Winter in Minnesota

I've finally admitted it; it's winter! Eid al-Adha has come and gone. Winter Solstice has come and gone, whew, we made it through the longest night without any ghost issues. Hanukkah has begun and is soon to pass. Christmas is over. Boxing Day is over. All of this means, I ain't ridin' my bike. I have moved everything into the basement and put the road bike on the trainer. It's not much fun but I can at least catch up on all the movies I've been wanting to see. 

I've plugged the TV in and hooked up the DVD player and the cable box, all by myself! The bike is strategically placed in front of the TV for better viewing. I have a stack of wood near the fireplace just in case I don't workout hard enough to stay warm. So far that has not been a problem but you never know, we still have January coming up. I also found my weights and workout balls so I have no excuse for not staying in condition over the winter. The gym I belong to has closed the location closest to my house so I don't know if I will be makin' it to the gym. I'm not much a gym person anyway; somehow I just can't get myself to go and having everything I need right here at home works much better. 

I certainly miss my long Friday morning rides and my afterwork rides on the Gateway. I'm sure we will get a couple warmer days and I will be able to try winter riding again.  I can also spend this time figuring out next years rides; that's half the fun anyway. 

40 degrees in December

Dint wanna waste the bright, bright sun shiny day so I pulled the old Kona out of the garage yesterday. I haven't ridden this bike for quite some time so I wasn't sure what condition it was in. Mike's boyfriend Curt had been riding it over the summer so I figured it should be OK. I brought it into the house to warm up a bit, even at 40 the bike was super cold; call me a wimp but I dint wanna put my butt on a cold bike. I added air to the tires and lowered the seat and it was ready to go. I headed to the park down the street, getting used to riding on the snow. I have zero experience with riding in the snow. I went out one time early this year to check out the Gateway trail and ended up riding in some snow but that was all. Anyway, the snow on the street was pretty well packed and not too bad to ride on; the snow in the park was something else entirely. Super fun! I rode around the neighborhood for a while just testing things out. The slushy snow was probably the worst, the hard packed stuff was a little slippery but not too bad to ride on. I only hit one spot of nastiness where I thought I might lose it and as expected I had a car behind me but I just pedaled harder and stayed upright. 

I think having the hardtail and a heavier bike made things a little easier, like putting sand bags in the back of the pickup. I really enjoyed my ride through the neighborhood, the neighbors probably think I'm nuts but that's OK. It felt good to be out riding again, I haven't been on my bike since October. My back is starting to feel normal again, now I just have to keep it that way. I have some space in the basement set up for my bike trainer and workout equipment, so I should be good to go for the winter. 

The weather today has been yucky, it was raining when I drove to work at 0530 and now the temperature has dropped and we are getting snow. I guess I wont be doing any outside riding for a while again. Good thing I bought those cross country skis to keep me entertained through the winter add that to my curling and yoga and my evenings are pretty well filled. 

SYLVIE AWARD - MS150 Ride

This weekend was the Minnesota Chapter Multiple Sclerosis state convention. We, the Edina Realty "Real Estate Riders" received the Sylvie Award for raising the most team funds in 2008. We as a team raised over $112,000.00.

Thank you to Edina Realty, Mortgage, Title and Real Estate our team sponsor. Thank you to all of the MS staff and their many volunteers that made the MS150 ride so enjoyable. Thank you my family and friends who supported me in so many ways, without you we could not have made this happen. 

GOALS FOR THE 2009 REAL ESTATE RIDERS: To have 175 riders and to raise $125,000.00. We believe that both of these goals are very realistic. If you have not signed up you can go to www.realestateriders.org and click on the button that says "Join The Team". This will take you right to registration. The price to register is $30 until December 31, 2008, then the price will go up to $40. Save $10 and sign up before the price goes up!

Come on, join the team, let's ride together to fight this disease!

bikes

I took a count the other day, I now have in my possession two mountain bikes, two road bikes and one hybrid. I am in the "clean out the house" mode and need to make decisions about what I'm going to do with these. I know I'm keeping the two mountain bikes and one road bike. I may have a buyer for the hybrid so that just leaves the other road bike.  I was using the hybrid to ride to work but have decided to add a rack to one of my mountain bikes and use that instead. 

