Post #15. Clearing the mechanism, and a couple of beers


Not sure where I first heard the term “clearing the mechanism” but I’m pretty sure it was a golf thing.  

I talked for a few minutes today with a golf pro and  “clearing the mechanism” came to mind.  Not because my mechanism needed to be cleared but because something had just happened during today’s ride that may have been a case of an “unclear” mechanism. 

When cycling long distances with a group and pacelining or “drafting”, off one another it requires a level of clear-headedness similar to what you need standing over a golf ball.  The difference?  This golf ball is moving down the road at 20 miles per hour.  Clear the mechanism.  Focus.  

It’s called “touching wheels” and it’s not a good thing but it’s also common and could happen to any member of the group if the mechanism isn’t clear. In pacelining, you try to be as close to the rider in front of you to take advantage of the area of low pressure and minimal wind resistance created by the rider in front of you which requires less energy output by you.  A sudden, unexpected move by the rider in front can result in a wheel-touch if the rider behind is overlapping the rear wheel of the leader.

Invariably, when this happens, the rider in back will go down.

When I saw the emergency vehicles ahead on a wide-open, slightly downhill stretch of road I didn’t think there could have been a car-bicycle crash but what there was was a wheel-touch.  It resulted in a fellow rider being transported to the hospital with miscellaneous cuts and scrapes and an MRI to check for a concussion.  

She had already been transported away by the time I arrived, but I found out about it at the next water stop.  I was told that initially she couldn’t answer a few of the medic’s questions including “Do you know who the president is”. Perhaps she was just wishing it couldn’t really be who it actually is. Hopefully when everything came back to her, she wasn’t too disappointed.  Anyway, she checked out okay and hopefully she’ll be back on the bike tomorrow but just like me in April, she’ll be going helmet shopping.

Enough about that.  Here’s some random pictures from the last few days:


   


Some kite surfers I saw from the ferry going from Milwaukee, WI to Muskegon, MI and yes, taking a ferry across Lake Michigan was always part of the cross-country itinerary.  On the right was someone I saw in one of the vehicles on the ferry.  Conspiracy??? 


   


A cute dog and a cute idea.  If I don’t believe in him, I’m sure not going to believe on him.


I stepped out of my comfort zone today and actually asked someone to take a picture of me.  Not because that’s my thing but because I’m wearing my “Catch the Spider” jersey from the 2019 Obliteride that I fundraised for and rode while Heather was going through treatment.  I figured Heather, and John, our CTS team captain might like it.  That’s Megan next to me. Megan is one of the Trek Travel guides and kind-of a bad-ass on the bike.

Oh yeah, the beer thing.  A couple shots below from tonight’s brewery.  It was my absolute favorite place we visited in 2018 and the group returned this year.  Super cool place.  Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.  Really, I did get a T-shirt.  Only 120 miles tomorrow so I just had a couple 😏


   


Out













 

Comments

  1. Guy who doesn't own a bikeSeptember 19, 2022 at 5:22 PM

    This explains why my golf handicap is so high. I haven’t been clearing my fucking mechanism!

    ReplyDelete

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