We decided to battle the cold today and get out in the sun on the bikes. We decided to start out in the direction I will eventually be taking on my commute. We knew from the start that we weren't up to doing the whole trip to work and back-the cold weather and dark nights have been obstacles to getting any real quality rides in lately. We started with a tentative plan of a certain checkpoint with the flexibility to explore several residential areas off our main route.
We both tried to dress in layers due to the cold and I stashed extra gloves in my new panniers. We have always previously used a very small backpack to carry the camera, a snack, our IDs etc on our rides. It was really nice to be able to put all of that in the panniers and get the load off our backs. I also tossed in my multitool almost as an afterthought.
Our ride starts on a little downhill and before 30 seconds had passed my eyes were crying icedrops. The wind cut through all the layers and made even downhill seem like a struggle. After the first 5 minutes or so we turned onto the low traffic road that will be a major portion of my commute. Headed away from the house it has a very slight grade for the entire length of it. Today that slight grade combined with the headwind made the ride feel like we were on treadmills! It probably didn't help that it's been a little while since we've ridden. Once I was able to concentrate on my ride instead of traffic I quickly realized my seat was feeling low again. Then I realized I had brought my tool with me and I could fix it so my thighs were not in agony the whole ride! We quickly pulled over and I made some quick adjustments to raise the seat, making sure it was straight before the final tightening of the screw.
We took a more leisurely pace (I guess comparatively my pace is almost always "leisurely"!) and rode quietly through a few neighborhoods enjoying looking at the different houses and yards. We reached the end of the main road and decided to turn around and make our way back. In my opinion it is almost always better to return a bit early and be able to say "we should've gone a little further" than to push and push and go too far and have the ride turn into a nightmare that makes us both angry and irritable and more inclined to skip the next ride.
We took a little detour down the greenway that parallels the main road every now and then doing some little "races" with each other. Before long we returned to the road. I felt like my seat was low again (already!) and asked Becca to look at the marking and see if it had fallen. Sure enough it had, so off we pulled again and out came the tool again and this time I really cranked on it to get it tight after making the adjustments.
Then all that was left was the railroad crossing and the intimidating hill up to our house. Bonus, this hill is also along the busiest part of the road, there is almost no shoulder, and it is a single lane each way, leaving little room for cars to pass. Needless to say, it is my least favorite part of any ride! The hill has a short and sharp incline then levels out for a few hundred feet and then inclines again until we reach our complex. I was able to make it up the first incline in 4th gear and only had to shift down to my low gear when I was more than halfway up the second incline. I was worn out when reaching our front door, but didn't need to collapse just to keep breathing! We logged about 6 miles, which for us is not wonderful, but not pitiful either.
Despite the cold, the traffic and the need for two adjustments it was a fun ride on a beautiful day. That's all I ever want.
It is so good to finally have my new bike in my possession. Friday evening I went to the LBS to pick it up and was impressed with how kind and friendly the bike shop employees were. One of them helped to put the bike onto my car rack for me. One of the mechanics even took time on his way to his car to explain a detail about the bottom bracket that I was confused about. I'm already looking forward to taking the bike back to the shop because I know they will treat me well. Unfortunately by the time I got to the shop and then home it was dark out so there was no test ride that evening. I couldn't keep myself from looking at my bike as it sat between the living and dining room. This is his home until I can pop a kickstand on him.
I say him because on the way home my bike's name came to me. I had been researching Austrian names and things that have to do with Vienna all day because my bike is a Vienna 4 model. Of course I was going to try and be witty with the name. Well, then on my way home I was thinking about my brown bike and the color just stuck with me. Then out of nowhere there it was. My bike will hereafter be known as "Charlie Brown" aka "Chuck". This has about a thousand different meanings for me, but the most relevant is that it makes me smile. Charlie Brown is not super athletic, but he is steady. That's how my new bike feels.
We took Chuck out on his first ride on Saturday morning. We decided to do our favorite greenway trail because of the scenery and the length. I took Chuck around the parking lot for a few minutes to get used to the gears. Then I let Becca ride him for a few minutes. Then we were off down the trail and I had the biggest smile on my face the whole way.
