Northwesterly Mayport Friday

25 miles Friday to the northwest.  Tailwind coming home.  Clear skies, chilly, windy.  Out along the river to Mayport.  Back over the Wonderwood Bridge and then Girvin Road.  Beautiful.

Back to Summer

Warm and overcast today.  PV loop.  Summer weight shorts and jersey.  Nice.  Hooked up with another rider coming home.  24mph pace through Ponte Vedra.  No probelmo.  New wheels are killer.

Finally Chilly

A cool ride a couple of days ago.  Got to wear some brand new leg warmers.  Excellent.  On top is the Showers Pass Touring Jacket.  Under that was the Smartwool base layer, an old wool sweater vest, and a regular summer short-sleeved jersey.  Planet Bike Borealis gloves kept the digits toasty.  And on tip top is the Showers Pass helmet cover.  The best for my lid.

Temps were in the low fifties, and it had been raining for days.  Not freezing, but cool and wet.  Warm and comfy on the inside.

Spring in December

26 miles in Palm Vally yesterday.  Sunny and warm.  Beautiful.  A bit of a southerly breeze.  Only two and a half months till March.  At this rate, winter will never actually arrive.

30 Foggy Miles

Ft. Caroline loop today for a change.  30 miles.  Cool and foggy.  So thick, you could...with...knife.  An old and tired cliche, but nonetheless true.

Piled on a new Smartwool base layer beneath the Showers Pass jacket.  Toasty.  Can't say enough good things about the Smartwool.  Beautiful stuff.  Hope I don't crash it.  Knock on wood.  I think I'm good to go for the rest of the winter, no matter how cold it gets.

Tohoku Forward Has a Seat

26 miles today on a new saddle.  First one I've had in ages.  This is the Specialized Phenom 130 with cromoly rails.  Seems good.  The cutout is supposed to be good for me, and I guess it is, as I'm not at the hospital having it removed.  Only the long haul will tell just how good it really is.

After several days of a head cold and its aftermath, I'm back on it.  26 miles felt good.

I've also obtained some more cold weather gear.  A pair of Craft Storm Tights, which should handle the extreme cold.  Also have two (2!) Smartwool baselayer shirts on the way.  I guess I'm about as prepared for January and February as I'm going to get.  Ask me again March.

18 Miles on the New Rear Wheel

Palm Valley short route today.  Hadn't ridden in a few days due to a head cold.  But I got to take out the new rear wheel.  Nice.  I just hope it lives up to its reputation over the long haul.  Only time will tell.

New Rear Wheel

Finally!  The mate to the front wheel from a few weeks ago.  This is another beast of the road (or elsewhere).  White Industries Mi6 hub, Salsa Gordo rim, Swiss DT spokes--48 of them!

A few more to go.

Grunt, grunt, sweat, sweat..

Almost there.

The fully laced wheel, ready to be brought up to tension.

 Round and round the Gordo we go.

 Up to tension.

The finished product.  A thing of beauty, strength, and integrity.

'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,'--that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.  -Keats

Only 5,000 miles to Kyoto.

A Little Cooler

Twenty-six miles through Palm Valley.  I am now convinced of the effectiveness of the Showers Pass jacket and the Planet Bike gloves.  Wore them again today in even cooler (than the two days ago) temperatures, and they worked well.  I was toasty warm.  Still went without the glove liners, and still wore only the basics under the jacket.  Also taped up all the vents on my helmet and stretched a standard acrylic sock hat over it.  Excellent.  It wasn't freezing out, but it was plenty chilly and overcast and windy out of the north.  Hey, Winter!  Bring it on!

Mi6 Rear and 2000 Miles

The rear hub has arrived.  White Industries Mi6, rear cassette, 48-hole.  ZenCog is now busy cutting the spokes, and I should be building the rear wheel over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.

Meanwhile, I'm giving some new cold-weather gear a bit of a workout.  

Wore the Showers Pass touring jacket for the first time yesterday.  It was great.  It wasn't freezing out, but it was chilly and it had been raining for several hours (stopped by the time I got on the road), and everything was wet.  Overcast and windy.  I didn't wear much under the jacket.  A thin base layer, a short-sleeved jersey, and a wool sweater vest.  The jacket worked like a champ.  I regulated air flow with the big underarm zippers and the front zipper.  Excellent.  Stayed warm without overheating.  And the fit is perfect.  No clinging, no flapping.

Also wore the new Planet Bike Borealis gloves.  I went without the liners to see how they would do. My hands were toasty.  The high neoprene cuffs even came up over the sleeve ends of my jacket.  Beautiful.  With the liners in place, these gloves must be incredibly warm.  When these wear out, I will definitely buy more.

