5700 km - but not on a bike

I've traveled over 5700km since my last blog update. Unfortunately, none of it on a bike. In fact, nothing much bike- or sea-to-sea related has happened in the past few weeks. But, blogs that don't get updated aren't much good, so I thought I'd best take a moment to post some news.



As I said, we've covered over 5700 km, but not on a bike.

Just over a month ago I received the not-exactly-unexpected news that my job was being eliminated. Thanks in part to a merger, and in part to grants not being renewed, the lab where I have been employed the past 9 years just couldn't afford to keep their entire IT staff, and so I was let go.

As I said, it wasn't entirely unexpected, and my wife and I had been planning that when the time came we would take the family on a nice long adventure of a trip to get away from things and have a nice break. We homeschool our kids, so that was not an issue. We drove south, visited Mammoth cave, then Panama City Beach in the Florida Panhandle, then Kissimmee (and yes, Disney and Kennedy), and then back north via friends in North Carolina, arriving home today 18 days and 5700 km later.



Hmm, there seems to be snow on the ground now... uh-oh.

In the coming weeks I hope to get back into some form of training, depending on the weather, as well as focus on seeking donations to support the sea-to-sea cause.

In the meantime, greetings to all. And if anyone knows of a company in Southwest Ontario (London preferred) who could use an IT Manager/Tech Manager (Systems/Server management) who is a talented communicator, a creative problem solver, and a insightful researcher, do let me know.

blessings,

Passport Time...

It isn't -- yet -- mandatory to have a passport to enter the US at a surface crossing. It is for air travel, and supposedly it soon will be for surface crossings as well. Consequently, all Canadian passport offices are reportedly buried under applications. I've heard stories of 90 minute waits.

The seatosea tour next summer will be crossing the border twice, and even though passports are not yet mandatory, HQ has stated on their cyclist guidelines that all cyclists must have a passport.

(ours is not to reason why ... )

My own passport was long expired, so it was time to get another one. As I visited the Passport website, I discovered that they had an option for an on-line application. You still had to bring paperwork in person to a passport office, but most of your information is already in their
computers since you filled it in on-line. They just need to scan the barcode of your application, and verify the information of your guarantor (and check your IDs and take payment...).

But the number one most important thing about the on-line application option, is that when you bring your paperwork to the passport office for filing, you get to go into a "special" line up, which moves quicker.

Today, I got around to dropping off my own application at the office. I got there around 11:30 am, on a Wednesday, and the office must have had about 50 people in the waiting room. (No, I'm not making that up!) As I entered the room, with dismay, a guard approached me and checked my form and then issued me a number (F937) and told me to sit down watch the board under the "F" and wait.

I had barely sat down and found the sign board when I saw my number pop up, and I was called up to see an agent.

My jaw was on the floor. I was done and out the door maybe five minutes after entering the office. The agent was joking about me "feeling the eyes" of everyone else in the waiting room who I'd just skipped past.

The Group is Growing...

One of the many factors that encouraged me to take up this cycling and fund raising challenge was the knowledge that I would not be alone in this.

First of all, we have the SeaToSea Headquarters helping us with logistics, planning, support and much more more. And of course, there will be all the other cyclists who are cycling. When the actual ride takes place, I know I'll be surrounded by all kinds of encouragement and other group dynamics. And I trust that I'll be providing that to my fellow riders as well.

But sooner than that, and closer to home than that, are the other local cyclists.

Here in London at my home church we have a group of cyclists planning to cycle all or part of the trip. Yet we have also come together now, to plan and work together with all the fund raising, as well as the bike training that we need to do. We call ourselves the "Peddles and Prayers" group. (We also have several non-cyclists in the group, who are helping immensely!)

For myself it was the existence of this group that helped me make my own decision to join this tour. The thought of all that bike training -- hours and hours alone in the saddle -- as well as all that fund raising that we are expected to do ... well I can see how it would seem intimidating. But with a supporting group of people around you, it doesn't seem like such a daunting task.

Gayle was the first, and John soon after that. Then came Scott and Pieter. And then myself. Wow, five cyclists, that's a big group. But that wasn't all. We now have Mike, who joined a couple weeks ago, and just a few days ago Ralph signed up.

