Just Like Riding a Bike

February 20, 2012

2012-02-20T18:34:00.001-08:00

We had to make a trip up near a larger Dick's Sporting Goods (which we laughingly call "Big Dick's") because I actually had a $10 off certificate from using my Score Card for bike stuff (I never thought that'd be the case!). I ended up getting a new, nicer helmet. We made it back home back by 2, but since it had decided to snow overnight (only lightly, but it made thing wet), it took until about 3pm to finally did get up to 40F. With some prodding from my wife, I decided to bite the bullet and go out, putting on all my thermal gear: thermal compression shirt, layered socks, full gloves with liners, thermal bib tights, thermal skull cap, and a windbreaker.

No doubt, it was cold and a bit windy, but I made it through town to the green-way then back in again to make about 16 miles in the cold (it was 35F when I got home at a bit after 5pm). My layering worked very well, and the new tires were awesome in the snow and ice, not to mention that it seemed that everyone in town must've found out that I had Kevlar enforced tires and wanted to help me test them from the amount of broken glass I had to dodge!

Unfortunately, I did reconfirm how hard the cold can be on my lungs and had to use the stupid emergency inhaler when I got home. But my hands and feet were toasty warm! And the rest of the gear kept the cold at bay...and I really like the new helmet; it's a little more streamlined and less bowl-shaped than the other one.

February 19, 2012

2012-02-19T16:24:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been hovering in the low 40s, and between snow storms and getting a stomach bug and little one birthdays, I haven't been out for about three weeks (coincidentally, it was the day before the stomach bug hit). It's funny: this time last year, I was still in the "haven't been on a bike in 25 years and couldn't care less" kick. Now I'm itchy to get out on the bike for a little while just to get out. Monitoring the weather, I don't know if we're always so much cooler than Denver this time of year or if it's just because I'm hoping for a day above 40, but I'm keenly aware now of the disparity!

So, I decided to bite the bullet today and got all decked out in all my thermal gear, went to the garage, and pulled my bike down off the rack. But, lo!, it had a soft front tire! Not a happy moment! So I trudged back inside, changed back into sweats, and proceeded to tear off the old stock tires from both wheels and put on my new kevlar ones. With all the practice this fall, it only took me about 45 minutes to pull off both the old tires (putting in one new tube), and put on the new ones. Of course, by the time I was done, it was too late to try to take it for a spin on my new shiny tires. I'm hoping that this does it to significantly decrease the number of holes in my tires! If this doesn't work, I'll be trading in for the heavier-duty tubes. In the meantime, yet another week will pass before I get on the bike again with snow forecast tomorrow and busy afternoons the rest of the week. I used to love cold and snow, so I can't believe I'm thinking this, but I'm ready for spring! The funny thing is that I put over 100 miles on the bike in January (and around 1000 miles since I started in July), but I haven't been out at all in the month of February....

Oh, the cold!

2012-02-12T15:06:00.000-08:00

I've always been one who loved winter and all its trappings, not minding the drive in the snow or the chill. I begin looking toward a white Christmas come Halloween. It's amazing how much things change! I feel cramped and cooped up without getting to go out on the bike hardly at all lately. Simply: it's too cold and snowy. We're finally get that much-needed snow, but it means I can't get out on the bike. At least at this point, I'm not inclined to brave sub-freezing (it was 7 degrees F this morning!) to get out on the bike. Plus, I don't have studded snow tires, and the latest near spills I took were because sloppy snow. With the clipless pedals, I'm sure to fall over!

However, the few times I have made it out amidst various illness and inclement weather, I've done okay with the new pedals and shoes. I did come to a stop at a stoplight and put my right foot down (I unclip ahead of time when I see I may stop and rest my toe on the pedal) only to start tipping to the left. I righted myself, but that wouldn't have been fun! I've only gotten to use the knee warmers a couple times, but I do like the warmth they add! It's still hard for me to figure out the layering I need, and I'm right now resistant to taking the backpack if I don't need it. The last time, I did have the sense to take the arm warmers with me to stop and put them on so I didn't freeze! I liked the length of the knee warmers well enough to get myself some bib knickers for those cool but not cold days. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to actually use them soon!

One cool new feature of the trails around here is that they added an underpass for the trail so one no longer has to try to cross a rather busy road to get onto the trail. That's made life a lot easier, though the grading is rather steep. Still, not complaining!

