Conference noted::bicycle

    1990 was a real pig for me, only 2121 miles so far (nothing in last 8
    weeks) - 1991 I AM GOING TO DO MINIMUM OF 5000!! In that there will be at
    least 20 triathlons (including NICE and perhaps IRONMAN) and now that
    the RTTC has seen sense, rejoin my cycling club and do 10 tts, and my
    back WILL hold out this year!
    
    Sad to hear you're in F-V Rod. Whatever will the club do without your
    newsletter?
    
    Peter

    I'm not evn going to say how few km I did last year, and am not brave
    enough to hazard a guess on km for this year.  Also I suspect that work
    may have to take the lions share of time so how about some aims this
    year:
    
    	- Not fall off this season (must be something about the name eh
    Rod?)
        - Consistenty finish in the bunch (not 20 minutes behind...)
        - 3 cols in a day - either a loop Cayolle,Allos... or in line
    	(Vars, Izoard, Galibier)
    	- Get some miles in with the some of the french residents who are
    here.
    	- Try some CLMs.
    
    
    (the other) rod

re: 1808
Hi Rod
I'm located in Geneva, so I can tell you that the aera around it is great.
You have choice between nice flat and very hilly rides. I often go for a ride
after work near Ferney/Divonne. 
Last year I managed over 10'000 km and about 35 cols; this year just 7'700 km
and about 10 cols but some triathlons and biathlons. I have to work hard on
swimming and running beside cycling, which I prefer. I hope to ride at least
7'000 km next year, if the job and time will allow it. 
I hope to see you maybe sometimes on a ride.

Norbert

    Well, if you were to have a contest, the object should be to
    see who can come closest to target by percentage.
    
    ed

>    Well, if you were to have a contest, the object should be to
>    see who can come closest to target by percentage.
    
That'd be TOO easy - like, when I get to my 27 miles goal for 1991, I'd just 
call my wife and have her pick me up :-).
                                           ken

    Re .3:  Yeah, let's meet some time, it's always better cycling with
    someone else. Meanwhile, in the snowy months, I'll just have to learn
    to ski.
    
    
    Rod

    Well, for 1990 my goals were 1500 miles and a metric century.
    
    Not counting the 300 miles on the trainer during the winter, I ended up
    at 2027 miles and did 3 metric centurys.
    
    So, for 1991 I'm going to plan 350 miles on the trainer, 2500 miles, and
    a milage century.  I'd love to be in the office this year so I can
    commute on my bike.  I have a really pleasant 15 mile route, I hope I
    get to use it!
    
    

    Well, I'll  be  a  bit more optimistic here than I was in the 1990
    wrap  up.  Let's  say  500 miles on the tandem (that depends on my
    wife  getting  in  better  shape, but sounds quite possible), 2000
    miles  commuting  to  work (commuting 100 out of 240 work days, at
    around  24  miles  per  round  trip),  and 500 in club rides on my
    single including at least a metric, and I hope a full century.

    That adds  up  to 3000 miles. I think the commuting number is low,
    but  the fun number may well be high. If we don't go to a rally or
    take a bike trip, it could be tough to get the 1000 fun miles in.

--David

    
    I won't predict my 1991 mileage until next December (see 1388.53).
    

    In 1388.43 I estimated my milage for this year to be 4500.  Well, the
    year is approaching the half way point, and I'm right on schedule - I
    currently have about 2000 miles.  I probably should increase my
    estimate as I have a trip planned at the end of July to the Alantic
    Canada Bicycle Rally.  Since the group that I'm going with will be
    biking from the ferry landing to the rally and back we figure that
    we'll put on about 500 miles, plus whatever we do at the rally.  Back
    when I made my estimate I had no idea that I'd be going on the rally,
    so I didn't include an estimate of the miles for it.  I'm going to
    increase my estimate to 5000 miles.  Though this ignores whatever
    riding I might have normally done during those two weeks, I'm not going
    to adjust for that as I'm starting to feel that I'll get in more than I
    originally thought I would.
    
    Rich
    
    P.S.  Longest single day ride is currently 130 miles on a trip around
    the Quabbin reservior.  I don't expect a longer ride, but you never
    know.

    Well It's show and tell time....
    
>    	- Not fall off this season 
    		Check.
    
>        - Consistenty finish in the bunch (not 20 minutes behind...)
    		I didn't even race (shame on me)
    
>        - 3 cols in a day - either a loop Cayolle,Allos... or in line
>    	(Vars, Izoard, Galibier)
    		I did the loop (Cayolle, Porte, Allos) but never managed
                more than ,2 in a line 
    
>    	- Get some miles in with the some of the french residents who are
>    here.
    		I managed to cycled with Robin, Rob + `the old' Rod (who
    are French resident) and John (who goes to fgrance for a quick cycle to
    the seaside and back :-)
    
>     	- Try some CLMs.
    		Shame on me again, no.  I still feel apologetic when I meet
    		people this side of the channel who think that slip
    		streaming lorries up busy dual carriageways is good sport.
    
