Turning a frown upside down

Mechanical Steed

Traversing life's adventures

Happiness is found
-haiku by Nathan Vergin

My feet are ice blocks

My torso is drenched in sweat

Ah, winter biking!

-haiku by me

Wednesday morning I decided to stop sulking and feeling sorry for myself.  Yep, it's cold, icy and windy.  What did I expect?  I live in Wisconsin.  Each winter I hit a point when I'm fed up with riding indoors and become willing to venture outside on longer rides, other than my commutes.  This year, that point came a mere eight sessions on the indoor trainer season.  Let me be clear.  I understand the benefits of riding inside, but I HATE it.  When I can no longer rally myself, even with the best music, I know it's time to layer up and roll out.  I am aware I do have two--make that three choices.  I could a) sit around eating and drinking all winter until I'm so round I don't need a bike to roll  b) actually get back into running, cross country skiing or speed skating or c) say "fuck it" and just ride outside no matter what the conditions are.  I chose "c".

My previous post was on Wednesdays ride.  If you're really bored, you can read it.  I must say, however, the Wednesday ride set me straight.  Several sections of the road were horrible, but I still had fun, and at no point did I want to hold a gun to my head--the way I often feel while riding inside.  Go figure.

The Cat Whisperer, Erin Shenanigans and Cabby at One Barrel

Thursday brought a "love your bike ride" for Valentine's day.  It was supposed to be a large ride for Madison Bike Winter's bike-to-work-week, however, we joked that only the "cool kids" came out--me and three of my riding friends.  A quick loop around lake Monona brought us to Glass Nickel for pizza and then One Barrel for beer.  The four of us sat around listening to a loop of Tom Jones, Neil Diamond and Barry White, trying to drown the music out with more beer.

This is what happens when you drink
on Valentine's day.  

I woke Friday early, almost giddy, since I had the time to spin down to my riding group's coffee clutch gathering.  A beautiful sunrise over Monona bay greeted me and a leisurely ride back with a good friend was the icing on the cake.

Church Coffee Clutch

Friday evening was round two.  Another beautiful ride to Cronometro for the winter-bike-to-week party. Thanks to Scott, we had a nice open space with pretty bikes all around and Bike Benefits supplied us with beer from Great Dane.  I always like these gatherings since it's a time to chat with friends and make new ones.  Come late winter, planning for upcoming rides always sparks me to keep going.

End of the week party at Cronometro

Thumbs up to Fyxation for being a prize sponsor

Saturday found me riding to the East side once again to meet a friend for lunch and a trip to Olbrich Botanical Gardens.  Being a chilly eight degrees for my morning commute made both well deserved.  With my insides warm from good food and an 80 degree room, I had a smile on my face the entire ride home.

All in all, I logged about 115 miles on my knobbies in four days.  Not huge miles but all enjoyable.  Each time I considered driving someplace, the thought was fleeting.  I thank all my friends for providing me with great destinations to ride to this week.  Now if you can just keep that carrot out in front of me, I may become a winter biking convert.

Anticipation

My new day planner was opened up about a month ago.  Yes, I still use a paper day planner.  Yes, I am perpetually stuck in the 90's.  Although it is the one thing that keeps me in line for work--I'm not quite sure what words would come out of my mouth if it were misplaced--more often lately, it has become my "book of fun". 

For the past 15 years, my day planner has been black.  This year, however, I went with a hideous shade of purple.  Why not, it fits my mood...playful and wacky.  At least no one will take it by mistake.  Since I've unwrapped it, I have had the pleasure of writing in a ton of upcoming bike adventures.  I must admit, I'm getting a bit giddy.  2013 is shaping up to be one hell of a year. 

Already I've gotten to do some winter riding with the Madison Bike Winter crew and next week holds a field trip to Milwaukee to test ride some of Fyxation's new bike line (and drink good beer).  With a bike trip planned to Mallorca early spring, followed by two gravel road races, Madtown Maidens 3, Riverwest 24 sign up, and rides with the Church of the Spoken Wheel (I'm really looking forward to the bacon ride), I am sure to enjoy this late winter and spring more than any before. Now, I just have to get some more butt miles in to survive all of this!  Here's to you reader, I hope you have a wonderful 2013...filled with your own two wheeled adventures.

Celebrating Life

Our cycling group doing a casual ride near Michael's birthday

One of the reasons I love my cycling group so much is we all celebrate living.  We ride regardless of the season, and usually end each ride with a smile ear to ear.  Instead of sitting around, allowing our age to get us down, we play and act like kids.  Although not every member likes special attention on their birthday--I will withhold names--I don't think anyone feels they are getting older.  In fact, aside from the jokes about injuries, I'm guessing that everyone feels quite young.  We make a point to keep each other from getting too serious, and we often gather for a ride, food and beer near one another's birthday.  In my eyes, nothing could be better than to celebrate on a bike!  I can't wait until the rest of the members have their birthdays.

Celebrating Steve's birthday and I just found out that Dan's birthday came shortly after.  Dan, you will get your own party next time!

My actual birthday was spent in a tunnel

Guess who's birthday it is?!

Aaron and I split the festivities since our birthdays are close together

Nate's birthday at the Chazen.  photo by Steve Wasmund

Nate even got a concert by Dan for his birthday.  photo by Nathan Vergin

Pre-birthday ride with Martha and Nate.  photo by Nathan Vergin

Crushing Gravel?

