Tour of Qatar

Had one of those "once in a lifetime" moments on Thursday. Jumped out of bed and on the spur of the moment decided to drive to Doha, Qatar to try and catch some of the Tour of Qatar series. Threw a few things in the bag, booked a hotel online and jumped in the car to try and make the finish line for about 4pm that day. Was a 500 km drive with the added aggravation of negotiating a visa at the Qatar border. The mileage and border hassles meant that we narrowly missed Cav's sprint finish win. The only cyclist in evidence was Tom Boonen doing the yellow jersey interviews. To say I was gutted was an understatement. Anyway, trundled back to the hotel determined to make the start of the final day on the Friday.

Friday arrived and we headed off for the Sealine Beach Resort where the teams were gathering for the start. We arrived 3 hours early and we managed to blag our way in to the resort to the cyclist area. Was an amazing experience as the weather was glorious at 25C, the teams just sat around on the lawns relaxing and putting on their sun cream. Strolling around we sighted Eddy Merchx running around performing his race director duties.

Of course the highlight was finding Mark Cavendish just sat on the lawn gossipping with his team. We exchanged a few words and he posed for a photograph. As there were so few "joe public" it was possible to look at all the bikes (and riders) at very close quarters.

The mechanics were running through quick gear and brake tests on all the machines then putting them on the racks. Looks like electronic Dura Ace and deep, deep Zipps are the order of the day.

Race started at 1pm and again was very relaxed. After the start we had to jump back in the car for the 7 hour drive back to Saudi. Sadly it looks like my best wishes to Cav were not heeded as he had a get-off in the finish straight. Perhaps it was a good thing that we couldn't stay for the finish after all. Tom Boonen was overall winner.

All in all a great experience and I was glad that we made the effort. The show moves on to Oman next but sadly that is just too far to contemplate. And the closest I will ever get to a podium finish..........................

One for the Anoraks

Used the Garmin for my turbo work for the first time today. Was trying to keep it in zone 3 for heart rate and between 70 and 80 for cadence. For a first attempt I was reasonably happy with the results and it will no doubt get better. Looking at a new set of figures is a welcome distraction while spinning. After uploading to the Garmin Connect website I can review all the stored and extrapolated info. I wish I'd had the total cadence data for the JOGLE ride last year. If a little over an hour gives 5500 revolutions what does 9 days and 975 miles result in? Billions?

BTW, I hasten to add I will not be posting the number of times my heart beat on each of my posts. Have no fear, I will spare you that tedium!

Garmin Sensors

The Huxley Wheelers team masseur has joined me in the Eastern Province and brought gifts from afar (as it were). Included in the maximum baggage allowance were a Garmin speed/cadence sensor and heart strap.  I want these additional parameters so I can log my exercise on the turbo which is becoming a bit of an addiction. Setup was straightforward with the Garmin 800 recognising the sensors straight away. I have read some tales of woe trying to get them connected but no problems there. They are a touch expensive but anything to keep me motivated on the turbo. I can now start doing some proper zoned heart rate work to burn that fat! And fat is going to be a problem now that the Huxley Wheelers nutritionist has joined me!
Was on night manoeuvres at the airport so no early morning ride at Dammam Velodrome today, just turbo work in the kitchen. Might fall slightly short of my target 600 miles for January but it's still been a good effort. Will give the new sensors a proper test tomorrow and then wallow in analysis of the data.

Off Topic

No apologies for this post being off topic, the only bike I rode this weekend was a quad. Was actually the first time I have been on one of these beasts but I was reasonably reserved. At 700cc it was a pretty powerful bike and the more experienced pilots were popping wheelies etc. No such heroics from me. Was back on the rather more sedate (and safer) indoor turbo tonight which was a tough session.

False Alarm

It's the weekend here in the Eastern Province and usually time to grab an extra hour in bed. But not this morning, I foolishly forgot to disable my early morning call so was rudely awaken at 04:50hrs. If you are awake early at the weekend there is nothing else for it except to crack on with the training ride. Did my now normal weekend ride of 31.6 miles at the corniche. I think I can just detect the effect of the nightly turbo sessions on my fitness. Not sure the weight has dropped any but the ability to maintain a reasonable pace has improved. I put the deep section wheels back on for the road as the cassette gearing is better than on the Mavics. Mileage is creeping up for January and I should be close to the 600 mile mark by month-end. A good start to the New Years resolution.
I am a bit worried to notice that it looks like the elevation sensor (altitude) on my Garmin 800 is kaput. Elevation is not something that I have taken notice of as all my riding is at sea level these days. However, in an expensive item like the 800 it is disappointing. Will investigate further but not too hopeful.