    So this year.... 

    Okay, at least the cycling in '91 was above-average...
    
    I had three goals going in:
    
    1. Exceed 5,000 miles. My total was 5,385.
    2. Ride my first double-century. Done on June 22.
    3. Ride at least one century every calendar month of the year. Done.
    
    So now I've got a couple of days to think of my '92 goals.
    
    Here's wishing everyone a good New Year.
    
    	/Harry

My milage was 5300, pretty close to my mid-year adjusted estimate of 5000.

Rich

    Since it looks like I didn't post any goals in this note, that gives me
    carte blanche, I guess... :-)
    
    28400  Total 1991 Mileage  (23862.7 on odometer, plus about 40-50
    21076  Total 1991 UMCA Mileage                       not recorded)
           (Would like to have broken 20,000, and did so in the end.)
    
    Other goals:
    
      Yes  sub-12-hour double centuries for training
      No   400+/- miles in 24 hours  (set new personal best of 377)
      2/3  RAAM'91
      Yes  Paris-Brest-Paris '91
      Yes  more training with racers, etc.
    
    Goals for next year?  Let me think on it...
                                                         -john

Based on the previous replies, it sounds like I'm the weenie of the bunch.  I
managed 3652 miles in 1991.  Maybe I'll find time (and motivation) for more 
next year.

BTW, what's a "col"?  If it is the same as a "pass", I managed about a dozen
or so of them (up to 11k feet).

Mark

>    Well, I'll  be  a  bit more optimistic here than I was in the 1990
>    wrap  up.  Let's  say  500 miles on the tandem (that depends on my
>    wife  getting  in  better  shape, but sounds quite possible), 2000
>    miles  commuting  to  work (commuting 100 out of 240 work days, at
>    around  24  miles  per  round  trip),  and 500 in club rides on my
>    single including at least a metric, and I hope a full century.
>
>    That adds  up  to 3000 miles. I think the commuting number is low,
>    but  the fun number may well be high. If we don't go to a rally or
>    take a bike trip, it could be tough to get the 1000 fun miles in.
>
>--David

    Well, my  wife  and  I  did two trips on the tandem (Virginia Blue
    Ridge  and  New  Zealand  Southern  Alps),  and ended up with 1800
    miles, includeing several metric centuries, but no full centuries.
    Not  bad, considering that she had about 150 miles lifetime a year
    ago.

    I did about 2300 miles commuting to work, about what I expected.

    I did  no single pleasure rides. Every time I planned to ride with
    a club, or go for a spin, my wife joined me on the tandem.

    So, overall I did about 4100 miles, which is better than expected.
    I'll  try  to  equal it this year, but I don't see how we can take
    two trips, so I'll have to do more commuting.

--David

    
    My 1991 results were:
    			
    Goal			Target		Actual
    
    6000 miles			7200 miles	7830
    
    Ride 1000 miles in 1 month			Did it in July,
    						> 900 2 other months
    
    500 mile week				didn't happen
    
    More miles on bike than car			Barely made it! 7700 on car.
    (bike used mostly for commuting)

 
New Years Greetings,

I failed and feel awful! I can't believe how bad I feel when I 
make a goal and don't make it. Good grief at work I regularly don't
make goals I've come up with and so what? Conversly I make a goal to
do something on this stupid bike and don't make it and its like 
keep me away from sharp objects! Oh well here's the dismal results:

1. 3612.4 miles. Goal was 5000. 
2. 2 Metrics and 3 full Centurys
3. Several events were canceled because of weather and one particularly
neat ride through a local Air Force Base was canceled because of the 
Gulf War!
4. I finished the Hotter than Hell Hundred. 
5. The two Metrics I did were serious butt-kickers and if everyone
else that was in the ride hadn't finished ahead of me I would swear
the rides were impossiable. 
6. For all my dispondency I love this hobby, gosh I daydream about 
some of the goofiest things...like how the cannondale gear changer
things actually work. 

Fred Mudgett

     I guess I didn't document mine here either, but I did have some...
    No, honest...
    
    GOAL                       ACTUAL                  EDITORIAL
    ____                       ______                  _________
    
    Miles - 6k                5k something              Okay
                            (never summed 'em)
    
    TT - break 28 min.        Best - 29:05          ARRRRGGGGHHH!!!!
    
