Tag: Biking

My Bike Rides.

Upcoming and Ongoing

meisajDaily Life

So a few things are upcoming and ongoing.

  1. School’s almost done (although I’ll be working throughout June)
  2. Running.  Sam has started C25k and as part of that when she goes out for her workout three times a week (right now) I go out for a 20 – 25 minute run.  Running in my Vibram’s feels slower than running in other shoes, but my bunion doesn’t hurt so I’m ok with that.
  3. Bike fixing.  A part of my bike broke off the other day.  So I’m ordering a new part, new cables and wiring it all up myself.  Kind of fun.
  4. Drawing.  Pat asked me to sketch out a few ideas for a logo for a yearly get together with friends he goes to.  It’s fun.
  5. Weekday Vegetarian.  I read a short book on being a vegetarian during the week, and then eating whatever you want on weekends.  It seems interesting, and I like interesting things, and if I can be a vegetarian and still get my buffalo wings on occasion I’ll be happy.
  6. On that front, Reggie is going back to fasting one day a week.  It seems beneficial (at least Reg spouts the benefits… he still needs to send me the research), so I’m thinking of starting that soon.  Again, would be interesting.
  7. Last.fm I’ve switched to Last.FM from Pandora (although I still listen to the comedy station at Pandora).  I just like their recommendations better.  Plus Patrons of Sweet came on.

I’ve been hit!!!

meisajDaily Life

Biking home from work today a van hit me!!

Granted I was only hit on the shoulder, and also got my foot slightly ran over, but I was hit.  And thankfully the mirror was collapsable (one of those ones that can be turned in so as to save space) because I would have been knocked off my bike otherwise.

I’m a pretty “rules of the road” bike rider.  I ride in a bike lane when there is one (and there was one when I got hit) or near to the curb.  I stop when there’s a red light (I do follow the bus lights sometimes, but I consider that following the lights).  I use hand turn signals (really, do you know anyone who does that).  I wear a helmet at all times.  I don’t cut in and out of traffic and I always look both ways at cross sections even if I have the green light.

Today I’m coming down Euclid Ave in Cleveland when a white Ford van strikes me from behind.  Immediately my left shoulder and foot start to ache.  I don’t fall off my bike (or even stop) but am a little shooken up.  I look up to see the van drive off.  He hits the brakes a little hesistantly, keeps going, hits the brakes again a little, keeps going and finally stops at the red light a distance ahead (there was plenty of space to pull over).  So he knows he hit me, but doesn’t pull over.

Near as I can tell he must have swerved in towards me or just wasn’t paying attention.  The mirror struck my shoulder and my foot was dragged under the front tire a little (not under the tire, but the front tire must have hit my foot, and sucked it with it pinching it on its rotation).

I pull up along side him at the red light and he nervously asks if I’m ok.  Which essentially I am, so I say I’m fine.  I do make note of his licence plate as he drives away.

Upon inspection, I have two sharp red bruises (or at least what I assume will turn in bruises rather quickly) going up my left side starting below the should bone and ending up on top of my shoulder.  My foot, other than being red from being pinched, is ok.  It only took a year of biking in Cleveland before a vehicle tried to kill me.  That’s not so bad.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

meisajDaily Life

I’ve jumped on the exercise bandwagon again.  Mostly cause its nice outside, partially because Sarah wants to run together.

So the last four days go as such:

  • Friday: Biked 20 miles (ok, 19), Did 70 pushs up and 70 sit ups
  • Saturday: Ran 2.5 miles (bought new running shoes, Yay!!)
  • Sunday: Ran 2.5 miles (with said new running shoes)
  • Today (Monday): Biked 20 miles (19), Did 70 push ups and 70 sit ups.

Not bad, right?  The biking part is easy because I can bike to work (9 some odd miles each way).  The running part is easy because I just don’t say no when Sarah asks if I want to run.  She’s a little shocked at how I can just up and run and not be exhausted after having not exercised for months.  The “memory pain” as I like to call it, that my legs recall from destroying them running in college seems to be subsiding.

My new morning routine is to get up at 6:10, look outside to see if its raining, check the temperature (that sacred 45 degrees Fahrenheit that it needs to be for me to get on my bike) and use that information to determine whether I get to sleep in for another 20 minutes or not.  The only downside I see to biking right now is that work is out of coffee, and if I bike to work then I have a coffee-free day, and those are awful days.

In the morning…

meisajDaily Life

This morning I got up (reluctantly) at 6 am and checked my bike tire.  It seemed to be in good shape, the rear wheel was still inflated, but seemed to need just a little more air.  Good enough to bike to work on though….

I hopped in the shower and thought about Monday’s biking travesty.  On my way back Monday I got not one, but two flat tires.  I managed to walk my bike back to my apartment (and thankfully it was on my ride home not to work) and then went for a run with Sarah.  I  left the bike alone for a day and finally got to it Tuesday night.

Weirdly enough both tubes had holes in exactly the same spot.  The holes were within millimeters of each other.  It was strange.  So I took a close look at both the rim and the tire itself.  I found no spokes coming through, no nails, thorns, tacks or anything of that sort in the tire.  I felt around the whole inside of the tire to see if there was anything sharp in there and found none.  I then patched both tubes, checked to see that the patches would hold, and put one back in the tire.  I inflated it, put some pressure on it, and it seemed to hold.

After my shower I put a few extra pumps of air in the tire.  It wasn’t bad, the tire just had more give than it should have.  I wheeled the bike to the door, got my shoes on, put some music on the ipod, grabbed my helmet and….. saw that the rear wheel was flat again.  What the hell.

So I’m taking the rear wheel to the bike shop tonight.  I’m just bringing it to work and then straight to the shop.  Although I can’t afford to spend a lot of money on it right now, I just put $350 into my car to have my brakes, rotors and other crap fixed.  Hopefully its nothing too big. Stupid bike.  I ride you to save money (and also stay in shape), not to spend money.

– On a side note, the latest Radiolab podcast describes the bicycle as a perfectly built machine to self torture yourself on.  Or something along those lines.  It made me laugh.

Its Time

meisajDaily Life

I have been saying once it gets above 45 degrees I’ll start biking.  I implied 45 degrees in the morning ( I really don’t want to bike in colder weather than that), however it is supposed to be in the mid-50’s all week this week.

So Mother Nature, here’s the deal.  Next week, on Tuesday, if it (daytime) temperature in the mid-50’s (and not rainy), I’ll bike to work.  Its time.  Or will be soon enough.

Couple things I need to do in preparation:

  • drop bike off for a tune up.  A couple of places around me have 24 hour turn around
  • get biking shorts.  Or shorts in general.  I need some.
  • buy sunglasses.  Mine all broke.
  • ????  I’m sure there is something else I’m forgetting

I’m excited though.  All the construction that I had to bike through last summer and fall is done.  Smooth new roads for this year.  YaY!!!!