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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Traveling Nomad
    Posts
    6,763

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    Quote Originally Posted by rebeccaC View Post
    Having a good day less frequently has meant not much riding for me. Quiet beach walks are replacing riding more now. Today was one of those days in the sequence of treatments that I usually feel good enough for a short ride. Just 6 miles to and back from the farmers market this afternoon but I enjoyed every mile in perfect weather……and brussel sprout, rice, white bean and shiitake soup for dinner ftw…
    Rebecca, you are always so supportive of others here while going through your own difficult times; you are truly an amazing woman! I am sorry you are having more bad days but so happy you were able to ride to the market and have a lovely, fresh dinner. That is a healing thing in so many ways! <3
    Emily

    2011 Jamis Dakar XC "Toto" - Selle Italia Ldy Gel Flow
    2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD "Gloria" - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow
    2004 Bike Friday Petite Pocket Crusoe - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow

  2. #17
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    california
    Posts
    1,232
    Quote Originally Posted by emily_in_nc View Post
    That is a healing thing in so many ways! <3
    indeed!!! and thanks for the nice words......

    edit to add
    Quote Originally Posted by ny biker View Post
    Rebecca, I hope you're only in a temporary phase and that the good days come more often for you soon.
    it’s temporary….just aggressive treatments for awhile....but rides to the market ftw
    thanks
    Last edited by rebeccaC; 05-10-2017 at 11:41 AM.
    ‘The negative feelings we all have can be addictive…just as the positive…it’s up to
    us to decide which ones we want to choose and feed”… Pema Chodron

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Riding to a farmer's market makes most things better! Ours have not started up yet, but the local farms are open, and I prefer those, as I am buying right at the farm.
    Got in a quick 15 mile ride, nowhere special. Since I moved, I have a much better choice of scenic, shorter routes from my house, which I appreciate. It's 55 out and partly cloudy, and I felt cool almost the whole ride. I was dressed like Sunday, with the addition of a vest and a head cover, but I actually ended up choosing a hillier route to warm up.
    We leave on a 6 AM flight for California tomorrow. I have to get up at like 4AM. So excited to see my son, daughter in law and granddaughter. And, excited to see my son graduate from Claremont McKenna College with a double major in math and economics, and being commissioned as an officer in the Army. It feels a little weird to say that, as he was a Marine for 9 years. Well, he will be retiring at around age 40, so I cannot predict what lies ahead. He has been unpredictable his whole life. Almost 10 years to the day he would have graduated from U of A...
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  4. #19
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    Quote Originally Posted by rebeccaC View Post
    Having a good day less frequently has meant not much riding for me. Quiet beach walks are replacing riding more now. Today was one of those days in the sequence of treatments that I usually feel good enough for a short ride. Just 6 miles to and back from the farmers market this afternoon but I enjoyed every mile in perfect weather……and brussel sprout, rice, white bean and shiitake soup for dinner ftw…
    Rebecca, I hope you're only in a temporary phase and that the good days come more often for you soon.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  5. #20
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    You're in my thoughts, Rebecca. Walk or ride and do whatever it takes to find some peace.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Finally broke out of my trail riding habit to do some miles on the roads. If nothing else, it felt good to go fast enough to feel the wind in my face, again.

    Decided to try my nasty sand trap of a half gravel/half sand road for the first time, this season. Held off because April was very wet and, even in the driest weather, this road has standing water in low spots where it crosses some bogs. Last two weeks, though, have been dry, so time to give it a try.

    Was going to use my Trek 29x3, which has always made it through the nasty sections, before, but opted, instead, for the Pugsley fat bike with its wider 4" tires for the sake of getting a better workout with that heavier bike. Turns out the Pugs was the right choice. The road was the worst I've seen it. Major flooding, so was riding though water in spots, and sinking deeply into the wet sand. Then, in the dry areas, the sand was very soft and deep, so more work and challenges. In fact, the road was so bad in spots, can't imagine how even vehicles could get through.

    Noticed a fresh bike track in the sand when I hit the sand section. Someone else was ahead of me. The width of the bike track was only half of what the Pugs was printing, so I figured the rider was on a conventional 2" mountain bike. That smaller bike track told an interesting story, for sure. The rider was having a tough time. Could see where the bike was doing a lot of fishtailing. Could see the rider constantly crisscrossing the road to find some firm sand. Could see where the rider had even stopped to walk the bike in sections.

    Finally caught up to the rider at the end of the 4 mile sand section. He was a young guy on an old standard 26x2" MTB. He and the bike were standing off to the side of the road, so I stopped to see if he was okay. He nodded that he was, but the look on his face said it all. I could see the frustration and fatigue in his face. I knew the feeling. First time I hit this road was also on a standard 2" tire MTB. Told him that the next three miles were all good gravel, so the worst was over, then headed on my way.

    As for the Pugs, what can I say? Never had to stop and walk, not even once. Pretty much rode a straight line for the four miles, too. Love my Pugs!

