Joanne and I got in 11 miles last Thursday night (4/22). It was getting late and cold so I wimped out and headed home after really just warming up. We out in 40 miles last Sunday (4/25). We did 22 miles on the bike trail then took the direct route home on the road. The road was shorter but it gave us some experience gaining elevation.
The puncture must have happened not far from home. It wasn't noticed until Monday morning when I was checking out the bike. Got a new tube and will replace it tonight or tomorrow night so I'm ready to ride again this weekend.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Big Wheels keep on turning!
Sounds like Shannon is aiming for her 40 miles this week. It should be nice tomorrow for a ride. Mile reported success on his Metric Century ride (67.66) or 2/3 of 1/2 of the STP as he put it :)
Joanne got in over 30 miles on Thursday. She rode home from work then met up with me on the trail. She rode extra to ride along with me while I finished my 21 miles. My clipless clamp came loose so I had a heck of a time getting it off the pedal. Ended up taking my shoe off and leaving it on the pedal.
Today we put in over 27 miles. We rode on the road for the first time in a long time. We used Rainier Rd to go to lunch but took the trail home. The 10 miles on Rainier Rd went fast. Left the house at 11:15 and made it to meet mom and dad at 11:56. We were hungry and a little muddy!
I ended up on the ground again today, slowed down too much going up a hill and didn't get my foot out of the clipless in time again. Luckily I was able to fall towards the grass on the side of the trail. No scraps or bruises but I need to get better at hills and quick stops.
Ride often and safe!
D
Joanne got in over 30 miles on Thursday. She rode home from work then met up with me on the trail. She rode extra to ride along with me while I finished my 21 miles. My clipless clamp came loose so I had a heck of a time getting it off the pedal. Ended up taking my shoe off and leaving it on the pedal.
Today we put in over 27 miles. We rode on the road for the first time in a long time. We used Rainier Rd to go to lunch but took the trail home. The 10 miles on Rainier Rd went fast. Left the house at 11:15 and made it to meet mom and dad at 11:56. We were hungry and a little muddy!
I ended up on the ground again today, slowed down too much going up a hill and didn't get my foot out of the clipless in time again. Luckily I was able to fall towards the grass on the side of the trail. No scraps or bruises but I need to get better at hills and quick stops.
Ride often and safe!
D
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Miles, crash, stupid body!
The weather is turning out good for putting some miles on the bicycle. I was able to get 20 miles in after work last night and 10 miles in this afternoon. It will still take some time to get used to "sitting" on a bicycle for a few miles! It's important to keep at is so I don't lose this ability once it's gained back again.
Had another bicycle crash this afternoon, about 3.5 miles into the ride. A car was coming to the bike trail crossing about the same time I was so it was time to 1) click out of the pedal 2) apply the brakes. I'm sure this is what my mind told my body but the result was more 1) apply the brakes 2) get up off the ground.
The important thing... there was only one person around to witness it! The nice lady had a look of concern for me until I waved that I was fine. She didn't laugh at that point, maybe she is really a kind soul or very polite.
OK, what might have really happened was that my foot didn't get out of the pedal and I didn't notice and still applied the binders. My hands weren't paying attention to the situation :)
Our bodies do seem to want to work against us. We can resolve ourselves to lose fat and gain muscle but our bodies will start burning the muscle and storing fat at the first sign of fewer calories.
Sure, I know this is natural but why can't our bodies get with the program?
You can spend weeks gain muscle and endurance but once you stop the body goes into jellyfish mode. It seems that the body should decide to burn extra fat to keep the muscle but it doesn't. Oh well, it keeps us moving :)
Had another bicycle crash this afternoon, about 3.5 miles into the ride. A car was coming to the bike trail crossing about the same time I was so it was time to 1) click out of the pedal 2) apply the brakes. I'm sure this is what my mind told my body but the result was more 1) apply the brakes 2) get up off the ground.
