Feeling a bit edgy. Right now I have three navigational concerns:

a) Igualada. Thread your (my) way through town and find the right exit
b) Lleida: same thing and lots of traffic
c) Balaguer: even worse (roads crossing endlessly) and no one to ask for directions.

Forecast for tomorrow: temperature descending, showers here and there till noon, mostly cloudy.

Eve of... BRM400

Just 48h to go and I feel nearly as laid-back as in the previous BRM200.
I have already settled for a slow judicious ride. If everything goes as expected I intend to hand over my card at dawn.

A kingdom for my Brooks!

Got saddle sores! In short, with BPB looming and some sort of perineal discomfort in the last BRM300 I thought a slotted saddle would fix it up. So took off my butt-shaped B-17 and replaced it by a fresh-stiff-unbroken slotted-B17. As the Honourable House of Brooks and Co asserts: the slotted saddle is a sure cure for perineal problems. Yes, they are absolutely right but... after fifty miles or so I started to feel some "discomfort" in my left sit-bone. Things went worse as the miles passed by till I developed a lump so I opted to cut the training short and head home.

It's strange; breaking up a Brooks never posed a problem to me! Perhaps the "Imperials" have been someway overhardened to compensate for an alleged lack of structural resistance?

And now what? Saddle vs perineal sores? Nice choice.
I think I'm going to reinstall "Old Faithful" since breaking up a new saddle takes its time and the BRM 400 is next Saturday. (And no, I'm not going to soak it in motor-oil)

Me in Wonderbikeland!

Yesterday I took a day off and went to a peculiar bike shop in Barcelona. The name over the main entrance read ESPAIBICI. I had some references from the web but reality was far beyond my wildest expectations! For the first time in many many years I really felt impressed: a Pugsley like monster hanging from the ceiling, a real vintage trike, leather stuff everywhere, lots of fixed-geat parts,... The staff was really friendly and the one who looked like the boss informed me that the hanging-monster was on display after going for a ride through northern Finland. Stunning shop! The only thing that still puzzles me is the intense scent of incense floating in the air. Maybe they are buddist. Walked out with some bike parts including an Imperial Brooks saddle (the thing is that after a hundred miles or so I feel some part of my anatomy -that I'd rather it didn't- going "slightly" numb) By the way, I pulled out myself also with a much thinner wallet (I'm glad my wife doesn't read my blog)

The fixed gear bug

Have I been bitten by the fixed gear bug? Not sure yet but... the idea of converting an old road frame (NOS in fact) into a "fixie" is stumbling around my head.

Chasing mountabikers...

This morning, before going to work, I took a ride up the road to "el Portell". Last night I felt too stressed to sleep so I took a pill. It really worked and after a good night sleep I woke up relaxed... in fact, a bit too relaxed. I'm not saying I had a hard climb, no, it's just I felt "heavy", unable to spin even on the false flats. Once on the top I turned right into the dirt lane that leads to the road to Tibidabo. I passed two mountainbikers in a fast succession to their eternal shame and temporary surprise. Obviously, being passed by a road machine in a dirt lane was felt like an offence and called for an inmediate reparation (cruel revenge, to say it straight). So they quickly started to chase and outpaced me in one long steep climb full of loose stones (remember I was riding on 28*622). I knew it was going to happen so I made no effort to fight back ... till the lane surface got smoother. I looked for a favourable position at their six and launched a sudden devastating attack. The one on the lead (obviously alerted by his tail radar) made an unexpected right turn into the safety of a steep narrow track but his unaware mate... ho, ho, ho.
Back on the asphalt I climbed uneventfully to Tibidabo and plummetted down to St Cugat.

Signing up for the BRM400

Rode on the new bike lane to Sant Cugat. No doubt of the designer's good will but... it's not well concieved (why don't they ask cyclist first?)

Climbed to Tibidabo choosing the hilliest possible route and trying to stay one cog higher than usual. After a while I changed my mind, shifted down a couple of gears and spinned. May be it's a more sensible way to face long climbs (specially if one intends to climb for hours).
Got quite a fright in one of the steepest descents when my rear wheel skidded on the wet pavement and was on the verge of falling to the ground in the very moment a lorry was approaching. My heart pounded harder for quite a long...

