Miscellaneous ramblings...

[Dirt Girl]

I've been lurking, not posting, for a while. Spending that free time on the new bike! :D

And oh, how I like it. For those of you who didn't see my new bike, you can see it in the "Great Road Bike Search" thread at:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=2066&page=2&pp=15

Everyone who kept telling me I'd like it was right. It's a different kind of ride from my mountain biking, but wow, I actually looked around and saw the river without stopping. With mountain biking I'm so focused on the trail that most other thoughts are pushed out of my head. There is a relaxation with the road bike that is quite soothing. Only 103 miles on the new bike and still trying to find the perfect saddle, but "the dark side," as I used to call road riding, isn't so dark after all.

Finally got out on my mountain bike last weekend and did surprisingly well on the 20-minute climb (could that road riding spin be helping me already?!). With my medical downtime earlier this year, I was a bit nervous about getting out again. I cleaned the technical spots, ended the ride with a huge smile and confirmed that I LOVE THE DIRT!

It's soooo nice to have a bunch of gals to bike chat with! I just got off the phone with a friend who turned 40 earlier this week. She has a 2-year-old and a life much different from mine, in a state across the country from mine. Mention of my new bike went right over her head. Oh well. She doesn't get dogs either.

Dog + bikes = Life is Good!

[Jo-n-NY]

Dirtgirl,
Congratulations and I am glad to hear you are happy with the bike you chose. It is a beaut.

I do like road biking much better than mtb for the reason you mentioned. Yes, you get to see and pay attention to all that is around you. I find with mtb I have to constantly be thinking and alert, the mind cannot wonder. But is just me. I like mtb for a switch in biking.

Having to be constantly alert might make for no boring rides, however. Continue to enjoy your bike and I hope you find a saddle that your are more comfortable with.

~JoAnn

[LBTC]

dirt girl, I'm quite jealous! The recent snow and the frost that's still barfing out of the trails mean no mountain biking this weekend for sure. It's so hard to be patient at this time of year!! :eek: I'm waiting for DH to get home and then we'll do a nice road ride....

I have a scar on my shin that is my reminder that when I am riding a trail I am only to think about the trail! I think it's what I LOVE about mountain biking. There's no room to be thinking about other things, and that makes my brain quieter....until I get to that crazy section and then it screams real loud! hahahaha Road riding is still a struggle to me. Could be because our roads are so rough and so dirty and the cars don't have a clue what to do when they see a bike. That said, It does make me a better mtb er and it drops the pounds and that soft layer that hides my musculature during the off season....so it's definitely a GOOD thing. :p

Happy riding!!

Namaste,
~T~

[CorsairMac]

Congrats DG! Having never tried mtb'ng I have no basis for comparison, but I Love road riding. Especially here in my city where we have some Awesome bike trails. Now if I can just beat this sinus infection/cough - I'll be out riding to!! til then, ride For me! :D

[emily_in_nc]

Everyone who kept telling me I'd like it was right. It's a different kind of ride from my mountain biking, but wow, I actually looked around and saw the river without stopping. With mountain biking I'm so focused on the trail that most other thoughts are pushed out of my head. There is a relaxation with the road bike that is quite soothing. Only 103 miles on the new bike and still trying to find the perfect saddle, but "the dark side," as I used to call road riding, isn't so dark after all.


That's funny :D! As a confirmed roadie, I just got my first MTB. No less than three MTB riders have welcomed me to the "dark side"! :cool: Guess it all depends on perspective!

And yeah, I was just talking with my manager today (one of the ones who welcomed me to the DS) about how with road riding, you can think about a million other things. That can be good or bad - you can think creatively and freely, trouble shoot and problem solve, plan, etc., but you can also worry and obsess about things that take away from your enjoyment of the ride. With mountain biking, it's totally zen; I can't think about anything else than staying on the trail, missing the rocks, trees, getting over the roots, etc. All other thoughts are of necessity pushed out of my mind. This being in the moment can be a very good thing, but it does take a tremendous amount of concentration and energy. I am so spent after just 30-45 minutes of singletrack; as much as 90-120 minutes on the road!

Emily

[Crankin]

It's soooo nice to have a bunch of gals to bike chat with! I just got off the phone with a friend who turned 40 earlier this week. She has a 2-year-old and a life much different from mine, in a state across the country from mine. Mention of my new bike went right over her head. Oh well. She doesn't get dogs either.

