Camelbak Podium Ice bottles just plain ROCK!
I never thought I'd pay what I did for a water bottle. These bottles are absolutely worth it and then some. Shop around and do some Googling for your best price. I got "lucky" and caught them on a Hotter than Hell expo sale.
I picked up a couple of the re-released Podium Ice bottles the day before the Hotter than Hell 100, I figured why not give them the ultimate acid test for our area. The Hotter than Hell usually lives up to it's name as being a hot and windy ride and this year it lived up to it.
When I got into my overnight motel room I gave the bottles two rinses, filled with water and let stand for an hour, dumped the water rinsed again, refilled and let stand another hour. Then I gave them a final rinse, filled with ice, Skratch Hydration mix, and fresh water and placed in the motel room fridge/freezer. The next morning, no bad plastic taste, just icy Skratch goodness.
I started the ride with two Podium Ice bottles that were partially frozen. I was hitting SAG stops every twenty miles. First sag stop, both bottles still had ice. Refill my one I had been drinking from with ice water and Skratch, swap bottle locations and continue on. Two hours and 40 miles in, the second bottle that started partially frozen still had ice. Refill and continue on, even later in the day when the heat was coming up and hitting 100+ degrees I still had ice in my bottles. Did I say these things rock? They are great, plain and simple and are going to be what I will be using anytime it's hot out.
Staying hydrated and not cramping out was a key part of my plan for finishing the Hotter than Hell. The Camelbak Podium Ice bottles allowed me to do that and complete the ride with a 20.0 mph average, a distance and speed I've not been able to do in over 20 years.
My Progress
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Hydration Review Skratch Labs Hydration Replacement
OK, I decided to try something new in my quest for the perfect hydration replacement supplement while on the bike.
Plain water wasn't doing it. Water mixed with brand A wasn't doing it. Water mixed with brand B wasn't doing it.
After reading Feedzone Cookbook and Feedzone Portables by Bijou Thomas and Allen Lim I decided to try some of their Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix.
Having spent a couple of long rides earlier in the summer coming up short on imperial centuries, (100 miles or more) due to hydration issues I new I needed to make a change. I'd get to a point around mile 70 or so when the stomach and digestive system would just start shutting down. I'd still be drinking and eating but nothing was moving out of the stomach. Once this started happening, cramping was sure to follow and my ride would be over.
Unfortunately, due to poor prior planning I'd not got any of the Skratch labs till late July, and since I was wanting to use it for Hotter than Hell I figured I didn't have enough time to test how my body was going to react to it. A week before Hotter than Hell, I decided what the heck, it can't get any worse if I try it, so I started acclimating my body to it. I used one water bottle a morning after my morning ride to see how I did. Fortunately I had no issues with it and it seemed to be pretty tolerable and relatively tasty.
The big day arrived and I started with two bottles of partially frozen Orange hydration mix. During the ride, I hydrated mainly just out of the bottles of Skratch Labs with a cup of ice water or two at five different sag stops. I wanted to just use Skratch and water to give it the acid test of the Hotter than Hell 100.
Skratch Exercise Hydration Mix worked phenomenally! I was more than impressed! I didn't tire of the taste during the whole ride, it was mild enough to not be overwhelming, it kept the water moving through the gut barrier, (and eventually through the kidneys on it's way to the Johnny on the Spots at Sag 2,4,6 8, & 9). I never ran into that bloating feeling of the stomach filling up and nothing processing.
Given my results on the ride, 101 miles at a 20.0 mph average, (a speed and distance I've not managed to do in over 20 years), I'd have to guess that by the Skratch moving through the gut, it was also taking the nutrition I was eating along for the ride. I never had a bonking issue during the ride, (although some of that might have been attributed to Sag 4 being stocked with PILES of HOMEMADE cookies!).
Overall, Skratch gets a big thumbs up and is already in use here at the house.
Plain water wasn't doing it. Water mixed with brand A wasn't doing it. Water mixed with brand B wasn't doing it.
After reading Feedzone Cookbook and Feedzone Portables by Bijou Thomas and Allen Lim I decided to try some of their Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix.
Having spent a couple of long rides earlier in the summer coming up short on imperial centuries, (100 miles or more) due to hydration issues I new I needed to make a change. I'd get to a point around mile 70 or so when the stomach and digestive system would just start shutting down. I'd still be drinking and eating but nothing was moving out of the stomach. Once this started happening, cramping was sure to follow and my ride would be over.