And for the next season, I did get myself some new tires with kevlar...they're Schwinn and were getting good reviews at Amazon.com. I'm hoping that it's a way to cut the flats down. I may also pick up some liners...Wal-Mart has some Slime bike tire liners...I may look into something like that for reinforcing the tire before the goat head bur season hits again in the fall! Of course, as long as I'm going on the road, glass is always an issue.

So, here's looking forward to warmer weather and getting to go out again! My hope for this summer is to have family outings of my wife and kids on the weekends...but to get through the snow!

December 30, 2011

2012-01-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

After a false start yesterday, I got out on the bike again today and made it 17.5 miles on the trails, which is the perfect place to wear my new shoes and practice with the new pedals. Overall, it went pretty well, though I did decide to stop once and took my right shoe out of the clips then started tipping left. Not good. I have the pedals set at very low tension, so I was able to yank the other foot out and catch myself before completely eating concrete. The rest of the ride, though, was uneventful and very relaxing. One thing I've noticed with the new shoes is that because you're also pulling up, from the tops of my knees and up my thighs were also rather sore. New muscles getting worked, I guess!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas season has seen me on the bike a lot less with cold and about a foot of snow. However, Santa did bring me a new long sleeve jersey and a windbreaker for those colder mornings. But he also brought me clipless pedals to go with my shoes that I got on a great deal months ago but haven't used. I got the pedals attached, and I like the way they look. They have a platform side, too, to give me some versatility. I've gotten brave enough to put the shoes on and balance between the cars in the garage, but honestly, there is a great deal of trepidation to think about going out on the road! I'm excited to try them, but all that I've read online suggests that I'll fall over at some point because of forgetting to unclip. I'm thinking the greenway trails will be the best place to try them as there are no stop signs or lights. We'll see how I do. As it is, I'm feeling a bit antsy at having not been on the bike in general for a couple weeks. The weather looks hopeful for tomorrow, so if I do get to go out, I'll wear the shoes but not clip in, or at least only clip in one at a time...here's hoping!

October 30, 2011

2011-10-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

Ah, well I chickened out yesterday. I wanted to go and even got all ready, but then I wasn't sure if I was going to end up getting too hot or too cold, so I just didn't even try. I was a bit irritated with myself, but I planned a nice ride for today to make up for it.

Decked out in my cozy bib tights, a thermal compression shirt, jacket, full-fingered gloves, and a skullcap, I was ready to go out in 32F this morning. I was doing well, too. In fact, I had to take off the jacket because I was getting too warm. I made it up my usual trails then entered onto the roads, going through some country roads tha are frequented by other cyclists. Then I got a flat! I didn't feel like trying to change the tire along the shoulder, so I called my wife to come rescue me. I had about a mile's walk left to get to the small city I was meeting her at, and along the way, plenty of other cyclists passed me, but at least three actually slowed to ask me if I was okay. One was concerned that I might be hurt, and then another wanted to make sure that I had what I needed to fix it, to which I thanked them and said I had a call out for rescue. I'm always amazed at how friendly most cyclists are! I am also very happy that I put my car rack on my car but ended up just biking from my house, so my wife had the car with the rack to come rescue me!

For better or worse, I'm getting quicker with the tire change, and I kept the old tube (after patching it) as a back-up...it ended up being a goat's head bur....

October 2, 2011

2011-10-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I was about to take the little one out in the trailer on Wednesday, but when I moved my bike, lo!, the back tire was flat. Thank YouTube for having instructional videos for repairing and replacing the tube. I ran to Walmart and got the parts I needed, and I spent the evening getting the bike up and running. I can now say I've replaced a tube, which was punctured by a thorn or a bur of some sort. It also prompted me to get a bike-mounted hand pump with a patch kit.

Thursday proved to be a nice trip to Baskin Robins with the little one, my wife and the baby meeting us there via the car. The toddler seemed to enjoy herself, though she wanted to go with mommy to pick the dog up from my parents rather than ride with me, so I spent the first part of the trip back with her screaming at me.

Saturday saw me going out again for the longer ride. I did meet my wife and kids at the farmers' market again, then we went on to Le Peep's (me biking to meet them). Then as I resumed my ride and headed toward adding a new leg to my ride, I realized the bike computer hadn't registered any mileage since the farmers' market, and no matter how I angled it, I couldn't get it to work for more than a few minutes until I was heading home. Thankfully, the new one came and was easily installed. I wanted to test it out that night, but I had to wait.

