Eva Destruction

ReUse - Innertubes

2008-12-31T16:48:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you, but I have a special ability to lose hair bands like it's my job. I can go through a pack in nothing flat. A pack of hair bands from the store costs a couple of bucks and has more packaging than product. A silly expenditure when I can make my own from old tubes.

I like these ones better anyhow. I have really fine hair so normal bands slip out, but these stay in place without tangling and puling out my hair.

Here's what a half an old tube and a half hour in front of the tube will yield:

Time Trial Fantastico

2008-12-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

I've been talking to my friend Josh about Time Trials and I've decided to try to put together a TT setup for my regular road bike. What's that you say? I'm so slow that it isn't really worth it? Well you're right, I am slow, but the good people over at Cervelo have put together a presentation that explains why slow pokes like me actually get more benefit from aero equipment than the pros.

To sum it up, a slow rider spends more time covering the same distance as a fast rider, so an increase in her speed is applied over a longer time span than the fast rider's. To look at it another way, a time trial is raced in hours per mile rather than miles per ho

ur. for a 25 mile course, a rider increasing their speed from 30 to 31 mph saves 1.61 minutes while a rider increasing their speed from 20 to 21 mph saves 3.57 minutes. Now, aerodynamic advantages get more complex as speed increases, but the basic idea is that the slower you are, the more aero equipment you should buy. Good enough for me.

So, my goal is to put together a TT setup for under $150. Here's what I've come up with. (I've listed the cost and the estimated time savings over 25m.)

Aero Bars: I already have the Profile Design T2+ clip on aero bars so I'm not counting them in the total, but they normally go for about $100. They aren't the most comfortable since the bars are straight rather than bending up, but TT's are short enough that even I can tough it out. Cost: $0 Time: 3min

TT Saddle: I scored big time on this one. I picked up a used Selle San Marco, in great condition, for $25 at The Recyclery. I haven't tried it out yet, but anything will be better than just tipping my road saddle forward. This will also allow me to have a proper position on the bike. Cost: $25 Time: 2 min Saving your delicate bits: Priceless

Seat Post: I should be able to find a used one for about $10

Rear Wheel Cover: I'm looking at the CH Aero Wheel cover from Excel Sports. I've heard that they work as well as a disk and, they're certainly more affordable than a real disc. Cost: $60 Time: 1/2 min

Helmet: After the front wheel and bars, this is supposed to be the most important piece of aero equipment. Cost: $40 (ebay) Time: 3/4 min.

Shoe Covers: These look pretty cool, but I think I'm going to go the cheap-o route and just use socks. Cost: $0 Time: 1/4 min

Total: $135 & 6.5 minutes

C to the Rock Pot!

2008-11-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

How in the hell did I ever survive before the Crock-Pot? I was inspired reading one of the Fat Cyclist posts the other day, and decided to try a little Crock-Pot cooking myself. Elden is right, you cannot screw this up! I really don't have the time to cook regular meals right now, let alone healthy vegan ones, but I have yet to prepare a meal in this thing that took more than 10 minutes to prep. It's also really easy to go fat-free (if you're into that kinda thing).

Not only that, but crockpot dishes also seem to benefit from the addition of whatever-needs-to-be-eaten-today-before-it-goes-bad ingredients. Half a cup of chickpeas that you aren't really going to put in a salad = extra protein and delightful texture. Kinda wilty spinach or leftover green beans = a splash of color and nutrients in a hearty bean soup.

Today's adventure: Potato Lentil Stew

(quantities are very approximate - measuring takes time and leads to dirty dishes)

1 c. red lentils

4-5 red potatoes, cubed (not peeled)

4 carrots, reasonably sized pieces

2 c. spinach, chopped

3 coves garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 T Italian Herb Seasoning

1 metric ton black pepper

whatever leftovers seem to fit

and...

Eva's Secret Vegan Yummy Broth (just trust me):

1 PBR tallboy or 1 c. Franzia

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/2 t. instant espresso

1/2 t. paprika

Enough water to cover

Turn the crock-pot on high to kick things off for the first hour or two, then set it on low until it looks like soup (6 hrs total?).

If there's actually anyone out there reading this little blog, brace yourself for an onslaught of crock-pot recipes.

CC Diary: Blah

2008-11-07T22:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I have done my stretches twice this week and have not ridden my bike since the race. I haven't even been commuting to school. I feel pretty lame about it since I tried to set pretty easy goals, but right now I am overwhelmed with studying and everything else is taking a hit.

On the bright side, here are some of the things I've been doing right:

I have been getting eight hours of sleep with a regular schedule.
I have been pretty good about keeping my priorities (1-School, 2-Bike, 3-Life)
I have been eating really well. I am eating almost completely vegan now, and getting lots of fruit and veggies. I may not be riding much, but it could be worse. I attribute this to my new found appreciation of the Crock-Pot. Details to follow.

