| Ride Date |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
Modify Ride |
1/3/2011
(Mon)
|
16.75 |
01:22:13 |
12.18 |
32.19 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
473 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Riding sick - touch of the flu. Short ride, Trinity Trail, W. Taylor Hill, UPS errand, back to trail and middle lookout then home. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm and clear with wind from the south. About 12 mph. |
1/4/2011
(Tue)
|
20.93 |
01:33:18 |
13.42 |
27.22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
617 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Trinity Trails west to 183 then back to Target and Fiesta for groceries. Steady and spent some very fruitful time reviewing Chinese dialogues. Still a little ill but feeling much better today. |
| Weather Conditions: High of about 52° with a light wind from the northish. |
1/5/2011
(Wed)
|
20.53 |
01:27:04 |
14.11 |
27.34 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
631 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Late afternoon ride along west Trinity Trail to Art Gate and home. Finished with the first few Chinese podcasts. I think that I can recite them in my sleep. |
| Weather Conditions: Cool mid 50°'s [cooling quickly as the sun set] with a lite wind, maybe 5mph, from the W/NW. |
1/8/2011
(Sat)
|
29.07 |
02:17:45 |
12.61 |
32.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
821 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Middle Trinity Trail not as far as Meandering Rd. mostly because I can hardly take the quiet emptiness of the Trail. Made my off of it for a little while to West North Village or North West Village. Something like that anyways. Sat at a small Indian grocery watching locals come into the store while I ate a small bag of cheeseitz and contemplated the headroom issue surrounding a ten gallon hat and the interior of a late 90's LeSabre. |
| Weather Conditions: Chilly mid 40's. |
1/11/2011
(Tue)
|
15.37 |
01:07:49 |
13.55 |
29.52 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
459 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Short ride along the mind-numbing and today finger numbing trail. Up W. Taylor and confrontation going down with an off-duty cop who, after looking right at me, felt it was necessary to pull out then slow to a near stop so that he could ease into the stopped traffic waiting for the light. I was incensed enough to stop and give him an ear-full about the dim-witted maneuver. Sheesh, who EVOCed this ding-dong?
Of course, how could he respond but defensively - that I was going too fast. Maybe, but drive like there's an on-coming bike already. Serve AND protect. Jerk. |
| Weather Conditions: COLD. Around 32-33°. |
1/16/2011
(Sun)
|
10.04 |
00:46:33 |
12.92 |
28.09 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
285 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Short get me out of the house before I melt into the furniture kind of ride. Trinity trails to Target for a made up errand. |
| Weather Conditions: Grey. Mid forties. |
1/17/2011
(Mon)
|
16.52 |
01:14:59 |
13.17 |
27.90 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
477 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: South near the trainyards and under the highway. To the area around the museums via some road in which the cars only grudgingly give some space and zero bike lane until I arrived at the museums and near Montgomery Plaza. Then just a fuck it decision to get back on the trails so that I could listen to some music. North towards middle lookout then home via the trail listening to Dylan which makes it all better. |
| Weather Conditions: Sun out today. Crispy cool low 50s with a wind [about 10 mph] from the south southwest. |
1/18/2011
(Tue)
|
9.72 |
01:07:05 |
8.70 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
314 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Walked the bike with Hannah [explains the low avg speed] to the bike shop to pick up her newly wrapped handlebars then together to downtown so that Hannah could get her workout at the Y and I could make the roundabout trek to Target for avocados.
Hannah noted on the way that the sound of Fort Worth is a single cough in a quiet downtown which made me laugh maybe a little loud for Fort Worth taste but it's true nonetheless. EVERYTHING here is pin drop quiet except the congested freeways that shoot you through and out of this town. I imagine that most of the city saves its boisterousness for TCU games and TJ Jangleboomers located conveniently near most off-ramps. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny beautiful mid 50's with northerly wind around 10-11mph. |
1/19/2011
(Wed)
|
3.73 |
00:21:19 |
11.06 |
18.95 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
87 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: This is @$#!ing sad. |
| Weather Conditions: Beautiful day, mid fifties. |
| January Rides |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
|
| 9 |
142.64 |
11:18:05 |
12.78 |
32.19 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4,164 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
2/5/2011
(Sat)
|
28.14 |
02:26:20 |
11.50 |
23.80 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
755 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: First ride in how long? Oh right, two and a half weeks. Felt really wonderful with the sun shining and the trail, though slushy in places, wet in others and icy in a few.
