Re-Engage

Date: 7/6/08
Time: 6:10-7:10ish
Distance: 11.647 miles
Average Speed: 12.3mph
Time Moving: 65:53

I'm back!

The last time I rode was July 19/20 when I participated in the Central PA MS ride. It consisted of riding up and down 100+ miles of way too many hills in scorching heat. Rock on.

So basically I'm crazy for this all. But it actually felt quite good to be back on the bike again after about 2.5 weeks off.

I made one serious adjustment to my bike. I raised the seat probably about 2 inches or so. Now I'm not a bike or fitting expert but I'm pretty sure that my bike frame is too big for me. So to compensate when I first started riding I lowered the seat so that it was all but sitting on the cross bar (this is a good 1+ inch lower than the 'do not lower past this line' on the seat post). This was just more comfortable for me. However as I rode more I realized that I wasn't extending my leg as much as I could, and should, but I didn't want to raise the seat before the big ride #1. A random guy on the ride actually said it looks like you should raise your seat...and I was like yea I know.

So anyways the seat is up so now I do quite literally have to hop on and off of the seat when I stop being as my leg does not reach the ground from the seat. But I do have quite a bit more power to my petal. It was pretty sweet. Felt weird...but hopefully I'll get used to it. I could get up to 16mph and maintain it much more easily. Although I was fatiguing quickly, I think that was more to do with the break/out of shapeness.

So seat change = good. Now I should just clean the drive train again (that was a mess last time) and if I can actually zip tie my cycloputer (thing that gives me those stats at the top) instead of twist tie-ing it to the frame my bike shall once again be tip-top.

Now that I'm done rambling on about that the actual ride:

Uneventful. Jo was sore from the gym so I went on my own. But it was just a short jaunt. I wanted to do an hour at try to make 12 mph. Check and check.

A rather amusing thing that happened was as I was approaching the big steep hill that is the start of the Greenbelt this other biker came out of no where and passed on my left. I don't know what I was doing but I was just poking along, still getting used to the new seat position I think. He was an older gentleman riding a mountain bike/maybe hybrid. I could tell that he was a somewhat serious rider by how he moved. And he was also wearing a volunteer shirt from the Tour'de'belt that I rode a few months ago.

So anyways he kind of blows by me in a not really 'greater-than-tho' fashion, but not particularly friendly like either. The gap between us grew, partially because I go slow on those crazy switchbacks. But then once we were down on the trail I found that I could go fast given my new bike-awesomeness so I kept him in my sights most of the whole ride. Then fairly close to the half way point he stopped for some reason and was standing there when I breezed (is that english?) by. By now feeling quite confident in my bike off I went. But then I soon started being all slow like again and was taking a drink when he came up next to me again. "I thought I left you way behind" he said. "Nope" I just smiled as he proceeded to get in front of me again and pedal away. I proceeded to not stay right on top of him, but definitely kept up for the 1 maybe 1.5 remaining miles before I turned around. I'm pretty sure he kept looking over his shoulder to see if I was there.

So that all was quite amusing. The most crazy part of my ride, in my humble opinion, came right near the end. The last 7/10 or so of our ride is downhill. Which is pretty sweet. So I'm just cruising along, seeing what speed I could keep up for it (a little over 20 mph). And I just happen to glance down a fairly wooded driveway on my right and what is standing in the middle of the drive way but a peacock. Now the plumage did seem a bit on the ragged side, but I'm positive it was a male peacock. Well that or I'm positive that I am delusional and I saw a male peacock. I was incredibly amused, considered turning around to check for my sanity's sake, but decided the uncertainty was more amusing, and proceeded home.
Jo says that peacocks do exist in the wild....but I think it's crazy that one could exist in 'the wild' of someones drive way in suburban Harrisburg.

Good times.

I intended to ride today but there a Thunderstorm so that plan was scratched. The new plan is to go out tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. 60 miles by Sunday maybe?