It seems I have been slacking..

So I have not written a post in almost 10 days! Wow, thats bad.
Lets see, How about we start at the beginning..

Last Tuesday I did my first Tuesday Night Worlds with the group out of Marmora, for this ride I decided to hang in the back to learn how the group operates and the route they use. I got dropped twice, once before the 83 bridge and fought back to get to them at the Wawa, Then again somewhere in Woodbine. But I was fine for the last sprint on Mt Pleasant-Tuckahoe Rd. That was awesome and I got to meet some new people!
It sure is humbling to be in groups like this, I hope I can pull on the front longer before too long.

Then Wednesday I just went out for a really foggy 10 mile loop staying in Middle, it was fun but foggy and kind of lonely.

Thursday I took myself out for a late start 17 mile over the NWW bridge, and through Stone Harbor, Just a nice relaxing ride..

Friday I left my house but before I knew it I was actually holding a fairly high avg speed so I called it my "Ghetto TT", it was from my house, down Bayberry to NWW Blvd, across 9, down shunpike. I left off at 12KM and ran a nice 22:38 12km, that included 6 lights and a stopsign! Not too bad, I want to run the Cape May Time Trial in April and I figure this is an ok gauge for that.. I am going to run the actual course sometime soon.

I didn't ride for the weekend or Monday instead my next ride was today, My second Tuesday night worlds. I took a few pulls on the front and was doing good until the last one when my legs just gave out and I lost contact with the group. I thought that I could catch them at the intersection of Webster and Washington but I had just missed them, so I hustled down 550 and Petersburg rd to catch them halfway down Mt Pleasant-Tuckahoe and held on for the rest of the ride after that.. I don't know what happened.. I guess I just need to take fewer pulls until my legs come back to me! Oh well, live and learn.

Now that that is out of the way.. It is time for the discussion of Bike & Build! I have hit $1600, I need another 400 by the 19th of April and I am confident I can get it! But I need your help getting the word out, so please send everyone you know to my profile at www.bikeandbuild.org/rider/5565 and ask that they help me out!

I would also love to trade my photographic abilities for donations, I am really hoping to be able to help some of you get photos of you or your car or you and your bike.. Anything really. All you need to do is let me know what you are looking for and we can work out a deal for you to donate to Bike & Build in exchange for my time!! 

Seriously, if you have never seen my work, I have a little bit online at www.20bphotography.com, I urge you to take me up on this offer, you will never get a chance for photos this cheap again!

Well, that is all I have for you today.. Until next time.

I have a problem with flats and waterbottles

After the bent derailleur incident and missing the group ride Tuesday, and running out of patches I took a ride upto Tuckahoe Bikeshop on Wednesday to get patches.. and I had another flat on the way there, AWESOME! After that it turned out to be a fairly uneventful 28.5 mile ride and I ended up with some patches that I needed badly,

Saturday Shannon and I went to Bayville to hang out with her friends and we ended up going to the Beachwood Bikes again, where I got a new waterbottle. I have this problem where I buy waterbottles from nearly every bike shop I goto. My favorites are the 21oz translucent ones made by Specialized with the bike shops logo printed on them. I am starting to amass a big collection, ranging from those real nice Specialized ones to the cheaper trek ones all the way down to ones so cheap and useless that I have only used them once before deciding that they are just impossible to drink out of.

Anyway, Sunday I went out for a nice 18 mile ride around Middle Township that was nice to be back on the bike after 3 days off due to various things coming up..

Tomorrow its off to the accountant, followed by a group ride Tuesday, and a few other rides throughout the week before another group ride on Saturday..

Until then!

More work is needed.. But the drive is there

Sunday I woke up early to goto Mullica Hill for the first race of the season.. I was in the 9am 4/5 race, and everything went well for most of the first lap, then we hit the hill and a combination of things happened.. First I am not the best at sprinting up a hill, second I was cut off a bit, third I suck at hills. So I was dropped then I had to try and fight back in the wind.. That wasn't happening. All in all it was fun and I learned that I need to do more interval training.