I need to purchase some warmer riding clothes, right now I'm good until about 35/40 degrees but anything colder than that and I freeze. I also need to find my other head light as it has disappeared over the summer.   

I haven't been on my bike for nearly a month as my lower back has been bothering me but I've decided to just bite the bullet and deal with it. I eat way too much to not be exercising on a regular basis. Curling season has begun so my Tuesday and Friday nights are dedicated to that, Thursday is yoga night so I'm thinking Mondays and Wednesdays will be good riding days, and maybe a Friday morning. 

One lesson I learned this year is that if I'm going to spend my summer riding then I better spend my winter getting my projects around the house done. I've been in a mad scramble to get the yard ready for winter and I don't think I'm going to make it.  I need at least two more warm days to get it completed. I'm happy I was able to get a load of wood before the weather turned crappy. 

Brrr, I miss the sun. The way the squirrels and birds have been acting this year I think we are in for a long winter. 

Rules of the Trail

I received my International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) magazine this week and thought I would share some information with y'all, just in case you have not become a member yet, hint, hint, wink, wink. This also allows me to practice my typing as I have a test coming up, yuck!

NEW RULES

An update for the venerable Rules of the Trail.

IMBA developed the "Rules of the Trail" to promote responsible and courteous conduct on shared-use trails. Keep in mind that conventions for yielding and passing may vary, depending on regional traditions, traffic conditions and the intended use of the trail.

1. Ride On Open Trails Only

Respect trail and road closures - ask a land manager for clarification if you are uncertain about the status of a trail. Do not trespass on private land. Obtain permits or other authorization as may be required. Be aware that bicycles are not permitted in areas protected as state or federal Wilderness.

2. Leave NO Trace

Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage than dry ones. When the trail is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don't cut switchbacks. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.

3. Control Your Bicycle

Inattention for even a moment could put yourself and others at risk. Obey all bicycle speed regulations and recommendations, and ride within your limits.

4. Yield to Others

Do your utmost to let your fellow trail users know you're coming - a friendly greeting or bell ring are good methods. Try to anticipate other trail users as you ride around corners. Bicyclists should yield to all other trail users, unless the trail is clearly signed for bike-only travel. Bicyclists traveling downhill should yield to ones headed uphill, unless the trail is clearly signed for one-way or downhill-only traffic. Strive to make each pass a safe and courteous one.

5. Never Scare Animals

Animals are easily startled by an unannounced approach, a sudden movement or a loud noise. Give animals enough room and time to adjust to you. When passing horses, use special care and follow directions from the horseback riders (ask if uncertain). Running cattle and disturbing wildlife are serious offenses.

6. Plan Ahead

Know your equipment, your ability and the area in which you are riding - and prepare accordingly. Strive to be self-sufficient: keep your equipment in good repair and carry necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions. Always wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear. 

The Rules of the Trail are good guidelines, but pay close attention to trail signs - they have precedence over general rules.

Reglamento del Sendero

1. Siga el recorrido establecido

2. No dege huellas

3. Controle su bicicleta

4. Siempre ceda el paso a los otros

5. Nunca asuste a los animales

6. Planee con anterioridad

What would we do without trails?

October

There is definitely a chill in the air these days. I've only been on my bike once in the past week and that was for the Fall Colors tour a sure sign that winter is fast approaching and Karen's getting lazy. I'm blaming it on the short days, I get up in the dark, go to work in the dark and by the time I get home, grab something to eat I only have about 2 hours to do something before it gets dark again. Couple that with the rain we've had this week and I can come up with some good excuses for being lazy :)

Tomorrow however looks to be a sunny 70 degrees so I'm going to get the mountain bike out and take it for a spin in the morning, then I will be puppy sitting in the afternoon and I Curl at 5 pm. 

Saturday also looks to be a nice day so I plan to take the road bike out for a ride along the river, last weekend we did not have a lot of color for the Fall Colors tour so I'm going to try again this weekend.  This time I'm going to stick to riding along the river and skip the lakes part of the ride. I'm also thinking of by-passing the drop into Hidden Falls and take Summit Ave back home instead. Summit is always a beautiful ride and then I can check out the ghost bike on Summit and Snelling Ave. a memorial to the woman who was hit by a car while riding her bike.