Dog + bikes = Life is Good![/QUOTE]

I agree! My friends who don't ride (in fact they are totally sedentary) think my husband and I are crazy. I could easily stop calling them, but it seems rather immature of me to do this, at age 51. We have become friends with another couple who rides and have many other similiar interests.

On the other subject, I just started mountain biking last fall. It is different and for me takes total concentration. In fact, it scares me to death, but afterward, I feel like I have really accomplished something. I need to get better, though and it looks like the trails around here won't be clear and semi-dry until late April. I wouldn't say I totally relax or zone out on the road, it's just a different feeling. I think it's good to do both. I don't think mountain biking will ever be the focus that road cycling is for me, but it teaches different skills and extends the season by at least a month because you can mountain bike up through December even here in New England.

[emily_in_nc]

I agree! My friends who don't ride (in fact they are totally sedentary) think my husband and I are crazy. I could easily stop calling them, but it seems rather immature of me to do this, at age 51. We have become friends with another couple who rides and have many other similiar interests.

Totally totally agree and understand! Many of our friends just don't get hubby and me either. We also just bought touring kayaks, which puts us even more "out there" among our longer-time friends. I wouldn't say our friends are sedentary, but they spend all their leisure time working on their yard and houses. They walk, but don't do any serious exercise. My husband I and lift, road ride (including organized centuries and events, club rides, etc), hike, bike tour, travel, and just recently got mountain bikes and kayaks. VERY different lifestyle! Fortunately, we've also made new friends through our bike club that totally get it.


On the other subject, I just started mountain biking last fall. It is different and for me takes total concentration. In fact, it scares me to death, but afterward, I feel like I have really accomplished something. I need to get better, though and it looks like the trails around here won't be clear and semi-dry until late April. I wouldn't say I totally relax or zone out on the road, it's just a different feeling. I think it's good to do both. I don't think mountain biking will ever be the focus that road cycling is for me, but it teaches different skills and extends the season by at least a month because you can mountain bike up through December even here in New England.

Once again, I agree totally! I find mountain biking very tough and a bit scary - definitely an adrenaline rush. I can't do it for long, but I do feel that it is great for fitness (upper body as well as lower), balance, and bike handling skills. We live on 11 acres of woods, into which my husband has put in over a mile of trails, so we can mtb right out from our door, where it takes awhile to get out to the road (just the opposite of most people!) since we live down a long gravel road we can't ride our road bikes on. It's nice to have a close place for a workout when one has less than an hour to ride (say, after work). I also like it because I can do it when it's too chilly or windy to ride the road. I get so hot mountain biking that I can manage it at much cooler temps.

Emily

[Dirt Girl]

dirt girl, I'm quite jealous! The recent snow and the frost that's still barfing out of the trails mean no mountain biking this weekend for sure. ... Road riding is still a struggle to me. Could be because our roads are so rough and so dirty and the cars don't have a clue what to do when they see a bike.

Don't be jealous. If we get all the rain that's predicted I won't be out much in the next couple of weeks. Our area really needs the moisture, though, with the particularly warm winter we had.

Traffic makes me nervous. I'm tending to stay on the river trails for now with no worries of motorized vehicles. I do brave a busy road once in a while because it gets me to the not-so-busy ones!

[Dirt Girl]

[QUOTE=CorsairMacNow if I can just beat this sinus infection/cough - I'll be out riding to!! til then, ride For me! :D[/QUOTE]

Oooo, I hate sinus infections. I hope you get over it soon!

[bikerchic]

Dirt Girl congrats on the new bike, she's a beauty and I'm sure you will have many enjoyable miles on her! Road riding is a smell the roses kinda riding as you've found out, enjoy!

I too have been lurking mostly on my bike forums but unlike you I've been doing no riding. I don't know if it's been the weather or I'm just too tired from working but I've seemed to lost the passion. I haven't even gotten a pang of inspiration for riding when looking at my bike lately which is odd for me I usually at least feel some guilt. :(

I have decided to make the effort and am planning to air up my tires, lube my chain, get all my gear ready and first sunny day get out and ride! Even if it's just a short jaunt around the hood......I'm sure one ride will lead to another and so on......

I'll let you know how it goes but for now I'm going to get busy doing the things that should put a spark back into my passion because right now I get an empty feeling thinking about riding and at this point wonder if I'll even remember how to clip in and pedal......sigh.

