Tag: Biking

My Bike Rides.

Damn you rain…

meisajDaily Life

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Looking at the weather last night I knew there was no way I could bike to work today.  It was raining pretty good when I got up.  Thirty minutes later its passed and fine now, but I would have had to bike through that rain and that’s not an option when biking to work.  There aren’t showers at work, and odds are the work clothes I’d bring in my bag would be pretty soaked.

So I’ve put off biking to work until Wednesday.  Wednesday looks like the better day right now. Tuesday looks great too…. but there are OAA’s on Tuesday and its better to not add any stress to that day.  There will also be a meeting after school that may be later than expected.  So Wednesday.  All the same… it should be a great week for biking.  It’s supposed to dry out over the afternoon, high of 63.  Tomorrow no rain and high of 73.  Wednesday no rain and high of 74.  Beyond that, its spring in Ohio and predicting weather out past tomorrow is sketchy, much less 3 days out.

I did get a 30 mile ride in Saturday.  It felt great.  Could have been longer.  I honestly felt great.  However this has been a windy year.  I have no clue why, but there is constant wind.  I don’t remember it from my rides last year.  And I biked away from the lake on my 30 mile ride, but as soon as I turned around there was a constant headwind of 10 – 15 mph.  It was bizarre and frustrating, especially considering how the ride back is subtle uphill and a few big hills.  Headwind makes those bigger hills just unbearable.

But whatever, it still feels good biking.  And no one passed me.  Cause I don’t ever want anyone to pass me when I bike.  I’m a little bit ego centric like that.

Biking to work

meisajDaily Life

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Last year I biked to work several times.

Of course by this time last year the weather had changed to consistently warm and sunny, where as this year it’s been warm and sunny one day, and snowing the next.  I’m not kidding.  This has been a year of bizarre weather in Cleveland.  Last Thursday we set a record for the high temperature.  83 degrees Fahrenheit.  Saturday morning it was snowing when I drove into work.  That’s messed up.  Weekends in particular have been either wet, or really cold limiting the distance riding I could do.

So its been hard to get bike rides in consistently.  I had done at least one 50 mile bike ride at this point last year.  My longest ride has been 18 miles this year.  And I’ve only been biking for three or so weeks.  Which is probably about the same time frame as last year.  But I’m not sure I’m in the same biking shape I was last year.  Although I weigh less than last year and I have a new bike which is driving my enthusiasm.  I just need the weather to catch up with my enthusiasm.

Monday I think is the day.  Sunday night/Monday morning its not supposed to dip below 54 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sunrise is 6:26am – so it’ll be light quickly after I leave.  Only a 10% chance of rain and very slight wind.  In the afternoon it’ll be low 60’s.  Perfect biking day.  So this morning when the 5:30am alarm went off and I couldn’t fall back asleep (I’m certain its vengeance from my brain for trying to sleep more yesterday… see my last post), I was thinking about what it would have to be for me to start biking to work temperature and weather wise, and when I would have to leave.  It is a 24 mile ride to work.  Not that far.  It should really take me 90 minutes or so bike it, and that’s being pretty fair.  That’s 16 miles an hour riding.  Not a crazy pace by any means.  but I would give myself a little less than two hours.  Get up at 5:30am (packed the night before) and hit the road at 5:45am and I should be good.  That gives me 1 hour and 45 minutes to leisurely bike to work.  No problem.

Last year I jump started my biking with a 50 mile ride.  To kind of prove to myself I could.  I don’t need that this year.  But I need to do something that guarantees a longer ride for me.  I think biking to work is it.  And I’m excited about it.  I like that.  Makes me smile.

Three Days til Spring Break

meisajDaily Life

Friday is the start of Spring Break.

The weather forecast is not promising. Saturday and Sunday it’ll be almost 50 degrees (Fahrenheit).  Monday through Wednesday low 40’s and wet.  Thursday through next Sunday it’ll be in the 50’s and wet.

