Nice Ride….Less than 11 minutes home!

I have been cycling for a few months now and I seem to have a “need for speed.” Last night on the commute home it took me 10 minutes and 52 seconds to go 2.69 miles with an average speed of 14.9 mph with a top speed of 26.6 mph.

Over my first 643 miles I have cleaned my chain twice, I have two fewer undershirts now, and replaced 2 rear tubes. Everything is working fine and I am so happy with my bike! I am still acquiring biking clothes and supplies such as gloves, glasses, those things I never really thought of before.

I am a member of Waba, a preferred customer at Hudson Trail Outfitters and Performance Bicycle (As of last night). Bike supplies seem to be expensive and the memberships basically paid for themselves on my first purchase. I am excited to have gotten what seems to be a really good deal on some thorn proof tubes from Performance Bicycle hoping that will prevent so many flats between GU and Friendship Heights on my way to work. They say to be 4 times thicker, will have to see. For those avid cyclists concerned with speed, the extra weight would be unacceptable, but for me, the commuter, a little extra weight in exchange for getting to work on time…well worth it 🙂

My cycling inventory (Reason to keep 2 jobs too)

  • Helmet – Giro Ionos (I run hot, so need all the air flow I can get)
  • Glasses – Coming in the mail..but they are cool ones that automatically tint.
  • Gloves – Louis Garneau Gel Carbon (Hmm..something about “Carbon” in the name that sucked me in)
  • Shoes – Shimano SH-M122B (Shoes I Can Walk in)
  • Petals – Crank Brothers Quattro (They looked cool)
  • Socks – My usual Hanes….have not splurged on the socks yet and perhaps won’t.
  • Shorts – Louis Garneau Ergotex 2 (Sweet waffle pattern and they don’t feel like spandex!)
  • Nickers – Pearl Izumi (Deal on Chainlove, are spandex and will have to get used to the suspenders! – Cool day riding)
  • Rain Gear – Performance Bicycle jacket and pants (They are so waterproof they make me sweat just having them on…now that I change at work, may not use them and just enjoy the acid rain 🙂 )
  • Jerseys – Mixture of Pearl Izumi, DeMarchi, Oakley, and Giordana (I think I have about 7 now which is enough. They seem to stink really bad and the running of the washing machine just for a jersey or 2 was inefficient so, now I have a weeks worth since I ride daily)
  • Lock – Bulldog (Super Heavy with cable for the front wheel. I leave my bike inside when I can and leave the lock at home)
  • Computer – Wireless Cateye (Basic Model..now that I know about cadence, probably want to upgrade and get one with temperature on it. Not sure I will go for GPS, but elevation would be cool. I think I have a watch somewhere…though it got a little wet and I think is done 🙁 )
  • Maintenance – Multitool, Blackburn AirTower 2, CO2 inflator, tire levers.

Anyone have suggestions for any other supplies I need or anything that works really well for you? I am especially curious on Jerseys….since there seem to be 10,000 of them out there all saying many different cool sounding things. I don’t care the price, but I do tend to run a little hot and want to be as cool as I can!

Movie Review: “Wanted” (Spoilers)

So this time, in an attempt to find a theatre where patrons understand the term “courteous,”  we travelled to Silver Spring, MD by hopping on the Metro Rail.  I was not aware of the acquisition of “Consolidated Theatres” by Regal Entertainment Group so this is another theatre to use the $7.50 movie tickets from Costco 🙂  Silver Spring is definitely up and coming and very busy tonight.  After dinner at the Austin Grill, which had a surprising Tex Mex menu, we caught the 7:25 showing of “Wanted.”  The previews got me interested.  Any spy like movie with Angelina and Morgan is definitely worth watching.  I have yet to see a bad movie starring either actor.  

I have to admit the beginning 30 min or so seemed to go on for a long time.  This was when the main character was introduced and his situation explained.  This movie seemed to be directed in a similar manner as “Batman Begins” and “Spiderman,” some of my favorite movies.  

To begin, this is not a movie for young children or those who are very sensitive to “swear words.”  The “f-bomb” is dropped a number of times.  The opening scenes reminded me of the classic “Office Space” complete with a miniature red stapler.  A guy stuck in a dead end job in a cubicle with an annoying nagging boss.  After a few run-ins with the “Fraternity” he grows some cojones by telling his boss off and breaking half of his ergonomic keyboard on his coworker’s face.  His coworker has been cheating on him with his girlfriend for quite some time, even leaving his wallet in the apartment!  Once that happens, he realizes his life is going to change and starts the training to become a member of the “Fraternity” of assassins.  

Morgan freeman is the head of the fraternity which gets kill orders from a 1000 year old loom which spells out the individuals to be killed in binary code.  The flaws in the weave reveal the the code.  No one questions the loom and the code dictates the swift assassination of those selected in order to save lives.  

The stunts in the movie are incredible.  A very strange twist is a recovery room.  This room seems to have multiple wax baths which speed recovery of wounds.  The main character wakes up disoriented unable to move.  

The main motivation for the joining of the fraternity is the main characters father who was said to have been killed.  He did not know his father.  He is trained and sent to kill his fathers’ assassin.  Hanging from a derailed train over a ravine, he does shoot his target who oddly enough catches him just a few minutes before preventing his fall.  As he is dying, he reveals that he is truly the father.  A friend of his father connects the dots for him and it turns out that he is on the wrong side and the loom actually has revealed that all of the current assassins in the fraternity are slated to be assassinated!  

Standing in a room looking for the leader, he becomes surrounded by a group of assassins and leader orders him to be killed.  After explaining what he has found, and a rebuttal by the leader that if it weren’t for him, they all would have been killed and he is now choosing who is to be assassinated.  One of the assassins decides to forego “the code”, but before he shoots, Angelina bends a bullet which ends up killing all of the assassins as it travels around finally striking her in the head upholding the code.

Morgan escapes, but in the end, goes on a hunt to kill the rogue assassin….but, in the same way his supposed dad was killed, Morgan is killed!  

So now that I have spoiled the movie, go see it!  It is a great one!

Flat Tire Number 2!

After I blew my first tire on the way from GU to Friendship Heights, I expected my next flat to be my front tire since the back went first.  Nope, tonight I had another flat back tire 🙁  This time I was past Hudson Trail Outfitters, so I walked to work and took the metro home.  I picked up a spare last time I was in, so I am going to do my first flat fix on my new bike.  Hopefully I will be able to find whatever punctured the tire so I can be sure to clear it before the new tube gets inflated to 100 psi.  I did not realize how fast I go through tubes, I should have picked up a few 4 packs from chainlove.com the other day.

Tomorrow is another hot day in DC..stay cool and have a nice weekend!

Chain Love.com

I don’t think I will forgive my coworker for introducing me to a “Woot” for the cyclist driven by Backcountryoutlet.com.  For those not familiar with “Woot” sites like this, the main idea is to take a seriously overstocked item which has likely become discontinued and discount it drastically.  “Woot” is cool in that the cost for shipping for 1-3 of the current deal is just $5.  Chainlove.com typically sells cycling products more than 50% off retail price and for a new cyclist like myself, has really brought the bargain hunter out in me!  I have placed 7 orders at this point and the first 2 arrived from Salt Lake today.  My Shimano cleats disguised as trail running shoes and my winter nickers!  Not sure I like the whole unitard or suspender look, but thankfully you cover it up with a jersey 🙂

So if you like good deals and are into cycling, check out Chainlove.com.  Be forewarned, you may get sucked in and have to remortgage your house!  LOL

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