Pedal, pedal pedal

Looking for Color

Crosby Park


Crosby Park
Mississippi River

October 04, 2008

Margeaux
Karen


Margeaux

Fall Colors

St. Paul
Julie, Margeaux, Karen
Harriet Island
St. Paul riverfront
Karen, Margeaux Lake Harriet

Fall Colors Tour 2008

Saturday, October 04, 2008

WOW, what a fantastic day for a ride! I had hoped for a better turnout but by the time I got the route mapped out and an email sent a lot of people already had plans for this weekend and some were turned off by the miles. But hell if you can't do a casual 60 miles by the end of the riding season you simply did not ride enough this year and you need to get your ass on the trainer this winter.  :) I'm old with bad knees and did the ride.

In any case those of us who did ride had one of the best riding days of the year. The morning started off cold! I was undecided as to what to wear as it was only about 45 degrees outside when I woke up; big brrr. I decided to wait until just before the ride to decide and throw on my riding gear. The game plan was to roll out of my house at 10 am but everyone was running a little late. Margeaux arrived just after 10 followed by Julie. After all the pre-ride fuss was over we started pedaling down the street at 10:38 according to Julie's watch.  I, as always, dint have a watch or computer on my bike. As we were cruising through the park at the end of my block I made the comment that I felt like I was forgetting something, felt like I was riding naked but chalked it up to not having my camelback on. 

We caught the Bruce Vento trail about a mile from my house and headed South, once on the trail I realized why I felt naked, I had forgotten my wallet containing my id and money, oops. The decision was not to turn back and we would pool our cash for lunch. We followed the Vento trail along Johnson Pkwy turning right onto Phalen Blvd. The trail dips down into Swede Hollow just past Arcade street and ends in downtown St. Paul. We took the frontage road up to Mounds Park for our first scenic stop and photos. Following the park trail we continued climbing to the top of Mounds Park, climb, climb, climb...

Crossed over Warner/Shepard Rd and caught the bike trail along the river. Julie turned off and followed the other trail up to Battle Creek.  Margeaux and I continued along the Mississippi River until Sibley street, we turned north a block to Kellogg and over two blocks to Robert St. where we crossed over the river and dropped down to Harriet Island.  Margeaux had never been to Harriet Island so we spent some time exploring. We then followed the Big Rivers Trail through Mendota and took the Mendota Bridge across the Minnesota River over to Fort Snelling. We met up with Gordy and Kenny at Fort Snelling and the four of us rode together to Minnehaha Falls Park.  Kenny left us at M'haha Park as the poor boy had to go home a study, sucked to be him.

Gordy, Margeaux and I followed the bike trail along Minnehaha Creek to Lake Hiawatha and Lake Nokomis. We continued on the trail following the creek, one of my favorite areas, to Lake Harriet and on over to Lake Calhoun. We traveled along the West and North sides of Lake Calhoun catching the Midtown Greenway trail. There were a lot of people and pets out around the lakes. We turned off the Greenway around 30th Ave and grabbed lunch at Clicquot, thank you William for the nice service and accommodating our seating request. After lunch we headed towards W River Pkway, turning right and following the river to Lake/Marshal Ave where we crossed back over to the St. Paul side.  Margeaux and I decided to ride back over the bridge to get some pictures and Gordy continued on his way home. After taking time for photos we traveled back to the St. Paul side of the river and followed along the trail to the Hidden Falls Park turn off. It was a beautiful ride through Crosby Farm Regional Park. We spent some time taking pictures and enjoying the ride. We climbed out of the park at Elway and took the Shepard Rd bike trail back into downtown St. Paul. We stopped several times along the way for photo opts. 

After crossing back over to Mounds Park we decided to jump off on Johnson Pkwy and take that back home, it cut off a few miles from the ride but it was getting late and people were coming over to my house for food and beverages. I'm not sure what time we got back to my house but Margeaux clocked us at 56 miles, so we only cut a couple miles from the original route.  We were a little disappointed in that the leaves were not "peaking" but the ride was really nice and it gave us a greater appreciation the colors we did see. 

Weather permitting I'm going to head out again next Saturday repeating this route only skipping the lakes in Minneapolis and sticking to the River ride portion.  The leaves should for sure be turning by then. The miles wont be as long but I don't have all day to ride. 

