boomana

Thanks, Chris. I just set up a ride with two friends tomorrow, both much stronger than I am, so I should get in a good workout and have some fun. I've been riding solo for awhile. It's nice to ride with others. Hoping John and Mike will join me soon. Also, I consider it a good thing I'd learned I can fix a flat by myself. I've practiced before, but not in many months, and never had to actually do it with no one else around. Though I did it in my living room, I feel confident that I could do it on the road now. The Garmin is a bummer. I ordered another since I learned I really missed it when it wasn't on my bike, but damb, I'm hemorrhaging money lately.

I had a rough, short ride today. Started out on my Calfee, but flatted within a quarter mile from my house, so just walked it home, since I was itching to get riding, switched to my Gunnar and started out again. I was fiddling with my garmin while riding, trying to switch it to the Gunnar setting, and flipped it off the stem and out onto Federal Hwy, where it bounced a few times before having an untimely death by car tire. Bah. I said f-it, and kept on riding, but I'd done some brutal core work on Thursday, more than usual, and was really feeling it. I just didn't feel like riding, and was done after 17 miles. I had to get to my last physical therapy appointment anyway. I really need to get in some miles tomorrow, at least 40, since I've a metric century charity ride, next week, so I'm going to rest up and be lazy the rest of today.

Wow, Steve. I'm so sorry.

Feel better, Raffy. Dusty, glad you're job is safe. I got to go home early today due to storms flash flooding. Kinda a double edged thing: glad to be home, but had to cancel my private practice group, and that's an ouch in the pocketbook. Still.....I think I can make a nice evening of the situation

Glad you're getting out there, Brent. I'm betting I would have been walking right along with you. I have bridge repeats scheduled for this weekend. I'm on a train-your-weaknesses plan, which, quite frankly, sucks, but I know I'll like the results. On a good body note, my physical therapy ends Saturday. We spent one month on my bad ankle and another working on my weak hip, and I'm feeling as good and pain free as possible. Starting next week, I'm upping my strength training to five days a week (1/2 hour sessions), and cutting down my riding to two weekdays plus weekends. The goal is to keep that up for three months, then re-evaluate where I'm at, hoping I can then work into more of a maintenance plan. I lost a lot of muscle (not that I had that much to start) in my legs in my downtime, and it's not coming back as quickly as it used to when I was younger. I also have maintained my weight loss without having to really think about things, which pleases me, and though I have ten more pounds to lose, I'm not really working at it, and figure if it comes off, fine, and if it doesn't......f-it.

Nice article http://www.competitivecyclist.com/whats-new/the-art-of-being-hip.483.html

Looks great, Raffy!

Damn, Crappy.

Had a nice bike ride this morning, and a very nice massage and pedicure this afternoon. I like this kind of day.

Done!

Sounds good to me

^ yuck. I did 45 miles this morning. Was going to do 60, but 15-18 mph crosswinds the whole way, not including nasty gusts, got real old real fast, and it wasn't going to change. I stopped for a sandwich about mile 40, but was so close to home, and my legs were already toasty, I just called it a day. Also, I'm not used to having to grip my handlebars, but I was getting blown around so had to, and didn't like that much. On the good front, I met a maybe new cycling buddy, riding a 30-year-old Fuji, at the inlet, and we took some time riding around the side street neighborhoods in Palm Beach, which was fun, but took up too much time. If I count Friday in, I did make my 100 mile goal for the weekend, so I"m going to count Friday in John and Mike.....Raffy?....anyone want to ride next weekend? I'm all alone out here........

I was getting the crosswinds, but you had it worse. It's supposed to as windy or more tomorrow. I'm getting out early in hopes of getting less vs. more. I really don't yet know about when the Kirk will arrive. I haven't yet heard from Joe Bell and don't know how long that wait will be. I'm ballparking anywhere from a month to three months, with two most likely. Let's figure something out re riding. I don't even think I've seen you in months. Maybe John will get his ass out of bed if you say you'll show up.

