I Want to Cycle, but It's Unsafe

I have very little concern for my own safety when road biking. When I'm alone, I ride defensively. I hug the outermost edge of the shoulder, taking the lane at the right time so that I don't get "right hooked". When I take the lane, I make sure cars don't try to lane-share. I use a headlight and 2 tail lights when it's dark. More importantly, when I can, I ride with a buddy, or even better, a group. I have fallen before, but never been hit by a car, and while it might happen one day, I don't worry about it.

On the other hand, I won't expose my children to the same danger. For the last two weeks, my oldest daughter has been with grandparents. That leaves me and the little one, who I can haul around in the trailer. There is a major shopping center barely 2 miles from my home. It houses a Target, an HEB (major Texas grocer), PetSmart, my bank, an OfficeMax, and several clothing stores. I could easily tow her to the shopping center instead of driving, but I'm afraid.

I'm afraid of the danger presented by motorists on busy roads. Shary Road, which is the only reasonable way to get to the shopping center, is a 55 mph road. Additionally, when I reach the intersection of Shary Road and Expressway 83, it's busy and dangerous. There is always traffic, and lots of cars entering and exiting the stream of traffic from the shopping centers along the road. It looks a little like this, only usually busier:

There's a huge shoulder, and I've seen ONE other cyclist towing children on the road, but it still scares me. The shoulder on most of Shary Road looks similar to the Google Street View photo that I've inserted below. It's a shoulder that many bike commuters would love to have, but I still can't bring myself to tow my 2 year old on the same shoulder.

I believe that bikes will play a larger role in transportation as our dependence on oil continues to create problems for the American consumer (and the worldwide consumer too). I believe that we all have a responsibility to reduce our reliance on oil. As such, I want to ride my bike for more than just recreation. I want to use it as real transportation. To use it as transportation, my circumstances require me to take along at least one child, and I want to feel safe towing my daughter to the store. But I don't, and I'm sure my spouse feels the same way multiplied by maybe 1 gazillion. Yet, that doesn't make me feel like less of a hypocrite.

What do you think?

All Suffering SOON TO END!

A few weeks ago, a very evangelical group left this wedged between my front door frame and doorknob. At the time, my mood was dour. No recruiters, HR staff, or hiring managers had interviewed me in weeks and weeks, and our house had been on the market since November. I was not able to visualize sitting down in a field with my spouse, gorging myself on pumpkins and apples while my daughters chased moose on horseback.

A few weeks of good news changed my attitude. I've had 3 phone interviews, have another scheduled, and have promises of two follow-up interviews with hiring managers. I am so positive about my job search that I did not feel much guilt at all when I recently did not have a second interview for a Production Manager position. The job and pay were not a fit for my career trajectory. I'm confident that the right position will open up for me, good things will happen, and all job search suffering will indeed come to an end.

Not only is the job search starting to accelerate, my progress on the bike is excellent. I was really worried that being a stay-at-home Dad would cause some of my progress to atrophy. Instead, pulling Lola in the trailer, riding intervals in the morning, jogging a little, and riding a 25-30 mile ride during the week seems to have kept me in shape for hammering on the weekend.

On Saturday, Speedo and I left from Granjeno and met the Team McAllen ride in progress. We rode to Progreso, and about 10 miles from Progreso, three of us broke off the front. I expected Speedo to jump too, but I learned later that Speedo turned around early so he could visit with another rider. After the jump, Major, Dutch, and I pushed along at 20-23 mph, taking short pulls, making sure that the large group of 20 or so riders couldn't bridge. It was a good burn, full of suffering and sweat.

On the way back from the pit stop in Progreso, Dutch and I broke off the front again, but it only required us to pull at 19-20 mph to stay off the front. That is, until we caught 2 other cyclists that we knew, and really started hammering, cruising at 24-25 mph, at times reaching the upper twenties. It was fun, but it was tough. I finished the day with right at 70 miles, and I estimate my average moving speed at 19-20 mph. Unfortunately, my Garmin puked during the ride, so I only have partial data on which to base my speed data. I had a good, hard ride, especially since the temperature was in the 90s for much of the ride.

At the end of the ride, I was cooked. I drank about a quart of water and electrolyte, then jumped in the pool to cool off and get the sweat rinsed off my body. As all cyclists know, even on a good ride, all suffering is NOT soon to end.

When is my Chain Going to Wear Out?

Last week I was searching through my American Express online statements and my Gmail trying to figure out when I bought my Wippermann Connex 10S0 chain. The reason is that I thought it should be showing wear by now, and I was starting to worry about it.

I worry about all sorts of strange chain-related thins. Is my measuring technique wrong? Is the chain damaging my drivetrain? Am I at risk for another catastrophic failure of the chain during the ride? I needed to answer these questions for my own obsessive-compulsive reasons, and if I could determine when I bought it, I could estimate mileage, which I could then use as another data point in my chain wear assessment.

Unfortunately, American Express doesn't provide easy access to statements that far back, so I have to rely on measuring the chain wear. I religiously maintain my drivetrain, measuring chain "stretch" with a go - no go gauge (shown in the below photo). I bought the gauge last December, and I know I had my current chain before that. I bought my Garmin Edge 305 in October 2008, and I had the chain before then too. Since October, I've ridden over 1500 miles. So, the chain has at least 1500 miles on it, and probably more like 2000-2500 miles. I measure it every time I clean the drivetrain, and have not seen any wear...until last Friday.

On Friday night, while cleaning my bike and drivetrain in preparation for Saturday's ride, I measured the chain stretch. Surprisingly, the 0.75% side DID engage in several places, but the 1.00% side did not. The chain is finally showing some wear! It felt a little odd, but I was actually happy that the chain was showing measurable wear. Otherwise, I would continue to question whether the Spin Doctor gauge was made to specification and was actually measuring correctly.

As I mentioned, I probably have over 2000 miles on the chain. Based on a little internet research, this seems fairly typical. The chain doesn't absolutely need to be replaced at 0.75% stretch, but it does absolutely need to be replaced at 1.00% stretch. Since I want to keep turning smoothly, and I have a spare chain on the shelf, I'll install it next time I clean the drivetrain.

I guess I'll have to find another source of worry. Unseen cracks in my carbon frame are near the top of the list!

Team McAllen Team Trial Preview

In honor of the return of the team time trial at the Tour de France, Team McAllen is hosting our first-ever team trial (sorry for the PDF link). It will be 3-person teams, with the usual varied mix of teams: men, women, co-ed, tandem, and others. The route, which you can see in Google maps HERE, is 14.5 miles (just over 23 km). It includes a mix of rural roads and suburban streets, and more than a few turns. If you're a blog reader, and you're thinking about coming down for the time trial, send me a message. I'll be happy to provide more information about lodging, the area, sights to see, and anything else that might help.

