Battlefield

Thanks to Cat for taking me down to the Battlefield. Nice ride, more hills than I am used to, and I was definitely dragging on them, but hey, I got up them anyway. Just drop gears and keep going. Sorry to keep Cat and Rich waiting at the top (well, not waiting, but slower than normal), but they didn't seem to mind much. Roughly 20 miles. If it weren't for the time, I'd have thoroughly enjoyed it (I'm not a morning person). Actually, I really did enjoy the ride, it was the being up before noon part I'm not good with!

Gonna have to go get my cables retensioned, I think. Troubles shifting, the middle two gears kept wanting to go two at a time up, and sometimes not go down. Horrible clanking sounds, and when it wouldn't go down I could hear it rattling, so I'd click to go down again and it would usually be ok, but sometimes drop two as well. Argh.

One last thing. Music is good for riding solo. Sucks for riding with others. Live and learn.

Stone Lion, Mark II

That dad-blamed hill leading to my house doesn't get any easier. Ouch.

It's only 2.5 miles one way, but out is soooo much easier than back.

Tomorrow will be different. I've not rode with anyone else before. Should be interesting, but likely painful. We'll see.

Tuesday & Wednesday

Since I missed quite a few days, I took the loaner out Tuesday and did 20 miles.  All seemed fine and good on Tuesday.  Kept of a fast pace (cadence wise, which does translate into speed, but wasn't important).  I took the last 3.5 miles at a much harder pace than normal.  I'd wanted to go for more distance instead, but I had to do laundry afterwards, and thus had to get to the laundrymat in time to finish before they closed, so I chose to push a bit harder since I couldn't go farther.  Didn't think much of it at the time, finished, stretched a bit, then went and did laundry.  I had trouble sleeping though, even though I was tired.  I blamed it on the clean sheets :).  But when I got up, my left thigh was hurting in the meaty part above the knee.  Nothing after the ride but normal soreness, but when I got up, this mild twinging pain.

Still determined to try to get at least three rides a week in, I went out Wednesday as well.  I'd hoped during the workday that the nagging pain would go away (it didn't really hurt, it was just annoying) but it didn't.  As I started to ride, it didn't really hurt much either, just that nagging twinge.  But by about 8 miles, is started to throb.  So I headed back early.  It was about 4 miles back at that point, and I took it fairly easy.  Now, it is back to just twinging again.  No riding tomorrow, and only a short ride to the Lion planned for Friday.  I have no idea what I've done, but I hope it goes away soon.

The Loaner Rides...

Got the loaner back from the shop today.  As of now, the old bike is FOR SALE.  I think I'd rather pull my toenails out with rusty pliers.  First, it weighs half as much, which I already knew.  Second, it seems to have a much better gear ratio, although that may be from being so light.  Starting out in too high a gear actually threatened to pop a wheelie, and there is more later on this subject.  But mostly, the shifters are a wet dream compared to the twist shifters on the POS.  Click a small lever with the front finger, drop a sprocket, push a large lever with the thumb, climb a sprocket.  It took some getting used to, since the effect of the front is the opposite of the back, but that didn't take long.  About as long as figuring out I only had to press the rear shifter till it clicked, instead of all the way in.  Yeah, I'm sure you all are reading this and laughing at me, but this is nothing like what bikes were like when I was riding in the 70's and early 80's. 

Anyway, I picked the bike up, and I was far from my usual haunts, so I decided to take a bit of risk and experiment.  I drove home.  Once home, I installed a cheap bike computer (I'll trade the Cateye to this bike soon, but it has double stick tape and will be a pain to get off.)  Since the owner is 6'6" and I am only 6'2", I needed to ride a bit and adjust the seat.  To test my adjustments to the seat, I rode around Mansion Hills (I refuse to use the place's new name) and got it close to right.  It may still be a tad too high, as I can, if I press, lock one leg straight, but I have to try and I take most of the weight off the seat to do so, plus its only one leg or I come all the way off the seat.  So if it is too high, it can't be by much.  Then I rode to the Lion. 

