Keweenaw Chain Drive Pre-Ride

Pat and James after conquering a Maasto Hiihto hill I can't climb.

My team mates James, Pat, and I embarked on a "32-mile" ride today. Our course wasn't really 32 miles because we were doing the Keweenaw Chain Drive long course sans parade rollout.

The "long course" consists partly of all the trails in the Churning Rapids trail system. These are the trails near my home that I will be riding the most this year. The course was creatively plotted and amazingly includes all the singletrack, however not in the order I prefer. Great Oaks is a wildly fun, technical trail on the descent, but a beast on the ascent. It is a climb in the race and I found it quite challenging when we rode it today. We did the usual favorites such as Drunken Sailor and Pow Pow and headed back to Maasto Hiihto to finish up the race course. Towards the end, both of my knees were getting achy, we were all talking about pesto pasta at the Michigan House, and decided to cut out the last singletrack and simply head back to our vehicles.


Di riding under the Twisted Tree, also the name of the trail.

One of the new trails in the race was recently created because a beaver dam caused flooding of our singletrack. Here is the beaver dam and its newly created reservoir:


Pat noticed how the beaver dam, the sticks and brush at the bottom of the picture, is concave resembling the Hoover Dam.


Pat riding across the new bridge adjacent to the beaver dam (on the right).

We rode at a leisurely pace with me leading the way – twenty-seven miles in three hours and forty-seven minutes. We might have gone a little faster had I not been suffering from a hangover resulting from the previous night's Stanley Cup Finals festivities.

Even considering my less-than-preferable physical state, I decided that the thirty-two mile course was not on the agenda for this year's race. I have every intention of completing it this year and will continue to concentrate on climbing and endurance for my training this year. Next year, I plan to move up to the longer races.

National Bike Month in Review

Yesterday marked the end of National Bike Month. At the beginning of the month, I set a mileage goal of 400 miles. With the cold, wet weather we had this May, I did not find the motivation to get out much. When the weather was nice, I chose to mountain bike instead of riding the road. Combining these two factors, it is easy to see why I did not reach my mileage goal. I completed about 274 miles. Still, it's not so shabby.

Now that mountain biking is in full swing in the Keweenaw, I am switching my goal from mileage to hours. I plan to spend ten hours per week on the bike. I figure this is a good amount for promoting weight loss and will definitely give me a good amount of ride time for mountain biking.

Review of Monthly Goal

As we enter our last week of National Bike Month, I hope you have found the inspiration to stand up for cyclists' rights in a diplomatic manner and, least of all, ride your bike. I hope you have found new ways, partly inspired by this blog, to enhance your cycling experience or think about it in a new light.

Earlier this month, I mentioned setting goals. My goal was to reach 400 miles. I'm a tad bit away from that at 228 miles. That means I need to do a lot of road riding this week. ;-)

We were supposed to have thunderstorms today. However, the sun came out and it was a beautiful 60 degree F day. It's trying really hard. Summer is really trying to appear. We are supposed to have showers tomorrow. If it follows suit, we will have yet another sunny day. If that is the case, I will set out for a 50-mile ride. Three 50-mile rides this week should set me on track for 400 miles. I really have to cram the mileage in. I also have to take a couple days off because I have a race on Sunday. Ah, Sunday. Sunday begins a new mileage goal. I will probably set it at 400 miles, again.

A 400-mile goal is kind of hard to reach when mountain biking season arrives. When the trails are great, you want to do nothing but mountain bike. Three hours of mountain biking can produce much less mileage than road biking. Considering my average speed on a mountain bike is 8 to 10 mph, and my road biking average is anywhere from 15 to 20 mph depending on terrain, the difference can be huge. I just have to remember that the road bike does exist.

I really don't think I'll reach 400 miles. That is quite a lofty goal for someone of my ability, but I will surely try.

Improve Your Riding With a Good Book

I like books. Whenever I start a new hobby, I buy books. Bicycling wasn't any different.

When I started mountain biking, it was pretty obvious I had a lot to learn regarding technique. I didn't know how to climb steep hills or maneuver through rock gardens, and the only advice I was given was "ride more." Well, that advice really doesn't work. The following are the books in my collection.



Mountain Bike Magazine's Complete Guide To Mountain Biking Skills was the first cycling book I bought. It was a fun and easy read. I would read a chapter, visualize what I was reading, and then go try it on the trail, with few exceptions. I've attempted a wheelie, but that ended in disaster and I haven't tried since.

