It's been a strange sortie. At early morning I started to pedal into the mist wondering if it would be a sensible thing to turn around and fetch a portable sonar. By midday I was steaming in my winter jacket making sad remarks about the glass-house effect. An hour later I was pulling the zipper up to my chin consoling myself with the thought that cold air is said to be beneficial to the skin.
Things went a bit better than last week. The Coll d'Estenalles is quite an ordeal, a gruelling climb that lasts for more than twenty kilometres but today I managed to get through with some dignity.
I'm not saying that things were allright, I'm just saying that they were just a little better than seven days ago.
By the way, this pic shows the summit of the Coll. Looks quite harmless, doesn't it?

It's widely acknowledged that long distance cycling spoils one's brain long beyond repair. Tomorrow, before sunrise, I'll give another try to the Coll-whose-name-must-not-be-spoken .
Most learned people agree that stubborness is a common unwanted side-effect of brain-softening activities (such as randonneuring). I know it too well...

Coll d'Estenalles revisited

It could had been worse but when I started riding before dawn could not imagine it was going to be so discouragingly bad. It was cold and damp with thick fogy patches as I entered the Bages. At the beggining things were uneventfully but for a vague sensation of slowliness. Climbed the Coll of Sant Llorenç and the Coll of Lligabosses steadily but got the bonk climbing the Coll d'Estenalles. The dreaded man of the hammer paid me a full visit and though I managed not to dismount and walk was just barely able to inch up painfully and slow. When I got home was half an hour up on my last attempt. It's quite a long time for such a short distance, isn't it?, I'm not in my best mood right now, seriously thinking on giving up any damn foolish idea of riding anything longer than a 200k.

Brake levers swap

Three days ago I finally swapped brake levers. It just took me a couple of hours work which included disassembling the old levers and brake shifters, untaping handlebar, putting everything back into place and retaping. Fortunately, there was no need to replace cables and housing and even the used ferrules were recycled into service (just trying to go easy...on the budget).
The bike looked good and if something looks good ... it probably works. So yesterday I went for my favorite short climb around here: The Coll del Forat del Vent aka "la carretera d'Horta" and , well, how could I put it? I felt reasonably comfortable or at least much better than in the previous setting.
By the way, the climb was uneventful; just spinned up lightly.

Sheldon Brown

Yesterday night I accidentally got the news of Sheldon's death. I was stunned. Many people in the cycling world were aware of Sheldon's health hurdles but nothing seemed to herald such a sudden and tragic ending. Needless to say that the whole cycling community will miss him more than simple words can express.
Bone route, cher ami.

All right, for the tenth time or so I'll treat myself to another amusing session of handlebar makeover. After carefully considering the pros and cons I finally made my mind to swap brake levers for the... uuh... tenth time, I said?
The fact is that the Tektro's benefit from a built-in quick release that makes wheel removal a lot easier, but for some unknown reason they make my right hand feel sore and this is something to be taken into account when you plan to ride non-stop for, ehem... 600 km or so. Then I will definitely assemble the BL 400 back (assuming an always challenging, crowd-gathering, tire-deflating-maneuver prior to wheel removal)

The first serious test

Deu ser cap a tres quarts de set que aconsegueixo sortir del llit. A les set i deu ja soc a fora. Encara és de nit i fa una mica de fred. Quan surto de la zona enllumenada me n'adono de que el llum frontal és gairebé sense bateria (mira que m'ho temia!). En fi, plat gran i cap a la carretera de la Roca. Moc els desenvolupaments amb facilitat. Arribo a la Roca en poc més d'una hora i pujo Parpers sense adonar-me'n. La carretera de Mata tampoc suposa cap problema, de fet, no començo a patir una mica fins les darreres rampes del Collsacreu (cosa força raonable). Tenia planejat esmorzar a la benzinera que hi ha abans de Vallgorgina però la trobo tancada per reformes. Recordo que fa un mes, quan hi vaig passar per darrer cop, l'encarregada em va comentar alguna cosa sobre "netejar els dipòsits" però jo em pensava que això es feia en un parell de dies. Tant se val, paro igualment a menjar-me un dels entrepans. D'aquí fins a Hostalrich a plat recuperant temps. Un cop allà, menjo el segon entrepà a la Plaça dels Bous, faig les fotos acreditatives i me'n torno direcció Sant Celoni. A la "recta de Sant Celoni" em trobo amb un ciclista de Sant Celoni (cosa raonablement probable) i em proposa que fem relleus. Déu meu! És com una mena de quarterback amb proteccions incloses (entenc que la seva bici grinyoli a cada pedalada). Les seves cames són una lliço en viu d'anatomia de l'extremitat inferior. Faig el que puc i, malgrat el vent que entra de cara, aguanto fins gairebé la sortida de Sant Celoni on comença a distancia-se per, tot seguit, saludar i girar cap el poble. Em sento força alleujat de poder baixar el ritme una mica. Poca cosa més a dir llevat de que arribant a Montcada comença a ploure cada cop més fort. Entrada triunfal per la cuina deixant petjades acreditatives de les inclemències metereològiques. En resum, uns cent cinquanta quilòmetres en poc més de vuit hores. La mitjana ha estat per sobre dels 18 quilòmetres/hora. Sí, és clar, anem millorant però...

Saturday, February 2nd

Tomorrow I'll face the first serious test: an alleged fast ride to Hostalric and back. Distance estimate about 150 km. Departure time: before sunrise (if at all possible). Arrival time: unknown. Average speed: Ha! Ought to feel a bit edgy but I don't.