Ride in to work
I was riding into a 20+ MPH headwind due to an incomming thunderstorm, so it didn't go so well. 17.9Ave, 39.7Max, 0:48:00 ride time.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Ride Home
34.6 Max, 16.9 Ave, 0:51:12 ride time. My previous speed record for the ride home was 15.7MPH.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Tuesday Club Ride
Despite the cancellation of this ride, Joe and I showed up 'round 6ish. I wanted to try out a route to get from Nyack to Spring Valley, so I suggested that we head North, then West via Old Mountain Road.
Note to self: If a road's name contains the word "mountain", it's probably steep in spots.
Joe had done a big ride on Sunday, so his legs weren't what he wished they were. I guess I wasn't sensitive to his needs (you learn these phrases after being married 9 years) when I took him up Old Mountain.
Sorry Joe!
Anyway, once that was over, it was relatively smooth sailing down Old Western Highway (if it's going to be called "Old Western", why can't it be "Ye Olde Western"? It would be so much more authentic) save for a hillock at mile 8 or so. Joe lost a waterbottle shortly after that, but we recovered it and continued on our way. We rode down through Tappan and on to the Oradell Reservoir before heading North via Piermont Road back to Nyack. We got back to Memorial park around 8pm.
Stats: 24.2 miles, 1:20ish ride time, 17.2MPH Avg, 33.3MPH Max.
Here's the map and profile. North is to the left:
Note to self: If a road's name contains the word "mountain", it's probably steep in spots.
Joe had done a big ride on Sunday, so his legs weren't what he wished they were. I guess I wasn't sensitive to his needs (you learn these phrases after being married 9 years) when I took him up Old Mountain.
Sorry Joe!
Anyway, once that was over, it was relatively smooth sailing down Old Western Highway (if it's going to be called "Old Western", why can't it be "Ye Olde Western"? It would be so much more authentic) save for a hillock at mile 8 or so. Joe lost a waterbottle shortly after that, but we recovered it and continued on our way. We rode down through Tappan and on to the Oradell Reservoir before heading North via Piermont Road back to Nyack. We got back to Memorial park around 8pm.
Stats: 24.2 miles, 1:20ish ride time, 17.2MPH Avg, 33.3MPH Max.
Here's the map and profile. North is to the left:
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Tuseday Club Ride
Joe, Matt, and I showed up for last night's ride. The ride description on the RBC site said that the ride leader wouldn't be on the ride, so we deputised each other as LITs (Leaders In Training) and off we went.
We headed South out of Nyack, and rode under the Thruway where a number of rescue boats and vehicles were standing by in support of the rescue operations for the terrible accident on the Bridge. We then rode on through Piermont onto Piermont Road. South of Rockleigh, we encoutered road grating work, and were forced to ride toward the center of the road while avoiding the now raised manhole covers. Drivers, not understanding why we were in the middle of the road, were getting quite upset at us, so we decided to head east to ride 9W back to Piermont. We rode up Homans Ave and ended up in Alpine, and spent quite a long time (and 4.3 miles of riding) trying to break out onto a road that would lead us to 9W. We were finally spit out onto Piermont road again, so we rode back to Nyack taking a detour out onto the Piermont Pier. It was just getting dark, and the moon was up - it was quite nice, and despite the unfortunate circumstances the emergency vehicles' lights sparkled merrily on the bridge in the distance.
Joe, Matt and I took turns leading and we set a great pace. Our average was 18.3MPH as we turned up Homans Ave, but by the time Alpine got through with us we were at 16.8.
Overall stats: 28.9 Max, 17.6 Ave, 1:18:00 rolling, 23.08 Miles.
Here's the route with elevation profile. North is to the left:
Update: The bridge accident is apparently national news.