I highly recommend this book for beginner mountain bikers and for those that don't got skills. For the men who would like to encourage their girlfriends or wives to ride, this an excellent book to give as a gift. It will take a lot of stress out of learning how to ride because the very important unspoken information is in the book. It really will make climbing and technical riding easier.

I like to think of Bicycling Magazine's Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills as the roadie companion to Mountain Biking Skills. It is set up the same way and has short, easy reading articles. What is great about this book is that it doesn't only have articles pertaining to fit, skills, and racing, but it includes men and women only chapters containing many of those embarrassing to ask questions.

This book is geared toward roadies, but it contains lots of great information for all riders. It serves as a great compliment to the Complete Guide to Mountain Biking Skills.

My riding partner lent me Ned Overend's Mountain Bike Like a Champion. I'm still reading this book. I recommend this book for someone who has been riding for a few months. It is a great read after the Complete Guide to Mountain Biking Skills as it just seems to be written on a more experienced level. Not surprising, and quite enjoyable.

Ned goes more in depth about basic and advanced skills and gives information about racing and training as well. What I found quite enjoyable about this book are Ned's anecdotes and his admissions that he isn't particularly good at everything, at least not in his mind. It's refreshing to learn from such a great rider that it's ok not to be able to master everything. Just do what you can.

When I joined the Red Jacket – BlueSky Health Racing Team, I decided it was time to get a training book. I didn't get the one that everyone recommended, because it just didn't speak to me at the time. After about an hour sitting on the bookstore floor and thumbing through some cycling books, I purchased The Lance Armstrong Performance Program after much thought.

This book has a lot of great training information including riding programs and goal-specific workouts to include in your training. It is full of Lance experiences and tactics and is quite inspirational. If your training program is lacking something, this may be just the book you need for a little inspiration and a lot of great ideas.

National Bike Month tip of the day: buy a bicycling book for inspiration and skill improvement.

Exercise Is a Benefit of Commuting

One of the first things I noticed when I began commuting by bike is the lack of guilt I would often feel when I chose not to ride after work. This is probably because I got my ride in on my way to and from work. Go figure.

My work place is only about six miles away, and school is eleven. Even though it takes longer to get to school and work, I am actually saving time because I am getting my exercise when I would usually be sitting in the car driving. My biggest fear in giving up my vehicle was the big hill I have to climb.


Di riding to Copper Harbor, a trip that will hopefully be made many times this year.

There is an elevation change of several hundred feet on my way home from school. During the first couple weeks, I had to take a roundabout way up the hill that resulted in four miles of continuous climbing. In just one month of bicycle commuting, I noticed considerable changes in my speed and climbing ability. Suddenly, I found myself tackling hills I thought I would have to walk up. Now, I look at all these hills with the confidence that I can, and will, ride them.

It is simply amazing the fitness gains I made just from riding my bike for transportation. I consider commuting just one more little perk to my cycling life.

Set a Mileage Goal

Someone from one of the mountain biking forums I frequent gave me the idea of making a mileage goal each month. I have been tracking my mileage for a couple years. Adding a goal gives it more purpose.

Last month, I set my goal at 400 miles. For whatever reason, I only reached 250 miles, 84 miles more than last April. In comparison, it's not too shabby! Last May, I did 193 miles. All of that was mountain biking. This year, I'll be commuting as well. I'll set a goal of 400 miles for May. We'll see how that goes.

Tracking your miles can be a very useful tool. As you have already seen, I was able to determine this month's goal by looking at what I did last year and considering what I am already doing this year. I also use my log for predicting race times. I can compare the race course to one of the trails I have already ridden and determine how long it might take to complete the race. It's nice to head into a race with an idea of how well you may do.

Since this is National Bike Month and everyone is motivated by the onset of spring to get out there and ride, this is the perfect time for you to set some goals. Pick the number of miles you'd like to reach by the end of the month, keep a log, and ride.

Weather-Induced Rest Days

Rest day. That special day in between workouts that allows your body to repair itself and prepare for another hard workout.

