In case any of you (all three of my readers) missed it, I am in the process of taking this blog a little further out into the world of cycling in general. I will likely start posting something every Sunday since I don't ride on Sundays. (It's part of what I consider keeping the Sabbath Day holy.)
Well, I came across this gem earlier this week while perusing some information on stuff hidden in bills passed by Congress before anyone reads the bloody thing. (Yes, I am surprisingly conservative. That's not something that you find very often with cyclists and hard core recyclers.) Alas, I digress...
Now, I found this article on treehugger.com that reveals some of the stuff that snuck into one of the bailouts Obama pushed through Congress. Did you know that you can be reimbursed up to $20/week for applicable expenses associated with bike maintenance if you cycle your commute to work?
That's right, hidden away in the bowels of legislation among the tax exemptions for using wooden arrows and various cost analysis assessments for racetracks (please explain how these stimulate the economy), is this nice little tidbit for the benefit of those who wish to ride their bikes to work.
I don't care why you ride a bike (health reasons, environmentalism, cost efficiency) I'm just glad to see that there is finally something worthwhile in DC happening in favor of those who are truly using alternative transportation.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Why do I do this to myself?
A friend of mine here in town wanted to go riding with me. He's a couple of years older than me, but he's also out of shape. Now, what makes this super "not fair" is the fact that he's one of the skinny "out of shape" people. It's so unfair...
Anyway, I wanted to ride out to a park north of town, but he didn't want to because he works near the park and "it'll feel like I'm commuting to work." I can understand that (but I do wonder, since when does 1.5 miles count as a commute?). So I make another suggestion, and wouldn't you know it... he used to "commute" that way too. I wish he had just sad that he just wanted to go ride the trail that I have blogged about the last two times I went out.
So I figured that this might be a little fair. He's "out of shape" and wearing blue jeans. I, on the other hand, am wearing fat people workout clothes. He's got the Trek mountain bike (made for off road stuff) and I've got the Trek road-based hybrid. In the end, we took the trail and were fairly evenly matched. Well, maybe not so much.
He did a lot of stopping for sightseeing at the bridges and to read the signs and so forth. I can understand that, and I even did that on one of my rides. So, I understand the delays. What I did not get, however, was how a skinny dude with better equipment was going so far behind me. I had to keep slowing down to let him catch up. Then I would get back into my normal cadence, and pass him again, only to slow down for him to catch up, and get back into rhythm, and you see the cycle (no pun intended). I was shocked at how quickly this tired me out even MORE than riding my ill-equipped bike on an off road trail.
Then, just to make things even more interesting, there was the tree that had fallen across the path. Yes, a mighty oak had decided it was tired of standing and chose to have a bit of a lie-down... right across the trail! Well, my friend decided that he wanted to keep going, so we portaged the bikes through the wreckage and continued on the ride.
By the time that we got home, we were both exhausted. I cannot do that on the wet trail again, or so help me... okay, that was an idle threat. It's really not going anywhere.
Unfortunately, I did not take my phone with me, otherwise, I'd have a picture of the tree. I would have taken a picture with me on top and called it "Manuel the Wonder Tree-Slayer!" or something predictably silly like that.
If nothing else, this gave me 20 miles for the week. I know that I have done that in a day before, but among the various challenges (not riding in a while, weather, friends, etc.) it's a hopeful start back into the lifestyle.
Anyway, I wanted to ride out to a park north of town, but he didn't want to because he works near the park and "it'll feel like I'm commuting to work." I can understand that (but I do wonder, since when does 1.5 miles count as a commute?). So I make another suggestion, and wouldn't you know it... he used to "commute" that way too. I wish he had just sad that he just wanted to go ride the trail that I have blogged about the last two times I went out.
So I figured that this might be a little fair. He's "out of shape" and wearing blue jeans. I, on the other hand, am wearing fat people workout clothes. He's got the Trek mountain bike (made for off road stuff) and I've got the Trek road-based hybrid. In the end, we took the trail and were fairly evenly matched. Well, maybe not so much.
He did a lot of stopping for sightseeing at the bridges and to read the signs and so forth. I can understand that, and I even did that on one of my rides. So, I understand the delays. What I did not get, however, was how a skinny dude with better equipment was going so far behind me. I had to keep slowing down to let him catch up. Then I would get back into my normal cadence, and pass him again, only to slow down for him to catch up, and get back into rhythm, and you see the cycle (no pun intended). I was shocked at how quickly this tired me out even MORE than riding my ill-equipped bike on an off road trail.
Then, just to make things even more interesting, there was the tree that had fallen across the path. Yes, a mighty oak had decided it was tired of standing and chose to have a bit of a lie-down... right across the trail! Well, my friend decided that he wanted to keep going, so we portaged the bikes through the wreckage and continued on the ride.
By the time that we got home, we were both exhausted. I cannot do that on the wet trail again, or so help me... okay, that was an idle threat. It's really not going anywhere.
Unfortunately, I did not take my phone with me, otherwise, I'd have a picture of the tree. I would have taken a picture with me on top and called it "Manuel the Wonder Tree-Slayer!" or something predictably silly like that.
If nothing else, this gave me 20 miles for the week. I know that I have done that in a day before, but among the various challenges (not riding in a while, weather, friends, etc.) it's a hopeful start back into the lifestyle.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Price You Pay....
Okay, I have to admit that this is something I have not felt in a while... horrible after riding.
This really was a bad day. We have had rain for the past two days and I knew that there would be a little effect upon my riding, but I honestly did not believe that it would make riding the hardpack trail that I recently found THAT difficult. You see, we've been in a bit of a drought, and even though we have had two day of rain, the ground has sucked it all right up. I couldn't find any puddles to splash in. So I figured that there would not be much of a problem riding that trail. Boy was I wrong...
Although the trail was in decent condition, it was still soft. This was only a problem because my tires naturally sunk into the soft earth and formed a clear "U" in which my tires struggled to plow through. I pushed myself harder than I did on Saturday, and it was a hard fought 6.2 miles, but I managed to do it in only 3 minutes more time. Of course those 3 minutes knocked my overall time down 1.2 mph.
I do not know if/when I will try that trail again as there is a lot of rain predicted later on this week. I think I will stick to the roads, which my bike is more suited for anyway.
Fortunately, I think I have found a riding buddy. A friend from church wants to do some more riding and has asked if he can join me. I do not know how much motivation we can give each other. He's even more casual of a cyclist than I am, and he's also riding a crap Wal-Mart "Y" frame mountain bike. Then again... his is MUCH skinnier than I am, which means that his lousy bike may slow him down to my speeds.
I guess we shall see.
All I know is that I have a lot of riding to do to make up for a hot and busy summer.
This really was a bad day. We have had rain for the past two days and I knew that there would be a little effect upon my riding, but I honestly did not believe that it would make riding the hardpack trail that I recently found THAT difficult. You see, we've been in a bit of a drought, and even though we have had two day of rain, the ground has sucked it all right up. I couldn't find any puddles to splash in. So I figured that there would not be much of a problem riding that trail. Boy was I wrong...
Although the trail was in decent condition, it was still soft. This was only a problem because my tires naturally sunk into the soft earth and formed a clear "U" in which my tires struggled to plow through. I pushed myself harder than I did on Saturday, and it was a hard fought 6.2 miles, but I managed to do it in only 3 minutes more time. Of course those 3 minutes knocked my overall time down 1.2 mph.
