Phun Day Monday Ride...

Today I managed to sneak out of the house for a bit and get some more miles on the MTB. What I really need to do is put some miles on the road bike! I think if I don't soon I risk my wife selling it just to prove a point. Well, 'irregardless' (**That is one of my pet peeve 'words that don't exist, yet get overly used' words). Sorry, ADHD catching up with me. I got out and had a nice ride. Wound up stopping to see the progress at Little Mountain Brewing Company and chatting a while, then getting back on the road. Got back on the bike, rode for a bit, and then tried to ride back home the way my wife drove when I was Racing The Automobile. I took her exact path, and was quite please to complete the two mile, 253 foot climb in ten minutes. Legs felt great, breathing was fast but my chest wasn't tight, it just felt good. Yup... time to get the road bike out.

Racing The Automobile...

So I got out for a fairly paced ten mile ride. That is, of course, until I saw my wife three miles from our home. I thought it would be funny to race her. So, clearly without thinking, I told her, "sync our phones, and let's see who gets home first." Now, let me explain. She is in a car, automobile, vehicle. She is going about two miles, on paved road, with ONE traffic light. On the other hand you have me riding a three mile dirt trail, through a creek, up an insane/poorly graded/falling apart hill, and through the woods.

So, she cam in at nine minutes. I came in at a mere seventeen minutes. I'm going to go ahead here, use my license, and just call it. I won. I owned. My legs were burning, my shirt was drenched and I felt amazing! I need to do some stupid sh** more often.

Back In The Swing Of Things

First off two quick points of business. First off, as a point of cross promotion, I was featured for The Art Of Brew (my other blog) on Drink With The Wench. Both AMAZING blogs, if I may say so myself.

Also, my buddy rich is almost completely through Virginia on his 4500 mile cross country ride. He is raising money for LiveStrong, and is accepting donations for LiveStrong on his LiveStrong page. He is now officially more that 500 miles into the journey, and it's day 10. More to follow as I hear more

So it has been about ten days now since my last post, but at least it has been for a good reason. I've been managing to get out on the bike and log some miles, and have been putting myself into a world of hurt working out my core. It's one of those weird things that my body is hurting so much that it feels so good.

I've also been making a point to eat a lot better. Skipping wings with the guys from work, eating a lot more raw, and veggie, and even being suckered into my wife's vegan habit. I have to admit that I could likely be persuaded to go vegan if I didn't have to give up cheese... Or chocolate... Or bacon. OK, I could give up bacon, but it's SO good.

Anyway, I think this is going to call for a July ride in Cleveland. Likely the Towpath once again. So if you're in the area, or want to be, drop me a line and you can meet up with us.

Cheers, for now!

Possible Winds Of Change?!

If you missed yesterday, check out the post about my buddy Rich who is riding from VA to OR and raising money for LiveStrong. If you can, please consider donating a few buck (or more) to his LiveStrong page. I'll keep writing about his journey as I get info from him on his ride.

WHAT?! This is the third post in a week. I got two rides in, in that time. I've started a (minimal, but still...) amount of core building. All in all, I think this might just turn out OK. I have spent the last year feeling like my life has fallen apart, but suddenly I've seen a light at the end of the tunnel. NOTHING I has seemed to go the way I planned, but now it looks as though a ray of sun is breaking the clouds.

Let's take today as an example. I had a crappy day, turned good day, turned uh-mazing. I took the anger of the day and turned it into cranking out a hilly seven mile ride, like I've never killed it in the past. I think I ride much better when someone pisses me off. It's like I need an assistant to just piss me off before I ride so I can hammer that much harder. I am in HORRIBLE physical shape right now. I've decreased in fitness, increased in weight and am 180º opposite of where I was in 2008. But today was different. I threw on my iPod (I know, I DID write about how I hate people riding with iPods), gritted my teeth and just killed it. It felt so good.

So now I sit here eating a few peanuts and some watermelon, legs burning, with a GIANT smile on my face. Turning point? Dammit, I hope so!

