Lurker no more

[mimitabby]

Hey Anorange, I like your avatar and name!
I live in Seattle and I am a downhill weenie too. ESPECIALLY in the weather we had in Seattle for Chilly Hilly. You might have read that I rode that day too, on the empty burke gilman because everyone else was doing Chilly Hilly.
Anorange, there are lots of other rides that aren't as chaotic as Chilly Hilly. We did Chilly Hilly a couple years ago and had a similar experience. We had to walk up a hill because someone fell down in front of us (on a tandem) there was no way we could get started again, so we walked.
Being a hill weenie on a tandem means threatening the captain (the guy on the front) with his life if he goes too fast.
I've been riding seriously for about 3 years now, and I get better slowly.
When it's not raining, I can go a little faster down hill, but I confess, I am
not riding clipless yet. So you see, we're all in various stages of training.
So maybe if the weather ever improves, we could get together for a ride?
mimi

[chickwhorips]

Welcome and congrats on doing the Chilly Hilly by yourself.

Keep up the good work. don't worry about how fast you went, its the fact that you finished is what counts!

[mimitabby]

come to bike expo and meet us!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Orange....never feel bad because you didn't ride the same speed as others. What counts is that you are riding....and riding at YOUR speed to feel good.

Walk up steep hills, walk down steep hills....it's all the same if you are just in it to enjoy yourself and get fit. Are you a professional racer? No? Then your speed should be the speed that's good for YOU.

I started wearing bifocals (graduated lenses actually) last year all the time 24/7 (as opposed to previously just reading glasses when I was reading). After two months I told DH I just couldn't get used to them, felt off balance all the time. He said hang in there, it'll click. And he was right- after 3 months they became second nature to me and now they feel very natural and I don't have to walk around getting "squinting headaches" anymore. Now I read highway signs far away and can read phone books close up too, like when I was younger. One tip as you are getting used to them- NEVER look down at your feet when you are going down the stairs! ...SCARY!!!

Welcome to TE!!

[Aint Doody]

Anorange--I second Mimitabby's suggestion to come to Bike Expo. I think we've all had rides where for one reason or another we wanted to burst into tears. Then we have the rides where we have to pick the bugs out of our teeth from the huge smiles we've worn.

[velocilex]

Oh, anorange, I'm so envious of your ride (says the woman who is sick sick sick of the trainer). And you did it on your own-- that's something to be commended! As for your road bike-- you'll get used to that fast, flying feeling and love it, I'm sure. And how lucky you are to have some TE ladies nearby that you can go meet!

Congratulations on finishing your ride!

[BeeLady]

anorange - welcome! And congratulations on finishing your ride! In the rain, no less. Its smart not getting up to speed in the rain, at least that's what I say. So good for you for finishing. One day you'lll have as much experience on the hills as those folks flying down them and you still might want to take it conservatively. No harm in that.

I wear progressives, and they work fine for me. Like so many things, experience and Patience, patience, patience are all that's needed.

I almost wrecked a couple of times last week trying to unclip -- the problem was I was wearing tennis shoes and not clipped in ! Kept waiting for the click/release and it didn't happen! I haven't fallen (yet) from being clipped in, but almost went down twice trying to unclip my tennis shoes. Go figure. Got my cycling shoes back on and it is sooooooooo nice - they're second nature to me now.

Good luck and take care. Lauren