I don't know ... maybe it was the roses

[Neil Brooks]

I've often said (in a business context): if you give somebody a metric
to hit, they'll hit it, but often at the expense of the larger
business.

I've been too focused on mileage lately, maintaining an X miles/week
goal. The easy way has been to take the easier routes. Not flatter,
necessarily, but typically with fewer stops and starts. Long
stretches on single roads, out-and-backs, simple loops, etc.

Friday was different, though. Instead of staying on the beaten path,
I explored neighborhoods, stopping at the Stop signs if it wasn't
abundantly clear that there were no cars. Rode up the hills to the
coastal areas that had that great whitewater view, through the flower
fields, the industrial parks, the college campuses, the parks, the
retail centers (not recommended. Dangerous parking lots!).

By the time I got back, I'd logged 70 miles on a hot day. The average
speed--as it turns out--wasn't bad at all. I had fewer negative
traffic encounters, more friendly waves from parents and kids playing
in the yard, and a better look at the neighboring towns than I'd had
in years. How cool is that?

Another perfect San Diego day. I'm out the door right now ... no
mileage goal in mind; just gonna' see a few different areas, keep up a
fairly brisk pace, and see where the winds take me.

Anybody else tried to vary their approach to riding like this. If so,
wanna' share your experiences?

 

[Paul Hobson]

Neil Brooks wrote:
> I've often said (in a business context): if you give somebody a metric
> to hit, they'll hit it, but often at the expense of the larger
> business.
>
> I've been too focused on mileage lately, maintaining an X miles/week
> goal. The easy way has been to take the easier routes. Not flatter,
> necessarily, but typically with fewer stops and starts. Long
> stretches on single roads, out-and-backs, simple loops, etc.
>
> Friday was different, though. Instead of staying on the beaten path,
> I explored neighborhoods, stopping at the Stop signs if it wasn't
> abundantly clear that there were no cars. <snip>
> Anybody else tried to vary their approach to riding like this. If so,
> wanna' share your experiences?

This is typically how I ride. Granted, I don't have time to go out for
70 miles in the middle of the week, but I finish up whatever goals I
have for the day (or work 'til I can't stand it) and head out, trying to
go down new side rodes. My main goal is better know (my way around)
atlanta. it can be a tricky city to navigate, especially in terms of
finding fast, safe bike routes to use when needed.
--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
..:change the words to numbers
if you want to reply to me:.

 

[Roger Zoul]

Neil Brooks <[email protected]> wrote:

[...]

:>
:> Anybody else tried to vary their approach to riding like this. If
:> so, wanna' share your experiences?

Yeah....my experience is that the same routes get boring after a while,
especially when done in pursuit of building up mileage. New sites, new
routes, are fun and refreshing. I have a buddy who knows a zillion
different routes to take and I always enjoy a Sunday morning ride with him.
Each one is different. Sadly, he's been in chemo of late....

 

[C.J.Patten]

"Neil Brooks" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've often said (in a business context): if you give somebody a metric
> to hit, they'll hit it, but often at the expense of the larger
> business.
>
> I've been too focused on mileage lately, maintaining an X miles/week
> goal. The easy way has been to take the easier routes. Not flatter,
> necessarily, but typically with fewer stops and starts. Long
> stretches on single roads, out-and-backs, simple loops, etc.
>
> Friday was different, though. Instead of staying on the beaten path,
> I explored neighborhoods, stopping at the Stop signs if it wasn't
> abundantly clear that there were no cars. Rode up the hills to the
> coastal areas that had that great whitewater view, through the flower
> fields, the industrial parks, the college campuses, the parks, the
> retail centers (not recommended. Dangerous parking lots!).
>
> By the time I got back, I'd logged 70 miles on a hot day. The average
> speed--as it turns out--wasn't bad at all. I had fewer negative
> traffic encounters, more friendly waves from parents and kids playing
> in the yard, and a better look at the neighboring towns than I'd had
> in years. How cool is that?
>
> Another perfect San Diego day. I'm out the door right now ... no
> mileage goal in mind; just gonna' see a few different areas, keep up a
> fairly brisk pace, and see where the winds take me.
>
> Anybody else tried to vary their approach to riding like this. If so,
> wanna' share your experiences?


Awesome Neil! I understand the business reference all too well.

