Andrea

“The Lester Street Massacre”

If you live in the Memphis area, you’ve heard the awful news about what’s been dubbed the “Lester Street Massacre.” If you haven’t heard this yet, just Google it. It all boils down to this:Â people in a low-income area of town hear gunshots Saturday night. Noone calls police because gunshots on a Saturday night aren’t a new thing in the area. By Monday morning, the mother of one of the children staying in the house comes to pick her child up, notices the door partially open, and calls police. Inside, six people are dead, and three are seriously injured. Two of the dead are children. The three injured ones are children (currently in critical & serious condition at a local hospital). They have been shot and stabbed.

Memphis is a violent place, but this goes above and beyond a neighborhood’s tendency towards violence. It’s the type of crime that makes everyone wonder what type of person could be so full of hate that they could destroy so much human life. People were hoping that it was some sort of murder/suicide, but the culprit is still out there.

I don’t normally tell people what to do with their money (other than to buy bike parts?), but I think that the collection for the families of the victims is a very noble cause. If you’re interested in donating, you can go to any Bank of America location to do so. You can also send donations to the neighborhood’s church: First Baptist Church – Broad 2835 Broad Ave. Memphis, TN 38112

Andrea

Product Review: Ritchey Biomax II Handlebars

Yeah, I’m on Spring Break this week, so I’ll be posting a lot :)

Here’s the manufacturer’s product description:
6 degree swept-back tops, 3 degree flare, Ergo bump and super shallow (135mm) drop for more a comfortable riding position : R50 bend for more hand room : Deep groove hides cables : 290g (42cm/31.8). Width measured from center to center

I put these on about a week ago to replace my 42cm ergo bend bars. They’d gotten somewhat flexy (metal fatigue), and I tended to hit my forearms on the tops of the bars when sprinting in the drops. Because the Biomax II bar ends flare out, I ordered a 40cm in order to keep my hands in line w/my shoulders when on the drops.
The first thing I noticed was how much stiffer these were than my old bars. The width is perfect. On the hoods, my hands are a little narrower than on the previous bars, and they feel perfectly in line with my shoulders when I’m in the drops. Even with my long arms, I feel more comfortable with the shallower drop. The “biomax” features- swept back tops and flared drops- really are nice. The flare makes sprinting in the drops much more comfortable than before. I feel much more stable in that position than with my previous bars.
The only discomfort I’ve noticed is the amount of vibration I get with the bars, but, they’re aluminum, so I’m not really surprised. It’s worth it for some extra stiffness when it counts. I think once I switch my tape out from some plain cork to a gel cork that I’ll be more comfortable.

Unless someone comes out with a carbon version bar like this, they’ll be what I ride!

Andrea

Saddle Woes

If you know me, you have likely heard me complaining about my saddle at one time or another. In the past year and a half, I’ve tried and disliked 9 different saddles from a Fizik Arione, several Terrys, a couple of Specializeds, a couple of different leather saddles, and a partridge in a pear tree. All of them, in one way or another, have done something to make me incredibly uncomfortable somewhere in the undercarriage.

I’ve decided to make a saddle que-
Selle San Marco Glamour Aspide
Topeak Allay
One or more of the new Trek WSDs that aren’t out yet
A Selle Italia of some sort

Unlike what I’ve done in the past (ride until I can no longer stand it), I’m going to try one, and, if it gives me a problem, immediately return or sell it and go to the next one down the list. I’m tired of something hurting every time I ride!

I know there are some other women who read this that have had saddle issues. What have you tried?

Andrea

First race success!

I rode in/won the women’s 1/2/3 field at the CARVE Crosswind Classic road race today! Although the day started out somewhat disastrously when one of the junior racers knocked me over while I was warming up, I had a very good race.