Actually it was a rather long ride considering the time off the bike. Though ten days in LA walking 8 to 10 miles a day during the last week of January conditioned me some to the long slow ride today.
I do, however, need to remember to bring something along to eat. I got off the trail at Cold Spring Park to get a seriously needed cheese crackers and Snickers. In the neighborhood I asked an old man shoveling the street in front of his home where I might find a convenience store. His immediate response being, "You're pretty white to be all up in here" before directing me to a cinderblock cave with numerous signs regarding when alcohol goes on sale. A young Cambodian or Vietnamese man took my cash [only] through a small hole in the bulletproof glass.
Outside I wiped the dust off the crackers [being I guess not their number one seller] and ate my treat while I watched people mill around the neighborhood. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny, Upper 40's to low 50's and a light wind from the SW, about 4-5 mph. Snow still on the ground but rapidly melting. |
2/6/2011
(Sun)
|
25.75 |
02:12:30 |
11.62 |
27.15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
701 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: West Trinity Trail ride through Art Gate and Winscott Road past Benbrook Lake and into Benbrook proper. Riding through 20 year old middle working class homes was nice. Men in their yards, examining their classic car projects, inspecting hedges and cleaning eaves around their garage woodworking shops.
This is a pleasant taste of what is to come in the next few weeks when I begin riding in Beijing. That thing being mostly just life lived out and about. |
| Weather Conditions: ~50° and mostly sunny. Wind from the NW, about 5mph. |
2/7/2011
(Mon)
|
5.80 |
00:33:11 |
10.44 |
19.39 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
154 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Short errands ride to UPS then to the bikeshop to drill rims for Shraeder valves. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm, nearly 50, with a strongish wind (13mph or so) from the north. |
2/11/2011
(Fri)
|
25.07 |
02:12:42 |
11.31 |
26.72 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
680 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Errand run to that big beautiful old post office via South Jennings underpass to send documents to my mother (old original job references, commendations, etc.). Then to Trinity Trail via the 3rd Street entrance that I normally take to Sandy's church.
I was a little indeterminate re: where I wanted to go and so sat stupidly at a trailhead looking first south then north but settled for north. Rode the middle way to the little Indian convenience store for a small bag of cheezits and oreos then back again for cheetos. It was a chee[z]e kind of day. Tomorrow is my last ride on this trail and in the USA for a while. |
| Weather Conditions: Nice. Clear and sunny with temps in the mid 50's and wind from the westish but very light. |
2/12/2011
(Sat)
|
39.90 |
02:58:55 |
13.36 |
32.56 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1164 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Last ride in the U.S. for at least a couple of years. Trinity Trails west to Benbrook for Cheezits. Around Benbrook Reservoir to Dutch Branch Park. I finally forked over the dollar to ride the 10 mile round trip to the park's south gate. Strange Texas scape - all browns and an eerily car-free asphalt road. Lots of road bikes and little pelatons. Apparently its the place to be seen in your kit.
Bike is in the shed now but it's getting broken down, scrubbed and packed tomorrow and Monday. Those wheels will touchdown in Beijing in a few days.
I am really looking forward to riding in China... |
| Weather Conditions: Warm, sunny and clear in the mid 60's. Wind from the west, about 6mph. |
2/23/2011
(Wed)
|
24.53 |
02:17:19 |
10.69 |
26.59 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
659 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: First ride in Beijing! I put the bike together last night and somehow overtightened the headset. It's stiff and I don't yet know how to adjust that.