[Crankin]

Emily,

You are lucky to have your own private trails! I live very near lots of town owned trails, so it's not a hassle to get to them. I just ordered a bike rack for my car, so i can go to some group mountain bike rides later this summer.
You sound a lot like me. We also bought a canoe a couple of years ago and try to use it a few times during the summer. We just do flatwater stuff, but there's a lot of that around here. We also hike, walk, lift, etc. Last year we joined the Appalachian Mt. Club and that's where we met our cycling friends. Next week we are starting a course to get certified as leaders for the club, so we can lead rides and local walks/hikes. I like riding with this group because it's non-competitive. Secretly, I like it, because I'm usually a better rider than the people my age and quite a few of the others. But, it's more social and it helps you enjoy cycling for the right reasons. I found that even when i was a fitness instructor a few years ago, most of my friends thought I was nuts, even though they participated in some of the same activities.

[Dirt Girl]

We live on 11 acres of woods, into which my husband has put in over a mile of trails, so we can mtb right out from our door, where it takes awhile to get out to the road (just the opposite of most people!) since we live down a long gravel road we can't ride our road bikes on. It's nice to have a close place for a workout when one has less than an hour to ride (say, after work). I also like it because I can do it when it's too chilly or windy to ride the road. I get so hot mountain biking that I can manage it at much cooler temps.
Emily

WOW! Your very own singletrack. Lucky you!! We have a 6-mile loop with the trailhead one mile up the road from us, but it's not something I want to do all the time. It's tons of climbing and very technical in some sections. I've never done the entire loop alone as the consequences of getting hurt are too great. The views are awesome, though. (See pic.) I'd love to see pictures of your singletrack if you have some.

I, too, am liking the option of road vs. mtb depending on the weather. I had planned on road last Friday and ended up on the mtb since the weather took a turn. Glad I went as it's been raining for the past two days! And I overdressed as usual and had to strip a layer at the top of a climb. Ride time was 1.5 hours but with all the climbing involved, I only covered 9 miles. You're right--it's much easier to get in the miles on a road bike!

[Dirt Girl]

I too have been lurking mostly on my bike forums but unlike you I've been doing no riding. I don't know if it's been the weather or I'm just too tired from working but I've seemed to lost the passion. I haven't even gotten a pang of inspiration for riding when looking at my bike lately which is odd for me I usually at least feel some guilt. :(

I have decided to make the effort and am planning to air up my tires, lube my chain, get all my gear ready and first sunny day get out and ride! Even if it's just a short jaunt around the hood......I'm sure one ride will lead to another and so on......

I'll let you know how it goes but for now I'm going to get busy doing the things that should put a spark back into my passion because right now I get an empty feeling thinking about riding and at this point wonder if I'll even remember how to clip in and pedal......sigh.

bikerchic,
I've had the same feeling before, but 99% of the time if I just get out there and start riding it all kicks into gear and feels good again. Don't give up! Hang in there and let us know when you're able to get out!

[Pedal Wench]

since we live down a long gravel road we can't ride our road bikes on.

Emily

Emily, my BF and I are looking at some houses on dirt roads - but we're thinking that we need to rule them out because we can't ride our bikes. I never really thought about it, but is it insane to rule out ideal houses because we want to ride out from our front door? Does anyone else have any ideas on dirt roads and long driveways?

(I actually thought about building a little shed at the end of the road. We ride out on our MTB's to the shed, where we switch to our road bikes, ride on the roads, come back, put the road bikes in the shed and ride the MTB's home. Great, but the thought of leaving my precious baby road bike out all alone in a shed ruled out that idea!)

[LBTC]

Audio-A...I think the shed idea is great. A rider on your house insurance is pretty affordable to insure your bikes for what they are really worth, with no or a small deductible. Hey, I know it would still be a pain in the heart if something happened to it, but it's a bit of reassurance...and if the house is great....I mean, there is more to life than biking :rolleyes:
hahahahaha That was sarcasm!

Namaste,
~T~

[Biking Chick]

Everyone who kept telling me I'd like it was right. It's a different kind of ride from my mountain biking, but wow, I actually looked around and saw the river without stopping. With mountain biking I'm so focused on the trail that most other thoughts are pushed out of my head. There is a relaxation with the road bike that is quite soothing. <snip> Mention of my new bike went right over her head. Oh well. She doesn't get dogs either.

Dog + bikes = Life is Good!

