here is a specific kind of clarity that only arrives when the oxygen gets thin and the road points skyward. Our latest route wasn't just a ride; it was an 87-kilometer interrogation of both man and machine. From the smooth coastal tarmac to the grueling switchbacks of the high country, every watt told a story.
## The Stats
* **Distance:** 87.3 km
* **Elevation Gain:** 1,480 m
* **Max Gradient:** 14.2%
* **Moving Time:** 4:12:05
## The Mechanics of Momentum
As we discussed in our recent look at modern drivetrain efficiency, the equipment you choose dictates how you suffer. On the steepest ramps of this tour—sections where the gradient mocked standard compact gearing—the debate over crank length and leverage became reality. The efficiency of a shorter crank arm isn't just a lab theory; it's the difference in keeping your hip angle open when you're grinding out 300 watts at a low cadence.
### Tech Notebook: Why Gears Matter
When the road exceeds 12%, drivetrain friction becomes your worst enemy. Cross-chaining isn't just a noise; it’s lost energy. We found that staying in the center of the cassette, even if it meant a smaller chainring upfront, provided a smoother power delivery that saved the legs for the final 5km kick.
## Into the Clouds
The middle sector of the route offered no reprieve. Moving through the mist, the bike becomes a simple tool of survival. The deep-dish wheels that slice through the wind on the flats now had to be hauled up the mountain. It’s a trade-off every performance rider knows: the weight you carry is the price you pay for the speed you'll find on the descent.
> "The mountain doesn't care about your aerodynamic coefficient until you're coming down the other side."
## The Reward of the Descent
What goes up must come down—and in this case, the descent was a masterpiece of technical cornering. Descending 1,000 meters in less than 15 minutes requires more than just courage; it requires trust in your tire pressure. Lowering our PSI to compensate for the "real world" road surfaces allowed the rubber to deform over imperfections, providing a grip that felt like riding on rails.
## Final Thoughts
This 87km loop served as a reminder that cycling is a beautiful balance of data and soul. We can analyze the drivetrain efficiency and obsess over the marginal gains of our components, but at the end of the day, it’s the burn in the lungs and the view from the summit that keep us coming back.
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*Originally published on The Cycling Chronicles*
*Route Data via Komoot*
Category: Places
Places and Destinations
SEA LAB
We visited the SEA lab and got a load of great information and pictures to share . The original lab was 2 mine sweepers scrapped then welded together making an approximate 40 foot pill shaped container accomodating 4 men at a depth of about 200 ft.
The budget over all was about 2 hundred thousand dollars . The appliances were bought from Sears , being the cheapest they could find . Items like heaters , toasters , lighting and even sinks . Using a garden hose for fresh water supply they cut corners in every way .
Spending days even weeks down under opened a new world up to mankind . They began to ponder maintaining prolonged life under the waves . Living , farming and building neighborhoods even . Then the pioneer George Bond asked questions like “ could we maintain under fathoms , freely swimming from the lab and back into it without going through decompression ? “ The answer was yes . Eventually, we we’re saturation diving up to 600 feel. Before this was known divers had to endure up to 50 hours of decompressing to avoid the bends .
George Bond had made milestone advances in underwater research and changed our world . Saturation dives had become possible but how deep could man go and what could we do ?
Up to now heavyweight suits were worn for deep water repairs . Hard to maneuver , not very comfortable and attached by air lines to the ship above . Only to depths the air line could extend . Now swimming freely using body tanks , able to see better as well the divers return to the lab already under pressure to recover from tiring work they had to do .
There were modified changes to breathing as well . Helium was exchanged for nitrogen leaving about 14% oxygen and 86% helium . This allowed the molecules to saturate into muscle under the great pressures under water . The problem was carbon dioxide in the recycled breathing mixture . They placed a filter between the scuba tanks and it worked .
The next lab would take man to 300 ft and they stayed much longer . Attaching a bell to enter and exit . Under equal pressure the entrance could remain open , keeping the water from flooding into the lab . Worked great and divers were once again pushing the limits of under water goals . The second lab was designed for exploration , comforts and safety . With a much larger budget Sears was no longer needed. Scott Carpenter joined the team . A Record stay of 30 days made Scott a super star above and below the surface . More projects accomplished , more questions to answer .