3 Day Breast Cancer Walk

Received a text message at 0603 this morning, what the hell? I thought I was the only crazy person up at this hour. Nope, it was Margeaux; she could not sleep and wanted to know when I could be ready to ride. We texted back and forth, the marvels of modern technology, for about 20 minutes then I crawled out of bed and got the coffee pot started. I thought it was much too early to call Julie our other riding companion for the day but Margeaux said Julie was "a morning freak like you" but in any case I waited until 0700 to call.  

Lash and I went outside; Lash to pee and me to stand on the deck with my coffee and assess the day. It was a nice chilly morning, just the way I like it. I huddled with my cup of steaming hot coffee made from the finest Ethiopian, the birthplace of coffee, beans; freshly ground this morning. I then got online with Margeaux and we instant messaged each other until 7 when I called Julie. 

So I have Julie on the phone and Margeaux on IM, this just ain't right; it's way too early in the morning to be multitasking. By the time we figure everything out it's 0730 and we're burning daylight. I want to go to Black Bear Crossing in Como Park for breakfast so the plan is that Julie will leave her house at 0815 and ride to my house we will then ride to Lake Como and eat breakfast. Margeaux will meet us there. Whew, we have a plan.

0817 and Julie is in the front yard. I toss on some riding gear, grab my helmet, shoes, gloves and camelback and head out the door.  

The idea for the day was to ride along the route of the 3 Day Breast Cancer walkers and cheer them on. Margeaux, Julie and I each know people who were participating and we wanted to lend our support.

Julie and I head west on Hoyt Ave then turn South to Arlington and west again to Lake Phalen, we followed the Lake south to Wheelock Pkwy and turned west. We followed Wheelock Pkwy to Lake Como. A wonderful ride and a nice hill climb just after 35 E, which justified the cherry turnover I added to my egg and cheese croissant I ate for breakfast. 

Margeaux arrived at Como and the three of us took off heading North on Lexington Ave. Just after crossing interstate 694 we started seeing the first 3 Day walkers. We hooted, hollered and cheered them on. We continued on Lexington to County Rd E then rode East to Victoria where we made a pit stop to visit with the 3 Day walkers. Just as we decided to leave the area and continue North on Victoria my friend Loafy arrived. It was great to be able to see her and wish her luck on the rest of her walk. 

We headed North on Victoria, Julie took over the lead as we were off my map and I don't know that area too well. We continued North to Snail Lake Blvd and followed that East, what a great road. We saw lots of dogs, must have been a retriever convention or something, they were everywhere. We followed Snail Lake Blvd for a while then made a stop to decide on the rest of our journey. We grabbed the first street heading South and stayed on it until we got back on County Rd E where we turned West again. We caught up with the walkers on County Rd E and cheered them on. 

Margeaux and I stopped at a sub shop for lunch and Julie continued on home, poor girl had chores to do on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. After lunch Margeaux and I headed South on Victoria and followed the walkers turning West onto County Rd D, then South on Lexington Ave. We stopped at the Lake Josephine cheering station for a minute then continued South on Lexington. At Roselawn Margeaux and I parted ways, she heading back to Mpls and me heading home. I followed Roselawn East to Reservoir Woods Park where I followed the path through the woods. This is one of my favorite paths, its short but sweet. The route spits you out near McCarrons Lake, I followed the Blvd to Rice St. 

I again caught up the the 3 Day walkers, the last Cheering station was on Rice Street. I cheered on the walkers for a bit then followed Trout Brook Co. Trail to Arlington where I rode East to the Gateway Trail. I passed a lot of walkers along the way as this was the same route they were walking. I followed the Gateway Trail to White Bear Ave. where I zig zagged my way around Goodrich golf course, nearly getting hit by a golf ball. I think it scared the guy who hit it more than me. I told him better luck next time :) I arrived back home a little past 1330. Ahhh what a nice day for a ride. The weather was picture perfect. I have no idea how far I rode but it sure was a nice day.  

Perfect days for riding

This has been the best week for riding; the weather has been perfect. Tuesday I went for a road ride, Wednesday a mountain bike ride, Thursday is yoga day and today I rode my mountain bike to cheer on the 3day walkers. Tomorrow I have a road ride planned and it looks like another fantabulous day! I cannot wait to get out and enjoy it. I am also planning a Fall colors tour. The leaves are starting to change, the temperature is dropping and I can smell the backyard bonfires burning. Fall in Minnesota, I doesn't get any better. 

