Newbie weekly achievement thread

[hebe]

Well, my new tights worked, I made it all the way up one of my nemesis hills (singing "Straighten up and fly right" in an effort to keep focussed). I did better on the other one too. It was cold - 41, so I was properly wrapped up, and it was great not to feel the chill.

Can anyone tell me about riding in mud? I was going up a new bridleway which ended up with my wheels making squelching and sucking noises as I went through ankle deep mud and puddles. I headed back when the mud started going uphill as I wasn't sure my comfort bike was up to it, but I do want to head back that way when I have my mountain bike. Any tips would be very welcome.

Today was 6.22miles, top speed of 16mph. I'm just over half-way to my 25mile target for November.

[jelee1311]

Good job! I love that you sing that song going up an evil hill,my hill climbing efforts usually result in four letter words

[Roadtrip]

Hebe - Have you considered a Cross Bike when your ready for your next new boke? Does it have to be a Mountain Bike? Will you be doing trails where your doing stump jumping and that sorta stuff??

Sorry no suggestions on the mud. I'm a little too chicken to try slogging through the slippery stuff

Shannon

[Bike Writer]

Well, my new tights worked, I made it all the way up one of my nemesis hills (singing "Straighten up and fly right" in an effort to keep focussed). I did better on the other one too. It was cold - 41, so I was properly wrapped up, and it was great not to feel the chill.

Can anyone tell me about riding in mud? I was going up a new bridleway which ended up with my wheels making squelching and sucking noises as I went through ankle deep mud and puddles. I headed back when the mud started going uphill as I wasn't sure my comfort bike was up to it, but I do want to head back that way when I have my mountain bike. Any tips would be very welcome.

Today was 6.22miles, top speed of 16mph. I'm just over half-way to my 25mile target for November.

Great job on the hills and mileage goal! It sounds like you are having a lot of fun in the process. I sometimes sing up hills also. One of mine is to the tune of "here we go a caroling" "here I go a pedling - up the hill I go" then it morphs into "row, row, row your boat" "pedal, pedal, pedal - life is what I know". Goofy but it helps, it makes me laugh and not think so hard about the hill.

Riding in mud? Sorry, don't have experience and don't want to, you're brave to traverse it!

[hebe]

Thank you! I did wonder about a cross bike, but they seem quite pricey here and I can get a Specialized Myka for rather less. It's easier to avoid mud than hills, I suppose, and I can talk to the bike shop about the best bike for the type of riding I do. I absolutely love getting away from it all, up a track that has just the odd dogwalker or horserider, and my time fellrunning in the Peak District left me with a deep appreciation of the views that you get after slogging through all that mud and up those hills. Also, as a fairly reluctant exerciser, I found that concentrated hill work brings real benefits to muscle tone and cv fitness, and I'm finding the same with cycling. I'm not sure about getting to technical tracks Roadtrip -maybe in the future, but at the moment my riding time is only in 60-90minute chunks and there aren't any trails close enough to fit in with that. It is something that I'm thinking about for the future though.

There was a lovely hill song posted on here, I can't remember who by , but it went "We are climbing, We are climbing, Yes we are Yes we are, This is not a real hill, This is not a real hill, No it's not, No it's not" (to Frere Jacque).

How are you getting on, Kerry?

[Bike Writer]

16 weeks of riding since I bought my bike and I finished this week with 49 miles and 5 days of riding. We were very fortunate to have a very mild streak of weather all week. I'm not where I want to be with hill climbing but I've improved a lot and my stamina has really grown along with my strength. More importantly the stiffness from arthritis has improved dramatically along with flexibility. I am more flexible now that I ever imagined that I could be.

Wish I could say that my klutziness has improved also but I took my hardest fall yesterday. My elbow met the ground sooner than the rest of me and the momentum jammed my shoulder. I saw stars accompanied by shooting pains, luckily I fell on soft grass. Several good Samarians came by to lend assistance. I am surprised at how little pain I am in today, it's mostly just tender. I'm lucky I didn't dislocate my shoulder.