Deep Ocean drilling became possible , repairs at depths that couldn’t be reached were possible. Secret missions and military involvement was imminent . The next level would be 600 ft. for prolonged periods . Taping into soviet cable to listen in on secret messages was one job we couldn’t have done without the research of saturation diving . Sounds like a James Bond movie , ah but it was George Bond that saved the day .
There was a Sea lab 3 made for the deep water exploration and to be filled with helium instead of air . The Helium atom is much smaller than the oxygen atom and the welds weren’t secure enough to keep it from leaking . The team sent down to do repairs used the tanks with filters for the dioxide extraction but one tank was empty and a team member died . America mourned his death and the project was ended . Some still believe it was sabotage .
We have placed some pictures and QR codes for you to learn more . Hope you all enjoy this information .
2021 wet season
Mid July and we haven’t been home since January , there was a window of lessor harassment and we took advantage . One month is better than nothing and in this lockdown state of mind we thought it was worth the effort . The water was familiar , as usual , 82f with a slight tide of 6ft between high and low . Water clarity was sandy and soot most of the month due to rain so I didn’t take many pics . As usual the reef looked completely different . I’m sure it’s due to the storms and not my memory , ha . I recall the tide being minus 3 ft and beach combers strolling along looking for whatever washed up . Mornings are great minus tide times .
Tourism used to be a main staple for many economies around the world . Staggering to think how the lack of tourism effects so many people in so many ways . Here I am now telling memories instead of posting new bright pics and complaining about plastic in our oceans . What service we provide has been adjusted by an unseen fear about a nearly harmless cold or flu bug under the guise that one life saved is worth the effort . By our acknowledgment we report the unseen pollution , inform people and make efforts to enrich our world and lives . I take it personal not being able to review and report progress about the oceans so this is past tourism . Yet we wait for an open free world again , just 2 weeks , just give me 2 more weeks and this will all be gone .
Someone commented on laughter the other day . We all agreed we hadn’t seen happiness anywhere in this last year and nobody had encouraging stories so no chuckles that day , oh well . Fear seems to be comforting to many and that brings so many questions we just have to address a few . So much debris is being tossed and washes into our waterways because of this light cold fear . Touch it and flush it , forget it was ever there until that glove\mask wraps around my nose during a dive . Fear of people , relationships , truth or just about any contact with any living thing . For this light cold we quarantine ourselves away from the daisies , the sunlight or anything happy because apparently this shot for the cold is going to help laughter return . I fear the question , ” how’s that going ? ”
Interesting find is how the dump sites in some cities are working in todays world . Since cut backs , less garbage and value of recycle material creates manpower to sort and recycle without extra costs . The sorting and recycling makes quite a profit in itself so nice to see open minds looking into the overflow . We think as natural resources rise in price recycle material will become more desirable . The products are good quality but expensive and not weather proven and now quality control seems to have slipped on all products so again we feel recycle goods will prosper . Opportunities seem to pop up always offering new ways of doing things , innovative ways to live comfortably within scant means . Clean water has a lifting vibration , makes us pleasant even happy . Maybe one of the reasons nobodies laughing anymore , waters all polluted ?
There’s always hope the restrictions will be lifted soon and we’ll be showing you all beautiful reefs with fabulous fish nurseries in abundance . Then there’s that chance we’ll be in lockdown until forever . My sarcastic humor gets misunderstood without background music . Ok , just until the end of my life which is near forever if you ask me . Just like that , we don’t get to choose .
Here we are mid summer 2021 and not much going on . That seems the norm anymore as people believe the fear and how now only this untested goop will restore normal life . The lives of millions will improve when we cast off the restrictions unjustly placed upon everyone . Settling for a little has been a hardship for most of the world without reason . Life could and should return to normal as soon as possible if there is to be any quality for humanity . This summer is turning out to be more of the same restrictions without reason . No explanation could cover for stupid . If it doesn’t work the first time tried what makes sense trying again over and over ? Moving on , we send love to everyone out there and look forward to your posts .
I’m urchin to be on the reef
