Short Hike

Just 3.2 miles. Weather: 111°F., clear, breezy.

The Deviled Egg Itself

Deviled Ostrich Egg.

A picture ... alas ... no. Maybe next time. So I am in California for a weekend with out a bicycle. I did manage to get out for a run this morning. One mile -- nine minutes -- 4 mosquito bites. Drat -- I remember now why I like Arizona. Walked one mile back to the car. It's something like 50 degrees here and it's chilly. San Francisco is in it's summer glory.

Spent today with some old friends and families ... Saw an ostrich egg get boiled -- which seems to take two hours. "What does it taste like?" I ask. "It tastes just like chicken." Go figure. How can rattlesnake, lizard, swordfish and ostrich eggs all taste just like chicken? I think they're all trying to trick me eating something I won't be happy about.

I am glad I don't like chicken.

I want to point everyone over to Annie's post wishing Rob Lucas the best. Rob's racing in the race across America. Go Rob.

Harris Hawk Nest

Went out for a bit of a hike today to find this Harris Hawk nest.


And test out these new trail runners, notice the cholla pad stuck to the shoe.

Temperature: 104
Miles hiked: 4

I saw an haboob. No kidding. suddenly the sky was full of a cloud of dust.



And then we had one of these. An exciting day.

© 2006 Shawn Kielty. All rights reserved.

New Bars

Date: 4 June 2006

Miles: 16.2
Weather: 102°F. Sun.
Bike: Roadie.

Miles 5.2
Weather: 112°F. Sun.
Bike: Commuter.

Ipod: Bonnie Raitt, The Road's My Middle Name
June Mileage: 85.72

16 miles of this went down this morning at just 102 degrees or so. With the other 5 miles at the heat of the day -- test riding the commuter after the new handlebar went on. The new bar is an Easton EA70 Monkeybar 27in 685mm Lo in Black anodize. Plus end bars. Check it out.

What I did on my Summer Vacation

Date: 3 June 2006
Miles: 21.16
June Mileage: 64.68
Weather: 112°F. Sun.
Bike: Roadie.
Treadmill miles: 2

There just isn't much to say about this. This is me taking a break at about mile 12. It's nice in the desert when you have water. If you have a lot make sure to waste it on landscaping so we can all know how important you are.

I carried about 2 liters in a CamelBak™. I can never manage to explain how much I hate these. And two regular bottles, to make sure that I wouldn't have to die. At about mile 8 I stopped at Bellagio's to get filled with ice water. I highly recommend this and it's not cheating. Although I can never embrace a CamelBak™ in the way I should, I have a few suggestions. If you are going to depend on one ( I mean -- the "as if my life depended on it" depending on it), then you should carry two bladders. Since they are crap and have a tendency to leak at the valve for no reason that I can imagine, and encourage you to bite the valve harder ( again by not working correctly) as though you are trying to break it (you will one day and the precious contents will pour out onto the ground) , you will inevetably be delighted that you have thought far enough ahead, to not be risking your life now that your camelbak™ valve has failed and all the water has leaked out. Maybe you will get some cooling benefit from being soaking wet -- if you are really lucky.

When you are planning a ride at 112 degrees it is acceptable to fill your CamelBak with ice before filling it with water. No one will call you a wimp. They will thank you if you share it with them. When you are riding, feel free to squirt your thighs and the backs of your gloves with the hot liquid that sits in the hose, and then drink freely from the cold liquid. It will only hurt a bit.

The last mile was a bit rough ... but that was okay -- because the Izze™ pomegranite juice drink at the end on the ice was still so delightful. As was the cool shower. As was the entire shish kabob dinner at Bellagios.

I am not even going to talk about the Suns right now. "And Dallas has the first lead since the 2 point lead they has at the start of the game." It looks bad.

Update:: They lost.

Riding through Fire.

Date: 2 June 2006
Miles: 12.58
June Mileage: 43.52
Weather: 110°F. cloudy, monsoony, occasionally humid, blowing dust.
Bike: Roadie.

Things change when it gets hot like this. Cold water hurts to drink. It's hard to ride a bike. Getting in the car is a special treat. Contrary to popular belief, leaving a CD in your car will not cause it to melt. I know this. Some people put on oven mitts when they get in the car. In this climate you learn how to drive a car without touching it.

Temps inside the car can exceed ground temperatures and are deadly hot -- maybe 160-170 degrees (Don't nap in your car). When it's really dry, getting out of the car and closing the door are guarenteed to shock you. You adapt, only closing the car with a clothed portion of your body to avoid the inevitable shock. Getting in to the car at the hot times of the day is dangerous. touching any hard or black surface can result in burns. the steering wheel, the stick shift, the seat belt. So you learn to drive without really touching the car.

It was 110°F. today, and whew! Everything moves slower at that temperature -- except the drip from the chapstick. Sunscreen left in the car will burn you if you try to use it. Recycling trucks catch on fire (I saw this).

