Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wanted -- Scanner frequencys for USGP
I'm seeking the scanner frequencies for Track Operations, Timing & Scoring and anything else for the USGP in Indy next month. I have the freqs from the 500 -- maybe the IMS numbers are the same?
Thursday, May 24, 2007
US Grand Prix
I just ticketed a trip to Indy to take my father to the U.S. Grand Prix on Fathers Day. Kath and I have been to a couple of runnings but have missed the last three. I'm really looking forward to it this year -- even if MS has retired.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Espresso Stuff
In addition to 2 pounds of Intelligetsia Black Cat Roast, I received a couple new Espresso toys on Friday. Two are new products from Bumper, a tamping stand and a knock-box. The tamping stand is really nice. I use a Naket Portafilter exclusively and have been using the edge of out 
kitchen sink as a makeshift stand. The bumper stand is perfect for either Naked or Traditional PFs. The notch for traditional PFs makes a nice place to hang my tamper.
The Bumper Knock-Box is a great upgrade from our old one. It's much larger, has a raised rear area to prevent slosh from soupy pucks from going everywhere, and has much thicker rubber. It reeks of quality.
Our old box was the traditional low, square stainless box with black wood frame. It has a couple of problems. The edges of the stainless insert dig into the wood and trash the paint on the corners of the box. I installed small rubber feet to the wood but they only reduce the wear, not prevent it. Also the bar is lower than the front edge so it is easy to hit the PF in the edge at the same time as the bar - denting the stainless insert. It was a good starter box, but the Bumper box is much better. As shown in the picture, the Bumper has a large rubber base so it feels very solid -- a "good thing" when whacking it with a heavy E61 PF. The Bar is about twice as thick.
The only thing I would change about both is the finish, both products are finished in brushed stainless. Everything else in the Espresso world is polished. Nit picking for sure. Chris Coffee has the whole line of Bumper products
The last thing I received was a 53mm tamper for a friend. He has a classic LaPavoni hand pump machine and continues to use the plastic tamper that came with it. It's really hard to get a consistent tamp with a plastic tamper so I got a nice all steel model. It is surprisingly heavy. I didn't weigh it but it must be twice as heavy as my Aluminium/Stainless Reg Barber.
kitchen sink as a makeshift stand. The bumper stand is perfect for either Naked or Traditional PFs. The notch for traditional PFs makes a nice place to hang my tamper.The Bumper Knock-Box is a great upgrade from our old one. It's much larger, has a raised rear area to prevent slosh from soupy pucks from going everywhere, and has much thicker rubber. It reeks of quality.
Our old box was the traditional low, square stainless box with black wood frame. It has a couple of problems. The edges of the stainless insert dig into the wood and trash the paint on the corners of the box. I installed small rubber feet to the wood but they only reduce the wear, not prevent it. Also the bar is lower than the front edge so it is easy to hit the PF in the edge at the same time as the bar - denting the stainless insert. It was a good starter box, but the Bumper box is much better. As shown in the picture, the Bumper has a large rubber base so it feels very solid -- a "good thing" when whacking it with a heavy E61 PF. The Bar is about twice as thick.The only thing I would change about both is the finish, both products are finished in brushed stainless. Everything else in the Espresso world is polished. Nit picking for sure. Chris Coffee has the whole line of Bumper products
The last thing I received was a 53mm tamper for a friend. He has a classic LaPavoni hand pump machine and continues to use the plastic tamper that came with it. It's really hard to get a consistent tamp with a plastic tamper so I got a nice all steel model. It is surprisingly heavy. I didn't weigh it but it must be twice as heavy as my Aluminium/Stainless Reg Barber.
A little too far, a little too fast
I have been debating riding the Elephant Rock century an a couple of weeks. Since it goes right past my house it seems a logical choice for the first century of the year.
Due to a lot of business travel, I don't have the base I had planned. So, to gauge my fitness for such a ride I rode a hard 67 miles on Saturday. I rode two of my regular loops, Russelville Road to County Line Road (typically an out and back) and Perry Park Road to Wolfensberger.
Saturday was beautiful so many other cyclists were out and things got a little competitive (as they do in a century -- so it seemed like good training). After doing most of Russelville and Parker Roads at about 85% of maximum heart rate, I was a little tired as I crossed County Line and reached Perry Park Road. Add a little head wind and I was baked by the Thoma cut-off. After a brief moment of weakness, I pushed on to Wolfensberger (mostly because it's down hill, and i wasn't ready to climb Thoma) and struggled up that instead. Thank god for the long descent into Castle Rock proper. Now I just had to make the ~800 ft up to the house. It wasn't pretty but I got there. 67 miles, 2800 feet, 4 hours and 12 minutes.
I was totally shot when I got home. Even today (Monday) I still have some residual soreness. Not the result I was looking for. Maybe the Metric distance is a better choice for the Elephant Rock this year.
Due to a lot of business travel, I don't have the base I had planned. So, to gauge my fitness for such a ride I rode a hard 67 miles on Saturday. I rode two of my regular loops, Russelville Road to County Line Road (typically an out and back) and Perry Park Road to Wolfensberger.
Saturday was beautiful so many other cyclists were out and things got a little competitive (as they do in a century -- so it seemed like good training). After doing most of Russelville and Parker Roads at about 85% of maximum heart rate, I was a little tired as I crossed County Line and reached Perry Park Road. Add a little head wind and I was baked by the Thoma cut-off. After a brief moment of weakness, I pushed on to Wolfensberger (mostly because it's down hill, and i wasn't ready to climb Thoma) and struggled up that instead. Thank god for the long descent into Castle Rock proper. Now I just had to make the ~800 ft up to the house. It wasn't pretty but I got there. 67 miles, 2800 feet, 4 hours and 12 minutes.
I was totally shot when I got home. Even today (Monday) I still have some residual soreness. Not the result I was looking for. Maybe the Metric distance is a better choice for the Elephant Rock this year.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Recipe for Hypothermia
Take one cyclist in early season form.
Dress in spring -- not winter -- clothes (tights, wool shirt, cotton socks, rain coat, thin full-finger gloves, mesh shoes)
Ride due South for 2 hours in dry but overcast 35 degree weather
Now add heavy, cold rain, soak thoroughly.
Mix in hail, sleet and strong winds.
Ensure rider is completely soaked.
Add more rain.
Turn rider around and allow to ride to almost three hours into a 2o MPH wind to get home.
Watch as rider shivers so bad he shifts gears uncontrollably while trying to hang onto handlebars.
Upon arriving home place rider (fully dressed) in warm - not hot - shower for up to one hour. Listen for howls of pain as "pins and needles" rack rider in pain.
It helps that rider has been riding all winter on a bike with fenders so was unprepared for amount of spray riding new (fender-free) bike.
Mmmmm... Nice.
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