Everyday Grind

  There is something about breaking a spoke on a ride that brings an interesting mix of horror, shame, and confusion. It's a simple thing that makes sense to break but it's a cost to fix unless you have the right tools. No novice or new cyclist has these damned tools. You aren't going to get that spoke fixed unless it broke on the right side or on part of the wheel that isn't near your cassette.

The hell is going on with this thing?

  It seems as if I am always at Cycleworld. I was even asked if I wanted a campfire; I just needed to know who I should pay rent to. This made me take a hard look into my finances and, as much as I enjoy supporting my local bike shop, I am just an art teacher, not actually a profession one gets rich whilst doing. So, with a can-do attitude, I purchased my own chain whip and cassette wrench to assist in further spoke problems...

Maybe I should invest in a motorized vehicle, and give little fucks about lights?

   Sure enough, a week later I utilized my tools when not one, not two, but three spokes needed to get replaced; two in the back and one in the front. The look on the mechanic's face when I came in for more spokes...Well, it was the same look of disbelief that I was sporting. 

Dammit Phil, this wheel set is costing more than it is saving...

   I figured it out soon enough to get my baby up and running for the next day's group ride. The process was a bit of an experience to get everything working; so much so that I left it to the professionals at Cycleworld Miami to double check that the wheels were good to go. 

Looking back, I really should stay off the sidewalk....

Thanks again to Cycleworld Miami and to all the mechanics that took time out of a very busy day assisting triathletes to tend to my wheels! If you like this or any of the other posts, don't forget to follow, like, or even comment! Look forward to a couple of group rides down the pipe and an "Almost Hit" highlight. This one is very dodgy, too! Until next time!

Coming soon!

Anatomy of a Group ride, Part 2

The sequel!

The hardest part about a group ride is the ungodly hour. Let's be honest; waking up at 5 am to be out by 6 am so you can "warm up" (get your ass to the ride without a car) and then start the ride at 6:30 is a bit rough. It is the lord's day and, granted,  this year I have gone on more group rides than paid visit to his house, but still. 

Don't forget your water you used in a still life drawing!

When the ride gets going, you notice that many things in the cycling world are circular, cyclical, and chain-like, dare I say it.  As you are spinning the pedals, turning the wheels, you're following a paceline that cycles through riders. Everyone is taking a turn at the front, but only for a short time until he or she falls back. This creates a slipstream that the other riders draft at a high momentum. Since we can push harder in bursts then cycle back into the shelter of the group, the group (or peleton) travels much faster and can go really far, really hard.

Pace-line, also called a chain gang, get it?!

I was able to get in some good miles with the guys up in Broward. But, this time, I got to take a bit of a gander at the way they roll here in my hometown, Miami. The Broward riders are a bit more constant; the guys up there seem more interested in the miles than staging a mock race. The Cycleworld ride's pace gets pushed hard and there are even brake-aways that form. 

Broward Ride!

After taking a bit of time to tune and tweak my baby Phil Jamis, my bicycle (that video will be posted later), there was another Cycleworld  ride that I just managed today. Also, I am going to be taking a break from the series "Almost Hit." The whole project is very taxing and time consuming. Simply put: way too much material daily to sift through. I might return to it, but unless an accident or something really dramatic happens, I will only be posting the highlights and the worst of the worst.

Miami's turn! And more to come!

On that note, take care out there. If you find yourself driving around the South Miami area, you best look out for cyclists because you can lie and I can lie, but the camera never fibs. Until next time! Like, Subscribe and follow!!!!

See you space cowboy...

The South Beach South Point Park Pier

Not sure about this sign to be frank

  After a late night, (and later morning) I mustered
 "Phil" Jamis Ventura. Recently I had refreshed his bar tape, added a rear wheel (that matches its front), and a Shimano cassette and chain to match. I even threw in a pair of matching bottle cages, that I have been in need this whole awful, sticky, hot summer, and with that another Polar Bottle.

Mmmm, dat fresh cassette doh

On I ventured, unsure, scared, hell, even a little nervous without my GoPro, it's usual gift boost in confidence and sense of protection gone. I utilized my phone camera instead. Snapping and remembering to do my best to keep the thing handy.

or it is just a plastic brick in my hand...

I pushed off, away from the trappings, and safety of my home, and into the wild that is the Miami Beaches. More specifically, South Beach. With no particular plan, I headed into a general direction until I crested the famous Venetian Causeway, and spurned through Washington Ave, until I ended at the southernmost point of Miami Beach.

Muh boi propped up on dat der pier...

swanky view, of a plastic swanky city...

This is frowned upon in Miami Beach

There is a couple of videos and posts to look forward to. The next "Anatomy of a Group Ride", with more illustrations, and another video. Also I just completed my third group ride, this time, with the folks at Cycleworld Miami. So look for that post as well.

coming soon!

Make sure to check back for updates and to take a look at Rozik Apparel should you need a nice shirt or pants to commute in. As an added bonus, you use the promo code DIRTBAG and you get 20% off your entire purchase. Not bad if you ask me, until next time!

Anatomy of a Group Ride

When I ventured forth into my very first group ride, the first thing I learned was: this is fast. Not just "wow we are pushing," more like "holy shit we are hauling ass." And when the hammer dropped, it got hairy. 

too.... close....