Phun Is NOT Dead... No, Really... I'm Not

Hey all, I know it's been a while (one month, one week, and one day to be specific) since you've heard from me. I wanted to take a minute to say hello, assure you I am not dead, and the blog will go on. It might be sparse (hopefully not 1Y/1M/1D) but it will still be here. Things are in all sorts of chaos right now, but I and mine are well. Busy, but well. I am in the midst of many things right now that are occupying my time, and Cycling Phun has hurt a bit for that. I will be updating, and it should get juicy!

One thing is I am getting ready to start to do one of two things. I want to get back into The Lean Look: Burn Fat, Tone Muscles and Transform Your Body in Twelve Weeks Using the Secrets of Professional Athletes by Paul Goldberg and Matthew Fitzgerald. I just love to say the full title, it's just so freaking long. I've said it before and will say it again, "I think Paul and Matthew should hook me up for how much I've pimped the book on this blog now, don'tcha think? - hint, wink" I'll either do that, or I might start P90X. I've seen awesome things happen to friends, and think it might be an option as well. Anyone here do the P90X thing?

I've also been going back and forth on whether or not I want to go back to the veggie route. I did it a while back and felt great while I was vegetarian. Also, the ol' lady has decided to take a hardcore approach into the world of veganism. I am NOT that hardcore, nor do I want to be. On a serious note: anyone who has ANY input or thoughts... I'd LOVE to hear them! Drop a line in the comments, please. If you need to you can also hit me up on the upper right corner... The "contact me" button.

To leave you with a positive note. I have been getting light exercise in, and I even got a nice, fairly hard pace, ride in recently. It was hot, humid, and I was sweating my ass off. It felt SO good! Even took some time to find a really nice path, with a great photo op. Enjoy it, and I'll be back soon! PEACE!

-Don

Turning Cranks

I had a meeting out of the office today at 3:00 and decided, two days ago, that I was totally playing hooky afterward. So, I got home at 4:00, had a light dinner, skipped lunch so I was hungry, and jumped on the bike. Got about two hours in the saddle today, and man did it feel good. Last time I went out, and totally got creamed by the fact I was out of practice, I really overextended myself. This was going to be all about pacing myself, and keeping the cranks turning. Well, that's just what I did. Up hill, down hill, turns, flats, whatever. I just focused on staying in a moderate gear and turning.

It was a great day for a ride too! Through the woods, across the creek, no iPod just listening to nature all around me. I was, however, also reminded just how much I hate limestone. Have you had the misfortune of riding on it? It sucks! But not even lime stone could piss me off. OK, so dropping my chain off the big ring mid-pedal, might have got me a bit tweaked. I'm beginning to think that maybe I need a new chain.

Anyway, got home and did some stuff around the yard. Got the lines strung for my hop plants to grow on, and now this. All in all, not a bad afternoon.

Day One Of Re-re-re-re-re-starting The Working Out Stuff: Cooked

So, after a trip to the most magical place on Earth, and eating like crap for a week, continuing that for a month afterward from home, etc. I am currently up ten or so pounds. It fluctuates between ten and fifteen. Epic freaking suck. I went out and tried to ride fairly seriously, and felt every bit of it. Asthma was acting up, it hasn't in about a year and a half, I felt like someone was forcing a tire iron in my right side, it was just a hot mess. I feel bad as hell for the person who agreed to ride with me that day. I just sucked.

So, today I started some of my Lean Look exercise routine, and am hoping to build up to starting P90X soon. I'm pretty sure that will be a nice mix of love, hate, pain, joy, happiness, and regret, but also know it will be worth it. I need to build up my muscle tone, again, and start losing fat. Why is it that when you hit, like, 30 everything goes to crap exponentially faster? I have actually, also, been debating going veg again. The wife wants to try going vegan, and I keep telling her she is in-freaking-sane! First off, how the hell do you give up cheese?! Just asking... It's the worlds most perfect food! Anyway, I'd love your opinions on vegetarianism. Any of you doing it? I did a while ago, but fell prey to a 13oz fillet. I ate about a third or a half of it... Mistake. Thought I was going to die. Started back on meat.

Well that's it for now, back to the grind. back to trying to get some level of health and fitness about myself.

Happy St Patrick's Day! I'm Going Freakin' MAD!

