[SportsandRec] Today's Rooster Ride

[Ron Burzese]

Hi,

This is a blurb that I wrote to a list for blind cyclists. It uses some cycling jargon but might give you an idea why I enjoy tandem cycling.

I only have light perception, but experience what I don’t see through my tandem pilot. I also use a free app called Cyclemeter, which keeps track of my speed, distance, heartrate, calories, and other stats. It is accessible on my iPhone. When I ride indoors, I use another app that logs my stats from my exercise bike.

I do most of the mechanical work on my bikes and for most of my friends. I can help you get started in cycling, starting with an exercise bike in your home, if you like. There are also websites dedicated to finding tandem riders in your area, who would like to get you out for a ride.

You can find me on Facebook and Strava, or send me a note by email.

If you’d like to join this list for blind tandem cycling, let me know.

Best,

Ron
***Judi and I have been riding two days per week, for the past five weeks or so. 31 miles each time, down to Virgie’s and back, mostly on the East-Central Regional Rail Trail.

It’s surprising to me how much distraction there is to see for Judi’s entertainment. Like today, she saw two tortoises, each over 6 inches in diameter. We were riding in the same direction, so I know it was two different ones, unless the same one passed us when we took our water stop. I made the sound of a car passing by and it made us laugh, imagining it was a turtle driving a Corvette.

Early in the ride, there was a bunny, going under a fence. Then it was two deer. Not long after, a dragon fly was actually pacing us long enough for my wife to take notice. A little later, there was one on each side of her, keeping pace. They actually crossed in front of her, switching sides as if it was coordinated. Before the turn-around point, a flock of large egrets all took off as we rode by. The sound of their wings reminded me of a helicopter for a moment. We were both a bit startled. We were not even that close, maybe eight feet or so. She did not see the beggar goats, but three horses were out. One was tan, another, chocolate brown, and the third was a rust color. She also saw a red bird that I guessed might be a Robin. Regarding the goats, she saw two of them head-butting each other on last Friday’s ride.

Near the half-way point, a bug or something flew down my wife’s tank top-. She started reacting and quickly pulled over. She was wearing a sports-bra, known as a uniboob by a friend of mine. Thankfully she was not stung. We laughed about it and continued toward Virgie’s. As we rode, I heard some noise that could not be figured out. I asked Judi to stop pedaling. The noise went away, so I thought it might be something in the drivetrain. As we resumed, I felt around to see what my wife was wearing. I was in shorts and a jersey, because it was warmer than usual. It was 77 at the start, at sunrise, but it felt like 82. The dewpoint was 75 degrees! I was singing, Oh Muggy Day, as we rode. To my surprise, my bride was wearing a light, windbreaker over her tank top. I hoped that she was wearing cooler clothes, but besides the jacket, she wore workout pants that came to mid-calf. I figured, as long as she’s comfortable. On such rides, I drink a bottle and a half for the 31-mile ride. I am drenched with sweat. My wife drinks about a half to two-thirds bottle and is not very damp with perspiration. I suggested that maybe she is not sweating much because she is not drinking enough water. I also suspect that she is not aware of her perceived level of exertion. I don’t hold this against her, but am just happy to have her come out with me.

We did not see many riders out yesterday. My Bear said that I must be a champion because I want to ride when no one else does. It was muggier than a dog, for sure. When we stop and restart, I enjoy feeling the air-conditioning from the dampness. I sometimes wonder if cotton would be more comfortable than Spandex, when the humidity is up. When we visited Clearwater in September of 2019, I noticed that my arm coolers were not really doing their job, due to the high dew points. They were reflecting the sun, but acting as arm-warmers, because they could not wick the moisture. As I write this, I’m thinking cotton won’t help, but will probably try it anyway.

Oh yeah, the noise was Judi’s unzipped jacket, fluttering in the wind. Funny thing is, when we stopped pedaling to isolate the noise, the bike slowed down and the jacket stopped catching the wind. I hope to ride all summer, just at sunrise. When we finished, it was 80 degrees, but felt like 86. We had fought the wind on the way out, but enjoyed a tailwind on the way back. The UV index was only 3, which is good, because I don’t like sunscreen. I also want the vitamin D. I also plan to add some pickle juice to my bottles, for the electrolytes. For yesterday’s ride, I had only a slice of lemon, from the previous night’s pizza restaurant. It takes the plastic taste from the water bottle.

We are only averaging 12 or 13 mph on these rides, which is better than the 10 mph, on the cruiser, but that is all right. Our Raleigh Coupe has a 66MM tire on the rear and a 44MM up front. They are slicks, but the rear is more of a commuter tire. This makes it more reliable, but not as fast. The rims are 42MM wide, 35MM internal, so the tires are stretched out wider than normal. This increased air volume supposedly gives more traction, comfort, and efficiency. It also makes the tires last longer, because the contact patch is much wider. We also put fenders back on the bike. If the trail is wet, we will be able to keep riding. There is even a mudflap up front, from when I was riding during Minneapolis winters. I am passed that stage of caring about looking cool. Now, I prefer consistency with my fitness. A road tandem will raise our average speed maybe two miles per hour, but as long as I’m getting a workout in, it is all good. In Sacramento, I installed a long-travel Thud-Buster seatpost, because the tree roots would create significant bumps on the bike trail. Here, everything is so smooth that I might go back to a straight post. The biggest bump on our route is the lip of our driveway. I need to see if there is something I can do to fix it. Even in the car, it hits harder than what it should be.

We have not even been clipping in. It’s just nice to get out for a ride and walk around. We might go to cycling shoes and clips soon, because I get a better workout for more of my leg muscles. I can feel the difference. Judi is still a newer cyclist, so I want her to feel comfortable.

I call this the rooster ride, because a few times, a beautiful black rooster has come up to me at the turn-around point. It seems friendly, but get irritated when he realizes that I don’t have any food for him. I became a rooster in Via De Cristo, just a month ago, so I thought he was attracted to one of his own. Still, when I hear him getting grumpy, I put the bike between us.

So that is about it for now. I’m enjoying the time with my Bear. It’s nice to get in the miles and burn through some tires. I like to use them up and get rid of them. I have too many that are half worn. The next is a real supple, Michelin that is 44mm. It should spread out nice on the 42MM rim. A supple tire is more comfortable and efficient. These rims weigh 806 grams each, if I recall. This is about twice what a normal 26” rim weighs. I built them  while Judi did the prep work and watched in our dining room. Still, the speed limit for the trail is 15 mph, so it’s nice to be legal for a while.

Is anyone else riding? Any stories to share? It does not take much to entertain me.

Be Blessed,

New Smyrna Beach Ron