Another 1st

 
In my career as an enthusiastic cyclist I have become used to being overtaken by most things on the road; cars, buses, trucks, milk floats, even other cyclists. However, today was the first time I have been overtaken by a hovercraft! The hovercraft was "hovering" close to the shoreline along which part of my Dammam Velodrome loop passes. (Note that the photograph is not of "My" hovercraft but an example from the Solent to get you in the swing of things. After seeing me it sped off up the shoreline and was certainly maintaining more than my 19 mph average. Fortunately the prevailing wind was offshore otherwise I would have been drenched in sea spray. After seeing me off, the craft then headed out to sea to leave me to think about it. Not sure where it came from as it looked commercial rather than military.
Pretty tough session today and I did a loop to warm up before 50 km at race pace and then a loop to warm down. I was a little late arriving and most of the Filipino national team were just about done with their ride. Rather looks like they come down for the social rather than any serious cycling. One or 2 nice rigs including huge rim section Zip wheels on a Cervelo frame. They do sound glorious those wheels as they slice the air.
Cooled down after the ride and watched a European osprey sea fishing, not something you see everyday. Today was the day for a bike wash so gave it the treatment once I arrived home. Everything looked in good fettle so it all went back into the kitchen on the turbo rollers for another week.   

Spoke Ping

This morning I had that rare experience of riding on a brand new set of wheels. I love the sound of spoke ping as they settle for the first few revolutions. They are a pair of Mavic Open Pro CD with 105 hubs. They are my set of winter wheels (well, when it is less than 20 degs C). I don't want to use the deep profile American Classics during the winter as the brutal cross winds in the Eastern Province make the ride extremely twitchy. Apart from the lack of twitchiness with the Open Pro rims I noticed absolutely no difference at all between a £150 wheelset and a £600 wheelset. It is my opinion that all the guff talked about wheels is largely just that, guff.
Had a good 90 minute ride that was enough to know my weight has increased and my fitness declined over the Christmas period. The ultegra cassette is an 11-25 which gives me one less tooth at the upper end for that bit extra speed when the wind is behind me. Like all things Shimano, the thing just worked straight out the box. No fiddling with trim or indexing to get perfect gearchanging. I have now rigged up the Scott bling on the kitchen turbo and hooked up a computer and screen to allow me to watch the Sufferfest etc while riding. Will do a proper ride again tomorrow at the Dammam velodrome and then it is turbo work for the rest of the week.
On the off-chance that I am in the UK in August I have signed up for the Wild Wales Challenge 2012. This is one of my favourite sportives and doesn't seem to attract the same testosterone-fuelled clientele of the Cheshire Cat etc. Hope the weather is kind as its a very hilly route.

Domestic Gym

Arrived back "Home" yesterday after the Christmas travels. Was planning to have a ride-out this morning but the jet lag took its toll and I slumbered. In order to continue my New Years resolution (exercise more, eat less, drink nothing - but then isn't everyones?) I rigged up the rollers and turbo trainer in the kitchen. It has to be said that my temporary bachelor lifestyle does have a few distinct advantages (but there are only a few dear wife). It is an advantage to be able to rig-up the training bike in the kitchen, and what is more, leave it there!
This is the first chance I have had to directly compare the stealth trainer on both turbo and rollers. Have to say that I prefer the turbo as it allows me to stand occasionally to allow the blood to reach parts that other beers cannot reach. Rigged-up a monitor screen on the kitchen bar to show a Sufferfest video; Angel. Was targeted at hill climbing which was OK on the turbo but not on the rollers. Was a slightly disjointed session but better than nothing. Will be attempting to do an hour each work night and then longer rides at the weekend on the Dammam velodrome. New Years resolution and all that!

NYCVelo

NYCVelo is located on 2^nd Avenue in NYC and specialises in steel bikes and frames. Saw some very tasty kit including a Richard Sachs cross bike. Looked nicely put together with all the trademark Sachs touches. I treated myself to an ATMO "T" shirt (almost a Richard Sachs trademark statement). A very friendly shop and some great bikes on offer. It is almost sickening at how much cheaper bikes and components are in the US compared with the UK. The workshop team were just putting the final touches to a beautiful fixie (with 3 speed SA rear hub) which is retailing for about £475. The quality of the bling would have pushed this to closer to £1000 in the UK. NYC is almost solely a fixed speed environment. I only saw one carbon framed bike in the city, the rest being steel and aluminium.  However, there is obviously a theft culture as all bikes were locked with some very substantial chains whenever left.  

New York Cycle Art

Bit of a hiatus since the last post as I have been travelling without any cycling activity. Currently I am in New York and getting ready to return to the UK for a few days before heading back to Saudi. While I was in NY I managed two pretty good ticks; NYCVelo store and also a visit to Taliah Lempert’s http://www.bicyclepaintings.com/print/archive/index.html studio. I found Taliah’s website while surfing for stores to visit while I was in town. It is located in Brooklyn in an archetypal (to us Brits) loft space in an old flower warehouse. She is a cyclist and artist that specialises in painting steel framed bikes. These are painted only from the physical bike and not photographs. Her partner runs a bike shop in Brooklyn and so half the house is given over to previously owned bikes, frames, wheels and general cycling bric-a-brac. Her larger paintings were out of my price range but some of the smaller works were affordable. I bought 6 pieces in all which I will post pictures on the blog once I am home.

