August 14 rides

[mtkitchn]

Well, I've been off the bike for a full month....Last time I rode, I did a century on July 14. Got up this morning and hopped on the bike, did a flat ride for 30 minutes and it almost killed me! Holy cow, does one get out of shape fast! It might also be the overindulgence of fatty foods and wine for the past two weeks on vacation, but I was doggone disappointed in myself! Oh well, I'm glad I got back on the bike. Hopefully it will go better tomorrow.

[Tater]

Fifty-one cool degrees on the way in and rather dark to boot! I might have to upgrade my headlight. Here's hoping the smoke isn't too bad in the valley for the ride home. Yesterday was terrible!

[tulip]

One of my fastest commutes despite (or thanks to?) my long ride on Saturday. I went through Capitol Hill and right next to the Capitol.

[Geonz]

I tend to have a fast day after a hard ride and a day off, too :-)

Cruised in slowly because I successfully changed TWO TIRES last night all by myself int he living room. Front one had a flat (that other downside of bike paths- glass and debris!) which at least had been a slow leak, and the back one... oh, fear and trepidation, the tire was dinged up and I have never put a new *tire* on this wheel, much less a "folding" tire that looks all flat and spread out like there's just no way it's gong to make itself into a tire shape! Will it be the nice easy job that the previous wheel was?
My fears were assuaged when I went to remove the existing tire (not folding), and had to squeeze around to get that little "lip" away from the rim. Aha! That's why even on a hybrid these things say I can inflate to 120 lbs.
LESSON LEARNED: During the first part of getting that tire around the rim, don't use up your thumbs. Wrists will do for the easy part, then you won't wear as much skin off your thumbs doing the last stretch. I'll know that next time I was following the directions in "Anybody's Bike Book," which instructed me to persevere and to only throw wrenches, not the tire, and that I should go have a beer once I was done, before I inflated the tire. Good thing there was a beer in the fridge or I couldn't have finished, eh?
My thumbs are sore but oh, that new tire looks nice!
And... they're BAAAACK!!!!! Maybe it was just faculty/staff, but this college town is getting back to "in season" traffic. Many more people-units out there...

[yellow]

Geonz, they're back here too. I usually ride through the University to get to wherever else I'm riding and I've noticed an increase in iPod impaired kids on foot and on bikes. I did a test with one of them this morning. She didn't hear me say good morning or tell her that I was passing on the left. *sigh* Time to turn the awareness meter up a notch.

I finally popped over 3k for the year today (outdoor miles). Sure feels like I've ridden a lot more than that.

[SadieKate]

Yeah, she knocked me down a notch on my bikejournal ranking. Oh, the indignity! The insult! My self-worth is in the gutter. I might as well give up cycling.

[makbike]

I decided not to ride to work today, I let the weatherman psych me out for he was calling for rain this afternoon. I found myself riding home in the rain last Thursday and Friday and decided I was not interested in getting wet this afternoon. Guess what it did not rain so when I got home from school I quickly changed clothes and set out on a recovery ride (16 miles). My legs are quite tired after the century yesterday but I found the same rhythm I settled into yesterday and boy did it feel good. It felt so good to be on bike and I enjoyed my short ride this afternoon. I found myself reflecting on my ride yesterday and looking forward to my next century and wishing I did not have to work a second job for it is interferring with my riding. It has been a fabulous 24 hours.