Rolf Devinci

Under cloudy skies and chilly conditions I joined my clubmates in attendance at the 2009 edition of the Joe Howe Century, a 100 mile ride around central Nova Scotia. A somewhat challenging route with a decent amount of climbing I planned on a intermediate pace between 30-31 kph over the 163 kilometer distance. To facilitate that plan I opted out of the fast group and left Dartmouth with the first BPCC group on the road made up of some of our female riders who have consistently been riding in the 30kph range this past season. The faster guys mentioned a moderate tempo but from past experience I felt certain it would quickly escalate to race pace. The first 40km to the first checkpoint was good and,more importantly,was a perfect warmup on a chilly morning. We all left for the second 40 kms together but a slow speed crash at an intersection fragmented the group; SF had to abandon with a warped wheel and SM left to visit the doctor after a fall.Thankfully he is perfectly OK.....just s...

I`m not sure why it took so long but I started to cycle commute to work. My intentions were to use my Devinci road bike but I just fear it being stolen.It then occurred to me to use my old mothballed Schwinn MTB that was just taking up space in the basement. Other than the big Panaracer XC tires it would be perfectly suited to city commuting, no big loss if it was stolen and quite capable of shuttling me to and from work. In fact it would be a good workout climbing the hills of Fairview on the return home. Purchased a laptop bag when I bought my Dell and never used it until this week. It makes the perfect backpack with the single wide strap and ergonomic design. Quite comfortable slung over my shoulder it has enough room for a change of clothes,some personal effects and my lunch. On the bike it is supported by my lower back and works like a charm. Having cancelled my gym membership it will add another element to my offseason training with some cycling to compliment my winter runnin...