Thursday 31 May 2012

May done! Ride #61 / #426

May total of 312km is above planned figure.

Fitness is continuing to improve. Pulse was 100 bpm after reaching home on the uphill commute. Previously was a standard 144 bpm.

Last year cyclist Peter Wells was killed in a cycle lane in a Dunedin street. It appears as if our protests about this intersection have not fallen on deaf traffic engineers ears. Pity it took the death of a cyclist to bring about this thinking. RIP Peter.

Article here explains it all.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/211365/anzac-ave-castle-st-link-may-be-closed-over-safety-fears

Eclectically sad.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

#59 / #425

Must hunt out those Dachstein mits it's getting chilly flying down hill in the mornings.

Errands and commute back uphill home in weak but pleasant sunshine this evening.
I had forgotten about this poem:

http://cyclingauckland.co.nz/general/2012/05/poem-about-cycling-at-night/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Thanks to the contriubuter.

Eclectically thinking about bicycle poetry.

Monday 28 May 2012

#58 / #424 Jonny Where's your troosers?

On the usual commute in the rain! Ok on way into work.
When it came to come home the rain was sleeting in! I usually change my work trousers for my super commute dry shorts from http://www.groundforce.co.nz/ . Unfortunately I left them at home! Wet bum.

Sign in the YMCA car park, Moray Place - Dunedin.
I thought the idea of the gym was to get excercise, so why take the lift?

Eclectically wondering about gym users , again!

Sunday 27 May 2012

Some rides are like that. #57 / #423

Spent the morning hours mucky around and decided to go for a ride when the weather changed to a cold SW!
Out of the house in such a hurry that I wore these:
Great bike shoes, past their best, but they have cleats on the sole and won't fit the cages which are fitted to my daily commute bike.
Why the commute bike? Easy, was at hand, chained lubed and ready to go. But these shoes won't fit!
So back inside after getting key, open garage. Change to these:

touring shoes, they have a central shank and have spaces on the sole to fit cleats, but these are not fitted. They were comfortable in the cold and showers and proved easy to slide into the cages.
Eclectically wishing I'd ridden earlier when it was warmer.
Update - 1547 hrs - could have waited as 988 hPa cool, calm, sunny. Oh well!




Saturday 26 May 2012

Visitor, you are welcome. Rides - #56 / #422


How do continuous cyclists have a day off when they HAVE to ride every day?
Simple - a short ride is a good ride.
I did the single kilometre out to the paper boxes and delivered all 5 of them around the neighbourhood.
Wasn't the only excercise taken as Mary deemed the dogs needed a hilly walk and I spent an hour and a half on the side lines taking rugby photos. So, a short ride in a day with plenty of exercise.
While out walking spotted a cyclist doing the coffee cup balance. She parked up and read the information boards at the north end of the SH1 Clutha bridge where I snapped this picture.
Visitor, you are welcome. by Bazzaphotos
Eclectically welcoming visitors on a 'rest day'.
Visitor, you are welcome., a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.

Friday 25 May 2012

Ride #55 / #421

Friday - tired even off the bike.
Cool swoop down to work, need to find winter gloves!
I can get two library books, two pads, half a dozen pencils, a write on wall sheet, my jersey, gloves, Buff, camera and junk into my courier bag. :-))
Rental bikes await at Brown's Avanti, Dunedin last weekend.
The few times I have rented bikes I have mixed views about their condition. Some were great to ride and others were downright unsafe.
Still, a ride is a ride.

Eclectically wondering if I should rent a bike in Christchurch 22/23 June.
Cheers - it's the weekend.

Thursday 24 May 2012

Wheeling towards the new day. #54 / #420

Wheeling towards the new day. by Bazzaphotos
Wheeling towards the new day., a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.

I was right! I did know the rider on the flood bank whom I saw but did not get to talk to last evening.
Todays ride was 25km, not in this dawn shot, but at the other end of the day. Need to ensure that I'm not riding into this light as I guess I'd be invisble!
What a great day to be alive!
Eclectically expecting the weather to hold for another great riding day tomorrow.

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #53 / #419 continuously

I missed a great photo opportunity moments after I lined up this shot. I walked with the dogs under the bridge and noticed a bicycle tail light bobbing along the flood bank away from us..... darn!

More than likely I know the rider and would have spent time chatting. Missed them and the photo.

Great commute this morning in the frost! Couple of road sections needed to be traversed carefully as the black surface was 'twinkling'.
All very well having commuting slicks in the tyre department, but they may not grip for long in a slide.