When I saw the map, I exchanged e-mails with Speedo, and we decided to ride the route. Last Tuesday, we met at 6pm, and thunderstorms were rolling through the area. I snapped this photo while waiting on Speedo, thinking that we would definitely be getting wet on the ride.

We rode south by southwest through Mission Trails to the ride start, keeping our eyes out for both the good and the bad. After we finished the ride and I was home in front of my computer, I wrote a forum post describing problem spots that our team would need to address, including the use of team members with flags or just simple verbal warnings to riders. I foolishly didn't say anything positive, but have since added a post with my perspective on the good things about the route. But since the majority of my readers don't live in the Rio Grande Valley and don't know our streets and roads, my forum post won't make sense to you, so here's a high level summary of the good and the bad elements of the route:

• It starts in a rural area, on VERY smooth roads. There are a few quick turns separated by 1-2 miles each. It should keep the riders on their toes, as we'll build speed quickly, then need to navigate 90 degree turns.
• For a few miles, the route drifts into suburban south Mission, and follows city streets without shoulders. There are a few intersections, and since it's not a closed course, riders will need to be very careful about obeying the law. This can also affect your time...or not.
• After the suburban section, the route opens up and there's a long, smooth straightaway that lasts almost 5 miles. This is where the teams will really hammer.
• The ride finishes near a store and community center, allowing riders to buy drinks and congregate in the parking lot to discuss their times.

Overall, it's a solid route that allows us to get a good distance, yet starts fairly central so riders don't have to drive their vehicles all over south Texas to get to the start point.

But back to my ride with Speedo...

Here's a link to activity on GarminConnect. We rode the route at a moderate pace, never drafting off each other. Lap 3 is the actual route. I finished 14.2 miles in 47'48", and averaged 17.8 mph. We did the distance without thinking about expending true time trial effort, so our time was okay but not what we would expect in a real time trial, individual or otherwise.

As you can see from the storm photo, the weather was not good, even though we were lucky DID NOT ride in any rain. The winds were 12-15 mph, blowing east-southeast, which made for several tough sections into the wind. With my excuses in mind, I think it was a pretty good result. Oh yeah -- let me mention again that I wasn't really trying.

P.S. Here's the hybrid view of the route, including my ride to and from the start point. As always, I'm amazed by how close I ride to the US-Mexico border, as well as the rapid transition from farmland to suburbia.

Lazer O2 Helmet and a Google Blog Search Win

A few days ago, I started writing a long, detailed post about my decision to purchase a Lazer O2 helmet to replace my cracked Giro Atmos, complete with 7 different photos. This morning, I decided not to post it. I'm not in the free marketing business, but I do want to give my concise analysis and opinion to any readers that care to consider it, so I'm posting a reduced version of the original post.

MY NEW LAZER O2 HELMET, AND WHY I BOUGHT IT

Here is the one sentence reason I bought a Lazer O2:

The Lazer O2 is about 20% cheaper than the best deal I could find on a Giro Atmos, it was sold at a shop for which I already had a $60 gift certificate, and the adjustment mechanism on the Lazer O2 is superior to that on the Giro Atmos.

The adjustment mechanism difference makes the fit of the Lazer O2 much better. The Lazer O2 mechanism uses cables and a screw device to allow the headband to be adjusted, and the adjustment is continuous. On the other hand, the Giro Atmos Roc Loc adjustment has mechanically predefined "clicks" of about 1/8" that do not allow continuous adjustment.

I can't help myself. I must give you a few photos to explain. The first is the Lazer O2 adjustment. The silver spring-like cables at the top of the photo are actually cable housings, and you can see the cables just below them on both sides of the helmet. When you reach up and turn an adjusting screw on the top of the helmet, it changes the overall headband circumference. It allows you to get a really precise, comfortable fit.

What about this goofy, complicated screw mechanism I keep mentioning? It's not goofy at all. I took the close-up photo below, and as you can see, it's simple. I think it works great AS WELL AS looking great.

The Giro Atmos uses Giro's Roc Loc adjustment system. The system is not bad, and for the last 4 years it has been the only fit system I've known, and I liked it. After trying the Lazer O2, I realized that Giro's Roc Loc "click" adjustment just doesn't allow as good a fit. If you're not familar with Roc Loc, I've inserted a photo to show how it works. The two silver half-moonish devices on either side of the lateral-running thin plastic strip engage serrations on the strip, similar to the way a tie wrap works (only adjustable without the use of a jeweler's screwdriver!). Since the serrations have a set gap, this limits the adjustment precision. Additionally, it's easy to asymmetrically adjust the system, pushing one side of the strip in farther than the other, and as a result causing your helmet to get off-center to your noggin.

In summary, I give the coveted 331miles endorsement to the Lazer O2 helmet. Take that to the bank. I did, and they just looked at me funny.

GOOGLE BLOG SEARCH WIN

As most of you know, my blog is famous and widely read. Yesterday afternoon, delliot13, who follows my blog and whose blog I follow, sent me a tweet telling me to have a look at Alltop. It seems that I made the top 5 on their Alltop Cycling Google Blog Search section. Wow! I remembered that BikeNoob had been honored by Alltop in the past, so I was excited to see the link. Here's a screenshot and a close-up:

As I've mentioned, I'm not trying to monetize or publicize or even convert my blog into a way to get free samples of stuff (although that would be nice), so this was just a little bit of icing on my blogging cake. And what sweet, buttery icing it was...but not for long.

The icing went rancid very quickly in the South Texas heat, because about 2 hours later I clicked back to Alltop, and my blog had already fallen out of the Top 5!

Cycling Near a Drowned Man

We didn't realize it during last Saturday's ride, but it is very likely that Speedo and I rode right past the undiscovered body of a drowned man that was found yesterday in a canal near El Gato Drain. What's even more strange is that we were lost, riding down a road that we've never ridden down before, and will probably never ride down again. As we rode, trying to find our way south to Military Highway, a man was dead, lying just yards away from our path.

I know that this is pure coincidence, and that death is all around us, but this chilled me when I read the story. May this man rest in peace, and may his family have peace as well.

Job Search Progress? Heck Yeah!

I've been taking some photos and thinking about writing a post about my new helmet, but so much has happened on the job front that I feel like I should update my readers. Here's the chronology of the last few days:

Friday, June 19

Woke up early and ran 3 miles...then...