Rode around Shijingshan (our neighborhood) in large loops mostly south of our street. It's amazing how much more real the life gets in these backstreets and alleys than the main thoroughfare that we live on. Add hock markets, peddlers, strolling families, shoppers pulling small carts full of produce, flatbed trikes hauling all manner of detritus and wiggly traffic that superficially feels a little uncomfortably close but the awareness is there and so it's not scary. Except the semi trucks that are aggressive and a little homicidal. All in all it's exotic and invigorating. |
| Weather Conditions: Chilly, upper 30's to low 40's. Clear sky rare for Beijing. |
2/28/2011
(Mon)
|
13.51 |
01:21:09 |
10.44 |
28.33 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
372 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Hannah told me yesterday that we are in fact almost across the street from the Olympic mountain bike track which I verified to my pleasant surprise. There's snow on the ground and the exposed dirt is too muddy for my thin 26" wheels but I can see some fun singletrack sometime this early spring. As it is there are webs of roads that surround this track up and down a fairly steep hill - a good workout. The rest of the ride was north to northwest through some kind of campus and through a busy shopping district, terminating into a military base of some kind. Windy neighborhood roads = lots to explore in the future. |
| Weather Conditions: 36° with an 8-9 mph wind from the north. Given the compact roads that I was riding on today I only felt it intermittently. Chilly at first but a few layers on top and cotton longjohns were enough after only 10 minutes or so. |
| February Rides |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
|
| 7 |
162.70 |
14:02:06 |
11.70 |
32.56 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4,485 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
3/1/2011
(Tue)
|
12.26 |
00:55:27 |
13.24 |
31.50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
732 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Loving this proximity to the Olympic Mountain Bike Course [OMBC]. An access road rings it completely and the hills are pretty spectacular for going up and racing down. One rotation (it's a complete ring) out the door with a good effert, then west, northwest to BiaoJiao (sp?) East road as far as I could go and north to one of the ring roads, loop back and another ring around the OMBC. Short ride today but a lot of hills and strong cadence. |
| Weather Conditions: Upper 30's, clear day with an ~8 mph wind from the west / northwest |
3/2/2011
(Wed)
|
12.40 |
01:08:17 |
10.87 |
16.59 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
315 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Rode easy around the neighborhood south and southwest of our apartment. The only goal today being to familiarize myself with this community. I really enjoy the way that a map emerges in my mind as I get lost and found repeatedly throughout the ride. I ended up riding (in a lost/found loop) the neighborhood called 'Liùyuánhuā' [six sided garden] where Hannah and I first looked at apartments. I've got a better sense of where it is in my mental map now.
On a tech note, I zip-tied the front derailleur lever as a precursor to removing it completely. Also trying to stay on/around the 15 tooth cog. Rode effectively a 32/15. I spun out a little but I liked the change in how I rode. Softer and less aggressive somehow. |
| Weather Conditions: Beautiful day. Clear in the low 40's with a mild 4mph or so wind from the south. |
3/3/2011
(Thu)
|
21.15 |
02:10:36 |
9.69 |
20.75 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
564 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Longer ride today. I hope that Thursdays (for as long as my schedule holds) will be my long days. That and Sundays when Hannah wants to ride. Today I looped the China Central Television Tower [tallest building in Beijing] via a winding route north of the landmark. The goal appearing and disappearing behind buildings and hills. It's fun when the road narrows into zig-zag alleys and you have to re-orient.
After that I ate some bread, peanuts and cabbage at a stall "famous in the neighborhood" and had a frustrating conversation with the owner's son. Frustrating in the sense that we had a mutual wish to communicate. I *need* to learn Chinese.
Then a little north to a strange poor neighborhood, trash in the streets, piles of coal, dirty children out again to Tiancun road to some kind of tree farm, photographed some workers playing Xiàngqí at an intersection. Then home near the W. 5th ring road. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny and relatively warm. Mid 40's with a wind from the west/northwest at ~16 mph. |
3/4/2011
(Fri)
|
7.16 |
00:29:55 |
14.35 |
24.54 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
216 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Intervals.
Two laps around the road that rings the OMBC which I just realized today serves as the track for the driving school that sits on the north side of the circle just before that last panting hill.
Trying to keep my speed up on the hills but the last is a little bit of a killer (particularly the second time around). Good quick 30 minute workout and I'll look to increasing both my speed and the number of circuits in the future. Should do wonders for my strength.
Best sight of the day was a small car with 3 dogs trailing behind. Two huskies and a pomeranian; the woman in the passenger side egging them on for their daily exercise. |
| Weather Conditions: Another pretty day. Not quite as clear as the last two but bright and sunny. 50° with a mild 2.2 mph wind from the North. |
3/6/2011
(Sun)
|
29.05 |
03:07:56 |
9.26 |
23.80 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
775 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Rode north to northwest today; out of the city and into an open and quieter China on the outskirts of Beijing and into the mountains...or at least near them. I am a little ashamed to say that I haven't been able to locate where I was. Also I was being pig-headed about Hannah's request to take a picture of a sign engraved on a large rock so that I could in fact find out where we were. It was mountainous and beautiful. I will have to get a better handle on the area in the future. It's within 20km and there are a lot of nice rides around the area so I'm sure I'll be back. Probably this week, in fact.