Hello all! I was actually just thinking about letting this bad boy go for another ten days, just so I could see that it's been a full month since my last post, but I couldn't do it. I know that so many of you out there are hanging on my every word, that it's been breaking your hearts to have me absent for such a span of time. Please note: This has ALL been sarcasm. Truth is, I often wonder if I just pulled the blog what would happen? Then I look at my analytics, and see how many people are checking in, and I feel like I can't. Furthermore, I feel guilty for not giving people who are checking it something to read, then I wonder why the hell I'm so lucky to have people reading it, then I feel bad again, luck, bad, lucky...

So the bottom line, as always, is this; I will continue to write if you continue to read. Things will be getting better, more interesting, and more frequent. (Lord, if you are listening... HELP!) Part of the issue has been I really haven't had the time to ride with some of the current events in my life, with the current climate (weather and economy) being the way they are, and coming off of a WAY too short, but much needed, one week vacation. My hope and prayer is to get back half way into the shape I was this time last year. I'm ten pounds (and change) up on where I was, and I promise that my muscle tone is way hurting too.

So the plan? To hit the bike again this summer. Hopefully harder than last year. I would like to get weekly rides, and would like them to truly be weekly this year. I want to get the damn weight bench I was supposed to get last summer, and use it. Who knows, I might even go veg again for a while. I'd probably go pseudo-vegetarian and fish, possibly chicken, but who knows. I just know that there needs to be change again, and no time is better than the present!

With that, please keep in touch, and let me know what you think and what you're up to in the comments, and I hope to deliver a better Q2-Q4 in 2010!

All my best!
Don

Yay For Weight Loss

Well it's been about a week, I know... "[I] suck", since I last posted here. I have been posting along with the brewer Thomas at The Art Of Brew somewhat more regularly, and as things settle in life a bit I will be hammering away at both Cycling Phun and The Art Of Brew. Then again, it is the winter in Ohio, really quite cold, and kinda crappy. Not a whole lot of riding going on right now to report. The weather has been just cold enough to suck, but just warm enough to be slushy snow and ground that won't freeze. Soft ground+cold rain=no bueno por ciclismo.

Luckily I have been getting back into core workouts (which, honestly, is a part of the reason the posts have been sparse), eating better and less, drinking less beer (surprisingly! I've really been writing about it more than I've been drinking it) and such, and it really is paying off. I can't promise once we get the brewery sculpture built I'll fair so well on the drinking part, but... Regardless of what might happen, right now I'm back on my way to some sort of fitness. I'm back down into the 180's, high 180's, but 180's nonetheless. I can already see the fat bump going away, and feel my abs tightening. The core exercises that were killing me just a week ago, now feel "good". I say "good", because I mean they've transitioned from the pain that lingers, to the lighter pain that turns to a really sweet-ass burn when resting.

I am actually at a point now, where I am SO anxious for the weather to break so I could start turning cranks again outdoors. Likewise, still looking to trade a set of rollers or sell a set of rollers so I can acquire a trainer. If you know of anyone who might be interested, use the "you can contact me by clicking here" button in the upper right hand corner of the sidebar on the right. Hope y'all are doing well, and thanks as always for your readership!

Positive Trending

OK, so it has been fifteen days since my last post, once again I will apologize and ask (nay, beg) that you please bear with me while I try to put my life in order. I have seen the official demise of the only cool bike shop within a forty minute drive, I have had countless issues with time, work has been so stagnant that algae is officially starting to grow on it, and there is nearly NOTHING keeping me motivated for shit! I know, I usually do my best to not use vulgarity in my posting but this is the real me. The real pissed off me. The one real advantage to this, is I have had some of the best motivation through my anger.

Example, some of my hardest riding has been right after a blow up over something, or generally bad event in my life getting me so hot that I just go out, put my head down and turn cranks. Arguably one of my best rides turned out like this. I got so zoned that I was staring in front of me, turning cranks, forgot where I was, looked down and I was pacing at about 20 MPH on a flat. I NEVER get up to 20, I usually hit the high end of my comfort zone at 17. Irregardless (Yes I know... I meant it... As an inside joke. It's a pet peeve of mine), anger motivates me.

