Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Jul 3, 2011, 5:18 pm
Yes, I am still here and still riding, although, as you can see from the mileage log over there, nowhere near as much as before. There are reasons (and not excuses). So much has changed in the past few months, from losing the job at the place I spent 39 years working at, to almost immediately findin...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Sep 26, 2010, 5:48 pm
This morning my coffee sipping and watching of the pre-race show for the Singapore Formula One race was interrupted by the sound of police sirens and the ensuing insistent barking of Logan (our newest adoptee, not reported on here - yet). The sirens stopped nearby, Logan quieted down, and, thankful ...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Jul 29, 2010, 9:05 pm
This evening's weather forecast was the same as yesterday's - 40% chance of thunderstorms. The difference was that, while yesterday it was overcast, spitting rain, looking like storms could break out any moment, the temp was 88 degrees, and the Weather Channel said it felt like 95, today was nearly ...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Jul 28, 2010, 8:33 pm
As noted in my last post, a variety of things have conspired to give me some excuses for not riding. There have only been 15 rides since the first of June for a total of 479 miles. Foremost among the excuses has been the weather. Well, tonight, the air quality wasn't too bad, temp only about 90, h...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Jul 24, 2010, 7:10 am
This seems to be happening far too often lately. Of course there are the usual comments of bikes not belonging on roads, and roads are made for things with motors. Well, they are not. Roads are made to facilitate travel. They are a huge network of public transport, open to whatever mode of travel t...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Apr 14, 2010, 6:05 pm
The DirecTV and Versus (Comcast) truce means that, once again, I get to watch two things I love. Indy Car Racing and Bicycle racing. Watching Fabian Cancellara putting an exqusite smack down to all comers in Flanders and Paris - Roubaix was, as they say, "Must see TV". That smooth, fluid riding off...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Apr 9, 2010, 12:57 pm
Since I live out here in the middle of nowhere - or, to be fair, about 25 miles in any direction from almost everything - it isn't a surprise when I come across rural type things in the road. Goats, and cows are not all that unusual, horses are pretty common - and require great care in passing, as b...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Apr 5, 2010, 5:05 pm
One of the biggest drawbacks to commuting, at least with my bike selection, has been shoes. Sometime, way back when I started thinking I'd like to ride "seriously" (whatever that means) I shelled out some outrageous amount of money for Look pedals, shoes, and cleats. I put in the requisite falls, bu...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 27, 2010, 8:03 pm
Almost took the day off from riding. A couple of days with temperatures in the mid 70's is all it takes to spoil me. Today's high of 55 seemed almost cold, but that wasn't why I almost didn't ride. It was considered as an excuse, though. First we went to Sam's Club in the morning and spent a large a...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 24, 2010, 8:14 pm
I skipped the usual Tuesday evening ride. There was something so demotivating about the 26 mph winds and the knowledge that Wednesday would bring even warmer temps, and no wind, that not even my desire to ride could overcome it. The anticipated weather change actually happened. Seventy-five degrees...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 20, 2010, 6:39 pm
According to this report the federal government's new policies for getting highway funds must put the needs of cyclists and pedestrians in the same category as motorists. I hope they really do. How about putting some funds toward educating people that bikes and pedestrians really do belong.
