It's hard to believe that it's only been a couple months since I started. I get anxious part way through the week for another ride and usually try to get in a 7-10 mile ride somewhere mid-week. Last Saturday, my wife and I decided to meet up at the local Farmers' Market, which also inlcudes a great free bike valet service! Actually, we didn't actually end up getting anything, but it was cool to have a purpose, like meeting up. Our timing was good enough that as I was trying desperately to get across the street when my wife pulled up, so she kindly let me in! Afterward, we met up again for breakfast, though finding parking for the bike was a bit of a trick. After breakfast, we decided to head over to Dick's Sporting goods: Friday night, I did some research online and wanted to take a look at a hybrid bike--the bike my wife gave me for my birthday wasn't keeping up with me and was having some problems with the gears slipping and not always wanting to shift between sixth and seventh.
After a bit of looking, I found the one I'd researched: a Nishiki Montour. After a bit of consideration, we ended up deciding to get it, giving my wife my "old" one to start out on. Buying it, I rode the new one home, but I didn't get to finish my ride that I'd intended as I was hoping to get 30 miles in again. Of course, I had to go back to retrieve the other bike. From there, I had to move everything over (the new one actually has to places built in for water bottle cages where the old one is barely hanging on by the threads of the screws). It didn't take long before it was clear that the computer wasn't working...I'd be pedaling along only to have it suddenly go to 0 miles an hour or jump from a low to a high number then down. I also had to adjust the seat (I kept my new Nashbar sport seat) because it was tilted too much. The screw was way too tight, and I was about to throw the darn thing, but I finally got it loosened to adjust the seat. I was a bit disappointed that the handlebars weren't adjusted corrected, so I had to take care of that, too.
Frustrated, I took the bike on its first long ride on Sunday. I actually, I tried various readjustments of the computer sensor, but nothing seemed to work. I'm not 100% certain how far I went. I was somewhere around 25 miles, but I can't be sure. I did, though figure out how to make my side-view mirror work on the new bike. As a bonus, my wife took out my old bike, and we went for a little ride in our neighborhood, so it's a first step on getting it to be something we do together.
On Monday, Labor Day, I rode down to the greenway to our newest Super Walmart (it lets out just above the Walmart at a ball field). I was tired of the computer not working, so bought a new battery for the sensor/transmitter (it's wireless), figuring that'd be a lot cheaper than a new computer. Amazingly, that did the trick. That particular ride was still a bit uncertain as it didn't work all the way down, but it did end up being about 25 miles again, I think.
It was a long week, including an evening of hosting parents for back to school night on Wednesday. I did manage to go out, though, on Thursday. I just did a quick jaunt out into the country. I'm amazed that I did it so much faster with the newer bike (7 miles in about 23 minutes). I'm still getting used to having two gears, though....
Today, we decided to meet at the Farmers' Market again. I went to the closer and the further Walmart, then took the greenway up to where it lets out near the Farmers' Market. This time, I went out so that I was on the road heading toward the entrance a bit before I had to turn left. But, again, my wife was right there, this time in front of me. After checking the bike again with the valet, we strolled the market. From there, we met at The Egg and I. With breakfast taken care of, we met back at Target. I helped get some shopping done, but once we were done, I headed back up to where I could take the greenway back down and reverse my earlier route then home. I'm very proud of myself that I always take the bike from our house to the greenways rather than drive to the greenway entrances. In the end, today was about 32.5 miles, but I forgot to turn on my computer from our house until entering the highway toward the first Walmart, then I forgot to turn it on at first after leaving the market, and then again from the restaraunt to Target. I'd guess that I went about 35 miles total. And it's amazing: my legs aren't even half as sore and tired after all that riding as they were after my first attempts to just go five miles!
As a bonus, I've lost 15 pounds (back to my college weight), and I can tell the muscle definition in my legs. I also have the biker tan on my legs, which is actually quite cool. I'm surprised that there's some muscles on the top of and also along the inner sides of my forearms that are showing some definition. For the first time, I guess I'm ready to say I'm a cyclist. Still amateur/casual, yes, but I guess I can put myself in that category....
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