Confessions of a Manic Cyclist

September 2006 - Posts

• KTR v2.0

  The KTR in May was an incredible experience.  With so much time to plan, to obsess the details, and even to pre-ride, the pre-event anticipation was huge.  Meeting a group of 56 enduro nut jobs under a full (fool?) moon at midnight was off the charts cool. This time around, it's a solo affair (that is, unless someone cares to join in on the fun - I'll leave slickrock parking lot between 4-5am on Saturday).  The plan just sprouted wings a couple days ago, so the obsessin… Read Full Post Here Technorati Tags: Cycling Posted Sep 28 2006, 10:27 AM by daveharris with no comments

• KTR v2.0

  The KTR in May was an incredible experience.  With so much time to plan, to obsess the details, and even to pre-ride, the pre-event anticipation was huge.  Meeting a group of 56 enduro nut jobs under a full (fool?) moon at midnight was off the charts cool. This time around, it's a solo affair (that is, unless someone cares to join in on the fun - I'll leave slickrock parking lot between 4-5am on Saturday).  The plan just sprouted wings a couple days ago, so the obsessing has only just begun...it's really just a key training ride this time anyway, and it isn't new.  It is a toughy though. Just like the May event, I'll be testing a new light system.  In May I had 2 new systems, one of which failed and was nothing more than a weighty PITA for 142 miles.  The new light systems are really made for 24 hour events, not so much for KTR.  For a KTR type effort, I'd favor a lightweight system without the high-power requirements of high speed/tech 24 hour races, especially for this time around since (hopefully) the only darkness will occur on the initial climbs.  But hey, gotta test the goods... Luxeon makes the LEDs I've been using, and they came out with a new K2 model recently.  They are bright, putting out 100 lumens each at 1000mA (which compares to 80 lm for the LuxIIIs).  They can be pushed at 1500mA supplying 120 lumens, but if you do the math you'll see that isn't nearly as efficient as running at 1000mA.  They also have a new optic made especially for the K2, probably since it has a squared off base rather than a round base.  www.ledsupply.com sells them built into ready to solder stars, same form factor as the LuxIII/LuxV stars.  The new optics have a tight 3 degree spot with a bit of wider spill.  It isn't as clean as a reflector, but using some snap on diffusers the beam can be altered to 6, 12, or 25 degrees in an instant.  Makes for some easy testing. Here's the first K2 light build.  It is using one reflector and 2 x 5 degree optics of the older  LuxIII/V variety.  Matched with a 4800Ah 14.8 V LiOn battery from www.batteryspace.com provides a bit over 5 hours of very bright light and weighs in at ~500g.  Not too shabby compared to my Nite Rider HID that weighs in at just under 1000g and runs for 4 hours. On the nutrition end of things, I've really taken to the Drip lately.  A mix of 4:1 drip and eFuel providing 300 cal/bottle has been the BOMB lately.  KTR will surely provide the acid test for the mix...    +     =  crack, oh sweet crack.   Did I mention the new bike?   Talk about nutjobs.  New nutrition plan, new bike, new lights - anything static is dead. Posted Sep 28 2006, 10:27 AM by Dave

• Back from the dead

  Dead silence, that is.  As I seem to recall, the last thing I wrote on this blog was "damn I love September".  About 2 days later I got slammed by the other job (the one that pays the bills)...and since I don't have Martini's "check engine light" syndrome, with Moab looming that means an even more extreme bi-modal existence that usual.  Working and riding become the two primary activities, all else takes a backseat (or is chucked out the window, actually).  Even sleep becomes minimal. That other life I lead is feast or famine, and suddenly it's famine time, leaving time to play catch-up on things that didn't make it out of the window.  This blog, for instance, in case anyone is still checking :)  Thanks for the emails of concern, BTW. In training land, things are going great.  OK, beyond great.  A big CTL dump (aka rest) following the E100 left me with a lot of training reserves and I've been squandering the power like it's free.  Specific training mid-week and big riding on the weekends is the typical fare.  A few weeks back one of the rides was a road cruise to Mesa Verde.  I'd never been beyond the tunnel (about 4 miles into the park), but beyond the tunnel lies tons of great climbing, fun roads, and well, some bitchin' archealogy as well.  Great riding if you ever get the chance.  Just know ahead of time there's a tunnel of about 1/4 mile.  It's straight so you can see the light at the end...you just can't see the road beneath you.  Cool stuff. I wasted no time getting back to the Utah desert.  Those that know me wonder why I live in Colorado because it seems I'm drawn to Utah spring, summer and fall.  There could be a move in my future...but that is another story!  Anyway, the following weekend was a camping affair in Canyonlands.  After a breakfast to this sunrise, the day held a quick trip around the White Rim, one of my favorites. But wait...there's more!  This past weekend the Pocket Rocket (the real one) & I met in Canyonlands for what was originally going to be a day on the Moab course pre-riding, a day on the first half of the KTR route, then a White Rim day.  Ma nature had other plans for us though.  The beginning of the weekend saw some nutty cold weather for September - we even had a few inches of snow where we camped.  The KTR plans were nixed as the route goes over 8,500 a couple of times - it was pure white up there.  Of course it turned out for the better - we did back to back White Rim days and was it ever awesome.  Perfect weather and there was water everywhere as all the potholes were full.  Lynda is flying.  Her combined times for the back to back white rims was something under 16 hours, and that's just silly.  The past weekend put my CTL at an all-time high of 150, a mark I've yet to hit.  Funny thing though, there's more to give.  A lot more - yes, this is a manic confession.  Now that I've suddenly got a ton of time on my hands, I'm going to do one more big push this weekend (prolly Saturday) with an assault on the Kokopelli trail.  Between a couple blunders and bad luck on my ride there in May, it left me wanting to do it better.  It really falls in with my final long ride theory leading to a 24 as well. One other thing the KTR weekend will do is some serious bike melding.  You see, I'm making the Yeti ASR the primary race bike for Moab, thanks to some huge support from Kong and Andy at Desert Cyclery in St. George, Utah.  They totally rock, which is yet another story...but anyway, the Yeti has received well over 300 miles of abuse in the last 5 days and it wants a bit more.  It climbs like a scalded duck and descends like no other bike I've ridden, and I'm pretty amped about that! The old and the new come face to face: Posted Sep 27 2006, 11:26 AM by Dave

