June rides, summer begins

[north woods gal]

You're right about following the doctor's orders, of course. Just my nature to push things. Not to worry, though, my husband is a stickler for following the rules. He'll keep me in line.

Speaking of the hubby, he did help me tear down my newly installed jump I had built just prior to the accident. It wasn't a very steep platform - just enough to get both wheels off the ground - but it's gone, now. Getting both wheels off the ground in mountain biking is one measure of expertise. It's kind of the entry level for an expert rating. Now that I've done it, I'll call it quits and just say I'm retired from doing the trick stuff. No more boulder riding or log hoping or kamikaze downhill runs, either. Both wheels on the ground at all times from now on and speeds kept under control. Doing the trick stuff is fun, but I still find trail riding to be fun and challenging with out the tricks, not to mention jumps and hops are hard on the bikes. Did trail riding for years without doing trick riding. It's still risky enough without the tricks. Just too damn old, now, to have another accident like this one. If I expect to keep riding into my last years, I'm going to have to make changes.

To that end, I am closing my trails to bikes with tires less than 3" in width for the sake of safety. Most of my bikes are 3" or fatter, so why ride the trails with the skinny stuff, anyway? My two new single sped bikes are the only skinny tire bikes I have, now (if you can call 2.2" tires, skinny). These will continue to see lots of road work, especially gravel road work. That's the way I was using them mostly, anyway, before the accident. They'll also be nice bikes for riding rails-to-trails, cruising in town and so on. They won't collect dust.

[Crankin]

It takes strength to recognize that it's best to stop. Personally, for me, the goal is just to keep riding, in any form, until I drop dead.
So, we went to the LBS. Clueless teen worker brings out the pinkest toddler sized helmet for my granddaughter. Both DH and I said, at the same time, "NO PINK." There were several other options, but, she is so little, her head is just a bit too small for the smallest toddler size. We got home and ordered an infant large, online. It's a cool blue color, with lots of illustrations.
She went nuts in the LBS, running around, saying "bicycle" about every 2 seconds.

[north woods gal]

Wish I could have seen her having fun in the LBS.

[ny biker]

I love seeing little kids at an LBS, especially when they are allowed to ride a bike around the store.

[emily_in_nc]

nwg, glad you are following your husband's advice. The bikes will be there, and you need time to heal. If you get really desperate, as I did after my jaw fractures, you could ride on the trainer before you're allowed to ride outdoors. I did so because I felt my fitness slipping away. It wasn't fun, and I could only tolerate it about twice a week because of the boredom factor, but it was something. Walking was okay too, but it was super hot during the NC summer so better to ride the trainer indoors in the a/c.

Crankin, pretty amazing that those helmets only came in pink. Not every little girl loves pink! My favorite color as a child was yellow, and it is still a fave. Glad you found a good alternative.

I have not ridden for two weeks today! Our trip to NC really set me back. Yesterday we had many errands to run back here in Florida, and today is my usual gym day, so I went ahead and did that, since I felt I needed that as much as a bike ride -- and there is a/c! I would normally ride tomorrow but have my orthodontist appt. in the morning, so it will be Tuesday. It is so warm and humid here now, I am not chomping at the bit, but I know I need the cardio so will make myself do it. If I didn't have DH, it would be much harder to get motivated.

Will report back once I finally get back out there on two wheels!

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. Hope you get out and ride, despite the heat and humidity. Yeah, that kind of weather can make it hard to get motivated, but even a short ride qualifies as a ride and that always beats no ride.

I feel the same about the trainer. I really hate the things. My two surgeons gave me a mixed verdict on using a trainer. One did not like the idea at all and the other was lukewarm on using one, mostly concerned about staying in an upright position while pedaling. Still an option I might explore, but, for now, I'm doing very well with the walking to keep up my strength. Now doing 3 miles every day alternating each day between a walk on the pavement and a walk on the trails. The trail walking is really more hiking and a bit trickier, not to mention more climbing, but I use a good hiking stick for all my walking for the sake of safety.

At first, I did not enjoy the walking. Was still in a sour mood for not being able to ride. I'm enjoying it, now, though. Just needed time to adjust and relax and enjoy the walking on its own merits, instead of trying to compare it to my bicycling. Kind of nice, too, to re-discover I have walking as another option to stay fit. And the walking has kept me fit. I'm finishing my 3 miles much stronger, now. The first week was pretty brutal trying to get into walking shape. The first few days even finishing 2 miles was tough. For sure, walking is different than bicycling.

[Crankin]

Glad you are doing well, increasing your walking, NWG. Yeah, I hate the trainer, too. So much so, that they have not been used since we moved 2 years ago. I'd rather walk outside in the freezing cold, snow shoe, nordic ski or even go to spin class, before the trainer.
I have a weird schedule today, so I worked from 9-11 and then came home. Did one of my short 9 mile rides and just finished lunch, will be heading back to the office at 2:30. It is a perfect quintessential New England day, 77 degrees and no humidity. My legs felt strong, but I am still having groin/back/thigh issues. I am just too lazy to start up PT again, but I may have to. This time, I will see one of the therapists at the hospital sports med center; my prior PT is a nice guy, but the office is awful, won't go into all of it. My trip to the Berkshires (big hills) is in 2 weeks, so I have to see what happens. It's going to be nice again tomorrow, on my day off, so I really want to ride 25 miles. Hopefully, the stretching and icing will help.
We are going down the Cape early Friday, for the weekend, to stay with friends. They ride, slowly, and this time of year, not such a great place to ride. I think we will skip bringing the bikes, as we have hiking planned. Last time, DH and I went out at 6 AM, and there were already horrible 90 year old drivers out!