I do not know if/when I will try that trail again as there is a lot of rain predicted later on this week. I think I will stick to the roads, which my bike is more suited for anyway.
Fortunately, I think I have found a riding buddy. A friend from church wants to do some more riding and has asked if he can join me. I do not know how much motivation we can give each other. He's even more casual of a cyclist than I am, and he's also riding a crap Wal-Mart "Y" frame mountain bike. Then again... his is MUCH skinnier than I am, which means that his lousy bike may slow him down to my speeds.
I guess we shall see.
All I know is that I have a lot of riding to do to make up for a hot and busy summer.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Tobacco Heritage Trail
I finally found the "trailhead" for this trail just a few blocks from my house. It's not exactly well known or advertised. To make matters worse, it is also not even marked off of the trail!
A little history here:
The Tobacco Heritage Trail is part of Virginia's "Rails to Trails" program, which is designed to turn defunct railroad lines into usable, hard pack trails for bikes, hiking, and horseback riding. The program has worked fairly well until the state finally realized, "oh, wait... we don't have any money because we are spending millions more than we bring in!" So this was one of first programs to get a spending cut. Although I'm a little disappointed, I fully expect and understand this. (My personal beliefs dictate that you shouldn't spend money that you don't have... I know, it's a radical concept!)
Anyway, all of this leads to a VERY short trail. From the official trailhead, it is a little over a mile and a half, with marks every 1/10 mile. However, there is a "lead up" trail that is about a mile long. When you add in the ride to and from my house, (sarcasm) I went a whopping 6.2 miles today. (/sarcasm) If the trail is ever completed as planned, it will stretch from Lawrenceville, VA all the way to South Boston, VA. This should be a total of 90-100 miles when all is complete.
In spite of the short distance, there are some really nice features to the trail:
* I like the hard pack gravel. It is a little more challenging than normal asphalt roads, which makes for a better work out.
* There is a stretch that is a solid 3/4 miles of uphill fun (can you say workout?).
* Lots of shade! (Trust me, this is very nice today where the weather is in the high 90s.)
* It's very close to my home! I can pop out a good hard ride and be home in under half an hour! Seriously, it takes longer to watch an episode of Charles in Charge (which coincidentally also takes a lot more physical strength than riding those 6 miles).
* Riding along the old railroad tracks also gives me the opportunity to see some back country that I do not get to on the highways.
I will add this ride to my regular routes! My plan is to do it until it is easy or they make it longer, although if government is involved, I think we know which one of those two will occur first...
A little history here:
The Tobacco Heritage Trail is part of Virginia's "Rails to Trails" program, which is designed to turn defunct railroad lines into usable, hard pack trails for bikes, hiking, and horseback riding. The program has worked fairly well until the state finally realized, "oh, wait... we don't have any money because we are spending millions more than we bring in!" So this was one of first programs to get a spending cut. Although I'm a little disappointed, I fully expect and understand this. (My personal beliefs dictate that you shouldn't spend money that you don't have... I know, it's a radical concept!)
Anyway, all of this leads to a VERY short trail. From the official trailhead, it is a little over a mile and a half, with marks every 1/10 mile. However, there is a "lead up" trail that is about a mile long. When you add in the ride to and from my house, (sarcasm) I went a whopping 6.2 miles today. (/sarcasm) If the trail is ever completed as planned, it will stretch from Lawrenceville, VA all the way to South Boston, VA. This should be a total of 90-100 miles when all is complete. In spite of the short distance, there are some really nice features to the trail:
* I like the hard pack gravel. It is a little more challenging than normal asphalt roads, which makes for a better work out.
* There is a stretch that is a solid 3/4 miles of uphill fun (can you say workout?).
* Lots of shade! (Trust me, this is very nice today where the weather is in the high 90s.)
* It's very close to my home! I can pop out a good hard ride and be home in under half an hour! Seriously, it takes longer to watch an episode of Charles in Charge (which coincidentally also takes a lot more physical strength than riding those 6 miles).
* Riding along the old railroad tracks also gives me the opportunity to see some back country that I do not get to on the highways.
I will add this ride to my regular routes! My plan is to do it until it is easy or they make it longer, although if government is involved, I think we know which one of those two will occur first...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
You would give me kiss if I was on soccer team!
Okay, that was a rigorous two hours of soccer last night. Well, honestly, it turned out to be about 1:45 of playing with 15 min of water breaks. As promised, I played the field and I did a lot (and I mean a LOT) of running. I didn't play any particular position. I roamed the field and went from midfield to defense to striker.
Still, this was a little intimidating. Me being both over 30 and over weight, and here I was playing against high school students. Granted, it made it a little easier since this was mostly the cross country team. However, there are many on the soccer team who run cross country to stay in shape. At the end of the night, the final score was 9-5, with my team on top. Of course I was very proud to have put in 4 of those goals!!
Granted, this was all unofficial. There was no coaching going on, and this was just for fun more than anything else, but it still felt good reminding these kids that as a coach, I actually seem to know what I am doing. There's nothing like schooling these kids who think I don't know anything.
Now I do have to admit that I got taken down by a girl half my size. It was one of my students from last year, so I'm sure she really enjoyed it. She had the ball and made a bad pass. So she tried to recover and I was on it too. Fortunately, I got there right before her and cleared the ball, but her leg got wrapped up in mine. She twisted my ankle pretty well, and while I was off balance she actually managed to flip me over. It was quite impressive, but looked awesome for her!!
All in all, it was a good sweat. Actually, it was quite disgusting how much I sweat last night, but that's another story. I don't use many sports drinks, but last night I had to get Powerade simply because of how drained I was. I am sore now, but it is a very good kind of sore!
I think that today, instead of riding, I am going to go and walk for a few miles. I haven't decided where yet, but I need to be ready for the next time we play.
(Oh, and if you don't get the title reference, go and look up Group X)
Still, this was a little intimidating. Me being both over 30 and over weight, and here I was playing against high school students. Granted, it made it a little easier since this was mostly the cross country team. However, there are many on the soccer team who run cross country to stay in shape. At the end of the night, the final score was 9-5, with my team on top. Of course I was very proud to have put in 4 of those goals!!
Granted, this was all unofficial. There was no coaching going on, and this was just for fun more than anything else, but it still felt good reminding these kids that as a coach, I actually seem to know what I am doing. There's nothing like schooling these kids who think I don't know anything.
Now I do have to admit that I got taken down by a girl half my size. It was one of my students from last year, so I'm sure she really enjoyed it. She had the ball and made a bad pass. So she tried to recover and I was on it too. Fortunately, I got there right before her and cleared the ball, but her leg got wrapped up in mine. She twisted my ankle pretty well, and while I was off balance she actually managed to flip me over. It was quite impressive, but looked awesome for her!!
All in all, it was a good sweat. Actually, it was quite disgusting how much I sweat last night, but that's another story. I don't use many sports drinks, but last night I had to get Powerade simply because of how drained I was. I am sore now, but it is a very good kind of sore!
I think that today, instead of riding, I am going to go and walk for a few miles. I haven't decided where yet, but I need to be ready for the next time we play.
