40, 44, 25 - I am a slacker.

Sorry for the lack of posts just in case anyone is still reading this. Life and a lack of motivation caught up with me. So here's the rides I've done since I last posted. You may notice that they are much too few and far between.

Saturday July 5: 40 miles.
Jo and I got a fairly late start at 8:30 that morning. But being as I was perpetually out late at concerts that weekend so it goes. It was a bit overcast and we even were lightly misted upon but overall it was uneventful. After one lap Jo wasn't feeling it and her bike seemed to be complaining as well, so she went off home.

I was determined however. Given that the event was looming even then I knew I needed to do more. So I went for the second lap. I saw a doe and fawn at one point. They didn't even run completely away - crazy.

I made it home a bit before 1 and moved on to have what turned into a fairly rotten weekend. But thats neither here nor there for the purpose of riding.


Saturday July 12: 44 miles
So I didn't ride all that week in between. Total slackerage. But the rotten weekend blurred into my week and Jo wasn't feeling great either.

On Friday some bike stuff that I ordered from Amazon finally came in. Most importantly was a cycloputer. So now I know how fast and how far I go etc. Sweetness. Although go figure the package was missing the instructions. I've figured out most everything anyways I think.

Saturday owing in part to my excitement about my new gear and some half decent weather I was out by approximately 7:30. Jo was away all weekend so I was on my own.

It was a mostly uneventful ride save a few interesting occurances. First I noticed some fire truck setting up in the Farm Show complex on the first lap so I was like hmm....fire show or something? But didn't may that much mind. So then later as I'm just going on my merry own way down Riverfront park next thing I know I'm suddenly in the middle of some sort of Fire-people-history-i really don't know festival. Whoa. I carefully navigated my way through and at the first opportunity took to the road (front street). Now I don't even like driving front street because its like 3 tiny little lanes. I do not recommend being a slow bicyclist on it. Not cool. And then farther down it turns into just one lane one way (the opposite way) and people were parked all along both sides with people trying to drive through and me trying to bike going the opposite way past them. Really not my favorite.

Later on my second lap I 'rescued' a turtle. The path goes through this decent sized nature park and theres a road up into it. So I was just going along and past something on the road. Realized it was a turtle, stopped, turned around and proceeded to chase him to the other side/nearer to the pond/lake thing. Good deed done.

At the farm show there were dozens of fire trucks on display on the second lap and later at front street I managed to again not die.

Pulled in home just before noon. My average speed was 11 something. Not so fast as I would have liked but o well. At least I finally felt like I stood a chance at 50 miles.

O its also notable that I hit a top speed of 29.9 mph. Its even more interesting that that happens to be on a road with a speed limit of 25. Yay for large downhills.


Monday July 14: 25(ish) miles
Really it was just a basic uneventful ride around the loop once by myself.

The thing to really talk about actually occurred Sunday. I decided to clean my bike. I'd actually decided this a while ago, it was purchased from a yard sale and I think it sat in a garage or something for a long time before it came into my possession. But it was rather dirty in spots. So after doing a bit of shopping (purchases included padded shorts which btw are very very good) and gathering up supplies I set to work mid-afternoon.

Ideally one has a bike stand on which to put up your bike. Things are rarely ideal with me but I like to improvise. I backed my car up to the garage and put the bike rack on my trunk and angled it really low so that I could set my bike on it and have it still be out from the car. Score.

I then proceeded to remove the wheels (improperly of course being as I couldn't figure out how to release the brakes) and pin the chain back up using a knitting needled so i could still run it without hitting the frame. Yup - I'm awesome. I scrubbed that thing as much as I possibly could. The result: one moderately clean bike and me covered in grease splatters. Good stuff.

When I went out on Monday though you could feel the cleanness. It was amazing. And peddling was practically silent. I love it.

That is all. Jo and I are going out tonight for a loop before So You Think You Can Dance.

Good times.

11.2 - I am slow

I was figuring on a short ride yesterday. Inevitably I have other things which make me not want to loose all of my evenings to crazy rides. So I was figuring on a short ride right after work. The idea was to try and go faster for the short distance.

That was the plan. Then I ended up staying over an hour later at work than I normally do. But I was still determined to go on the ride. So finally a bit after 6 we started off.

I am no good at riding fast. I couldn't maintain any higher speed than what I normally ride at. I just get fatigued so quickly. It's disheartening.

In general I feel for the past week like I've been becoming overwhelmed. Not just with these rides but kind of everything.

Now you may be thinking But Carlin there's a holiday weekend coming up. You'll have extra free time off and be able to rest and recuperate.

Nope, instead of having a nice little vacation I have 5 concerts to work. And realistically they're fun concerts and it's not like theres a box office to run. But still no possibility of evening rides or evening relaxation.

I shouldn't complain and I'm sure my positive demeanor should be returning soon. But some days.....