Congratulations DG - I hope you'll entertain the thought of participating in an organized ride sometime during the year. While you are sure to see some of the diehard roadies who use the organized rides to practice their drafting, passing and energy sucking skills :rolleyes: you'll meet a lot of great people who, like me, have discovered that there is a real zen in road biking.

Being a Dog Mom I can relate to the not getting the dog thing ... I realize not everyone likes dogs and even more don't love dogs enough to make them one of their passions in life :::standing up raising my hand::: and there are a few of my friends who I love dearly but have to watch for the telltale deer in the headlights look when I start sharing the latest antics of our dogs.

I hope you find a saddle that you are comfortable with - I hope you'll let us know when you find it!

[Biking Chick]

I agree! My friends who don't ride (in fact they are totally sedentary) think my husband and I are crazy. I could easily stop calling them, but it seems rather immature of me to do this, at age 51. We have become friends with another couple who rides and have many other similiar interests.

I can relate! There are friends of ours who don't understand our passion for cycling and quickly change the subject if we share either an new route we've ridden or our newest cycling purchase. Especially the friends who don't understand biking AT ALL - they really think we're nuts and cannot fathom the 'need' for owning more than one bike! For the most part the people that we love to spend time with have come to really embrace our passion for cycling and being outdoors.

This thread brought to mind a couple of my favorites 'quotes' from friends ....

So you and Al are still into biking?

You actually LIKE getting all sweaty?

I couldn't do that (bike) - I would never be able to figure out that shifting bit.

Aren't you afraid you'll get lost?

I thought you said you took your cell phone with you on your bike rides. I tried to call you but all I got was your voice mail - don't you leave your phone on when you ride?

I'd love to ride with you if you promise to only go for a couple of miles or How long will it take us to bike two miles?

Don't those biking shorts make your butt look bigger?

A message on my answering machine: Hi Cindy - I just looked at my outside thermometer and see that it's above 35 degrees. You are probably out on your bike. Give me a call when you get home and thaw out.

[alison_in_oh]

Emily, my BF and I are looking at some houses on dirt roads - but we're thinking that we need to rule them out because we can't ride our bikes. I never really thought about it, but is it insane to rule out ideal houses because we want to ride out from our front door? Does anyone else have any ideas on dirt roads and long driveways?

I've never had a problem riding my road bike on dirt or gravel. You have to go pretty slow and watch out for really bad obstacles/huge rocks, but otherwise no sweat. We lived on a gravel road for two years and my in-laws live at the back of a long dirt road with a long dirt driveway...hasn't yet stopped my DH from taking daily rides when we visit them, and even I have taken a little spin or two while there. :)

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, my BF and I are looking at some houses on dirt roads - but we're thinking that we need to rule them out because we can't ride our bikes. I never really thought about it, but is it insane to rule out ideal houses because we want to ride out from our front door? Does anyone else have any ideas on dirt roads and long driveways?

I don't think it's insane AT ALL. In fact, if we had been riding a lot when we built our current house (we weren't - I had a hybrid and hadn't ridden in ages), we would never have built it where we did. Our property is gorgeous (woods, very secluded), we have nice neighbors, it's quiet, so it's certainly not worth moving now (especially since we have the single track on our property now!) ~ but....if I were to look for a new house today, I would insist on it being on a paved road (and pave my driveway too, if it wasn't.) In exchange for putting up with gravel, we have a gorgeous rural area to ride our road bikes in; it's just getting to it that's an issue! We either walk our bikes down to the main road or drive and park down there if time is very short.

The shed idea is interesting, but I couldn't build one at the end of the road since I don't own property there. At the end of my driveway, maybe, but I too would be worried about security, and since the road isn't paved either, it wouldn't buy me anything. Good luck!

Emily

[emily_in_nc]

WOW! Your very own singletrack. Lucky you!! We have a 6-mile loop with the trailhead one mile up the road from us, but it's not something I want to do all the time. It's tons of climbing and very technical in some sections. I've never done the entire loop alone as the consequences of getting hurt are too great. The views are awesome, though. (See pic.) I'd love to see pictures of your singletrack if you have some.

Hi Dirt Girl ~ Yep, I feel very lucky! However, pictures would not be very impressive, I don't think (especially now, before the leaves are on the trees here in NC) - just lots of brown tree trunks and brown leaves on the ground and a little trail running along. It's nothing like that gorgeous view you posted. It's all hardwood forest, tons of trees, no real views at all. It's going to look very different once the leaves are out and there is green everywhere!