(Oh, and if you don't get the title reference, go and look up Group X)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
You know what excuses are like...
Well I have not been vigilant about my cycling recently. I have not ridden since last Thursday!! Now, I spent some of that time on "vacation." It wasn't exactly vacation... it was more of a necessary trip that we turned into fun time at a motel. This did, however, allow me to have some good time swimming, which I don't seem to get to do very often. So I put in about 25 laps in the motel's pool.
I got back super late on Friday, and Saturday through Monday had triple digit heat. Seriously, I cannot bring myself to go cycling in 106 degree weather. Would you? Okay, realistically you could if you got up earlier in the day, but I've been a night owl recently. That's what I do when I'm not teaching.
I wanted to ride today, but it is raining almost nonstop. And I'm not talking about the nice, pleasant, ride through the drizzle type of rain. I'm talking about yellow and red on Doppler kind of hell fire and damnation! It's proving to be very interesting weather.
Fortunately, it should be stopping in the late afternoon. Will I ride? Nope. Why not you ask? Because I get to go and play soccer. I have two hours of soccer planned with some friends from work and school. I am excited about that, and I promise that I will not play goal keeper (which was my position even when I was young and skinny) so that I have to run and frolic and actually sweat because I'm running!
I don't know if the word "frolic" has ever been used to describe something with soccer. I don't think it works, and I promise never to use it ever again.
Ever!
I got back super late on Friday, and Saturday through Monday had triple digit heat. Seriously, I cannot bring myself to go cycling in 106 degree weather. Would you? Okay, realistically you could if you got up earlier in the day, but I've been a night owl recently. That's what I do when I'm not teaching.
I wanted to ride today, but it is raining almost nonstop. And I'm not talking about the nice, pleasant, ride through the drizzle type of rain. I'm talking about yellow and red on Doppler kind of hell fire and damnation! It's proving to be very interesting weather.
Fortunately, it should be stopping in the late afternoon. Will I ride? Nope. Why not you ask? Because I get to go and play soccer. I have two hours of soccer planned with some friends from work and school. I am excited about that, and I promise that I will not play goal keeper (which was my position even when I was young and skinny) so that I have to run and frolic and actually sweat because I'm running!
I don't know if the word "frolic" has ever been used to describe something with soccer. I don't think it works, and I promise never to use it ever again.
Ever!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
New Home Riding: Day 2
Today was a MUCH better ride. As I hoped, I left significantly earlier in the day (a little before 8:00). As one might expect, riding in 80 degrees is far preferable to riding in 100 degrees. I went about a quarter mile farther (5.3+ miles) and more than a minute faster (19:50) than I did yesterday. The hills felt about the same, but I was able to go faster over them, which sucked at the time, but feels good now.
Perhaps the best part of the ride was that I managed to break a true sweat, unlike yesterday.... Yesterday, I broke a sweat just by walking outside and staying there for more than 15 seconds. Today, I had a mild sweat for a majority of the ride, about 18 minutes in, my body started to really burn the calories. Unfortunately, it was there at the end, instead of a halfway through or something like that. Alas, I am on limited time today as I must leave soon to head down to Raleigh, NC for personal business.
Now for just a quick note on the area. I must admit that the people around here are much nicer than anticipated. They are (so far) very cyclist friendly! I mean seriously, they like wave and say hello and stuff. It's totally awesome to see. Now, I do not know if this is just my excitement of living in a new area, but so far I have no complaints about the locals. Not that I had any complaints about the locals where I was, but they certainly did not go out of their way to wave or greet me.
Perhaps the best part of the ride was that I managed to break a true sweat, unlike yesterday.... Yesterday, I broke a sweat just by walking outside and staying there for more than 15 seconds. Today, I had a mild sweat for a majority of the ride, about 18 minutes in, my body started to really burn the calories. Unfortunately, it was there at the end, instead of a halfway through or something like that. Alas, I am on limited time today as I must leave soon to head down to Raleigh, NC for personal business.
Now for just a quick note on the area. I must admit that the people around here are much nicer than anticipated. They are (so far) very cyclist friendly! I mean seriously, they like wave and say hello and stuff. It's totally awesome to see. Now, I do not know if this is just my excitement of living in a new area, but so far I have no complaints about the locals. Not that I had any complaints about the locals where I was, but they certainly did not go out of their way to wave or greet me.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Goodbye to the long flat roads
I have been largely out of commission for a while. We purchased a home and moved 20 miles west of where I had been living and riding. Unfortunately, due to health issues with my wife's pregnancy, I had to do the move largely by myself. Now, I must admit that I had some help from some wonderful friends, but that's a story for another blog.
Today, I finally got back on the bike after taking 3 weeks to make our move and settle in decently. Now this is where it gets fun. The weather was a miserable 99 degrees and with the humidity, the heat index was well over 100! I hate riding in such heat, but I couldn't resist. It's simply been too long since I last rode.
Perhaps this was not the best idea as the heat proved to be quite unbearable. I started off well, and managed to eke out a little over 5 miles. However, I came limping back in, trying not to vomit from heat exhaustion.
This was also my first introduction to the roads around here. I am happy to report that the hills are more bearable than I had anticipated. They are more pronounced than the flatlands from which I just moved, but all in all, they are not too bad.
I shall tackle them again tomorrow morning before I have to drive down to Raleigh. I hope to get out before the heat makes it as bad as it was today.... which means I should be in bed by now.
Today, I finally got back on the bike after taking 3 weeks to make our move and settle in decently. Now this is where it gets fun. The weather was a miserable 99 degrees and with the humidity, the heat index was well over 100! I hate riding in such heat, but I couldn't resist. It's simply been too long since I last rode.
Perhaps this was not the best idea as the heat proved to be quite unbearable. I started off well, and managed to eke out a little over 5 miles. However, I came limping back in, trying not to vomit from heat exhaustion.
This was also my first introduction to the roads around here. I am happy to report that the hills are more bearable than I had anticipated. They are more pronounced than the flatlands from which I just moved, but all in all, they are not too bad.
I shall tackle them again tomorrow morning before I have to drive down to Raleigh. I hope to get out before the heat makes it as bad as it was today.... which means I should be in bed by now.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
I can't believe I forgot to post...
Yeah... somehow I managed to overlook posting the ride that did before I went on vacation with the boys while wifey was off at girl's camp. (It was posted over on www.dailymile.com, but not here.)
I was a little too eager to get the summer started, and went for a ride the day after school finished. I was ready and eager for a nice long ride! Unfortunately, my body had other plans....
After a mere 2 miles, I started coughing like a smoker, and early into mile #3 I had to stop in order to "throw up." At that point I turned around and got home as quickly as I could. I was just too sick with the sinus infection to put forth that much effort. Fortunately, the rest that I got in South Carolina seemed to be all that I needed. I got home just in time to close on the house I'm purchasing.
Since Sunday is my day of rest, there will be no rides, but I am eyeballing Monday before we start moving into our new home. It's only 20 miles away and we have the time to make a "shoebox" move rather than doing it all in one day.
Soon I will start exploring new routes and roads for riding!
I was a little too eager to get the summer started, and went for a ride the day after school finished. I was ready and eager for a nice long ride! Unfortunately, my body had other plans....