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 19, 2010, 8:18 pm
There were no plans for a Friday ride. I almost never ride on Friday. I subscribe to the theories of all the cycling books that you've got to have ride days and recovery days, and it seems to work pretty well. How commuting will work into this remains to be seen, but it is a different type of ridi...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 18, 2010, 8:24 pm
Ok, so I did the math. If I commute the three miles to work I actually save about $3.00 a day. That may seem like a lot, but if you take into account that it's four three mile trips ( I come home for lunch - don't you?) for a total of twelve miles, the commuter car is a 1989 Ford Taurus (V6 with bad...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 16, 2010, 7:58 pm
Well, good news for those of us whose only alternative to free, over the air TV, is DirecTV, anyway. Versus is back! Channel 603 has two things I tend to watch to the exclusion of anything else. Bicycle racing, and Indycar racing. It's about time they came to their senses. Judging from this list of...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 13, 2010, 8:56 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Mar 13, 2010, 8:56 pm
I am slowly shaking off the shackles of seasonal lethargy and beginning to transition back to some level of fitness. This winter's been, well, wintry. We have lived in North Carolina for almost twenty one years and this is the first real winter we've had. Sure there's been cold and even snow, but th...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Feb 7, 2010, 4:43 pm
Not what I've been up to, I'll bet. A whole lot of nothing. I hadn't been on a bike since January 19th, and that was riding to work in the afternoon or a total of 6 miles. Snow storms and exceptionally cold weather have made perfect excuses for not riding outside. Setting up the bike on the trainer...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Feb 7, 2010, 4:43 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Jan 5, 2010, 9:30 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Jan 5, 2010, 9:30 pm
Seems like five days into the new year might be a good time to tally up last years numbers and see where I went. Thanks to the magic of Excel, I don't really have to know what I'm doing. As you can see from the yearly mileage over there, my total was 4877.63 with 213.95 on the trainer. Since my only...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 28, 2009, 7:14 am
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 28, 2009, 7:14 am
Well, maybe it won't be too bad. Sunday I rode the same route as Saturday in almost identical conditions and averaged 16.8 mph without ever feeling stressed or out of breath. That was a one mph improvement over Saturday and pretty standard for that route. Off to the cardiologist today to see what he...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 26, 2009, 5:10 pm
Seems like no matter what project I get involved in there are always multiple layers of red tape to negotiate. Today's project, though was pure red tape. Finally got the no longer white, almost two year old tape off. Letting me have anything white is a mistake, from the moment it comes into my posse...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 26, 2009, 5:10 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 12, 2009, 4:16 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 12, 2009, 4:16 pm
Annie had her kitten prevention operation Wednesday. She seems a little subdued now, bit recovering nicely, with short flashes of the little terror she tends to be. I just added up all her vet bills... shots, worming, de-fleaing meds, and the operation. Let me see, at $600 that would make this one e...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 5, 2009, 4:53 pm
Yesterday during my cycling shopping binge I spent a lot of time examining wind and water resistant booties. In the end I elected not to buy them. It is just hard for me to purchase winter type stuff given how short and mild the winters are here. Not very far into today's ride having booties would h...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 5, 2009, 4:53 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 4, 2009, 9:10 pm
The thing with plans is that if the best laid ones often go awry, the casual "tomorrow I'm gonna..." type don't stand a chance. Seems to be a good reason not to plan ahead, so mostly I don't, much to the dismay of several people around here who would like to know what we are "gonna do tomorrow". My ...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Dec 4, 2009, 9:10 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 29, 2009, 5:47 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 29, 2009, 5:47 pm
Ignore the fact that my ineptitude as a photographer caused me to include a closeup of one of my fingers. I'm new to this camera in a phone thing. This bike caught my eye, first because it was parked at the gas pump, and second because of the unique handlebar installation. I am not sure how the brak...
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 14, 2009, 8:47 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 13, 2009, 1:12 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 7, 2009, 6:39 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 7, 2009, 7:01 am
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 6, 2009, 2:03 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Nov 1, 2009, 5:41 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Oct 31, 2009, 6:45 am
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Oct 30, 2009, 6:51 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Oct 25, 2009, 8:14 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Oct 23, 2009, 8:48 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Oct 18, 2009, 6:45 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Sep 30, 2009, 7:16 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Sep 7, 2009, 4:41 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Sep 5, 2009, 8:59 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Sep 4, 2009, 8:31 pm
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Sep 3, 2009, 8:33 am
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Michael Breth posted an article on 2 Wheels - Aug 30, 2009, 8:45 pm
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