There will be gravel.

There will be mud.

It will be cold.

Some will cry.

We will not wipe your tears for you.

Trans Iowa 2010.  Photo courtesy of Kristin Riching

These are the lines that greeted me on the event page for Dairy Roubaix.  Come mid April, I'll be attempting my first gravel road race.  Don't ask me why...I'm still trying to figure it out.  I can only guess that my decision was made after several beers.  This is when I make most of my stupid and yet fun decisions.  All I know is that an ugly little seed got planted in my brain last April when my husband and I shared a short section of the course while on a mini bike tour.  I can also put some blame on my friends since several of them race Dairy Roubaix, Almanzo, and Trans Iowa (three more friends are training for this suffer fest right now). 

The first few times I allowed the idea of racing/riding these events grace my mind, it played out like a horror flick.  Why the hell would I want to go down 20% grade gravel hills?  Going up doesn't seem to bother me so much, but the down part kinda makes me want to puke.  My husband knows me well enough to foresee mini meltdowns on my end when we go down steep, freshly chip sealed roads.  He, of course, isn't riding the Dairy Roubaix, so I'll have to contain my whimpers at all costs.  

Until the actual race date comes into focus, I can count on Kristin Riching, BJ Bass and Michael Lemberger  to be my Obi Wan Kenobis.  I asked them each a few questions to enlighten those of you who have not heard of gravel road racing.  Who knows...maybe more seeds will be planted.

Q:  What got you started in gravel road racing and what was your first race?

Michael:   My first race was the 2011 Almanzo 100. Raining, windy and 44˚F. Made it about 32 miles in before we got cold and called it. Rode another 14 back to town on pavement. Finished the 67 mile version of the 2012 Dairy Roubaix. About 70% gravel. Very hilly.

Kristin:   Trans Iowa was the first gravel race for both of us.  BJ signed up for Trans-Iowa V3 because (being stupid boys) he and his friends Matt and Travs refused to back out after Matt sent a link to the website with the subject "check this out".  I attempted the following year as I was converting into a more avid cyclist and I had heard talk of little else since starting to date BJ!

Michael doing a bit of trail riding and camping.  Photo courtesy of Micheal Lemberger

Here's Michael after an actual race.  Photo courtesy of Michael Lemberger

Q:  How do you train differently for these types of events?

Michael: Uhhhh...  *I will note that Michael is currently training for Triple D and rides year round, so really he never stops training.

Kristin:  100 mile races are trained for by doing 50-100 mile rides on weekends, and 2-3 20 mile rides during the week.  Try to keep the intensity high for as long as possible and then limp home.  We usually depart into a headwind and return home with a tailwind which give you something to look forward to during the ride.

TheTrans Iowa is a little different being a much longer and completely unsupported event.  The key to training for T.I. is to schedule your training rides and then do them regardless of weather or conditions.  We typically do a century each weekend starting 10 weeks before the race, and have 1 weekend a month before the race where 120 miles are ridden each day.  A trip to Galena or Sheboygan makes it a lot harder to punk out on day 2 of that weekend.  Equipment is also very important, and endless deliberation on just the right equipment keeps the training interesting and gives you something to discuss with other riders.  Keep experimenting to keep the rides interesting. Training rides are as much about fitness as testing equipment and finding out what works for you.  A strict rule to follow: never race on anything you haven't tested for at least 100 miles.  

Q:  Are there any gravel events that you haven't done and are on your "must do" list?

Michael:  Trans Iowa  *Michael will be doing his first TI this spring!

Kristin:  No.  First and foremost, gravel racing is social.  The distance of the events keeps most riders at a conversational pace for at least half of the race.  We'll do a few per year based on which ones have been fun and free, and where our friends are planning to ride.  Especially in the unsupported events we all need to look out for each other.  Being friendly and social is important under those circumstances.

Q:  Explain what gear you like to use for these events.

Michael:  Not-so-fancy Surly Cross Check with good wheels and tires; 1x8 or 2x 8 drivetrain. Minimal cool-weather kit. Food and water.