After a mere 2 miles, I started coughing like a smoker, and early into mile #3 I had to stop in order to "throw up." At that point I turned around and got home as quickly as I could. I was just too sick with the sinus infection to put forth that much effort. Fortunately, the rest that I got in South Carolina seemed to be all that I needed. I got home just in time to close on the house I'm purchasing.
Since Sunday is my day of rest, there will be no rides, but I am eyeballing Monday before we start moving into our new home. It's only 20 miles away and we have the time to make a "shoebox" move rather than doing it all in one day.
Soon I will start exploring new routes and roads for riding!
Family Vacation Week = No Rides
The only real bad part of the trip was the weather. I have come to be spoiled by the relative lack of humidity in Virginia compared to that of south Georgia, where I started cycling. Nonetheless, I knew that the 100+ degree weather combined with humidity would make cycling while there on vacation a little too miserable. Therefore I left the bike at home. I actually feel a little guilty about that. If nothing else, it did give me time to completely get over my sinus infection, so I will be ready to start next week in the saddle!!
Okay, to be brutally honest, there was one more bad thing about the trip, but it was completely my fault. I broke Rule #1 of Traveling for men. I didn't take my own toiletries. I don't know why my family doesn't use soap. I mean, normal, everyday soap. Instead, they have all the fancy shower gels. So I had my choices of Chamomile-Vanilla, Green Apple, and Mixed Berry. If it wasn't for the first one, I'd think I was cleaning myself with Crystal Light. The Chamomile option now makes it sound like tea. If it was a hot shower, I could have just let myself steep. Moral of the story (once again): Men folk need to make sure and take your own soap on vacation.
Now, as per usual, I will take Sunday off from cycling, but I will be back in business soon. Stay tuned for more details of the many adventures in cycling.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Summer is finally here!
I have been waiting for this!
Summer is finally here again, which means that this semester has finally come to a close. I couldn't be any happier about that. This has been one of the hardest semesters I have ever had. Over the past few months:
Next week my bride is off to girls camp with the teenage girls from church, which leaves me alone with the boys... who are too young to be left alone while I ride for an hour or so. Moreover, we are about to buty a house which is going to take some time moving into, and there are at least 3 projects that require immediate attention (bathroom remodel, finish off a bedroom, and install insulation). All of this will take both time and money and eat into my precious cycling time. On top of which, I will now need to find new places to ride. I know where to go here, but I am moving to a town half an hour away. I know I will find more hills and freer roads.
Now, with all of this going on, I am happy to report that my weight has remained the same!! Without the routine exercise I have managed to keep my weight static, and I am considering this to be a GOOD thing!! I know that ideally, I will be dropping the pounds through dietary changes, but honestly, with all the stress I had this semester combined with the junk food... yeah, honestly I have to admit that I am happy that I have simply not gained.
Now that I have some summertime, this is the time for me to start dropping it through proper exercise.
Stay tuned for the exciting details!!
Summer is finally here again, which means that this semester has finally come to a close. I couldn't be any happier about that. This has been one of the hardest semesters I have ever had. Over the past few months:
- taught at the high school,
- taught two classes at the community college
- coached high school soccer,
- took two graduate classes as a student, AND
- proctored the SAT and ACT two weekends a month.
Next week my bride is off to girls camp with the teenage girls from church, which leaves me alone with the boys... who are too young to be left alone while I ride for an hour or so. Moreover, we are about to buty a house which is going to take some time moving into, and there are at least 3 projects that require immediate attention (bathroom remodel, finish off a bedroom, and install insulation). All of this will take both time and money and eat into my precious cycling time. On top of which, I will now need to find new places to ride. I know where to go here, but I am moving to a town half an hour away. I know I will find more hills and freer roads.
Now, with all of this going on, I am happy to report that my weight has remained the same!! Without the routine exercise I have managed to keep my weight static, and I am considering this to be a GOOD thing!! I know that ideally, I will be dropping the pounds through dietary changes, but honestly, with all the stress I had this semester combined with the junk food... yeah, honestly I have to admit that I am happy that I have simply not gained.
Now that I have some summertime, this is the time for me to start dropping it through proper exercise.
Stay tuned for the exciting details!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
No rides this week
Spring break is over, and I am back in the grind. School is annoying and seriously cramping my cycling style. I haven't been able to ride, but I have been getting some exercised though.
With my normal schedule right now, life is nearly miserable. I coach soccer at my high school. We have games on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but don't forget the practices on Tuesday and Thursday. Of course, I also teach full time during the day, and I teach night classes at a junior college at night. For this scheduling I have been trying to get my exercise at soccer practice and run with the kids. Of course I am a rather competitive and intense sports fanatic. All of my non-starting players seem to enjoy watching my antics and pacing. I am the kind of coach who comes home from every game hoarse, sore, and exhausted. I usually feel like I've been running.
Of course, I also walk to school a couple of days a week.
Although this schedule is killing me now, I think that it'll all come together in a few weeks. There are only 2 more weeks out at the JuCo in this semester. Ironically, there are only only 2 more weeks of 3-games a week. Then I will be able to get into some real riding again. Until then... I'll squeeze in a few miles here and there as I can.
With my normal schedule right now, life is nearly miserable. I coach soccer at my high school. We have games on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but don't forget the practices on Tuesday and Thursday. Of course, I also teach full time during the day, and I teach night classes at a junior college at night. For this scheduling I have been trying to get my exercise at soccer practice and run with the kids. Of course I am a rather competitive and intense sports fanatic. All of my non-starting players seem to enjoy watching my antics and pacing. I am the kind of coach who comes home from every game hoarse, sore, and exhausted. I usually feel like I've been running.
Of course, I also walk to school a couple of days a week.
Although this schedule is killing me now, I think that it'll all come together in a few weeks. There are only 2 more weeks out at the JuCo in this semester. Ironically, there are only only 2 more weeks of 3-games a week. Then I will be able to get into some real riding again. Until then... I'll squeeze in a few miles here and there as I can.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
One lucky bird...
It has been a couple of days and they have been adventurous!
This past Thursday I had a new 20 mile trip planned, but I had to call it after only 6 miles. Can you believe that!?! 6 miles!!
Okay, that was when I decided to turn around. I picked a new route that would take me over hills and through the woods (but not to grandmother's house). The first problem was that I didn't realize that this route has more uphills than down. Disappointing though that may be, it is a fact of life. I'm fine with that, in theory.
However, the hills were not the problem. I know I sound like a broken record, but this was one of the worst headwinds that I have ever felt on a consistent basis. Just to put it in perspective, I was still actively working to pedal downhill (on the few that I got). In fact I had to make three rest stops before I even go to the 6-mile mark!
You see, I had crested a hill, and I saw this nice, long, flat, beautiful straightaway. I was so excited, to be honest, but the problem was that I was pedaling as hard as I could wand was only keeping about 13.5 mph. I knew something was wrong, and about half way along this straightaway, I decided to give up and head home. This was my third stop and I cheked my bike's computer. I had barely managed 12 mph.
6 miles in 30 minutes!! Simply put: that's pathetic.