A few things I noticed about Charlie Brown right off. He is taller then the distinguished gentleman, Kenta (who is insulted when I refer to him as "the old bike"). Chuck's handlebars are wider which immediately made me feel steadier and safer. His tires are wider and offer a smoother ride and also add to the stability. The internal gears are positively blissful they are so easy to change. And Chuck has a bell which I love. Love. It is nice to give people on the greenway a warning when I am still a bit far back, so they know I'm coming and then when I get close I still give the proper "on your left call". Now though I can do it a bit closer and at a much more pleasant volume.
The greenway we chose offers a few small hills, some road crossings and several intersections with other branches of the greenway system which were also all great opportunities for bell ringing. Before too long I had to ask that we stop so Charlie Brown and I could have a photo op. Charlie is not vain, but I insisted! Then it was back on our way.
Going up the hills was so easy with the low gearing, and I felt so confident really letting loose going down the other side. This was like a whole new world! I felt safe and comfortable and steady. And none of that means Charlie is a plodding old workhorse. Quite the opposite! I felt comfortable swerving my way down the trail, using my weight to shift the direction. I had never gotten quite that comfortable on Kenta. I also felt comfortable riding with one hand again. I could barely take a drink of water when riding Kenta because if I hit one little root bump or a freakin' acorn or something I was risking life and limb!
When we reached the end of the trail, I coerced Becca into stopping for a few more pictures. While I was "in the zone" she took a break on the nearby bench. I was startled to hear a man start talking from a few feet behind me! I hadn't even heard him pull up! We talked for several minutes about the planned extension of the greenway and bike riding in general. Then we noticed a very tall bike rider coming down the trial with some children and a friend. He looked really odd from distance and as he came closer we saw he was on a unicycle! He and his group stopped and talked with us for another 10 minutes or so and he told us all about riding the unicycle and how he had become interested as a way to work his core muscles. He said it took 10-15 hours of riding time before he became at all comfortable on the unicycle. After a few more minutes we turned around and started back.
I was shocked to realize we had been out riding and chatting and taking pictures for over an hour and a half. I couldn't stop grinning about my new bike and how wonderful it felt to ride. I love the more upright position, the comfortable stance and the greater stability. I can't get over the difference. On the way home, I told Becca, "For my needs right now, I could not have ended up with a more perfect bike".
Watch out Peppermint Patty--I'm in love with Charlie Brown!
Yesterday was a perfect day for riding. The sun was shining, the air was warm and there was that crisp warm smell/feeling to the air that can only be described as “autumn.” We decided to head down the road to ride near the golf course, despite the fact that it has been awhile since we have ridden on the road and there is a killer hill on the way home. It was warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt and the sun felt wonderful on my arms and face. We start out slowly up a small hill, cut behind the gas station and then were whizzing down the hill towards the gold course community—this hill is much more fun in this direction. I had recently put a mirror on my helmet and spend as much time adjusting it and looking back as I did watching where I was going.
We turn into the neighborhood which has wide streets and even a bike lane for at least half its length. The houses are stunning, the golf course beautiful and there are always plenty of people out walking and running. Near the end of the road there is a relatively easy hill, but today it leaves us both puffing for air. Funny (in a sad, pathetic way) how quickly the body reverts to sloth mode. A couple weeks hanging out on the couch rewatching the entire “Sex and the City” series is all it takes to turn my lungs into wimps. My legs feel fine, but my lungs are struggling.
We reach the end of the road where we normally turn around and head home and take a few minutes to discuss doing that or heading a little further down the crossroad to see if we can make it to this wonderful French bakery. We aren’t planning on eating anything, but want to see how far it is for the future—it’s in the plans to take a jaunt down here on a weekend for some brunch. We decide to go for it because it doesn’t seem much further. So we push off and sure enough it’s not even 2 minutes further down the road. This is now a definite plan for the future. I’m thrilled with the idea of riding my bike somewhere that I might normally drive.