The important thing... there was only one person around to witness it! The nice lady had a look of concern for me until I waved that I was fine. She didn't laugh at that point, maybe she is really a kind soul or very polite.
OK, what might have really happened was that my foot didn't get out of the pedal and I didn't notice and still applied the binders. My hands weren't paying attention to the situation :)
Our bodies do seem to want to work against us. We can resolve ourselves to lose fat and gain muscle but our bodies will start burning the muscle and storing fat at the first sign of fewer calories.
Sure, I know this is natural but why can't our bodies get with the program?
You can spend weeks gain muscle and endurance but once you stop the body goes into jellyfish mode. It seems that the body should decide to burn extra fat to keep the muscle but it doesn't. Oh well, it keeps us moving :)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Fine tuning for the rides
Howdy, Joanne and I didn't make a lot of progress this week. We did get a chance to talk finding a reliable driver for drop off and pickup. The times need to be nailed down so the planning can get started.
Joanne and I are learning more about our bicycles. There were times when they weren't very comfortable to be on for long periods of time. We would notice it at the end of the rides or by how our muscles felt the next day.
The first improvement we both needed was to get the handlebar height within an inch of the seat height. Joanne needed to raise hers about 3.5 inches. I needed to raise my handlebars around 9 inches (yikes!). The type of stems we have do not allow for such drastic changes. It took replacing the stems with adjustable ones. Joanne's new stem did the trick for her. She was able to give it a try but I need to pick up an adjustment ring to take some of the slack out of the steering tube (the new stem was shallower than the original one).
The adjustable stems don't come long enough to make up for the 9 additional inches I was looking for. The alternative plan was for me to switch over to Joanne's Giant Sedona instead of riding my Giant Cypress. The switch was made last night and the Sedona was ready for a test ride.
It only took a few feet to realize that the Sedona wasn't going to work for me. The seat post was already one inch above the minimum mark and the seat was still too low. The alternative alternative plan... switch back to the Cypress and see how it feels with an adjustable stem added.
The bike shop was still open so I made a dash to town to pick one up. The seat is still at least 5 inches high then I would like it to be but at least it is closer now with the new stem. The Cypress is ready for another test ride. The moon saddle has been put back on, the crank adjusters too. I'll really have to focus on getting enough bend to keep moving the pedals further out with the goal of not needing them by July. Each inch I move the pedals is another inch I can move the seat down. I should be ready to ride the STP by the time they meet in the middle!
Joanne and I are learning more about our bicycles. There were times when they weren't very comfortable to be on for long periods of time. We would notice it at the end of the rides or by how our muscles felt the next day.
The first improvement we both needed was to get the handlebar height within an inch of the seat height. Joanne needed to raise hers about 3.5 inches. I needed to raise my handlebars around 9 inches (yikes!). The type of stems we have do not allow for such drastic changes. It took replacing the stems with adjustable ones. Joanne's new stem did the trick for her. She was able to give it a try but I need to pick up an adjustment ring to take some of the slack out of the steering tube (the new stem was shallower than the original one).
The adjustable stems don't come long enough to make up for the 9 additional inches I was looking for. The alternative plan was for me to switch over to Joanne's Giant Sedona instead of riding my Giant Cypress. The switch was made last night and the Sedona was ready for a test ride.
It only took a few feet to realize that the Sedona wasn't going to work for me. The seat post was already one inch above the minimum mark and the seat was still too low. The alternative alternative plan... switch back to the Cypress and see how it feels with an adjustable stem added.
The bike shop was still open so I made a dash to town to pick one up. The seat is still at least 5 inches high then I would like it to be but at least it is closer now with the new stem. The Cypress is ready for another test ride. The moon saddle has been put back on, the crank adjusters too. I'll really have to focus on getting enough bend to keep moving the pedals further out with the goal of not needing them by July. Each inch I move the pedals is another inch I can move the seat down. I should be ready to ride the STP by the time they meet in the middle!
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