Have a look at her website and if you fancy anything it can be shipped to the UK. If you are serious about buying when in NY contact Taliah through the website. I have posted a few pictures of the loft (which also doubles up as their living area). Really amazing place and a great experience. Spent a great couple of hours with Taliah and was a highlight of the NY visit. Note that my pictures don't do her art justice so go to the website for glorious technicolour.

MagicShine Light

On the expectation of some evening rides I have bought a matching rear light for my MagicShine front light. This rear set-up just plugs in to the cabling with the splitter cable. MagicShine are a little pricey but they do deliver a quality light beam. This will be delivered to my UK address so will be put in to action when I get home in December.
I have been carting the bling bike around in the car since the weekend for no better reason than I haven't got around to taking it out. Pulled in to the petrol station for fuel tonight and the attendant saw my bike as he filled. The conversation then took the normal path of asking how much I had paid for the bike. The contrast with the UK is interesting, rarely does anyone ask its' value.  There, they are much more interested in how much it weighs. Here, the thing could weigh a tonne but it is the cost that is the clincher. I am reluctant to disclose the value as it seems terribly vulgar to be discussing what could amount to an annual income for some.
Thought that the new weather widget on the blog had thrown a wobbler a couple of days ago when it predicted rain. Not a chance I thought, how wrong I was.

What a Wind!

Garmin plot of this mornings ride. I have just uploaded the latest firmware for the Edge 800 and the splits and lap displays are much improved. There was a fierce wind today down at the velodrome and I was battling for 50% of the route. I would estimate a 20+ mph blow so things were tough. Was a good workout and allowed me to process some sad family news and put things in perspective.
What I have noticed about these lap rides is that there is no let-up. The route is completely flat and I have to pedal every foot of the way. I am used to an undulating training route that at least has some downhill sections that allow some respite from pedaling. 32 miles (50 km in local currency) without a break, going at a reasonable speed is quite demanding. It is even more demanding as my fitness is nowhere near JOGLE standards and I am pushing things a little. The Filipino cycle club has been absent from the 'drome this weekend, looks like they have a road ride on somewhere. I only have one more weekend here in Saudi before I take a home leave. Looks like I will have to save the Bahrain ride for next year.

And another one

Today was supposed to be the big adventure with a ride that covered the length of Bahrain but in the end that wasn't possible due to time constraints. I had to content myself with the Damman loop which actually turned out to be a good session. The wind has died down somewhat and a decent pace could be maintained. The Filipino bike club were out in force but were mostly promenading rather than cycling.
The above photo is taking looking out across the Persian Gulf with next stop Iran. I managed to take a shot without the obligatory national flower of Saudi Arabia (the discarded plastic bag) in the foreground, no mean feat. The bling has been customised with a few life-preservers; a bell and a bar mirror. The observant will notice that the Scott issue saddle has been replaced with an entirely more suitable model; Brooks B17 Special.
Arrived to a nice surprise as my wife had airmailed out the latest copies (well the latest 3 weeks ago) of Cycling Weekly and Cycling Plus. That's tonight taken care of.

Magic Roundabout

As my brother, the Africa-based domestique, has already pointed out, it is going to be tricky keeping a blog going for the next 3 years based on going round and round a 2.75 mile circuit. Now while this "Magic Roundabout" may not be everyones' idea of fun at the moment it is as good as it gets. Keep with me and I'm sure that we can make it interesting!
Friday is the day of prayers so the course was even quieter than normal this morning. Wind had dropped a little today so managed 11 laps at a good pace giving 29 miles.

Huxley Wheelers - Saudi Chapter

It's been a while! Finally got myself installed as resident in Saudi Arabia, that well-known cycling destination. In truth I haven't done a great deal of cycling since the John O'Groats to Land's End epic in June. It has been a combination of lack of motivation, lack of opportunity and lack of bike. Anyway all that changed a week ago as my sea freight shipment arrived which included the bling (Scott CR1). Despite being carefully boxed in a wooden crate it arrived slung in the corner of my container and the wooden crate empty. No damage thankfully other than a very badly scored carbon seat post. I think someone ripped it out the seat post to inspect if I had hidden any forbiddens. They would have been sadly disappointed but not as disappointed as me with the scratches.
Anyway, onward and upward as they say, well not actually upward as there are no hills in this part of the world to speak of. I have found an ideal road circuit that juts out in to the sea and is 2.75 miles for the loop. 10 of these loops gives a healthy 27 miles which combined with a strong wind (which is my version of hills) gives a good 90 minute workout. So far I have done the ride 3 times so starting to clock up the miles again. I have put a google map picture above so you get the general idea. The main thing is that it is safe and I am much less likely to be regarded as a moving target by disenfranchised youth.
I have started to look at some motivational rides for next year as something to aim for. I was half tempted by the RAB Deloitte LEJOG but as we all know that is the wrong way to do it. Also the "proper" accommodation in hotels and halls of residence is a worry. Don't fancy waiting for a bus at the end of the day and much prefer camping. I think my motivation is going to have to come from somewhere else. Another issue is that my domestique is living in Angola these days so we have to coordinate a mutual date and venue.