Short and Fat

or as Tara says, the Short and Smart. We were up and out of the Lodge early, packed up the van and headed to Cable. We put our bikes in the line up then headed off for some breakfast, we landed great starting spots. About 0900 I got dressed to ride and started warming up. The weather was mild a little chilly but not bad, the sky was overcast a perfect day for a ride. At least in my opinion, overcast days are better than sunny days in the woods. 

At about 0945 we located our bikes and prepared to ride! I met a super nice guy standing next to me, he has been racing a number of years and was going to race this year on a cycle cross bike.  I wish I had gotten his number so I could see how he did. 

1000 the gun goes off, I clip in and off I go. I knew from last year that I needed to pace myself in the beginning so I will have enough energy to finish. Goal #1 finish the race. Within the first couple miles I had to go around 4 crashes, one looked pretty bad, lots of people down. The first 3 miles are on the Randysek Rd, paved for a short distance then packed earth, rocks and gravel, and a continuous climb. I experienced a nasty cramp in my right leg that lasted a couple miles, I think until my muscles were sufficiently warmed up. It may have helped me in keeping my pace a little slower. We then turned left into the forest and started our journey to the finish line. The ride was excellent, it had rained most of the day on Thursday so the ground was packed, most of the sandy patches were in good shape and posed no problems for me. The only issues I encountered were downed riders and wet grass. It seemed like there were a lot of crashes on this ride. 

Big Bertha defeated me again :(  I will ride that hill someday and where I got the idea that it was a giant pile of wood chips I do not know for Big Bertha was no pile of wood chips she was a full on big ass grassy hill.  And the biggest problem for me was that there was no down hill to get momentum. You do go down a short hill but have to make a hard right turn in wet grass before you start to climb Bertha. I only saw one guy make it up her.  I took a break at the top to catch my breath and wash down an Accel Gel, which works much better for me than Gu. I jumped back on my bike and had a great down hill cruise.  I have to say my bike kicks serious ass on the down hills. There was one woman whom I played tag with through out most of the race, she would catch me on the up hills and I would pass her on the down hills. Fortunately she was not in my age group so she really was not the competition and I beat her to the finish line.

Big Bertha is at about the halfway point in the race and I was feeling pretty good, I had made it up all the other hills and was still feeling pretty strong. Around about mile 12 my right knee started to throb, not a good sign. I thought hell, there's only 4 more miles I can do this, just slow down a bit and keep pedaling. The pain went away and I had a great ride to the finish. There were some sections of this ride I really loved and some sections I hated but all in all I really enjoyed it.  I had a couple near crashes, a guy in the beginning of the race shoved me over into another rider and we almost crashed and I hit a big rock coming around a corner that almost toppled me, but I held on the kept on riding.  I met 4 out of 5 of my goals, I finished the race and knocked a tiny bit of time off last years time, almost 1 minute. I had hoped to knock off more time but I am happy with my ride. 

I don't know if I can convince Tara to ride with me again next year. She had a couple crashes one that threw her off her bike. I'll have to try to convince others to do it. And if I don't get into this ride next year then I am most definitely going to do the Ore 2 Shore race in Michigan. It would be great to do both races. 

I do have to give props to the Cable Nature Lodge, an excellent place to stay. I will for sure go back there. I would love to go back next Spring and/or Summer, stay there and do some riding. I have to figure out how to get up Big Bertha. It will happen. She is going down!

Oh let's not forget

The bikes!

Karen's proud steed
Tara's proud steed

Too tired to write, here's some pictures

Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival 2008

The starting gate
Tara's game face
Karen's game face
Finish line
The best part, ice cold 1554 the enlightened black ale...

Friday's Pre-Ride

Tara 

Karen because Tara told me to
Things to come

Getting ready for Chequamegon

I love it my registration card says "short and fat women" what are they trying to tell me??? The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival is this weekend. I have really been looking forward to this, I only hope I am ready for it. My game plan for this summer was to concentrate on mountain biking but as they say "make plans but don't plan on your plans." I've done more road riding this summer than I think I have done my entire life. It's just so much easier to find people to road ride than mountain bike but in any case I've been on my mountain bike and if I remember, the race is mostly fire roads so my road riding should be helpful.  