At any rate, this is where we ended up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjulius/5504314936/
Oh, and a fantastic lunch! Large garlic fish cooked in oil and served on a pan over coals at the table. I was picking at every last piece right up to leaving. A little pricey: 138 RMB [~ $20] with 2 sides and rice but well worth it. I particularly liked seeing the fish brought live to the table writhing in a large plastic bag. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny and clear but a little frigid. In the low forties and a brisk headwind: about 16 mph. |
3/9/2011
(Wed)
|
25.02 |
02:13:33 |
11.18 |
26.10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
687 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Nice early afternoon ride. I had initially set my sights on looping the Summer Palace but the grounds are dense and beckon some to be explored in their own right. Also sighted some kind of tower near the grounds on what I think is called Yuquan Hill but I am not certain. So I looped it: around the northern side and back down through a canal [in the dried bed of that canal no less] with border guards along the wall of the hill standing at attention; staring at the wall next to their towers.
I am not certain about anything but the vague sense of where I am. This is actually pretty easy with the ring roads forming natural borders to meanderings. Also the "way point" towers that I am gathering in my repertoire helps some. I am thoroughly enjoying this process of making my Beijing. owning it a little, one landmark at a time. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny. Low 50's with a strong wind from the north. About 20 mph. |
3/11/2011
(Fri)
|
10.34 |
00:00:00 |
14.35 |
26.22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
318 |
Road: Hills |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Three laps around the 'Driving School'. Some kind of Beijing style of instruction going on there. Oncoming cars passing other cars and the teacher to the driver, I suppose, instructing: "Just get in the other lane and punch it, he'll get out of the way".
Anyway, stronger on the hills though I could feel it in the lungs. |
| Weather Conditions: Smoggy day, but warm at least. Low 50's with (at least as I was able to sense) not much of a wind at all. Wunderground says there was: 3 mph from the south. ok. |
3/13/2011
(Sun)
|
12.22 |
01:14:55 |
9.76 |
18.70 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
316 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Last night Hannah and I watched the documentary "Long Train Home" about the difficult lives of the migratory workers across China's factory districts. I was moved at just what the Chinese will endure. I went to bed with this on my mind.
Today. Not even out of the building for my ride, I sensed a rudeness from a young lady shoving her way into the elevator (Beijingers can in fact be aggressive but it's a subtle no harm no foul kind of pushiness). I reacted poorly and basically pushed her out of the elevator with my bike. Turns out I wasn't even on the ground so she was right; though we were both a little foul from the get-go.
On the street I was riding rude and in fact was aggressive exactly 4.5 times (once by accident, I didn't see her step out into the lane but I felt little as I rode around her) before I caught myself. From then onward I rode right into the world of "Long Train Home". Factory districts. Dusty wind. Trash. Hovels of homes in the shadow of monoliths. People living off the cast away scraps.
I'm ashamed at my behavior. I need to be better.
My average speed low because I wound my way through these spaces for the next hour. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm and very hazy upper 40's [actually feels like the low 50's] with strong winds from the east. Wunderground says its a mild wind but it's easily gusting to 20 mph. |
3/14/2011
(Mon)
|
10.73 |
00:54:43 |
11.74 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
297 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Shortish ride south and southwest. A lot more west actually, to the middle 4th ring road then back via a loop south and back. Through a small shopping district that was strange and cozy and into the broad dirty roads that ran along a recycling center and wast treatment plan.
Though I am not particularly keen on riding around waste treatment plants in particular, I am drawn to those dusty wastelands that surround these factories and facilities. It's a landscape that I have only really known in films and the post-apocalyptic genre of fictions.
I like its rawness and scarred spaces. Maybe I identify a little in its psoriatic topography. Or maybe not. Anyway it's cool. |
| Weather Conditions: Chilly and hazy 49° with strong winds (perhaps causing the chill) from the NW |
3/15/2011
(Tue)
|
3.59 |
00:19:50 |
10.81 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
108 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Intended to ride more than I did. Short trip to school to discuss medical matters with my foreign affairs rep ballooned into a maze of bureaucratic navigations and misunderstood requests. Fortunately there were reinforcements against the horde of confusion and order and organization ruled the afternoon.
Rode home relieved but miffed that I couldn't meander streets a little longer. |
| Weather Conditions: Cool and windy. Very windy. Low 40's with a western wind about 12 mph. |
3/16/2011
(Wed)
|
10.38 |
00:00:00 |
14.98 |
24.30 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
324 |
Road: Hills |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Three laps around driving school. Working hard on the hills to increase my strength. I thought that I would push my average to 25 but in the end it was just too much for me. I managed 24.9 on the last hill before it beat me down, then coasted/easy home the last quarter to half kilometer home.