After I turned around, I had the wind behind me, and it was a dream come true. I was dang near flying home. As I was going I decided to test the wind. Since it was coming straight from behind on the flat, I rode until I could no longer feel the wind. Although I could see the grass in the fields blowing, I felt nothing! No wind against against my face, nor on my back. If my theory is correct, that means I was traveling as fast as the wind, which means I had been riding against a 15mph headwind. No wonder it was hard.
So I cruised home, fairly quickly. Actually, I rode the 6 miles home 10 minutes faster than it took to get there (avg. 18mph). That was quite impressive, but it averaged the day out to a nice 15mph trip.
That was Thursday. Unfortunately I didn't get to ride yesterday or today because my wife is feeling sick and I was taking care of the boys as needed. I let her rest as much as possible since I return to work next week after spring break. And then it's going to be soccer games and practice that will kill my cycling. Oh how I cannot wait for summer.
Still wondering about the title of this post? Well I hit a bird tonight. (I snuck out at dusk after the boys went down for a quick 5 miler.) As I was riding I saw this cat pounce ten feet. A bird flew away just as the cat got to him, and the bird was actually hit in the air. This threw him off just enough that it hit my leg as I coming by. In spite of this, the bird still managed to fly away and it seemed to be okay. All I can say is that with two close calls, that truly is one luck bird!
This past Thursday I had a new 20 mile trip planned, but I had to call it after only 6 miles. Can you believe that!?! 6 miles!!
Okay, that was when I decided to turn around. I picked a new route that would take me over hills and through the woods (but not to grandmother's house). The first problem was that I didn't realize that this route has more uphills than down. Disappointing though that may be, it is a fact of life. I'm fine with that, in theory.
However, the hills were not the problem. I know I sound like a broken record, but this was one of the worst headwinds that I have ever felt on a consistent basis. Just to put it in perspective, I was still actively working to pedal downhill (on the few that I got). In fact I had to make three rest stops before I even go to the 6-mile mark!
You see, I had crested a hill, and I saw this nice, long, flat, beautiful straightaway. I was so excited, to be honest, but the problem was that I was pedaling as hard as I could wand was only keeping about 13.5 mph. I knew something was wrong, and about half way along this straightaway, I decided to give up and head home. This was my third stop and I cheked my bike's computer. I had barely managed 12 mph.
6 miles in 30 minutes!! Simply put: that's pathetic.
After I turned around, I had the wind behind me, and it was a dream come true. I was dang near flying home. As I was going I decided to test the wind. Since it was coming straight from behind on the flat, I rode until I could no longer feel the wind. Although I could see the grass in the fields blowing, I felt nothing! No wind against against my face, nor on my back. If my theory is correct, that means I was traveling as fast as the wind, which means I had been riding against a 15mph headwind. No wonder it was hard.
So I cruised home, fairly quickly. Actually, I rode the 6 miles home 10 minutes faster than it took to get there (avg. 18mph). That was quite impressive, but it averaged the day out to a nice 15mph trip.
That was Thursday. Unfortunately I didn't get to ride yesterday or today because my wife is feeling sick and I was taking care of the boys as needed. I let her rest as much as possible since I return to work next week after spring break. And then it's going to be soccer games and practice that will kill my cycling. Oh how I cannot wait for summer.
Still wondering about the title of this post? Well I hit a bird tonight. (I snuck out at dusk after the boys went down for a quick 5 miler.) As I was riding I saw this cat pounce ten feet. A bird flew away just as the cat got to him, and the bird was actually hit in the air. This threw him off just enough that it hit my leg as I coming by. In spite of this, the bird still managed to fly away and it seemed to be okay. All I can say is that with two close calls, that truly is one luck bird!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Repairing the damage...
It's a good thing I am on spring break, as this gave me the chance to take care of repairing these spokes immediately. Now, I have about 525 miles on my Trek, and I am a hefty rider. As an FYI, this is not a good combo. Reading in various cycling forums for us "clydesdales" (male cyclists over 250 lbs.) it seems that a lot of the stock rims have issues after 500 miles or so.
This was a good realization to have, especially since I have already replaced one broken spoke. So now, I had two more spokes to replace, which would be 3 out of 36. At the local bike shop (LBS), we put a little stress on the remaining ones and two more broke. Now, I'm looking at this from the perspective of 5/36 are broken, which is essentially one-sixth. I figure that if this much is going, how long before the rest of them? So, in the long run, it would be cheaper to replace the whole rim and get another 500 miles rather than replacing a few spokes here and there. The major drawback is that I will have to get it trued in about another month or so. Again, this is still cheaper in the longrun, in my opinion.
I also took the liberty of picking up some new brake cables and cable housings for my Puch. As I was working on it the other night, I realized that all of this needs to be replaced. After I get that done, I will see about replacing the gear cables. Until that time, I just need to make sure that the bike is good and rideable. I will try and get all of this done today/tonight, but I still have to get a bike ride.
In other news, on a personal note, my wife and I went looking at houses yesterday. We didn't find "the one," but we have identified at least 3 houses that we both like. We are keeping our options open, but are really hoping to help out the economy by purchasing a house before the summer is out. Is it sad that I'm keeping ease and accessibility of cycling as a major factor in my half of the decision making process?
This was a good realization to have, especially since I have already replaced one broken spoke. So now, I had two more spokes to replace, which would be 3 out of 36. At the local bike shop (LBS), we put a little stress on the remaining ones and two more broke. Now, I'm looking at this from the perspective of 5/36 are broken, which is essentially one-sixth. I figure that if this much is going, how long before the rest of them? So, in the long run, it would be cheaper to replace the whole rim and get another 500 miles rather than replacing a few spokes here and there. The major drawback is that I will have to get it trued in about another month or so. Again, this is still cheaper in the longrun, in my opinion.
I also took the liberty of picking up some new brake cables and cable housings for my Puch. As I was working on it the other night, I realized that all of this needs to be replaced. After I get that done, I will see about replacing the gear cables. Until that time, I just need to make sure that the bike is good and rideable. I will try and get all of this done today/tonight, but I still have to get a bike ride.
In other news, on a personal note, my wife and I went looking at houses yesterday. We didn't find "the one," but we have identified at least 3 houses that we both like. We are keeping our options open, but are really hoping to help out the economy by purchasing a house before the summer is out. Is it sad that I'm keeping ease and accessibility of cycling as a major factor in my half of the decision making process?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Damn the luck!
This was one heck of a day. It started out wonderfully well. I had a good rockin' pace going early on in my ride. There was some shade, a cool yet light breeze, and then it all went downhill.
I know I sound like a broken record, but the headwind make such a difference. I lost my 15+mph pace very quickly when I started heading south on my route today. I thought that it was the hill (about 1 mile at a 25-30 degree incline) which has always given me trouble. However, I was still struggling to keep 13mph even on the back side of the hill. I thought that it was just severe fatigue until the road made a right hand turn and I went behind a clump of trees. Almost immediately I shot up to over 16mph! That is until I passed the trees. (and now to sound like a salesman...)
But wait, there's more!
The same thing held true when a delivery truck passed me and stayed in front of me for a little while. Riding in his wake, I was able to draft my way up an additional 3.5mph. Headwind really does make a phenomenal difference!
