While the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, for us road cyclists it is usually not the fastest. @RobsMuir ponders this while riding and retains such complex thinking when done with his ride. That is an enviable skill in itself.
VLVV, Gianni
The Line. The right track. To the sprinter it hardly matters, a few technical turns during a maniacal kilometer or two through the centre-ville. The track specialist knows the Line, yet it never varies; it remains fixed on the planks, lap after lap. For the rouleur crossing the Loire Valley, or the of the peleton kicking through the wine grapes in Northern California, or the randonneur facing long rollers across scores of miles, these riders seldom see the Line.
The grimpeur-the escalade spécialiste-studies the Line. So too does the descendeur-the plunging décroissant spécialiste, the madman who plays the piste all the way to the base. It is said few can combine these two specialities successfully. Yet for the true Keeper of the Line, these two skills are but different sides of the same black-gloved fist thrust defiantly high above a reverently-bowed head.
It’s easy to see the sweeping Line in the descent. Here, the Velominatus generally lets G work its impressive magic. The hands gently ride on the drops, the index and middle fingers calmly touch the hair triggers while all around is noise and fury. Precise attention to the Line brings maximum velocities and the reptilian brain slingshots the organism out of each compressible switchback. ‘The Falcon’ knew the Line; admire Paolo Savoldelli as a blur.
For the grimpeur, life is harder. The ascent brings a slow and relentless suffering, and the frontal cortex is free to ponder the moment. Rule #6 to the contrary, the climber is left with but two stark choices; either dwell on the pain, or observe the Line. The former is self-defeating, the latter binds the observer with the unspeaking brain stem. Therein lies strategy.
How best to thread the Line from bottom to top? As with descents, moving to the inside of each turn shortens the distance-a worthwhile endeavor. Those steepest hairpins, though, can kill the cadence when the tarmac climbs above twenty percent. Do you head toward the top of each tight turn, knowing that you’ll need to climb that much anyway? Or should the pedalwan observe the unwritten Rule known by some as the Center Line Rule (CLR)? When the road’s your own, following the Middle Way might lead to enlightenment…
And here’s where a contemplative climber can discern the Line threading somewhere in between. Anticipating the next turn, the grimpeur can see the subtle Line that sweeps first from the bottom, then gradually to the CL, pushing upwards to the top of the curve, and completing each turn near the mid-point again. Imagined targets in the road–a pebble there, a divot farther along, that tar snake up ahead-can bend the Line ever so slightly and bring it more solidly to mind. Each turn brings a slight variation of the superior Line, and-like a mirage-it seems to drift as one approaches. Yet, in the process, this precise observation distracts the conscious mind from the pain that lies too, too near the surface.
The Line becomes the locus of control and the focus of attention. The kilometers melt and the summit nears.
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@Cyclops
Idaho falls and Idaho in general is an amazing state. I have family in Rexburg. I truly envy your proximity to yellowstone as well. I seem to recall though that most of the area is rolling hills minus some lone mountain ranges. The tetons come to mind. Is there a good amount of mountain riding in the area?
@DCR
There's plenty around here. There's a 10k climb just on the edge of town and then if you want to ride or drive a little there lot's more. There's the Teton Pass, Pine Creek Pass, the road up to Targhee ski resort, etc.
Look me up if you ever come out to visit family.
@G'rilla, @frank
I do believe this is a more appropriate response to the NYT shite...
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2013/11/shafted-again.html
Truly a ROTHO... (Do I have to spell it out? Rant. Of. The. Highest. Order.)
@frank
The problem with this approach is that it fails to make me the center of attention. Flipping off and then being chased by the driver of a step-in van downtown is so much more satisfying, like starring in an action movie.
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2013/11/shafted-again.html
After a second reading, and restful night before The Ride, I do believe that BSNYC's response should be elevated to a rant of high rank (ROHR).
@RobsMuir
I agree with every word of it.
Somebody posted the original article on FB and my first thought was that anyone who basically rode their bike a few times and then decided to stay indoors because it was too scary was probably coming at bike safety from an odd angle.
As for BSNYC's advice about obeying laws he makes absolute sense. In London I generally obey them but in the 10% of cases where it makes no sense to do so for reasons of safety or logic I feel no guilt in ignoring it.
Choice between going 30 metres the wrong way up a one-way street where I can see there is no traffic OR taking the correct right-hand turn (driving on the left remember) and having to sit in the middle of a stream of traffic with my hand stuck out praying that the cars, trucks and buses don't hit me...
@PeakInTwoYears
@PITY, oh yes and Yes, love the adrenaline rush of dueling with Rovers, Cadi Escalades and tuned Hondas. There's nothing better than fooling with them until they go compleatletely Stooopid! I have been riding off and on in cities, Boston, London, NYC and now Miami and I am convinced that riding like you are a car gets their attention and if they pull jack ass moves then the gloves are off.
@Frank I know the goal but when the the bone headed stuff comes at you every day then how long do we roll over and play nice? I would love to go back to my 5 years of commuting across central London back in the early 70's. Memories now seems to be a dream... I was the only cyclist most days. I obeyed every rule as did all the cars and life was slower and way less crowded.
Now, however it's a very different scene and I have riden in all of the above cities in the last 3 years. My old commute in London is an unbelievable frenzy of cyclists and traffic. NYC is NYC. Boston is pretty much the same just more and Mi-friggin-ami is a trip!!
The weird thing is I love the hurley-burley of traffic, it turns me on and I use it to Rule 5 for fitness. Yes I think that my life expectancy is foreshortened, but I do try to use every bit of years experience to stay safe. When I am riding it is always with an awareness that stays locked on and loaded. Will I regret the future accident? Never, it is who I am and if it happens then life will change, as it does for all of us eventually. If the worst happens.. Then hopefully I won't care and you all will have some more bad ass Cogals!
Fantastic post. This line especially caught my eye:
"Imagined targets in the road-a pebble there, a divot farther along, that tar snake up ahead-can bend the Line ever so slightly and bring it more solidly to mind. Each turn brings a slight variation of the superior Line, and-like a mirage-it seems to drift as one approaches."
Been there many times...
Brilliant.