• Back from the dead

  Dead silence, that is.  As I seem to recall, the last thing I wrote on this blog was "damn I love September".  About 2 days later I got slammed by the other job (the one that pays the bills)...and since I don't have Martini's "check engine light" syndrome, with Moab looming that means an even more extreme bi-modal existence that usual.  Working and riding become the two primary activit… Read Full Post Here Technorati Tags: Cycling Posted Sep 27 2006, 11:26 AM by daveharris with no comments

• Moab by way of Durango

  September is quite possibly one of the finest months in SW Colorado - certainly one of my favorite times of the riding season.  The main season has come to a close, the monsoons have loosened their grip, and the mornings are cool and crisp.  Before sunrise, the stars are big and bright, twinkling with the day's potential. Since the racing season is more or less done, that gives plenty of time to focus on the next big event, the 24 hours of Moab.  Durango has got all the… Read Full Post Here Technorati Tags: Cycling Posted Sep 04 2006, 03:40 PM by daveharris with no comments

• Moab by way of Durango

  September is quite possibly one of the finest months in SW Colorado - certainly one of my favorite times of the riding season.  The main season has come to a close, the monsoons have loosened their grip, and the mornings are cool and crisp.  Before sunrise, the stars are big and bright, twinkling with the day's potential. Since the racing season is more or less done, that gives plenty of time to focus on the next big event, the 24 hours of Moab.  Durango has got all the goods with which to assist the Moab prep. Training partners:  who doesn't race bikes in Durango?  Fergy is always up for some action in the passes.  Yesterday we got the Moab plan off the ground with a ride from Durango to Ouray. We weren't the only ones up there.  These folks were in the midst of a death ride, but with a bob trailer.  FYI, the death ride is the loop going through Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Ridgeway, Telluride, Dolores.  Check it on a map, 3D if ya got it - it's appropiately named. 'twas a great day in mountains.  Clear and cool with just a hint of fall in spots. Terrain you ask?  Ledges and sand make up the techy sections at Moab, and we've got plenty around here.  Then again, Moab is only 2.5 hours from here - daytrips are feasible. Of course, everyone knows the best training for a course like Moab happens on the road.  We've got our share of those too in a wide range of elevations to choose from.  Decisions, decisions! In lighting news, Luxeon has come out with a new LED, the K2, since I last put my projects together.  They put out as much as 50% more lumens for a similar power expenditure.  This can only mean better lights, so looks like it's back to the drawing board.  The fall is a great time to play with light systems.  I'll standardize the battery system so that I only need to change once in the night, and still keep system weight, including a battery, a smidge over a pound. In bike news - a new one is on the way.  Look forward to some pics, and probably a surprise as well...new frames these days are disc only, which means no PT compatibility.  The new steed is going to get disgraced with a Polar power meter for the next month.  What can I say?  A geek must have his/her data :) One thing is certain.  Moab is approaching.  Having raced it 7 times, I've got a lot to draw from experience-wise.  However, nothing is static - if it is, it's dead.  So, there are just a few things to improve on from last years event.  Despite a few notable events in the last 2 months, training stress is quite low right now and I'm chomping to get started.  Damn I love September. Posted Sep 04 2006, 03:40 PM by Dave