I did, however, stop at a truck stop about 10 miles into my ride. I got some more water and I bought a banana. That break was great, but I was also at the point I turned north. At that point I was riding uphill at over 15mph. It felt AWESOME!! I was cruising along and on the back stretch of the ride, which I always enjoy, until WHAM!!
I was heading downhill at about 25 mph when I hit an oversized bee squarely with chest. It hit so hard that it literally knocked my breath away. I think it was as much shock as anything else, but that did a number on me.
And then, when I was almost home (about 2 miles away) I heard two gunshots and my bike fishtailed a little. I took one look down, saw the wobble, and knew immediately what happened. I stopped to confirm: two broken spokes!! That sucks, because now I have to get someone to fix that for me; I can't do it myself.
Now, I know that I need to replace the brake cables and brake housing on my Puch anyway, so I think I need to make a trip to a bike shop ASAP. I need to make sure that I get these 100 miles in this week. With my three rides so far I only have 39.6 done. Only 60.4 more to go, and no bike that I feel comfortable riding that far.
Oh what fun...
I know I sound like a broken record, but the headwind make such a difference. I lost my 15+mph pace very quickly when I started heading south on my route today. I thought that it was the hill (about 1 mile at a 25-30 degree incline) which has always given me trouble. However, I was still struggling to keep 13mph even on the back side of the hill. I thought that it was just severe fatigue until the road made a right hand turn and I went behind a clump of trees. Almost immediately I shot up to over 16mph! That is until I passed the trees. (and now to sound like a salesman...)
But wait, there's more!
The same thing held true when a delivery truck passed me and stayed in front of me for a little while. Riding in his wake, I was able to draft my way up an additional 3.5mph. Headwind really does make a phenomenal difference!
I did, however, stop at a truck stop about 10 miles into my ride. I got some more water and I bought a banana. That break was great, but I was also at the point I turned north. At that point I was riding uphill at over 15mph. It felt AWESOME!! I was cruising along and on the back stretch of the ride, which I always enjoy, until WHAM!!
I was heading downhill at about 25 mph when I hit an oversized bee squarely with chest. It hit so hard that it literally knocked my breath away. I think it was as much shock as anything else, but that did a number on me.
And then, when I was almost home (about 2 miles away) I heard two gunshots and my bike fishtailed a little. I took one look down, saw the wobble, and knew immediately what happened. I stopped to confirm: two broken spokes!! That sucks, because now I have to get someone to fix that for me; I can't do it myself.
Now, I know that I need to replace the brake cables and brake housing on my Puch anyway, so I think I need to make a trip to a bike shop ASAP. I need to make sure that I get these 100 miles in this week. With my three rides so far I only have 39.6 done. Only 60.4 more to go, and no bike that I feel comfortable riding that far.
Oh what fun...
You know what they say about excuses...
I didn't get to ride yesterday, so I absolutely MUST ride today. My wife had to spend quite a bit of time at the doctor's office and that cost me some of my prime riding time. Unfortunately I have some obligations this afternoon, which means that I have to ride this AM, but wifey is sleeping in. Part of her recovery process.
Anyway, I spent some time last night with my Puch, and I have updated that page here on this blog. I hope to have some pics added in the very near future. Stay tuned!
Anyway, I spent some time last night with my Puch, and I have updated that page here on this blog. I hope to have some pics added in the very near future. Stay tuned!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Major changes to the website!
For those of you who are faithful followers of this site, you will notice some major changes and updates. I am attempting to make this website more informative and interactive.
First of all, there are new pages available with the menu just above the blogs. Here you can find information on my bikes and history of my rather unique moniker. Just below, you will find some tabs that let me know what you think of my posts. Finally, you will notice that you can email direct links to my posts.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions for improvements.
Please understand that I am not going on a ride today. I am going to relax here on Easter Sunday, but rest assured that I will be back in the saddle again tomorrow.
Until then, I hope that your weather is every bit as enjoyable as it is here in southside Virginia, and that you are taking the the time to recognize the Easter holiday!
First of all, there are new pages available with the menu just above the blogs. Here you can find information on my bikes and history of my rather unique moniker. Just below, you will find some tabs that let me know what you think of my posts. Finally, you will notice that you can email direct links to my posts.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions for improvements.
Please understand that I am not going on a ride today. I am going to relax here on Easter Sunday, but rest assured that I will be back in the saddle again tomorrow.
Until then, I hope that your weather is every bit as enjoyable as it is here in southside Virginia, and that you are taking the the time to recognize the Easter holiday!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Headwind: I curse thy vile name!
Today was a good ride I have to say. I went for a jaunt right down the road to a community about 5 miles south of town. I thought it would be quick, but I did not account for the headwind. It was pretty bad at first, but it eased up as I continued. Just to give you an idea of how much of an impact it had on me. From my house to the church parking lot (that I use to stretch, get water, and turn around) took a little over 23 minutes. This was disappointingly slow for me as this was a shorter ride than I took yesterday.
However, once I got back on my bike to head home the wind, which had largely died down, was now at my back rather than my front. I knew that I was making better time, but was surprised to realize that I saved about 5 minutes of time!! I finished my ride in a little over 40 minutes total. This means that I did the second half of my ride in roughly 17 minutes; this is about 5-6 minutes faster than it took to get there.
This was a good ride, and all in all I averaged 15.25 mph, which was much better than the 13+ mph I had yesterday. While I would like to think that I am going to be a little faster, this was both a shorter and slightly flatter ride. It should have been faster. In the near future I will return to yesterday's route and see how much time I can take off of it.
I still seem to hate the first half of the routes I ride, but the second half is SO much better. I think I am going to have to find some new routes to ride so that I don't have them as well memorized.
Note: this picture is not me, my ride, nor owned by me. I found it online, here, and will gladly remove it if requested by the owner.
The 500 Club
Okay, so this isn't that much to many cyclists, but to me this is a big step. I have finally reached 500 miles on my bike! This is a LOT of cycling to me. You see, when I bought this bike 2 years ago, I also got a computer that tracks speed, distance, time, etc. Well, it has a lifetime counter as well. Today, I crossed 500 miles on this bike.
So far my lifetime stats on this 2008 Trek 7100 are:
506 miles
45 Hours, 25 minutes
This comes to an overall speed of 11.14 mph. This is not all that great, but it does include a lot of in town and through neighborhood miles, which are inherently slower. Of course that sounds like an excuse... maybe it is. All I know is that I have finally broken in this bike, and I hope to get another 500 miles in by the end of this year.
We shall see how that works out. I know that I can do it. Now it is a matter of just getting on my bike and riding!!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Very full day!!
Working 3 jobs is hard enough, but what really sucks is that I do not have the free time to ride as I want. That's why spring break is so wonderful!! Today was the first day of it and I could only wait until 9:30 before I was on my bike. I started by running a couple of errands in town and then going for a little stroll through the countryside.
It was kind of funny, because as I was coming out of the post office parking lot, there was a group of about 7 cyclists at the traffic light waiting for it to turn green. I have to admit that I thought it was pretty cool that there were more bikes on the road at that time than cars, but that is a side story. We all caught up to each other about two traffic lights away. (We were all turning left, and that light takes forever.)