Eclectically planning to keep the rubber side down!

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Y2 Ride #52 / #418 Errands

Buy a big box to post overseas at the Post Office and the fun starts.
How do you get it home on the bike?
Must have looked hilarious, box tucked into the straps of my courier bag with me peering over the top. Managed to make it home OK.
No photo of the above stupidity, I was busy keeping it all together.
This photo taken in a corner of LBS Brown's Avanti - Dunedin.
A double world champion fits both of these - Alison Shanks - currently on the west coast of U.S.A. training for that big event in August.
Cycling is a wonderful sport, where else can you start a Saturday race with a world champion?
Please note I didn't say ......... get to finish with a world champion!
Ali has finished, showered and organised things by the time we finish!

Eclectically thinking that balancing boxes on a bike could be an Olympic sport?

Monday 21 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #51 / #417 continuously

Tired after the Milton Jail Break rec. race yesterday.
Found out I was two minutes slower than last year! Didn't feel like it!
Managed to get to one of my favourate places over the weekend.
Strictly, not my local bike shop. One of my favourites though, Brown's Avanti - Dunedin.
What happens when a cyclist enters a bike shop? Future possibilities are racked ready to ride.
I only managed to purchase a robust, cheap pair of gloves and a new set of brake pads for the Innova. After 25 years it's due a treat!
Pretty short ride today!
Eclectically liking bike shops. Cheers.

Sunday 20 May 2012

Jail Break Ride #50 / #416

The annual Milton Jail Break ride is a race in the hills behind 'Otago Correctional Facility' at Milburn. Organise as a fundraiser by the "Milton Karate Club' it had 60 - 70 riders cover 2 courses. 34 km and 50 km.
I chose the shorter course and managed it in 2hrs 5min. Pretty good for an old bloke.
The oldest rider was 77 years old!
My quicker ride was down to riding about half way with Phil from Mosgiel. We paced each out in the central hills. Sharing our philosophies as we went. Once we topped out I wasn't able to keep up with his 'younger legs'.
The run into the finish is a 3km false flat. I managed to take time out of a few riders, but Phil stayed ahead.
I don't like one particular downhill section.It was greasy today as the photos show!
Eclectically washing everything! Cheers.

Jail Break 2012

Jail Break 2012 by Bazzaphotos
Jail Break 2012, a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.

Fellow up hill grinder!

Jail Break first few Km's.

Unsure of why this is fuzzy! Could be the heaving lungs!

New Watch

Untitled by Bazzaphotos
Untitled, a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.
Good frost, ideal to test new watch.

Saturday 19 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #49 / #415

Pretty short ride, paper deliveries at dawn.
Found this pair on SH1 12km north of Balclutha. Cool bike, slow uphill progress.
Electically excited by cycle tourists in late May ....... but wondering ...... why?

Friday 18 May 2012

One helmet law for all?

As someone who has been 'spoke to' about riding without a helmet ..........what gives?
New Zealand road and the top cop is encouraged not to wear one. What gives?

http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/209736/arresting-performance


Year 2 ride #48 / 414

Very cold and wet on the paper run. Virtual rest day very little distance.

Eclictically wondering about helmet laws! Cheers.

Thursday 17 May 2012

Wednesday 16 May 2012

treadlie - bike magazine - video

Treadlie magazine out of Adelaide does it for me as does this video about cycling in Brussels.
Both are thought provoking.

treadlie - bike magazine - video

Eclectically reassured that I'm not the only cyclist in the world.

Year 2 Ride #46 / 412

Winter is here.
Rain on the morning paper run and full gloves and hat on the evening commute.
I may have to upgragde my outer gloves or find my old 'Dacstien' climbing mits. Snow on the hills makes for cold temperatures.
Local paper produced two articles about Dunedin's cycle ways. They are slowly developing but have been hampered by a lack of funding. Primarily brought about by the city needing to pay for it's new stadium and balance it's books.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/209426/seal-extensionloses-cycling

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/209428/thomson-pleads-cycleway-funding

Great arguments and decisions covered in these articles. Well done O.D.T.

Eclectically excited for cycling future in Dunedin.

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #45 / 411 continuously

With southerly rain and a late night at work it was fun battling up hill in he dark smack into the unusually cold conditions. Puts a smile on your face.
Only got to think about this in the shed. I have a bike with a rack ......... cargo bike?

Monday 14 May 2012

Raleigh 18 speed



P1010193 by Bazzaphotos
Raleigh, a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.
Latest orphan needs some TLC.