My goals this year:

1. finish the race

2. finish the race

3. climb big bertha

4. finish the race

5. get a better time than last year

Tara and I plan to take off on Thursday and head to Cable, we are staying at the Cable Nature Lodge and from the website it looks super nice. The Festival starts on Friday with a number of events; Chequamegon Area Mountain Biking Association (CAMBA) trail tours, a pasta feed, Trek factory demo tour and Tech service and a Sponsor and Vendor expo. I know I plan to take full advantage of it all. Last year we did not have time to pre-ride the course so this year I plan to ride the entire course on Friday. Take it nice and slow, get some pictures and hopefully figure out how to get up Big Bertha (a gigantic mound of wood chips). 

Last year we were able to make some great jersey purchases, everything $10; I am hoping to be able to find some long sleeve jerseys and if I'm lucky some cold weather gear.  

Tara and I will be competing in the Short & Fat cross country mountain bike race on Saturday, September 13, 2008. The race starts on Randysek Road in Cable WI at 10 am and finishes at Telemark Resort 15 miles away. 

Thanks to hitting the big 45 this year I will be racing in a different age category, I don't know if this is a good thing or not but maybe there wont be as many old ladies riding and I can get a higher ranking in my age group:)

St. Paul Classic Bike Tour

The alarm went off at 0600 and there was no way I was feeling like getting out of bed. I was up too late last night and inhaled way too much smoke yesterday. I had visited a kitchen fire at the neighbors, then went to a bonfire in the evening and ended with a party in the trailer where there were a lot of smokers so needless to say my lungs were not feeling very good this morning.  All I wanted to do was turn over and go back to sleep but I had made a commitment and people were expecting me so I gave myself a pep-talk and crawled out of bed and into a hot shower. 

I was feeling much better after the hot shower, I threw on some biking clothes loaded my bike and gear into the car and off I went to Val and Tara's house. I arrived at their house around 0730, got my bike and gear together and the three of us rode to the University of St. Thomas to meet Gordy and begin our ride. After registering we met Gordy and filled ourselves with delicious treats. I had the most fantastic cranberry sweet bread, I had to go back for seconds. 

We started the ride a wee bit past 0830. The four of us opted for the 30 mile route which took us along the Mississippi River to downtown St. Paul and the long climb up to a magnificent panorama at Indian Mounds Park where we made our first stop. This time it was cookies and bars! From here we followed Johnson Pkwy to Lake Phalen and along Wheelock Pkwy to Como Lake where we enjoyed a lakeside rest stop. If you choose to do this ride, this is the stop you don't want to miss as they have the best coffee!  It's provided by Black Bear Crossings, which is one of my favorite places for breakfast when I'm out on a morning ride. We relaxed a bit at Como, enjoyed the coffee, snacks (more cookies) and music then continued on and finished the ride back at St. Thomas.  

We encountered a little rain when leaving Como Park but it quit pretty quick. Once we arrived at St. Thomas were hit with a big downpour.  Val, Tara and I tried to wait it out under a tree, Gordy was already in route to his house but we grew tired of waiting and decided just to ride in the rain. It was really chilly willy but their house is only a couple miles from the University and by the time we arrived the rain had quit.  

We trudged into the house, changed out of our wet clothes then headed to my all time favorite pizza place... you guessed it, Pizza Luce! mmmmmmm I had been thinking of the garlic the entire ride. The food was delicious as always and afterwards I dropped Val and Tara off at their place and drove on home.  This was a very nice ride always one of my favorites. A nice easy casual Sunday morning ride and it was made all the more better by being able to share it with good friends.  

St. Paul Classic

New Saddle, New Helmet

Happy day for me.  Yesterday I was finally able to get out on my mountain bike to check out the new saddle; it is very nice, my butt is happy. Today I picked up my new helmet which matches my bike and then my friend Tara and I went down to Harmon Park for a ride. It was a lot of fun, I had only been there once before so I was not sure what to expect.  Tara had never been there so I had to lead the way. We actually made it through the entire course without getting misplaced.  We had the Park to ourselves, it was great. Oh, wait I take that back we did meet a woman and her dog, and towards the end a guy with his kid crossed paths with us, but we were pretty much done by then. It was a very fun ride, we plan to head back again later this week. The best part is the Park is only about 15/20 minutes from our houses so it's easy to get a ride in after work. 