I do have some positives going on right now. Like the trending down from a high of 195 right after the new year. I had a week of craziness with one of the kids in the hospital for emergency surgery (It's OK... problem solved, everyone is healthy!), and a crazy work schedule (both jobs) that lead to what I'd like to call "convenience eating". You know, when you eat what is convenient, not really what's good. Example, in the part-time job we had Wendy's. So, while we were locked out of the truck, we were sitting in Wendy's... and got a round of Frosty's. At the hospital, a place of health, a Chipotle-esque burrito, not wholly unhealthy, but then again it could be worse.

Bottom line is in the last two weeks, I have dropped back down five pounds, to an even 190. Not nearly as cool as the 179 all time low, but far better than continuing upward. One of the things I have learned is to pick my battles. I'm not going for getting back to perfect shape in a month, I'm going for slow and steady, and to be back as close to my optimal health by the time the snow melts and I'm on the road bike. For now, that means eating better again, and getting back into core workouts, strength workouts, adding in aerobic workouts and intervals, and rebuilding.

So, for now, there you have it! 190 and dropping. Hopefully this will become a trend.

Finally A Ride!

My only regret is that my camera officially took it's last proverbial breath. Sunday I got out in the 20ºf (3ºf with windchill), 30 MPH wind, with snow squalls weather that is a "beautiful" January day in Cleveland. I dropped the pressure in the Rockhopper to about 25 - 30 PSI and hit the trails. No worries, the trails are crushed lime, so there's no chance of tearing them up.

I was only out about an hour, and only got a couple miles at best, but in about a foot or so of fresh snow it was a little bit more of a challenge from what I remember last year. That is to say, by the time all was said and done I felt cooked! My legs were both frozen to the bone, and muscles burning at the same time. My lungs hurt from the cold, even with wearing a bandana, and every bit of me was as tense as I've felt in years. I actually wondered if it is the slip in fitness, the fact that I haven't been getting to the chiropractor, or a combination of the two.

I realize now, that I really need to get back to stepping up my game. I dread the thought of how crappy I'm going to be on hills, after I was getting so used to climbing. Sad part is, I have no one to blame but myself. Hopefully, I can find a few people in the Cleveland area in 2010 that will actually want to consistently ride. Only a couple people did Monday night rides with me consistently last year. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but you don't ride nearly as hard by yourself as you do with a person or persons.

Well, that's it for now. Hope everyone had a great new year, and I'll catch you soon.

Twenty Days Later

Yeah, I suck. What can I say. My life is on indefinite hold and chaotic all at the same time. Make sense? No? OK, let me try to explain here. I work HR (recruiting, benefits, etc - full scale HR) for a living, the economy sucks (expletive deleted) with a straw, because of this my job sucks hard. With that in mind I've been picking up side jobs where I can, and doing what I need to, dig? likewise the ol' lady picked up something. It all helps to get by, but it suck big time when you're trying to hold a weight loss plan, or something resembling normality. Hence the posting has suffered.

As far as the weight loss? Yeah, that has suffered too. Just when I thought I was turning a corner, BOOM! It all blew up again. So, I have been less than perfect at the whole working out scene, and forget eating well. I mean, I guess I have been eating OK, but not like I should. I have managed to keep constant at just either side of 192, but I want to be at 170, so...

Lastly, for today, I am thinking about ditching the rollers in lieu of a trainer. I just can't concentrate in my home enough to ride 'em. A trainer would be SO much easier. So if anyone is interested in trading a trainer for rollers, buying a set of rollers, or something along these lines, please message me at the "contact me" button on the upper right hand corner.

World Of Hurt

Well, after about eight months, plus or minus, of chaos in my life, and putting aside the workouts I have (kind of) started back into it. Tonight was day one of muscle building exercise. Let me start by saying I can't believe how far you can fall in a short amount of time. I felt so great early this year with my rides. Legs felt great, lungs felt great, just full of piss and vigor. Now, not so much. Add to the slow down, OK near halt, of almost all activity a great deal of stagnation and I am in a world of pain tonight.

I started in on the muscle building where I left off in, like, March-ish... Yeah, not the best idea I've had in a wile. After knocking it back a few steps I got through the workout, and am sitting here aching in places that I forgot existed. I will say this, it is a good kind of hurt. You know the kind; your muscles burn, they get tense and sore... but you sit back with a big smile.