I received an e-mail from an ex-boss, asking to confirm contact info. I sent it to him, and around 5pm I got a call. It's a friend of his who is a consultant for an electrical equipment manufacturer in Austin. He's working with the company to manage a recent acquisition, and consolidate manufacturing operations. He has recommended that they hire someone to manage manufacturing for all sites, and work with their contract manufacturers and suppliers. Title, salary, etc. is TBD. I sent my resume that night, and he forwarded it to the VP of Operations that evening. I am supposedly going to get an interview this week.

Also, a Talent Acquisition Specialist for a Fortune 500 company e-mailed me regarding a manufacturing management position at one of their Houston sites. She wanted some background information and detail regarding a few resume points. I sent it to her, but didn't hear anything that day.

Saturday, June 20

Ate like a pig. Rode my bike like a champion.

Sunday, June 21

Ate like a pig. Did not ride my bike like a champion.

Monday, June 22

Got up early and rode intervals for 45 minutes.

Fortune 500 Talent Acquisition lady called and left voice mail. I called her back and left voice mail. Her voice mail was very encouraging and mentioned "next steps". I liked her word choice, as it indicates an assumption of progress.

Tuesday, June 23

Towed Lola in her trailer as I rode 10 miles around Mission Trails.

Fortune 500 Talent Acquistion lady called me again, and we set up a formal phone interview for Wednesday, June 24. She again mentioned "next steps", which made me happy all over again.

I received a voice mail from HR for another company in Houston regarding a Plant Manager position. I called back and left voice mail. She called back, we talked for 30 minutes, and I now have a formal phone interview with her on Wednesday, June 24.

I called the "friend of a friend" to follow up, and he assures me things are moving along, and the VP of Operations will be in contact soon.

Finished the day by riding 30 miles in a staggeringly strong wind.

Summary of Last 5 Days

Over the last 4 months, I've had a grand total of 1 phone interview, and 1 solid job lead through a fellow maquiladora GM that I'm still working. Over the last 4 days, I've locked in 2 phone interviews for what seem like great jobs at great companies in Houston, which is my 2nd choice of cities for relocation. I have another solid lead with a company in Austin. And the maquiladora lead is still gestating, and I hope to hear something this week.

Suddenly, I feel very good about my chances.

Replacing a Cracked Helmet

When I moved the Rio Grande Valley and started to ride with Team McAllen, I typically would drive to the ride start location. I would stuff all of my gear in a large black duffel, load the bike in the back of the truck, and then gear up at the ride start. Even though I now usually ride the bike to the official ride start location, my gear started living permanently in the black duffel bag.

When I was commuting from Mission to Austin in late 2008 through early 2009, the black duffel accumulated lots of miles. It was joined by my rolling luggage and notebook bag, and I would often lug them all at the same time, banging into walls and doorframes. When I get up early to ride intervals, the black duffel makes the trip downstairs with me, where I gear up quietly to keep from waking up the family. It gets shuffled around on the counter sometimes when I'm too lazy to take it back upstairs. Lastly, when I store the bag in the upstairs closet, I'm not always the neatest cyclist. The gear gets left out on the floor to dry, and I'm sure that it sometimes gets kicked around a bit.

Somewhere in all of this handling, my 2007 Giro Atmos was cracked. I noticed it yesterday after my ride. In the first photo, look at the small section directly above the arrow-shaped padding, roughly in the center of the photograph. There's a crack running left to right. Look in the middle of the 2nd photo. That's a different structural section, and the crack runs up and down. Helmets don't protect you if they're already broken, and this one needs to be replaced. My guess is that it was crushed by shifting luggage during a rapid stop on one of my trips to Austin, but regardless, it's time for a new helmet.

The good news is that my spouse gave me a gift certificate to a local bike shop for Father's Day. The shop sells Lazer and Limar, and I like the Lazer O2, especially the unique adjustment feature. On the other hand, I think the Giro Atmos and Ionos have more ventilation, and they're both about 30 grams lighter. But the Giro products are more expensive, and since I'm unemployed, I'm leaning towards the Lazer O2.

I'll keep you posted on my decision, but in the meantime, your input and opinions are welcome!

The Road Does Not Go on Forever

About 10 years ago, I was a big fan of Robert Earl Keen. For awhile, the drunken redneck and college student crowd kept me from attending concerts, and I slowly wandered away from his music. Then a few years ago his music and followers seemed to start drifting back to the roots: good songwriting, a solid band, and a great Texas aura expressed through his music. The rowdies were still fans, but now his music was drawing me back and I started listening all over again.

One of his most well-known songs is "The Road Goes on Forever". It has been covered by The Highwaymen and Joe Ely, and is just on the edge of mainstream country. The rowdy fans like it because it's a story of 2 inept criminals, partying outside the mainstream of society, with a strangely romantic, jackpot ending. It also seems to help that Keen drives the song along with a fast tempo and lots of breaks for lead guitar, giving them ample opportunity to raise their can of Lone Star and bob their head to the rhythm. Me? I really like it because when performing live (like on No.2 Live Dinner), Keen uses the song to allow his band to show their chops, and I also think the title (and the main theme of the chorus) is a simple but great song line. You should give it a listen.

On Saturday, I thought about "The Road Goes on Forever", but from a new angle. Speedo, Piojo, Rio, and I met in Edinburg, with plans to ride SSE towards Progreso, possibly meeting up with the Team McAllen folks along the way. Rio has a bum knee, and he didn't want to start the ride with Team McAllen, as it always turns into a hammer fest. The rest of us were along for support and camaraderie, and just a good ride.

We headed towards Valverde, and about 15 miles into the ride, Rio's knee wasn't treating him nicely. He and Piojo decided to call it a day, and turned back for home. As they turned, they shouted directions, as Speedo and I hadn't planned the route. Since I had my iPhone, I wasn't worried, because I can always use the GPS and map app to find my way. When we reached an intersection, and weren't sure which way to go, I pulled out the iPhone. It showed that if we headed south on Valley View, we would be able to connect with Military Highway (US 281). We turned south onto Valley View, and the road was smooth, without traffic, and within a few miles we reached a lake that neither of us knew existed.

I found out later the lake is called El Gato Drain, but we found out within another 1/2 mile that the road did not "go on forever". In fact, the pavement ended after El Gato Drain. The road turned into washboard gravel and caliche, and just like the old football cliche about passing the ball, there were only 3 things that could happen by taking that road, and 2 of them were bad. We could make it through to 281, or on the other hand the rough path could induce a mechanical problem or a fall. We tried to ride on it, and after a few yards we decided to turn around and regroup, as shown in the below image.