We headed South out of Nyack, and rode under the Thruway where a number of rescue boats and vehicles were standing by in support of the rescue operations for the terrible accident on the Bridge. We then rode on through Piermont onto Piermont Road. South of Rockleigh, we encoutered road grating work, and were forced to ride toward the center of the road while avoiding the now raised manhole covers. Drivers, not understanding why we were in the middle of the road, were getting quite upset at us, so we decided to head east to ride 9W back to Piermont. We rode up Homans Ave and ended up in Alpine, and spent quite a long time (and 4.3 miles of riding) trying to break out onto a road that would lead us to 9W. We were finally spit out onto Piermont road again, so we rode back to Nyack taking a detour out onto the Piermont Pier. It was just getting dark, and the moon was up - it was quite nice, and despite the unfortunate circumstances the emergency vehicles' lights sparkled merrily on the bridge in the distance.
Joe, Matt and I took turns leading and we set a great pace. Our average was 18.3MPH as we turned up Homans Ave, but by the time Alpine got through with us we were at 16.8.
Overall stats: 28.9 Max, 17.6 Ave, 1:18:00 rolling, 23.08 Miles.
Here's the route with elevation profile. North is to the left:
Update: The bridge accident is apparently national news.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Sunday's Rocket Ride
I was running late, so I drove to Piermont and rode toward Nyack until I met the group. The pace was again crazy, maintaining 25+ MPH on the way down Piermont Road.
Sortly before Tenafly, I was in 5th position or so and the guys in front sprinted away. I hung on with them but, seeing that rest of the line had dropped off, I let them go, thinking I would take a quick break as the second group caught up with me. Unfortunately, I was so winded that when the second group came up at 25MPH ( I was going 19MPH since I had let the first group go) I didn't have enough energy to accelerate up to their speed.
I tried cutting through Tenafly to regain the group, but the road didn't go through, so I ended up seeing them go zooming by when I was about 50 feet from the intersection.
I then rode back through Demarest to Piermont.
Stats: 21.68 Miles, 31.8 Max, 18.5 Average.
My route is in orange. The hashed line is the Rocket Ride. North is to the Left:
Sortly before Tenafly, I was in 5th position or so and the guys in front sprinted away. I hung on with them but, seeing that rest of the line had dropped off, I let them go, thinking I would take a quick break as the second group caught up with me. Unfortunately, I was so winded that when the second group came up at 25MPH ( I was going 19MPH since I had let the first group go) I didn't have enough energy to accelerate up to their speed.
I tried cutting through Tenafly to regain the group, but the road didn't go through, so I ended up seeing them go zooming by when I was about 50 feet from the intersection.
I then rode back through Demarest to Piermont.
Stats: 21.68 Miles, 31.8 Max, 18.5 Average.
My route is in orange. The hashed line is the Rocket Ride. North is to the Left:
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Yet Another Tuesday Club Ride
I was running late after work, so I knew I wouldn't get to Nyack in time, so I drove from work to Sparkill and got the bike out of the car there. Just as I was hopping on the bike, the Tuesday club riders showed up.
Perfect timing!
I made the mistake of disclosing that I had attempted the Sunday Rocket Ride, so I was forced to lead the ride from Sparkill to the end. We rode South to Tenafly and then back to Nyack, where everyone else had started the ride. I then rode alone back to Sparkill to get the car.
North is to the left:
Perfect timing!
I made the mistake of disclosing that I had attempted the Sunday Rocket Ride, so I was forced to lead the ride from Sparkill to the end. We rode South to Tenafly and then back to Nyack, where everyone else had started the ride. I then rode alone back to Sparkill to get the car.
North is to the left:
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Who is to blame?
Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her [the Governor of Louisiana] a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.
The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.
A senior administration official said that Bush has clear legal authority to federalize National Guard units to quell civil disturbances under the Insurrection Act and will continue to try to unify the chains of command that are split among the president, the Louisiana governor and the New Orleans mayor.
Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.
"The federal government stands ready to work with state and local officials to secure New Orleans and the state of Louisiana," White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said. "The president will not let any form of bureaucracy get in the way of protecting the citizens of Louisiana."
Blanco made two moves Saturday that protected her independence from the federal government: She created a philanthropic fund for the state's victims and hired James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director in the Clinton administration, to advise her on the relief effort.
It seems pretty clear that Blanco was doing everything possible to avoid asking for the help that the President is now being blamed for not providing immediately after Katrina struck.