And then there were SEVEN.
(However, unlike in that familiar Agatha Christie mystery novel, our numbers have been going up!)

So, Kirsten, are you going to make it eight?

Ow, my bum hurts!

How do you guys manage it?

I just got back from a 2hr ride. 41.5 km. It was a slightly larger loop than last week. This time I went west on Oxford St out of town until it hit Vanneck, and then north and pretty much the same as last weekend.

Oxford St West is, I think, a pretty good road for training. It has 3 long hills as you leave town, which is a good workout I suspect. I think they're all at least a half km long incline, maybe longer.

But I digress. My hands are hurting again, but my butt is hurting worse. How do you long distance riders manage this? When I started down this road, I wondered if my back would force me to consider getting a recumbent bike for the tour, but maybe it'll be my backside that casts the deciding vote.

ttfn.
...art

A Square Loop

I was aiming for a 2hr ride yesterday afternoon, but for various reasons (**) I didn't get going
as early as I would have liked, and the wind was more than a bit irritating (Chilly).

I headed NW, so I was into the wind on the way out. West on Gainsborough, and then North on Vanneck. I stoped at 9mile rd and had a granola bar, called Heather, and headed home. East on 9Mile road, and then south on Wonderland. Almost a perfect square, if you look at the map.

Total run: about 34km, 1:40 elapsed biking time.
The wind makes a fair difference. I was about 10 minutes quicker coming home than going out. I averaged just a hair under 20kph overall, again thanks to the wind. On the way out I was lucky to get above 19, but on the way home it was much nicer, even hit 30 on one of the little dips along 9Mile road. I like those quiet country roads. No traffic to worry about.

The bike was fine, though I really need to get in for a tuneup, as the rear deraileur needs some adjustment. But my hands were tingling a fair bit, despite my padded gloves. That's something I need to watch.

...art

** The "various reasons" would be the 3 year old, an empty room, and a blue sharpie. 'nough said.

Motivations and Money, oh my.

So why am I doing this?

When the 2005 sea-to-sea (within Canada) trip was announced, I thought it was a bit of a goofy idea. Then the trip actually started, and I started reading about the incredible adventure these people were having. That's when I realized I was missing out on something big.

So when this 2008 tour was announced, I was intrigued. But I really didn't think I could take the time to do so. My wife and I have four young kids (aged 3-10) and leaving them for 9 weeks just wasn't going to happen.

Fast forward to early September. At our Church picnic my friend Gayle -- who is doing the full nine week tour -- encouraged me to consider riding part of the trip. (at the time, they were offering the option of just riding 1/3 of the trip, three weeks). Within the hour, my
friend (and pastor) Pieter also said that he thought I should do the trip.

That is the first time that I seriously considered it, and so my wife Heather and I, while driving home from the picnic, actually talked about how it would be for me to do part of the trip. Not two days later, I was checking the sea to sea website, and I discovered that they had rearranged the schedule such that the final leg of the trip was now just two weeks.

I took the hint.

But what about the money?

First let me say that, surprisingly perhaps, being tasked with raising $4000 doesn't really bother me. Part of that is the enthusiasm of Gayle and the others on our fund raising team. Another part of that is the peace of God. And really -- to raise $4000, all I need is 40 people to donate $100. I think that should be doable.

But on the whole topic of poverty? That is a longer story. Some two years ago, our church did a focus on poverty. We handed out white bracelets, learned about makepovertyhistory.ca and similar organizations, and so on.

Giving has always been a part of our family makeup. But since that time we have made it a practise to make sure that poverty is one of the causes that we give towards. So, via CRWRC we have donated towards poverty causes each year. It doesn't cost much to buy a goat, immunize a child, or provide school materials and so on. Even the Free-A-Family
program -- freeing a family from poverty -- is less than $300.

So yes, I'm supposed to raise $4000 towards poverty, which is great. And the tour is set up such that I cover my own costs, and HQ is trying to find donations to cover the tour costs, so ALL of that money that I raise can go towards ending poverty. That's great.

But if I can get a few more families ... say those 40 who are going to give me $100. :-) If this event can help encourage them to make giving towards ending poverty an annual thing? That would be the best.