Tara and I will be doing the Chequamegon Fat Tire race together in a couple weeks. In the mean time we plan to ride as much as possible. I've been feeling a little burnt out lately so I really need to kick it into high gear and start eating better. No more beer until after the race. 

Now I know why I don't have a girlfriend

Ok this is not exactly a bike post but it kinda is.  You see I received a call from a friend earlier in the day and we decided she would come over for beers after work, great, I haven't seen her since before I left for Las Vegas. My bike finally arrived today, after waiting like forever! The UPS driver pulled up as I was working in my front yard at around 1705, YAY, I was so happy and anxious to see how my bike survived. About 2 minutes after my bike arrived I received a call from my friend saying she was on her way and would be here shortly. 

My bike is in it's case, in the living room and I need to run to the liquor store to buy beer. As I come in the back door my friend is coming to the front door.  Hello, how are ya? Come in, we chat, we laugh, we have a nice evening; the entire time I'm thinking about my bike in the case, in the living room, how did it survive?  Is it OK? Is there any damage? I am not a bike fanatic but riding is one thing I can do. My neurologist says it's OK, my physical therapist says it's Ok and most importantly my body says it's Ok. Needless to say riding a bike is very important to me. There was a time when I was told I would not walk, so riding a bike really means a lot to me. I don't have to win any races, I don't have to be the best I just need to be able to do it. So anyway, here I am entertaining a friend of mine and all I can think about is whether my bike survived the trip from Las Vegas or not. At around 2100 she says she needs to go, I'm thinking Yes! I can check on my bike.  No hugs, no kisses, bye see ya later, drive safe. 

I don't think she was at the end of the driveway before I was opening the case and checking on my bike.  Twenty minutes later I had it put back together and on the trainer to see if everything worked.  That is when I realized; this is why I don't have a girlfriend. My last one would have understood, she was a competitive cyclist, don't know if I will find another. Think I will have to add this to the list; must understand the need to ride my bike. 

I know you're all waiting... Yes, my bike survived, it works! 

Bike update

Received a call from UPS this morning; my bike it due to arrive on my doorstep Friday, August 29, 2008 between 8 AM and 7 PM. Let's hope for an 0800 arrival. That's a huge time frame. Oh well, tomorrow's yard work day anyway.

I'm anxious to see how they deliver, if all goes good, I may use them on my next trip as well.  I have a cousin who owns a house in Laughlin, NV and she says I can use the place anytime so I'm thinking a winter bike trip is in order. I've never been to Laughlin but I know from past experience that the desert in the winter is beautiful. Especially when the flowers are blooming.

Where's my bike?

Ok, I dropped my bike off at the UPS store located in the Flamingo hotel, Las Vegas, NV Sunday afternoon. I know, I know I went to the dark side, used the men in brown instead of the USPS but the USPS does not take a package that big.  Besides we have deals with UPS and FedEx, they use us we use them.  Anyway, I dropped the bike off Sunday and it's due to arrive at my house this Friday.  For $20 more I shipped it instead of flying it back home with me and it's insured so if they lose it or break it they pay me and I buy a new road bike. The flight out to Vegas was not bad, I checked in easy enough the only trouble was maneuvering the big case along with my regular suitcase but I managed. And it was much easier to drop it off Sunday at the Flamingo location than to cart it to the Tropicana Hotel then to the airport on Tuesday. I knew once I met up with Rhory and Diane there would be no more bike riding in Las Vegas. 

I just checked the UPS website tonight and my bike is in Commerce City, Co, it's getting the scenic ride home. 

I have the Chequamegon Fat Tire race coming up next month so I need to spend lots of time on my mountain bike.  I only have about 3 weeks to get ready and I am no where near ready for this race.  I bet I gained 10 lbs in Las Vegas, I had high hopes of dropping 5 pounds but it is nearly impossible to eat healthy when you are living in hotels and they give you free beer. The rest of this week will be dedicated to purging my body of all the junk food I ate this past 11 days.  I have a fairly healthy diet and when I deviate from it I pay the price. I am off work until Sunday so that gives me three free days to ride. Damn I could use a trainer, any volunteers????