Nice, Jeff! Glad your hand is healing, Ian. I got in 42 miles this morning. The goal was 50, but I dawdled this morning while waiting for my two potential riding partners to text me back. Since both wimped out (yes, JOHN), I ended up having a glorious ride on my own. Mike's right that the winds were a bit nasty, but not too bad, except the occasional bad gust coming off the ocean when I was in Palm Beach. While being blown about, I was actually getting spritzed by ocean water, despite the water being 50 to 100 yards away, depending on where I was, which was a new experience for me. Leaves were also attacking, flying off the trees and smacking my face in one section, which I've also never had before. That kinda freaked me out. All and all, I felt great. I could have done more, but had physical therapy at 11AM, so rode there and back, with a little lunch stop at Planet Juice on my way home. I'm really happy on how great I'm feeling on the bike since only a few weeks ago, I didn't think I could ride much anymore. I'm going for 60 tomorrow, just to see. I've got a metric century charity ride in two weeks, so I'd like to test things out now before I embarrass myself. My new thing is to ride the Gunnar on Saturdays then switch to the Calfee on Sundays. Between the weight difference and the Enves on the Calfee, I pick up a couple mphs, and feel impressive, however false. Mike, are you on your road bike at all anymore? Is Gail riding? I think it's time we all plan a little bike outing.

It's going to be another couple months, or so I'm guessing. It's in California waiting for paint right now. I don't know how long that wait will be. The weather's been gorgeous the past couple days. Hoping to get in about 80-100 miles this weekend.

Got in a nice ride this morning, about 35 miles. It finally was only breezy out.

I remember the suffefest part, but I probably didn't catch the perfpro bit since I didn't ask the name of the new software we'd been using for the past month until the other day. It's really fun.

Brent, my only concern for you is your bad back, and not yet having enough time on your bike to tweak fitting. I'd hate to see you set yourself back because you pushed yourself too early. Just outta curiosity, have you been doing any rehab/exercises to help get back some strength/flexibility since the surgery? My core was not strong when I first started out, and my form wasn't great because I didn't yet know my own body cues, and my bike also needed small changes here and there. I'd be fine for 10-20 miles, but then fatigue would kick in and my core would kinda collapse, my shoulders would start hunching up, my lower back and neck would suffer, and I'd put too much pressure on my hands as well. It took me two to three months of riding to figure out my form and fitting issues, and it was also a great motivator to get in some serious core strength work, which has helped with everything, on and off the bike. Underneath my fattage, I'm now damn strong and proud of it. I cancelled my Computrainer session this morning, and went back to bed. I've got a workout at the gym this evening, and two rides planned this weekend, so f-it. I actually look forward the Computrainer sessions, since we got the new perfpro software. I'm kinda mad at myself for being lazy, since I love it. I'm using the excuse that my quads have been sore all week, but.......I really just wanted to hang out with my pillow. Chris, you should really check this out. All the people I train with during the week, love it. I'm pretty sure they let you demo before you buy. http://perfprostudio.com/

Thanks, Brent. Here's something maybe interesting for Brooks saddle fans: http://www.bicycletimesmag.com/content/brooks-introducing-new-rubber-and-cotton-saddle

Cool. As for me, I worked out this morning, did the general job, then covered an evening group for a co-worker where I witnessed a mother telling her son (the son is the one in treatment) that if she had to give up alcohol to have a relationship with her son, she'd choose the booze. She didn't even blink. I've worked in this field for 14 years, have heard most everything, and rarely have a personal reaction, but she was so fucking cold and cruel, I was almost willing to lose my job to just punch her out. I'm still pissed.

^ Now Raffy is interested. My DDDs never got me a new bike....oh wait.....wrong letters.....Ken, glad your niece is getting better. Nice CAAD, pigmode! c12mech, that's how I was on Saturday. I got out, but just wasn't feeling it. Was home and happily back in bed after ten miles. Sunday day was completely different story, felt great the whole time out, and I was feeling great doing intervals on Monday. I have no idea why.

Brent, I'm talking about cut, not design.

Although I know I'm in the minority, I'd like there to be a girl option.

Maybe we can recruit Edwood to do a design. Met up with a co-worker for a leisurely, and I mean real leisurely (10-14 mph) 40-mile ride this morning. Just had fun gabbing and riding, stopping for breakfast, and not paying attention to anything but having fun. Nice, but I have to start remembering sunscreen.

If you don't get it, for that price, if it fits, someone here should. Even if the bike show is only your bikes. You still in line for a Firefly, right? Enjoy the ride. Just out of curiosity, why haven't you switched out the pedals? Got it. I'm still just as excited for you!