Emily

[Dirt Girl]

Hi Dirt Girl ~ Yep, I feel very lucky! However, pictures would not be very impressive, I don't think (especially now, before the leaves are on the trees here in NC) - just lots of brown tree trunks and brown leaves on the ground and a little trail running along. It's nothing like that gorgeous view you posted. It's all hardwood forest, tons of trees, no real views at all. It's going to look very different once the leaves are out and there is green everywhere!

Emily,I used to think "just lots of brown tree trunks and brown leaves on the ground" wasn't very impressive either. A long-ago art class instructor opened my eyes to the beauty and design in all seasons. Instead of thinking "plain old branches" try to see the design Mother Nature has created with them before they get covered up with leaves! Ummmm, hardwood forest and tons of trees. Sounds like heaven to me. I grew up in Cincinnati and miss the deciduous trees and forests. Especially in the autumn. Not enough to trade it in for my current low humidity, few mosquitoes and mountains, though. Brown or green, I'd love to see it both ways. Singletrack is good no matter how you slice it!

[LBTC]

Good one, dirt girl! I was thinking the same thing....both nature's design....and the design of the singletrack winding through those brown trunks and branches - both sound stunning to me!! :) please take a picture for us Emily?? please!!
:)

Namaste,
~T~

[CorsairMac]

Just my .03 worth - read a journal someone wrote after following Lance Armstrong on a training ride and the two things that stuck the most with me were: Lance spends time every ride riding with no hands (is that the right term), and he rides on every type of surface including dirt/gravel. When he was asked about both quirks his answer was - anything he could do to improve his bike handling skills and his balance made him a better rider when in a race situation. (think Lance riding across the plowed field during that horrible crash in the TdF few years back)
While not a racer - it made me realize that that was an excellent premise to ride by, that way a clutch situation becomes "just another type of ride". So why not ride your road bike on the dirt road.......it could just improve your handling skills if your road bike ever ends up in dirt during a "situation".
As for buying a house to suit your riding?.....why not - it's as much an important part of your life as anything else you're using for your house buying criteria!

[emily_in_nc]

So why not ride your road bike on the dirt road.......it could just improve your handling skills if your road bike ever ends up in dirt during a "situation".

Actually, I do ride my touring bike (1.35" tires) on the gravel road, but I can't bear to ride my carbon-fiber Aegis on it with 23c tires. It's too easy to flat with all that stone, and I hear rocks hitting and pinging on my pretty frame - just can't go there! :eek:

Emily

[emily_in_nc]

I'll try to take a photo when it's light and sunny, gals - will post it when I take it. I do think it's very pretty in the woods whatever the season (am partial to spring leaves and fall color, myself; we'll have the beginnings of spring green very soon here....) :)

Emily

[emily_in_nc]

Okay, here they are - I took a quick ride tonight after work and snapped a few. Hope you can see the trail - I reduced the photos so they wouldn't be so huge. It will look very different in a month or so when there are green leaves everywhere! The second picture shows one of the entrances to the trail by the daffodils - our gravel road is off to the right.

http://home.mebtel.net/~emilys7/trail1.JPG

http://home.mebtel.net/~emilys7/trail2.JPG

http://home.mebtel.net/~emilys7/trail3.JPG

http://home.mebtel.net/~emilys7/trail4.JPG

Emily

[SadieKate]

Nice! I love the skeletons of the trees and the daffodils together. This looks like one of those places you want to ride every few days just to watch it change.

[Jo-n-NY]

Emily,

Your land is just lovely. Thanks so much for sharing.

~ JoAnn

[Veronica]

I'm envious - single track right outside your door! I like riding through the trees.

V.

[nuthatch]

Absolutely beautiful! I'm ready to move! :D

[Dirt Girl]

Emily, thanks for the photos! They are wonderful! More please when it's all green??!! Think about all of us as you ride through that personal paradise.

[emily_in_nc]

I'll take more when it's green - it's a completely different woods then. It is nice, and I am very lucky, I know it! :)

Glad you enjoyed...

Emily

[CorsairMac]

Amazing photos ma'am! and I'm betting the woods are just as awesome to ride as they are too see. Thanks for sharing

[LBTC]

Emily I love your pictures!! What beautiful scenery and the trail just calls to me.....ride me....c'mon on! lucky girl!! our trails are kind of just across the street and kind of not very far in most directions....but they're muddy with frost coming out right now...not quite ready for riding. :rolleyes: soon, very soon.....

dreamin....

namaste,
~T~