We retraced our steps and rode north, then east to the next major southbound road. Speedo recognized the road, and knew it would get us through to Military. We suffered in a 10-15 mph headwind for the entire southbound segment, but after we stopped for 5 minutes to eat and drink, we turned west with a partial tailwind, and of course the ride got sweeter. The dead-end detour was forgotten, and we cruised home debating about motion and dynamics of riding a bike off the back of a trailer being pulled at highway speed, and what would happen when your bike tires hit the pavement. I know...we're strange. When it's just me and Speedo, the conversation is lively!

I ended the ride with 62.3 miles, and a very respectable average moving speed of 19.7 mph. It was a hot ride, as the temperature at 5:30a that morning was 82F. By 10am when I finished, it was already 90F. It was hot and humid, but we stayed hydrated and had a great ride, despite a wrong turn. You can find the ride map and stats on Garmin Connect.

NOTE: The BikeNoob has a well-commented recent post about speed. As I always do when I post ride data, I included average speed in this post. Most folks commented on BikeNoob's post that measuring average speed isn't important. Reasons include variability, training theories, and cycling for fun. My basic "take" is as follows: on a longer ride, with terrain and conditions that challenge you, i.e. hills and wind, you are engaged in extended interval training. Yes, the intervals might be longer and less varied than true, focused interval training, but they're intervals. If you measure and track your average speed on these longer rides, you can infer something about the success (or lack thereof) of your training, similar to using a time trial to gauge your ability.

A Great 9 Miles of Cycling with the Kids

After my Tuesday ride with the girls, I really wasn't anticipating a good ride on Thursday. To compound matters, when we woke up Thursday morning, Betsy thought her grandparents would be arriving around midday. I reminded her that they wouldn't be at our house until around 7pm, and that sent her into a tailspin of frustration. She had been excited about riding, but suddenly she said she didn't want to go. I felt myself grinding my teeth.

Victoria knew I was frustrated, and coached me on how to work with Betsy. I poured on a lot of positive feedback, encouragement, and told her how proud her grandparents would be when they found out she rode 9 miles that morning. She started to warm up a little, but it was still looking like an aggravating ride was about to start.

I loaded the truck and the kids, and we headed to Bentsen State Park instead of the Mission Trails trailhead. I wanted to ride out into the wind, because on the last ride the wind is what brought Betsy down and caused her to want to turn around and quit. Once in the parking lot, I unloaded everything, and Betsy was suddenly happy. She jumped on her bike, and started warming up in the parking lot.

We cruised north up Old Military Highway towards Inspiration Road and the junction with the Mission Trails network. When we reached the trails, I asked Betsy if she wanted to stop for a snack. We had only ridden about 2 miles, but I knew the answer would be "yes" before she ever said it. With a smile on her face, she ate two lemon cookies and drank a juice box. Lola had one too, even though her job was just to ride along in the trailer with a smile on her face.

After the snack, I let Betsy ride ahead a bit, and snapped this photo of her on the trail. If it looks hot and dry, then the photo accurately captured the weather.

Once we reached our turnaround at the Mission Trails trailhead, we stopped for our 2nd snack. Both kids were getting cranky, and we still had another 4.5 miles to go. With more cookies in their bellies, we turned around and headed back the way we had come.

A few miles down the road, Lola started wailing. I tried some tricks to distract her: singing, speeding up, slowing down, swerving, and even locking up my brakes. It didn't help. I felt myself getting angry. But I stopped, opened up the netting on the trailer, and gave her a piece of breakfast bar that I had reserved in my jersey pocket. She ate that, drank some water, and seemed to calm down some. Betsy even apologized for her behavior, even though she had nothing to do with it!

We rode on, and it was getting very hot. With all of our snack breaks and slow pace (maybe 6-8 mph), it was already approaching 11am. We were riding so slowly that we weren't getting much cooling effect from the wind. We were almost to the parking lot, with maybe 1/8 mile to ride, when suddenly Betsy broke down sobbing. She was cooked. Her face was red, and she complained that her whole body hurt. I calmed her down with praise and kind words, and pointed out that we could actually see our vehicle and we were almost done. That did it for her. She actually sped up a little, and we were back at the vehicle in about 2 minutes.

We got off the bikes, de-helmeted, and I gave the kids the remaining water and sport drink that was still in the bottles. They sat on the running boards of my truck, and the looks on their faces told me that it was a good ride, and a good day.

Shooting Guns Near A Hike & Bike Trail

Before I get to the focus of this post, here's a quick history of my experience and opinions on guns:

• I'm not anti-gun, although I do approve of some measure of gun control.
• I own a hand gun, although I'm not licensed to carry. The pistol sits on a shelf in a case, with rounds hidden away in a nearby closet.
• I've hunted and killed deer, squirrel, and dove, and have eaten what I've killed, but I don't really consider myself a sportsman.
• I've shot skeet, and have gone to ranges to shoot pistols for fun and practice.
• My father was a police officer, and I have a healthy respect for guns, as well as a solid amount of hands-on safety training.
• I've had to hunker down with friends behind vehicles when some jokers about a mile away unintentionally shot some rifle rounds over our heads while shooting their rifles.

Why am I giving you this history? Because...

I've ridden the Mission Trails many times, and have noticed signs for the Mission Skeet and Trap Club. There's an earthen barrier, probably about 12' tall, and signs warning people to "keep out". The barrier is about 10 yards from the Mission Trails Hike and Bike Trail. While riding the trails with the kids last Monday, I heard gunfire. As always, when I hear gunfire and can't verify the source, direction, or intention, it makes me nervous.

This wasn't anyone shooting skeet or trap, but was pistol range fire. The shots went off rapidly, and it sounded like some sort of competition. I probably heard 75-100 rounds being fired within a 5 to 10 minute span. As I approached the section of trail nearest the range, I trusted that the barrier was sufficient, and simply rode past with the kids in tow as quickly as possible.

Today, I loaded the GPS data for another Mission Trails ride into Google Earth. In the image below, you can see the red route passing directly south of the Skeet and Trap Club grounds. The actual skeet and trap range is to the north, and appear as the 3 half-moon areas past the parking lot. I'm not totally sure, but it looks like a firing range is just south of the parking lot, and aims directly towards the path, with the earthen barrier protecting anyone on the path.

I neither observed anything unsafe happening, nor can I infer from the satellite images that there is anything unsafe about the layout or safety of the range. On the other hand, take a look at the zoomed out satellite image of the area around the Mission Skeet & Trap Club (marked with a yellow pin). There's just a little bit of rural, sparsely populated land nearby. It seems like it would make sense to not have a firing range 10 yards from a hike and bike trail if there are many, many alternate locations within the immediate vicinity.

I'll keep riding the Mission Trails, both with and without the kids. The gunfire will keep making me nervous. And if there's ever an organized effort to expand the trail system or find an alternate location for the club, I'll definitely jump in and help.