It was a good ride. When it's this hot the wilderness starts just below your skin. Any mistake can result in pain or death. Skin burns in the sun after about 10 minutes. Cooling stops if evaporation stops -- so sweating and water (and food) are all imperative. Falling down just out of sight, getting lost, or even a wrong turn can imperil even the most prepared. I wore the standard desert wear I always choose. White Nordstrom™ Classic Oxford shirt, cotton T-shirt, wool socks and real shoes (no sandals), shorts and in this case a helmet. I packed a rain coat (for the thunderstorm) a bandana (for the dust storm), and two liters of water.

And it was a good hard ride and reminded me of spending about 20 minutes in the sauna ... I feel better now. It's supposed to be hotter tomorrow.

Creepy Eagle Ear Canal Grossness

Be forewarned. The birdchick has out done herself.

I can smell the heat reflected from the road.

My hot bike is the one in the middle. © 2006 Shawn Kielty. All rights reserved.

Jill said ... yesterday:

And people think I was crazy for biking in the winter! When I was living in Utah, I never understood the "But it's a dry heat" justification. Heat is heat, and like you said, low humidity will suck you dry. I've been hiking in Arkansas when it was 90 degrees and 90% humidity, and it wasn't as bad as biking on black top when it was 107 and 10% humidity in Salt Lake.

Your oven is a dry heat too, but you probably don't want to live in it.

They so much do that. Justify the acceptable characteristics of a 115 degree summer by claiming it's a dry heat, especially if they live somewhere else. Often when they are talking about Arizona though, it isn't even a dry heat -- It's a monsoon. Which, in the vernacular of Arizona -- I like to refer to as a dry rain. Once the temps are solidly above 100, when you exercise, you are anything but dry (if you are dry, and exercising, and in heat over 100 degrees -- you need hospitalization). Although your body cools more effectively in 4% humidity than in 90% humidity, the true story is that a tuned and healthy body in good order cools itself extremely well, even when the temps and the humidity are high. Yes it's hot, and I think the bike is cooler than running or hiking, because of the movement. I prefer to be outside because that is where the rest of the life is, despite the pools and spinners and treadmills, and ellipticals, all carefully before the tv's of the windowless gym -- the endless options to the heat.

Ruby said this, "I was in Phoenix once. It was so hot that I could smell the heat reflecting from the sidewalk. It was in the middle of October. I can't imagine, what the summer is like. "

I said this in reply:

"I can smell the heat reflected from the sidewalk. Has anyone heard of infra-red blocking skin cream? No? Go figure. Ground temps can be signifigant.

'If the advertised air temperature for a local area is say, 110 degrees F; you can expect the ground by mid-afternoon to be maybe 150 degrees F and the air temperature at your knees to be about 140 degrees F and at your head level to be about 130 degrees F.These extreme temperatures are a far cry from the reasonably hot temperature of 110 degrees F that you heard predicted on the weather channel that morning. Your body's heat gain by conduction: The above example of 150 degrees F for ground temperature is actually conservative; in fact ground temperatures can easily reach 175. ... Hot air concerns: With air temperatures over 130 degrees F, the air that you breath becomes dangerous.' Source.

One thing he suggests is to cover your body when it's hot, which is the one thing most people don't do. Ever try riding your bike in a Sauna?"

Today is a day for that. The smell of the of the sauna today was part fresh oil and exhaust, and the obvious smell of the heat scorching the nose hairs. Other times it was just huge with the heat radiating off of the road surface . It was hot today. But not as hot as tomorrow. The morning commute was easy as the temp was a mere 85. Just 85.

Date: 1 June 2006
Miles: 21.21
Average Speed: 13.0
June Mileage: 30.94
Weather: 108 °F. Sun
Bike: Roadie.

Miles today 30.94, on the hottest day so far this year. It feels good, but it is tiring. My tires felt soft today.

New Blacktop

Collared Lizard, Digital Photograph. © 2005 Shawn Kielty. All rights reserved.

Date: 1 June 2006
Miles: 9.73
Average Speed: 17.6
June Mileage: 9.73
Weather: 82.3 °F. Sun
Bike: Roadie.

There is new Blacktop all along my ride. It generates a huge amount of heat. This afternoon's fitness ride with the usually happy hiking guy promises to be hot. I might need some Lizard Skin™ to spray on my undercarraige, methinks.

Heat is Up -- Special Weather Statement

Date: 31 May 2006
Miles: 12.58
Average Speed: 14.4
May Mileage: 303.89
Weather: 101°F. Sun
Bike: Roadie.

Temps are expected to hit 110 by Saturday. I suppose that is hot. Most staggering is the relative humidity, which has been as low as 4%, and less than 8% for most of the daylight hours. Talk about sucking the juice right outta your pucker. It is really just hot and dry. Burns one's lips to inhale.

