Newbie's first long ride!

[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 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?