Hammer Time

This just had to be posted. The pants, the song, and the dance -- they're my generation.

HT to How to Avoid the Bummer Life

Sweaty Gloves and a Miserable Ride

In my last post I described how sweaty I got during a very hot weather ride. Today, when I put on my gloves for the first time since the ride, the salt deposits on the palm reminded me of how sweaty I was.

And yes, that's the kiddie trailer in the lower right corner of the photo. And in the upper right, you can see the shadow of Betsy on her bike. We rode the Mission Trails again, but frankly it was a miserable ride.

I had very high hopes for the ride. For the first time, I packed snacks and drinks for the kids, hoping that it would give them something to look forward to when we made the turnaround. I decided not to push the distance or the pace, and to leave decisions like turnaround point, snack time, and speed to the kids. I remember my Dad pushing me to learn to water ski, and how frustrated I was when he continued to push even when I was ready to quit. I don't want my kids to remember our cycling trips in that way.

My plan was good, but the results were not. It was a frustrating ride. I want to vent and write about the details, but I won't, because my family reads the blog and someday my kids might too. What I will say is that it will get better. All days won't be as frustrating, and if I play my cards right, the kids will continue to enjoy the rides and help me to enjoy the rides too.

Fighting the Heat with an Early Ride

It has been hot in the Rio Grande Valley. Summer here is always hot, but it's technically not even summer yet, and we've already had several days with heat indices above 110F. Extreme temperatures were the primary reason I scrapped my plans to ride the "Ride to Nowhere" in Harlingen on Sunday. It started at 8am, and most likely it would have already been above 90F by the time the race finished. Combine that with a $25 entry fee that I'm not comfortable paying while unemployed, and I decided to cancel. In lieu of racing, I completed a strenuous 60 mile ride on Saturday.

I contacted Speedo on Friday and asked if he wanted to ride on Saturday, and we decided to meet up with Alan and leave directly from Mission instead of meeting Team McAllen at Burger King. I'd never ridden with Alan before, but knew that he was a strong cyclist with years of experience racing and riding. We planned the start for 6:30a, giving us a 45 minute head start against the typical Burger King departure time, and head towards Progreso to take advantage of a tailwind on the return. I was excited about the company, change of schedule, and change in locale.

We met near my house, and after making a minor adjustment to my cadence / speed sensor, we rolled out on time. Speedo had 2 bottles and a Camelbak, Alan had 3 bottles, and I had my typical 2 bottles - one with sport drink, one with water. When we started discussing how far we would go towards Progreso, I said "far enough to get to a convenience store so I can refill my bottles." I am a heavy perspirer. I knew that 2 bottles might get me 25 miles, but it would be close.

Alan, Speedo and I decided we needed to push ourselves a bit on the way out. There was no discussion of speed, but even as we warmed up the pace was 18-19 mph. Once we cleared the McAllen / Mission area, we naturally formed into a paceline and started maintaining 19-21 mph. We had a mix of cross and headwind of 11 mph on average, so it was a pretty good burn. Of course, this did nothing to help my hydration. As we rolled into Progreso, both bottles were empty. My jersey was soaked, as well as my bib shorts. Nothing unexpected, but it's still amazing what the body does under exertion.

We dismounted, and Alan noticed that I had gooseflesh on my arms and legs. It is a sign of dehydration, but it happens to me all the time. I just drink as much as I can, and make sure I eat as well. I bought a quart of sport drink, filled my bottle, drank the rest, then filled the other bottle with water. I ate a Clif gel, and we were off on the return trip. About a mile down the road, I noticed that Alan had sweat dripping off his pedals. He was sweating so much that the sweat was draining out of his shoes. It was hot...Africa hot...but we were surviving.

On the way back, we had the wind at our back, and rode along at 20mph+ with no problem at all. We swapped cycling stories, took turns in a reverse delta (my invented term for 2 cyclists side by side in front, one behind but not drafting), and generally enjoyed having water and the wind. At one point, Speedo popped out a strong interval, and Alan one-upped him and took us up to 30mph+. I was surprised by his surge, and had to get out of the saddle to grab his wheel. It was that sort of ride -- we didn't take ourselves too seriously and try to hammer the whole way, yet we played around and challenged the pace from time to time.

We rolled back in to Mission at around 9:45a. Since I had originally planned to be home from the race in Harlingen at about noon on Sunday, this was a big improvement for the family. Also, I've already learned many cycling lessons from Speedo, and hope to ride enough with Alan to learn some from him. Regardless of the heat, it was a great ride with great company, and very enjoyable.

Finally, here's a link to the ride data. As I mentioned earlier, I had problems with my cadence/speed sensor, so I only have data for the return trip. Based on "feel" and frequent speed checks on the way out, I'm guessing that the overall data is very similar to the return trip data. Also, here's a screen cap summary.

P.S. After Alan turned off for home, he was stung by a wasp between his glasses and helmet. That's gotta hurt. Hope he doesn't look like a unicorn getting ready to have his horn break through the skin.

Unoriginal Cycling Comic...CSI Style

Daddy duty and job searching are getting the best of me today. It was all I could do to put together this hack piece of unoriginal cartoon work. Enjoy. See you Monday, or maybe sooner if I get over my self-pity of the moment.

Cycling with my Kid: The Tortoise and my Graying Hair

Today was another cycling first for me -- pulling Lola in the trailer, but without Betsy riding along on her department store special.  I didn't put this on my goals at the beginning of the year, as it kind of snuck up on me.  It was an achievement none the less.  Since it was just me, the hybrid, and Lola in the trailer, I decided before the ride that I would hammer.  My goal was to push "hard", defined solely by how I felt, as I have no cyclocomputer on the hybrid.  I set a subgoal of completing two loops of Mission Trails to Bentsen State Park, which would be about 20 miles total.

With that goal in mind, I unloaded the bike at the entrance to Mission Trails, and loaded the trailer with repair kit, personal effects, kid, and a few toys.  I bet I was pulling 50-60 pounds of load.  As I got on the bike and clipped in, I noticed something about my bike, and had to stop and snap a photo.  My new bell, which comes in handy on hike and bike trails (versus the road), is made by.....yep....Bell.

I rolled out of the parking lot, and 1/4 mile down, I thought my rear tire felt spongy.  It was probably just the heavy load, but it made me think about changing a flat.  It was then that I remembered that I had forgotten my pump in my truck.  I turned around and headed back to the trailhead, picked up the pump, and pretended like I was starting the ride for the first time.