As the pulled up behind me, they were checking out my ride, as I did to them. These were some serious riders. They all had the jerseys, drop bars, lights galore, and more. It was also very cool to see a married couple sharing a tandem bike. They started the morning out in Petersburg, VA and they were heading to the beach. I should have asked them which one since this town is out of the way for finding the beach. Then again, they said it was a 225 mile trip for them, so obviously they are not worried about the fastest route. We split up after about 3/4 of a mile, and I continued about my journey. It was nice to be back in the saddle, and the first 6 miles of the trip were absolutely wonderful.
However, somewhere in the 7th mile it all started to suck. I was going uphill, my legs were hurting, I swallowed a bug, there were more and more cars... all in all that was just miserable. I was seriously beginning to question if I was really going to finish the ride. Regardless of that, I decided to push through and kept going. Then about the 9th mile the worst was over. I got my second wind and everything was great. I cruised right along at a nice, easy pace and kept going.
I decided to stop somewhere after 11 miles to readjust my saddle and make a couple of other minor tweaks to the bike; it seemed to ride even better after that. All in all, I went little over 14 miles in about 64 minutes. I was sad that it took so long, but this was my first real ride in a while. Although I have tried to shake off my winter legs, it's time to get some real riding in.
In order to keep myself motivated, I promised my soccer team (oh yeah... I'm a soccer coach. Did I not tell you that?) that I would ride at least 100 miles during spring break. If I didn't, I would run 10 laps while they watched. Sheesh... why did I make that promise? At least I got the first 14 miles of it done. Now to pace out the remaining 86. That'll be fun...
At any rate, this is only part of the day, but the rest is rather personal. Let's just say that the prospects of buying a house are very good right now, and I am rather excited. It's our attempt to help the economy. Well... that and to stop paying rent! I am REALLY hoping to find somewhere within a distance that I can ride my bike to school. There are a few options as much as 6 miles away. For now, we will just have to wait and see how they look on the inside.
Until then... lot's of water, rest, and getting ready for another ride tomorrow!
It was kind of funny, because as I was coming out of the post office parking lot, there was a group of about 7 cyclists at the traffic light waiting for it to turn green. I have to admit that I thought it was pretty cool that there were more bikes on the road at that time than cars, but that is a side story. We all caught up to each other about two traffic lights away. (We were all turning left, and that light takes forever.)
As the pulled up behind me, they were checking out my ride, as I did to them. These were some serious riders. They all had the jerseys, drop bars, lights galore, and more. It was also very cool to see a married couple sharing a tandem bike. They started the morning out in Petersburg, VA and they were heading to the beach. I should have asked them which one since this town is out of the way for finding the beach. Then again, they said it was a 225 mile trip for them, so obviously they are not worried about the fastest route. We split up after about 3/4 of a mile, and I continued about my journey. It was nice to be back in the saddle, and the first 6 miles of the trip were absolutely wonderful.
However, somewhere in the 7th mile it all started to suck. I was going uphill, my legs were hurting, I swallowed a bug, there were more and more cars... all in all that was just miserable. I was seriously beginning to question if I was really going to finish the ride. Regardless of that, I decided to push through and kept going. Then about the 9th mile the worst was over. I got my second wind and everything was great. I cruised right along at a nice, easy pace and kept going.
I decided to stop somewhere after 11 miles to readjust my saddle and make a couple of other minor tweaks to the bike; it seemed to ride even better after that. All in all, I went little over 14 miles in about 64 minutes. I was sad that it took so long, but this was my first real ride in a while. Although I have tried to shake off my winter legs, it's time to get some real riding in.
In order to keep myself motivated, I promised my soccer team (oh yeah... I'm a soccer coach. Did I not tell you that?) that I would ride at least 100 miles during spring break. If I didn't, I would run 10 laps while they watched. Sheesh... why did I make that promise? At least I got the first 14 miles of it done. Now to pace out the remaining 86. That'll be fun...
At any rate, this is only part of the day, but the rest is rather personal. Let's just say that the prospects of buying a house are very good right now, and I am rather excited. It's our attempt to help the economy. Well... that and to stop paying rent! I am REALLY hoping to find somewhere within a distance that I can ride my bike to school. There are a few options as much as 6 miles away. For now, we will just have to wait and see how they look on the inside.
Until then... lot's of water, rest, and getting ready for another ride tomorrow!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Back in the Saddle (again...)
Wow... Winter is ending, spring is here. A couple of weeks ago I took my bike to get it serviced and ready for the summer. A few days ago I pulled it out and put it on the road for a quick round trip to work (1 mile).
However today's weather was far too wonderful... I had to go somewhere! So I hopped on the bike and went for it. I wanted to ride south to a town 5 miles south of where I live for a nice 10 mile trip, but when I got out there I couldn't resist. When I came to the first hill, I dropped it into high gear and I pushed it... both ways!
Although it was only a rolling hill, I managed to hit just shy of 29 mph heading down, and I maintained 16.5 mph coming up the far side. I must admit that I was so bushed from that, that I had go slow. I relaxed on the flats, but I pushed hard on the hills. It's good to kn
ow that I can do it, but it's depressing to know that it took so much out of me.
On the bright side, I see a few positives:
#1) Now that I got that out of my system, I can start riding for distance and weight loss.
#2) It's still a beautiful day and I got to ride my bike.
#3) Even though I am fat and out of shape, my calves are freakin' rocks!! I like this one because it makes me feel cool knowing that I have something stud-like about my body.
#4) While I know I am still fat, I can accept this and even have a sense of humor about it. Here's a cycling jersey in which I am thinking of investing:
However today's weather was far too wonderful... I had to go somewhere! So I hopped on the bike and went for it. I wanted to ride south to a town 5 miles south of where I live for a nice 10 mile trip, but when I got out there I couldn't resist. When I came to the first hill, I dropped it into high gear and I pushed it... both ways!
Although it was only a rolling hill, I managed to hit just shy of 29 mph heading down, and I maintained 16.5 mph coming up the far side. I must admit that I was so bushed from that, that I had go slow. I relaxed on the flats, but I pushed hard on the hills. It's good to kn
ow that I can do it, but it's depressing to know that it took so much out of me.On the bright side, I see a few positives:
#1) Now that I got that out of my system, I can start riding for distance and weight loss.
#2) It's still a beautiful day and I got to ride my bike.
#3) Even though I am fat and out of shape, my calves are freakin' rocks!! I like this one because it makes me feel cool knowing that I have something stud-like about my body.
#4) While I know I am still fat, I can accept this and even have a sense of humor about it. Here's a cycling jersey in which I am thinking of investing:
Sunday, February 14, 2010
If only I had an extra $985...
For those of you who do not know me all that well, you should know that not only am I 
overweight, a cyclist, but I am also a HUGE Civil War buff! I wrote my master's thesis on the theory vs. practice of states' rights within the Confederacy (but that's another story altogether).
Unfortunately, I came across this gem for the summer. It is a Civil War Tour that goes from Gettysburg, PA down through Maryland and to Antietam Battlefield at Sharpsburg, MD and concludes at Harper's Ferry. All in all, it's 4 days of history-goodness rolled into one big, long cycling journey. O
Oooo.... I am so jealous of those who can go.
Alas, we are currently (and desperately) trying to get out of debt while simultaneously trying get ourselves into a position to buy a house. (Yes... I know... it seems oxymoronical to get out of cebt only to buy a house. Well a college education and a house are the only debts that I am willing to have right now. All other must be eradicated.)