    Mt. Washington - sub 1:30    1:35               Happy - 11 min. faster
                                                    than last year
    
    Century a month                1                No comment!
    
    Weekly Mt. Wachusett         over 21            Happy - avg'd over 1
    climbs (training)                                       per week
    
    Racing - win, place or       None - Best 4th    I was a lot faster, 
             show                only 2 out of top  but so were the races.
                                 10                 I am at the end of the
                                                    cut-off for my age ;-(
    
       Chip

    My 1991 goals were not quite as ambitious, but I feel good about what I
    accomplished.
    
    I never rode more than 700 miles in one year and set a goal of 1000
    miles. I finished the year at 1700 miles. Next year will be 2000.
    
    I wanted to ride the 7 Hills Wheelmen Century in under 8 total hours,
    7&1/2 hrs riding time. I used the training program in Bicycling
    Magazine as much as possible and finished in 7hrs. 15min total and just
    over 6&1/2hrs riding time(15.3mph) . Next year - average 16mph and
    finish in 6hrs. 25min. riding time and under 7 hrs total.
    
    I wanted to commute once per week during Daylight Savings Time( 33
    miles round trip) I did this about half the time. Next year my commute
    will be 44 miles round trip and I hope to do this once per week during
    DST.

At first I thought I would skip replying to this note. This past year was 
full of peaks and valleys as far a biking is concerned. 

My goal this year was to be a better rider than I was in years previous.

I started the year riding a fixed gear, a 42-17. This bike whipped me into 
shape faster than I could believe. Hills that once sent me looking for a
24 tooth cog I was now climbing with ease with the 17. Of course not having 
the weight of a freewheel, derailleurs and shifters helped, BUT I was now 
attacking hills rather than giving in to them. This was riding through the
winter.

When I got tired of the fixed gear I brought out my BASSO Paris-Roubaix. I was 
riding it faster than ever. I had already made my goal before summer even 
started. 

I was starting to get burnt-out in MAY! I could no longer stand our 
"friendly" lunch time rides. I had a race coming up and I really didn't care.
I was looking at getting a house and that was all I could think about.

When I found my house and papers were started, bicycling stopped. I started 
eating as if I was never going to eat again once we got the house. Without
riding and eating like a pig, I gained weight.

When I found out how much closing was going to be the liquidation started.
I sold my VW van, spare bike parts and my only good bike. 

After the BASSO was sold, I really stopped riding. I tried to ride my winter
beater but it wasn't the same. I hated it. I missed my good bike.

Now that things have settled down with the new/old house I'm getting back 
into shape.

I picked up a BASSO Loto SLX frame and will be getting in a box of components
from Colorado Cyclist. I will be fitting it up with Shimano 600 Ultegra 
8-speed STI. 


As they say in Fenway Park, "Wait 'll next year!"


Tom

The best thing of NOT having goals is that you can never disappoint yourself...

Miles: ~3000 (computer problems took away an accurate count)

	2000 on the Marinoni tandem
	 800 on the Merlin (at this rate, it will last forever...)
	 200 on the Trek 990 ATB

Highlights (all on the tandem with Nancy):

	o Broke MRC TT Mixed tandem record
	o 7th overall - Duet Classic Stage Race
	o 7th out of 1200 - Pan Mass Challenge (1st tandem and Nancy was the 1st
		woman).  Ok, it's not a race but somebody forgot to tell the 
		first few hundred rider
	o 110 miles in 5:45
	o Nancy and I are still talking

Goal for 1992:

	o Continue to ride with Nancy (and survive...)

    
    
     Alright Tom!
    
     Good to seee you "Back in the saddle again."
    
     JOhn C.
    

      This probably doesn't belong here, but being the kinda guy I am,
     I'm going to write anyway...
    
     Eric, 800 miles! 800 miles! That's it! You bought that dream machine
    and you end up treating it like a distraction!!!! :-) :-)
    
     I hope this takes some of the attention away from my squandering
    habits...                                          --
    
     BTW, maybe somebody can talk Eric into agreeing that the Merlin ought
    to be put into a "foster home" for a while. It's so young and needs
    much more attention than it's getting. 
    
     After all, a Merlin IS a terrible thing to waste.
    
       Chip

    [Sigh of relief....] Now I don't have to feel like I contributed to the
    demise of your cycling by buying equipment from you.

    Funny thing was when I heard Tom was selling out I felt awful.  Seeing
    someone like Tom getting out of cycling is like seeing child abuse on
    the evening news!
    
    Phil
    
    p.s. Welcome back Tom.
    

Can't find my 1991 goals note right now (think it's in the 1990 miles note)
but I remember saying I wanted 5000 km. Having seen what some of you people
are reporting, that was a very modest goal. Actually I went quite a bit 
further, but I'm still not up there with the stars of this file.