I spun along at probably 90 rpm of cadence, never touching the granny gear on my triple chainring set.  I mainly stayed on the middle ring, rarely shifting into the big ring.  I really felt some good burn in my quads, and could tell it was pushing me cardiovascularly.  The best comparison I have is riding into a 15-18 mph headwind, or pulling up a long, steady grade like the climb from Pennybacker Bridge heading south up the hill towards West Lake Drive in Austin.  It felt good to verify that I could use my hybrid and trailer to get a good workout.

I was sweating like a horse when I finished the first 5 miles, and made the turn near the World Birding Center at Bentsen State Park.  I stopped to try to use iMapMyRide on my iPhone (no luck...I took a photo while it was logging, thus losing the data), and to talk to Lola a little bit.  She had been upset for the last mile or so, and needed to be calmed.  When I looked at her, I realized I would be returning my Father of the Year Award.  She didn't have on her helmet.

I felt like a heel, but comforted myself with the thought that we weren't riding on the road, and were not in danger of getting hit by a car.  That meant it was "on me", and if I could keep the rubber side down, we would be fine.  I rolled back towards the ride start, and straight into a headwind.  I just looked it up: 18 mph wind, gusting to 25 mph.  If it were just me and my road bike, that would be a challenge.  With the hybrid and trailer, it was more than a challenge.  I huffed and puffed, legs burning, heart pounding, and sweat dripping off my nose.  That was around the time that Lola decided she was ready to be finished with the ride.

She cried.  She screamed.  She yelled "Daddy" about 87 times in succession.  I started talking to her.  "What do you see?"  "Where's your toy?" "Can you sing Twinkle Twinkle?"  "What kind of animal do you want to see?"  That one got a response.  In 2-year old talk, she said "tootle", which means "turtle".  I replied with "okay honey let's find a turtle stop crying it's okay is that a turtle where's a turtle please stop crying" and right then I saw...a turtle.

I grabbed the brakes, wheeled around, and pulled up next to it.  I'm not a turtle expert, but this could be a tortoise.  It looked like a tortoise of some sort to me.  Lola was about 3 feet from the turtle, all smiles and surprise.  I grabbed a couple of photos with my phone as the reptile moved into the grass.

The calm brought on my a turtle sighting lasted about 3 minutes.  Lola continued to scream and yell.  I had no choice but to give her a time-out-in-place; which is not different at all from just riding in the trailer.  I rode as hard as I could back to the truck, happy to complete a strenuous ten miles.  As soon as we got to the truck, Lola stopped crying.   She wins Round 1.

Daddy Duty Trumps Cycling Plans

Have you ever met someone, and in conversation they mentioned that their spouse is a "housewife" or "stay-at-home mom", and then they emphatically state "she works 5x harder than I do"? Forgive me for being gender-specific, but I've only ever heard this said by men, and as a new stay-at-home dad, I'm telling you it's true. It's cliche, but it's true. It might be 3X or 10X or 100X, but it's harder, albeit in a different way.

Maybe it's obvious, but it's harder because you're working with CHILDREN. They are unpredictable, primarily because their logic and decision-making isn't the same as that of an adult. This morning, everyone was getting ready as normal. Vic was preparing for work, Betsy got dressed for basketball camp, Lola got dressed to...be Lola, and I prepped gear and got dressed to take Lola for a ride after dropping Betsy at camp. Except at about 30 minutes to departure, Betsy said she felt bad and didn't want to go to camp. Why didn't we find out last night? Why didn't Betsy tell us before everyone was ready to walk out the door? She's a six year old, that's why.

She had been up several times in the night "taking care of business", and things weren't happening correctly. She was obviously scared, frustrated, and maybe in pain. We assumed the worst, because if she wanted to skip camp, then it was serious. Vic left for work, promising to call the pediatrician on her way, and I loaded the kids to drive to the doctor's office. The cycling gear was left on the counter, chilled water bottles in the fridge, and the early morning ride was cancelled for good reason.

I won't share the nitty-gritty details, but Betsy is fine. Since we spent the morning at the doctor's office, it's too hot to ride (97F and 36% RH as I type) with a toddler in a trailer. So instead, I mowed the grass and edged, and since we have a relatively large lawn and a tiny 20" mower, this was plenty workout for me. Vic offered to let me ride this afternoon, but I think I'll just cook dinner and take Lola out for a ride in the morning. That's what daddies do.

P.S. There's a 50 mile race this weekend in Harlingen. I've been asked if I'll race, and I'm tempted...more on that later.

Tagged

I've been tagged. Mike J did it. No complaints, as I'm rarely tagged by chain letters, memes, or that type of thing. In fact, they're kind of fun, but I have to admit that I can't summon any creativity for the post.

This particular meme was started by Fat Lad, and the idea is based on the "my old mother went to the market and bought" memory game. Only in this case, each blogger in the thread lists something that was bought at the LBS in June. Here's the list thus far, with my addition at the bottom:

1. Fat Lad went to the bike shop in June and all he bought was: A new PC971 Sram Chain and a Cassete Spanner and a chain wear tool.
2. TOB went to the bike shop in June and all she bought was: a new pair of ruby red Sidis and some X-Series Cleats (but it's only the 4th!).
3. Mike J went to the bike shop in June and he bought two Gel Flasks and some Handle Bar Grips.
4. 331 Miles went to the bike shop in June and he bought a pair of Performance Ultra II Bib Shorts.

I know -- I've been blogging about all the junk I've bought so I can ride with my kids. But my most recent purchase was made because my Castelli bibs came unhemmed and had to be trashed.

And before I forget the whole purpose of this post: Bryan, you're on deck.

My Reaction to a Dangerous Group Ride

During yesterday's Team McAllen Sunday Ride, I started the ride with the "elite" group. That means an average speed of 20-22 mph, pacelining and echeloning as necessary to fight the wind, and being able to ride without any SAG support. The group was about 20-25 strong, so we would have plenty of pairs to pull the standard double paceline as we rolled out of the Burger King parking lot.

Dutch and I led the group out, and after a 5 minute pull, we rotated to the rear. We had some strong riders, including a local competitive mountain biker out for some training and some strong Team McAllen roadies, but we also had a lot of newer riders and intermediates trying to bridge up to the next group. As I moved back, I noticed a lot of gaps building within the paceline. I knew that if we had gaps at that point in the ride, then it was soon to get a lot worse.

Like many group rides, the ride doesn't really start until the group is warmed up and ready. When we reached that point about 20-30 minutes into the ride, the hammering began, accompanied by some dangerous riding. I saw:

• Surging and half-wheeling at the front of the group, creating confusion and forcing the drafting team (and the teams behind them) to close the open gap, only to slow again to keep from overlapping wheels.
  
• Standing up and getting out of the saddle for tiny, short "climbs". We don't have elevation change here, so I'm referring to overpasses and levees.
  