Year 2 Ride #44  / 410 was the normal commute activity.
I am tired from two good rides over the weekend.
So, what has a ripped seat, cracked cranks, one pedal and a paper rack?
My latest bike.
Eclectically saying, "that's a nice frame".

Sunday 13 May 2012

Year 2Ride #43 / 409 Shadowed

This rider shadowed me all ride. Slightly ahead on the way out and slightly behind on the way home.
Glad I had the legs to beat him home . 

Saturday 12 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #42 / #408 continuously.

Morning ritual of riding 500m out to get the papers and delivering them around the neighbours was complicated by fog this morning.
Finally managed to get a ride with a Dunedin based social group called AOK - Across Otago Kneebender(s).











They ride weekly mostly from Dunedin locations. This week they launched from Clarendon - between Milton and Waihola.
27 happy riders of differing abilities and bikes. We all tackled this up hill section in the first 5km.


We rabbits stuck together until we reached Circle Hill Road where the hares took of further up hill to do a longer loop.











Coming down the initial section of South Boundary Road one rider dropped a chain. I was following him and the chain just lay down on the road. One of the ladies was carrying a chain tool and a spare link. Quickly fixed.
Heaps of fun chasing each other down to here, where we had a good view out over Lake Waihola.



Click this photo to see that fog wasn't the only spectacle difficulty I coped with today. 
The freckles were gathered by most riders. Personally I blame the 29'ers. When I'm following them the muck from their rear tyres sprays out at just the right height to catch my face, not the front of my bike as happens when following a 26 inch ride.












I'm enjoying using the 'baru as an expedition car. No need for a bike rack. XTC2 fits easily inside. Thanks AOK for an entertaining hilly ride. The rabbits managed about 30km and the hares  45km. I will look to ride with your group in the future.  Eclectically riding with others is fun.





Friday 11 May 2012

Y 2 - Ride #41 / #407

Untitled by BazzaphotosMajority of my bike gloves are a dark colour.
Purchasing  some with light colours on the back of the hands specifically for indicating turns clearly in winter may be an exercise in frustration, but makes me feel safer..
Presently have a difficulty buying robust gell palmed gloves at a reasonable price.
Eclectically wondering why I keep worn bike gloves.

Untitled, a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #40

Year 2 Ride #40 by Bazzaphotos
Year 2 Ride #40, a photo by Bazzaphotos on Flickr.

Commute on Avalanche 3 - 11 years old.
After work visit to: post office, shopping, Doctor. Even manage a short tour around town to fill in time.
Eclectically enjoing touring around town.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Putting the Supermoon to good use!

Year 2 Ride #39 / 405
Writing about the daily commute when nothing happens is difficult.
So dreadge up a photo from earlier in the week.
I was out the door about 10 minutes earlier than usual this morning and met a whole lot of drivers who I don't usually see.
OSome did see me and gave way. others obviously did not see me.
Heavy due produces lack of visibility by depositing moisture on car windows. Drivers do not seem able to clear side windows. Due to no side window wipers, I guess.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #38 / 404 continuously

Commuting and running 'messages' today built up 10km on the 'chainless wonder'.
Last nights 'supermoon' light ride took in part of the local flood bank, but not this particular part!
The climb from under the bridge onto the flood bank previously presented a difficult narrow track. As my personal skill level has developed I now pick a way easily up to the flat top flood bank.

Eclectiaclly improving - even in the dark!

Monday 7 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #37 of 403 continuously

Ride at night. With the full moon and clear skies getting out and enjoying a night ride is a must. Sorry about your head, Kelly.
Eclectically challenged photographer.

Sunday 6 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #36 Continuously 402 days.

Stirling loop. About 16km mostly flat out to Stirling. With a stirling up hill effort to State Highway 1 followed by a fast down hill roll across the Clutha River, through town and the usual hill climb home.

Simple, Stirling loop ridden many times, never fails to provide an enegetic ride.

The Clutha River is artificially low today. Could be necessary to allow the Police to search the river bank following a death or it could be that the 'powers that be' have shut Roxburgh Dam to conserve water. These are the piers of the second bridge on this site. Usually under water!
Noted yesterday in Milton - a family trip to the supermarket. I did not meet the pilots. Message was clear - get out there!







Saturday 5 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #35 - Prison Break!