That's what I meant by risk and experiment.  First of all, could I get there.  Second, could I have a few beers and ride at all.  Third, could I get back.  Well, the answer to all three is a conditional yes, but by varying degrees. 

I took the long way there, retracing the first half of the "I can't do hills" ride to Dayton Blvd.  I knew that wasn't a problem.  The first rise was to the Red Bank Tunnel, and aside from that stretch of rode being a crazy, scary place, especially the Hwy 27 onramp, it wasn't so bad.  Through the tunnel, all downhill to Market Street.  Then the rise over the bridge, and dealing with traffic plus construction (not too bad, if you are patient and wait for a lull in traffic).  Down Market with traffic, and to 4th.  Surprisingly, considering that was the steepest hill so far, it wasn't that bad.  I dropped gears, kept the cadence about 75 or so (if I am figuring it right, but definitely over one rpm), and went on up.  Hot and sweaty, yeah, but it was only 6 miles, so not too bad.  So first point, a definite "yes".

While there, I had three beers and played a game of Golden Tee, hung out with my friends, and smoked more than I should have (yeah, I know, any is too much).  As the golf game was finishing, it was starting to get dark, so I mounted up and left.  I stayed on High Street over to 3rd to go down the hill.  I probably should have went to 2nd, but 2nd is steeper, and I am still getting the feel of the brakes.  I cross 3rd, then cross High, and considering the traffic on that road is a bear, and no one was walking, I figured I'd ride the sidewalk (Yeah, WK, I know, but I did slow almost to a stop at each intersection and check for cars, so no right turn could wipe me out, but the traffic was such no one happened to be coming as I crossed.)  Getting onto the sidewalk I nearly wiped out, though, as I had too much speed coming across High, and the front tire slipped off the grassy side for a bit.  So I slowed waaaay down.  No other issues there, and I've made that mistake before on the bike path at the dam on the old bike.  So second point, a highly conditional yes, but three would probably be upper limit.  Any more and I'm liable to be totally absent minded and get myself hurt.

Then came the test.  Back over the Market Street bridge was no problem.  North Market to the Golden (Ghetto) Gallon, no problem.  But up the hill to the house?  Yes and no.  No, in that about halfway up, at the last entrance to the row of strip malls, I had to stop.  I stood there and stretched my legs a bit, drank some more water (I'd loaded up before leaving the Lion), until I thought I could go on.  Then I went from there the rest of the way home.  I was down to the lowest front and halfway down the back gear, and spinning like crazy, and probably only going about three miles an hour (don't know, as I forgot to put the computer back on, and by this time it was almost completely dark, but it really was probably faster, it just didn't feel like it.)  Huffing and puffing, I pulled into the front yard, drank some more water, leaned the bike on the porch post, and stretched my legs to get rid of the burning in the upper thighs, and to get my heart rate back down to something approaching normal (it felt like 100 beats per minute).  So, on question three, that would be a qualified "yes" as well.  Maybe next time I can do it non-stop. 

I'll probably go Veterans from if I do it again, but since I have driven Market Street so many times (I avoid Veterans while driving) that I have memorized it, I wanted to stick to a familiar place.  Plus, I didn't want to cross over Veterans at that time of day to get to Frazier.  I might try Walnut as well, and one day Forest, but not until I can do North Market non-stop and fairly easily, because Forest is much steeper and longer as well.  If I do that again, anyway.

Anyway, I'll probably catch hell for stopping for beers, but I just had to see if it could be done.  Now I know.  Remember one thing though; for me, this wasn't so much about healthy as it was about stamina.  I've already got more of that than I've had in over a decade, and plan to get more.  Healthy is secondary to me.  If this leads to that, great.  If not, great too.