So, from here on out the plan is to do some muscle building to get back into the swing every other day. Once I am getting back into the swing, I'll add in some intervals, until by the start of 2010 I am back into the full swing of The Lean Look: Burn Fat, Tone Muscles and Transform Your Body in Twelve Weeks Using the Secrets of Professional Athletes by Paul Goldberg and Matthew Fitzgerald. GOD! I just love to say the full title, it's just so freaking long. (Sidebar: Paul and Matthew should hook me up for how much I've pimped the book on this blog now, don'tcha think? - hint, wink)

Anyway, I lost fifty or so pounds and put ten or so back in the last six months. Just imagine where I can go from here. My next ideal weight, for 2010, is 170. There I said it, it's official. Once I hit 170, I'll see how I look and feel and decide from there how much further I want to go, or whether I need a different muscle building program, whatever.

Also, I would love to start a serious ride once a week from May (unless April is really nice in 2010) through September (unless October is really nice in 2010). Once a week, after work (or on a weekend day), whatever it takes. if you're in the Cleveland area, I'd love for you to be a part of it. If not, maybe I'll finally bite the bullet and join the Cleveland Touring Club. Who knows? They're a great group of guys and gals, it could be a lot of fun.

Bottom line, I need to get back to where I was, build from there, and get better. Physically, mentally, emotionally.

The First Week Of Weight Loss. So Far, Uh, So Far?

Well... Hello to Bluenoser, Munky, Clyde, Lily, and Trio. Where to begin? So the first week started at a 193 weigh-in on Monday. Since then, two thirteen plus hour work days have given way to poor eating, lack of exercise and being completely wasted-tired by the time I got home. So the bottom line is as of Wednesday morning, still a not-so-svelte 193.

I did not manage, due to time and lack of planning, to get my muesli made, so I have not kicked back on the Muesli Diet. For those of you who may be new or not remember, I lost a ton of weight through exercise and a diet of Sprocketboy's Muesli. I will be going back to Muesli starting Monday.

I also hope to get a, roughly, twenty-five mile ride in on Saturday and a shorter fun ride, mountain bike, on Sunday. I will also be getting back in the habit of doing some of the "Lean Look" exercises.

How about you guys? Also, anyone else who is interested in joining else on the fun, feel free to jump in. Just leave your info in the comments section.

Cheers, for now!

Calling Out To The Fitness Geeks

OK, OK, OK... So it's been a hot minute since I've posted regularly. Likewise since I've seriously been turning cranks. Furthermore an eternity since I've had any serious level of fitness. I have a feeling that is all about to change. Recently I have been stressing out, and have been at home a lot more often. One major problem with that comes the serious problem of grazing. If you are not familiar with grazing, let me explain. You walk past the kitchen, do a double-take, go into the kitchen. Once in the kitchen you take ice cream, crush cookies on top, keep looking, grab the whipped cream and throw a dollop on, then move that concoction on a brownie that you warmed in the microwave, and finally cover it with chocolate. Disclaimer: I haven't done this, it was just an example I got carried away with... But now that I think of it, I wonder how much of it I have here...

Digressing... So I have a serious problem being in my home, for extended periods, stressing out, and around food. With all of that said, I have gained about 10 pounds in the last three months or so. I am officially back into the 190 range, and need to drop back to the sub 180 range. The lowest I have been in the last two years has been 180, so I think that will become my new goal. With all of the holiday's coming up, and all of the engorging that will occur, my goal will be to drop to 180 lbs by year end. Anyone on board with me?

Here's what we'll do... I don't have the time or money to do a prize this time around, and since we're publicly embarrassing Don; I still owe Bluenoser his prizes from last December. My suggestion is accountability. Set a fitness and/or weight loss goal for year end, and push for it. I don't care what you are eating, I don't care what your exercise is, so long as you're growing toward your goal. If you're not reaching the goal I will ride you, like my Rockhopper, until you do. Likewise, I'll expect that you do the same. Anyone up for it? Drop me a comment and lets get cracking. We start Monday! Hope I could get 3-5 of you to get on board, I'm sure that I can at LEAST count on Bluenoser, right? C'mon, it'll be fun, and we'll all be a bit better for it going into 2010.