Clicked 2000 miles on yesterday's ride.  That's two-fifths of the way to L.A.

Now I'm anxious to ride in some authentic cold weather this winter.  The jacket seems to work well as a cold weather wind shell.  I hope it keeps cold rain out as well.  And I have high hopes for the gloves in truly cold weather.  No fears for this winter.

New Front Wheel

 And away we go...

The new front wheel is complete.  Built it last night.  I have high hopes for this one.

Components:
- the formidable White Industries Mi6 40-hole front hub
- the critically acclaimed Salsa Gordo 26" rim
- Swiss DT 14 gauge spokes (black)
- brass nipples
- boiled linseed oil

The above are woven together in the standard 3-cross pattern. On paper, it sounds like a bomb-proof combination.  I'll just have to see about that under normal touring conditions.

This is the first front wheel I've ever built that involved different dishing on the non-drive side, like a traditional back wheel.  This is because of the disc rotor mount that is a part of the Mi6 hub shell.  I won't be using the disc mount for a while, not until I build up the complete bike next year.  Until then, I'll be running it with standard rim brakes on the Klein.  I hope to take it on its maiden voyage today.

Meanwhile, I'm approaching 2,000 miles on the Mity 8 since back in May when I installed it on the Klein and began recording mileage.  Not a huge number of miles, but I'm happy with the training so far.  Legs feel great.  No need to pile on major miles until next fall and spring of 2014.

Here we are lacing up the front wheel.  Careful with that axe, Eugene.

All trailing spokes in place.

Is everybody in?  Everybody is in.  All forty spokes present and accounted for, sir.

On the stand, ready to be brought up to tension.  Maybe I'll saute a little garlic while I'm at it.

Straight and true.  A couple of more rounds of 1/8 turns, and the task is complete.

The finished product, ready for action.  A thing of beauty.  Bon voyage!

Let the Build-Up Begin

The center of my front wheel has arrived.  The White Industries Mi6 40-hole, disc brake ready hub.  This will be laced into a Salsa Gordo 26" rim, which is on the way in the mail.

And I already have the rear rim, also a Salsa Gordo but with 48 holes.  This should be a truly bomb-proof wheel set.  Will order the rear hub (also an Mi6) sometimes after Christmas.

Meanwhile, I've clicked 1800 miles on the Mity 8.  Progress continues.

The MS 150

150 miles yesterday and Saturday for MS.  To Daytona Beach and back.  Over 2000 people in attendance.  The legs felt great.  Finished the last five miles alone at 20mph.  Big confidence for the long ride 2014.

55 Miles

Did St. Augustine this morning with Mike and Jennifer from Team CSI.  55 miles roundtrip.  Felt good.  A bit of a head wind on the way home, but we persisted and made it back before noon.

New Bottom Bracket

Okay, so after thirteen years and an untold number of miles (50,000?) on the original bottom bracket in the Klein (Shimano BB-UN72, 73X110), I now have a new one (Shimano BB-UN26, 73X110).  The old one was rightfully complaining like mad--all manner of creaking and grinding.  The guys at ZenCog did the installation.  A great place!  Just in the nick of time for tomorrow's 60-mile training ride and next weekend's MS150.  I hope they tightened it all up!!

One-Thousand Four-Hundred

The Mity 8 clicked 1400 miles yesterday.  It keeps me runnin, yeah, it keeps me runnin...

Palm Valley 26

Normal ride, eventless.  26 miles.  Fair weather.  Not much wind.  Something dead along Mickler's Cutoff, buzzards everywhere.

Hope fully a new bottom bracket tomorrow from Zencog.  Easy ride on Friday before the long ride with the CSI team on Sunday.

An Even 26

Palm Valley yesterday with an extra quarter-mile thrown in to make it a full 26 miles.  One extra median before the U-turn after the bridge.  The Palm Valley loop is now officially a 26 miler.

The MS150 is quickly approaching.  Jennifer is calling a for a 60-mile team ride this Sunday.  I'm in.

Back At It

Was away from the bike for a few days due to a variety of responsibilities and duties.  But I'm back.  Not sure how many rides I've gotten in since the last post.  A few.  A few more miles closer to the trip.

I've made an interesting contact in Peter Gostelow, of the Big Africa Cycle.  A serious bike trekker.  I'm sure he'll be a good source of info as the trip gets closer.