Can't Think Of A Catchy Title Today

Another day at the levee with the old bike.  But there shouldn't be but one more.  The loaner went into the shop today.  Since it had sat so long, and it appeared as if the grease may have started to gum up, I put it in for the full strip down and rebuild job, which is more expensive.  I also will pick up an air pump and adapter for the electric pump I keep in the truck.  I may also get a seat, as I'm not sure if I'll like the narrow seat that is on it currently.  If not, it has a cover that the owner put on to protect the original seat that is worn and will need to be replaced.  Plus, another odometer/speedometer.  If, as I suspect, it needs new tires because these are dry rotted, then it will officially have cost me more than the purchase of my current bike.  Anyway, I did about the same as last time, just over 20 miles.  Since it hadn't rained, I alternated loops around Camp Jordan and Eastgate, making a big figure eight.  Three of each was a little less boring than six around Eastgate, but right at the same distance.  I considered one more figure eight (about 4 miles) but my back was starting to hurt.  Yet another consequence of a too short bike, I stay bent over quite a bit, which isn't good, considering I have a bad back anyway. 
 
I haven't weighed since I started, and I am a bit curious about it, considering I have received some comments.  Not sure if that's wishful thinking on their part, but it could be.  Still have the beer gut, that's for sure.  There was a fluff article in the paper (A2, at the top, in the typical fluff spot just above the Hollywood "news") about some guy who quit smoking and drinking cold turkey, started riding 70 miles a day, and didn't eat, drinking protein shakes instead.  Instead of dropping dead as would be expected, he lost 80 lbs and figured out his "diet" was stupid, then wrote a book about it.  I would say he's a moron, but what the hell, at least he's got a book.  I certainly haven't quit smoking (about mile 13 I was actually craving one) and stopped at the Lion for a couple of beers when I finished.  And I eat the same old crap I always eat (Big Mac for dinner today), and the only thing I like about a salad is that its easy to fix if you have the stuff, and lettuce is there just so the fork will have something to grip while picking up the dressing, cheese, ham, croutons, bacon bits, mushrooms and whatever else I throw on there.  Still, if I drop a pound or two, then that's ok, I could stand to lose them.  But that wasn't the purpose of all this.  Fringe benefit, maybe, but not the purpose.

The Loaner

Picked up the loaner bike this morning.  Wasn't what I had expected.  I had thought it was a street bike, but it is a mountain bike.  Huge difference though.  Most noticeable is that it seems to weigh about half of what my bike weighs.  It also has very different handlebars and more normal lever shifters.  It is taller in the seat, and lower at the handlebars.  It's a Schwinn.  I'll air up the tires and give it a once over before taking it to have it checked up.

P.S. Watch some of the videos here and tell me a) what kids wore helmets in the 70's, and b) how does wiping out sell bikes?

20.1 Miles

Enough said.

A Tale Of Two Rides

It's been nearly a week since I've posted. I had a system, I'd ride, then I'd post.

I broke that.

Quite frankly, I was embarrassed about my last ride before today. You see, a few people actually read this thing other than me. I'm glad of it, as it gives me encouragement and advice. But all of a sudden, it's more than a personal journal. Well, yeah, a blog isn't exactly a diary, but still... The thing is, after all that talk about finding hills, I went out and found some. And they were perfect. A small greenway by the Chickamauga Dam, the total loop less than two miles. The loop is like a figure eight, and the upper part of the eight is a decent hill (probably no problem for most, but hey, I am just starting here). If you don't want to do the steep hill, you can do the roughly one mile lower loop. Perfect for a beginner, right? Well, it killed me. I did the upper loop with the steep hill once, and when I came back around, I couldn't face it. So, just do the lower loop, right? Well, twice around that, and I couldn't even get up the small hill to the crossover point. I had to stop at the top to rest. Then, on the way down, I got going too fast for the pathway, and swerved around some poor guy walking, and almost wiped out. At that point, I said to hell with it, and packed up the bike and went to mom's for dinner. Grand total distance... three miles.

I was not happy with myself. The more I think about it, the more I think it is a matter of equipment and technique, or at least my ego hopes so. For one thing, that front derailleur was still off, and I couldn't get to the low ring, so two one was the lowest I could get. Even that was only about 5 MPH though, so that probably wasn't it. Plus, standing still bounced. All in all a shitty day, that basically soured the whole weekend.