As we go to pull out of the parking lot I notice a coworker pulling in, so we turn around and spend a few minutes chatting. This, by the way, is the best way to meet your coworker's family—covered in sweat and wearing a bike helmet. I highly recommend it.
We decide to use the sidewalk (gasp) to get back to the golf course street so we can avoid crossing a busy 4 lane road twice in half a mile. Of course no sooner do we begin our breach of biking etiquette than two pedestrians (who actually belong on the sidewalk) step out in front of us with their dog. Becca starts muttering about “this is why bikes aren’t supposed to be on the sidewalk” or some such and we slow down to coast a good ways behind the couple instead of passing and annoying the crap out of them. Fortunately they notice us on their own and were gracious enough to step off the sidewalk and let us go by. We thank them and hurry on our way.
The ride through the neighborhood is easygoing and fun and the day still feels perfect. About halfway down the street my nerves start to kick in regarding the monstrous hill coming up. I think Becca calls it the devil hill or hill of death or something, but she can usually plug her way up it without looking like she is gonna die. We try to get some momentum going and Becca rides right on my wheel yelling encouragements and cheering me on. How she does all this yelling and still is able to breathe I don’t know. I crawl my way towards the railroad tracks which marks the end of the most difficult part of the hill. As we cross them I take a brief second to coast about 5 feet which feels wonderful. Then it’s a slow measured pace for another hundred yards or so to our habitual resting area so I can catch my breath.
We pull off and I’m feeling pretty good except for puffing and wheezing. My legs don’t hurt and I think I can just drink a little water and go on. But the longer we stand there the more I start to feel distinctly not ok. Within a minute my head is whirling and I am so dizzy I can’t stand. I sit down trying to get my head to stop reeling. After a few minutes I stand back up which is a mistake. Now I feel nauseous. I kneel back down thinking I am actually going to throw up, head still spinning. Becca waits nearby asking every couple of minutes if I am ok. She suggests we start walking. So we walk a few hundred feet up the sidewalk in which time my head does not feel any better. I figure I might as well ride if I am gonna feel so shitty. So we hop on and I start out very very slowly. I almost cannot remain upright on my bike. My brain is trying to figure out why I feel like this but all I can think about is how my head is spinning. I stare at the road in front of my wheel trying to just push on through the dizziness and nausea. Finally I pull over and collapse on the ground again. At this point I’m thinking I would feel better if I DID throw up. Becca pulls off and asks what is going on. I’m irritated that she is irritated so I tell her to just go home without me -- which of course I don’t mean, and am very glad when she ignores my suggestion. After about 5-7 minutes of lying flat out I start to feel better. I get back on the bike and head home and it takes maybe only 5 more minutes to get there. I feel ok by this point, until I have to heave my bike up to the 2nd floor. Then it all comes back and I just collapse on the bed under the fan for 5 minutes. The only thing that spurs me to move is that the Steelers game is on in 40 minutes and I have to shower and meet a friend to watch it.
It was basically one of the most wonderful and awful bike rides I have ever been on all at the same time. Sometimes when I have a bad day like this, it's easy to think about chucking my bike off the nearest bridge, or accidentally leaving it on the train tracks. It's easy to kick myself and think about how I should have been riding everyday and this might not happen, or let myself focus on how from from my goals I am. I can't always ignore those negative thoughts. Usually, though I try to think about the fact that a year ago I was always sitting on my fat ass and watching tv, that I wouldn't have even attempted the hill of death. I try to remember that it wasn't so long ago that I could barely WALK up the hill of death. I think about the fact that my legs actually didn't feel bad at all during the ride and that when I started my legs would cramp after a few short miles. And then I try to think about what I am trying to do, the goals I have made for myself, and the distance I have come so far. I would rather fail on this hill of death a thousand times, than be in the place I was at this time last year. At least I'm trying now. And sometimes it takes a rough day to make the triumphs more valuable.
I've been riding my bike on the path towards better health for several months, but the bike has always been a beater. This blog is about using my new bike for everyday errands, for recreation and for the joy of riding.
