Newbie's first long ride!

[Melodylynn]

Hi everyone!
I did it, I bought a new bike last week and made a 27 mile ride yesterday. The best part is I don't feel a bit sore. I guess that means I must be doing something right? :cool: So I will begin my weekday 12 mile rides again and plan for a longer ride this weekend. I hope all of you newbies out there are having a great time too!!!

Melody

[FreshNewbie]

Hi Melody! Congruts on your first long ride. I am also new to biking, and just like you this weekend I did my yet longest ride 30 miles at 15-16 mph on average with few little hills here and there. I am still learning of course, planning to buying clipless pedals when I get the finances together. For now I want to develop that cycling stamina. I didn't feel sore the day after my ride either, but that I guess is due to my weight training and running. But I do feel that I need to develop those cycling muscles//// Good luck with your riding and enjoy every ride

[bikerchick68]

congratulations! 27 miles is a looong ride for someone who got a bike only last week! way to go... :D

my very first ride was 10 miles... when I got home I laid on the couch for 3 hours trying to recover... I would swear one time when I looked out the window the Grim Reaper was standing there too, just in case... :eek: ;)

took me a couple months to work up to 25 mile rides! :)

[newbiechick]

Woohoo!! Good for you!! I know that exhilerated feeling you probably have. This is a great sport, isn't it?

I'm also very impressed ... 27 miles!! My longest ride so far has been 16 miles; I plan to aim for 20 when I'm out next weekend

Happy Riding!

Shelley
aka newbiechick

[drplasma64]

Fantastic, Melody! I'm glad you love your new bike. It must be a good fit too if you're not sore today after 27 miles. I'm glad your quest for the perfect bike ended happily ever after...

[newrider]

Melody, congrats on the new bike and the wonder of riding fast and far! I've had my road bike since June, and it's another piece of the "life is fabulous as you near 50" epoch I am embracing. :cool:

Thanks for sharing your fun. I can relate! Keep smiling! The bugs in your teeth are good for you! :D

[latelatebloomer]

Melody, congratulations on learning to fly. Be proud. Be very proud. :D

[Melodylynn]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement! I love this sport! I have found something that I can actually do with my Fiance and keep up with him now. My body is feeling great and I can't wait until my next riding day. I ride three days a week and do resistence training three days a week. Does any one else do any other types of training other then the cycling?

Melody

[bikerchick68]

melody... I walk and go to the gym to do light weight repetetive lifting for my upper body... but I don't go to the gym as often as I should in the summer, because, well... it's LIGHT out which means I have RIDE time! LOL... I walk mainly to keep my bones strong... for the impact that bicycling does not provide...

[Hill Slug]

Good job Melody!!!!!!! You should be totally fine for that Woodland ride....43 miles - Hah...I laugh at 43!!!! :D

[beckster]

Melody--
Congrats on your progress!
In addition to riding, I try to get in 5 mi walks 4 x a week (currently taking about 80 minutes). I'd like to start some weight-lifting for upper body, but am currently painting rooms and woodwork in my house. All in good time!
While the temperatures are right, I'm hoping to get in some canoeing and or kayaking, which will help get my upper body moving...
Now that the biking has become such a part of my routine, I'm wondering what I'll be doing when the weather becomes yucky!

Beckster

[Melodylynn]

We have a bowflex and when the weather gets yucky I plan on getting a trainer. That way I can still get in my ride. I love my bowflex and the payments are half of the price of the gym membership! Sounds like you are getting an upper body workout already with your house!

Melody

[xeney]

Melody, you will find that there are not too many days here where you can't ride -- we keep talking about getting a trainer and then it never seems worth it, since even in the stormy part of the winter there is usually a nice break at least once a weekend when you can get a ride in. It's actually the early darkness that reduces my riding time in the winter. (I saw in another post that you're from Lincoln; I grew up outside of Lincoln and live in Sacramento now.)

As for other training, at the moment cycling is my "other training" since I am doing more running and weight-training than cycling. I have also been swimming this summer because it has been so hot. Swimming is hard! Much harder than cycling! I had no idea how exhausting it would be.

[betagirl]

Congratulations! Before you know it you'll be doing your first metric century :D Isn't it great to be able to go and go, further every time? Wheeeeee.

[CorsairMac]

Wooohooo Melody!! good on you!! (did you post somewhere What type of bike you got - and pixs? {forgive my menobrain if you did!})

[Melodylynn]

CorsairMac, I bought a Trek 1000. The LBS in Auburn had the only small framed bike in the greater Sacramento area and it was on sale for $519. Needless to say that I bought it before I even rode it! I need to get my Fiance to take pictures of us this week so I will be posting them for all to see! We are taking pics of us doing the things that we like to do and putting them into a large collage for the wedding reception.

Xeney, Yes I was born and raised in Lincoln. I even live in the house that I grew up in. My parents live on the family ranch a few miles out of town. Do you all ever ride in the Lincoln area? We try to ride atleast 3 days a week.

Melody

[xeney]

No, I never go back to Lincoln any more. I grew up out by the airport, on Dowd Road, on twenty acres just south of Wise Road. My parents sold it year before last and it just got rezoned for shopping malls and parking lots.

While I never, ever want to drive past our old place and see a Blockbuster where the old barn used to be, I would really like to do the Tour de Lincoln at some point. We missed it this year but as long as it doesn't go down Dowd Road we will probably do it next year. I think it is a metric century?