Which leads me to today.

If I'm not ready for hills, the only thing I could think to do is build more stamina, which means ride more. So today, instead of hills, I went back to the levee. This time, I avoided the Camp Jordan part, as the heavy gravel is a pain, plus it had rained earlier and I didn't want to deal with the puddles. So I took the loop around Eastgate again. Four times. That led to a total trip of 16.75 miles. The last lap around Eastgate wasn't so bad, but the hill leading back to the levee wasn't pleasant. What helped was the thirty minutes I spent adjusting things before I started. I can get to the lower ring on the front now (although I didn't need to), I stiffened the rear spring so I can stand and pedal (which I did do) and I tightened both the front and rear brakes (part of the reason I almost lost it before, they weren't gripping tight enough). Still, it is about 3.2 miles from Eastgate back to Shallowford. The first mile gets you back to Brainerd Road, and instead of using the stairs, I went to the light to take advantage of the wait to stretch. But about a mile from Shallowford and my stopping point, it was all I could do to keep going. I started counting off the tenths of a mile, making myself keep going. Yeah, I'm making it sound all melodramatic, when it was a measly 16+ miles, but to me it was important. Also, it may be one of the last times I take that route.

After Thursday's hell ride, I went out Friday night and proceeded to get a major boogerage on. But while out, I talked to the source of the loaner bike. He stays up all night, and said he'd be up until 10am, and to come pick up the bike. So I set my alarm, and had a friend who gets up early despite boogerages promise to call. Well, the friend called, the alarm went off, but I couldn't get up. Still, I think that opens the way for me to get the bike this week. Since he's up till 10am, and I go to work at 9am, I should be able to swing by Wednesday and pick it up, and drop it off at the bike shop (no idea which one) for a tune up at lunch. So by Friday I might be riding a real bike, not a piece of crap. That rules out the gravelly levee. Let's hope so, anyway, because I have been threatened with abduction most cruel on some future Saturday, this one being the first possible target. Somehow, I think those Friday night boogerages may have become a thing of the past. Sigh... I've cut back on them anyway for other reasons, but I already miss them.

More distance...

(note, this is posted after midnight, so the date really is not the day of the ride)

Went to the levee again today. I was supposed to have company, a good friend from work, but the weather looked bad and he decided not to go. I decided to risk it. It had rained earlier (what day in the last two weeks has in not rained!) but had stopped. Just as I started, a light sprinkle came up, and there were ominous dark clouds on the horizon. It pretty much sprinkled the entire ride, only devoloping into a true light rain for about 5 minutes. I really didn't get any wetter than I would sweating in the sun, and rain is much more pleasant than sweat. After the striped back episode, I decided not to go into Camp Jordan. Instead, I hung a right at I-75 and went into Eastgate. According to my friend who didn't make it, twice around Eastgate is roughly the same as once around Camp Jordan, but without the puddles. Traffic is more of an issue, though, as some of the cars go way too fast through there. I went three times around, and it looked like it was about to rain harder, so I came back. I rode slow the whole time (mostly about 10.5 MPH) so I still had quite a bit of gas left, but I did set a new personal distance mark of 12.75 miles. I think I could have made 15 or maybe 20 had I the time, but I won't know until I try. I got back to the truck just in time for the rain to start in earnest, so I am glad I stopped.

I still need to try the greenway by the dam. I'm told its hilly, but short, at under 5 miles round trip. I have to quit avoiding the hills, really I do. Perhaps it is more of a mental block than anything. Or my basic laziness showing through. At any rate, I'm looking forward to a chance to try out a different bike a friend has promised to loan me. This is an expensive street bike that he no longer rides, and he's taller than me so I'm sure it will fit better than my POS bike. I'll have to find paved paths to ride, or ride roads. I have trouble looking behind me for cars (can't see around my fat ass) and the music is probably a bad idea on the street as cars are quieter than I can hear over it. Problem is I don't know where there are paved paths, and places like the battlefield are way out of the way for after work. Probably can't be helped, but the more trouble it is to get too, the less likely I am to go. (See my abysmal record for weekend rides of late for an example, holidays notwithstanding).