So, today, I went out with my new cyclocomputer, which worked great. I made my usual first stops (Walmart then Safeway, where I get a newspaper). I then headed on toward the usual greenway path. Yesterday, I actually tried a new route that required less backtracking, so I went that way again today, turning into the parking lot that serves as one of the entrances. I crossed the bridge then noticed a strange noise. I slowed, and it kept going. I looked down: the back tire was flat again! CRAP! I went back to the parking lot and leaned the bike up against a picnic table and called my wife. Thankfully, I had that hand pump and patch kit. The new tube is a presta valve, and I had a terrible time getting the adapter out, and as I talked to my wife on the cell (her first reaction was to think of who could rescue me), she watched YouTube on a how-to of patching a tire. Pulling it off was easy, and the offending shard of glass fell right now, so the slash was easy to find. I put the glueless patch on right away, not sure what to do with the silver disk. Then my wife told me what I was supposed to do with that dang disk: score the surface where the patch would go. Thankfully, I had two patches and did it correctly the second time. I then got the tire all pumped up (Wow! 70 psi using a hand pump is not easy!), but re-installing it wasn't so easy.

After getting the wheel pumped and ready to go, I spent far too long trying to get it back onto the bike. I just couldn't seem to get the stupid thing on so that it the chain and derailleur were all back in place. Several other cyclists parked and went on, but not one asked if I needed any help. Finally, after 45 minutes, I got the wheel back onto the bike and resumed the ride, feeling at first that the back wheel was going to fall off at any moment. Finally, I focused on other things and just kept on my usual path, planning a repeat of yesterday (minus the farmers' market and Le Peep's) so I'd know about how far I went.

Both days, I ended up getting passed quite a bit by the serious cyclists, who tend to frequent the road I've added as part of the new leg of the ride. There were a lot out both days, and there's no way I'm keeping up with them quite yet. I'm becoming more confident and capable on the bike to the point of being able to take my water off, get a drink, and put it back. But these people can take their hands off the handlebars and remain steadily at over 20mph. I was relieved to see that quite a few of the men do not shave their legs. That's not to say that many did, but there were a couple that looked like they were hiding Chewbacca under their spandex shorts.

In the end, the ride was about 33 miles today, so I'm guess about 35 yesterday with the added locations, so I'm okay with a two-day total of 68-70 miles! Now I'm trying to decide if I want to try to bike to work one day next week....

September 24, 2011

2011-09-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

Another day around 30 miles. I think. I'm not sure. I had to make a mad dash from the greenway into town when I realized I was going to be late for the appointment for my flu shot. Joy.

I'm also not sure my bike computer is even working. It's a wireless Bell bike computer, and it's not been working that well ever since putting it on the hybrid bike. I can be riding down a hill at full speed and it'll register 0 mph, so it's not registering all my distance. On some level, I suppose it doesn't really matter, but I liked knowing how far I'd gone, but I don't feel like that's going on. I've ordered a new one from BikeNashbar.com, so I'm hopeful that it works better.

The 2.5-half-year-old has been wanting to go out on the bike...so we picked up a child trailer off craigslist (it had never been used). The little one loved going out on it! I was a little worried about how difficult it was going to be to get off and on. Thankfully, it was quite easy! We went on a 3-mile ride (about and maybe), and she loved it! And I was able to take it back off again for this morning.

I've been very excited to see that I'm getting the cyclist tan on my legs! I know, strange thing to be excited about, but I've never had any kind of athletic tan. I don't know what to make up the perma-gloves I'm sporting, but heck, it's all kind of fun!

I also went to Dick's Sporting Goods to try on some bike shoes. I don't know how I feel about them. I'm not a racer, nor will I ever be, so do I need something that gives me more speed by including the upstroke of peddling? An article in Bicyling magazine has me concerned about how difficult it'd be to unclip when I need to, but I'm also tired of having my foot slip...not to mention how hard they are to figure out. Maybe some better (metal) pedals that grip my shoes better would be more in order....

Anyway, below are pictures that show me the first time I got on a bike back in July versus now:

The night my wife offered to run behind me because I was barely staying upright and couldn't get to any speed. 7/8/2011

Taking off for my 30-mile ride. 9/24/2011

September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

Wow! An entire decade since 9/11! I did go out on the bike this morning...I saw several people out this morning with flags on their bikes.