Magazines often provide workout programs that tell you which days to ride and which to rest. It's a no-brainer. These rest days are necessary to prevent overtraining. Another guideline I really like is resting heart rate. No, it is not your heart rate while sitting in front of the television watch the most recent episode of Grey's Anatomy. It is your heart rate before you get out of bed in the morning. Recently, mine has been between 55 and 60 beats per minute. If I wake up to a heart rate that is significantly higher, 75 or 80 bpm for example, that means one of two things: I am either severely hungover and my body is dying for water, or I am overtraining and a rest day is necessary.

Unfortunately, programs and heart rates don't necessarily take into consideration the springtime Michigan cyclist. In this case, a day that isn't cold, rainy, or snowy is a day to ride. It is a day that cannot be lost to laziness. Seize the day! Ride your bike! With the unpredictable and ever-changing weather in springtime Michigan, overtraining is hard to accomplish.

Now, shut off your computer and go ride your bike. It's a beautiful day out!

Secret Weapon Training Method

It is no secret that road riding is quite beneficial to competitive mountain bikers. It promotes endurance at a steady pace and allows the rider to work on techniques such as more efficient pedaling.

I chose to trade in my Nissan Pathfinder for a Kona Jake the Snake. Jake and I spend a lot of time together. We roll to school and work and we're even starting to shop and attend meetings together. Currently, our shopping is limited to a new stem and a rear view mirror for Jake. Jake will be sporting the new goods, but I'll be able to ride with more comfort and with a visual on traffic approaching from behind. Jake and I will be safe together.

In just a couple weeks of riding, I've noticed something else. I'm losing weight, I'm getting stronger, and my commute time is getting shorter and shorter by the ride. My commute involves a lot of climbing with a few sprints sprinkled here and there.

My commuting experience has proven to be quite an effective tool for increasing speed and power. I can't wait to find out how this translates to the trail.

No Drop Di

I was dropped. Today's ride was a no-drop team ride that I assembled via our team forum and email list. We had a great turnout and a ride that proved to be a little more challenging than I bargained for.

I led for a bit because everyone assumed I should because I'm the one who got everyone together. However, being the second slowest person in the group and having a fairly respectable headwind sucked some of my energy. Also, we met Thursday's goal of 15 mph. That was with some stops and indecisiveness sprinkled in here and there, so the pace was actually quite good. Drafting was my saving grace by allowing me to actually keep up with everyone.


The Red Jacket - BlueSky Health Racing Team had a great turnout for today's team ride. I find road riding with a group much more exciting than a solitary fight against the wind.

Toward the end of the ride, I told them that I was going to do a little recovery spin and I dropped back. They kept going at the 17 mph pace that was too much for me to handle after more than two hours. I came to a crossroads and had a strong inclination toward the road they most likely turned on, but they never left a rider back to direct me, so I reluctantly went straight. I was right. They turned.

I did my extra little part and turned to head where they would come out by taking the other road. I saw them crossing the intersection as I rode near and I cut through the Family Video parking lot to intercept them. "Hey!" I yelled sternly.

"Oh, there you are!" one of them replied.

"You guys dropped me!" I said, smiling back at the smiling droppers.

"We waited for you a bit, but you never came."

"Well, I was tired and needed to slow down for a bit. By the time I got to the crossroads, I couldn't see you guys, so I went straight since you didn't leave a cyclist behind to direct me."

We chatted and merrily ended our ride. I hope that next time they take count of their riders before jetting around the next corner. I know where to find them if they drop me again.

Spring Training is Here

I woke up this morning with one thing in mind: long ride. I wanted to do a moderate ride for about three hours. I had three goals in mind:
1. Average about 15 mph
2. Maintain an efficient pedal stroke
3. Ride for three hours

I ate a healthy breakfast:
* Malt-O-Meal
* Yogurt with raspberries, vanilla, and chocolate chips
* Grapefruit
* 2 slices of toast
* Water

It took me longer than expected to get my lazy butt out the door, so I had a salad:
* Leaf lettuce
* Tomato
* Croutons
* Homemade French dressing

I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cut it in two, wrapped the halves, filled two water bottles with Heed and left.

I didn't meet the first goal. I took it fairly easy starting out. I maintained a speed of about 17 to 18 mph for the first hour. After the first hour, I unwrapped one half of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and washed it down with some Heed. I continued out of town and headed in the direction of the next town four miles away, according to the sign.

I geared down and began climbing. I knew it couldn't be far before I reached the top of the hill. I continued to climb. I concentrated on my pedaling and was afforded the luxury of being able to shift up twice and increase my speed. The hill wasn't ending, though. I finally reached the next town and realized I was still climbing. Four miles of climbing. Fortunately, I still felt good.

