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Took the road bike out this afternoon to the park where I could do hill repeats virtually uninterrupted by cars and people. It is not the most fun a person could have, doing hill repeats, but it works. I start off at the bottom and try to sprint as far up as I can. Usually until my legs begin the burning feeling which signals a possible leg cramp.

I have been plagued on group bike rides, by leg cramps these past few years. On one 50 mile ride the cramps were so bad I could not straighten my leg out to stretch the cramp out.  I had to look for a grassy area and then fall over.  Once on the ground I would stretch my leg out and get back on the bike until the next round of leg cramps set in. Granted I could have flagged down the sag vehicle (it was an organized ride) and then gotten a ride back to my car, but if I had done that then I would not be me. Stubborn. Determined. And other adjectives which apply. So these hill repeats are meant to get me back to the shape I used to be in. Or at least make me think twice about eating those ranch hot Doritos before I go for a bike ride.

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This is what I look forward to on my after work bike rides. A 13 mile ride today, and this was the halfway point. It is a cell phone picture, but not too bad.

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I was trying to locate a particular photo –  but all I could find was the small condensed version. I know the original picture is someplace… but here is the small one anyway.

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This photo was taken about 7 years ago? This was taken at a friends annual Halloween party. I always really wanted to wear a tux, and what better time than when everyone is dressing up as someone else?  At any rate what I recall the most was how comfortable I felt. As though I had finally stepped into the skin I was always supposed to be wearing. It was so… relaxing dressed as I was.

And in other news, if it ever dries up for any length of time I am looking forward to getting the new Mountain Bike out on the trail

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I am going to be putting on some new pedals – the ones on her currently will not work for trail riding.  I will however not be using clipless pedals. The name sounds off when you consider that clipless means your feet are clipped in. I can ride clipless on the road, but on the trail I need to be able to vacate the bike when the moment arises. I have had wrecks where I have went head over heals down a hillside, finally stopping myself by reaching out and grabbing a piece of a fallen tree. I do not think that it would have gone as well if my feet had still been attached to the bike…

I do not often have a Saturday/Saturday night all to myself. I have huge plans to read more of this book:

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One might think a book about the history of the Gene would be dry and textbook like. But this one reads like a story – and the author has done a fantastic job at presenting the history in a way that makes it, quite enjoyable. I like to read just abut anything – I can go from reading something just for fun, to reading something because I have questions, and I do always have questions.

And on that note I am off to wonder the web, and other things.

 

 

 

 

 

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The newest addition sitting on top of my car, just about ready to go. The trails are too wet still so I am taking her out for a little hilly road ride.

After taking some time and looking at the 29ers I am glad I waited for the 27.5 to come out. I think the 29er would have been fun, and with that wheel size it would have been great for rolling over all sorts of things on the trail, but navigating tight turns would have been an issue. I had the guys at the bike shop take off a little width on the handlebars – I know I am inclined to get to close to the trees when mountain biking, only to have them rip the handlebars out of my hands. The original handlebars seemed a little to wide for my taste.