June 14, 2013

   I remember last summer when I thought it was hardly worth going out if I didn't get at least twenty miles.  It was my second summer cycling, but I don't know if it was sincerely the case or if I was just making up an excuse for not going out.  I have been struggling to get out five times a week (I have to get up by no later than 5:45am to be on the bike at no later than 6:10 to be back by no later than 7:10 so my wife can head to work), but I'm doing better this year with the idea that any mileage is good mileage during the week, so about 11.5 miles a day on average has been good with the weekend being whatever I can get in.
   Along with a new outlook, I've gone back to some old routes, specifically going out onto the country road that connects to my subdivision.  It was not quite two years ago when I started going that way with my Walmart special, but I avoided it last year except to see how the hybrid handled the same route the other bike.  But I've gone back to it, and I realize now that it's actually a great route because it's a perfectly straight road with some  hills and very little traffic (which is good, because it's also got very little shoulder).  What just dawned on me this morning while on the ride, though, is it's not just a quick seven miles (round trip), but it also give me a chance to practice things like going down on the drops and pulling the water bottle without stopping--with little traffic, it doesn't matter if I swerve a little bit in trying these new mundane activities.  Of course, the other side of it reinforces the idea that I am having to learn the road bike!  And that plays into going out daily, too, I guess, because it's practicing those things so I can do it smoothly.  I know that it's a matter of learning how the center of gravity and shifting of balances work, which is what creates the learning curve I'm experiencing.
   I also switched my bike saddle...I'd bought a new one for my hybrid because the stock seat I'd put back onto it was like riding around on a giant cushion.  I've realized, though, that it's a bit sleeker, a bit firmer than the one I've been using, so I ended up switching them out, so the slightly larger and more cushioned saddle is back on the hybrid.  I'm imagining that by Christmas, I'll be ready for something sleeker, but I also want to keep a saddle with the anatomical cut-out...numbness and pain and other more serious issues don't sound appealing, and if that saddle has the best chance of avoiding these problems, then it's worth it!  Unfortunately, the more I get into it, the more expensive the items I want and need...right now, though, this saddle is working and isn't so thick-looking.  It does declare itself a Nishiki, but that's fine.
    So, here's hoping for some nice long rides this weekend!  Happy riding :)

June 9, 2013

Upon my return after 45 miles!

   I finally broke 40 miles again and then some by a bit!  I actually made it basically to 45, which was quite an undertaking!  I began with breaking the pin inside my Presta valve!  Thankfully, it stayed in place and held air through the ride.  I've discvered the wonders of using MapMyRide.com to track my mileage and calories.  I've enjoyed using the mapping tool, so I planned the ride ahead of time to make sure I had something that was about 40 miles.  It and my cyclocomputer are usually within .5 - 1 mile of each other, so I figure that's pretty good.  I know the cyclocomputer can be affected by how I corner and any side stops I make versus the online tool, that's using stalite imagery and average mileage input.
   So, once I decided to try the ride, I started out the ride with my old ride out into the country and back then out to the greenway as I made my way to the highway.  The road I take up to the Foothills Highway is definitely hilly.  It's amazing what a hill looks like compared to a bike, and by the time I got there, I'd already truly gone 20 miles, so it kicked my butt to get up some of those hills, but no snakes or flats this time, so that was a bonus!
   I did get passed a few times on the climb up then on the ride back down.  I'd say only about 50% of people announce themselves as they come up on you, which I find surprising and rude.  On the greenway, people mostly do, but it's so much more dangerous out on the road going much faster in much more dangerous conditions with cars and cliffs...
   The only other downside is that I forgot my protein bar, so I was pretty much starving by the time I got home.  I need to make sure that a bar begins being part of my regular equipment when I leave.  I've also gotten very good at changing the tubes on the bikes.  Unfortunately.
   Now if the scale would start reflecting all my hard work....

May 24, 2013

I still can hardly believe that I'm officially riding a road bike!  I biked in to work today, though my timing was a bit off as far as getting in to work, but it was a great morning. Then leaving work, I rode the long way and got in about twenty more miles, getting in about 31 miles for the day!  It did kick my butt, and I did et past by a couple people.  It still freaks the hell out of me to go over 30 mph, but I also love it--the promise of that speed is what keeps me going up those endless hills!

One of the more interesting things I've noticed is that I get waves and nods now that I didn't get as often on the hybrid.  Of course, I can only nod back since I'm still not taking my hands off he handlebars much yet...I still have to stop to drink water!  My goal is to eventually be able to move my hands on to the drops now that I can shift my hands a little more easily on top.  Maybe in the next couple weeks?  I know my crash on the first bike is keeping e more cautious, but I rather be cautious than broken because I did something before I was ready...

May 12, 2013

We left from home for the very first time as a family...it was a big deal for my wife to go that far: just over 18 miles!  Of course, one of the last stretches of the way home is a hill...I think we've concluded that we're uphill from about everywhere.  It was unavoidable, though it could've been mitigated better.  I thought there was something wrong with my bike as I'd shifted all the way to 1 and was about to switch to the granny-gear, but it does occur to me after that it was probably gravity working on the 80 pounds I was dragging!  It was a good thing that, among other things, we had stopped for a picnic!