Someone I don't remember, called out to me today at work to ask if I had ridden in to work -- and I had to say no -- tomorrow. I think I may becoming known as that guy that rides his bike dispite the heat, which I haven't actually done that much of yet. This is really something because two of my coworkers ride everyday -- but their commute is much shorter.

Bike Commuter Practice Session

Now that it actually works. I am reposting this in case you missed it. I have a faster connection now so hopefully it won't take too long to download.

Further Still

Date: 27 May 2006
Miles: ~6
Average Speed: 11.7
May Mileage: 291.31
Bike: Commuter

When I was leaving the library there were a couple of young riders locking up their bikes next to my commuter. The kid says, "Wow, that's a real nice bike, Mister." I kid you not. I said "Well, it's old and heavy, but we get by." So he explains to me why it's a nice bike, that it's a Bianchi, and it's steel, and so on. I think, now there's a kid who's paying attention. And I remember, that yep, I am still pretty cool. It was fun.

So the next day I took the roadie out for a spin.

Date: 28 May 2006
Miles: 14.2
May Mileage: 305.51
Bike: Commuter

Then I ran a mile at the Gym.

On Sunday I took a hike out at the Blevins trail, I was looking for a Hawk nest out there. I ran the first mile there and walked the last two. Saturday AM I will be heading back to find it, with the camera.

And now I am sort of caught up ...

Learning to Fly (Red-Tail Hawk Fledglings)

I met the folks in the house behind which these guys are learning to fly. It seems they already know how to eat. The flying bird is the adult male I think, having delivered lunch.

Digital Photographs of Red-Tailed Hawks. © 2006 Shawn Kielty. All rights reserved. These photographs may not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Shawn Kielty.

Fledgling Red-Tailed Hawk. © 2006 Shawn Kielty, All rights reserved

Further on up the Road

It's a Robert Johnson song I think, but at the hands of a master, it great to ride to. I stopped in to see the normally friendly bike guy, and we threw the commuter up on the scale. 47+ lbs. Go figure. Without the camera it is a mere 39 lbs. That helps explain why it is so much fun to ride. Maybe I can add on an extra room.

Last night's ride:

Date: 26 May 2006
Miles: 12.6
Average Speed: 11.7
May Mileage: 267.31
Weather: Dark, 100°F., calm.
Bike: Commuter

Today so far (I am currently using the computer at the library. because, well, the internet is turned off this weekend at my place).

Date: 27 May 2006
Miles: ~18
Average Speed: 11.7
May Mileage: 285.31
Weather: Dark, 93°F. wind, dust.
Bike: Commuter
On the ipod: Eric Clapton, Further on up the Road

More later and pictures, later, later. It turns out that if I bring the card reader to the library I can get the pictures from it. Who knew?

Night Riding

Date: 25 May 2006
Miles: 14.68
Average Speed: 11.7
May Mileage: 254.71
Weather: Dark, 87°F. stars, calm.
Bike: Commuter

Last nights ride to test out the night riding philosophy. It seems to work. Although slower. Today I received a cool deck bag from the Banjo Brothers. So last night was it's maiden voyage.

About the House Wren Nests

I am not sure I agree with the BirdChick. She says:

... (the) bird houses I put up this spring, all of them have been claimed as wren boxes. Not only that, they all appear to be wren decoy nests as opposed to the actual wren nest. (For non birders--house wrens will build several nests--sometimes 5 to 6 and only actually lay eggs in one of them. The others serve as decoys against predators).

Wren decoy nests?

I understand that the House Wren is a total slut. The male builds a nest and tries to entice any female into finishing it and setting up house. If he succeeds he continues to build nests and tries to entice (other) females to raise a family with him. He builds the nests as a way to attract the female and to take possession of the nest site. If he fails to attract a female he continues to build nests and try to entice females ... He may build 5 or 6 (or more) nests. There's an interesting polygynist behavioral pattern which includes secondary mating and "extra-pair" breeding. According to this set of articles a female will even destroy an existing nest and kick the resident female out to get access to the prime real estate, and the male.

Although the nests may serve later as "decoy" nests, I don't believe that is their initial purpose. Are they specifically to enhance the breeding opportunities of the male House Wren and lay claim to the resources, a by product of the extreme competition for nesting sites and opportunities, or -- as the Bird chick indicates -- to decoy against nest predators? Such predators -- it seems -- may in fact be other House Wrens.

Yellow Feet

 
This bird -- seen previously -- has yellow feet. This confirms it's existance as a Snowy Egret. Despite the doubter -- my co-worker -- who earlier today disputed the claim of the earlier post. Look again. 

Bike Commuter Practice Session

And you think you have it bad.

I ran one mile on the treadmill today with half mile splits at 4:20 and 4:37. According to the heart rate monitor (and my burning thighs), I was well over my 85% of VO₂ max. It sure feels good to work really hard for about ten minutes.