I decided to make the descent northward. Oh, yes. A descent. It was a long descent. I rode through two more towns, drank some Heed, and turned around to face my next climb. By the time I got to Calumet, I took out the other half of my sandwich and washed it down with some more Heed. Most of it was downhill from there. I proceeded to ride, but the sun hid and the wind picked up. It was cold. I rode into the wind until I reached the bottom of the hill. What I fail to tell myself every time is that this homestretch is also all uphill.

I did meet the second goal. I maintained a proper pedal stroke and it became second nature after climbing a couple of hills. The reason why I chose to pay attention to this is because I have a tendency to point my toes down when I get tired. I think the proper stroke was one of the reasons why my climbing was so good today. So, even though I didn't meet my mph goal, I had a very good ride.

After three hours and thirteen minutes, succeeding with my third goal, I reached home with 41.6 miles under my belt. My mileage averaged about 13 mph, which is actually quite respectable considering how many Keweenaw hills I chose to ride.

I walked in the house, had a tall glass of Ovaltine, did part of my yoga routine, and took a shower. I felt a little weak in the shower. I rushed through it so I could eat dinner. For my post-ride meal, the following was on the menu:
* Spaghetti with olive oil and spices mixed with a MorningStar Farms Chik Patty cut up
* Caesar salad with tomatoes
* Water
* Glass of Breckenridge Avalanche

Cyclists do long rides because they recognize the importance of endurance training. Riding slow and long can make you faster when combined with other training techniques. Another reason why I like long rides is that they help me meet my weight loss goal.

Looking at the details of this post, you will see that I've taken in a lot of calories. My breakfast alone equaled half the calories I should take in on a sedentary day. A long ride requires a lot of calories, though! According to Bicycling.com, I burned 2,023 calories - over 800 calories more than I should on a sedentary day*.

Ideally, I would have ridden my bike two hours after breakfast. My lallygagging made it necessary to consume another quick meal before I headed out the door. Normally, I wouldn't choose a salad for a pre-ride meal, either.

I am not sure what I'll do tomorrow. I have to work after class, so I am planning to drive to work, then bike to school and back. This way, I can drive home at night when I get out of work. If it's raining, I won't ride because it's too cold right now. However, I do feel a light ride like the one I have planned will do me a lot of good after this endurance ride.

* I base my caloric need on the Weight Watchers Points program. According to Weight Watchers, about 23 POINTS is what I should shoot for to lose weight. Each point is equal to about 50 calories (23 POINTS x 50 calories = 1,150 calories per day), and adjustments are made for fiber and fat content. More fiber = more food. Exercise also allows you to eat more food. So, no, I'm not starving . . . and yes, Weight Watchers works great. I lost 25 pounds on the program and kept it off using the program as a guideline.

Breakthrough Riding on a Regular Commute

Today was another commuting day, but something was different. It was the first time I've ridden my bike since my race on Sunday. I switched out my cross tires for my road tires and found myself running ten minutes late. I was already planning to not show up for my 9 a.m. class. Then I proved something to myself that I already knew: my road tires were faster. Oh, yes. I was faster. Suddenly I felt really good and decided to see how fast I could get to Hancock.

There was a method to the madness. It wasn't an all out sprint uphill for six miles, no. I can't do that. However, I chose to do a series of sprints on my way there. I pushed the biggest gears I could while maintaining 70 to 90 rpm. I did this several times and finally made it to Hancock, and running on schedule! I was able to exceed the speed limit down the hill and hopped on US-41 heading for the Portage Lift Bridge. With the road tires, the sidewalks were no longer safe since they were covered in sand and some soft snow. I chose to ride the right lane and maintained a speed of about 17 mph. The drivers were pretty respectful and shared the road with me. It felt good.

The best part is that I made it to class on time and sat through a lecture on a runner's high.

On the return trip, I climbed the hill to the north of town. Now, it was mostly downhill. I managed to do some sprints holding steadily at 34 mph. Mind you, this is not something I can do without the help of gravity, so the speed isn't what was so special about this. The moment of glory is when I realized that I could spin fast enough to keep up with my drivetrain. My pedaling at this speed was productive, and I wasn't bobbing on my saddle like I did last year when I couldn't pedal fast enough to keep up with the speed. My legs are faster and stronger. What a great feeling!