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  1. #46
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110

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    I think this rain thing is contagious or something. Hope I didn't send it.

    We have another two days of it in the forecast, but nothing real heavy. Mostly the bleak skies and cold wind that are getting to me. Will keep riding, of course, putting my usual minimum of one hour on the trail and adding some road miles when I'm up to it.

    Once again, fat bikes to the rescue. Believe it or not, on the wet sections of trail, the deer leave much deeper tracks than the fat bike tires. Even notice a difference between the 4" plus fat bike tires and my Stashe with its 3" tires. For sure, standard 2" MTB tires are no go. Way too much trail damage.

  2. #47
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    1,973
    I've been riding pretty much every day, commuting every day except Thursday on the way home last week, and then Saturday and Sunday I did recreational/birding rides. 30 miles on Saturday and 20 miles Sunday with my husband. We drove to the town of Benson and rode 10 miles to the community of St. David, along the San Pedro River. The goal Sunday was to find Mississippi Kites, which were right where we expected to find them. I rode in to work and it's going to be a very warm ride home- 98 degrees....
    2016 Specialized Ruby Comp disc - Ruby Expert ti 155
    2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker - Jett 143

  3. #48
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Well, another Wednesday, another short ride. The group ride was a lovely 31 mile ride along the north shore. I've done it twice. Weather up there was cloudy and some chance of showers during the beginning of the ride time. From experience, I knew it probably wouldn't outright rain, but by the coast, it would be damp and drizzly. I didn't want to drive an hour for that. Sigh.
    I spent all morning studying for a recertification exam I need to do and went out at 11:45. It was 65 and cloudy, and guess what? It was spitting for the first two miles. Then, it got better; not sunny, but warmer and less clouds. I only rode 13 miles and it felt like a century. My speeds are not really much less than normal, it just feels hard. I am woefully underprepared for my trip; haven't done any rides longer than 32 miles. I ended up doing just under 13 miles, and that was extended because I made a wrong turn onto a main road and went back a way I knew would be longer than 10 miles.
    This is discouraging.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  4. #49
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    I'm planning to attempt a real bike ride this weekend. Of course since it's late May all my friends will be doing long, challenging rides, but I want to keep it relatively short and simple because I haven't ridden in 3 weeks. I'm looking at some of the posted club rides to see if I can come up with a short-cut route that will allow me to ride part of the time with friends. I'm also planning to put my old saddle back on the bike; the one I've been using lately is the same as the old one, just newer, because the foam in the old one seemed to have gotten too squishy. But given the problems I've had recently with the new saddle, I think a too-squishy old one might be a good idea, at least for a while. The strange lump on the narrow part of the bone in front of my sit bone is almost gone and I really don't want it to come back.

    - 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. #50
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Hang in, there, Crankin'. You, too, NY. We all know how tough it is to get back into top long distance riding form after a layoff, so keep your spirits up. I'm there, too, in fact. Haven't done anything longer than 30 miles, so far in '17. I should do more road work, though, to balance out all my trail riding. My excuse is that trail riding is just so convenient, given that I have trails right outside my door and yeah, I'm addicted to it, too. Road work, though, does build a different kind of endurance, so I need add a little for the sake of balance in my riding.

    A long week and a half of cloudy, gloomy, wet weather and the sun is out, this morning. I'm in heaven.

  6. #51
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    Thanks North Woods. I'm just trying to roll with it, finding other ways to be productive or entertain myself (I am Groot! ) when I can't get out and ride my bike. It is what it is, just have to try to make the best of it.

    - 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

  7. #52
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    And now, I am sick... it's allergy based, but I couldn't ride today, if I had to. It's raining, though. Praying I wake up fine tomorrow, as this needs to be a training weekend.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  8. #53
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    I have a plan for this weekend, having figured out a way to meet up and ride with a friend on part of the long ride he's doing. Hopefully others will also join us and the rain will hold off until we're done. The forecast for the whole weekend is very "maybe it will rain."

    Last night I put the old saddle back on my bike. In doing so I noticed that it was slightly off center, which means the new one that has caused problems was also slight off center. This probably contributed to the problems, which were all on one side. I am very much hoping that the problems will not recur.

    I hope you feel better, Crankin.

    - 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

  9. #54
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    So yesterday, I started feeling better around 10 am. Decided to err on the side of caution, so we walked into town for our exercise, ate a light lunch, and walked back, for 4 miles. Late in the afternoon, I began feeling somewhat yucky again, but that is kind of normal for me when I am getting better.
    Wanted to do a long 40-50 mile ride today, but I woke up with a full head and not feeling great. I am still "better," in that my ear isn't hurting like hell and I am not about to lose my voice. But, because of the fullness in my head, I feel a bit out of it. My nose is running.
    I am beyond upset. Normally, I'd chalk it up to a few days off, but I am seriously scared I am going to die on my cycling trip. Realistically, I know I can suffer my way through it, but I don't want to...
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  10. #55
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Traveling Nomad
    Posts
    6,763
    Quote Originally Posted by Crankin View Post
    Normally, I'd chalk it up to a few days off, but I am seriously scared I am going to die on my cycling trip. Realistically, I know I can suffer my way through it, but I don't want to...
    Bummer, Crankin! I am sorry you haven't been feeling well. When is your trip?
    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