Kristin:  Bike: cyclocross or hybrid frame with drop bars, disc brakes preferred for when it rains or gets muddy/snowy. Have clip on fenders as an option, but full coverage fenders can pack solid with mud.  Do not use full coverage fenders on gravel when it's raining.  They will fill with peanut butter.  We run the largest semi slick tires we can fit in our frames.  In the case of our bikes the continental cyclocross speed 700x42c tires roll well, provide plenty of cushion, and don't puncture.  Picking tires based on weight usually leads to time fixing flats.  Don't worry about using an all-around cyclocross tread, gravel bounces too much when it's rough to make use of it, and gravel provides enough vibration without the help of knobby tires.  Frame bags: make sure you can shoulder your bike when it's necessary.  Even a 30 foot stretch of mud can be brutal if there isn't a good way to carry your bike.  Kristin's frame is small, so she typically just uses a seat bag and relies on a camelbak to carry extra gear and food.  BJ uses a small frame bag (one that still allows access to water bottles) a camelbak, and two seat bags (a standard type and one that hangs from his Brooks saddle.)  BJ uses a brooks saddle with springs.  It weighs a ton, but remains comfortable after 340 miles of gravel and washboards.  Kristin uses Bontrager Inform Race saddles, which have a little more padding than the higher end RL versions.  Clothing is really personal.  The main things that we consider are: make sure there's a place to store layers you shed, and when it's cold out, bring an extra shirt to change into if you plan to stop and eat during a ride/race.  (this may be more important during training rides)  For cold weather, make sure layers are breathable.  Using a windproof layer that doesn't allow you to dry off will just lead to getting soaked and chilled inside your jacket.  We use gel inserts under our handlebar tape.  Double wrapping makes the bars too large in diameter for both BJ and Kristin.  Kristin uses toe warmers for temperatures up to 45 degrees.  Always overdress on your hands and feet when it's cold.  We typically assume that we'll drink 1 ounce of liquid per mile, so a 100 mile race unsupported will likely include 2 water bottles and a 50 oz camelbak.  This rule doesn't work when it's hot out, but at temperatures between 30 and 65 degrees it holds pretty true.  Don't skimp on water storage by drinking 50 oz before leaving, you'll just end up peeing on the side of the road.  Both of our bikes can be turned into singlespeeds in case the derailleur hanger gets torn off.  This hasn't been necessary yet, but it happens to a lot of people and Kristin had a close call last year.  Any advice we might give about bike fit is really personal.  Make sure you are comfortable in multiple hand positions.  Many bikes are set up with the bars too low to make good use of the drops.  Make sure that the tops, drops, and hoods are all viable options even when you're tired and sore.

Kristin's bike for Trans Iowa

Q:  When the going really gets tough, what tricks do you use to keep going?

Michael:  Uhhhh...dogged determination and speed metal.

Kristin:  Different people respond differently to getting super exhausted and worn out.  BJ never considers quitting an option.  The truth is that most of these races require that you keep going to make it home.  Plan B is often an hour or two away and freezing in the ditch until your ride shows up is typically less appealing than gritting your teeth and pedaling those two hours to get home.  However, if bike riding is causing suffering, you're doing it wrong.  There is a lot that we give up to do these races.  Weekends, family time, and relaxation all get sacrificed on the altar of gravel races.  Time spent on the bike should be as enjoyable and fulfilling as the alternatives.  Gravel racing doesn't have a strong culture of social status given to the winners. There is typically no prize money.  Time spent riding and fond memories are all the reward you can expect to be given.

Kristin (on the left) on Trans Iowa.  Photo courtesy of Kristin Riching

Maggie Grabow--The Female Wizard of Oz

Bike lanes leading up the the capitol

In the past eight months--since I've started my blog--I have had the pleasure of interviewing so many amazing people in the cycling community.  In the beginning, I was actually concerned that I would run out of material.  I quickly realized that instead, more avenues presented themselves to me than I ever could have imagined.

For the past four or five years, a name that was repetitively brought to my attention was Maggie Grabow.  A good friend, Jon Patz (the same guy that introduced me to Lennard Zinn), kept saying that I had to meet Maggie because she was performing studies that I would really be interested in.  Her name was also brought to my attention by former Rep. Spencer Black, who had her conduct a study for him.  Finally, after feeling like I already knew her, we got to sit down for a chat.

Maggie is a powerhouse in the field of public health and yet she comes across as a sweet, calm and lovely woman.  She is currently embarking on an enormous change since her husband is entering medical residency here in Madison while she takes on her dissertation.  In the past five years, she, along with Jon Patz and others in the public health sector at UW, have put out two studies that have shaped how the government views cycling in the MidWest--and throughout the country.

Just this past week, Maggie joined a group from Wisconsin at the National Bike Summit in D.C.  It was an enormous success with around 800 participants.  Their focus was that in the United States, 12% of trips are made by walking and cycling yet 14% of all traffic fatalities are walking/bicycling related.  Only 1.6% of Federal transportation funds are spent to make these modes safer...and that needs to change.  Since Dave Schlabowske, Kevin Lueke and I have all written blog posts talking more in depth about this, I won't go into the specifics much more, however, I do want you to know that there is hope with people like Maggie fighting for us!

overflowing session at the National Bicycle Summit

During Maggie's time in Washington D.C. and during the Wisconsin Bicycle summit, she presented her findings on a study that became public last year.  I remember Jon Patz telling me that there would be a big press release, however, I never could have imagined a bike study going viral the way this one did.  Within a couple days, it hit most major newspapers and websites, including the Huffington Post.  Here is a basic overview of this study in Maggie's words:

 We quantified the environmental, health, and economic benefit of bicycling short trips in the 11 largest cities in the Upper Midwest during the warmest 6 months of the year. We united state-of-the-science approaches to modeling transportation, emissions, air pollution in the form of fine particulates (PM2.5) and ozone (O3), and the health effects of air pollution and active transport. These models determine the net health benefit from improved air quality—a benefit that extends beyond city limits—at $4.94 billion per year, saving 608 lives. We estimated the annual regional health benefits from increased physical activity to be $3.8 billion, resulting from avoided mortality and reduced health care costs. In terms of air quality, we saw a reduction in annual average urban fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) by 0.1 µg/m3. We also found slight increase in summer ozone (O3) (a major component of smog) in cities with a decrease in ozone regionally. In regards to physical activity, the total regional benefit was a reduction of about 700 deaths annually, with a savings of about $3.8 from this reduced mortality.  Total combined benefit from both improved air quality and increased physical activity in the region is estimated at a savings of about $8.7 billion with mortality declining by 1,295 deaths per year.

