The bicycling season has officially begun! For the first time in months, I went out both Sunday and Monday (Memorial day) and then again this morning. On Sunday, my wife and kids joined me at the trail head by car after I'd biked there, so I'd already gone 6.1 miles before they even got there. We then went as a family up to Target then returned to the greenway, putting in another 12 miles. My wife now has her own bike instead of a borrowed one, so she seems to be much happier.
For Monday, I got out on my own (with my wife being too sore), and made it about 22 miles. It was a touch windy but it wasn't insurmountable. I guess in Colorado, I'm just going to have to be okay with windy or get no ride. Since January, I have been keeping a riding journal is a free "Mileage Guide and Training Log" I received for free with trying Bicycling magazine, which didn't work for me. I know that I went about 400 miles on the old bike then have gone about 890 miles on the new bike, so since July, I've gone over 1200 miles on the bicycle, which is crazy anyway! With keeping track in the journal, I know that I've gone about 354 miles since the start of the year. Of course, the downside is seeing the long gaps when I wasn't getting out for various reasons.
It is a reminder that it's still just spring, though, when I got up this morning to head to Walmart and little country ride and it was only 40 degrees and I had to wear my thermal tights, compression base layer, long sleeve jersey, and jacket. I even ended up with the thermal cap on! I made it to Walmart in just over seven minutes when it used to take me between 12 and 15 minutes last year, so pretty good time. It's funny when it just really doesn't seem that far. I probably couldn't drive there much faster.
When I got back on the bike after getting my instant breakfast, I was faced with a strange discomfort: the breeze was cold, so all my gear was perfect, but the sun was rising higher and was making me too warm. In the end, I only got about six miles in so as to make it back home for me wife to head off to work...it's going to take a few times to figure out timing again. But it's a good start to the summer...
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
March 24 and 25, 2012
For the first time, we took both little ones out in the trailer, via a quick drive with the bikes on my car then getting onto the greenway. On Saturday, we went a bit over 5 miles and had a nice time, though pulling the trailer was a bit of a challenge with two of them in there! They seemed to have a really nice time, and unbelievably, it was almost 80F! My wife is just getting into bicycling herself, so we set and made her goal then then made our way back. Along the way, though, one of her pedals of her borrowed bike fell off! So, we go to walk the last .5 mile. She was able to stay balanced, so she didn't take a fall but only got a bit scuffed on her other leg as the she the pedal that didn't lose flew around and smacked the back of her leg. I was able to get it back on when we got home.
So, we went back out on Sunday with the intent of my continuing on after getting them all back to the car. We had a nice jaunt, stopping off for lunch. Then we made it again to my wife's goal and then back to the car. I got them all packed up into the car, and they took off on my own. It was a busy day on the path with multiple little ones with parents teaching them to use their training wheels...a great idea, if a touch dangerous on a busy day! Both days with the family were a lot of fun, though, so I can see the draw, and while there are bicycles, I can see the draw to teaching little ones to use the path to get their balance first, then teach them the road, so one skill at a time. Plus, the green way is just some beautiful scenery.
Along the path, though, there are many underpasses (the city has actually made it so that there is only one country road you have to cross as you go from one end to the other). When you hit the underpasses, they have white dashed lines, creating lanes for safety. As I was heading through an underpass, the oncoming couple didn't go single file (as my wife and I had been doing whenever anyone approached)--these two idiots actually tried to stay going next to each other. Fearing we might hit handlebars, I gave them a bit more room, and my front wheel caught the edge of the path and skidded into the soft shoulder then out of control back onto the path, where I went down. The couple went on without looking back but then decide to come back. They did tell me to rinse off the wound and not get right back on the bike, but they never apologized before getting on their merry way. I limped my way to Dick's Sporting Goods to wait for my wife, and they checked the bike out. The front wheel was almost out of the fork (which explained why it barely moved), and my pedal (a Christmas present) is scuffed, though not damaged. My handlebar cover on the right side is torn, and my shoe is scuffed on the top. Oh, and road rash on my leg and arm with three deep gouges out of my knee. Nice. I don't feel quite as rough as last time, though...hitting cement wasn't quite as abrasive as hitting asphalt, plus I'm 15 pounds lighter and a bit more fit myself. Still, and I am sore and very frustrated that somebody would be so careless! I could've still had the girls in the trailer behind me, for God's sake!