• Very short pulls, which induced lots of yo-yoing in the paceline.
  
• Weaker riders not taking pulls at all.
  
• Weaving, braking, and quick movement that required quick reaction from other riders.

I rewrote that list several times, as I don't want it to be hypercritical or negative. In a group ride, you have to be ready to ride with lots of different types of riders, and to handle the unexpected. And I know - all of that stuff happens in racing. But this wasn't a race, it was the Sunday group ride. I've been the rider that does all of those things in the list, so I know it's a function of skill, conditioning, and experience, and not something that typically happens maliciously.

On this ride, Dutch and I decided it was a bit too dangerous. Instead of trying to change the behavior of a large group, we simply took a detour. We turned off and rode alone for 20 miles or so, meeting the group again at the rest stop. It took the worry out of the ride, we still hammered, and when we reached the rest stop we learned we avoided a couple of near misses in the group.

If you read this and think I'm complaining, then I haven't properly made my point. Group rides like this aren't perfect, and some days are good, with other days not quite so good. Since it seemed to me that this ride was shaded towards the inconsitent and dangerous side of the group rides, I'm glad we made the decision to split from the group on this ride. The last thing I need right now is to be out of work, injured, and needing to spend money making expensive repairs to my bike.

RIDE DATA

Distance: 44.5 miles

Avg Speed: 19.5 mph (includes solo to ride start and some SLOW laps around BK)

Calories: Unknown (thanks, Mr. Malfunctioning Garmin 305)

Elevation: +752 / -771 ft (yeah, really!)

Here's a link to the ride data, and a screenshot.

Lawnmowers are Fun

I saw a funny F Minus comic in yesterday's paper, and it reminded me of a tweet I posted back on March 8.  I'm not saying I could write a comic...I guess I'm just saying, that's all.

Here's the comic:

And here's my tweet from March 8 (acutally a twitpic, but basically the same thing).  If you're on Twitter, you can find the original here.

Amusement Park for

 the Unemployed

Happy Friday!  I might have a longer post later, or maybe I won't.

First REAL Ride with the Girls

GETTING READY FOR THE RIDE

This morning was Betsy's first day of Summer vacation.  We got up at the normal school-day hour, had breakfast with Vic at 7am, then packed up to go for our first "real" ride together.  It took me longer than expected to pack.  I had to load my bike, which requires deflating the tires so I can close the tailgate.  I then had to pack 4 water bottles, snacks, a pump, all of my riding gear, the kids' riding gear, break down the trailer, load the trailer, tie the loose stuff down, and then get everyone loaded into the truck.  I bet that it took me 30 minutes to do this, and I still forgot stuff (more on that later).  It was probably 8:30a when we rolled out of the driveway.  I'll get faster as we go on more rides, because if I don't, I'll go insane.

Once we arrived at the trailhead, I made my first, and maybe only, smart move of the day.  I left the girls in the truck, AC running, XM Kids on the radio, and got everything ready for the ride.  It only took a few minutes, and I had it all put together.

Both kiddos were ready to go as soon as they saw the bikes set up, so I strapped in Lola, Betsy got on her bike, and we hit the trail.  As you can see in the photo, Betsy's bike is a department store special, with coaster brakes and 20" tires.  That would bite us later in the ride.

We headed down the trail, and due to last night's storms, there were lots of broken mesquite twigs and branches on the trail.  I told Betsy to watch out for them, but there were so many, it was impossible.  They have thorns, but there was no way to avoid all of them.  As we rode along, we saw a Horned Toad, as well as a very large Roadrunner.  Betsy and Lola were really excited to see the animals, and were enjoying the ride.

I was having fun, but I was not getting much of a workout.  Even in the big chainring, I couldn't really work, otherwise I would leave Betsy down the trail.  So I spun along, sometimes unclipping on one side and working just one leg to try to get some kind of muscle work.  We stopped several times, and once I had to stop because Lola was reaching up through the trailer front and touching my rear tire.  That one scared me.  Other than that, it was a relaxing first half.  I didn't realize it until almost halfway into the ride, but while I was coasting along, Betsy was hurting.

We approached the halfway point at the World Birding Center at Bentsen State Park, and suddenly Betsy screamed at me to stop.  She was about 20 yards back, and as she rolled up I could tell she was upset.  She said she was tired, and her whole body, incudling her head, was in pain.  What can a parent do with a summary like that?  She was on the verge of tears.  I told her let's just get to the park, and we would rest in the shade.  She was happy with that, and we rolled on to the park.

Once there, we browsed their air-conditioned gift shop, drank some water and Gatorade, and then got back on the bikes.  Betsy said she felt great, but 10 minutes later, she was upset again.  This time, she said her forehead was really, really hurting.  I checked her helmet, and somehow she had tightened the adjustable section down to the smallest setting.  She needs almost the largest setting.  No doubt that her head hurt -- it was being compressed by the helmet.  I adjusted it, she said it felt much better, and we continued.

Barely a mile later, she said she couldn't continue.  This time, she was crying.  I felt terrible.  Had I taken them too far?  Was it too hot?  I think her bike was mismatched with me on my bike, even when pulling the trailer.  Her tiny wheels, flat pedals, and super heavy bike cause her to exert a lot of energy to stay up with me.  We rested a bit, I encouraged her and told her how proud I was, and then continued.  I let her take the lead, and said she could ride as slowly as necessary.

About 5 minutes later, we found another cause of her struggles.  I looked down, and her rear tire was completely flat.  It was probably getting pretty spongy over the previous few minutes, and was probably the thing that put her over the edge.  I stupidly had forgotten the wrench to remove her wheels, which don't have quick release skewers, so I put some air in the tire, and we high-tailed it back to the truck.  I still haven't checked the tire and tube, but I'll bet my non-existent paycheck that it's a mesquite thorn.

After Betsy rode as hard as she could back to the trailhead, I started the truck, cranked the AC, and loaded the kids.  Lola had been sleeping in the trailer, and continued to sleep in the truck.  Betsy drank some water, ate a breakfast bar, and started feeling a little better.   I loaded the gear, and once in the truck, took these "after" photos of the girls.  You can tell Betsy was glad to be finished.  You can also tell that even though she wasn't exercising, the hot South Texas weather took it's toll on Lola.

I don't have a cyclocomputer or GPS on my hybrid.  I mapped the ride, and as you can see in the below map, it was 9 miles.  To me, 9 miles is nothing.  But I remember when I was a kid, riding 3 miles each way to the store on our BMX bikes was pretty strenuous, especially in hot and humid conditions.  I also remember some kids rode to the next town, which was 11 miles.  We thought that was nuts.  

I think Betsy completing 9 miles on her first ride longer than a mile on her own two wheels is amazing, and I'm very proud of her.