The study that she performed for former Representative Spencer Black proved that the bicycle industry is a very important piece in the health of the Wisconsin economy.  Maggie, along with Melissa Whited and Micah Hahn, estimated that the total economic benefit of bicycle recreation exceeded $924 million annually which is a number on par with the contribution of deer hunting in Wisconsin's economy.  That's just the recreation side folks!  When you add in bicycle manufacturing, sales and services to bicycle recreation, the benefit to Wisconsin is estimated at about $1.5 billion annually.  Now, with numbers like that, I'm not sure how we'd survive without the bicycle industry.

I asked Maggie a few questions beyond her studies.  Here they are:

1) What are you riding right now?  Do you have a favorite bike?

Maggie with her Trek

Road Bike Frame – Gary Fisher ARC Pro
Road Bike Parts – Trek 1220

My beloved Trek 1220 (which I received as a gift from my parents in 8th grade) was stolen outside my office building on UW-Madison’s campus in November of 2008. After 8 months of scanning every bike rack I saw in the entire city of Madison, I finally discovered it on a bike rack on campus, less than a mile from my office. Within 30 minutes, there were three squad cars on the scene, and the police cut the lock. I was thrilled to bring my bike home, only to find that the “temporary owner” tightened the bike seat so tightly that the frame cracked. Fortunately, Trek was able to supply me with a new frame, and the bike store was able to fit most of my old parts. Thus, I currently own and ride a part Gary Fisher Arc Pro / part Trek 1220.

*I have to add that while talking with Maggie about this incident, she mentioned the movie "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure".  She said that growing up it was one of her favorite movies and that she somewhat related to it when her bike was stolen.

2) When did you get into cycling/What made you get into cycling?

I began cycling as a mode of transportation since my main form of exercise was long-distance running. I sold my car in 2007 as a personal challenge to get around by bike, on foot, or by bus. Living in downtown Madison and having a short commute to campus made moving about the city without a car an easy challenge!

3)  What are three things that you would like to see Wisconsin focus on regarding biking?

a. Separate Bike Paths/lanes – I think one solution for improving bicyclists’ safety is to create a bike lane/path that is separated from car traffic by a barrier of some type, whether it is a grassy buffer or concrete. Though some argue that bicyclists may incur a greater risk by being segregated from the roadway, my personal assessment (after spending time in The Netherlands) is that more people will bike if they feel safe. Separated bikeways can provide this additional feeling of security. As a result, more bikers will be out and about. With more bikers present, it is assumed that drivers will drive more cautiously (Jacobsen, Injury Prevention, 2003); therefore, there will be less crashes and incidents between bicycles and motorists.

b. Workplace Showers – It seems whenever I talk to people about their mode of transportation to work, their main reluctance toward bicycling is the lack of shower facilities at work. I think it is important that workplaces make it a priority to provide their employees with proper shower/locker facilities so that people have the opportunity to bike to work (and especially one fewer excuse not to).

c. Better Education about nighttime bike lights & visibility – A friend of mine was struck from behind and killed while riding on a county highway. It is known that he had a light on his bike, but unclear if in the front or the back of the bicycle. Nevertheless, it was a huge wake-up call for me. Even though it is against the law to ride without a front white light and a rear read reflector in Madison, I see people riding without lights all of the time. I think people need to be better educated about the rules for staying visible at night.

separate bike lanes in the Netherlands

4)  Are there any communities in the world that you feel are "getting it right" regarding cycling infrastructure and what could Wisconsin learn from those communities?
 
I had the opportunity to visit some communities in The Netherlands in September 2011. It wasn’t long before I came to the realization that bicycling was more than a just transportation option – it was a part of daily life. People of every age, size, and occupation were riding bikes – and not just for recreation or getting to work – but for running errands and taking kids to school.

Eindhoven / Waalre, The Netherlands
• Separate bike paths (on most roads)
• More than adequate bike parking
• Separate street lights for bicycles and pedestrians
• Lack of social stigma against biking – all ages and sizes of people
• Creative carrying devices (for kids, groceries, pets, etc.)
• Underground bike parking – with “bike escalator” for getting down
• Bicycling fits into daily life there, thanks to numerous little details in infrastructure.

high school bicycle parking in the Netherlands

5)  What cycling projects would you like to be a part of in the future?

I’m hoping to continue my research in the co-benefits of active transportation (including bicycling and walking). I’m currently working on an ancillary study at the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Assessment of the Social and Built Environment (WASABE). My research is assessing the relationship of Wisconsin resident’s built environment and the suitability / feasibility of bicycling and walking. I’m also hoping to make some associations between people’s health and the level of connectivity in their neighborhood. In other words, I’m looking to assess how people’s ability to move around in their neighborhoods affects their health.

Although there are times that I feel quite down about the state of the country and world, when I meet people like Maggie, I have to admit that I have more hope.  We can only hope that there are more bright, young people wanting to enter into careers that can make a positive impact on the cycling and walking community.  I am including a link to Maggie's studies for further reading.  Below are a few more pictures from her trip to the Netherlands.

underground bike parking in the Netherlands

It Takes Two

Dave and Mary Pramann on the podium for the tandem race

You may call it a "tandem", whereas I call it a "divorce mobile".  Oh, I'm not being cynical--well, maybe I am--but I am frequently told stories about couples getting into enormous arguments while riding on a tandem bike.  Of course these are the same couples that are constantly pushing me and my husband to borrow their tandem...as long as we want.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there aren't couples who actually enjoy riding together in this fashion.  In fact, there is actually a group of them called COWS (couples on wheels) right here in Wisconsin.  They get together for occasional rides including an enormous annual meet-up.  I also know that rides like RAGBRAI in Iowa and SAGBRAW in Wisconsin pull these riders out of the woodwork.