So, I did go out this morning and actually made it out first thing. Thankfully, the arm and leg warmers work great, but much cooler than 45F, and I'll have to have a coat, too. I think I have the layers I'll need when it gets colder...I guess I'll find out soon enough!

I had the bright idea I'd meet my wife at the more distant Walmart. I actually did pretty well getting there, though I did have to stop and raise the saddle and also tighten the post...it was slipping down over time. I'm hoping that it stays this time! I guess I've gotten over my self-consciousness of wearing the gear as we did our shopping. I hopped back on my bike but wasn't able to make it home in time for church. The little ones were too tired anyway, so it was probably best.

Since I couldn't make it home, I went ahead and tried to do my longer ride. All went great, and I even passed a few people (as opposed to grannies on recumbant bikes passing me) along the way, but then when I got up to the further part of my route, I found a bunch of people passing me with numbers one. I didn't know what was going on or what the racers' route was, so I turned around and headed home. A quick Google search revealed that they were running/walking in memory of 9/11. But they were also solidly in the way.

My wife wanted to take another trip out, so we dropped the kids off with my folks, then we biked over to Starbucks and King Soopers then back (so, about 1 mile each way). My wife's feeling the just starting out pain, but it's strange that I wasn't. Something possessed me to be more modest and wear jean shorts over my bike shorts (the cheap Schwinn ones from Walmart that I started out with), but I got tired of the back pocket digging into my butt and ended up taking the jean shorts off for the trek back. In all, I probably went about 25 miles today....

September 10, 2011

2011-09-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

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....

August 21, 2011

2011-08-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

   As expected, getting the biking in as school resumes has been a challenge. I did have Tuesday and Wednesday that I got up early and went really quickly because they were days without kids. Then on Thursday, I went out in the evening. I decided to head down my country road route, but between the bugs and the howling dogs or cyotes, I was done with that pretty quickly and turned back into the city.

   I spent the week holding out for going on Saturday. The plan was that I was going to be brave and meet my wife at the local Farmer's Market by my taking the paths and she taking the car. I'd done a little bit of exploring of the paths on Sunday and wanted to see what else was there and how far it all went. I was really annoyed that a bike ride was already planned and closing down all the paths. It was for a good cause, but it was in my way, and I was irritated and grouchy about it. I probably needed to sleep in on Saturday anyway, but I was committed to going out this morning. Bright and early, I got up and got dressed (the new leg and arm warmers were certainly nice to have as it was cold to start then I took them off as it warmed up). After biking to the store and back so my wife would have her newspaper, I headed to the paths. I had to do a little bit of city riding to get to the greenway, but it wasn't too bad. Getting there, I got right on, and was again amazed at the ride. It took me out into the country and wound along the river. I was amazed when I was on a paved multi-purpose path as it ran parallel to a dirt country road. I went to the path's terminus at a park and visitor center behind our new Super Walmart. Turning back around, I saw a crane just out in the marshes. I also saw a couple of squished toads. And prairie dogs don't bark as much as squawk.

   What I've found is that most people out on their bikes are very friendly. Nearly everyone who passed me wished me a good morning. On the way back, there were far more people out as the morning grew later. Making it back to where I started, I'd only gone 17 miles to my previous weekend's 23 miles. I've also found that I begin to feel starved at about then, so I stopped and ate a couple protein bars then continued on. Unfortunatelty, my curiosity of the greenway got the better of me and led me to the other end of the trail. I kept thinking, "I had no idea this was here," as I wound down under roads that I didn't know had underpasses! In the end, I went 30.5 miles this morning, just winding through town. I did have a hill after 20 miles that was just too much that forced me to walk for part of it. I came home and collapsed. My legs are sore, but I'm already looking forward to next weekend....