I also took some photos while we were there.

Then we went over to NJMP for the open house, Nat and Cassie were there and while Shannon and they waited in line for the go-karts/Monster truck rides, I took a few laps around the track on the bike, that was interesting. I have about 50-70 laps on Lightning in a spec miata, but these were my first on a bicycle and it was fun for sure.

After that, Shannon and I left and headed over to Ben's for a show, which I did some of, then it was off to home for the night.

Monday was the start of that training I needed, so I did a bit of intervals.. 4.3 mile warmup, 2:30 at my highest intensity, 5 minute rest, 2:30 at highest intensity, followed by a 17:30 minute cool down. After 40 seconds of the first interval I flatted so I had to fix that, but after that everything went well.

The rest of the day was uneventful, we went to Rita's to get some ice but thats about it.

Tuesday I was supposed to goto a group ride, but a bent derailleur hanger sent me upto the shop to get it fixed, which caused me to just miss the start of the ride.. I will catch it next week though.

60 degrees?!

Thats right, it was 60 today! I just had to go out for a ride, I did 28 miles because the wind was gusting 30mph and I was really getting beat up being alone in that.

After the ride I went out with my dad, mommom, and poppop to Sam's club to buy some stuff. Then Shannon picked me up and we came home. Nothing exciting happened for the rest of the day.

Also, I went out riding on Sunday, but the garmin kind of failed on me.. So it didn't map it. But it was a 20 mile island loop over an hour and 11 minutes.

Thursday is supposed to be rainy, and Friday rainy. Saturday I am planning on doing a fast paced group ride and Sunday will be my first race of the season in Mullica Hill.

Until next time.

Fittings and pedals

Today I got my bike fitted and my new pedals. It was great, the guys at The Caffeinated Cyclist helped me out a lot, We got home late so I didn't get to go for a ride, but the short bit I did in the driveway and down the street felt awesome. I am happy to be on a bike that fits me perfectly!
And my rain jacket came in, this thing is nice and breathable and the fit is nice too, tight but not too tight.

Also, I want to say thank you to Lezyne, they provided me with a Road Drive to take on the trip, and it came in today too. They make the best pumps I have ever used, I have had many floor pumps shit the bed on me over the years, but the steel floor drive I have has never given me a problem!

After we got home, Shannon and I decided to eat a bit of dinner after it started raining. Then it was off to the store for a few things before returning home to hang out for a bit.


Now that I have the bike, I really need to focus on fundraising! I need $3,150 more! If you would like to donate, you can do so at www.bikeandbuild.org/rider/5565 I appreciate every little bit!

Also, I am offering photo sessions for donations, contact me for details.


That is all I have for you today, until next time.

Back to the post office

Today we went out to the Post Office to mail a few things that were sold on eBay, and then we went out to lunch/dinner at Five Guy's before heading back to Mommom's to hang out for a bit and watch some Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and then went home. Nothing exciting happened from then on out.. Just a slow day.

Tomorrow I am going to get fitted to my new bike, and going for a nice ride. This weekend should be a great time for riding! Trying to plan some rides for next weekend as well as a race I may goto.

YAY, New gear!!!

Today I sat around and waited for the big brown truck. Today my bike came in!
I picked up a Medium Defy 1, the UPS man delivered it and I set about unboxing and putting it together. My house was transformed into an explosion of tools and packing materials, and now its together finally!

Its a Defy 1 with full 105 drivetrain, I put my Garmin gear on it, and my Fizik saddle. It will have a Lezyne road drive for when I end up with flats while riding, Arundel sport cages and seat bag. The pedals and fit happen on Friday, I am getting Shimano 105 pedals.

This bike is awesome and I can't wait to put miles on it!



Shannon came over and we went out to Island Shore with my dad, then we just relaxed for the rest of the night.