The last hill on that loop is short but feels steep at my physical condition. I thought I might throw up at the top. I am ready for better days. I don't relish that feeling but if I want to increase my efficiency, the work is necessary. |
| Weather Conditions: Clear and cool but feels good. Low 40's with a mild northerly wind. About 4-5 mph. |
3/17/2011
(Thu)
|
33.02 |
02:53:20 |
11.37 |
25.17 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
913 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Long ride today. Back to the mouintain pass that H and I went to (in which I forgot to photograph the stone marker) and photographed said stone marker. Continued down the same road to the village of Miaofengshan and surroundings.
Cutaway rock and buildings wedged into the crevices, the town is picturesque in the dusty way that China is. I liked it.
I seem to have a wall of two hours when I begin to get restless on the bike. Stopping and meandering on foot helps a lot. I don't know that I can strictly stay cycling but I would like to. Interestingly, as I am having this conversation w/ myself about my unworthiness to really 'ride' (whatever the hell that means) I pass an older woman carrying jugs of water across her entire rear rack, then another man with twice that many, then another, even older, struggling [but persevering] with his flat-bed trike piled four feet high with recyclables.
So then I am wondering...am I an overpriviledged hobbyist? Or because I sold my car two years ago, equivalent (though clearly better off) to their efforts? A little of both I guess. But its enough to reconsider patting myself on the back for my efforts. Or, I suppose, not criticise myself too much for transporting myself in an ecologically beneficial way. |
| Weather Conditions: Hazy but bright. Upper 50's (almost 60°) by the afternoon with a southerly wind, about 8mph. |
3/21/2011
(Mon)
|
6.34 |
00:34:46 |
10.94 |
21.31 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
174 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Short ride today. I would have liked to go longer but work obligations and a confused situation of lesson plans and lost keys kept me from my best intentions. Well, that and the fact that getting started is sometimes my weakest suit. On the road, however, I time and time again actively wonder why I didn't get on the streets earlier than I did.
I am settling into exploring these rugged scarred neighborhoods and industrial wasteland spaces south of the 4th ring road. I'm glad I'm on the bike I have. The winding back alleys are gritty and off-road. It's a loose ride through potholes, jagged attempts to pave, trash piled along the banks and dogs hobbling out looking as shelled as the environment. Not to mention the people, electric bikes, flat-bed trikes, waddling new mothers with bundles of baby and the shifty sideways strolls of men in suit jackets and dirty slacks dragging on cheap cigarettes.
It's a hell-of-a-place. |
| Weather Conditions: Chilly mid forties with a strong wind from the NW. About 20mph. |
3/22/2011
(Tue)
|
10.09 |
00:53:54 |
11.18 |
28.46 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
286 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Shijingshan ride. South of the 4th ring road and under the 5th south direction loop to an interesting neighborhood of street food [looked a little shaky, though], plastic dealers, Trike bicycle repairmen, and argumentative packs of dogs (w/ each other) and then north, under the train and back under that same 5th ring but north of the 4th ring. Does that make sense?
At any rate I am getting more familiar with the network of alleyways and local shopping districts. This neighborhood is deep and interesting. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm and clear upper 40's with a westerly/northwestern wind, about 10-12 mph |
3/24/2011
(Thu)
|
15.89 |
01:29:56 |
10.56 |
21.50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
434 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: More riding around Shijingshan. Seeking out the alleyways and cul-de-sacs that lie tucked into streets and under bridges.
Rode west / southwest along the ring road (5th) and into a sort of trainyard along new highway/bridge construction. Aggressive trucks and entitled drivers in sedans pushing the cyclists (most just poor working folks) to the sides with impatient honks. The big trucks though don't bother. If you are under their wheel it's (inarguable really) your problem.
Under the highway I wandered over the tracks and into new housing tower construction. A bizarre Christmas tree in a sandpile surrounded by cranes near a new highrise community called Shirjing Wonderful Land. Best site was near the train tracks between these two spaces a chain of construction workers heading into an unseen destination carrying tin bowls and chopsticks. Off to lunch, I suppose.
Otherwise a nondescript "Getting to know you, Shirjingshan" ride. Too many other small details to list here. |
| Weather Conditions: ~50° with a strong wind from the north/northwest intermittently gusts at 18+ mph. Sunny and clear. Outside of a chilly start (with the temp closer to 40° and cold wind) it was beautiful. |
3/25/2011
(Fri)
|
17.07 |
01:36:45 |
10.56 |
22.99 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
468 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Another 90 minute ride. I am suffering a little from a lack of destination which on occasion means serendipitous alleyways and on others (more than I care for) I find myself in the same place again and again. Frustrating when you launch into an ok but not the best direction and pop out into a "here again? crap." smattering of non-descript storefronts, bland residential towers and empty lifeless roads.