2011-08-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2011

   Somehow, the summer is winding down for me, and I'm getting ready to go back to work and facing how to get the rides in. I did get back on the bike after my crash after taking a couple days to recover. My first trip was actually my longest, taking on over six miles, going not only to Wal-Mart but then going back into the city and around. I don't even think about wearing the shorts any more--they're comfortable, and I can't imagine how much my butt would hurt without them.
   I have found that there's an amazing network of multi-purpose paths and bike paths that really let me get around. I mostly stick the roads and have found myself in places without a bike lane, but I try to stay out of the way. Though I have found the wonders of a country road, three miles each way, that doesn't have much of a shoulder nor traffic. I get to hear the roosters crow almost every morning!
    To my cycling shorts and jersyes, I've added to my gear bike lights (front and back). I find it funny how much more room drivers give me. Before, if I was pulled over on the shoulder to drink or rest, a car would just speed on past. Now they go all the way over as if I'm still riding. At first, I found the extra room insulting, but now I apprciate it. I still don't have the balance to grab my bottle while riding, so I like that they see my flashing red light...I have increased my balance significantly since the crash! I also now carry an ace bandage, first aid, and various other supplies. Oh, and I now have a small rearview mirror and a bike computer! I know I still need more gear, but that's good for now. As it stands, I know that I've spent more for the gear than my wife did for the bike!
    My leg is, amazingly, still healing. The scab is gone, but the discolored "scar" remains. It also itches sometimes, but it's getting there. The one on my hip, which didn't even really have any outward wound, took some time to heal. Of course, the bike took some damage, so I've had to put black duct tape on the gouge out of the seat. Worried that the tape may be causing friction to my not-so-cheap shorts, I've ordered a new seat. Turned on to the wonders of nashbar.com by friends, I've since gotten some bib shorts (it's nice how well they stay up!) and also have coming a pair of leg warmers and arm warmers. I could've used both this morning as 54F degrees kept me from going out this morning. I've also now got four jerseys to four shorts as they just all reek too much after one ride to wear the jerseys more than once. I tried, and it wasn't nice!
   I also struggled with the question of shaving my legs, and ulitmately, I decided I'm too new and too uninterested and casual to worry about it. Someday in the future, I may be faced with it again, but as far as my near future, I'll just keep it trimmed. Having had the road rash, yes, it brought tears to my eyes to remove the tape when it stuck, which wasn't all the time, but the healing itself didn't matter either way. And I don't want to answer the question of if I am and why.
   To date, then, the farthest I've gone was last weekend when I made it to 15.5 miles and averaging about 10 miles. I've also lost about 12 pounds, so I'm feeling pretty good about that and just in general! I've got more energy and just feeling better.
   Next: keeping to going during the school year! I know, I can bike to work, but I don't want to have to shower once I get there, so it'll have to be either really early or in the evening with longer rides on the weekend. I guess we'll see...

July 13, 2011 (Day 6)

2011-07-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Sporting another new pair of shorts (Pearl Izumi Quest shorts from REI online), I made my next trip to Wal-Mart. My goal today was to buy some cheese to make pesto that night for dinner. I also decided I could add a trip to the bank to deposit a check as the bank wasn’t too far and could include some neighborhood riding. I got up a bit earlier to make sure I had plenty of time for this additional leg.

Wal-Mart was the same as always with the same single lane open with too many people waiting. Finally done, I headed across the highway (walking my bike) then down into the neighborhood. It wasn’t too far before I reached the rutted parking lot our bank (it shares the lot with several fast food joints and a long-term care facility). I got there with no problems, made the deposit at the ATM (I’m not sure if they’d have appreciated the bike going into the entry with me, but they weren’t open yet), and was quickly on my way.

I made the trip back up to the highway fine and had plenty of time to spare. I ran into the same concern at the railroad tracks, so I stayed on the highway and made it back into the neighborhood farther along. Then, within a couple minutes of home, I wondered if I’d forgotten the bag of my purchases on the bench by the bike racks at Wal-Mart. For some inexplicable reason, I risked taking a hand off the bars and feeling. I was out of control before my hand even touched the backpack! It was almost like I pulled out of myself because I actually saw myself swerving then hitting the pavement, skidding to a halt.

I was in shock. Literally. I was shaking, lightheaded, and ready to puke. I dug out the cell phone from the backpack and called my wife. I was within a short distance to home, but both little ones were in bed and my wife needed to get going to work. After laying in someone’s yard for a few minutes to steady myself, I got back on the bike. The seat was severely canted forward so I felt like it was about to throw me the rest of the way home. At home, we cleaned me up as quickly as possible and confirmed road rash on the front of my right calf from my knee down almost seven inches and about five inches wide. I also had a fist-sized abrasion on my hip (thankfully, no tears in my Pearl Izumi shorts!) and a four-inch spot on my forearm down to my elbow. As pride goeth before the fall, I certainly was humbled for feelling rather accomplished.

