Finally got on the bike again after a week off it. I got my shoes and had ordered pedals, spandex, and a flat fixing kit. Whole hell of a lot of good the flat fixing kit is going to be with me forgetting to order a frame pump. Oh well.
I ordered the Nashbar Ventoux 2 Look compatible pedals to go with the shoes. I didn't fall, so that's a good thing. Easy to clip in and out. Much better than the clips. And the spandex made for a more comfortable ride.
Now it's time to bust my butt to get my shed cleaned out.
28 June 2008
22 June 2008
Ride, Mow, Wedding
I got up earlyish today so I could ride. Got in a two mile ride and mowed half of my backyard before I had to get dressed to go to a wedding. One of my wife's high school friends got married and had a great wedding. Too much food. Choice of 3 different entrees. Of course, I had one of each. :)
We were seated near the desert bar. Wow. Not good. I had quite a bit of everything. They had a build your own sundae thing. It was great. Peanut butter cake? Don't mind if I do. Peanut butter is my weakness. I could live on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And peanut butter and jelly.
Anyway, weigh in is supposed to be tomorrow. I think I'll skip it and go for two laps of my 2 mile route. Then it's off to the parent's place to have dinner for my dad's birthday. And all of one more week of work before I take two weeks of vacation at home. I can't wait.
I plan on biking a lot during that time. Also, installing the hardwood floor in the living room and hallway and tile at the front door. I think I have a round of golf planned with my brother at some point since he's a teacher and he's off for the summer. He should have his new clubs by then. Can't wait. I haven't been golfing in a few months.
We were seated near the desert bar. Wow. Not good. I had quite a bit of everything. They had a build your own sundae thing. It was great. Peanut butter cake? Don't mind if I do. Peanut butter is my weakness. I could live on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And peanut butter and jelly.
Anyway, weigh in is supposed to be tomorrow. I think I'll skip it and go for two laps of my 2 mile route. Then it's off to the parent's place to have dinner for my dad's birthday. And all of one more week of work before I take two weeks of vacation at home. I can't wait.
I plan on biking a lot during that time. Also, installing the hardwood floor in the living room and hallway and tile at the front door. I think I have a round of golf planned with my brother at some point since he's a teacher and he's off for the summer. He should have his new clubs by then. Can't wait. I haven't been golfing in a few months.
20 June 2008
New stuff and a ride
So, I found out there is a bike shop right around the corner from me across from the ShopRite that we usually go grocery shopping at. If I had known, I would have gone there for my bike first. It's huge. Lots of gear, lots of bikes. They have some group rides including a Tuesday night D level ride that goes 10-12mph for an hour. I may try it out soon. Need to work up my stamina first. Anyway, I went there on my way home from work and came back with this:
It's like wearing a cloud on my head. The old helmet was like wearing vice grips. It stabbed me in the forehead and the back of the head on its largest setting. This is an XXL helmet and actually fits and I don't need it opened up all the way.
And when I got home, I rode 2 miles in about 10 minutes, averaging almost 13mph. I could have finished faster, but I tried to keep my speed down on what pass for hills around here.
Oh and I almost forgot, the shoes showed up on Chainlove on Wednesday. I have shoes on the way, just need pedals to go with them. I haven't decided on them yet, but probably a pair of the Nashbar LOOK style to start with.
14 June 2008
Short Ride
Only a short 2 mile ride today. I had a long week of work and didn't get to ride once during the week. I took the normal 2 mile loop and averaged 12.6mph.
On a great note, I didn't have any problems getting in the clips today. I'm getting better at this. I still want clipless pedals and shoes, but I can deal with this for the time being.
Until at least chainlove.com puts up road shoes for $25 again. I hemmed and hawed on them the last time they came up figuring I might get a pair that were more walkable. I was wrong. Nothing in road shoes for under $100 since then. Couple pairs of $60 mountain biking shoes, but no roadies.
They sell some brand called NorthWave. Looking around on the internet, I found that they run wide, like an E. Perfect width for me. For some reason widths are very hard to come by in cycling shoes. It's like a big secret that you can't know until you put the shoe on your foot.
Speaking of Chainlove.com, this is a great site. It's like Woot.com for cycling gear. One item at a time. Unlike woot which only reloads at 1am, chainlove reloads all the time. And not necessarily when an item sells out. It's addicting watching to see if a good item comes up. and even better is the tracker at http://chain.gearattack.com which refreshes automatically on a set time that you choose. It polls chainlove once a minute so you don't have to.
On a great note, I didn't have any problems getting in the clips today. I'm getting better at this. I still want clipless pedals and shoes, but I can deal with this for the time being.
Until at least chainlove.com puts up road shoes for $25 again. I hemmed and hawed on them the last time they came up figuring I might get a pair that were more walkable. I was wrong. Nothing in road shoes for under $100 since then. Couple pairs of $60 mountain biking shoes, but no roadies.
They sell some brand called NorthWave. Looking around on the internet, I found that they run wide, like an E. Perfect width for me. For some reason widths are very hard to come by in cycling shoes. It's like a big secret that you can't know until you put the shoe on your foot.
Speaking of Chainlove.com, this is a great site. It's like Woot.com for cycling gear. One item at a time. Unlike woot which only reloads at 1am, chainlove reloads all the time. And not necessarily when an item sells out. It's addicting watching to see if a good item comes up. and even better is the tracker at http://chain.gearattack.com which refreshes automatically on a set time that you choose. It polls chainlove once a minute so you don't have to.
08 June 2008
Quick Ride and a Weigh In
It was already in the 90s by the time I got up at 9:45am. After hemming and hawing for a while, I decided to go on a short trip, just the first mile trip.
