to get into kayaking. I’ve a fair amount of experience…and I want more. 

Also, during the winter I want to get deeper into cross-country skiing. That’s one I really miss. 

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is Saturday October 3rd 2015 at Duthie Hill Bike Park!

This is a great chance to introduce a new rider to the fun of the trail. This will be a fun-filled day with activities, prizes, and excitement!

In the past, almost 200 kids and 100 adults turned out to Duthie, located in Issaquah. It is a bike trail park built for all ages and ability levels – from first-timers to advanced riders.

This year’s event includes guided trail rides, an obstacle course for the little ones, an exciting jump show from local and pro riders, regular and mini pump track challenges, BBQ, and tons of prizes! It’s a terrific way to get kids outside in the woods having fun on bikes. Come join us at this family event!  All ages are welcome – from tots to teens – they just need a working bike and helmet to participate.

Get the Schedule on the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance website.

Make sure to visit their booth at the 2016 Seattle Bike Show!

Grinduro: A New Kind Of Bike Race?

Carl Setzer

This looks like a freaking awesome party down in the Sierra Nevadas. But October is a hard time for me to get away, what with everyone else in school and all. Heck, maybe it will be a great time for ME to break away. Sigh, probably not.

GRINDURO
On October 10, the world will be introduced to Grinduro, a new format of bike racing that combines the best elements of a mountain bike enduro and a gravel grinder road race.The Grinduro is one long loop of pavement, dirt and singletrack, where finishing times aren’t based on overall loop time. Instead, you’ll be timed only on four segments that were designed to reward the most well rounded of rouleurs.

The course is a serious affair (8,000-feet of climbing in 60 miles of our favorite roads in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains), but the Grinduro isn’t meant to be a sufferfest. You’ll ride with friends, enjoy the rest stops, take in the views, and then give it all you’ve got during the timed segments.

Once you’re done riding, the real party gets started. Grinduro is not just a bike race. It’s a celebration of cycling with as much emphasis on the party as the ride, with excellent food, an impressive display of art and incredible handmade bikes, live music, free camping and a festival atmosphere.

Grinduro is a new kind of bike race, and you won’t want to miss this party.
Learn more and register today.
GRINDURO

New Year’s Weekend

Carl Setzer

It was a pretty calm weekend. Didn’t even hit the gym much, but that wasn’t too bad. Was feeling worn out, so clearly needed rest.

Did make it to REI’s garage sale, scoring some great gear at killer prices. But not much, as the past month had been had a heap of extra expense. In particular, found a bike jacket that I’m tempted to wear everywhere. I have no qualm with uber-bike-nerd status.

Makes me look forward to riding in 2015. I plan on greatly increasing my mileage this year. I’ll map out a more specific goal soon. I also want to ride a few organized rides. I haven’t thought it through much deeper than that.  Now, just wondering if I’ll hit the Chilly Hilly next month.

Also looking forward to the year’sSeattle Bike Expo. Centurylink field should provide a nice, more easily accessible venue. Parking shall be a hoot, but us cyclists, especially the hardcore, will be fine. Plenty of bike racks, I’m sure.

There are a few other outside goals I’m entertaining. Getting some good hikes in really excites me. Ice Caves again, perhaps another trip up to Lake 22, but only looking at day hikes right now. These will be summer based. At least good weather focused.

So, 2015 week be an outside-centric year. How more awesome can you get! See you outside!

Cycling Backpack/Bag

Carl Setzer

I delight in seeing new bike gear. And I consider Timbuk2 gear “bike gear”. This one looks pretty groovy. (Note: I don’t think I rock the hipster style quite this well.)

Besides the way the back stores your commuting essentials…

…I love the idea of a “ventilated back panel”, especially if it prevents soggy back syndrome. That’s what I’ve always hated about backpacks (and beyond cycling). No air on my back, ooey-gooey-soggy back/shirt. Blech! Yet I like the feeling of carrying gear in a backpack; more comfortable.

So, I hope this works. Whether I’ll pony up the ~$80 for this remains to be seen. I have a rather large collection of bags, and bringing home a new addition has been determined legally justification for kicking me in the shins.

Riding the Snoqualmie Valley Trail

Carl Setzer

Friends texted us Friday evening. We’d discussed riding the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, part of my want-to-ride list for ages.

IMG_5741

We parked and set out from Loutsis Park in Carnation. One side note: Apple’s map/Siri got us near Loutsis, but to a different park .3 miles away. Google Maps was able to get us the rest of the way. The ride was, well, mostly half uphill, with the ride back being down. MapMyFitness does a create job of mapping out the ride, providing all the great geeky details like splits and elevation gain. Here are these details from this ride.

It’s really a nice trail for this kind of ride. Well packed gravel, and, though solidly up-hill, a gentle grade (to be expected from converted train tracks). For us, this was perfect: our group had a significant range of age and skill: ages 6 to early 50s. My son, with one of his friends, rode ahead with me while the rest of our crew adopted a more leisurely pace. I felt proud of my son’s pace and endurance. More good rides ahead for us!

Not much wildlife to be seen, but I’m certain that was mostly a function of the time of day. There are placards warning you how to react to bear and cougar sightings. I kept my eyes open as I’ve never seen either in the wild and would actually like to do so. As there weren’t too many other users, the likelihood of seeing something was a lot higher. Yet we didn’t see much. A hawk or turkey vulture, Stellar’s Jays, and not much else. I thought I saw a coyote, but it was far enough away that it might well have been a dog. Who knows?

My favorite “thing”. This quirky thing: a tsunami evacuation sign in the mountains?

Not what I was expecting to see.
Not what I was expecting to see.

If you look closely at the top of the sign, you’ll see the world “Tolt River Dam Failure”. This is the dam that had folks worried a few years back. The incongruity caught my attention, though.

Summing up: this is a trail I want to ride again.

A Good Weekend, Fitness-Wise

Carl Setzer

A pretty good week, fitness-wise. The end of week and weekend provided me with the chance to cycle. Friday I simply rode to taekwondo, Saturday morning I got a bit over 12 miles in, and Sunday I got a solid 22 miler in. Sunday’s ride was both hard and eye opening. Part of me wants to reclaim the form I has in my youth. This ride was the longest I’ve had in years; over a decade. I covered a small part of one of my favorite rides. One that is built for climbing. One that showed, glaringly so, how much work I have in front of me.

My feelings weren’t negative, though; not at all. Tranquility really defines my attitude afterwards. I pushed hard, but was mostly able to meet it. I know I can reclaim something.

Oddly, I’m really not trying to “reclaim”. I’m looking for a whole different way. My youthful eating was horrible. The habits I formed dreadful for my long-term health. So, the only piece of reclamation is the time I spent on fitness. Above that, I seek to add a better diet, with deeper insights into health.

I am trying to build a truly healthy, fitness focused lifestyle. And I can see the transformation. It feels great.