[jelee1311]

Yesterday my DH went for a ride with me and as usual pushed me hard. I complain but I know its good for me. I was already tired from a pretty fast 15 mile ride the day before and a hard PT workout on my quads. My husband rides a lot and fast,we started out at about 16mph-18mph for about 4 miles with me lagging behind. Then he took me on a road I've never been on before that turned out to be a nice long hill. This was the first hill I've done since being back on the bike and I was worried I was going to hurt my achilles again. I just kept spinning and felt a bit panicky because the hill just kept going. My DH just stayed by me up the whole hill going slow and encouraging me until we got to the top. The view of the lake was amazing. We rode a few more miles then turned around. Going down we got up to 32mph I was so happy!!! I rode with DH for a few more miles then he broke off to do his real hill work out. Heading home I decided my legs felt good and it was such a nice day that I was going to keep going. I rode 20 miles and still had some legs left but I didn't push more baby steps.

[jelee1311]

BIke Writer good job on all that you've accomplished I'm sorry you crashed and I hope you are okay. I'm glad the weather has still permitted you to ride (I read some of your oher posts) and it sounds like you are enloying fall riding.

[hebe]

BW, I'm so sorry about your fall. You've done so much since you started 16weeks ago that it's such a shame to fall towards the end of the reasonable weather. I've enjoyed all your posts and your blog too, and well done on all your health improvements through cycling. That must be so satisying. I wish you a speedy recovery and some good weather so you can get back out on your bike soon!

Wow Jelee, that sounds that a good ride. I am in awe of all these higher speeds and longer distances!

I had a funny old day today. No riding, as my bits are (still) sore from finally getting up that hill on Wednesday. I bought a new reflector for my bike, as my current one is obscured by the super-handy underseat bag, and fitted the reflector myself so was very proud of myself for that. Then I cleaned off most of the mud from the bike, and noticed what seemed to be a huge long crack in the frame. I was gutted, and asked dh to look at it too. He very gently told me that it was a clear piece of protective plastic that was just starting to peel off I was so relieved, I thought I'd broken my bike. He also showed me that my mini pump actually has to be screwed onto the valve in order to work I've always used the floor pump but thought I should probably get the hang of the minipump too.

The really lovely news of the day is that he asked me if I'd like a mountain bike for Christmas . Honestly, you can see my smile from the moon. We are going to the super-nice not-so local LBS next Saturday for me to choose one. He wants to borrow my Marin sometimes, which I think is absolutely fine. He adores the saddle on it.

[Roadtrip]

We got out for a short ride today and ended doing about 5 miles, but some of that was into a 16-18mph headwind that was like climbing a hill! Left me feeling a little like I had Jell-O in my legs. Still adjusting to this new saddle and found myself shifting, trying to find the right position, plus my hands started getting numb-- something I hadn't encountered before. I was trying some new gloves today and may have had the closure too tight, but when we paused to decide if we wanted to continue to push into the wind I noticed "pins and needles" in my pinky/ring fingers on both hands like if I'm sitting wrong and my foot goes to sleep.

Shannon

[Kerry1976]

I have had my bike exactly one month today (just realized that). Today was my first-ever 20 mile ride. Breezy and cool, but sunny and beautiful. YAY!

[Bike Writer]

This is a great thread to read about everyone's accomplishments, milestones etc. Some stories are warm and fuzzy and others are awe-inspiring and encouraging. I'm ok and thank you jelee and hebe for concern.

Hebe you had me cracking up about that plastic tape, I would have had that same sinking feeling had I discovered it.

Congrats and good job to all of us!

[Roadtrip]

BW glad your OK from your spill! Speaking of crashing.. I ALMOST crashed today because I FORGOT to unclip. LOL.

I was approaching a bench and preparing to stop, but also trying to gear down before I got there, so when got to the bench I nearly toppled right over. I tried to put my foot down and realized my foot was still locked to the pedal! I was able to unclip the foot on the side I was now leaning and put my hand down the bench to steady myself instead putting the bike down.

Oh, it was also miserably cold at about 45 degrees with 8-10mph wind... plus my legs were really hurting today. Knees and legs both barking at me today... I guess that's what I get for being off the bike for nearly a week!

Shannon

[jelee1311]

Hebe I'm so happy for you,a new bike how exciting! What a great thing to look forward to. I'm strictly a roadie but maybe next spring.......

[Kerry1976]

Not much new on my end....just passed 100 miles for 5 weeks on my Trek Pure Lowstep. Getting the fever though and wanting a road bike....