Since 1878 Posse Comitatus has prevented the the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines from operating on US soil. An exception is made for National Guard troops under the control of state governors, and I believe the governors can request military support (such as National Guard troops from other states), but they must explicitly request them.
Does anyone want the President of the United States [Democrat or Republican] to decide to deploy active duty military, reserves, or National Guard from other states without the specific request and approval of the Governor of that state?
Read the Article.
Hey look, there are all the buses the Governor (or the Mayor, for that matter) didn't use to evacuate New Orleans:
Hey, more buses!
Pity, all that fuel leaking into the water. Not to mention the thousands that could have been saved.
Too bad the Governor didn't read the State Disaster Plan (page 13):
The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating.
But remember, it's Bush's fault.
The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.
A senior administration official said that Bush has clear legal authority to federalize National Guard units to quell civil disturbances under the Insurrection Act and will continue to try to unify the chains of command that are split among the president, the Louisiana governor and the New Orleans mayor.
Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.
"The federal government stands ready to work with state and local officials to secure New Orleans and the state of Louisiana," White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said. "The president will not let any form of bureaucracy get in the way of protecting the citizens of Louisiana."
Blanco made two moves Saturday that protected her independence from the federal government: She created a philanthropic fund for the state's victims and hired James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director in the Clinton administration, to advise her on the relief effort.
It seems pretty clear that Blanco was doing everything possible to avoid asking for the help that the President is now being blamed for not providing immediately after Katrina struck.
Since 1878 Posse Comitatus has prevented the the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines from operating on US soil. An exception is made for National Guard troops under the control of state governors, and I believe the governors can request military support (such as National Guard troops from other states), but they must explicitly request them.
Does anyone want the President of the United States [Democrat or Republican] to decide to deploy active duty military, reserves, or National Guard from other states without the specific request and approval of the Governor of that state?
Read the Article.
Hey look, there are all the buses the Governor (or the Mayor, for that matter) didn't use to evacuate New Orleans:
 |  |
Hey, more buses!
Pity, all that fuel leaking into the water. Not to mention the thousands that could have been saved.
Too bad the Governor didn't read the State Disaster Plan (page 13):
The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating.
But remember, it's Bush's fault.
First Time on the "Rocket Ride"
A fellow on last Tuesday's ride suggested I try the "Rocket Ride" on Sunday at 8am. It leaves from the Nyack bike shot, and covers roughly 48 miles in less than 3 hours. He made it sound like the fastest-paced ride in the area.
He was right.
About 10 of us left from Nyack, and by the time we went through Rockleigh there were about 40 of us. The average pace on the flats was about 25 MPH. All I could do was stay in the middle of the line (it was a double pace line, actually) and hope for the best. The guys on the ride (there was one woman) were very competitive, and changing positions in the line was somewhat difficult.
In the end, I got dropped around mile 18. There was a gentle hill, and the folks up front took off, and I failed to notice that I would need to increase my speed, so a gap opened up, ansd I was unable to catch them. I met another fellow from the ride a few miles up who was having allergy problems, so we rode back together. We turned east at New City to get to 9W, as apposed to the rest of the riders who continue North for another mile or two before cutting across to 9W.
Here's the route and profile. North is to the left:
Can't wait 'till next Sunday!
He was right.
About 10 of us left from Nyack, and by the time we went through Rockleigh there were about 40 of us. The average pace on the flats was about 25 MPH. All I could do was stay in the middle of the line (it was a double pace line, actually) and hope for the best. The guys on the ride (there was one woman) were very competitive, and changing positions in the line was somewhat difficult.
In the end, I got dropped around mile 18. There was a gentle hill, and the folks up front took off, and I failed to notice that I would need to increase my speed, so a gap opened up, ansd I was unable to catch them. I met another fellow from the ride a few miles up who was having allergy problems, so we rode back together. We turned east at New City to get to 9W, as apposed to the rest of the riders who continue North for another mile or two before cutting across to 9W.
Here's the route and profile. North is to the left:
Can't wait 'till next Sunday!