When working together, these couples can cruise by a solo rider like a locomotive train.  I've ridden with several of these couples and I can feel them barrelling down upon me--especially when going down hill or on flats.  Uphill is another story.  This is about the only time I can seek revenge on them.

So what's my big hang-up with tandems?  Well, I see them like canoes.  If one person isn't pulling their weight or has a different "style" or "technique", it completely throws the other person off.  First, one of the the two must be comfortable with giving up control (I have a sick "not me" attitude with this).  Second, the person up front has to trust that the person in back isn't slacking.  This isn't like dog sledding where there's a driver with a whip keeping everyone in tow.  Third, one of the riders will always have an obstructed view (again with the "not me" attitude).  I admit it, I'm a back seat driver, which doesn't work when cycling.  I always want to pick my own line and pace.

So getting back to the canoe analogy.  There's a story behind this...
Before my husband and I were married, I thought it would be "fun" to go canoeing down the St.Croix river together.  No portaging, moving with the current...what could go wrong?  Of course my type A driven self chose bow.  In past canoe trips I always liked the monotonous push without having to perform all the "J" and "C" strokes.  Anyway, it didn't take long to realize that solo kayaks would have been a better choice.  We survived--and still got married--but always knew we couldn't be tethered to each other.

Our 10th anniversary bike tour through Wisconsin

This doesn't mean that we don't like riding together.  On the contrary... we LOVE riding together!  We go on the country rides as "dates" and will often ride downtown for concerts or dinner in the summer.  Some of the most joyous experiences I have had with my husband revolve around biking.  We even spent our 10th wedding anniversary riding Wisconsin top to bottom and finished the last few blocks hand-in-hand.  We just know our limitations.

2010 COWS ride in Madison

Marie and Jeff Matous

It takes a very special couple to be able to ride tandem regularly.  I thought it would be fun to include some pictures of folks I know that do so and with a smile on their face.  I'm wishing them and other couples that bike together a very happy Valentine's day!  A special shout out to David and Mary Pramann that not only ride tandem but also raced tandem for many years...now that takes guts.

For those that are interested in COWS, check out their website www.couplesonwheels.com

The Iceman/woman Cometh

photo by Caitlin Johnson

When you think of -20F with a windchill of -40F do you say, "Hey, today seems like a GREAT day for a bike race"?  If so, maybe you should consider entering the Arrowhead 135.

As I write this, in my 65F house in Madison, Wisconsin, it's -17 in International Falls, MN--the start location for the 8th annual race.  Come January 28th/29th, 135 brave (some may use different terminology) souls will make their way to the sign-in/gear check meetings.  That Sunday night, they will fall asleep with bellies full of spaghetti, hoping for good trail conditions and minimal equipment failure.

When the Arrowhead 135 started in 2005, only 10 racers made it to the start line.  Now, it has somewhat of a "cult" following and is used by Alaskans training for the Iditabike.  Racers fall into three categories:  bike, ski with pulk sled or foot with pulk sled.  All will start at 7am, Monday January 30th.  All must finish the 135 miles of snowmobile trail, ending in Tower, MN by 7pm Wednesday.  Most choose to bike because of the speed, however, with fresh snow, many of the cyclists will push their bike for miles.

foot racers
photo by Dave Pramann

Anything and everything can happen during this race and although the top finishers won't spend a night out "camping", every racer must carry mandatory gear at all times--or become disqualified.  Racers must be prepared to sleep out if poor conditions hit and since this race is 100% unassisted, this usually means carrying 30-40lbs. of gear.  Although there are three checkpoints, racers cannot receive assistance from non-racers unless there is a medical condition.  From start to finish, all racers MUST carry a -20 degree sleeping bag, an insulated sleeping pad, a tent or bivy sack, firestarters, a stove, 8 ounces of fuel (they must finish with 8 ounces left over), a pot, a 2qt. insulated water bottle, a headlamp, red LED blinking lights (so as not to become a hood ornament on a snowmachine), a whistle, and 3,000 calories at all times (must finish with this leftover).  Remember, this is just the "mandatory" list--the recommended list doubles it.

Lance Andre, Jeff Oatley, Jason Buffington

The male record holder is still Dave Pramann, current race organizer with his wife Mary Pramann.  In 2006, he finished on bike in just 15 hours, 45 minutes!  The women's record was shattered last year by Alaskan, Heather Best.  She finished on bike in 20 hours 14 minutes and placed 8th overall.

As you might guess, people are a  part of this solely for the love of it.  It's 100% non-profit--all entry fees go to operational costs.  If there is any money left over, it goes to helping provide college scholarships to children of US Special Ops soldiers that were killed or injured.  Volunteers make this race possible!  Although the organizers rotate, Dave and Mary Pramann have put the race on for the past two years.  Without folks like these, Arrowhead 135 would not exist.