  11. #56
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    We leave Jun 21, the cycling starts on the 23d or 24th, I can't remember.
    So, I ended up riding 25.5 miles today. Not the bigger hills, almost 50 miles we had planned, but what started out as a slower local ride of 18 miles, turned into a faster and longer ride. We rode to Ferns to get lunch, under some pretty dark clouds. No rain on the radar, though. When we finished eating, I suggested we make it a little longer, instead of heading right back. When we had about 8-9 miles left, DH asked me if I had felt bumps on the road, and I hadn't. So, we stopped and he found his tire had actually become unseated in one spot. He really did not want to fix this on the road, so he let air out and we picked up the pace. Then, we got to an intersection with a 4 way stop/blinking light. There was a group of like 10 cyclists, with about 4 of them just standing in the road, talking. The rest were on the sidewalk. There was a car behind us wanting to turn right, but no other cars. We slowed, and as we rolled through, DH said something to them for blocking the road. One of them said, "well, you didn't stop." Yes, because if we had, we were afraid we'd get hit by the car and didn't know what the driver would do! This is a busy intersection, right near where we used to live. On we went. We made it home and DH fixed his tire.
    Now, my head is full, I am sneezing, but my criteria for riding was it's not in my chest. That still is true. Hopefully, it should diminish tomorrow.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  12. #57
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Go easy, Crankin. It's been my experience that any respiratory thing can get aggravated while biking. I used to have a heck of a time beating colds, back when the bike was my only means of transportation.

    Good day for me, today. Road the pavement four miles out to a pretty challenging MTB trailhead that I hand't ridden since last summer. The trail was in rough shape with downed trees blocking the way, so lots of detouring. The Pugsley took it all in stride, though. Funny thing is that the technical sections weren't anywhere near as tricky as I remembered them. In fact, no big deal. Guess all my constant trail riding since then has improved my skills. Still plenty challenging, physically, what with lots of nasty steeps to climb. Nothing leisurely about this system.

    Ended the day with 10 miles of pavement and about eight on the single track. No bears, seen.

  13. #58
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    My head was pretty full last night, and it still is, but it seems to have opened up, as I can breathe. I am in constant fear it might travel south, but so far, it is more like I feel I am going to lose my voice and everything is feeling "foggy." I slept 10 hours, but it's not resolved. I don't feel worse, though. The thing is, I never get "colds," only sinus infections, bronchitis, allergy induced stuff. But, this is a cold. I am not coughing and my sinuses don't really hurt. I don't do well with nose blowing, etc...
    Don't want to cancel my granddaughter's visit today. I am not really sneezing, so I will wash my hands voraciously and hope for the best. My son and DIL are not crazy about this stuff.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
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    2011 Guru Praemio
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    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  14. #59
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    When I first started having asthma problems every cold I got turned into a bad cough. My pulmonologist always focused on treating the nasal congestion to prevent the mucus from heading down to my lungs. So I always take a nasal decongestant when I get a cold, even though I don't like the side effects, and I sleep on a pile of pillows so I'm almost sitting upright. And Cold-Eeze (zinc losenges) seems to help if I start using them as soon as the symptoms start. I also make a point of resting my voice to avoid laryngitis, ever since I ended a cold with a paralyzed vocal cord a couple of years ago.

    I rode 40 miles on Saturday. The morning was sunny and warm but it soon became cloudy, actually good riding weather because it wasn't too cold or too hot or too humid. Towards the end we had some light rain, but it didn't last long. One person joined me, and together we met up with another friend for a portion of the longer ride that he was doing. All in all it went well. I think the saddle problems I was having are gone; I did have some soreness for a couple of days but after three weeks off the bike that's not unusual. The important thing is that things seemed equally sore on both sides, with no unusual inflammation on the right.

    We appear to still be in a rainy pattern, so I'm not sure what I'll be able to accomplish this week. I think there will be some dry periods, but am not sure when they'll occur or how long they will last.

    - 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

  15. #60
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I take an antihistamine daily, along with an antihistamine nasal spray. If the nasal symptoms or my eyes start up, I do a saline nasal rinse 2X a day. I also use allergy eye drops twice a day, every day. My symptoms often start in my eyes. When I had asthma symptoms, it was called "specious," in that I never coughed or wheezed. My chest just felt tight. So I already do the proactive stuff. As soon as my throat started feeling off last week, I increased my water intake, to lubricate my vocal chords. When I first moved to MA, for the first 5 years I got laryngitis in the fall, when the weather got cooler. Since I was teaching, it was horrible. One thing I learned was not to use hot drinks to treat that, just drink lots of water. It worked, but last Thursday I thought i might have to leave work early as it was on the edge.
    When I say go into my chest, I mean bronchitis or pneumonia. I haven't had any real asthma issues in many years. Occasionally a wheeze if I am sick. In fact, I haven't had bronchitis, either. I had pneumonia in 2005 and while I only missed 2 days of work, it took me 6 weeks to be able to get back to exercising normally. But, the fear is always there. I did use my albuterol inhaler a couple of times during the weekend.
    I feel better today. Been sleeping well. My sinuses hurt a bit, but I am not going to the doctor, unless I feel suddenly sicker again. Going on a 35 mile local ride tomorrow.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

 

 

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