I've had the road bike for a couple months now, but I've pretty much kept to my usual routes on the paths.  In fact, we did our first long family ride yesterday, taking the hybrid and attaching the kids in the trailer to go to the local farmer's market via the trails.  However, the city is using the greenway trails for an event (CycloFemme), so it behooved me to get out of my comfort zone and go a new route that was completely road.  I'd even driven the chosen route on Thursday after work, thinking it wasn't too bad (a few hills, but manageable .

Despite its being Mother's Day, I set out early (maybe because of the day?) and headed toward the new trail that would take me on a road out of town to meet up with a highway that runs along the foothills.  Really, logic wasn't on my side or I would've thought about how UP that would all have to be.  I'm pretty sure it was mostly climbing for five plus miles in there, so I was pretty warn out in a new way when I finally reached the highway, which still left me just under twenty miles to get home!

But when I finally got to go down...well, I remember when it was a big deal when I was reaching twenty, but I didn't even check until after to know that I hit about 33mph heading down toward Lyons!  I admit, it was terrifying and totally fun all at once as I made my way down all that altitude I'd gained.  There were a few more hills on the way home on Highway 66, but I made it.  And now I'm sore in ways that I haven't been in some time; plus, I'm exhausted.  Oh well, now I've done it and now know that I can!  It was only about 30 miles as opposed to the 40 I've been aiming for, but those 30 were much harder fought than 40 tootling around on greenway trails....

March 31, 2013

   Despite the holiday (Easter), I went out on the bike after a bit of a hiccup...gotta love washing machines that decide to leak and have to be replaced!  But after getting back from Lowes, we had lunch, then I donned my gear (70F, so shorts and short-sleeve jersey!) and headed out onto the trails on the new road bike.
    It's amazing how much easier it is to get up to higher speeds with the road bike, to the point that down is still somewhat intimidating!  I felt more natural on it this time as I made it through town in a lot less time than it usually takes, and did I mention that it was 70F?  WOW!  I did mess up at a tricky intersection (not very busy, so it sometimes doesn't change) as I dropped my water bottle as the light changed and had to wait until more cars came along to trigger it, and then another cyclist came up behind me.  As I took off from the light, I was keenly aware of two things: there was someone behind me who was probably either pacing me or passing me; and I couldn't see them or the cars at all as I'm still not confident enough in the new posture to look over my should on the new bike.  I kept up at about 18-20 mph until I reached the trail head and pulled over, only to see that another cyclist than the one I remembered was behind me and the other one was way behind.  Nice!
     I did two laps of the greenway path, then I headed back onto the busy road, a bit tired and sore: my neck and hands were definitely feeling it!  I have found that going up the hills is far easier than it was on the heavier hybrid bike, though I'm still not quite there with standing on this bike to climb.  Toward the end of the ride, though, is a hill that I have to also turn left while going down, and I was again keenly aware of no mirror and jerked the handlebars in a way that scared me as I looked over my shoulder (or tried to).  So, upon further reflection on the desire to not meet a car on the road, I moved the mirror from the hybrid to the road bike and look forward to seeing how it works.
     In the meantime, I made it home from Easter dinner.  So I made 32 miles on the bike...and the perma-sleeves, gloves, and shorts that had been fading with the winter months out of the sun?  Well, I unfortunately reinforced them all with a bit of a sunburn...I will definitely be doing better about putting on sunblock in the future....

March 28, 2013

   Tonight was my first official time on the road bike for an extended ride (about 21.65 miles).  My computer was a bit glitchy (getting used to the new bike?  or needing a new battery?).  I was a bit hesitant to leave from home and had thought seriously about taking the bike to a trail head.  Ultimately, though, I left from home to get to the greenway and then back.  It did take some getting used to the shifting and the posture, and my back, shoulders, and hands are feeling it.  I tried to move my hands around, but my being thrown from my bike way back when has taught me to be cautious and get used to my center of balance, which means I'm barely moving my hands; I mostly keep them on the hoods.  I did get them moved a couple times to the top of the bar, but it felt like my hands were too close together.  It really took quite a bit of the ride before I didn't have my hands hovering over the brakes....

   Even with the headwind I faced (gusting at about 10 miles and  hour) I found I was going faster with less work than on the Nashiki.  However, I realize now that when I first started cycling, I was woefully out of shape, so my distance didn't much outpace my skill.  This time, though, I had greater skill and endurance for the cycling itself, but I'm not sure my body was quite there with the bike...I guess I'll know in the morning!

   Interestingly, either people were friendlier than usual or it made a difference about the bike because I got more nods and greetings than usual.  Was it the bike?  I don't know.  For my part, I did the best when I relaxed and forgot I was on the "new" bike but simply biked.  Hopefully, I can get my hands used to the new positions...from the hybrid, I'm used to having my hands hovering over the brakes, but that's simply not an option with a road bike for several of the hand positions (going onto the drops is not going to happen for a long time, though).

   Anyway, I'll be heading out again tomorrow if I'm not too sore...

March 27, 2013

So, after a week of using the trainer to get use to the bike, I'm faced with actually taking it out of the house and riding on the road, which I've only done twice. Short. And before I had the clip-less pedals! I think I'm as anxious and nervous now as I was when I got that fist bike less than two years ago. Do I go on the road? Take it on the car to a trailhead? I guess I'll wing it at the moment and hope I have the bike all adjusted correctly....