So, you've read this and still want to try your hands at winter racing?  Fantastic!  First things first.  Read Dave Schlobowske's blog piece on winter bikes at www.bfw.org.  Next, go out and test ride as many winter bikes as you can (there are often times demo days).  Read "Of Wolves and Men" by Barry Lopez--if you're riding in Northern MN or WI in the winter, you'll encounter a few.  Try your hand at a shorter winter race--there are several in the Midwest.  Okay, you're set.  Slap on a smile underneath that balaclava and layer of Vaseline and have fun!

Dan Dittmer
photo by Allison Long

Dave Pramann and Charlie Farrow
photo by Mike Curiak

Zinn and the Art of Bicycling

Lennard Zinn at cyclo-cross nationals 2012
photo by Nathan Vergin

Imagine a world where you step into a bike shop with someone and the person you're with is treated like a rock star.  Crowds form around him, pictures are taken, hands go out to be shaken, pats on the back and a beer magically appears.  You might even see some female cyclists swoon--actually, the guys might be swooning as well.

This was my perspective when Lennard Zinn was in town for cyclo-cross nationals and we walked into Machinery Row bike shop for their Belgium party.  It was kind of amusing...but then again, I got it.  Growing up I cared a lot more about pro racers than rock stars--they were my rock stars.

So how did I find myself in this position?  Thanks to a good friend, Jon Patz, who was an old roommate of Lennard's, I got to have dinner with him and interview him after his race.  I was even treated to a story of them knitting hats in their college dorm room.

It's hard not to spot Lennard in a crowd.  He's 6'6-6'7, has a lean athletic build and warm smile.  For those of you not familiar with his work, the list is long.  First, he's written several books on bike maintenance including the mechanic's bible "Zinn and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance".  He's the technical writer for VeloNews.  He started Zinn Cycles where he designs and builds custom mountain, road, cross and tri bikes.  He designs components and clothes to fit tall and short riders and he also races (both bike and cross country ski).

How did he get involved with all of this when he started out as a physics major?  Simply put, he loves bikes and bicycling!  During dinner we were talking about the start of Zinn Cycles and he said, "Contrary to what most people think, I actually got into this because I was tired of seeing shorter women bounce around in their saddles due to cranks that were too long for them."  I have to admit that even I thought his driving force was to help taller riders.  As a hard to fit rider myself, it's wonderful to see a frame/component builder care so much about sizing.

Scott Anderson, a 6'6 yoga instructor, here in Madison, is a believer in what Zinn is doing.  I asked him to contribute to this piece and here's what he sent:

 It was nearly twenty years ago that I first rode a Zinn bike. In the days before Internet ubiquity, information was more likely to be passed word-of-mouth, and I'd heard that Lennard Zinn was the go-to guy for big bikes. Well, I certainly needed one of those big bikes at 6'6"! I had been riding an off-the-shelf Ritchey, which was a gorgeous piece of equipment, though it didn't even come close to fitting. Via the combined efforts of an extra-long seat post and a supple spine, I thought this bike was as good as it gets. The Ritchey ultimately showed its age, however, and it came time to replace my trusty steed.

On a trip to Boulder, Colorado in 1993, I swung by Lennard's shop. Rather than talking about bikes and fitting, Lennard suggested we go out for a ride. He let me ride his bike, and he grabbed another as we rode about the Boulder reservoir. Within about ten minutes I'd decided to purchase this bike; it tracked straight (lacking the twitchiness I associated with a high-end bike) and did not require committee-approval to turn. It was the smoothest, easiest-riding, fastest and most comfortable bike I'd every ridden!

I loved that bike, and poured on off-road miles all over the Southwestern US, and gobs of commuting miles in both Minneapolis, MN and Madison, WI. (Even after it was completely and utterly tired and worn, it still commanded a respectable bid on eBay last year.) People properly appreciate Lennard's gift for building the right bikes for BIG people.

Since Scott is a yoga instructor, he also mentions that although he can help people become more adaptable and resilient, those things can only go so far.  He sees so many riders trying to make too-small bikes work for them but one size does not fit all.

Lennard is so dedicated to helping those that are hard to fit that he started a program with basketball players and the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.  Zinn and Andy Pruitt, a certified athletic trainer, work with athletes on bike fitting to help them prevent back, knee and neck injuries.

Zinn has not only been a leader in bike fitting but also in using different frame materials.  Although he loves steel, his bikes now lean towards titanium and magnesium.  Until cross nationals, I had never seen a magnesium frame.  After his race, while his bike was still covered in mud, I picked it up.  Even with a full water bottle and a few pounds of mud, it was still lighter than my much smaller carbon frame.  My jaw dropped and I think I drooled a bit.  Calculations of how I could scrape enough money together to get one of his frames started dancing in my head.  The best part is that his frames are made right here in the United States!

Lennard and Dag after the race
photo by Jon Patz

I couldn't resist sending Lennard a few questions for this post.  Here they are with his responses plus photos:

 1)       What is one of your fondest cycling memories?

Winning the Durango-to-Silverton Iron Classic road race in 1980. Felt like I was floating that day. I set the course record that held until Jonathan Boyer smashed it a couple of years later.

One very hilly stage of the Tour of Ireland in 1981 where I felt great, initiated the break, and won the Most Aggressive Rider award.

  2)      Regarding bicycle building, what frame are you most attached to and why?