Gaining Fitness Takes Time, Losing Fitness... Not So Much

I would pay to find out the answer to the following: Why is it so #@&$ing hard, and time consuming to gain fitness, but losing fitness can happen, seemingly, overnight? Seriously? I can't be the only person to notice this. I worked like hell to get into something resembling fit. In about four months of working two jobs, having to stay home with the kids while the wife is at work/school, etc, etc, and not having the time to be as on top of the working out it has all but gone to pot.

I'm not going to say that I am a slob fat-ass like I was before, but I was nearing the lean stage heading toward cut. Now I am in the not lean stage, heading away from cut. I haven't gotten "fat" yet, I just have noticed a loss in muscle and a gain in fat for a zero net gain/loss. The problem, if you know the whole fat/muscle gig, is that muscle weighs about twice that of fat. So for me staying around the 180 mark, I am getting a bit more squishy at 180 than I was just this past March.

Not to mention, having been off the bike for about a month, I can't get over how quickly you get cooked. I did a ten or so run, before I lost sunlight, and I felt every hill that I climbed. I think part of it goes along with the loss of fitness. So, bottom line is I think we need to have another Lean Look Challenge or something. Would anyone else be in? I'd like to see a minimum of three to five people, nothing crazy, just keep people accountable, and I'll work on a prize for the winner.

Drop me a line, or hit me up in comments if you're interested.

Weekly Roundup August 27, 2009

You’ve been reading, so you know that things are not going the way I had planned on life going. However, have you ever noticed that things always happen to put things in perspective. I could seriously bitch about how things are going, how my job is in the can right now, etc, etc, etc… But the bottom line is this. We have to count our blessings, rather than dwell on the negative. So, while I count you enjoy a Weekly Roundup.

Cyclone Cross: Gary is back at it with the Cyclone Cross blog. Right now [He] Need[s] Your Help! A good friend of his is riding the inaugural Pelotonia and in need of donations for the ride to help fight cancer. I am passionate as hell about the fight against cancer, and this stays local to Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. You can find out more about the cause, and the young lady riding the event. OH! Bonus: Gary has agreed to match the single largest donation, up to $1000! Way to go Gary, you’re a class act!

Ray’s Racing Adventures: Ray, another great Cleveland blogger, has a Repost About Climbing Area Hills. Admittedly this is far more relevant if you live in the Cleveland area, but the advice is universal. A great way to keep yourself going in your summer fitness mode, and to get stronger on the hills.

Let’s Rock…: I feel like I’ve dropped the ball on the great blog that is Let’s Rock…. Further, Lisa has hit a point that is SO relevant in my life right now that I couldn’t resist. You see, she has started making her To Do list. It reminds me very much of mine, minus about 5,500 things. Heh heh, I love catching up with Let’s Rock…!

Fat Cyclist: Finally, Fat Cyclist has had a great week so far. Touching on the 2010 Fat Cyclist Jerseys (And Much More) On Pre-Order Now!, to his 2009 LiveStrong Philadelphia Report: Day 1 and 2009 LiveStrong Philadelphia Report: Day 2. These are all great stories, and are making me extremely bummed that I had to can the Philly trip. Fight Like Susan!

Well, that’s all I have for this week. Get the hell outside and ride while it’s still nice! Phun Cyclist, out like Seacrest.

The Winds Of Change

There comes a time in everyones life where change is inevitable. Sometimes you crave it, sometimes you loathe it, sometimes it happens and there is indifference, but regardless of how it happens or the outcome it is inevitable. This blog has had a bit of change in the last six months or so. Some have liked it, some haven't, but it was inevitable. Change in my life reflected in my blog. The change you've seen will be continued in a new blog in the future, more to follow on that soon, but I don't plan on letting Cycling Phun go anywhere, not just yet anyway. I am, however, curious who is still out there reading. I see the hits and such, and have my ideas of who is reading, but I don't know for sure.

Another change is healthfulness. Where I work there is a young lady in an attached office that works out religiously in a shared common warehouse. I have not been following my regimen. I've realized that my lethargic nature lately is, likely, due in large part to my lack of exercise, and the lack of time for getting a serious ride in. I'm in the process of revamping my life to better allow for that again as well. It's been tough to man up and make time with changes in work schedules, giving up the YMCA membership to save money, etc, etc, etc, but I am realizing I need to man up and make it happen again.