Cross Crusade #5 - Barton Park

2008-11-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

Mud, mud, glorious mud! Soooo much mud that we were washing off our bikes and ourselves in a giant mud puddle, and getting cleaner!

I sucked it up more than usual this weekend, but I had a blast, so all is right in the world. I doing ok until I got to The Hill of Doom, a super steep muddy slope that took out a good number of riders. Try as I might, I just cant get into this whole crashing thing, so I hopped off my bike and walked it down like the delicate little flower that I am. Unfortunately, I am not always the brightest little flower and so I attempted to remount right at the base of the hill, right where all the braver riders were careening through. Thinking I had avoided the perils of the hill, was startled to be taken out from behind by one of these brave souls. Getting up, we were both hit; getting up again, we all got knocked down again. I'm sure it must have been pretty hilarious for the spectators. We all managed to escape the pileup without injury but I was psyched out enough that I just kinda chilled for the rest of the race. On the bright side, I have an awesome purple hematoma on my right butt cheek that makes me look like a complete badass! Too bad I'm the only person who gets to see it.

After the race, while washing off in the mud puddle, we got into a splash fight with team beer that quickly escalated into all out mud-wrestling. J. Wilson made sweet video of the race, and if you keep watching 'til 2:00, you can see a clip of our shenanigans.

As usual, awesome pictures can be found at pdxcross. While anyone can take a photo in black and white to make it all artsy-fartsy looking, these pictures are masterpieces. Just amazing! If you haven't checked them out, do it now. If you have never raced cross, their slideshows will make you sign up.

PS - Get well K-Man!

CC Diary: Well, here it is.

2008-11-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

In the tradition of Fat Cyclist, I am posting my weight. Ready for it? 163 lbs.

This means that I have a BMI of 20.9 and a body fat percent of 29.6, well within the "healthy range" but not exactly that of a lean cycling machine.

Now it's out there and now I am going to do something about it.

CC Diary: Goals for November

2008-11-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

OK, here it goes. For the month of November, I have three goals:

The first is to lose five pounds.

The second is to stretch every day. I'm starting off with the CycloClub "Loose in 10 Stretches" routine. I might add some yoga later, but or now I want to start simple until I get into a daily routine.

The third is to make time to do three workouts per week. Yoga and commuting do not count, but running (shudder) does.

My biggest training failure has been consistency. Part of the problem is my habit of breaking appendages (see title pic), then there's school, moving, and all the other stresses of life. Right now I need simple goals that will set a foundation for a real, structured training plan later in the year.

CC Diary: Goals for November

2008-11-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

My goal this week is to come up with a real, workable training goal. Here are a few of the things I would accomplish if I were perfect:

1. Lose 10 pounds

2. Be able to climb "like a homesick angel"

3. Sprint, in the drops, without wobbling, when I'm tired

4. Eat vegan without cheating

5. Get eight hours of sleep

6. Be more mindful - live in the moment

7. Not miss any cross races

8. Manage my time so that I'm A - not so freaking stressed all the time and B - not so freaking stressed about taking time to ride my bike

Oh yeah, I also need to finish and defend my thesis, get a 4.0 this year, study for and take the MCAT, and apply to medical schools.

I am not perfect, so what is a reasonable goal for me, just for November?

Hmm...

Soup Weather

2008-11-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

The rain has come. I need to find the crock-pot but in the mean time, here's one of my all time favorites. It's a recipe that my grandmother cut out of The Oregonian years ago and t has become a family favorite! It's hearty and a little bit spicy - perfect for this cool autumn weather. The original recipe uses chicken, but I prefer the veggie version.

West African Chicken(less)-Peanut Soup

1 can garbanzo beans

1 small diced white or yellow onion

3 cloves minced garlic

2 T dark sesame oil

2 t. curry powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

3 c. vegetable broth

(or substitute beer+water)

1/4 c. tomato paste

1 c. chopped stewed tomatoes

3 T. chunky peanut butter

Saute garlic and onion in oil until tender. Add curry powder, salt, pepper, red pepper, and saute about 1 minute. Add beans, broth, peanut butter, tomato paste, and tomatoes. Stir well and heat until almost boiling (Do not boil. I don't know why but that's what it says, so just don't do it.). Serve with some chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream if you swing that way. Makes fan-freakin-tabulous leftovers!

Delish!

Happy Bunz!

2008-10-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

Now that I've moved back to Portland and have an hour of commute time every day, I've been on the hunt for the perfect knicker. I tried riding in regular pants, but by the time I get home, I'm in chafey, bruisy misery. I need something that sheds rain, doesn't feel like a diaper, and doesn't make me look like a boy.

One of my teammates has a pair of Harlot knickers that she loves (I think she might actually sleep in them) so I picked up a pair. They are awesome!!! I never knew I could feel this way about a pair of pants. They're cute, they make me look skinny, and my chatch feels spectacular - no bunching, no clammy chamois - I could not ask for more. Now that it's getting chilly out, I'm going to try them on a longer training ride. I just got a second pair and I can't wait to try out some of their other stuff.

