Back outside again!

Hey! For anyone still riding inside (BOOOORRRRRRRRIIIIINNNG!)...Get outside! We in Illinois are having a heat wave!...it's supposed to get up to 56 today!!!! WAHOOO! I got out on my 300 lb. hybrid "fluffy" last week to start my hill-climbing/strength training phase and was totally renewed to the whole reason why I love to sail along on my bike (even "fluffy")!...even on hills! My neighbors must think i'm totally nuts going up and down this one big hill by our house, but i'll live with that. My new bike "slick" is being tweeked at the LBS and I can't wait to get out on that!! I've never riden a road bike out in the wild blue yonder (just on my trainer...BORINGGGGGG!).
Spring is in the air so get out there!!!!!!
Happy riding!
gretchen

You are sooo right. It is so good to be back out in the wide open. Roller/trainers are the pits after a few days. So So glad the snow is gone (sorry you snow people out there) and the sun is back and the temps are above frezzing. :D
Dea

I Sooooo hear you!

I dont' even have a "trainer", so I have been stuck all winter. I got out on my bike today for the first time since October!! It was Wooooonderful!

It made me lust after that new bike I want, even MORE:D

I just sold some textbooks, and baby furniture, this weekend, so I have almost half the money raised now!

/starts going thru the house wondering what else she can sell...

I just got back from my first ride outside this spring! well, if you could call it spring (i'm on "spring break", even though it's february). it took me a good 10 miles to warm up (stupidly forgot my inhaler, but i managed okay) and I got passed by a good 6 riders (including a mtn biker! with knobby tires!! :( )
but the ride back home felt soooo good! it's 10 miles out and 10 back. i was pretty slow going out (estimated about 10-15 mph, since i couldn't get the speedometer to work) but i mangaged to get there and back in just over an hour (the same as my "record" this fall) and dang, those hills were bigger than i remembered them being....
what made me smile at everyone i saw: i ran into this guy (as he was passing me on his mtn bike with skinny tires) that i sat next to at a football game last fall (for those of you that don't know, Michigan Stadium seats 112 THOUSAND people, and it had set a record that day) who happened to be a mountain biker (i overheard him and his friend talking about the Iceman, the big race up in Traverse City each November). What are the chances, in a crowd that size, of sitting next to another cyclist, who's from Illinois (like me!), at that!! (it was the UM vs U of IL slaughter, oops, i mean, "game" heh heh)
so, now i'm recovering after a wonderfully long, hot shower, cup of unsweetened, decaf tea, and toasted PB&J and am totally PSYCHED for spring racing and summer touring!!!!!!! woo!
side note: in order to scrape off the "frosh 15" that crept up on me so suddenly this semester, i'm giving up refined sugar (ie: candy -which i have eaten entirely too much of over the past month... chocolate will be the biggest challenge-, sweets in general, white bread/pasta/rice, etc) and caffeine (not a known contributor to weight gain, but still not so good for you) for 40 days. I figure, posting it publicly like this is even better than just telling my roommate (who's response was "suuure you are") and my mom (who was more supportive, albeit probably just as believing, as roomie :p). I have until April 8th (thankfully before my birthday! mmm, cake.). Lets see if i can stick to it! hopefully those hills won't be so daunting with a little less on my hips.... :p

Just went for my first outside ride in a few months. My forehead is smooth again. It felt so good, breathing all that exhaust and watching everything. a goose landed near me and I could see its feet dangling as it came down! They are spreading manure on the fields, even that smelled good. Amazingly, after one hour, my legs were tired. Apprently the stationary bike is nothing compared to the real world!

I did the "first spring ride on pavement" this weekend too. I was also surprised that the pavement was so different from the trainer. All winter I thought I was working so hard!! It was fabulous to be outside again. I put my bike back on the trainer when I got home, but I couldn't make myself get on it after work today. More warm weather, more warm weather, more warm weather...............

Yeah, i knew I'd be too tired to ride after work too. So, I said I was sick and had to go home early. Isn't it a form of sickness to be inside on a warm, dry day? Got in my ride and had time to meet the schoolbus and make dinner. Work should only last about 4 hrs a day. Otherwise it messes with life.

Great. Now I feel guilty because I was too lazy to get on my bike tonight. With my luck, I'd say I was sick and then pass my boss on the bike trail that afternoon! Too risky. I will for sure be on the trainer tomorrow night though, after being humiliated tonight ! :)