Unfortunately, due to poor prior planning I'd not got any of the Skratch labs till late July, and since I was wanting to use it for Hotter than Hell I figured I didn't have enough time to test how my body was going to react to it. A week before Hotter than Hell, I decided what the heck, it can't get any worse if I try it, so I started acclimating my body to it. I used one water bottle a morning after my morning ride to see how I did. Fortunately I had no issues with it and it seemed to be pretty tolerable and relatively tasty.
The big day arrived and I started with two bottles of partially frozen Orange hydration mix. During the ride, I hydrated mainly just out of the bottles of Skratch Labs with a cup of ice water or two at five different sag stops. I wanted to just use Skratch and water to give it the acid test of the Hotter than Hell 100.
Skratch Exercise Hydration Mix worked phenomenally! I was more than impressed! I didn't tire of the taste during the whole ride, it was mild enough to not be overwhelming, it kept the water moving through the gut barrier, (and eventually through the kidneys on it's way to the Johnny on the Spots at Sag 2,4,6 8, & 9). I never ran into that bloating feeling of the stomach filling up and nothing processing.
Given my results on the ride, 101 miles at a 20.0 mph average, (a speed and distance I've not managed to do in over 20 years), I'd have to guess that by the Skratch moving through the gut, it was also taking the nutrition I was eating along for the ride. I never had a bonking issue during the ride, (although some of that might have been attributed to Sag 4 being stocked with PILES of HOMEMADE cookies!).
Overall, Skratch gets a big thumbs up and is already in use here at the house.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Hotter than Hell 2014
Well this ride is in the books. The HHH is a ride that I always look forward to as it is an event that needs to be experienced if you are a bike junkie. Something about 15,000 some odd riders tends to lend an air of adrenaline and excitement to the ride. I'd sent Vicky up last year for her first Hotter than Hell and she had a blast, ending up with one of her best times ever for the 100K, (62 mile) ride.
The HHH is a true weekend event with everything going on. I'd went up early on Friday so I could hit the bike expo set up at the Kay Yeager center. I mainly went up to see what deals were available on some bike bits and pieces I was after. Ended up leaving with a new set of tires for the bike, a different flavor of electrolyte replacement, four new Camelbak Podium Ice bottles, a hat for me and a treat for my wife who was home wrangling kids and dogs. I also spent some time talking to other riders and some of the factory representatives who showed up, I got some good information on tandem tires for our Seavo tandem, found what I am looking for in a pair of bike gloves, (Specialized Grail, not available yet), met several nice folks wandering around in Bike Across Kansas shirts, and generally had a blast.
My overnight was in Lawton OK due to everything in the Wichita Falls area being sold out. I'd initially cheaped out on the motel room and made reservations at Super 8, but after reading reviews of the motel about two weeks before the ride and seeing the news of the homicide in the parking lot, the drug deals, and "working girls" I decided I need to change motels. Fortunately Vicky found me space at La Quinta.
I had missed my normal, arrive three hours early to the ride and barely made the start. Traffic, parking, and waiting in line for the bathroom had me getting to the starting cage, (recumbents & tandems start in the front) right as everyone was rolling down the road. So I had this frantic moment of getting everything stuffed in the appropriate bags, getting my sun sleeves on, starting the GPS and jumping into the herd.
My slightly late start worked out well however as I was able to get rolling and up to speed fairly quickly. Since I was riding solo my plan was to keep my eyes open for groups and pace lines running a comfortable pace. Shortly after the start I got my wish, a four tandem pace line came by and I latched on the back. At times we were rolling 25 to 28 mph into the early morning breeze. I was having a blast rolling on by, waving and talking to the other riders.
At one point I glanced up the road and I spotted the holy grail of my bike wish list.
A Quest Velomobile. As I rolled up on him, I had to ask if I caught it could I keep it. Sadly Dan is very happy in his velo and not ready to give it up yet, it's one nice ride however.
I spotted another velo ahead just as the group I was with started a long shallow downhill. I cranked on my shifter to hit the big ring, promptly overshifted throwing the chain to the outside where it bound up and jammed tight. Opps. A quick pull over as everyone I had just passed flew on my, yanked and cranked on the chain, got it fixed and back on the road. I had to work like a dog to bridge back up to the group, once I caught up though, the other velo was long gone.
Rest stop 2, 4, and 6, (Hell's Gate) were all visited. We made Hell's Gate, (the 100 mile cut off) with about 2.5 hours to spare. I was able to manage my SAG stops well, hit the portables, grab food and water and go. Rest stop 8 was at about mile 74 and from there on it was into the wind, by that point the wind had came up and was hitting about 17-20 mph on a steady basis.
