June Riding

[emily_in_nc]

Emily I didn't see your post above earlier. Glad you got the trainer and had a successful first ride. Are you still in NC?

Yes, and will be for some time since I have to get braces on my teeth so will have multiple orthodontist appointments once the process gets started (still working with the oral surgeon for now in elastics and arch bars). Also, my step-father has been diagnosed with Parkinson's so we've been helping my mom wherever we can. Will likely be helping her get their vacation home ready to put on the market this summer, as I don't think my step-father will be able to drive there going forward, and my 82-year old mother doesn't do that drive (narrow, curvy mountain roads).

It's a shame this particular area is so bad for cycling -- most roads are narrow with no shoulders and lots of traffic. No bike paths. There are some so-so roads we have ridden (on previous visits) around my mother's house, so we may take our bikes over and do that once I am ready to ride outside again, but the area around the campground we're staying at (about 20 minutes away from my mom's) is not good at all, unfortunately. There's a very steep, mountainous unpaved road to even get out to anything paved, and then those are very hilly with no shoulder and not bike friendly (loose dogs, traffic, etc.) Not an ideal place to get stuck for an extended period of time, but I'm trying to focus on healing and realizing that this too shall pass.

Here I am on the trainer yesterday -- glad we got it!

[north woods gal]

Emily, I missed your post, too, on getting back in the saddle, so to speak. Good for you. I heartily agree to stay off the roads until you are ready and are in a more bike friendly area, at least. You'll know when the time is right.

Have always found it interesting how some areas can be so bike friendly and others not at all. I don't think it's always by design, though. Sometimes a matter of how the roads are laid out in an area and what kinds of roads. When it's all too the good, bicyclists seem to come and make it their own. In your travels, bet you've seen it all. Will be sure to check with you when in a new area. Get well.

[ny biker]

Looking good, Emily.

(What kind of floor is that in your motorhome?)

[emily_in_nc]

Looking good, Emily.

(What kind of floor is that in your motorhome?)

It's laminate planks, installed either by the previous owner or the dealer. Looked great when we bought the rig, but not as good now. I would not recommend it as the seams pull apart with the motion of driving and weather and the rollers of the slide out put little chips and dings in it, showing white below. I have done quite a bit of research, and what seems to do best with the motion of RVs is the "luxury vinyl planks" that look like wood. I guess they have more give than a hard laminate.

[Pax]

Glad you got in a ride, Emily, and I imagine the trainer was a bit smoother than a road.

That laminate was what was in my folks last Class C, same thing with the separation, mom was very unhappy about because the open grooves held too much dirt. If dad had lived he'd planned on pulling it up and installing vinyl.

[Crankin]

It's 48 degrees and raining.
Is it March?

[ny biker]

70s here with sun and a cool breeze. Cloudy, 60s tomorrow with possible rain. Of course the A/C is on full-blast at work which makes it even worse. I am still bringing the big orange tote bag of extra bike clothes to every ride -- even on the warm days I seem to need an extra layer at some point. We are expecting summer heat and humidity next week, however, so I think the big orange tote bag will finally go into the closet until the fall.

[ny biker]

It's laminate planks, installed either by the previous owner or the dealer. Looked great when we bought the rig, but not as good now. I would not recommend it as the seams pull apart with the motion of driving and weather and the rollers of the slide out put little chips and dings in it, showing white below. I have done quite a bit of research, and what seems to do best with the motion of RVs is the "luxury vinyl planks" that look like wood. I guess they have more give than a hard laminate.

Interesting. I remember at one point we were both considering cork floors. Long story short, I am now looking at LVP for my condo. They have vinyl that looks like tile, also, if you prefer that look.

Sometimes in winter my excuse for being too lazy to set up the indoor trainer is that it takes up too much space in my living room. But I guess if you have room for one in an RV, I can't really use that excuse any more...

And to keep it cycling related,

[emily_in_nc]

Interesting. I remember at one point we were both considering cork floors. Long story short, I am now looking at LVP for my condo. They have vinyl that looks like tile, also, if you prefer that look.

Yes, I was and am still considering cork floors if we redo the floors in our motorhome. It came with these floors. But with my accident, all my extra dollars have been spent on medical/dental stuff, so floors are a year or two down the road, if ever! I still love cork but have gotten so many rec's for LVP in RVs that I would probably lean that way. If I were in a sticks-n-bricks home, cork for sure!

Sometimes in winter my excuse for being too lazy to set up the indoor trainer is that it takes up too much space in my living room. But I guess if you have room for one in an RV, I can't really use that excuse any more...

Oh, we don't have room to keep it set up. It opens and closes, and we just put it in the middle of the floor when in use. When not, it stays folded up and stuck against a wall. Otherwise we would have no place to walk!

[ny biker]

Oh, we don't have room to keep it set up. It opens and closes, and we just put it in the middle of the floor when in use. When not, it stays folded up and stuck against a wall. Otherwise we would have no place to walk!

It's actually not too different for me -- I could leave it set up, but it really takes up too much room, and I have to set it up right by the front door. This is one reason why I don't want or need a big house, but would like just one additional room. If I could leave it set up, I would use it more in the winter, and even would be using it now. And I hear you on the medical expenses -- the bills for treating my ankle are one reason why I'm about to go ahead with the LVP, which is less expensive than engineered hardwood or cork.

Speaking of riding indoors, I rode the stationary recumbent at the gym last night instead of riding outside. I decided that another hill ride would be too much for my ankle, especially since I've started doing some different exercises at PT that are causing a bit of pain. But also the weather was just too cold for June. It was in the 60s, which was entirely do-able and would have seemed great a couple of months ago, but right now I am just not in the mood to play the how-many-layers-do-I-need game.

So I rode for about 35-40 minutes, not sure exactly how long because I paused in the middle and the dumb thing shut off so I had to start the timer again. It was a decent indoor workout. When I finished I tried to stretch my calf muscles but pushing on the pedal with my heel down, which worked fine for the right leg but when I tried with my left leg my foot slipped off and the pedal spun around and hit my shin really hard. I went to the locker room, put my foot in the sink and ran cold water over my leg, but still ended up with a lump. Doh!