I’ve taken the last few months off from bicycle commuting due to injuries and moving into a new apartment. But I’m happy to say that I made the first ride to the office from my new location this morning - in 98% humidity.

There’s no “right” bike for commuting, personally I use a Redline Conquest cyclocross bike because it’s built tougher than a regular road bike and has a more relaxed geometry (luckily mine is green and not that horrible blue/white color!). The only modification I’ve made to it is throwing on a set of 23mm road slicks to replace the standard 35mm ‘cross tires. Although, the pavement on McCommas is in such poor condition that the wider, knobbier tires would have been much more comfortable: they ride at 70 PSI instead of 120 PSI like the slicks.

I carry my clothing, tools, and miscellaneous gear in a messenger bag although I’m hoping to upgrade it to a Chrome Metropolis in the very near future.

My old location was so far from the office that I would ride 9 miles to the DART station and then take the train all the way to downtown, after which I’d hop back on the bike and beat the train to the RD2 office.

Fortunately, my new apartment is so much closer that I could ride to the office in the same 9 miles and avoid the train completely. I decide to opt for safety, however, so my overall route is just a bit over 13.5 miles. I chose my new place based on its close proximity to White Rock Lake, and I definitely make use of it on my route. It’s very calming to look out over the water for a few miles and not have to worry too much about traffic; the road is only really used by other cyclists at that time in the morning.

There’s several good climbs on the way in, but once I hit the Katy Trail it’s smooth downhill sailing! I can’t wait to ride back home and tackle it all from the other direction.

I have two brothers. They are both two of my biggest heroes. The three of us were born with this insane need to be obsessed with things…I mean really obsessed. Almost to the point of being unhealthy. In the case of one of my younger brother’s latest obsessions, a lack of health is definitely not the issue.

I believe that being “obsessed” with things is a pretty fun way to live life. I guess what I mean by obsessed is more on the side of being completely dedicated to a goal and going after it 100%, and less on the side of say…John Hinckley Jr. and Jodie Foster. My brothers are constantly teaching me how to really go for something all the way, and watching my younger brother run the White Rock Marathon this past Sunday was the latest example.
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I just watched Floyd Landis cross the finish line on the 17th stage of the Tour De France. I heard today was amazing, but you just have to find a way to see this race. Today, Floyd Landis rode the single most impressive stage in the Tour De France I have ever seen. Floyd was away all day long, by himself. He was completely possessed. Everyone was counting him out after losing ten minutes in the GC yesterday. Now he is within 30 seconds of the yellow jersey. Floyd was brilliant on the climbs and a genius on the descents. Using every millimeter of the road to carry maximum speed through every corner. Today Floyd unleashed his “Shock and Awe.”

I just returned from vacation in South West Texas. The bike stayed home. Today I hit the road around 6:00 pm for the first time in a week. The bike felt great, but it was unusually hot and after a few short miles I felt almost completely paralyzed. So, a quick call to time and temperature revealed that it was 106 Degrees. Gotta love outdoor sports in the Texas summer!

Three laps easy with Wes, Les and Richard. No pain, just easy does it.

Today is a day off. Going to try to get the mojo back, and a little work done. Physical activities for the day are a big nothing. Too tired to even think tonight.
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This was a really tough week for me. I have struggled with overall balance as well as feeling unmotivated due to factors such as heat and diet. There were a few days where I simply felt depleted. I completely deviated from my focus on calories and diet on Saturday… enjoyed a few beers, a great big mexican dinner (yes I ate the chips), and a number of other snacks throughout the day. Sunday I felt almost instantly better. Like I had gas in the tank. (more…)

Assuming that I get ten hours a week of exercise based on plan, this is the bare minimum calories that my body requires to burn.

This is a snapshot of what my body burns at rest, or just at a normal day without any activity.

Sure I have been beating myself up lately because it feels like the plateau from hell, but this helps me to visualize the results of the hard work. 268 may not look as bad on a 6 foot 7 inch frame, but it feels like a lot on the bike.