Best of all, after reading the website, I fully stoked about the company. Not only do they call their chamois the "beaver comfort zone", they also have an great read about how they came up with the company name, plus they sponsor a bunch of badass chicks.

Jennifer Steketee, Harlot President, I have a big, fat girl-crush on you! You have made my nether regions happy in a way no-one else ever has.

Sweet Lord Baby Jesus

2008-10-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! We headed out to Astoria for the world famous Halloween Cross race. It was a kick in the pants! Two days of racing, perect weather, great friends, even better beer, plus I had the honor and privilege of meeting the man himself: Graeahemee Street. Graeme came out to the great northwest to visit my good friend Josh, and we made sure he got a true Oregon experience: Cross and Beer. He turns out to be a pretty rad dude, even if he is from Connecticut.

So, Saturday was race day, and Sunday was race drunkenly in your costume day. Not surprisingly, I did much better on Sunday. The line-up-raffle on sunday found me at the very ass-end of the staging. This turned out to be a good thing because I actually got to pass a couple people for a change. I remembered to do some of my new breathing techniques at the start (since it takes so long to do call-ups and staging, warmups are kind of pointless) and I think it really helped. I rarely warm up and I always spend the first lap or two with leaden legs and a mouthful of barf, but I've done the warm-up breathing at the last couple of races and it rocks! Maybe not quite as good as if I actually warmed up but hey, we all know that's not happening.

About half-way through the race, I experienced my first real cyclocross wreck. Even though I've had a cross bike for a year and a half now, I race like a complete pantywaist so I never really wreck. Not today. At the bottom of the hill were two smooth, perfect lines going around the corner, but I managed to hit the gigantic hole right between them. I flew ass-over-teakettle, landed on my head, rolled, was allegedly it by another rider (though I have no recollection of this), saw stars, managed to get off the course, decided that if my helmet wasn't broken - I wasn't broken, straightened my left shifter, and got back to it. Despite the couple of minutes I spent laying next to the course, trying to decide that I was hurt enough to quit, I managed a mid-pack finish. w00t!

This morning, the ladies of the team donned long robes, crowns of thorns, and excessive quantities of fake blood in our own portrayal of "The Passion of the CROSS". Tasteful? No. PC? No. Hilarious? Yes! Offensive? Yes! Memorable? I think it just might be.

Sunshine, hearts, and kitten farts!

2008-10-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

I LOVE my team. Seriously. I don't know what I would do without you guys. You have become my family; my drunken, dysfunctional, amazing family. You may not be the hippest, or the fastest - you certainly aren't the best looking - but in a dark alleyway on the wrong side of town, there's no one I'd rather get my ass kicked for.

Sunday may be the lord's day, but Saturday belongs to PAIN!

2008-10-21T19:13:00.001-07:00

Holey Moley! Yesterday morning (and afternoon, and twilight), Josh and I did an awesome ride to Multnomah falls and back. The first 40 or so miles were perfect! I think Josh was pretty much in awe of how gorgeous Oregon an be - especially by bike! The weather was sunny but cool, there wasn't too much traffic, it was amazing!

Unfortunately, at about mile 42, I noticed some trouble unclipping. Thinking my cleat might be coming loose, I bent down to check it out. It was at this point that I realized no, the entire crank arm was fixing to fall off. Luckily we were only a short distance from the lodge, so I did a one legged interval the rest of the way there.

Now, this is probably the first training ride I've been on where I actually brought all of my emergency supplies: tubes, levers, CO2, epipen, multi-tool, etc. Sadly, the allen wrench needed to fix this thing is approximately the same size as the 'SFT' used to change the transmission fluid on a VW. I did not have this tool.

Luckily, a very kind gentleman at the visitor information desk had a small tool kit for his motorcycle and we managed to get the bolt reasonably tight by jamming in a pair of needle-nose pliers along with the largest hex I had. It made it for the next ten or so miles where I another kindly soul (a cyclist this time) who did have the correct tool and I was able to get it pretty durn tight. (Well, as tight as my underdeveloped upper body could manage.)

By the time we got back into Portland, I was fairly spent. By this I mean that my tongue was lolling out of my mouth, half my body was contorted with muscle cramps, and I really don't think I would have been able to find my house if Josh hadn't been there. One bowl of oatmeal, two heaping helpings of Josh's falafel pita magic, and 1.5 wassails later all was right in the world.

Stats

Miles ridden: 96

Miles ridden with one leg: 0.5

Time: 6 hrs - including lollygagging, sight seeing, and damage control

Good Samaritans: 2 (Thank you!)

McGiver Points: 75

Rain drops falling on my head: Zero!

Lessons Learned:

1) I really ought to let one of the cute burly dudes at the LBS assemble any components that require more than 3 ft-lbs of torque.

2) If you are going to leave the ipod at home and stick to having one song stuck in your head for six hours, I highly recommend NIN.

3) In these times of economic uncertainty, I'm putting all my money into falafel.