By the way, I've just signed up for the BRM 400. I rode most of the route a couple of years ago and it's... challenging

BRM 400 Profile

The day after...the 300Km BRM

The dreaded wind did not show up so the ride was much faster than expected. Start time at six am sharp. It was a bit cold but nothing compared to the previous event. The organizers unleashed the pack in the most casual way (what happened to the ceremonial departure with the traditional bon route! and all the "necessary formalities"?) This time the field (some 150 guys and half a dozen gals) avoided the main road and threaded its way through an industrial area that lead to the St Joan junction before heading for the hills. No need to say that the pace suddenly increased and the fast guys on the lead quickly turned into a distant red glow in the dark. In fact some of them finished the ride before the minimum time and had to wait for the openning of the control . I was riding with some friends in a group of four that calmly tackled the hills in a brevetish manner making steady progress. Shortly before St Ramon we caught up with another cyclist. He was a friendly middleaged gentleman stubbornly riding in a course that was obviously beyond his physical limits. I offered him my wheel and did my best to "give him a ride" but it was obvious he was not going to make it. He lost contact approaching Agramunt. I knew we're not to see him again. Later, at the finish we learned he'd packed shortly after. By then our happy group of four was not only not so happy but a bit diminished. By some difficult-to-explain reason A.R. was on his own presumably well ahead of us. To our surprise he showed up at the Alfarràs control just when we were about to leave. Things were a bit tense at first but after some unconvincing appologies and by unspoken agreement we skipped over the most uncomfortable questions and left as a full group again. As we were leaving Lleida we gained on the familiar figure of a lonely cyclist. It happened to be MF our five times PBP ancienne. We were keeping quite a good pace but arriving to Cervera I started to suffer from saddle sores (What's going wrong with my old-trusty Brooks?) Anyway, we were back in St Ramon still in day light. By then I was starting to feel my legs "a bit heavy" but kept stubbornly on my 23 cog uncaring of the steepening grade to Conill. It was obviously a mistake, the last climb (the Coll de la Fonollosa) proved to be a real match for a overstressed rider (yes, I had overdone it a bit in the big ring...). A chilly un uneventful descent brought us to the finish. And now what? The 400?

The day before... the 300 km BRM

Spit and polish again. Bike's gleaming and eager for the ride, I, on the other hand, feel suprisingly laid-back and unconcerned. I've already riden this route once and am well aware of what to expect. As it goes in chronological order: hills at the beginning, rolling terrain, endless "undulations", bad pavement (or none at all), excruciating head-winds, bigger hills, some downhill and an unnecessary (obviously misplaced) steep climb before the final fast rolling descent to the "arrivé". At least it's how it was a year ago (maybe I should publish the ride report). If everything goes smoothly we'll be due shortly before midnight

Anyway, now early to bed (for early to rise...)

The day after... la Flèche

And me at the end (still looking slightly tired)

The flèche Vélocio

The "non-french" team at the start (Mont Louis).
Had quite a nice weather till 04:00 am. From then on it rained (downpoured) till the very end.

Training

Climbed to Horta in one cog smaller than usual. Hardly made a difference. Used the dirt path to cross over to Tibidabo. Got passed by another cyclist while descending to St Cugat and was unable to chase. I'm starting to feel really outgeared

Dirt roads

By the way, I've got hooked on dirt roads to the surprise of ATB users. They get stared at my 28x622 before starting whispering as I pass by.

Coll de Revell revisited

Last Sunday I climbed again the Coll de Revell. I hadn't cycled that road since the previous non-attempted BPB two years ago. A 13km twisty climb on fine pavement amidst trees followed by a chilly descent. The climb was preceded by a 60 km approach at full speed (I drafted some guys that were obviously trying to break the hour record). In fact, most of the time I felt outgeared (had a hard time closing the gaps)

I'm back (again)

Yes, I know... I've neglected this blog for a short (long) time. It might look like I've resigned but... NO.
Now seriously, the BPB is being held again this year (May 29-30th) and this time I'm quite determined to give it a go. To be sincere I feel a bit insecure. In fact my first intention was to take a year's sabbatical from brevets but... Have I mentioned last Easter flèche vélocio? No? Well, to make a long story short I was a member of the only non-french team that successfully completed the arrow (despite the rain and the vent del sud that plagued the southern approach to Le Pontet). Three months ago, in the celebration meal (ACP awards included) I learned that the rest of the team was fully comitted to this year's Barcelona-Perpinyà and I felt somehow obliged to (reluctantly) join them. The 200 km brevet (a bit early for the season) went uneventfully but for the freezing temperature and since then I've kept on training.