I'd last checked my average at rest stop 4 and new I was running fast, at that point I was at a 21.3 mph average, (way fast for me). I stopped checking the average after that as I didn't want to jinx myself.
I was hoping for some good pacelines and groups for the into the wind segment of the HHH but the wind was to strong and was breaking the groups up and causing things to get squirrely. I ended up just slouching down in the seat to get as aero as I could and gutting out the last 26 miles with as much speed as I could.
At mile 98 I rolled over a small hill to find a nice downhill, I was more than happy at the time to ease off the pedals and coast a bit. This proved to be a mistake however, as soon as I eased off the pedals, both hamstrings cramped tight and locked up. I had no opportunity to pull over and that close to the finish I was NOT going to cramp out. Unfortunately I resorted to "Marine Corps" language. I think that tirade is going to be lingering on that downhill for years. As I'd just passed and "Semper Fi'd" a guy in a Marine Corps jersey before the cramps happened he heard me and was laughing his butt off. He pulled up alongside and said, "let me guess, infantry right, nobody else can swear like that.." We both had a good laugh as by that point the cramps had ran away scared.
Mile 99.5 had me checking my average speed to discover that I was running a 20.0 mph average! A sub five hour century was in my reach! I was stoked and wanted to record the event for posterity. I fumbled my phone out of my bag, was trying to unlock it, pull up instagram, and still ride. As I was doing that, I hit the last uphill and my speed fell. I watched my computer slip from 20.0 mph to 19.9 mph. So close, my official 100 mile time was 5:00:36. However the last stretch was sheltered from the wind and over some fast roads, I was able to ramp up my speed and finish the 101 miles and change with a 20 mph average according to my Garmin.
Overall, I was pretty happy. I'd not turned a Century that fast in 25 years. Not to bad for a diabetic former fat guy.
The HHH is a true weekend event with everything going on. I'd went up early on Friday so I could hit the bike expo set up at the Kay Yeager center. I mainly went up to see what deals were available on some bike bits and pieces I was after. Ended up leaving with a new set of tires for the bike, a different flavor of electrolyte replacement, four new Camelbak Podium Ice bottles, a hat for me and a treat for my wife who was home wrangling kids and dogs. I also spent some time talking to other riders and some of the factory representatives who showed up, I got some good information on tandem tires for our Seavo tandem, found what I am looking for in a pair of bike gloves, (Specialized Grail, not available yet), met several nice folks wandering around in Bike Across Kansas shirts, and generally had a blast.
My overnight was in Lawton OK due to everything in the Wichita Falls area being sold out. I'd initially cheaped out on the motel room and made reservations at Super 8, but after reading reviews of the motel about two weeks before the ride and seeing the news of the homicide in the parking lot, the drug deals, and "working girls" I decided I need to change motels. Fortunately Vicky found me space at La Quinta.
I had missed my normal, arrive three hours early to the ride and barely made the start. Traffic, parking, and waiting in line for the bathroom had me getting to the starting cage, (recumbents & tandems start in the front) right as everyone was rolling down the road. So I had this frantic moment of getting everything stuffed in the appropriate bags, getting my sun sleeves on, starting the GPS and jumping into the herd.
My slightly late start worked out well however as I was able to get rolling and up to speed fairly quickly. Since I was riding solo my plan was to keep my eyes open for groups and pace lines running a comfortable pace. Shortly after the start I got my wish, a four tandem pace line came by and I latched on the back. At times we were rolling 25 to 28 mph into the early morning breeze. I was having a blast rolling on by, waving and talking to the other riders.
At one point I glanced up the road and I spotted the holy grail of my bike wish list.
I spotted another velo ahead just as the group I was with started a long shallow downhill. I cranked on my shifter to hit the big ring, promptly overshifted throwing the chain to the outside where it bound up and jammed tight. Opps. A quick pull over as everyone I had just passed flew on my, yanked and cranked on the chain, got it fixed and back on the road. I had to work like a dog to bridge back up to the group, once I caught up though, the other velo was long gone.
Rest stop 2, 4, and 6, (Hell's Gate) were all visited. We made Hell's Gate, (the 100 mile cut off) with about 2.5 hours to spare. I was able to manage my SAG stops well, hit the portables, grab food and water and go. Rest stop 8 was at about mile 74 and from there on it was into the wind, by that point the wind had came up and was hitting about 17-20 mph on a steady basis.
I'd last checked my average at rest stop 4 and new I was running fast, at that point I was at a 21.3 mph average, (way fast for me). I stopped checking the average after that as I didn't want to jinx myself.