Fun highlight of the ride: sliding in behind an electric scooter for 4-5 km traveling about 25-27km/hr. He: honking like mad and slaloming through the trikes, bikes and pedestrians. Me: following behind, shooting through the holes.
I ended up a few blocks south of the school heading east into what, north of Shirjingshan is just congestion but south is a little more neighborly. Under the southerly traveling 4rth ring road to a small window serving noodles. Ate a large helping of flat noodles with shredded cucumber, sprouts, oil and pepper sauce. Pretty good. And only 5¥ (less than a dollar 1$ ~ 6.7¥). |
| Weather Conditions: Beautiful day. Mid 50's, scattered clouds in an otherwise blue sky and a reasonable wind. About 7 mph from the north / occasionally west. |
3/27/2011
(Sun)
|
35.82 |
03:29:40 |
10.19 |
19.51 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
960 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Longest ride since we arrived in Beijing. Feels like spring, everyone milling around.
Rode east into the area of the Beijing West Railway and then south as far as I could manage without finding a through-way. It's just a maze of access roads and without a sense of really where I am I can only zig-zag until I reach an inevitable dead end. Under the southern 4th ring road and through the mess of on and off ramps near the Jingkai Expressway I found a strangely vibrant surrounding community. Rode for a time along the accompanying roadway of the southbound train just west of the Expressway until dead ending into a gate. Had I found a way around and over Jingliang Road, I could have made it to the southern 5th Ring. Perhaps another time.
The city feels like an old car engine. The same colorscape and feeling of a active combustion, dirty and intense with so much everywhere being created, destroyed, rebuilt. |
| Weather Conditions: Beautiful day. Upper 60's and a reasonable wind from the northwest, about 8mph. |
3/28/2011
(Mon)
|
15.93 |
01:23:56 |
11.37 |
19.64 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
442 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Rode straight north past the Baijiao Amusement park then west under the western 5th ring. Northwest from there to the base of the mountain, through communities that are mostly being ripped down. Fun little winding climb of narrow roads to some kind of mountain circumference road. Not many bicycles and the cars driving accordingly so I didn't go any further.
Rode back down partway along the same road but easier on the traffic as it widens out closer to the city and west until I came to Shimen road.
Took Shimen north to the first little turnoff that I have wondered about since Hannah I rode this way a couple of weeks ago. An old old old cummunity back there. I think it has, in the past and attempting to now, been some kind of destination. The buildings resemble hutongs. Along it a gate led into an old courtyard, a replica of a terra cotta warrior, dusty chinese guidebooks in an old case and an irritable woman near the bathrooms who basically told me to get the hell out. The road is long though and filled with strange curios from another time i.e. lots of Mao. It was worth the dressing down to see this community. |
| Weather Conditions: Another beautiful day, sunny and mostly clear and pollution free. Upper 50's with an imperceptible wind, unusually from the east. |
3/30/2011
(Wed)
|
8.42 |
00:41:46 |
12.05 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
234 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Short ride to lunch today. The same noodle window that I visited Friday. There are several around I've noticed but repeat visiting these little shops is a pleasure in itself. Big smile and a little extra helping is the M.O. after a few visits.
Crazy driving on the streets today so I was anxious to cut the ride short. I don't know if it's the spring like weather or a concentration of universe forces that led me to see two near accidents (one car vs. ped would have been very bad had they made contact) and get knocked off my bike on Lugu road.
There is something strange and illogical about the way that the Chinese (the Taiwanese do it, too) turn into traffic. No one looks...they just barrel in and it's the responsibility of the traffic to accommodate. This is what happened today but I had no time to respond beyond put my foot out, launching me off the bike and onto the pavement. Fortunately I know how to fall and dispensed the force in a roll on the ground.
The man, large enough to pound my salt had he been mad was out of the car with hands outstretched as soon as I hit the pavement. I yelled at him some but the prostrations and worry drained my anger.
Hannah reminded me when I got home that I have to accept it and not let it be my agenda (I vented a little) which I know and for the most part accept. It's just part of the game of riding these streets. |
| Weather Conditions: Pretty day, though hazy. About 70° and a north wind, 9mph. |
3/31/2011
(Thu)
|
19.65 |
01:58:34 |
9.88 |
20.57 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
546 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: East along Lianshi East road to the West Train station, through throngs of travelers and under the Lianhuachi west expressway. North for a while until I turned up at the Military Museum. That was it? As far east as I managed. Continued northwest for a while and returned among several roads but mostly along Zenguang Rd.