Final kilometrage (is that a word?):    7040 km (4400 mi)
which breaks down as follows -
	Raleigh (race bike)             4420 km
	Harry Hall (tourer)             2210 km
	Uncomputed, estimated            410 km

Having acquired an Avocet 50, I can also report that during my 4420 km on
the Raleigh I climbed 55 000 m. I estimate I had about 20 000 m climb during
the km on the Harry Hall, so say 75 000 m climb during the year (about
247 000 feet).

In other news, I didn't fall off, I cycled a lot of glorious rides, I improved
my act technically, I did three cyclo-sportifs. It was the best season of
cycling I've ever had. Here's to '92 and more of the same.


Rod

    We now recognize Tom's bike sale as having been a ploy so that he
    could buy the bike he really wanted without having to justify having
    two bikes at the same time.
    
    ed

    
    
    Well Sue guilt-tripped me the other day...so here's how I did:
    
    Goal                                  Actual
    -----------------------------------   --------------------------
    
    Ride 1500 miles (from Zero in '90)    Close (1417 miles)
    
    Do a sub 6 hour Century               Did a soggy 5:50 century with GSW
    
    Break the 21 mph avg on our 17 mile   Did it at 21.4 mph
    circuit (2 riders)
    
    Break 20 mph solo on the same         Close - 19.9 mph
    circuit
    
    Do over 5000 meters on that &%$#*@%   Finally - in December!
    rowing machine in 20 minutes!
     

                              
    MTB - purchased 6-1-91:
    
    174 miles racing 
    892 miles riding/training
    
    Highlight - finishing a 26 mile race in a downpour in 3 minutes more
    time than a 16 mile race at the same place.  Difference between the
    races around 3 months and the road bike! 
    
    Disappointment - crashing in the Downhill at MT Snow
    
    Road Bike - purchased 8-28-91:
    
    1856 miles
    
    Highlight - two centuries
    
    Disappointment - waiting so long to start cycling.
    
    Goals: 
    
    Ride with a more structured program, using a heart rate monitor and do
    many more endurance miles!
    
    john

    
>>     I hope this takes some of the attention away from my squandering
>>    habits...                                          --
    
	VERY hopeful. I still have nightmares thinking of going to the bank
    manager to discuss my financial problems after buying your cast offs.
    
    	I'm going to have to avoid Rod for a couple of months so that he
    doesn't pressurise me into humiliating myself in this note.
    
    Graham.

    
    1991 - a good year, 1992 - a better year
    
    1991 was my year for commuting to work.  I thought this would raise
    my overall mileage but with a short commute of only 12 miles round trip
    and my lack of completing weekday evening rides, I disappointed myself
    a bit
    
    1991 came in at around 2400 miles.  Here's my breakdown...
    
    	Puch road bike	-	879 miles (commuting)
        Trek road bike  -      1326 miles (joy riding)
        ATB	        -    ~  200 miles (no odometer)
    
    Some highlights...
    
    - Cycled the Flordia Keys from Baiha Honda to Key West and back in
      August (HOT!!!!!).  This was around a 70 miler.
    - Cycled several short stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC.
    - Cycled Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.  
      This was a 105 miler of GREAT road and scenery.
    - Road the 7 hills Wheelman century that started in Spencer MA.
    - Road an Ed Fisher century from ZKO to the Hampton and back.
    - Road my favorite century twice in the White Mountains.
    	
    1992 Goals
    
    - Put on over 3000 miles 
    - Commute at least 3 times a week (I've started this week).  Take the
      longer way to work to raise the round trip miles.
    - Ride a bunch more centurys, I really love those long rides.
    - Do a sub six hour century.
    - Beat my top speed of 56 MPH (Crawford Notch)
    - Rent a tandem and take my wife riding (my next bike purchase???)
    
    Major rides in the planning...
    
    - Complete the Cape in a Day Classic (122)
    - Complete the White Mountain Triple Notch Classic (81, maybe stretch
      this one into a Century) 
    - Complete the Rural Vermont Classic (204)
    - Spend a week in May cycling Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway
      (400-500+ if the heart can take it)
    - Speed a week in August cycling the from Calgary, Alberta to Banff, up
      the Icefield Parkway to Jasper and back to Banff (450+)
    - Spend a week camping in Maine and ATB riding the Acadia Carriage
      Paths in June (200+)
    - Do my favorite White Mountain Century in the spring, summer and late
      fall in time for leaf peeping (300)
    
    That should do it...  Unless I find some more interesting rides.
    
    
    Cheers,
    
    ...Ed

    
    Ed,
    
    Keep us informed if you come up with dates and want company :-).
    
    john