Distance Milestones...

Last weekend I managed 4 rides, each of about 12-15km.

This past weekend I only manged to make time for one. But it was a full 30km.

The route was pretty simple, 15km north, and 15km south (home). The weather was chilly (I didn't write it down, but I think only about 10c), but a biking body generates a fair bit of heat. The windbreaker stayed in my pannier, and two t-shirts (one long sleeve) was all I wore on top. At the 15k mark, I stopped and had a granola bar for a couple minutes and then headed back. I couldn't stay long, as I would get a chill if I stayed put too long and allowed the sweat to cool...

There was a sharp wind out of the NW, cross my path, which made the ride a harder slog, and definitely slowed me down. Only helped a bit on the ride home.

So what'd I learn? Well, 30km really wasn't that hard. At least as far as stamina. I didn't really feel that exhausted or tired. However, my butt got rather sore starting at km 20, and my hands started tingling by that point also. But once I was home, things were fine.

And most important of all, my back was fine.
Today, my friend and fellow rider Gayle is in for (planned) surgery on her foot. Dear God, be with her, and may she heal fully with good speed, Amen!

I'm In

... for real this time.

I got my endorsement form signed on Monday (cornered the chair of council after our thanksgiving service) and faxed it in on Tuesday, and now it's Wednesday and my name has made it onto the list of official riders.

Originally, the tour segments, for those not doing the full sea to sea, were going to be each three weeks. So you could sign up for an even "1/3" of the tour. But they changed that to make the final segment just two weeks. This made it a lot easier for us to decided that I would cycle the final segment. However, I was also quite concerned that suddenly a lot of people out there would also decide that two weeks was do-able, and sign up for the last segment.

Hence, I've been quite eager to get my stuff together and signed up as quickly as possible. But, perhaps I was worried for nothing. For today is the first day that they list the "segment" riders, and so far there are only seven of us. huh.

Oh well, either way I'm delighted to be "official". But I do hope that they get a lot more riders signed up. The more people that go, the more excitement we'll go, the more adventure, the more high-profile (== public/media awareness), and the more attention we'll draw to the cause, and funds that will be raised.

Onward.

Pondering Gear, part 1

This is my current ride.



It is a Kona "dew deluxe". The largest frame that they had -- don't ask, I don't remember the size. The frame is a good fit, and I love the disk brakes. I bought it about 18 months ago, and it's been my daily ride since. I commute to work about 4km (each way) all year. I've got a rack on the back, toe clips, fenders, and a 2" extension on the handlebar stem to allow me to sit more upright (more on that below)

Is it the bike I'll be taking on tour? Well to be honest, the jury is still out on that. I have not yet had a chat with my bike store, but I should soon.

Getting the opinion of my (trusted) bike mechanic is only half the decision, though. I also need to spend some time getting in some good long rides this fall to see how the bike feels after 2-3hrs of riding. (For instance: So far, I already know I want different handlebars. I don't like riding for long with these plane straight bars. My wrists and forearms aren't happy. I need something with a bit of curve to it, to allow my hands to fall into a more natural position.)

The deciding vote will come from my back. Last April I injured my back -- the two lowest disks are bulging a bit. After rest and exercise, I'm fine, or at least as fine as I'll probably get. But I am wondering how prolonged cycling will feel. Back in the spring my physiotherapist told me it was fine to start cycling again. The main allowance I need is to make sure I sit with a more straight back. No hunching over the handlebars with a curved back!

And if the back complains, then I may be shopping for a recumbent. I used to own a homebuilt recumbent SWB bike.


I sold it back in '02. It was too heavy, and I didn't like it on hills, and the frame was cracking. But the newer (professionally built) models are lighter, stronger, and are even available with full suspension.

We'll see.

I'm (almost) In

Yesterday, I found out (unofficially) that my church has agreed to endorse me to join the Sea To Sea tour next summer. I've already sent in my application, so now I just need to fax in (fax? How 1980's!) my endorsement form to SeaToSea HQ and Bob's-yer-uncle.

(well, unless they turn me down, which I don't expect, unless they've been flooded with applications for that segment of the tour.)

Stay Tuned...