Milton is about 30km away from our home town of Balclutha. The area surrounding the town is dead flat, well according to Mary it's 'rolling country'. She does not subscribe to the - 'hills are my friend' - theory on the basis that they are hard to ride up!  In warm almost windless condtions we rode Milton's "Back Road". Which is different I from the 'front road' - State Highway 1. The Otago Correctional Facility - aka Milton Hilton is situated between these two roads. Large buildings, high concrete walls, dairy farms and high fences. Trespassers will be prosecuted! Surely it should be: detained, held, imprisoned, welcomed as new arrivals - but, prosecuted! Great ride and coffee.


Pathless Pedaled Video

I enjoy the videos produced by this couple. They cycled in New Zealand over the summer. How do they insert those little post card type information flags?

Friday 4 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #34 Otago Peninsula.

I wish ........ I had the opportunity to ride the Otago peninsula today.
I rode the paper run (again) and then drove the 140km to Otokou Marae for a PD staff with colleagues. Very interesting and instructive.
Took the opportunity to take a number of cycling related photos which will appear in the future.
This piece of advertising sure works, it got my attention.
Eclectically not able to ride the Otago Peninsula ... darn.
http://t.co/34BSCJ4n   Otago Peninsula time lapse - not by me!

Thursday 3 May 2012

Year 2 - Ride #33 Seats

Very short ride out to the rural mail boxes and delivery of 5 papers to neighbours. Pre-dawn blow out is good.
Cyclists and non-cyclists are united in the need to discuss one cycle related topic - bike seats! (saddles to adicted)

At every halt in cycling trip there will always be a discussion about a new (or an old) seat. About comfort, about careing for your seat, about seat hight or for'n aft allignment.

During every discussion I have with non-cyclists the topic of pain, bottom comfort or how can I ride with such 'skinny seats' always comes up.
This discussion crops up virtually in every discussion with non-cyclists.
This photo shows a bargin bin selection I made which is on my wet weather ride. This is one of my most comfortable seats.
 Specialized brand of unknown specification.

The F'zik: Arione is one of my favourits shapes. (photo below)
 I own two of them, this one is on my carbon road bike. I like their supportive weight. They do begin to hurt after 3 hours and that's a good reason to stand up and ride.
I had an inetersting experience with seats once when in a slow race on the Taieri. The bunch was tootling along on a spring day when one of the riders 'in the know' says:
"Someone's riding a broken seat."
Instant thought, how could he tell that?
So I asked - "how do you know?" I was quietly let into the secret that a tell tale 'click' could be heard.
Later in the race another ride slid in beside me and said, "It's your seat that's broken." he asked me to stand up and pedal. The clicking disappeared!
It required an over $200 investment to replace my F'zik: saddle. Not a bad price for a non-clicking seat and some valuable knowledge.
Had I noticed the sound when I rode. Of course I had! I just didn't know what thta sound meant.
Eclectically saddling up!

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Year 2 Ride #32 Lights

Morning commute requires a light. Been running the rear flasher for about a month, but shouldn't ride in the traffic without the front light on until mid-September.
As you see I have a choice. These are the 'spares' lifted from the bike draws. The ones which don't live on a bike permanently!
I find the solid white light on the right the best fro the darkness of the early paper run and the flashing nature of the smaller ones good value in the half an hour after dawn when I'm dropping down to work.
Lights on eclectically.
For some more cycle reading from our daily paper try:
http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/cycling/207650/cycling-fit-and-committed-olympic-road


Tuesday 1 May 2012

Rides #30 + #31 End of 30 Days of Biking.

30 Days of Biking in April ended with a whimp!
Cold wet commutes at both ends of the day not condusive to good cycling photography.
So here's one from last year!
Stats from http://www.30daysofbikin.com/  for this eclectic rider.

Total Days ridden                     - 30 in April
Total continuous days of riding    - 396
Total km ridden in April             - 314km
Total smiles                               - at least a couple of hundred!


Ride #31  1 May 2012  papers and commute in cold SW conditions - Ride Continuous #397
So to the bike parts box. The toys on the top have not made it into the box yet.
Contents of the box range from spare cleats, old pedals, mud guards, cages and straps, reflectors removed from new bikes.
These all could be fitted to other bikes if the need arises. Infact, the whole lot (two parts boxes) could do with a cleanup. A job for the weekend. Might even get the odd thing to sell on http://www.trademe.co.nz/ like the almost new Brooks B17 Narrow saddle I bought which proceded to try and cut me in half, literally from the bottom up. Managed about 60km on it before it went into the box.
Eclectically considering the parts box. - Cheers.