I’ll say it.  A crappy spring break.  I’m not going anywhere for Break.  I was planning on having a Break similar to last years.  Just bike everyday and hope to get close to 200 miles in one week.  However, I won’t get on the bike until it is at least in the mid 40’s.  And not until it’s dry.  I have a new bike waiting to be picked up on layaway, but I’m not going to get it until I can ride it consistently.

Ohhh.. did I tell you I have two dental appointments.  Getting some cavities taken care of (not new cavities mind you, old ones that were filled once and need to have them replaced) and getting a crown on my first root canal (it never had a crown on it).  That’s exciting, in that kind of not really sort of way.

I’ll figure something out.  Damn you mother nature for not cooperating.  Its spring dammit, start acting like it.

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A new bike

meisajDaily Life

My goal is to save enough money to buy a new bike by the end of April.

I’m look at spending between $800 and $1000 on a bike.

That’s slightly less than I saved and spent on Hawaii last year.

I can’t imagine spending that much money on a bike, but I need a new bike, and if I get a new bike I’d like it to be an upgrade, not the same bike.  My current bike is up on the trainer right now, which is where I’d love to leave it.  When I bought the bike I have currently cost me somewhere around the $400 – $500 mark and I’ve had it for ten years.

TEN YEARS.  I don’t think I have much in my possession that I’ve had for ten years, much less used for ten years.  Considering the increasing mileage I’ve put on my bike in the last few years (and hope to keep  increasing) a new is probably required.

I’m debating what kind of bike to get too.  Either a true road bike, or a cyclocross bike.  A cyclocross bike would be ideal for the towpath trail that I’ve done my 50 mile bike rides on.  That trail consists of large portions of crushed gravel paths, which my bike handled surprisingly well this last year.

However a road bike, well, its what I’ve wanted for a while now.  They look amazing, would be fantastic for all of my other rides and it just feels amazing when I get cruising.  Rides through Cleveland, the suburbs, the metro parks, and all the way to work are paved roads that I love to see just how fast I can go.

So I’ve got some thinking to do, some saving to do, and some training to do between now and then.

For now I’ll keep looking at the bikes online and dreaming of the future.

 

 

Another Motivational Post

meisajDaily Life

Or is it another post about lack of motivation.  Its not that I don’t want to exercise.  I enjoy it when I do, and just need to force myself to exercise.

Instead, I came home and crawled in bed at 5 yesterday.  I half slept half read til 7, got out of bed, made some dinner, watched the Sabres lose, and was back in bed around 10:30.  Fast asleep by 11pm.

I don’t know if I would call them visions, maybe just longings.  I swear I’ve closed my eyes and pictured myself 25 miles away on the Tow Path.  25 miles out and turning around in the middle of nowhere for a 25 mile bike ride back.  It just seems ideal.

Last year I used a crazy stupid 50 mile bike ride to jump start my exercising in the Spring.  I was tired and exhausted and had trouble climbing the stairs back up to my apartment (bike on shoulder) afterwards.

But it worked.  I exercised all summer long after that.  I lost over 25 pounds and have kept it off, even without constant exercising.  That’s pretty good.  So when I have visions and longings for another long bike ride, I’m sure its my body telling me it wants get back in that shape.

I think I need winter to be over.

Back in it

meisajDaily Life

Sam and I talked about how I wasn’t exercising as much as I used to.  I still did my push ups and sit ups, but wasn’t biking like I used too.  I figured it was largely because I didn’t have a steady schedule in the evenings after work.

Sam has started school this week though.  That’s a change.  I’m not saying Sam not being here allows me to exercise.  That’s the wrong way to look at it.  Before she was back at class, she didn’t have a schedule, and when I came home we could do whatever we wanted.

Now there is a schedule.  We can’t stay up late, Sam is back at a regular time, and in between when I get home, and when Sam comes home is my time to exercise and get in things I may not have done previously (draw and read).

And simple as that… Monday and Tuesday I have biked 30 minutes each night.