Shimano PD-M324s

Some new old pedals came my way today from my old friend Darren Blom.  The Shimano, two-sided, PD-M324.  Darren bought them new and put a few miles on them some years back.  Scuffed, but in great shape.  Clip-in on one side, a flat platform on the other.  A bit heavier than my old Looks, but very well built (typical for Shimano).  The cleat retention mechanism is fully adjustable, and the bearings are serviceable.  I'm gonna check them out tomorrow.  Installed them on the Klein today and set the cleats on my Sidis.  If they feel right, these could very well be the pedals that will carry me halfway around the planet in...20 months and counting!

Two Days This Week

Riding around the rain this week.  Tuesday and Thursday.  Palm Valley.  50 miles total.  Weather has cleared.  Surf is coming up.  Feels like early fall.  Truly gorgeous outside.  Perfect temperature.

Short Day

18 miles of speed intervals.  With Seiki Hirota.  Warm and humid.  A good ride after yesterday's 40 at a medium pace.

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday:
25 miles of Palm Valley at 20mph alone.  Legs and lungs are getting stronger.  Focus on breath good.

Today: 38 miles PV and Nocatee with Seiki Hirota.  Very good.  Two and a half hours in the saddle.  No problems.

Mity 8 clicked 1100 miles.

A Cool Thousand

Okay.  Now I'm getting somewhere.  Clicked a thousand miles on the Mity 8 a couple of days ago.  25 more this morning.  So far, so good.  How many by May, 2014?

Approaching 1000

25 miles through PV this morning.  Beautiful weather.  Legs feeling good.  Quickly approaching 1000 miles on the Mity 8.

Two in One for 51

Two rides yesterday for a total of 51 miles.  Hungry as hell by 8PM.  No one was safe.

Am now looking at Old Man Mountain racks.  Nice stuff.  Lots of disciples.

White Industries turned me down flat, but I'm still going with their Mi6 hubset.  Not yet sure what rims.  Rhyno Lite?  We'll see.

900 Miles

Clicked 900 miles this morning on the way through the Valley.  Am now looking at a second ride for the day with Seiki Hirota.

Sent the JETwit article off to Clyde for proofing.  As soon as it comes back, I'll send to Steven Horowitz for publication.

800 Miles

Clicked 800 miles on the Mity 8 this morning.  Going strong.  Will do another 40 tomorrow with Jennifer of Team CSI.

White Industries hubs have risen to the top of the list.  Cheaper than Phil Wood, still bomb-proof.  Rhyno Lite rims?

Shimano Hubs?

Beginning to consider Shimano HF08 hubs for the long ride.  Much cheaper than Phil Wood, and I'm reading a lot of good things about them.  Built for tandem, but what the hell.  Peter White issued a light warning against touring with tandem hubs, but c'mon.  If they're good enough for two big riders on a tandem, they should work for my skinny ass on a moderately loaded solo touring rig.  Lots of riders are calling them "bomb proof" in actual usage.  Some people are using them off-road with no problems.  40-hole front, 48-hole rear should do the trick.

Palm Valley, No Surprises

Another routine 26 miles in Palm Valley.  Warm, humid.  New gears feel good.  rear derailleur needs adjusting.

Now approaching 1000 miles on the Mity 8.

Will do about 40 miles Saturday with Jennifer.  That's PV + Nocatee.

Three Rides

A week's worth of rides to log.  As usual, Palm Valley.  Hot, hot, HOT this week.  Summer is on.

Brought home the Klein yesterday from Open Road with a brand new cassette.  A nine-speed, like the old one, but a slightly higher ratio this time around.  11-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32.  Feels good.  I think I'm going to try a ten-speed on the Troll.

This morning's ride was with Jennifer Schiazza, from the CSI team.  Beautiful weather.  Out early, back early.  It's the only way this time of the year.

The Mity 8 now has more miles on it than are between here and Coeburn.

Website Launched!

www.tohokuforward.org is now live.  Well, it should be in the next twenty four hours.  Have just finished the launch process.  Am now waiting on an email from the host.

Four Rides

120 miles since the last posting.  Three rides through Palm Valley, and one forty-five-miler to St. Augustine and back on A1A, which was with Seiki Hirota (and a couple of hundred more peopleas part of our CSI training for the upcoming MS150 in late September.  Got pounded by a rain-and-wind storm that swept in off the Atlantic on south A1A.  Tailwind coming home.

I've now clicked over 600 miles on the Cateye Mity 8.  Over 600 miles would get me to Coeburn, Virginia, my first check point on the long ride in 2014.

Hello, 500

Two rides in since the last post.  Both in Palm Valley, of course.  That loop has been very, very good to me for years.  It's the best local loop I've got.  Peaceful.  Beautiful.  Minimal traffic.  Minimal stops.  Shady early and late, sunny at midday.  A hill at halfway.  Easily expandable.  Other riders.  It's got it all (almost).

