Stage 14 - Pike Lake

Today I rode with the Velocity Team on their Pike Lake route. It's advertised as "moderately hilly". 'Moderately hilly' is apparently used as a comparative term since I found the route very hilly.

The honey sweet scent of ripening corn was being pulled out of the fields by the hot July sun as we began our ride. By 8:00 am the temperature had passed 80 degrees, and was still climbing.

The heat didn't stop Tim D. and Nate from attacking on each hill.

The nice thing about following Nate up a hill is that he is so well groomed that he actually smells good. Smells good, like moderately hilly, is used comparatively. Most of us stink to high heaven. By not stinking, you smell good.

On the last few rides we've been trying to get Nate to tell us what cologne he uses but he just won't share his secret with with us. I think it's Paco Rabanne. Whatever it is I don't think that I'll press the issue. The word on the street is that Nate is a former Junior US Kickboxing champion. If he wants to pace us up a hill, fine. No sense in making him angry.

The group did about 43 miles. Russ & Barry knew that I was looking for more miles and offered to stay on their bikes for another hour.

If you watch any of the Tour de France on TV you'll notice how Lance Armstrong is almost always surrounded by his teammates. They protect him from the wind, other riders, fans and any other obstacles that may come his way. I've often wondered how good it would feel to be protected like that.

Today I found out. During the extra miles that we put in either Russ or Barry would move in front of me to block the wind. The other rode right next to me. Then they would switch. What a treat! It felt as if I was being escorted down the road by the Secret Service. I didn't need to worry about which direction the wind was coming from, where the pot holes were, where to turn, what the cars were doing or anything at all. It was the easiest 21 miles I've ever ridden. Beautiful.

Today's goal was 68 miles and I rode 64. Because those miles came with almost 3,000 feet of climbing the legs were done for the day.

While Lance like's to say It's Not About the Bike, equipment is nevertheless important. So let's talk equipment.

A person's body touches a bike in three places; butt, hands, feet. Getting these three contact points just right is critical for comfort.

First, the butt. We're talking shorts and saddle. A good pair of shorts is not something you buy at the bike section of Walmart. You need to spend $50.00 or more if you want comfort. I use Pearl Izumi Ultrasensor shorts that I can find on sale at Nashbar.

I purchased a new saddle last Fall and it's been a revelation. I had no idea how comfortable a thin and tiny saddle could be. It's a Fizik Arione and if you bike a lot you'll want one.

Hands are next. I use Pro gloves and a S-Works carbon handlebar, both from Specialized. What I find nice about the handlebars is that the top section is flattened a bit, instead of being perfectly round. This gives your hands a few more ways to grip. Being able to change where and how your hands contact the bar helps reduce numbness.

Finally, the feet. I use shoes from Specialized and Keo pedals from Look. When looking for shoes you'll need proper fit first, and the stiffest possible sole second. Clipless pedals are a must. They keep your feet in place as well as allowing you to pull up on your pedal stroke. Pulling up uses a different muscle group than pushing down and can help with both speed and endurance.

Pedals are called 'clipless' because in the old days (prior to the early 90's) an actual metal clip surrounded the toe of the shoe, and with a leather strap your foot was held in place. Now, instead of sticking your toes into a clip, there is a cleat at the bottom of the shoe that snaps into the pedal to hold you in place. You'll hear riders talk about "clipping in". But they're really 'snapping in'. Click here to learn more.