Newbie weekly achievement thread

[Bike Writer]

cyclinginmd - Welcome!

Boy there are lots of great rides continuing to go on, thanks for the photos hebe. You have the "right stuff" for cycling.

I have no accomplishment to announce. There was a small window of opportunity with a very warm day (47 around these parts in the winter is very warm) but it rained quite hard for most of that. I had a one hour rain free period in there but my bike is still in the shop. Boo.

[FunSize]

Since i now work in retail with my new glorious job of answering phones at a best buy there wasn't a whole lot of riding for the past 2 and a half months. Which made me very sad, since i like being active.

I did however go out for a ride on my day off. It was almost 60 degrees outside! My bf had bought be a nice long-sleeve craft jersey for Christmas with wind blocking panels so i was excited to try it on and use it. Even though I hadn't been on my bike much (twice on my trainer before this outing) I felt pretty good. Though i was not very fast, avg 13 mph.

The only interesting thing that happened on my ride was that I got into a higher gear to sprint past 3 slow going guys... narrowly missing the oncoming path goers. (it was clear when i decided to pass). I weaved to the right and back left to pass another guy on a bike who, even though I yelled out to him, tried to pass the same person on the right. So, because he didn't see me he almost sideswiped me! So... i guess i just felt proud that I didn't lose control of my bike! Didn't even wobble!

I feel a little guilty about being reckless on the bike path, but... hey... i didn't hit anyone!

[hebe]

Congratulations on the new job, Funsize, there's not much out there at the moment. How lovely to get out on your day off, and well done on the wobble-free passing! I'd love to have an average speed of 13mph, but don't think that will happen on any of the off-road rides I do at the moment.

Kerry, great stuff on a solo tyre change, did you repair the puncture or replace the tube? I think this has to be one of my nursery-morning tasks, especially now that I can learn on the comfort bike.

BikeWriter, at least your bike is in the shop during the worst of the weather. After January, February is a nice short month and then March is almost spring (not that I'm wishing away the year at all!)

Thanks everyone for all the lovely comments. My asthma seems a bit better today so I think the exercise helped. I just love off-road riding, it gives me time on my own and a mind completely cleared of errands, family stuff and so on. I'm feeling it a bit today in the very tops of my arms and my quads, but thankfully the new saddle seems to be a huge improvement. It's been snowing again this morning so I'm very happy I got out yesterday.

[Kerry1976]

Kerry, great stuff on a solo tyre change, did you repair the puncture or replace the tube? I think this has to be one of my nursery-morning tasks, especially now that I can learn on the comfort bike.

I replaced the tube!

[hebe]

Excellent!

I took the saddle (still on the seatpost) from my Marin to the lbs yesterday and asked for something like the Sonoma that's on my Spesh. I came out with another Sonoma that was fitted on the seatpost while I waited. I put it on the bike today and finally worked out how to adjust the tilt of the saddle It was pouring with rain so I didn't get out to test it, and there is snow forecast again for tomorrow, but hopefully I'll get out on one of the bikes on Saturday or Sunday. I need to work out if I can live with the original plastic pedals from the Spesh, that are now on the Marin. I didn't think I liked them, but I had normal shoes on today and they didn't seem too bad for a bike that will only be gently off-roading.

I'm also hoping to go on this: a novice ride that's coming up at the beginning of February. I need to get my mileage up a bit through January. but that should be do-able. I'm hoping to go on one of their ladies days later in the year too, sadly I can't make the one this weekend.

[hebe]

I've bought a metal basket for the front of the Marin, so I can use it for shopping and start getting my mileage up that way. I was catching my feet on the panniers

[Roadtrip]

Had a friend over for dinner so, Christmas Tree came down and after dinner I drug out the trainer, which is now in it's place. I got on for a quick look-see to make sure things were right and before I knew it I had done 4 miles in about 15 minutes. Put new Brooks saddle on the bike, so tonight I'll give it a go and give it a real test run, this time without three glasses of wine in me!! Defiantly out of the norm for me, but hey, live once in a while right?

Shannon