A little edgy for much of the trip secondary to yesterdays bumper kiss but I think that mostly it was just a little low blood sugar. I ate some dumplings in a little shop in the Yuetan North Alley and the owner had a strange way about him. Easy and peaceful that put me immediately at ease. Remembered that people are good.
Oh, and I couldn't have measured that ride closer had I tried. I knew that I had to ride somewhere in the neighborhood of 31 km but this 31.62 put me right over the 1000k to 1000.76 for the first quarter of the year. Nice. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm but hazy. The air was, in fact, brown. About 70° with an easy 10mph wind from the south. |
| March Rides |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
|
| 20 |
316.50 |
27:37:49 |
11.02 |
31.50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9,109 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
4/1/2011
(Fri)
|
10.45 |
00:42:32 |
14.73 |
25.48 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
329 |
Road: Hills |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Three laps around the Driving School. Still dread these hills. I don't do them enough. However, I appreciate the interval opportunities and would certainly benefit from a hill and distance, hill and distance regimen. |
| Weather Conditions: Gloomy and grey. ~50° w/ a 13 mph wind from the north/northeast. |
4/2/2011
(Sat)
|
14.06 |
01:21:32 |
10.31 |
18.95 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
388 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: South today along Zhangyicun Rd to the G4 access road as far as I could, it merging into Lugouqiao South Rd (which drifts east)and pretty much ending for bicycles at the on-ramp of the west 5th ring road.
That little corner where it all ends form s the corner of the grounds for the Museum of Chinese against Japanese Aggressors, or something like that. It's an interesting old walled city with hutongs inside and a large courtyard with a sculpture of a lion emerging from the rock to represent the awakening of China. Unfortunately the cobblestone grounds surrounding it are a gridlocked parking lot. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny mid 50's with a slight wind from the north ~7mph. |
4/8/2011
(Fri)
|
5.60 |
00:29:45 |
11.31 |
24.67 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
164 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Short commute to and home from school. Tailwind (at least the easterly part of the northeastern wind redirected by the buildings) pushed me right up to a nearly 40 km max. Aggravated by the right turning cars who are a constant threat but it's the terrain I guess.
Home that night. First after dark ride that I have ever made in Beijing. It's tough. All the obstacles of day and more people milling around plus darker.
H and I both agree that riding our bikes to work more of a hassle than its worth. Too much gear and the hunting for a safe pole to lock the bike to means actually lifting the bike over a pile of other bikes but there is no other way in this city known for bike theft. If we do ride it will have to be on some old 100 RMB Chinese bikes. |
| Weather Conditions: Windy from the north/northeast about 12-15mph and warm, mid 60's. |
4/10/2011
(Sun)
|
32.07 |
03:21:33 |
9.51 |
19.08 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
870 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Ride w/ H to Tienanmen Square, ring around Mao, and to snack street briefly for scorpions, beetles [yes, really] and some stinky tofu. Rode along Fuxing both ways (partially, anyhow) for lack of a better route (we tried). Detour back north along the North Train station to the Haidian district, past what H calls the "Bolshevik Throwback Expo Center", some kind of Communist Church.
Northern return was eye-opening. The congestion of buses, bad roads and piles of people among the debris is a far cry from the thoroughfares along wealthier neighborhoods.
It's worth noting that along the wealthier streets, the bike lanes have been reduced to off-street parking for the Toyotas and Hyundais while the Porsche compact SUVs and their kind race along to their, I can only assume, private garages. I guess I don't understand Communism. |
| Weather Conditions: Beautiful blue skies, mid 60's but a little windy, from the north, maybe 12-15 mph. |
4/12/2011
(Tue)
|
9.80 |
00:51:52 |
11.31 |
18.77 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
265 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Short noodle run and Shijingshan neighborhood ride.