So, we went back out on Sunday with the intent of my continuing on after getting them all back to the car. We had a nice jaunt, stopping off for lunch. Then we made it again to my wife's goal and then back to the car. I got them all packed up into the car, and they took off on my own. It was a busy day on the path with multiple little ones with parents teaching them to use their training wheels...a great idea, if a touch dangerous on a busy day! Both days with the family were a lot of fun, though, so I can see the draw, and while there are bicycles, I can see the draw to teaching little ones to use the path to get their balance first, then teach them the road, so one skill at a time. Plus, the green way is just some beautiful scenery.
Along the path, though, there are many underpasses (the city has actually made it so that there is only one country road you have to cross as you go from one end to the other). When you hit the underpasses, they have white dashed lines, creating lanes for safety. As I was heading through an underpass, the oncoming couple didn't go single file (as my wife and I had been doing whenever anyone approached)--these two idiots actually tried to stay going next to each other. Fearing we might hit handlebars, I gave them a bit more room, and my front wheel caught the edge of the path and skidded into the soft shoulder then out of control back onto the path, where I went down. The couple went on without looking back but then decide to come back. They did tell me to rinse off the wound and not get right back on the bike, but they never apologized before getting on their merry way. I limped my way to Dick's Sporting Goods to wait for my wife, and they checked the bike out. The front wheel was almost out of the fork (which explained why it barely moved), and my pedal (a Christmas present) is scuffed, though not damaged. My handlebar cover on the right side is torn, and my shoe is scuffed on the top. Oh, and road rash on my leg and arm with three deep gouges out of my knee. Nice. I don't feel quite as rough as last time, though...hitting cement wasn't quite as abrasive as hitting asphalt, plus I'm 15 pounds lighter and a bit more fit myself. Still, and I am sore and very frustrated that somebody would be so careless! I could've still had the girls in the trailer behind me, for God's sake!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
March 4, 2012
Wow...it has been windy. I still don't know if it's always this windy or if I'm just paying more attention. Yesterday was too gusty with a backache to try to go out. Today, though, was only a bit breezy as I set out with over 60F! And, yes, it is still the first part of March! I set out in just bib shorts and short sleeve jersey. I almost wore a long sleeve but changed my mind. I did take my arm and knee warmers tucked into my back pockets, but then I was off by about 2pm.
It was great to be back out on the bike again. I got very sore at about four miles, but I just kept going. I've also had a pretty badly tweaked back, but I'm hoping that this will help stretch it out and strengthen it. I have to admit that I had far less back pain this summer when I was out all the time.
The temperature was perfect, but the gusts did get to me a bit when I was shifted to a lower gear and fighting against it, able only to reach about six mph. Funny when there was a time when my goal was to just maintain about ten mph! Once I got out of the open space a bit, the wind wasn't quite so bad, and I was able to make a 21.57-mile circuit. I never needed the warmers, it was so balmy out! I did notice that there's a bit of a noise now when I pedal, so I'm guessing I need to take a look at the chain and gears for needing greased....ah, the next thing to learn! Always something new!
It was great to be back out on the bike again. I got very sore at about four miles, but I just kept going. I've also had a pretty badly tweaked back, but I'm hoping that this will help stretch it out and strengthen it. I have to admit that I had far less back pain this summer when I was out all the time.
The temperature was perfect, but the gusts did get to me a bit when I was shifted to a lower gear and fighting against it, able only to reach about six mph. Funny when there was a time when my goal was to just maintain about ten mph! Once I got out of the open space a bit, the wind wasn't quite so bad, and I was able to make a 21.57-mile circuit. I never needed the warmers, it was so balmy out! I did notice that there's a bit of a noise now when I pedal, so I'm guessing I need to take a look at the chain and gears for needing greased....ah, the next thing to learn! Always something new!
Monday, February 20, 2012
February 20, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
February 19, 2012
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....
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....
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Oh, the cold!
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!
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!
Monday, January 16, 2012
December 30, 2011
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!
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