My wife had to leave for work, but thankfully both kids were still asleep or sleepy. I finally took the dreaded shower. My leg felt like it instantly puckered up painfully as soon as the water hit it. But I cleaned it with soap and water, fighting back the need to scream. Research online (gotta love the internet) revealed I needed to cover it with antibiotic ointment and gauze. But we had no gauze! I actually had to call my parents for help, and my mom came over to dress it all. I felt like a little kid rather than the 36-year-old who just fell off his bike!

I pushed the ibuprofen, largely for my back that tends to go out. I only later thought to check the helmet, on which there were no scuffs (yay, I didn’t hit my head!) and my brand new gloves (wow, those tears would explain the pain in the ball of my hand!). I then checked the bike. The handle cover is scuffed, there’s a small chunk out of the nose of the seat, and the seat desperately needs to be readjusted. Again. I think I want to get back on the bike, but now with my war wound, I’m not sure when, but soon. Researching into the best treatment of road rash, I see a lot of people have done so much worse, but these are my wounds (and road rash hurts!)…on the bright side, I’ve been watching my food intake, so coupled with cycling, I’ve lost five pounds. That’s my motivator to keep going.

My roadrash, 25 years delayed....

July 12, 2011 (Day 5)

2011-07-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today I sported my new jersey, which was a bit snugger than I expected, but research online assured me that it was supposed to be snug to properly wick the moisture as well as avoid flapping and nipple chafing (that just sounds wrong!). I also had a mission to pick up a couple other items we needed to give me a goal and keep from chickening out. It all went pretty well. I was a bit nervous without my oversized T-shirt, but frankly, once I got there, the last thing I was thinking about was what I was wearing.

On the way home, I managed to actually stop and walk my bike back down the path by the railroad tracks then only have to be on the highway a short distance.

Addendum:

More research revealed that the seat was woefully low. It took me a moment to figure it out, but I got it raised so that, per the internet, my leg was barely bent at its lowest point of the peddle’s circle. I decided I should make sure it was alright for the next morning, so all decked out in my garb, I went through the neighborhood. On the way back, I shifted gears, and the chain slipped. I lost control but was able to find my balance and the ground with my feet. I took a pretty hard smack to the shin from one of the peddles before putting the bike down. Thankfully, I was within walking distance of home and was able to walk the bike there in short time. I think it was my fault…I pushed off hard and suddenly at the stoplight that morning to exit Wal-Mart, and I felt the chain jerk slightly. I didn’t check that aspect before taking it out again. My guess is that it wasn’t quite right, so the whole thing came undone when I used the derailleur. I was able to fix it and get the chain going again.

July 11, 2011 (Day 4)

2011-07-15T15:19:00.001-07:00

More internet research led me to conclude some of my problem is that I have no water with me. It was even suggested that it might help my windedness. I also picked up some fingerless gloves for good measure. With sweat-covered cotton T-shirts after every ride, I decided to reward myself if I made it as far as the nearest Super Wal-Mart (about two miles away) by buying one of the Schwinn cycling jerseys as my research suggested that they would wick the sweat away better. Last night in the car, we drove the length of ours and the two other subdivisions for the path with the least highway cycling as possible, so that’s the way I went with all my new paraphernalia as well as a backpack strapped to my back as I left the house at 6:05 am with until 7 am before my wife had to head to work for me to get back.

It’s true that you observe your surroundings more going slower than in a car, and one of the things I observed on the way through the neighborhood was a young fox that must be making his home somewhere nearby as he trotted on the sidewalk, not even glancing at me as I passed.

There’s a short distance that requires a multi-purpose path, which isn’t too bad, but the bad part is that the path abruptly ends at railroad gravel then up an embankment to the train tracks and a highway. I stopped at the end of the sidewalk and drank the water (man that felt good!). Taking a deep breath and resigning myself to the task, I led the bike up the embankment to the highway. After a false start where I almost dropped the darn thing, I walked the bike to the other side of the highway so I was on the right shoulder and going with traffic on the way to Wal-Mart.

Once there, my heart pounding with excitement, I locked my bike up at the racks, ignored my awareness of my skintight shorts, and headed in. In there, I picked up my reward. The cashier looked me up and down (I still had my helmet on, too) and asked if I’d come far. “Just a couple miles—I just got started,” I admitted. With my purchase quickly stowed, I headed home. It was a bit of a task, and my legs were throbbing. At the down path, though, I panicked at the sight of all the gravel by the railroads, so I ended up staying on the highway for fear of sliding on the loose rocks. I was able to get into the subdivision soon enough, though.