The weekend was melancholy to say the least, but that changes this week. No more excuses, make the time, get it done. That's how it's going to have to be. Changes that may put off some people in my life, but this time it's about me. It's for the best, for my benefit, for the benefit of my family. Selfish, maybe. Necessary, definitely. What will I ask of you? Hang in there, keep reading, keep me accountable, and do something for your self while you're at it.

A Quick Apology & Getting Totally Spoiled Again

For those of you who don't know, I have been all sorts of crazy busy lately. I've been pulling a few jobs to make money, and the wife took a second shift to make money. This has seriously cut into my time for things like, but not limited to:
- working out
- riding (virtually at all)
- caring
- exercise in general
- getting my bathroom finished
- trying to NOT be a complete tool
- sleeping
Needless to say I have been a sheer joy to deal with. References are available upon request, but include my wife, family, co-workers, the other co-workers, friends (especially ones who have seen me after a couple of drinks), and generally anyone who has "gotten in my way". Yeah. I've pretty much been a raging ass! Please consider this my public apology, and please allow for our friendship/relationship to continue. Thank you in advanced for your understanding.

Now that I got that out of the way, I feel totally spoiled again. I mentioned before that my wife took one for the team and got a second shift position to pull in some cash. That is, I guess a half truth at this point. You see she did, and up until very recently was working at least five days a week second shift. This was admittedly screwing both of our schedules, and lives, up a ton! I do, however, have to profess my undying love to her for this, as she is amazingly understanding and supportive. She left the second shift position for a much cooler, more appropriate (for her background) first shift position. This is wicked cool as it has changed her outlook, and given me a bit more free-time in the slight lag between job one and job two.

One of the things this has helped greatly is my riding. in the last week, I got to ride four whole times!! I think that's the more than I've ridden all summer combined! OK, that's an exaggeration, but you get my point. I got out on some crushed limestone trails, and felt great! I did do something I swore I never would, though, I wore an iPod. I had my right earbud in and left one out to hear people and such, and it worked well. It kept me motivated, and I honestly don't remember a time that I wasn't turning cranks on the whole ride. I just thought about the music and keeping track of my surroundings, and kept turning. It was almost religious. I feel so amazing, and so spoiled. Downfall: I'm sure it will all end soon when my wife goes back to work. Oh well, in case it does I will enjoy it while I can. It was an awesome ride, on a gorgeous Cleveland day...Did I mention almost religious?

Finally An Opportunity To Ride

After many weeks of having to put off a ride, I finally got in a serious ride. It wasn't crazy long, or anything, but it was so much fun and very much needed. This is how it goes. Thursday I finally had the opportunity to ride into work. No rain, decent weather, fog-but who cares. I took the ten mile ride in about a half hour, at an average of seventeen miles per hour. It felt so good to get out, and turn cranks to work. The entire day was a pleasure for me. It's amazing how the simplest of days can effect your mood for the day. All the little crap that usually pisses me off? Nothing. Simply nothing could ruin my afternoon.

So, 5:00 p.m. rolls around. I shut down the system, grab all the clothing, change, and am ready to head out the door. I warmed up my legs walking and riding, and at 5:30 out the door for a ride. We didn't do anything crazy, but 5:30 was a bit late of a start. We got in twenty-five miles, at about sixteen miles per hour. I wouldn't say we went crazy hammering, but it seemed like a good pace, and we were able to get a good ride in and chat a bit, catch up on how life is going. Got back and was able to catch a beer, and finish catching up. All in all it was a great day.

I did pay attention to a few things, and think I might be on to something. I was having an issue pacing my buddy Rich. I was riding pretty hard and in my 17th gear on an incline. I looked down at his back wheel, and saw he was geared about four or five up on his back rings. This is not the first time someone has said something about my choice of gears. I think I might ride in to high of a gear for too long. I think I need to find a good cadence and worry less about the chain ring I am in.

I was busy working all weekend, didn't get to ride. I am going to pay closer attention to what my gear choices are going forward, though, and see if that make a difference. Like I said, it's not the first time I noticed this. I also noticed that while climbing hills on dirt if I go too low, I spin the back wheel. Any one have any advice on gear ratio? Hope you guys got a killer ride in this weekend!