Wow. Hard question. I guess I'd never throw out or sell the first bike I ever built (in 1980, for my girlfriend who became my wife). 

I'm currently most attached to both of my cyclocross bikes (http://www.cyclingdirt.org/coverage/247673-USA-Cyclocross-National-Championships-2012/video/559767-Leonard-Zinn-Very-Technical-Cyclocross-National-Championships) , but I'm sure they'll be replaced within a few years, so that hardly seems like attachment. 

I was pretty attached to this bike:  http://singletrack.competitor.com/2011/12/bikes-tech/goodbye-to-my-belt-drive-rohloff-bike_27883.

I poured my heart and soul into the Columbus KL steel lugged bike of my wife's. She still rides it, we'd never get rid of it, and it weighs like 15 pounds, built back in 1984 or so.

My wife and I haven't ridden our tandem in years, but we are very attached to it, as it is what we rode when she was pregnant with each of our daughters. It has kisses all over it under the clear coat.

  3)      When you first started building, were there any frame builders that influenced you and why?

I worked for Tom Ritchey after having only built one bike prior to that. I even lived at his house part of the time; the shop was in his garage up on Skyline Drive above Palo Alto. He had a very strong influence on me. Between Tom, me and one other guy, we built around 100 fillet-brazed Ritchey mountain bike frames, forks, and Ritchey Bullmoose fillet-brazed handlebars a month (at the very beginning of the mountain bike boom in 1981). Understanding how a small operation could be super productive was very useful to learn, and for the bikes I made in the 1980s until the mid 1990s, it was great that I had learned from Tom how to fillet braze (and without air bubbles) and especially how to finish the fillet so that it was super smooth and made a beautiful transition from tube to tube.

I learned how to weld titanium and tricks of building frames out of it from Gary Helfrich, the founder of Merlin. 

Otherwise, I was inspired by the beauty of old-world lugged frame craftsmen when I was starting out.

 4)      What bikes are you riding now?

I have two matching 17-pound magnesium cyclocross bikes with single chainrings and 205mm cranks visible here
http://www.cyclingdirt.org/coverage/247673-USA-Cyclocross-National-Championships-2012/video/559767-Leonard-Zinn-Very-Technical-Cyclocross-National-Championships and in the below photo of me and DAg Selander by Jon Patz (he and I have lots more from nationals).
http://zinncycles.com/Zinn/index.php/cyclocross/1532-2

In five minutes, thanks to replaceable dropouts on both sides, I can convert them to singlespeed 'cross bikes (see photos of red bike below).

I have a sub-17-pound Zinn Fassa magnesium road bike with Campy Super Record 11-speed. I love that bike for long mountain rides.  http://zinncycles.com/Zinn/index.php/test-page/project-big-custom-series/fassa-mg

I have a titanium bike with four couplers on the frame and a coupler on the titanium stem that I travel constantly all over the world with. I've raced a lot of Gran Fondos in Italy and Canada on it. I can pack it in about 10 minutes into a 28 X 28 X 10 case that flies free. This video shows me packing it and shows Madison's native Olympic Gold Medalist on her Zinn coupled titanium bike.http://zinncycles.com/video/Travel-Bike-Promo.html?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=355&width=455. This bikes gives me incredible freedom and allows me to have great rides wherever I am.

I also have a steel bike with four couplers on the frame that has such a beautiful green powder coat on it that I rarely travel with it, but I do ride it a lot around here. (My titanium travel bike is unpainted and hence I don't worry about scratching it when traveling.)

I ride the 6-inch travel Zinn Gigabike 29er equipped with SRAM X.0 and Fox TALAS Terralogic fork that is on the cover of Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. https://bigandtallbike.3dcartstores.com/Zinn-and-the-Art-of-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance-5th-edition_p_136.html 

I ride a titanium 3-inch travel Zinn Tyrant 29er equipped with SRAM XX components and fork. http://zinncycles.com/Zinn/index.php/about/classic-custom-series/full-suspension/tyrant

I have a bright yellow magnesium track bike that I ride on the indoor velodrome here in Boulder.

http://zinncycles.com/Zinn/index.php/test-page/track-bikes 

All of the above bikes have my custom Zinn cranks on them.

5) You’ve been such an influence on folks wanting to learn bike maintenance.  What would your top three tips for those just starting out--besides buying your books?

1. Just get started working on your bike. Don't be afraid to take something apart. While it's possible you may make a mistake, there's no better way to learn.

2. Build some wheels. It's good for the soul to ride on a pair of wheels you built.

3. Just as you take a shower after riding, spend a bit of time on your bike after every time you ride. At a minimum, wipe the drivetrain with a rag and lubricate the chain after every ride or two.



Me with Lennard Zinn
photo by Jon Patz



Don't call us old--call us masters!

Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

                                               -Mark Twain

Lennard Zinn entering the sand pit

I love it.  The dictionary definition of "master" as an adjective is:  Having or showing very great skill or proficiency.  So just by being a cyclist over the age of 35, I am considered a "master".  Of course the other definitions are:  The captain of a merchant ship or a man who has people working for him.  Neither of which I would like to be associated with.

Although most professional racers fall into the "senior" or "elite" categories, it's becoming more common to see women and men kick some serious ass above the age of 35.  The term "masters" is no longer seen as the first nail in the coffin.  In fact, some of the strongest cyclists I know--ones that could ride circles around me--are in their 50's and 60's.  Look at Raul Alcala.  He won the Mexican time trial championship at age 46.