A friend of mine got rid of his cycle-computer because he found he was
letting it affect how fast and far he went.

I've started switching to a computer "junk mode" (like "max.speed" which
doesn't really tell you much) and just exploring whatever area strikes me.
Similar to your results, I find I keep a respectable average speed and tend
to go farther. I also see a lot more interesting neighborhoods.

A scene from the movie "Gattaca" plays through my head while riding. The
gifted brother asks Vincent how he's able to do this (refering to their all
out swim to the middle of the lake) and the reply is something like "I don't
save anything for the trip back." I've tried to do that, recognizing I can
always get on a bus if I need to. (bike racks on our busses...plus I have a
folder) Average daily ride distance and speed are up by 50% from three
months ago.

Chris

 

[[email protected]]

Neil Brooks wrote:
Stuff about the joy of just riding.

Dear Neil:
Hi! I empathize with you on that. I spent three hours on Saturday
getting lost with a purpose -- scouting a new cycling route for the
Knickerbikers. Up Linda Vista Avenue, down past Qualcomm and then out
of Mission Valley via Friar's Road back to the Mission Bay Visitor's
Center. Only 20 miles, but that long (but not particularly steep after
the first bit) Linda Vista hill might tire the rest of them enough that
they'll appreciate a coffee/pit stop at Village Coffee.
By the way, does anyone else use a map and a length of string to
figure out route distance?

Robert Leone [email protected]

 

[Tom Keats]

In article <[email protected]>,
"C.J.Patten" <[email protected]> writes:

> A friend of mine got rid of his cycle-computer because he found he was
> letting it affect how fast and far he went.

I did pretty much the same thing. Actually, the
display head fell off and I just didn't replace it.
I feel freed without it. I'd rather ride a bike
than a computer anyways.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

 

[Zoot Katz]

Mon, 3 Oct 2005 21:39:22 -0700, <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>I'd rather ride a bike than a computer anyways.

Even my kick-scooter is faster than my computer.
--
zk

 

[wle]

for route distances...

http://www.sueandpaul.com/gmapPedometer/

wle.

 

[Paul Hobson]

wle wrote:
> for route distances...
>
> http://www.sueandpaul.com/gmapPedometer/
>
> wle.
>

I use that so much. It's such a great hack.

\\paul
--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
http://www.fastermustache.org

 

[Bill]

Neil Brooks wrote:
> I've often said (in a business context): if you give somebody a metric
> to hit, they'll hit it, but often at the expense of the larger
> business.
>
> I've been too focused on mileage lately, maintaining an X miles/week
> goal. The easy way has been to take the easier routes. Not flatter,
> necessarily, but typically with fewer stops and starts. Long
> stretches on single roads, out-and-backs, simple loops, etc.
>
> Friday was different, though. Instead of staying on the beaten path,
> I explored neighborhoods, stopping at the Stop signs if it wasn't
> abundantly clear that there were no cars. Rode up the hills to the
> coastal areas that had that great whitewater view, through the flower
> fields, the industrial parks, the college campuses, the parks, the
> retail centers (not recommended. Dangerous parking lots!).
>
> By the time I got back, I'd logged 70 miles on a hot day. The average
> speed--as it turns out--wasn't bad at all. I had fewer negative
> traffic encounters, more friendly waves from parents and kids playing
> in the yard, and a better look at the neighboring towns than I'd had
> in years. How cool is that?
>
> Another perfect San Diego day. I'm out the door right now ... no
> mileage goal in mind; just gonna' see a few different areas, keep up a
> fairly brisk pace, and see where the winds take me.
>
> Anybody else tried to vary their approach to riding like this. If so,
> wanna' share your experiences?

Your day sounds like my typical day. I just get on the bike and ride
somewhere, anywhere, and wind up talking to people, sometimes riding
with them for a bit, stopping at yard sales, sometimes going ten miles
at high effort speed to get to the next little town of interest, but
always different. I envy you the San Diego weather though, since North
of Sacramento it gets over 100 way too much. I did 70 miles a few
Saturdays back and came out with an average speed of only 11 MPH what
with all the BS stops, getting off the bike to take some pictures, and
just taking in the silence and scenery. Hardly a training ride but a
nice day on/off the bike.
Bill Baka