Rider's Log: First Signs of Spring and A Quick Reminder About Sharing the Road

The road to Tresckow, leading out from Beaver Meadows.

Did you get out and ride, today? I know I sure did! It feels so good to be back on the road.

I really hope we're not jumping the gun, but it definitely feels like we've seen the worst of Winter, and Spring is on its way. Well, knock on wood... it's supposed to snow later this week.

I decided to take a somewhat familiar route, today, riding through Tresckow (via Beaver Meadows.) I had a filling breakfast, packed a few Clif Bars (Mmm... white chocolate macadamia nut!) and filled my bottle with Gatorade. I wanted to be sure I was ready for this ride.

I didn't go crazy with my route planning -- just a 15 mile out and back. I would have welcomed a longer trip, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was a little worried about cramping up, again. That experience is something I'm still very conscious of and extremely eager to avoid going through ever again. Did I simply overdo it, or was it a sign of a deeper problem I should be aware of? I just really hate the idea of being stranded in the middle of nowhere and in too much pain to ride home. The good news is, I didn't cramp up, at all, on this ride. My hamstrings were a bit tight much later on in the day, but nothing like the crazy pain I had the other day.



There isn't much to report about this trip, aside from some jackass blowing his horn at me while I was in the lane. I'd be more annoyed if it didn't help prove the point that I was riding to be seen, and he definitely saw me.
Next time, (and for anyone in the same situation as this driver) slow down. I will cut to the right and let you pass as soon as it's safe for me to do so. There's a lot of gravel on the shoulders, and the edges of the road are usually very jagged or full of potholes. Once it's safe to pass, you have the right to cross the double-yellow lines to get around me. No need to shout or blow your horn. Remember: cyclists are entitled to 4 feet of space when being passed. If you think there's enough room to sneak between me and an oncoming car, there isn't. Again, slow down. Let's act like civilized adults and share the road, ok? It's not going to ruin your whole day to have to wait to pass me; I'm only inconveniencing you for a few moments.

Ride safe! And by all means, enjoy this wonderful weather we're having. Who knows how long it'll last until Spring officially gets here?

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Dealing with Severe Leg Cramps on the Bike

No, not Krampus. CRAMPS.

Some days, I'm surprisingly ok with failure. My thought process usually follows, "I tried something, it didn't work, I learned from it and moved on." Then, other things, I'm not ok with. Not completing a ride, for example, usually gets me royally pissed off.

It's been almost 2 months since I last tried to ride to Mountain Top and back, and I've been patiently awaiting my second attempt. Since then, we've had snowstorm after snowstorm, with temperatures dipping below 0 for several days straight -- not the kind of weather I'd like to be in for a 36 mile round trip. But now, things are getting better. The sun is staying out longer, we're days away from pushing the clocks ahead and the temperatures are slowly rising into the 40s and 50s. We're not quite there, yet, but it's close. Close enough that, on Tuesday, I saw my second chance at a successful round-trip ride to Mountain Top.

Apparently, I'm woefully out of shape. I went for a nice 12 miler on Saturday, and even with snow pelting my face and a wickedly cold head wind that chilled me to the bone, I felt good enough that an extended ride didn't sound too crazy. And, judging how I felt when I got to the NEPA Geeks office in Mountain Top, I was right. 18 miles? No problem! The ride back, however, was like a ride into Hell. My body was simply not ready for a 36 mile round trip, and dealing with severe leg cramps on the bike was the price I had to pay.

I guess I needed a stern reminder about hydration, electrolyte and carbohydrate replenishment, because I still haven't learned my lesson from the last time this happened.

Let's look at what I think I did wrong:

• Didn't eat before the ride.
• Didn't eat during the ride.
• Didn't rehydrate.

And I might as well add "Didn't train enough beforehand," to the list. Jumping from 12 miles to 36 kicked me square in the ass and dumped me on the curb to sit and think about it for a while, almost literally.

As my calves cramped up and involuntarily convulsed, I did my best to sit on a guardrail and keep them at heart-level. (For some reason, I thought keeping them elevated would help, and it did.) Then my quadriceps joined in the chorus of pain. Less than a few miles from home, my right hamstring pulled taut and sent me into the dirt. At least I was only walking at this point, so I didn't hurt myself more than I already had. It was a bad, bad scene.