Better Morning Route

Ahhh, the beauty of an early morning start. There is nothing, well almost nothing I like better than watching the sun rise in the morning. Today I was on my bike before 0600 and cruised East on Flamingo Rd. The traffic was light and I stayed on Flamingo until just before Interstate 515 (93/95) where I caught Annie Oakley Dr. South to Harmon Ave.  I went East on Harmon and had a sweet ride until it ended at Jimmy Durante Blvd.  I followed Jimmy until Tropicana Ave where I turned around and went back to Harmon Ave.  Both Harmon and Jimmy have designated bike lanes.  I followed Harmon West to Mountain Vista St, I turned left (South) on Mountain Vista St. thinking I would catch Hacienda Ave and ride that back. When I got to Tropicana for some reason I thought I had missed Hacienda so I turned West on Tropicana, big mistake!  The traffic was nasty and I don't just mean busy, I had a guy in a white pickup truck try to run me off the road and one woman in a white car intentionally make a right-hand turn in front of me, nearly hitting me. I know she saw me, because I saw her, we made eye contact and she still cut me off, BITCH! As soon as I was able to I turned North to get off Tropicana. I believe it was Sandhill Rd and it also had a designated bike lane. I rode back to Harmon, turned left and stayed on it until Las Vegas Blvd (the Strip). I was a little nervous about riding on The Strip, but what's a trip to Vegas if you don't ride your bike down Las Vegas Blvd? It was actually a great ride down to my hotel. 

When I returned to my room I mapped out a route, which I plan to try tomorrow morning, then it will be time to pack the bike and ship it back home.:(

Las Vegas traffic

Well alright I finally got out on my bike today.  I'm not sure how far I rode but it was fun. I can say people in Vegas are not used to sharing the road with us. I don't think I have been honked at so many times in all the years I have been riding. I jumped on my bike at 0600 trying to avoid the serious heat of the day, after making a few adjustments to my brakes along the way I was off. The route was flat as a pancake the only thing I had to contend with was traffic, the heat and a tiny headwind from the southwest (desert). I have heard the phrase "it's a dry heat" and have used the phrase myself but when you are riding in triple digits it really does not matter whether it is a dry heat or not; it's HOT! I really enjoyed the ride and found two bike routes and plan to explore them more tomorrow. I'm going to try to hit the road a little earlier and watch the sun rise.  

Travel Case

Wednesday instead of mountain biking a few of us went for a road ride, which worked out nicely as I needed help to get my pedals loosened. We met at Penn cycle, went for a ride and afterwards the shop guys loosened my pedals for me. I felt much better after they informed me that it took two of them to loosen the pedals, I'm not as wimpy as I thought. 

Thursday I took my bike apart and packed it in the travel case, a pretty simple process.  I was also able to pack my shoes, tools and a couple accessories into the case. Friday I was off to the airport, this was the first time I had taken my bike on a plane so I was a little nervous about it. I went to the airport early in case it would take longer to get checked in but to my surprise it was simple. When I arrived in Las Vegas I expected to have to pick up the bike up in the area where golf clubs and skis are picked up but no, it came down the carousel shortly after my suit case. The only difficulty I encountered at all was maneuvering both the bike case and my suit case around people and through doorways. 

After arriving at my hotel room it took less than 45 minutes to put the bike back together. I have not had a chance to ride yet as I have had to attend to work business but it looks like Tuesday morning I should be able to get out for a ride.  I spoke with a security guy today and found out the safe places to bike.  Now if we can get the temperature to drop below 100 degrees that would be nice.

OK, I'm off to Map My Ride

Pedals are not fun

I'm leaving Friday to head to Las Vegas for 11 days, yes I know that's a long time to be in Vegas but I have a convention I have to attend and some friends meeting me out there so it's going to be business and pleasure. Anyway, my game plan is to take my road bike with me so I can ride in the early mornings before my meetings start. I have spent the better part of an hour working on my bike, I can take it apart and put it back together again no problem, that is except the damn pedals. I have the proper tools I just don't have the strength to break them loose. I believe if I put the bike up on my trainer and stabilized it I could probably get them off but I wont have my trainer with me in Vegas so I need to get them off and back on again without using it. I guess I'll need to talk with the guys at the bike shop tomorrow and see if they have some tricks of the trade. I'm thinking if I squirt some liquid wrench on them and let 'em sit for the day they should come loose.  Otherwise I'm going to take the bike in and have the guys at the shop break them loose, then I can pack it up and put them back on. If I tighten them, I should be able to get them loose again when I need to pack up and come back.