Masters lining up for the start of their race

This past weekend the national cyclo-cross championships fell upon Madison/Verona, Wisconsin.  Droves of people of all ages and abilities came here to show what they've got.  Although the elites in their 20's got most of the fame and glory, I was most interested in watching the masters.  This wasn't just because it's my age category.  They are also beautiful racers to watch.  Long gone are the days of testosterone driven madness where everything is considered a sprint.  No, the masters tend to calculate their moves a bit more.  They know their bodies.  They often realize that holding back sometimes is just as important as hammering all out...and when they go all out, they dance on their peddles.

Dennis Bean-Larson, owner of Hell Yes clothing and Fixed Gear Gallery

For those of you not familiar with cyclo-cross, I'll give you a brief history.  Cyclo-cross began in the early 1900's in Europe.  It was designed to lengthen the training season for cyclists and allow them to ride into early winter.  By forcing the cyclists to ride through pastures and climb over fences it not only kept the riders warm but also improved their bike handling skills.  The first cross championship was held in Belgium in 1910.  From that point on, it spread to Switzerland, Luxembourg, France and Spain.  It didn't really catch on here in the States until the 1970's and only became popular here in the 90's.  The bikes are very similar to road bikes, however, they use knobby tires.  Since the courses tend to be full of mud, water and sand, bikes often times have to be hosed off or switched out during races due to malfunctioning components.  The course consists of a 1.5-2 mile loop where the racers have to make their way over obstacles, up and down steep hills and over different types of surfaces (grass, water, pavement, dirt etc.).  The goal is to get as many laps in as possible in an allotted amount of time.  No other bike race taps into the anaerobic system like cross does.  Think of it as an all out energy expenditure for 30-60 minutes.

Monique Karlen (45-49 category) tearing it up on the course

A few of the racers I was following during nationals agreed to be in this piece.  All are in the masters category and all of them are stronger than most 25 year old cyclists I know.  Dennis Bean-Larson, owner of Hell Yes clothing and Fixed Gear Gallery, talked with me about what pulled him to the sport.  He's only been racing cross for a few years but he has been cycling for decades. One of his main draws is the safety factor. His idea is if you fall on a cross course the chances of getting hurt are a lot slimmer than if you take a spill on the road.  Mud and grass are softer than asphalt!  That's one of the reasons you see so many cross riders over the age of 60--Dennis is 67 by the way.  I just have to add that Dennis rides fixed all winter long--in Michigan--now that's tough!

When I asked Lennard Zinn, frame builder, writer, and racer extraordinaire, what he thought of the course this weekend he said, "It was really cool!  In Boulder we don't get conditions like this.  It's usually dry, hard packed and fast or snowy and icy."  Lennard also talked about what a great family sport cross is.  He often times sees parents racing/training with their kids because the travel distance to races is often quite short.  Lennard was racing in the 50-54 age group and it was great to see his field swell to over 50 racers.

Lennard coming out of a slick turn

Monique Karlen, one of our hometown sweethearts, not only had a great race but also got a ton of media attention.  It's so nice to see women get this kind of attention in a sport.  I sent here a couple of questions to get her perspective on being a female in the masters category:

As a female masters rider, do you feel there is enough being done to get other women out there?

I think as fitness opportunities increase more women are finding cycling in general (and also cyclo-cross.)  In terms of racing there has been a big increase in beginner women (cat 4) in all disciplines over the last several years but races are primarily split by ability level and not age. I do think it would be nice for race promoters to offer a Masters women category as participation increases across the board. I was a competitive runner first and did not discover cycling until I was 35 so started as a master’s racer and have always been racing against women mostly younger than I am.  This said, I know many women over 40 who still are very competitive at the elite level and with women half their age.

As more women of all ages get interested in riding and racing they can join women’s only groups and teams to learn more with a low intimidation factor. Women are generally encouraging and supportive of one another and always happy to get more women into racing and riding. There is still the issue of “equal pay for equal work” and even the top women in pro cycling are not able to make a living or support their racing with payouts and sponsorships not being equal to the men. If race promoters want to attract more top women racers they have to offer equal payouts at minimum.

What changes do you notice in your riding as you get older, both good and bad?

As I get older I notice that my body takes much longer to recover after workouts so I am not able to train as intensely as I used to. As well cycling is a high-risk sport and any injuries take longer to heal. A positive thing about being older as a racer is that I think mentally you are more grounded and have realistic expectations of yourself and can channel the nervous energy differently. Racing can be more fun as you take the pressure off yourself to perform as you once used to and focus on having fun each time you ride! You are thankful for the days on the bike and each day you ride is a good one.  I also see women who begin to race in their 30’s, 40’s and beyond have the enthusiasm of a younger racer because they are not burned out and are really excited about learning something new and feeling good and getting fit.

Monique after her race

I have to say that watching the races this weekend has been an inspiration.  I may have to reconsider my plans for giving road racing a shot again next year and switch to cross!

I want to thank Monique, Dennis, and Lennard for taking time to share their thoughts with me.  Also, a huge thanks to Nathan Vergin for taking pictures at the race and riding down with me!  To see more of his amazing work go to:  www.flickr.com/photos/nathanvergin/