July 24 rides

[light_sabe_r]

Commute to and from work 10km.

Took the long way home... Just went around all this little lanes and Alleyways I didn't know existed in my area. (I've only lived there three weeks)

Was absolutley nackered! I was struggling because of the ride the day before. I just COULDN'T get up those hills which normally I get up easy enough...

getting more confident with my signals and turning, I'll keep practising on these laneways before I ride the road...

[makbike]

I got up early so that I could ride the route I'm going to use on Friday for the club ride. I managed to get 95% of it marked before I headed home to clean up before heading into Louisville for an appointment with my asthma doctor. I rode 54 miles this morning. It was a beautiful morning to be out and about in the country, clear skies, temps in the low 70's, low humidity really can't ask for much more.

[DDH]

Mimi, I wasn't on gravel the whole way. Just the first 1/4 mile is that way. Getting from my house to the pavement. LOL That average speed is only that good because of all the down hills that go along with the up hills. I bet I didn't average 3 mph oh the up hills. Lord how those hills kill me. LOL

I can't wait to start seeing improvement and being able to travel more miles.
All you girls keep me motivated with your post and all you do.
I'm really impressed and reading about everything makes me want to do more.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

This is my first "daily ride" post.

DDH- the hills kill me too. But I'm huffing and puffing up them as best I can, and walking the ones that do me in. No big deal, it's all good excercise. I can feel muscles desperately trying to grow more. Been riding about a month now I think, still riding a loaner until "maybe" next week.

I have no idea how fast I'm going, I just feel good to get out riding for half an hour or for 2 hours, whatever. Some days I do a 3 mile brisk walk all around the town streets and roads instead of a bike ride. As long as I keep moving and eat healthier, then I'm moving in the right direction.

Anyway....
Yesterday I rode a 10 mile fairly hilly ride on back roads mostly- had me REALLY tired but I made it. Felt my thighs and shoulders for sure. Slept like a rock.
Today I rested mostly, but my husband and I got on our bikes to go into town and back (2 miles total) to attend a memorial service. It felt good to not use gas and a car to do that, and to not worry about getting parking- just stashed the bikes in the bushes of the funeral home, rolled my pants legs back down, fluffed up my "helmet hair" and walked in.

It's pretty hilly around our area, and I am slowly trying to build up my leg strength and my breathing/HR endurance- but I know that all takes months and months and is a slow process. But hey- no time like starting in the present.
I am so GRATEFUL to have found an activity that will get me healthy and fit but that is so much FUN as well!! And this forum is full of such wonderful vibrant forward looking women (both beginners and experienced alike), --thank you ALL for your knowledge and your enthusiasm and support!

[DDH]

Thats great Lisa, I'm glad to know I am not alone on the hills.
I only know how fast I am going because luckily my little computer that we had when we first started riding years and years ago, still works! YEAH!!
I love that little computer. Helps to keep up with progress so much easier.

[Kano]

This is my first "daily ride" post.

DDH- the hills kill me too. But I'm huffing and puffing up them as best I can, and walking the ones that do me in. No big deal, it's all good excercise. I can feel muscles desperately trying to grow more. Been riding about a month now I think, still riding a loaner until "maybe" next week.

Lisa -- something I learned about hills yesterday: If I stop when I feel very winded, so I can catch my breath, I can up-shift a gear or two for a ways on the next stretch. This gives me more "room" to go up the next stretch, and if nothing else, it tricks my mind! I'm still barely moving on the hill, but I feel like I can go farther if I've got a gear or two to downshift into!

I made it all the way up my hills today -- sure did think about stopping in the middle of the biggest one, though!

Karen in Boise

[Geonz]

Did the commute and a club ride and the combo came out to 44 miles, according to Googlemaps, and I don't feel anything like last THursday's 46 (where I was pooped after 35 or so). HEre's to air in the tires and temps below 85 degrees!

Had to have a reality check and spend time Sunday washing dishes instead of going out and trying to pass that next person in the ranks of BikeJournal - which was good, because I was only briefly tempted not to take the shortcut home for the sake of a few extra miles that I really didn't have time for. (So I have a few minutes to do this... hmmm.... better go tackle the laundry...)