Got home, did a bit of gardening, shaved my head since my hair was getting long, and then weighed in before the shower. Came in at 276.5 lbs and 41% fat. I know for a fact I was 44% the last time I weighed in and around 280-281 or so. Now that I am blogging, I can keep track a little better. Sunday is going to be weigh in day. Preferably before I head out on the bike next time. I want to try to keep it the same each week.
Got home, did a bit of gardening, shaved my head since my hair was getting long, and then weighed in before the shower. Came in at 276.5 lbs and 41% fat. I know for a fact I was 44% the last time I weighed in and around 280-281 or so. Now that I am blogging, I can keep track a little better. Sunday is going to be weigh in day. Preferably before I head out on the bike next time. I want to try to keep it the same each week.
07 June 2008
Up to 3 miles
Let's start off with this. Damn it's hot out. The northeast is hitting a massive heatwave. It's going to 95 today. And of course, in NJ, it's always freaking humid. It was about 80 when I left and the fog hadn't quite burned off yet. It was an awful lot hotter by the time I got home. And the sun was out.
I kind of combined my 1 mile initial route and my 2 mile second trip together today, but it was intended to be two laps of my 2 mile trip. Unfortunately, I forgot my water bottle at home and had to make a quick trip of the first lap to come back and get it.
Today was also the first time I managed to get both feet in the clips. I started with my right foot in and was able to get the left foot in on the fly. Unfortunately on my second trip, I got my foot out and couldn't get it back in. And that brings me to my rant.
What the f@!% is it with people? I was coming down Haverford Road and I can hear a car coming up behind me. There's also a car coming up ahead of me. Not a problem, except that where the three cars will inevitably meet, there are cars parked on both sides of the street. It would be a squeeze to get the two cars through, let alone me too. So I slow down early so I don't get killed. Well, the fat bitch behind me starts blowing her horn no more than five feet behind me. Needless to say, I swerved right to the curb, and pulled both feet out, nearly wiping out in the process. Fat pig goes on to pull into her driveway just past the parked cars after the other car comes through. So, I have no idea if she was honking at me or trying to tell the other car to come through, but her stupidity nearly put me on the pavement. Personally, if I'm trying to signal a car that's facing me, the horn is not the way to do it. A couple of flicks of the high beams always do the trick. She'd be screaming bloody murder if I caused her kid to fall by doing the same thing, but of course, I have sense.
Anyway, I reset my trip computer at the beginning and even remembered to stop it while I ran in to get the water bottle. And now I have to mow the lawn in the brutal heat. I'm going to try to just do the front yard today and make this place look presentable at least. I can do the back yard tomorrow if I find it too hot.
I kind of combined my 1 mile initial route and my 2 mile second trip together today, but it was intended to be two laps of my 2 mile trip. Unfortunately, I forgot my water bottle at home and had to make a quick trip of the first lap to come back and get it.
Today was also the first time I managed to get both feet in the clips. I started with my right foot in and was able to get the left foot in on the fly. Unfortunately on my second trip, I got my foot out and couldn't get it back in. And that brings me to my rant.
What the f@!% is it with people? I was coming down Haverford Road and I can hear a car coming up behind me. There's also a car coming up ahead of me. Not a problem, except that where the three cars will inevitably meet, there are cars parked on both sides of the street. It would be a squeeze to get the two cars through, let alone me too. So I slow down early so I don't get killed. Well, the fat bitch behind me starts blowing her horn no more than five feet behind me. Needless to say, I swerved right to the curb, and pulled both feet out, nearly wiping out in the process. Fat pig goes on to pull into her driveway just past the parked cars after the other car comes through. So, I have no idea if she was honking at me or trying to tell the other car to come through, but her stupidity nearly put me on the pavement. Personally, if I'm trying to signal a car that's facing me, the horn is not the way to do it. A couple of flicks of the high beams always do the trick. She'd be screaming bloody murder if I caused her kid to fall by doing the same thing, but of course, I have sense.
Anyway, I reset my trip computer at the beginning and even remembered to stop it while I ran in to get the water bottle. And now I have to mow the lawn in the brutal heat. I'm going to try to just do the front yard today and make this place look presentable at least. I can do the back yard tomorrow if I find it too hot.
03 June 2008
Second Ride...Finally
I finally got a chance to go for my second ride. I had planned on Sunday, but I had a ton of yardwork that had to get done and by the time I finished, it was getting dark and I have no desire to ride in the dark yet. So, since I have to work until midnight tonight, I wasn't coming in until the afternoon, so when I woke up, I geared up for a ride. Right now, that only includes 1 water bottle. I know that once I start adding up the miles, I'm going to need some tools and a bag to store my cell phone and id and stuff just in case, but for now, just riding around the neighborhood, I think I'm ok.
So here's the route I took this morning:
I forgot to reset my computer before the ride, so I have no idea how long it really took me, maybe 10-15 minutes, but I was sure beat by the time I got home.
Observations from my second ride:
So here's the route I took this morning:
I forgot to reset my computer before the ride, so I have no idea how long it really took me, maybe 10-15 minutes, but I was sure beat by the time I got home.
Observations from my second ride:
- Still can't get in the clips with my right foot. Clipless pedals and shoes are looking more and more tempting.
- My rear end was killing me and I had to readjust a few times. Real shorts may be in my future. Under mesh shorts of course.
- A longer ride is going to at least require another water bottle and cage. Or even a Camelbak, which I already own.
- A seat bag with tools and room to store my cellphone and id is probably a good idea too.
- And finally, I gotta remember to reset the computer either before each ride or when I get back to the house.
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