June rides, summer begins

[north woods gal]

Thank you all for posting about your rides. It does help. Gives me hope. Each passing day, now, brings me closer to the day when I can ride, again.

Yesterday, I set up the new Pugsley with all the add on stuff I wanted, namely, saddle, pedals, grips and then did all the fit adjustment stuff. It's ready to ride, even though I am not. I really, really wanted to take it for a short test ride up and down the driveway, but my husband let me know, in no uncertain terms, that just wasn't going to happen. Just sitting on then bike in the house, though, I can tell it will be a very comfy ride, as all Pugsleys are.

I am scheduled for a follow up X ray on July 12th. That will tell how the healing is going and if it's a good report, I may get cleared for some limited riding. If so, it will be all fat bikes for awhile, both for safety and comfort. I am 99% certain the accident wouldn't have happened if I had been riding one of my fat bikes.

[ny biker]

Thank you all for posting about your rides. It does help. Gives me hope. Each passing day, now, brings me closer to the day when I can ride, again.

Yesterday, I set up the new Pugsley with all the add on stuff I wanted, namely, saddle, pedals, grips and then did all the fit adjustment stuff. It's ready to ride, even though I am not. I really, really wanted to take it for a short test ride up and down the driveway, but my husband let me know, in no uncertain terms, that just wasn't going to happen. Just sitting on then bike in the house, though, I can tell it will be a very comfy ride, as all Pugsleys are.

I am scheduled for a follow up X ray on July 12th. That will tell how the healing is going and if it's a good report, I may get cleared for some limited riding. If so, it will be all fat bikes for awhile, both for safety and comfort. I am 99% certain the accident wouldn't have happened if I had been riding one of my fat bikes.

Listen to your husband. And your doctor. Doing too much too soon, or doing rehab wrong, can lead to more injuries.

[rebeccaC]

Listen to your husband. And your doctor. Doing too much too soon, or doing rehab wrong, can lead to more injuries.

+1 cuz I wish your riding to be in a healed and healthy body. Patience is a virtue!!!

Since Alex has been in her second trimester she’s doing more riding than in her first. I so appreciate even being able to do just safe bike path rides with her. We are doing a casual ride this afternoon going south on the beach path….and to get her some salted, malted fudge swirled cookie dough ice cream at Salt & Straw…her main craving at the moment.

[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!

[north woods gal]

Don't blame you about the traffic. That's one thing I DO NOT miss at all. We have our own set of challenges, up here, when it comes to biking, but traffic is never one of them.

I overdid my walking, yesterday, with a full 4 miles. I made the mistake of wearing my neck brace too loose and that meant too much neck movement. My muscles just weren't ready for all that pounding. The muscles locked up, bad, overnight and despite the pain pills, had a miserable night. The good news is that I went back out, today, with the neck brace properly tight, slowed down and cut back to my usual 3 miles and feel much better. The muscles are finally relaxed.

The depression, though, does wear me down a bit, but I've anticipated it and just keep going, dreaming of the day when I can finally get back and ride.

We're in for another couple of 90 degree days over the weekend. If so, that would give us more 90 degree days in one summer than we've had in the entire 9 years since we've lived, up here. Our biologists are a bit concerned about the heat, because we do have some northern species of plants that are heat sensitive. Our forest experts tell us that our north woods are slowly, but surely, receding north with each passing year, now, and becoming more hardwood forest than conifer forest, thanks to global warming (and they do have the data to back it up).

[ny biker]

I led a club ride on Sunday, 49 miles. It was very humid and the pavement was still wet in the shady areas when when we finished even though there been no rain for hours. High clouds kept the sun from warming things up too much until the end of the ride. There were only three of us; although we were in an area that is one of my favorites and is generally popular for cycling year-round, very few people in my bike club are interested in riding there. Not sure if they think it's too far away from where they live or what. Anyway, most of the people who are willing to ride there are out of town now doing Bike Virginia or recovering from injuries. So I actually expected no one to show up, and was pleased to have two companions. We stayed together the whole time and had a very nice ride. Two of us have birthdays this month, and the third treated us to birthday ice cream at our second rest stop.

Today the weather is about perfect for summer, warm but with low humidity. Tomorrow the rain returns. So I am going out to ride tonight. I expect my legs to feel tired because we rode faster than my usual pace for most of the ride two days ago. But that's okay.

[emily_in_nc]

I got out for my first ride in two weeks today! Our usual ride on the West Orange Trail, 35+ miles. More people out in the heat and humidity than I anticipated, but it was nice to see others suffering as well.

I actually felt pretty good for having such a long layoff, and managed my usual average speed. I suspect my legs might be a little sore tomorrow, but we have a long list of chores and errands, so it will be a day off the bike. Then riding again Thurs. and Friday.

[north woods gal]

Good for you, Emily. That's he same trail I rode on a rented bike when I was in Florida. Of course, it's also the same trail where I bonked for not being acclimated to the heat and humidity. Really enjoyed the trail, itself, though. We have no such long distance bike trails, up here. The more populated areas of Wisconsin to the south do, though. Still, it would be great to have one, up here.

I'm holding up, well enough, but throwing a leg over a bike and taking off for a ride has become such an ingrained reflex for me that I actually have to concentrate NOT to do it, now. Just nuts. Not being able to go for a ride sometimes leaves me with a weird stranded, cut-off sort of feeling, like something is very wrong. Kind of crazy the way bicycling can get into one's blood that way.

[ny biker]

I rode last night, 21 miles. When I started out I felt like doing the hilliest version of my weeknight hill ride, but as I rode I decided my legs were not up for it. But I still did one of the more challenging versions, and then added some loops around flat neighborhoods at the end. It was a good ride.

It was in the high 70s and I actually felt cool at the start. It was much more like spring than summer. Also much more like spring -- with the low humidity, there was all kinds of pollen (and/or dust) in the air, and it stuck to my contact lenses and made my eyes hurt a lot. Pollen levels are officially "low/moderate" right now, but I guess that's enough to cause problems for me. I think the best thing would have been to wear my Rx glasses rather than contacts. I removed the contacts and put saline in my eyes as soon as I got home, and used the antihistamine eye drops last night and this morning, so now the itching has mostly subsided but my eyes are still puffy and I look terrible.

Despite the eye problems, it was a very good ride. I was able to ride a slightly faster pace and felt stronger than I've felt on the bike in a long time, despite my on-again off-again schedule of late.