So this is my latest disappointment, but it does give me a goal to which I can work. Of course this is a financial goal rather than a cycling or weight loss one. Nonetheless, I am glad to know it's available.
Oh, and on a side note: My tax return should be in soon, which means that I will be purchasing a new wheel for my bike and then I can get back in the saddle!
overweight, a cyclist, but I am also a HUGE Civil War buff! I wrote my master's thesis on the theory vs. practice of states' rights within the Confederacy (but that's another story altogether).Unfortunately, I came across this gem for the summer. It is a Civil War Tour that goes from Gettysburg, PA down through Maryland and to Antietam Battlefield at Sharpsburg, MD and concludes at Harper's Ferry. All in all, it's 4 days of history-goodness rolled into one big, long cycling journey. O
Oooo.... I am so jealous of those who can go.Alas, we are currently (and desperately) trying to get out of debt while simultaneously trying get ourselves into a position to buy a house. (Yes... I know... it seems oxymoronical to get out of cebt only to buy a house. Well a college education and a house are the only debts that I am willing to have right now. All other must be eradicated.)
So this is my latest disappointment, but it does give me a goal to which I can work. Of course this is a financial goal rather than a cycling or weight loss one. Nonetheless, I am glad to know it's available.
Oh, and on a side note: My tax return should be in soon, which means that I will be purchasing a new wheel for my bike and then I can get back in the saddle!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I am REALLY hating this weather!!
The combination of the snow, ice, and wind are making it pretty darn hard to get any decent workouts going. I have been pretty good about walking to and from work, but that is only a mile each day. About once or twice a week I manage to get an extra two or three miles walking in...
To make matters worse, I will NOT be able to join the Monument Avenue 10k. That's a real heartbreaker. Unfortunately, there is a seminar that I need to attend in order to complete full certification with work. It meets three consecutive weekends, and I'll let you guess when it begins. Yeah... that's how karma has decided to work things out...
Now, on the cycling front, I am dying for some warmer weather and/or lack of ice on the ground. For the time being though, it is not too bad for me. I still have not fixed the rear wheel on my bike. I am patiently awaiting my tax return so that I can get a nice, new wheel. One that support one of my "girth." (That's a polite way of admitting I'm still fat).
However, that should only be a couple of weeks, and by that time the weather will hopefully be less "sucky" (yes, that is a technical term).
So for the time being, I am trying to walk and if not lose weight... just not add any. I am looking forward to this spring and cannot wait to get back on the bike. Until then, I will try to post every now and then, and just keep my weight steady.
To make matters worse, I will NOT be able to join the Monument Avenue 10k. That's a real heartbreaker. Unfortunately, there is a seminar that I need to attend in order to complete full certification with work. It meets three consecutive weekends, and I'll let you guess when it begins. Yeah... that's how karma has decided to work things out...
Now, on the cycling front, I am dying for some warmer weather and/or lack of ice on the ground. For the time being though, it is not too bad for me. I still have not fixed the rear wheel on my bike. I am patiently awaiting my tax return so that I can get a nice, new wheel. One that support one of my "girth." (That's a polite way of admitting I'm still fat).
However, that should only be a couple of weeks, and by that time the weather will hopefully be less "sucky" (yes, that is a technical term).
So for the time being, I am trying to walk and if not lose weight... just not add any. I am looking forward to this spring and cannot wait to get back on the bike. Until then, I will try to post every now and then, and just keep my weight steady.
Friday, January 22, 2010
What a bad week for working out.
As I sit here watching Yellowbeard, I cannot but help to lament this week. It has turned out to be one that has afforded VERY little opportunity to work out. I have walked to work three days this week, but not much else. The weather has been miserable. On the days it hasn't rained, the weather has simply been below freezing. Call me pathetic if you will, but that's a little too cold for me. I think that I still fear a little bit after walking 2-3 miles a night for a week straight and catching bronchitis. Looking ahead, the weather does not appear to plan to help me out any... so I will just have to suck it up and go for it!
In spite of the bad week, I am still on pace with the training schedule for the Monument Avenue 10K. So out of the negatives I can take at least one positive. Unfortunately the minor moral victory does nothing to get me into better shape.
Oh, and if you've never heard of Yellowbeard, that is a film that you MUST check it out at some point. It has half the members of Monty Python, Cheech and Chong, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madalyn Kahn, and a few other comedic greats. Imagine Pirates of the Caribbean meets Holy Grail.
In spite of the bad week, I am still on pace with the training schedule for the Monument Avenue 10K. So out of the negatives I can take at least one positive. Unfortunately the minor moral victory does nothing to get me into better shape.
Oh, and if you've never heard of Yellowbeard, that is a film that you MUST check it out at some point. It has half the members of Monty Python, Cheech and Chong, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madalyn Kahn, and a few other comedic greats. Imagine Pirates of the Caribbean meets Holy Grail.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Back in the Saddle (and Training)
I know it's been a while, but I make no apologies. I am currently in training for the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, VA. (Check it out at http://www.sportsbackers.org/events/10k/10k.htm) I'm going to be walking/jogging that, so don't think I'm ready for real running. I started my training a week before the schedule recommended.
Monday calls for 30 min of cardio, so I went ahead and decided to do that cardio today. I went on 30 min bike ride. I truly notice a difference in how I feel, sweat, and react after that magical 30 minute mark. So, it was a good start. But today was my first ride in months!! It was a little awkward back on the bike after walking for the past two weeks, but it felt good.
The weather was a little bit of a problem because it was a little cooler than I like (low 50s) and I spent most of my time in the neighborhood. That really slowed me down with all of the stop signs and intersections. All in all, I went 7.25 miles in just over 30 minutes. That came down to about 13.5 mph.
Nonetheless, I am well on my way to getting in shape for the 10K. I know that I am in shape now, after all "round" is a shape. I just want to try a different one.
I will probably take one more ride this week if I can, but will be walking more than likely. I am a little concerned with the rear wheel of my bike. I made some adjustments, but it appears to have more damage that needs to have a professional look at. I don't mind the shorter rides around town, but I'm not heading out on the roads until I get it looked at. Now I just need my tax return, but that is another story all together.
Monday calls for 30 min of cardio, so I went ahead and decided to do that cardio today. I went on 30 min bike ride. I truly notice a difference in how I feel, sweat, and react after that magical 30 minute mark. So, it was a good start. But today was my first ride in months!! It was a little awkward back on the bike after walking for the past two weeks, but it felt good.
The weather was a little bit of a problem because it was a little cooler than I like (low 50s) and I spent most of my time in the neighborhood. That really slowed me down with all of the stop signs and intersections. All in all, I went 7.25 miles in just over 30 minutes. That came down to about 13.5 mph.
Nonetheless, I am well on my way to getting in shape for the 10K. I know that I am in shape now, after all "round" is a shape. I just want to try a different one.
I will probably take one more ride this week if I can, but will be walking more than likely. I am a little concerned with the rear wheel of my bike. I made some adjustments, but it appears to have more damage that needs to have a professional look at. I don't mind the shorter rides around town, but I'm not heading out on the roads until I get it looked at. Now I just need my tax return, but that is another story all together.
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