My Blog

01/05/07

There's a new blog here

10/31/06

This is a video from Daryl Spano, an SJBC racer who did the Henry Coe Hill Climb this past weekend. I raced this last year, but couldn't make it this year. This video gives a good idea of how getting dropped feels like. :) Notice the speed at which they climb, it's amazing! If I had gone and done it, I doubt I would have been able to stay with the lead group and, for that matter, in the video! -ssb

 

07/10/06

A couple of people were upset with me over the fact that I recently acquired an Apple iBook as an extra computer. I'd like to explain my decision to step aside and use a PowerPC based computer instead of the more traditional x86 architecture.

I like the elegant design of the iBook. It won a few awards when it debut back in 2002 (?) and almost all current Apple laptop designs take cue from that original. Its sleek white shell makes it look clean and solid. The overall shape is much more streamlined than any PC-based notebook I've ever seen. And the PowerPC architecture is reputedly better designed than the Intel x86, which may account for the price difference between the two.

Although it came with the computer, and it looked very nice, I'm not running Mac OS X on it, as most people would assume (since it IS an Apple machine). I needed a system that I could get up and running overnight, with minimal troubleshooting and customization, and was compatible with all the filesystems I've been using up to this point. I assume that Apple is using FFS in their OS X implementation, and that filesystem is currently not supported in any of my kernels at home. Besides, almost all Linux-based software is freely distributed and open to the public. That's a far cry from the iLife software suite that Apple sells for $99 bones.

And the price, $325 for a used system, can't be beat. It seems like Apple systems tend to keep their value longer, possibly for the aesthetics. Again, design played a large role in my decision to get this computer.

And I'm very happy with it. :)

05/25/06

Training Mt Diablo, Part 1

It's a nice day, and the mountain beckons. I'm still at work, my bicycle sitting behind my desk. What shall I do about the urge? My friend John had shown me how to get to Tunnel Rd, the road that leads me home from work. That made the trip easier overall. I knew where I was going now. Perhaps I will ride home again today.

And climb the mountain. The hard way.

There are two ways to climb that hill: the easy way, which involves climbing South Gate Rd, and descending North Gate. I say this because the south side is better sheltered by the sun, and is less steep in some sections. The hardway involves going the other way, climbing North Gate Rd, which is mostly exposed and has 2 or 3 steep sections.

To me, the hard way is actually the easy way, because I live close to North Gate Rd, and it lets me start the climb right away without having to ride some distance before the climb.

Today would be different. The ride to Tunnel Rd is about 10 miles, through Alameda, Oakland, Rockridge, Berkeley, before reaching the climb. Tunnel Rd itself is not a hard climb. Perhaps 2 miles at about a 6% grade.

And so the ride starts. And as soon as I get out the door, the wind blows me backwards. If I were to put down a cyclist's 3 nemeses, I'd say:

1. Wind
2. Asphalt
3. Bad drivers and their WMDs

As I ride upwind, I see another cyclist pedaling the other direction. I wave. I'm a friendly guy, I always try to smile and be friendly to other cyclists. But I'm also thinking, "lucky bastard."

The ride takes me into the city of Alameda, where I meet up with a weekend riding group sometimes. I pass by the familiar Peet's Coffee and wish I had a group to shield me from the wind. I miss riding with them. The last time I made a serious effort for them must have been months ago when we rode through The Three Bears in Orinda. They are the group with whom I learned my place in a team: I'm there to help the group, not to slow them down, and not to blast away and leave them whimpering (not like I could ever do that anyway).

Many people have the idea that riding in a group is only appropriate for those who are in shape and have nice bicycles. I think they just haven't been out with a group, and they don't have the desire to work for that group. It's a state of mind, like many other things.

Okland follows, along Lake Merritt and around it, I reach the first small climb of the day as it takes me up and over Grand Ave and down to College Ave through Rockridge. I had ridden many times through this street, but had never actually slowed down to look at the shops here. John had told me that there are some good eats in this place, so perhaps I will bring Lisa here someday.

Claremont Ave is coming up, and I hang a right. Is this the same Claremont I climbed with my friend Colin last week? One of the steepest hills I've ever climbed (perhaps #3 of my all-time list), Claremont leads up to the same place that Tunnel takes me. I take a right into Tunnel, bypassing the Claremont climb. I can do that another day, a shorter day than today.

Tunnel takes me up to a left-handed signal, and the main climb looms above, not quite fearsome, but I ignore those feelings, and concentrate on pedaling.

There's only one way up.

04/18/06

All our friends know that our apartment is a mess. Well, lately, it's gotten so bad that we've barely had room to walk through in our bedroom. It had gotten to the point where I decided we need to do some spring cleaning (fitting time for it too!). Anyway, it felt quite pleasant to stay home last Saturday and clean up (after having gotten rained out on a ride). As the day wore on, the sun came out in bursts of sunshine and it truly felt like it was spring! When we were done, most of our apartment was uncluttered (all our crap is now stored in a corner hidden by a screen :-P), and we can actually walk around the place! Lisa and I now look forward to going home (whereas we would avoid it like a plague before). I've also gotten bit by the cleaning bug as I am now washing all our dishes every night and making sure that the sink is cleared for the overnight.

Now that might sound like we were slobs before, but if you look at your kitchen sink, you'd probably know what I'm talking about. ;) -ssb

04/04/06

So my friend Sue finally decided to have a kid. As fate would have it, she'll be a member of the Lonely Red Star State kids club ... a true Texan! Yee-haw!!!! Maybe she'll have really cool trucks and guns! Anyway, on to the pictures ...