Have now clicked 500 miles since installing the Cateye Mity 8.  Legs are feeling good.  The Sidis are excellent.  If these wear out before the big ride, I'll buy some more.

Website is now ready for launch.  A couple of more minor adjustments and off it goes into cyberspace.

Facebook contacts continue to grow.

Riichi Hashimoto has helping me from Mie-ken.  He's got a group of riders who want to join me for that leg in late of summer 2014.

The next twelve months are foundation-laying time.  Then the big push to May 1, 2014, which will be time to hit the road.

2 Days

First, yesterday.  Up at 6:30AM.  Rode down to meet the CSI team at the Ritz at 7:30, but nobody showed.  I thought I had the day or the time or the place wrong.  Came home, checked the email.  I had it all right.  Was to find out later that there was a change to not meet, but no matter.  I hit Palm Valley alone.  Rode medium hard through to the bridge.  As I was coming around the bend by the bridge, I saw a rider coming over the top.  Determined to not let him catch me, I hammered it to the coast and kept him off.  There, I decided to wait and have companion for the ride back into JaxBch.  Turned out the he was a she, and that she was high end racing bike and that she was hammering out a healthy 23-24mph pace.  I jumped on and held on.  No easy task on a mountain bike, but I hung in there.  Even took two good strong pulls.

Today, did Palm Valley again with Seiki-san.  Hot and humid, but felt great.  Legs are coming around.

Happy Feet

The new Sidis around my old dogs.  Genius 4.  Nice.  Just came back from the first ride with them.  25 miles through Palm Valley.  Luxurious.  Padding.  Lightweight.  Wiggle room for my toes.  Easy to adjust uppers while riding.  A real pleasure.  Had the cleats just a hair out of adjustment, so I moved them when I got back.  Will try again tomorrow.  These things are the bomb.  I recommend them to anyone wanting to attach themselves to a bicycle.

Rain Rain

Here it is Tuesday, and I haven't ridden since Saturday.  Tropical Storm Debbie is camped out in our backyard and won't go away.  And we're told that when she does go away, she's going to walk through the living room and exit through the front door.  All forecasts have her crawling ashore on the panhandle, crossing the state, and moving off into the Atlantic to our east and north.  Tons of rain.  Not that I'm complaining.  We REALLY need it!  Too dry these past few years.

Meanwhile, my first pair of Sidis showed up in this morning's mail.  Sidi Genius 4.  Complete with a ratcheting mechanism that allows for on-bike precision fitting.  Looking forward to it.  And the padding is...well...novel.  After years of nothing but leather and a wooden last on the old Duegis, I'm going to pamper my poor feet like they've never been pampered before.  I just hope I don't lose all those cool callouses that have taken me this long to cultivate.

Also meanwhile, the Tohoku Forward Facebook page is starting to blossom.  Close to 50 likes and counting.  People are really beginning to chime in.  If I can keep the momentum going, I should be in good shape by the time I launch the website.  Which reminds me...

Bought a domain yesterday.  Excellent.  This starting to come together.

Nice Ride With Seiki Hirota

Palm Valley without the bridge yesterday.  24 miles.  Seiki Hirota joined in.  A steady 20mph through the valley.  Nice weather.  Almost no wind.  The big Saturday morning ride passed us on the way home on PV Blvd.

It's now official: no mileage pledges.  Single, one-time pledges will do it.

Have invited Pancho Jimenez to join me.

A Fast One Today

Twenty-four miles in Palm Valley today without the bridge because...

When I was approaching the back gate of TPC, I saw another cyclist up ahead exiting it.  He came out and headed south.  My lucky day.  I got the green light and stepped up the pace to catch him, which happened around the big curve.  He realized I was on the train immediately.  I asked if he was headed all the way through to the bridge.  Yes.  Then he fell into a steady pace of 21 mph.  Not a problem.  I sat on his wheel and wondered if he was going to pull us all the way to the bridge.  Just when I was about to tell him that he could take a break anytime, he swung out to do just that.  It was then that I noticed he was riding a Cervelo.  I came through and pulled us up to a steady 22 mph.  I was feeling good, so I pulled a good long one.  I guess this was a cue to him that I could hang, so he then pulled us up to 23.  I started to feel it a bit.  I came through and held the pace for the most part with a couple of back-offs to 22.  By then we were deep into South Roscoe, approaching the big curve on that end.  He commented that I was pulling strongly on a fat-tired mountain bike.  His next pull took us up to 25.  I really started to feel it, but the end was near, so I hung in there.  I pulled the last couple of hundred meters at 23 to the bridge.  I was determined to hold the pace.  A bit spent, but I felt good.