As prime riding season approaches, it's definitely worth taking some time to acknowledge the fact that I need to ease back into this sport, do plenty of stretching before I ride and make sure I have plenty of water and food during the ride. I've also read from a few sources that eating Tums with calcium can help ward off cramping. Not sure about that one, but if it happens again, it might be worth a shot. Keep your eyes peeled for Krampus, and here's to hoping that it never happens again!

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#30DaysofBiking Registration Kicks Off Today - I've joined Team #LovingTheBike

"30 Days of Biking" is an initiative to get people around the world to commit to an entire month of biking, every single day beginning April 1, 2013. The registration kicks of today, March 1. To register, sign up at http://30daysofbiking.com/
I've already signed up and have pledged to ride for Team #LovingTheBike.

One of the bike bloggers I follow and read regularly is Darryl at LovingtheBike.com. In case you don't recall, I wrote a response to a post he published several months ago called "Using the Full Lane: A response to Darryl at Lovingthebike.com" about the issues of bicycle safety, and why I believe cyclists should be encouraged to take the lane whenever possible. While our philosophies were slightly different on that issue, fortunately, Darryl's post about signing up for #30DaysofBiking and riding with Team #LovingTheBike is something we can both see eye-to-eye on, unconditionally! I'm very pleased to lend a hand in the effort to help the team win this year.

What's great about #30DaysofBiking is that the emphasis isn't on how much you ride, but how often you ride. What that means is that anyone can do it, even if they only ride a few miles a day. Getting people up and riding, committing to a healthier, happier lifestyle is what this is all about.
Signing up is easy, just take the pledge to ride every day for 30 days. Signups end on March 31 and the challenge begins on April 1. Even if you don't plan on joining a team, please sign up and make your individual effort count! With all of us committed to this, no one is truly riding alone.

You can follow 30DaysofBiking on Twitter and use the hashtag #30DaysofBiking to help spread the word. You can also follow Darryl on Twitter and even my Twitter account, if you're so inclined. If you decide to join, let us know!

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2012 Giant Defy 5 - I'm just burnin', doing the new bike dance!

Regular readers of this blog (all 2 of you) might remember that I found my dream bike at Valley Cycles back in October. After months of scrimping and saving, I finally brought it home!

Dave, the owner of Valley Cycles, gave me a fantastic deal on this bike; just an unbeatable bargain. He made sure the bike was fitted properly and that I would be comfortable while riding it (as any good bike shop should do) then gave the drivetrain a good adjustment and had me ride it around in the parking lot for a bit. Everything was just as it was several months ago, when I first took this bike for a test ride -- just a few good cranks, and I was blasting off. I couldn't wait to get this thing home and go for an extended ride.

My first ride around town was a short, 2-mile sprint. This is my first "real" road bike, so I have to take some time to adjust to the drop bars and reaching for the brake levers. All in all, I only almost killed myself twice.

The side-streets in Hazleton are a mess. Many still have piles of snow on them and even the ones that don't have a fresh coating of gravel on them, making the ride an unsure one as the thin tires try to grip the pavement. I hate to admit that I didn't exactly engage in the most safe riding practices, either. It's been a while since I've ridden in heavy traffic, and my skills have deteriorated a bit.

The thing that surprised me was the number of drivers who waved me through intersections and patiently waited for me to cross streets -- and this was even as traffic was ramping up for rush hour. Maybe Hazleton is becoming more bike-friendly? Certainly not the streets, but the drivers are at least less willing to throw things at me.

I'm happy to report that the Defy ascends like a dream. Even after sitting out from serious riding for a few weeks, I was tackling challenging hills with with ease and grace. The bike is aluminum, but still the lightest bike I've ever owned. Seriously, it shocks me how light the bike is.

Snow was beginning to fall as I headed home, but that didn't stop from taking some time to make a Vine video, celebrating that "new bike" smell.

Another notable thing about yesterday's ride was that I was able to squeak it in right before February was over. My commitment to make at least one ride a month, no matter the weather conditions, remains in tact!

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The Orp: A "Smart" Bike Horn and Light in One - Kickstarter

"Can you hear me now?" This bike horn almost guarantees it.

What is it?

The Orp is a "smart" bike horn that allows cyclists to be seen as well as heard because it's also a bright headlight that straps to your handlebars. The so-called "smorn" (smart horn) produces a very audible, 96dB blast of sound when the operator activates it. It's sure to get attention, which is exactly the point.

The light normally puts out 87 lumens with 4 modes: Slow/Fast Strobe and Steady On. However, when activating the horn, the light goes into a Fast Strobe and brightens to 92 lumens. The whole thing operates on a battery that can be recharged through the micro USB port.