There were only 4 of us, but two of the other 3 women were cat 2 riders, AND we were forced to race against an obnoxious, fast group of guys who would periodically yell and try to pick fights with each other during the race! The race started out painfully slow. I was bored and didn’t like being in a large mass of sketchy riders, so when I had the opportunity to follow a somewhat suicidal break with two guys about 10 miles in to the 50 mile race, I went for it. We rode really hard for about 14 miles, only to get caught within a couple of miles of the end of the first loop of the course. The move earned me a bit of respect, though, and the speed that the field generated to catch us was enough to throw two of the other three women off the back- leaving only one very strong cat 2 from the CARVE team (along with the same pissy guys) to deal with. We rode hard for most of the 2nd lap. There were a few large men’s teams who took control of the pack during the last few miles, so it was very hard to maintain a good field position for the sprint, but my effort was more than enough to beat the remaining woman (along with a nice portion of the pissy guys!)

The only criticisms I have for myself is that I should have eaten/drank more during the race. Otherwise, everything was great! Hopefully today’s race is a sign of what is to come!

Photo from the end of the first of two laps:

lap-1-crosswind-classic.jpg

Andrea

What does it take to be a sucessful Germantown/Collierville woman?

Silver Suburban/Yukon (H2 or 3 is OK as well… or anything that gets less than 12mpg)
Plastic Surgery
A litter of children
Blonde hair (or at least blonde highlights)
A designer purse of some sort (Lois Vuitton, Hermes, Coach, etc.)
Oversized sunglasses of the same designer
Manicure/pedicure from a salon that charges a premium price because all of its manicurists “speak perfect english” (yes, this is an advertised feature of the high-dollar places around here)
A mobile phone surgically attached to the side of your head
Anti-depressants
Stickers with your kids names/sports on the back of your silver suburban/yukon
“W” sticker next to your kids’ stickers
A husband who you don’t really love, but makes enough money to pay for all this

Yes, I’m bitter. These women terrorize me when I ride my bike. I had one get pissed at me in a school zone yesterday (again) because I rode in the middle of the lane, at (actually 1mph more than) the posted speed limit, and she could not get around me because there were too many other silver suburbans parked on the side of the road picking their kids up.

Anyone want to add to the list?

Andrea

Let WHO ride?

I’m sick of this whole “Let Levi ride” campaign. I’m not buying into it. No, it’s not fair that he and the current team didn’t do anything wrong, but he chose to join a team whose riders cheated in the past and got caught. Did he think that Astana would go unpunished? You sold yourself to the highest bidding team. Now you have to deal with the consequences.

Also, why just Levi? Where’s the widespread “Let Alberto Ride” propaganda? He won The Tour last year- if Astana is out, then we get to have another tour without a rider wearing #1. And, If I’m not mistaken, a great deal of Levi’s success in the ToC was achieved through help from his teammates- why haven’t I received 20 Myspace bulletins telling me to sign the online petition to let Chris or Vladamir ride??

I say don’t give in. No special treatment for anyone. Don’t let Levi ride.

Andrea

Bad Indy!

I was in the shower earlier and heard a loud “thump” coming from somewhere in the house. When I got out, I found my bike tipped over on the floor and my dogs looking super innocent…

Indy sucks at looking innocent, though…

Indy

Andrea

Crosswind Classic Road Race

I had some spare time between classes and decided to draw Saturday’s course out on MapMyRide so I could get an idea of the terrain. You can click on “View in MapMyRide” and look at the elevation info available…

Nevermind… there IS no terrain!

Andrea

Brickhouse Composition

So, last July, I was at my lightest in a long time, weighing in at around 130 pounds. I had my bodyfat checked and measured in at 15%. Now, after lifting weights all winter, gaining over 10 pounds, then losing some, I’m 139 pounds. I got my bodyfat checked again today and came in at 16%. Statistically speaking, these numbers are the same. I need to continue to lose weight so that climbing is a bit easier (or course, when my SRAM Red finally gets in, that will help…), but I am happy with how I look now. Before I just looked a little emaciated. Now I’ve got more of a Laura van Gilder thing going on!