I was hoping for some good pacelines and groups for the into the wind segment of the HHH but the wind was to strong and was breaking the groups up and causing things to get squirrely. I ended up just slouching down in the seat to get as aero as I could and gutting out the last 26 miles with as much speed as I could.
At mile 98 I rolled over a small hill to find a nice downhill, I was more than happy at the time to ease off the pedals and coast a bit. This proved to be a mistake however, as soon as I eased off the pedals, both hamstrings cramped tight and locked up. I had no opportunity to pull over and that close to the finish I was NOT going to cramp out. Unfortunately I resorted to "Marine Corps" language. I think that tirade is going to be lingering on that downhill for years. As I'd just passed and "Semper Fi'd" a guy in a Marine Corps jersey before the cramps happened he heard me and was laughing his butt off. He pulled up alongside and said, "let me guess, infantry right, nobody else can swear like that.." We both had a good laugh as by that point the cramps had ran away scared.
Mile 99.5 had me checking my average speed to discover that I was running a 20.0 mph average! A sub five hour century was in my reach! I was stoked and wanted to record the event for posterity. I fumbled my phone out of my bag, was trying to unlock it, pull up instagram, and still ride. As I was doing that, I hit the last uphill and my speed fell. I watched my computer slip from 20.0 mph to 19.9 mph. So close, my official 100 mile time was 5:00:36. However the last stretch was sheltered from the wind and over some fast roads, I was able to ramp up my speed and finish the 101 miles and change with a 20 mph average according to my Garmin.
Overall, I was pretty happy. I'd not turned a Century that fast in 25 years. Not to bad for a diabetic former fat guy.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
For Sale 2007 Bacchetta Giro 26 $1200 OBO
The bike has been sold and is on it's way to California.
Up for sale is my much loved 2007 Giro 26. A new bike is incoming so something has to leave and Vicky won't let me get rid of kids or dogs so a bike has to go.
The bike is 2007 Bacchetta Giro 26. I am the second owner of the bike. The stock specifications for the 2008 Giro are HERE, the specifications really didn't change from 07 to 08.
The bike is a great do it all platform and has worn 26", (559) wheels and fat tires to 700C wheels and skinny tires and pretty much anything in between. Great for rough chipseal, gravel, or smooth pavement. The disc brakes give you the ability to swap wheels to suit your riding plans.
According to Strava, I've got 4089 miles on the bike since I bought it just over two years ago. I've tried not to ride in the rain, (the drought has helped that), the bike has been well cared for and maintained. It's always been stored inside, (actually in what used to be the dining room before the bikes took it over).
Here are the upgrades I've done to it:
Here are a couple of pictures, if you need specific pics please feel free to request them, I've a camera and more than willing to use it!
Partial trade offers are considered, below is what I am looking for, (please no more bikes!)
You can leave me a comment if your interested and I will get back to you. Contact me via my profile and please put GIRO 26 in your subject line.
Up for sale is my much loved 2007 Giro 26. A new bike is incoming so something has to leave and Vicky won't let me get rid of kids or dogs so a bike has to go.
The bike is 2007 Bacchetta Giro 26. I am the second owner of the bike. The stock specifications for the 2008 Giro are HERE, the specifications really didn't change from 07 to 08.
The bike is a great do it all platform and has worn 26", (559) wheels and fat tires to 700C wheels and skinny tires and pretty much anything in between. Great for rough chipseal, gravel, or smooth pavement. The disc brakes give you the ability to swap wheels to suit your riding plans.
According to Strava, I've got 4089 miles on the bike since I bought it just over two years ago. I've tried not to ride in the rain, (the drought has helped that), the bike has been well cared for and maintained. It's always been stored inside, (actually in what used to be the dining room before the bikes took it over).
Here are the upgrades I've done to it:
- Avid BB7 rear brake
- Carbon seat, (drilled for ADEM headrest)
- FSA Omega road triple crank, 53, 39, 30
- BB30 Bottom Bracket
- Jagwire Teflon coated stainless cables and Jagwire cable Housing
- Jagwire inline cable adjuster for rear derailleur
- Velogenesis Seatstay clamps
- SRAM X-7 rear derailleur, (2 months old)
Partial trade offers are considered, below is what I am looking for, (please no more bikes!)