How loud is the Orp? At 96dB, this is where the Orp falls in comparison to other noisemakers.

This Kickstarter project is currently sitting at $100,269, well above the $90,000 goal, with 1,326 backers ready to make it a reality. The project will be funded on February 11, 2013, so you still have a little time to jump in and pledge money to get one for less than retail.

For $45, backers will get an Orp of their own, but if you go for the $55 package, you get a special "glow-in-the-dark" Orp. Of course, the more money you pledge, the more goodies that are included.

The Orp is expected to retail for $49.95.

Why I Think This is a Great Idea

You can buy a loud bike horn and still not have a good light. Or, you can buy a bright light, but it's not going to make a sound (unless you drop it, maybe.) The Orp, however, is both. And the best part is, because it's one unit, that means more room on your handlebars for... your hands.

Why I Think This is a Bad Idea

To be completely honest, I don't think this is a bad idea, at all. It's about on par with a motorbike/scooter horn, and the shrill tone should easily cut through the sound of noisy engines and loud music in headphones (a lot of cyclists ride with headphones on, making it difficult for them to hear a bell or a, "Hey! Passing on your left!") I really don't have anything to complain about.

Would I Buy One/Fund This?

I'm not reaching for my wallet just this minute, but I am very interested in buying an Orp.

As mentioned, I think it's a great idea. Although I already have a very bright light (several, in fact, that are much brighter than the Orp) I don't have a single bell/horn/whatever. I do have a loud mouth, though, and while I can usually get attention when I need it, why strain myself when a quick double-tap on the Orp's "wail tail" will do? Shut up and take my money!

Full Disclosure

I don't contribute money to every Kickstarter project that I feature. In fact, there are some I'd only write about as a warning to avoid. Some of these projects never see funding and fade into obscurity, while others look like great ideas, get funding and are things I might actually purchase. In any case, don't see these posts as a full-on endorsement. Unless otherwise specified, I have not received payment in any form to write about these products, they just happen to catch my eye and I think they warrant some attention.

Of course, if you are starting up a new project or have a product you'd like me to test and write about, contact me with details and we'll talk.

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New Mexico Man Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison for Killing Schuylkill County Cyclist

Gilbert Waconda was sentenced to six months in prison for killing 19-year-old John Anczarski of Ringtown, PA, in June 2010. Anczarski was riding his bike in New Mexico on a cross-country trip to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The story about Waconda's sentencing originally comes from WNEP, along with this video clip.



This is a travesty on many levels. You have Waconda, who clearly shows NO remorse, and whose behavior towards the surviving family members is utterly disgusting. Then you have the charge of "negligent homicide," which provides a maximum penalty of only six months imprisonment.

I don't know the full details, so I can't really judge by anything other than what I see, but what I've seen in the clip above seems to show a sick man who admits to what he has done and who doesn't seem to feel anything other than regret that he got caught. Is he mentally ill? And if so, he clearly shows danger to the public. Why not lock him away for much longer? Was this legitimately a case of negligence or did Waconda purposefully strike and kill Anczarski?

I'd be willing to assume some fault on John Anczarski's behalf if it weren't obvious that the young man seemed to know what he was doing. This wasn't just some guy riding his bike around and not taking extra precaution, he looked to be well-prepared and capable of riding to the best of his abilities. The questions I'd like to know the answer to are, was he alone on the road, that day? Was he clearly visible in the lane? Was he riding safely and obeying traffic laws? Was there some sort of confrontation that precipitated the incident? Again, I'd like to know, was this just an accident, or did Waconda purposefully run Anczarski down?

As someone who entertains the thought of doing his own cross-country ride someday, things like this certainly weigh heavily on my mind. I don't believe justice was done. I believe that there are more people like Waconda out there who might now feel emboldened; who might feel they can drive recklessly and/or kill someone with their vehicle and get nothing more than a few months in jail for it. That sets a terrible precedent for others who might be mentally unstable and willing to commit murder for kicks. But, until I know more, this is all I can say.

My deepest sympathies go out to the Anczarksi family. As a fellow cyclist from NEPA, my thoughts are with them, this evening.

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"The Bike Ride" - short movie created using Ptch on iPhone

Making movies on iPhone with Ptch

"The Bike Ride" is a short film I shot on my iPhone in September 2012.

This movie was edited and published with Ptch, a free iPhone app that lets you assemble photos and videos into short films that are about a minute or less in length. You can even add text and music to help tell your story. It's a lot of fun to mess around with!

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