Going to move the length of comments to mjulius.tumblr.com
Bikejournal, though satisfying to crunch numbers, is beginning to feel hollow. |
| Weather Conditions: Mid 70's today. Beautiful blue skies though hazy. Southerly wind, about 9 mph. |
4/14/2011
(Thu)
|
25.87 |
02:18:36 |
11.18 |
24.85 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
719 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: East northeast ride through the rubble of poor northerly neighborhoods through [or rather under and over] all the rings and to the Hutongs [Hudzhu] just west of the Forbidden City. Painted grey in those catacombs, swept and manicured but no tourists. In window after window I could see lively games of Mahjhong. |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny and very warm, upper 80's with a strong wind from the northwest at 18 mph. Gusting often, particularly in the late afternoon. |
4/26/2011
(Tue)
|
27.19 |
02:13:50 |
12.12 |
21.38 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
775 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Whoa. First ride in 12 days. Hannah urging me to go because I am no exercise irritable for several days now. Wallowing in workload mostly and taking it out on myself by not doing something that I enjoy.
Rode east / southeast through the 4rth ring and south to the northerly edge of the Fengtai District. The Beijing Auto Museum my most southerly/easterly point. The accompanying access road ends in a debris pile with adjoining signs advertising a new glorious "Charming Intelligent City". Trees have grown up around it though so it has been some time since best laid plans. So goes life around the Beijing Auto Museum. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm mid 60's but windy. Winds about 15 mph from the west / northwest. The air was graybrown early in the day but burned off or blew away somewhat by the afternoon. |
4/28/2011
(Thu)
|
29.48 |
02:39:14 |
11.06 |
21.87 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
798 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Rode north along Hanhe Lu with the intention of circling the Summer Palace but renegotiated my ride because I couldn't find it easily and didn't care. East under the 4th Ring and along the northern 3rd Ring and into the outskirts of Hutongs near the northern historic area.
As far as, I think, Liuyin Park, where an old woman security guard gave me an earful about trying to ride my bike into the park. My "I don't understand" in Chinese only infuriating her more.
My mood is sour lately and I am sure that contributed to it.
Don't know what is wrong. Everything brings me down anymore. Mostly feeling gray. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm 70° and usual hazy. Light wind from the north, about 7 mph. |
| April Rides |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
|
| 8 |
154.52 |
13:58:54 |
11.15 |
25.48 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4,308 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
5/1/2011
(Sun)
|
19.72 |
02:09:13 |
9.10 |
16.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
Comments: Hannah and I rode west then north today. West past Gucheng as far as the old Shogun factory then north along the factory neighborhoods that were very beautiful in an "I thought all of China would look like this" kind of way. Lots of red brick and traditional roofs, small KTVs with over-zealous "Haellooo!" teenagers in cheap suits and dyed bouffants. We found a small gate with a bored young guard who let us onto the grounds and into another semi dormant factory. Broad lanes and big buildings, the occasional man slowly looping around on an old Chinese bike near an old cantina slowly going to rubble. In the big doorways we could see that they are still making some kind of sheeting that they roll up onto spindles. I like the occasional sound of big boiler like machines sound like they are winding up the spindles and the hollow echoed thud of big metal on big floor in big building.
Passed under an expressway that doesn't exist according to my map but it was there, high up in the air. I didn't look too much however as it's a full time job avoiding the "HOLY S&$%, left turning car!". Don't believe anything anyone tells you about Communism with Chinese Characteristics. It's dog eat dog on the road here.
We made our way finally up to the Badachu Park monasteries. Full of lazy May Day tourists and thoughtfully inscribed as "..always the first choice for Beijingers to enjoy a splendid view from a mountain top", we meandered up to the foothills and watched people pay respects to spiritual figures, play cards with their families, take pictures by flower displays and generally soak up the rare non-working day in this very working city. |
| Weather Conditions: Very warm today. ~80° with a light northern wind, about 8 mph. Blue skies by the afternoon. |
5/9/2011
(Mon)
|
11.02 |
01:04:24 |
10.20 |
17.80 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
337 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: Neighborhood ride and to the noodle window. |
| Weather Conditions: Warm upper 70's and overcast/gray. No real wind, about 2 mph from the north. |
5/16/2011
(Mon)
|
0.00 |
00:00:00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Road: Rolling |
Raleigh Uptown
XC Rigid |
ENERGY FUTURES |
| Comments: |
| Weather Conditions: |
| May Rides |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
|
| 3 |
30.73 |
03:13:37 |
9.49 |
17.80 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
337 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
| YTD Rides |
Distance (miles) |
Ride Time (hh:mm:ss) |
Average Speed (mph) |
Max Speed (mph) |
Average Heart Rate (bpm) |
Resting Heart Rate (bpm) |
Max Heart Rate (bpm) |
Calories Burned (kcal) |
Ride Type |
Bike |
Club Affiliation |
|
| 47 |
807.10 |
70:10:31 |
11.43 |
32.56 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
22,403 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