July 10, 2011 (Day 3)

2011-07-15T15:18:00.003-07:00

Research into bicycle safety via the internet has me concluding that I need to avoid the unpredictability of a multi-purpose path where a dog could lunge at me. I resigned myself to getting over my old fear and taking the road, so I got all decked out and, with a rush of adrenaline and a bit of terror, I entered onto the main street that cut through our subdivision and connected us to the other two in succession. With a nice bike lane, I made my way along. Of course, someone came out of a side cul-de-sac on her racing bike and quickly left me in the dust and feeling every bit of my inexperience, but I remained steady and steadfast as I made my way through the subdivision. I know there are hand signals, but I can’t quite take my hands off the bars to even try. But I stopped at all stop signs. It was early, so there weren’t any cars as I continued along. I have to say, I’d been disappointed that I hadn’t felt any of that true burn I was expecting to tell me I was affecting my muscles. Holy crap, I felt that burn all across the tops of my thighs as I passed one street and continued along before turning around and heading back. Another real cyclist passed my amateur self then sped off on a 20-mile ride, no doubt, while I made my way, winded and sweaty, back home. It was a longer trip, and I was feeling it.

July 9, 2011 (Day 2)

2011-07-15T15:18:00.001-07:00

I woke up ready for my first bike ride. My heart fluttered as I put on the bicycle shorts (wow did they make a difference, though they took some getting used to!), a T-shirt, shoes, and strapped on the helmet. I almost backed out as I led the bike to the front of the garage and opened the door.

Then I managed to get on and start slowly down our street then enter onto the multi-purpose paths along the greenway. Wow, there are far more hills than I realized while we were pushing strollers! Sadly, my lungs were feeling it a bit as I made my circuit, nodding proudly to the few people I passed who were jogging or walking dogs. I pretty much avoided all roads as best I could. When I pulled back into the garage, the asthma and new exertion left me sweaty and winded, but I’d done it. I have no idea how long the first ride was, but I’m guessing it was only about 10 minutes. It felt much longer!

July 7, 2011 (Day 1)

2011-07-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

So, here I begin. Probably the most important thing to know is that I’m 36 years old and haven’t been on a bicycle for around 25 years. Oh, and I was diagnosed with asthma four years ago. As a kid, the thought of cars passing me scared the heck out of me. Oh, and the falling off onto my face and getting road rash. That really scared me. Without any kids my age in my neighborhood to bike with, I pretty soon put my sporty Huffy dirt bike into the back of the shed and haven’t seen it since I was about 11.

For the past few years, my wife and I have talked about getting bicycles as a means of getting into shape. In the meantime, though, we’ve had two children, the most recent just in April. However, my wife--herself was one who did enjoy riding quite a bit throughout her teen years--decided to surprise me with my own new bike for my 36^th birthday. So with the big 4-0 bearing down on me and some extra weight put on during these years of focusing on babies, I got onto a bicycle again for the first time in a quarter century. As a teacher, I have the rest of the summer to figure this thing out.

I truly felt that I was the case study for whether the adage, “It’s like riding a bike—you never forget” was actually true. So, with dusk settling in on my birthday with a minimum of viewers (none, actually, so far as I’m aware of), we went out front of our house and I got onto the bike with my spiffy new bike helmet (didn’t worry about those so much in the 80s). And struggled to stay in the seat. I couldn’t quite find my balance. My wife offered to help, but I could just see it: me riding along with my wife chasing after holding the bike seat. That my pride couldn’t take. Finally, I found that the adage was true. That’s not to say that I was graceful or even good, but I finally had both feet on the peddles and sort of made a couple wobbly loops in front of the house. And I was done.

Seeing the need for padded bicycle shorts if I was going to do this regularly, we went and found a reasonably priced pair at Wal-Mart (they’re selling a bunch of Schwinn designed cycling clothes and supplies, only 20 bucks for the shorts) for my big ride Saturday. By “big ride,” I mean going around the neighborhood via the multi-purpose paths along the greenway. A bit more research revealed the need to go commando with bicycle shorts…makes sense given the need for wicking and not wanting layers that might chafe.