All that speed got me home in an hour and twenty minutes.

Clean, Old Machine

25 miles yesterday (PV + the bridge) on the freshly cleaned Klein.  Clean drivetrain anyway.  And new rear shifter cable.  Great weather.

Now that the Klein is clean, the true age of the drivetrain is revealed.  My chain and gears are in real need of replacement.  Subtle clicking in the gears.  Ralph at Open Road is going to show me how to replace cogs on the cassette--a first for me.

Stretching Out the Mileage

Palm Valley + Nocatee = 40 miles this morning.  Good.  Legs feel great.  Waether was fine.   A bit windy out of the northeast, so got it in the face on the way home.  Got lost in Nocatee.  Found old Palm Valley Road on the way out, then lost it on the way back.

Met Greg Franks at Bagel World on the way back into JaxBeach.  He likes Tohoku Forward.

Must finish the presentation and prepare to give it on demand.

Great Ride

It was only Palm Valley (with bridge), but wonderful.  Still nice after all these years.  Twenty-five miles.  Good weather.  Low wind.  Legs feel great.

Met Basil on the way back.  Chased him down from Crossroads.  Made the catch at South PV beach condos (after the hill, before Corona Road).  He's actually been cycling longer than I have.  Racing in the early 70s.  He was wearing Shimano shoes.  Look compatible.  Said he likes them.

Checked GoogleMaps.  Palm Valley can possibly become a thirty-five loop with all the new Nocatee roads thrown in.  We'll see.  That would mean ten miles west of the bridge.

I'm also beginning to consider straight pledges, as opposed to mileage pledges.  If I can't find accommodating software, I'll have to go with straight pledges.

Back to Sunny

Twenty-four miles in Palm Valley (without bridge).  Feeling strong.

Rain is gone for now.  Lots of it lately.  Predicted to return soon.  No complaints.  We need it.

I need new shoes.  My old leather Duegis are beginning to break down a bit.  Also stay wet after getting that way.  Maybe some new Sidis?

Rainy and Bridge-less

Palm Valley without the bridge yesterday.  Twenty four miles.  Accompanied by Seiki Hirota.   Medium pace.  Lots of rain.  Wet the whole time.  Beautiful.  Tail wind all the way home.  Nice.

A Little of Everything

Roscoe Blvd today was a microcosm of Florida.  Raining, windy, and cool when I entered the north end of Palm Valley, sunny, windy, warm, and humid on the other end.  Nice ride.  Twenty-five miles.  Leg feel great.

Need to find some software that will collect pledges and record who made them.

Moving FORWARD

A beautiful ride through the valley.  Over the bridge.  A little over twenty-six miles.  Gorgeous weather.  Clicked 100 miles since I installed the Cateye on the Klein.  Just a beginning.

Now starting to hear from more JET alumni.  Bahia from Miami.  Jessyca from Denver.  Steve from JETwit is staying in close touch with lots of great info.  Will send him a short piece soon.

Website should be up soon.

Great News

Living Dreams, the Tokyo-based NPO, is now on board.  They will be the recipient and the processor of all funds raised by Tohoku Forward.  They will also help me publicize the project and, when the time comes, the ride.

This is getting interesting.

Nice Ride

Still lots of rain in the area, but I managed to slip between the drops and stay relatively dry.  Palm Valley again.  Added the PV Bridge to make it a nice round twenty-five miles.  Legs felt strong coming home.

Have also made contact with Steven Horowitz of JETwit.com.  A great resource.  Thanks, Steven!  He requested that I write a summary of the plan for posting on JETwit.  Will do this as soon as the website is up, which should be in the next couple of weeks or so.

I'm Feeling Alright

Tropical Storm Beryl has jogged on, and the weather is looking more like summer in Florida.  Sunny, warm, humid.

Just returned from twenty-four miles through Palm Valley.  Beautiful.  Not nearly as much wind as the last time out.

Legs feel good.

The Countdown Begins...

Sunday morning.  The official training has begun.  Just returned from testing the Cateye Mity 8 digital odometer on the Klein.  Battery seems okay.  Unit is working well.  Twenty-four miles on the old Palm Valley loop.

Windy today--especially the return trip on Ponte Vedra Blvd--because of Tropical Storm Beryl, which is bearing down on Jacksonville Beach as I write this.

I have twenty-three months to make sure the legs and the equipment are ready for the trek.  If all goes as planned, I should be well on my way by this time in 2014.

Getting It Together?

Seems as though something is beginning to happen, though it's still too early to tell.  I may know something by the end of the week.