    24 miles in all, 4 on sand, 3 on gravel, the rest on pavement to get to the sand and gravel. Got home, then added a little trail work around the house for fun. Also, this year, all my trail bikes wear a bell, which I ring, constantly whenever I come around a corner, so as not to surprise a bear. So far, so good. No bears, though I did see some tracks.
    Last edited by north woods gal; 05-11-2017 at 08:06 AM.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    Your road riding is very different from my road riding.

    I did about a half hour on the recumbent stationary bike last night. Or maybe it was 20 minutes, I don't remember. I did a crossword puzzle to try to pass the time but it was still dull. Only had it set on level 2, more than that was too hard. Oh well, the goal was to spin some pedals for a while without aggravating the saddle-lump problem. And I finished the crossword.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  8. #23
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Pedaling is always good, NY, even if it is indoors. Whatever it takes. I have my trainer situated so tat I'm looking out the living room window at the lake. I then put on some good earphones and enjoy some music. Helps to pass the time.

    By the way, we do have some excellent paved county roads with very low traffic for conventional road biking. Mostly gentle rollers mixed with lovely flat sections, though I do have some routes with challenging hills, all through our beautiful north woods. Will probably head out, tomorrow, for some of that riding. Yes, I do tend to more of the adventure riding, though. Just my style. Hard to do all the types of riding we have available, this time of year. Too many choices.
    Last edited by north woods gal; 05-11-2017 at 05:09 PM.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    Sometimes I forget how beautiful the UP is.

    Electra Townie 7D

  10. #25
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Thanks, Pax. We're actually on the Wisconsin side, less than an hour from the Wisconsin/UP border. Same country.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    Used to drive through there a couple of times a year, skied at Copper Peak in the winters and camped on a lake near Iron Mountain in the summers. Friends parents had a cabin up there, caught a legal muskie the first time I tried fishing... seemed to upset her dad and older brother a lot. LOL

    Electra Townie 7D

  12. #27
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Ha! I'll bet it did. That musky fishing is a BIG deal, up in this area.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Mostly a sweet ride on this beautiful May day, with a little of the bitter thrown in and maybe some doubts, too.

    32 miles of pavement work was sweet. So was seeing my first bear of the year, crossing the road about 100 yards ahead of me. What a thrill! Sweet seeing a couple other riders to there on the road, too.

    The not so sweet was having to cut down the 4 miles of gravel road I planned into my route to only 1.5 miles. Have ridden the Salsa Warbird road bike with its 700x40 tires on this well-maintained gravel loop many times. Unfortunately, this same loop was a little too well maintained, this time, with fresh, loose gravel. This is a worst case scenario for a gravel road biker. The tires sink down in that loose gravel, then suddenly smack that hard surface below at an angle and the bike seems to explode out from under you without warning. After 1.5 miles, I was a basket case of nerves. Bailed out and opted for the pavement, rather than turn off onto the next gravel road.

    Last time out, I called it exactly right by choosing the Surly fat bike (which would have been the right bike, this time, too). Called it wrong with the Warbird road bike, today, and its 700x40 tires. That's gravel/dirt/sand road biking for you. Just when you think you've got it figured out ... you haven't.

    Another not so sweet surprise was re-dscovering how much I hate riding over those road cracks on paved roads, compliments of riding on high pressure tires via the road bike, again. Ouch! Never even notice them when riding fat bikes or plus tire mountain bikes on pavement. In like manner, also not so sweet re-discovering how my hands were getting much more numb on the road bike, today, versus the fat bike on pavement, last time. Even with gloves, was constantly switching hand positions and shaking the hands to improve circulation. Honestly, the loss of ride comfort by switching back to the road bike, today, was really irritating. Even dropping the tire pressure didn't help much, either for working the gravel or the comfort level.

    Am I crazy to just trade off the road bike and go fatter tire only bikes, even for pavement? Sure, the road bike is faster on a long ride. Gets me a higher average speed (though not all that much). On a fat bike or plus tire MTB I'd end up be an embarrassing straggler on a group ride, but I haven't done a group ride in many years and old lone wolf me is not likely to do those anytime, soon. I'm retired, so not schedule to keep, either. What's the hurry? Have I reached the end of the road, so to speak, with my two road bikes? Maybe.
    Last edited by north woods gal; 05-14-2017 at 03:42 PM.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Keep the road bike, even if you don't ride it that often. Maybe look at different gloves or changing the position of your bars. I had the same issue with my flat bar Jamis Coda, but I am still sorry I sold this bike. I used it on errands, commuting, farm store rides, but it could hold its own with others. It was heavier and slowed me down a little, but I always felt good after a ride on it.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  15. #30
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Thanks. Yeah, probably best to keep it, given that it can do things the fatter tire bikes can't do and, as most of us know, it's almost impossible to get even close to getting your money back when you sell a bike.

    Yuck! Looks like three or four straight days of rain and thunderstorms in our area, according to the forecast and it is raining, right now. Well, we do need the rain and there are worse things than having to ride indoors.

 

 

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