Hybrid Trailer-Pulling Bike Update: The First Ride

24 hours later, and my trailer-pulling plan has changed drastically. Here's the update on yesterday's plan:

1)  BUY A CHEAP BUT DECENT TRAILER

Done!  I bought a Schwinn Spirit at Wal-Mart for a good price.  Weiland offered one for free, but I don't have plans to travel to Austin in the near future, and a special trip just for the trailer wasn't cost effective.  I hope that there's no point in the future that I wish that I had the $139 back so I can buy food.

2)  REPLACE MY FRONT SUSPENSION FORK WITH A RIGID FORK

SkiBikeJunkie and Weiland both said this wasn't necessary.  I agree, and as a result I pulled the trailer today with the front suspension fork still on the bike, although dialed down as stiff as I could get it.  During the ride, I felt a lot of sponginess in the fork.  I think it's blown out, but I don't know much about suspension.  I might spend the $75 or so and replace it.  We'll see after a few rides...

3) BUY SPARE TUBES, CO2, HELMET FOR LOLA, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

Again, SkiBikeJunkie said to forego the CO2 and just put a pump in the trailer.  Great idea, and that's what I'll do.  I bought some spare tubes for my bike, the trailer, and Betsy's bike, as well as a bell for my bike.  I can't wait to ring it on the hike & bike!  Lola wanted a Dora helmet, but it was pricier than some other options because it included knee and elbow pads that she doesn't need.  I cheaped out and bought a panda bear helmet that she now loves.

4)  USE MY ROAD GEAR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHEN ON THE RIG

TBD...my ride today was spur of the moment, and I rode in street clothes with MTB shoes and my road helmet.  I really, really need new shoes.  Compared to my carbon-soled Specialized road shoes, it feels like I'm riding in $3 flip-flops.  My spare pair of road shoes have the Look 3-hole pattern, and I need SPD 2-hole.  Instead of buying an adapter, I'll probably look for a cheap pair of MTB or "hybrid" shoes.

THE FIRST RIDE

Once I bought the trailer, Betsy was begging to ride.  After Vic got home from work, I put the trailer together, attached it to the bike, and aired up the tires on all the bikes and the trailer.  When Lola saw the bike attached to the trailer, she started to get amped up.  When I put her helmet on and adjusted it and plopped her in the trailer, she was ready to go.  Unfortunately, I had to adjust the 5-point harness for a few minutes, which was just enough time to get everyone antsy and ready to go.

Here I am, foolishly making sure there are no loose straps, while anticipation builds and the squealing begins.

Here's everybody strapped in and ready:

We pulled out of the driveway, rode to the end of the street, then Vic took these pictures of us as we passed the house on the way back.  We didn't stop, because when Lola saw the house, she thought we were stopping, and absolutely lost her little 2-year old mind.

We rode past the house, and down to a hike and bike trail that follows a canal near our house.  Lola sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and other nursery rhyme songs the whole way.  It would be a massive understatement to say she enjoyed the ride.  Betsy chugged along, making sure she stayed up with us.  She's tentative around any intersection (which is great), so she tends to lag a little.

When we got home, Lola cried and cried.  She did NOT want to stop.  I think the trailer is going to be a home run.  Next step after the minor fork and shoe purchases?  A bike for Victoria, and then the whole family is addicted!

Building a Hybrid Trailer-Pulling Bike

Now that my spouse is employed and I'm staying home with our two girls, I can't continue with my current cycling lifestyle.  In other words, during the work week, I won't be leaving the house alone to take my road bike out and ride without the girls.  The tentative plan is that I'll be able to ride either Tuesday or Thursday after Vic gets home, and then a long ride on either Saturday or Sunday.  Of course, I can still get up before everyone and do intervals in the dark for an hour.  If you're a cyclist, you know this is not good news.

There's no sense in fighting this, so I've prepared an alternative.  I have a 2003 Marin Hawk Hill mountain bike that I put street tires on, and up until a few months ago I was using to tow a trailer bike that Betsy would ride.  Since Betsy can ride her own bike now, and Lola is barely two years old, the trailer bike is currently useless.  Solution?  Betsy rides with me on her own bike on some of the local hike and bike paths, and I'll pull Lola in a trailer.  An idea without a plan is useless, so over the last few days I did some research, consulted with friends, and developed a basic plan to turn the bike you see below into a capable trailer pulling rig.

1)  BUY A CHEAP BUT DECENT TRAILER

There aren't a lot of options.  Burley is the Cadillac of trailers, and have the best features, reviews...and the highest prices.  On the low end, you can find the typical department store junk.  I'm watching some Burley trailers on eBay, but if I can find a supplier I am leaning towards buying a mid-tier trailer like these.  

2)  REPLACE MY FRONT SUSPENSION FORK WITH A RIGID FORK

If I'm going to pull 25 pounds of kid plus 20 pounds of trailer, I don't want energy to be absorbed by my front fork.  I'll be on paved paths, so suspension is not very helpful.  After a bit of research, I figured out that rigid mountain bike forks with disc brake mounts aren't that common.  But I did find some, both pricey and cheap;  since I'm not employed, cheap and functional wins out.  I'll be getting Nashbar's basic, rigid, cro-mo fork.  No stickers, no fanciness.  I guess I'll have to decorate it myself.

3) BUY SPARE TUBES, CO2, HELMET FOR LOLA, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

Since I haven't bought mountain bike gear in a few years, I'll need to spend a little money on accessories.  The bike already has street tires, but I'll be buying a couple of spare tubes for the bike and trailer, some 12g unthreaded CO2 cartridges, and a helmet for Lola to wear when she's in the trailer.  I'll also be paying for some service to help install the fork, and perhaps a general tune-up.

Perhaps most importantly, I'll buy a bell, as I'll be sharing the hike and bike with walkers, joggers, dogs, and other cyclists.

4)  USE MY ROAD GEAR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHEN ON THE RIG

Some of my road gear will be used and worn when riding this rig and pulling a trailer.  I'll wear my existing cycling bibs / shorts / jerseys, as well as helmet and gloves.

Lastly, I really need some new mountain bike shoes, as the ones I have now are falling apart on me  Unfortunately, this might be one area where I have to "make do".  Alternatively, I have a spare pair of road shoes that I bought for spin class, so I might use those, but it would be much nicer to have shoes that are more suited to walking.

I'll keep you updated with progress and photos.  I'm already thinking about more stuff, like making my Garmin Edge 305 function on the bike, mirrors, lights...perhaps if I ever leave the trails and detach the trailer, that's the next step.  If I'm employed by then, maybe I'll actually be able to afford the purchases!