- Garmin Virb Elite
- Garmin 305, 705, or any of the 800 series
- Interesting light weight 700C road wheels, (10 speed Shimano/Sram compatible)
- New 10 speed Shimano/Sram cassettes
- Sram 10 speed bar end shifters
- TRP Spyre HY/RD disc brakes
- Compass 559 tandem rated tires, (new)
- Continental GP4000 S II 700C tires, (new)
- Camelbak Podium Ice bottles, (new)
- Topeak road morph pumps, (need three)
- Sram 1070 or better chains, (new)
- Sram 10 speed rear derailleurs
You can leave me a comment if your interested and I will get back to you. Contact me via my profile and please put GIRO 26 in your subject line.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Rabbits for breakfast!
The game plan for this morning's ride had been for a nice light 50 or so mile ride. Just spin the legs, get some blood flowing into the injured muscle to help it heal.
Something about best laid plans however.
Right out of the gate, just as I was coming out of the driveway at the house, guy on a road bike goes by, Vicky says, "Oh look! Another cyclist!", I say, "Hmm, looks like rabbit for breakfast!" She just rolled her eyes at me.
He was an easy catch, nabbed him before the first mile was done, thought now I can slow down and just spin. That was until two groups of triathletes went by before I made it onto Hardin, two more herds of rabbits down and the legs were nicely warmed up.
Saw another group of cyclists coming off of CR 86 and I ended up being their rabbit, they went hungry however, which was a good thing as my legs were starting to get twitchy and were thinking of cramping.
Up to Gunter, water, gatoraid, and a Cliff bar and it was time to enjoy the tailwind home.
I got into Weston and stopped at the Baptist church to stretch out the legs since they were getting unhappy and starting to complain. Just as I was starting out of Weston I saw a big group of cyclists had regrouped and were heading out behind me. Great, I get to play rabbit again! There is one advantage to riding a 38# bike, adding in 10# of water, and then parking my fat butt on it and that is gravity is my friend! The road I was being chased down has a slight downhill profile. I had more than a bit of fun watching the paceline form up in my mirror and watching them try and run me down. I'll hand it to them, that was a nice pretty rotating pace line they had going, they would start to catch up on the slight uphills but as soon as the road turned flat, I could hold them off, on the downhills, I just walked away. Unfortunately I was also burning every last danged match I had keeping away from them. On the uphills I was just a heart beat or two under my red zone and the legs were just on the verge of cramping. On the flats and downhills, I could managed to recover about five beats per minute on the heart rate and ease off on the legs to give them a break, good practice however for the upcoming Hotter than Hell 100.
All in all, 55 miles done at a 17.3 average, one feedzone sticky sweet rice cake, a Cliff bar, and a gatoraid for the ride. Post ride, my blood sugar clocked in at 90, down from 156 first thing in the morning. Pretty happy with that number also.
Strava data is below.
Something about best laid plans however.
Right out of the gate, just as I was coming out of the driveway at the house, guy on a road bike goes by, Vicky says, "Oh look! Another cyclist!", I say, "Hmm, looks like rabbit for breakfast!" She just rolled her eyes at me.
He was an easy catch, nabbed him before the first mile was done, thought now I can slow down and just spin. That was until two groups of triathletes went by before I made it onto Hardin, two more herds of rabbits down and the legs were nicely warmed up.
Saw another group of cyclists coming off of CR 86 and I ended up being their rabbit, they went hungry however, which was a good thing as my legs were starting to get twitchy and were thinking of cramping.
Up to Gunter, water, gatoraid, and a Cliff bar and it was time to enjoy the tailwind home.
I got into Weston and stopped at the Baptist church to stretch out the legs since they were getting unhappy and starting to complain. Just as I was starting out of Weston I saw a big group of cyclists had regrouped and were heading out behind me. Great, I get to play rabbit again! There is one advantage to riding a 38# bike, adding in 10# of water, and then parking my fat butt on it and that is gravity is my friend! The road I was being chased down has a slight downhill profile. I had more than a bit of fun watching the paceline form up in my mirror and watching them try and run me down. I'll hand it to them, that was a nice pretty rotating pace line they had going, they would start to catch up on the slight uphills but as soon as the road turned flat, I could hold them off, on the downhills, I just walked away. Unfortunately I was also burning every last danged match I had keeping away from them. On the uphills I was just a heart beat or two under my red zone and the legs were just on the verge of cramping. On the flats and downhills, I could managed to recover about five beats per minute on the heart rate and ease off on the legs to give them a break, good practice however for the upcoming Hotter than Hell 100.
All in all, 55 miles done at a 17.3 average, one feedzone sticky sweet rice cake, a Cliff bar, and a gatoraid for the ride. Post ride, my blood sugar clocked in at 90, down from 156 first thing in the morning. Pretty happy with that number also.
Strava data is below.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)