The second thing I learned was: don't be afraid of grabbing the wheel and sitting in close. Real close. So close that you can scarcely believe you should be doing this and everything in your head is screaming for you to just get the hell away. For some reason, you don't and it feels good. "ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COCAINE OR SOMETHING?"

No, its cycling...

The last thing I learned was: hand signals are the best and easiest means of communication. There are some moments when you can scream simple commands like left, right, or clear. But, with a deafening wind and the rush of drafting another cyclist, sometimes you will not get the message. 

No ears on this guy.

I will be the first to admit, I was as squirrely as it gets on my first group ride. I am thankful for my adopted riding mates from The Pembroke Cycle Ride for their patience. Their route usually starts a bit on the south side for Broward County, but I caught them on their turn around point close to Sawgrass and we went from there. The speed gradually crept up and, when we made the turn onto Florida State Road 84, the hammer dropped. Holding at around 21 mph, we quickly gained pace to 25 mph. This being my first group ride, I was struggling to keep in the draft and to overcome my fear of the rider's wheel ahead of me.

terrifying

Aside from the art, not to many OC images this time. So I'll just leave the video here. Let me know what you guys think, and make sure to subscribe and like! 

Feels weird, Man

Props to the cameraperson Hey-knee

For the past month I have been cycling the mean streets of Miami without my GoPro 3+ Camera. It isn't like I haven't cycled camera less before, it is just that as a cyclist you feel a lot safer with one on, and when something goes down, you have that camera rolling and documenting, instead of having to scramble and grab your phone to take a quick pic of their license plate.

This isn't even half of them..

Also many drivers that almost hit you, rage at you, or even almost kill you, for the most part, get off without even so much as a blurry picture. In Miami, it is common place and even officially encouraged to hate, discourage, and threaten critical mass (a protest for safer, bike friendlier roads). This disdain for Critical Mass has translated into rougher roads around the Little Havana area, and more impatient drivers elsewhere. I wholeheartedly approve and on occasion have participated in Critical Mass. I have however confronted bad drivers who have retorted "I am sick of you Critical Mass guys!" or "You cyclist think you can own the whole road and can stop intersections!". I have to ask, is the message getting across, will we get more infrastructure, will drivers respect cyclist more so? I do not know, but my year of documenting my cycling adventures has only taught me two things, Miami isn't getting better, and everyone is real camera-shy.

I miss you baby...

Cycling with out the GoPro has come around as a bit of a curse. This camera was like my insurance, my deterrent, and even if I got killed, I would at least get the guy on camera and hopefully justice. With out it, well, its kinda a bumbling mess. I feel far less confident, I still confront drivers, but I am now more concerned over the futility of the gesture, so I yell at them, they see no possibility of repercussions, and laugh it off. 

This is pretty accurate in Miami...

I miss the weight of you upon my head sweet camera prince...

  Being the stubborn one that I am I still haven't stopped cycling, I might even whip out the old canon powershot and get that one rolling to at least have some evidence, should anything go awry.

And things can get awry real easily.

Well shit.

  Hopefully I'll be able to (at least for the most part) avoid serious injury. Keep a heads up for some of that long distance touring that I have been announcing for a bit. I will try to get a handle on the Naples Tour, the Key West Tour, and the Everglades Tour. With work and family, I am doing my best to move those posts forward so stay tuned for that. Also make sure to check out Rozik if you are looking for some good pants and outerwear for commuting, also, type in DIRTBAG as your promo code and knock 20% off your total. Until next time!

This Asshole is in Your Lane

actually it is my lane by law, wank off!

 

After a long hiatus I am back to work, issues with my computer, as well as a stacked, and busy summer, have made for a difficult posting season. This Fall, I hope to change that and get back to regular updates, not to mention some planning of some tours. Also, I am moving to finally make those other posts of the Key West tour, and the Everglades tour, so look forward to that.

 

At the moment I am without my gopro, so no new video updates. I will be doing my best to post more pictures and get a bit more involved with the cycling community at large, getting a bit lonely doing the "Lone Wolf" cyclist stich.

 

I will never be this majestic

  

I have a couple of minor news, some of it is travesty. A bit disheartening when you get rear ended by a hit and run and your bike happens to be hanging off the back. More on that later.

 

Dat ruined front wheel doh...



 

  

 I picked a pretty lovely day to commute to work and after I ended up going to a friends house, who also wasn't home.
I figured while waiting I would explore Calle Ocho and see how close it was to the city and beach.

  If anyone is wondering, it is very close. enjoy the next couple of images of this magical journey.

American Airlines Arena!

The Julia Tuttle Causeway!

I feel so welcomed!

It is really hot!

 

                                                                    Stuck at a bridge with everyone else!

 

Awesome tourists!

a slug sticker!

 

it is so hot!

 

anyways, now it is about to monsoon!

 

If you guys are interested I did make one final video before I disappeared, I actually really like this one. So please let me know what I can do to improve and what are some things I missed, enjoy! So here is another addition to the "Almost Hit" series.

 

There is an interesting piece of road that always seems to slow traffic a considerable amount. I'm sure its just all the tourist heading into the mall.

 

And Florida sleeps soundly

 

Until next time make sure to head over to Rozik Wear and when you type in "dirtbag" into the promo box, you get an additional 20% off your entire order! I am not even sponsored by the company, but the gear is just so good, and made in the states, so check it out!