Oh, found another bit of cheepnis (FZ reference there) with this bike. The kickstand won't stay up on a rough downhill. Went down the wet steps again and it popped down and drug the ground. Damned POS... At least it didn't cost much. Sigh.

The Tale of the Striped Back

As I was going to work today, there were a few light sprinkles. By lunchtime, the sun was out. About 3:30pm, the bottom fell out of the sky. When I left work at 6pm, it was just barely sprinkling. So I decided the rain was over, the levee was high up, and I'd ride anyway. Well, yes, the rain was over, and yes the levee is high up. However, Camp Jordan is not high up, nor is the Brainerd Road underpass. No fenders equals a big wet stripe up the backside from the rear tire, and a fairly wet crotch from the front (the seat blocked most, and my feet seemed to get wetter. Of course all this water did nothing but make me acutely aware of another problem, first noted about 2 miles out. I'd forgotten to bring my water bottle. About 3/4ths of the way through Camp Jordan, I decided to cut in to find a fountain. Well, there may be one there somewhere, but 3/4ths of a mile of riding and 15 shelters and buildings later, I certainly couldn't find one. Fortunately it was damp enough that I got most of my cooling from the air and I didn't sweat too horribly, and made it back just fine. Instead of drinking one of the two bottles I'd filled (one for the drive home) I went to the Golden Gallon and got some Gatorade, drank about half of it, then drank a whole bottle of water. That felt better.

A friend asked why I didn't ride down the steps leading to the Brainerd Road underpass. I found out why I don't want to do that, at least not when it is wet. No, I didn't try, but the shorter and less steep ones at the Shallowford entrance, those I did ride down. Halfway down with the rear brake locked (I dared not hit the front more than a touch) I was sliding and gaining speed, and it took ten feet to stop at the bottom. The underpass steps are three times as long, with a landing, and only have about five feet of sidewalk before heading on down the hill to the creek. I'd never make the turn at the bottom. Never. So I won't be doing that, I don't believe. Maybe when it is dry, but I'll try the entrance steps again first.

Having been around once, I was a little more aggressive this time. First 3 miles, about 13.5 MPH. About 12.5MPH until I got to the I-75 underpass, then roughly 17 or so (mostly down hill or flat, easy to maintain the pace and lots of coasting) until Camp Jordan. Only about 10MPH around the loop, partly because of walkers, partly because of puddles everywhere, and partly because of keeping an eye out for a water fountain. Then back under I-75 at about 12MPH on to Brainerd Road, then about 13MPH the last three miles back (I wanted that water!). Most of the speed changes were gears, not rhythm changes, although I did push a bit harder in a lower gear on the last 3 miles.

Anyway, I'm off to N.C. this weekend for an overnight, and I'm not taking my bike. Not into the mountains, not yet. I need to find a fairly hilly short loop of about 5 to 7 miles and work on that, just to learn how to ride hills. Whether that's trial and error or I ask for help I don't know yet. I'm still only riding 10 miles right now. With a slower pace I could probably go a lot farther, but I've been so out of shape I am trying to push things a little bit right now. It's kind of like two-a-days back in my football playing days. Surviving those two weeks generally made the long season a lot easier to deal with. Also, my every other day schedule hasn't been worth a darn lately, and I feel a little guilty about not keeping up with it. So when I do ride, I am pushing myself a bit. Not a lot, I'm not crazy and I don't want to get hurt. But like most other things, I am fairly competitive, and can't stand doing something I am not good at, and if I want to do it, I try to get better at it by myself at first until I can hold my own. Unfortunately, this is never something I'll "compete" at, so its probably not the best attitude. However, there is one person I can compete with, and that is myself. And maybe that attitude is not so bad.