Cyclist on a hill

Thursday was the only day we got out this week and that was only for a very short ride. I did manage to make it up a few hills which was encouraging. Today we set out for the longer section of the greenway. Before leaving, I made some adjustments to my seat. The last visit as the bike shop, James had said my seat might need to go down but only a smidge and it probably wasn't worth it. Well I heartily disagree. I put my seat UP nearly 3 inches before today's ride. I fiddled with several positions before settling, going up by very small increments and testing each time. When we finally got out on the trail, I felt like I was on a whole new bike! I felt so much more comfortable and noticed even the bike handling felt different. I was able to use my 3rd gear extensively when before I only used 3rd briefly on the downhill stretches.

I had several issues with my 2nd gear today. It was acting up towards the beginning of the ride, but after 10-15 minutes, it would not engage at all. Each attempt ended up with the pedals spinning furiously with no resistance. Good thing I could use 3rd because of my seat adjustment!

I was able to pedal along easily, feeling like I was using only a fraction of the energy I had been previously. Before long, we were approaching the hilly section of the trail. I pedaled my way up the first rise and felt the old familiar burning in my thighs. And it was then I realized the real hill was around the next corner! I was determined to get partway up before hopping off today. I shifted down and focused on the road 1/3 of the way up. I kept my pedaling steady and tried to think positively about making it to my goal. When I reached the spot I had mentally marked, I still had a good bit of steam left, so I focused further up the hill. Now my thighs decided to let me know they were not agreeing with my decision to keep going. When I reached this next spot, I didn't know if I could make it any further. I lowered my eyes to look just beyond my front tire and kept pushing. Llama starting cheering from behind that I had made it! I looked up and around and felt my excitement surge! I really did make it up the hill! I was panting and sweating and my thighs were screaming but I had made it the whole way up.

We stopped for water before enjoying the downhill, and not many minutes later we had reached the wooden walkways and the end of the trail. We stopped again so I could take some pictures and then started back.

Bernard in the wetlands.

Bernard by the long wooden walkway.

More wetlands.

Spokes-eye view of the stream.

I have always liked this decal--take the long way around.

My thighs were pretty worn out by this point, and after stopping for some more pictures of the wetlands by the trail, I realized that the cramping was still plaguing me. We continued much more slowly back towards the truck. I did have to walk up the final hill through the park to the truck. I don't know if I will ever make it up this hill. But today I conquered the biggest hill on the trail going both ways. And my ride was much more comfortable after adjusting the seat. I guess now it's a matter of getting the old thighs into shape...

From one small rise to another towards the far end of the trail.


Looking over the beaver pond area. We saw tons of wildlife today, which thrilled me, including 2 herons and many ducks and other waterfowl.

7.5

Yesterday was a rest day, but we used the free time to scout out some new trails on foot. We have been trying to find trails that are long enough, but not too long, flat enough without too many giant hills and that are close enough we can get to them quickly. Thus far the Cary Greenway system has been just about perfect. Today we headed out to a new trail, the White Oak Creek Greenway.

The trail head is in a park and immediately gave us the choice of right or left. We tried right and discovered this part of the trail is a slight grade uphill. Also it was not very long. It meanders behind several housing communities and actually ends right up against a welcome center for one. After hoofing it up the final hill, we took a quick break and then mounted back up for the quick ride back down. This is one of the pros for hoofing it up the hills that are too much for me and my 3 speed, the joy of even a slight hill. It's always exhilarating and usually a smidge scary since my braking system is...shall we say lacking. This little hill made it a breeze and before long we were back at the trailhead we started on. We decided to go the opposite direction. This trail passes across several roads, none of which were too busy as they are in residential areas. Again the trail was relatively flat. After hearing several remarks and feeling the burn first hand in my thighs, I'm pretty sure my seat is a bit low. Basically my knees are hitting my arms every time I pedal. I also suspect it is adjusted a bit too far forward as I find myself constantly adjusting in order to keep the balls of my feet on the pedals.

After several more minutes, the trail begins to get a bit more woodsy. We stopped for a water break and (of course) pictures in an area that was pretty swampy/wetlands-ish. After a few minutes we decided to keep going. My thighs generally dictate the length of the ride, or rather my tolerance for pain in my thighs, I guess. The trail feel much more uphill at this point and rounding a corner we come to a rather formidible (for me) looking hill. Llama has by this point figured out the best way to use her 12 speeds to her advantage. Well, that and she's in much better shape than I am. I made it partway up the hill and the hopped off and puffed my way up to where Llama was waiting. The downhill was so fast my eyes were watering and as it was pretty cold today I felt like my tears were freezing onto my face. Man, was it fun to go flying down that hill!

By this point my thighs were basically screaming constantly so we decided we should turn back soon. And then I got distracted by what looked like a pretty long bridge. It was a raised wooden walkway and who can resist riding over that? Just as we reached the other side, we spot another up ahead--and I figured, well, what the hell it's just a little further. So we crossed that one. And then right ahead of us maybe 100 yards, it looks like the end of the trail. I had no idea we had come this far out. I had no intention of going this far. We went the extra yards just to complete the trail.

I was a little worried about making it back due to my aching thighs, but we got going and I just had to take my foot off the pedal and stretch my leg a lot more. Interestingly, it's usually only my right thigh that hurts constantly and intensely. After hiking up the big hill again, I was determined to use as much downhill momentum as possible to my advantage. I pedalled slowly a few times and then shifted up into my "high" gear--big number 3, watch out. By the bottom of the hill, my stupid right thigh hurt so much I wanted to cry, but I just whined a bit and tried to keep going. While I was still coasting, my gears decided to temporarily abandon me and the sudden lack or resistance almost sent me teeth first into my handlebars and that was a bit scary. So now, here I was, slowly cranking my way back to the truck thinking about how far it was and wanting to cry like a baby about my sore thigh. Llama, as always was encouraging, but this time she just went a bit ahead of me and left me to myself. I alternated with pedal, pedal, pedal, as hard as I could and then coasting and stretching my stupid leg. I did get off and walk maybe 100 yards before one of the road crossings, but mostly I just pedalled very slowly, occasionally whining out loud about my dumb leg. And then before I knew it we were back. I took several minutes, after loading the bikes, to stretch my legs and, boy, did that feel good.

As soon as we got back I was anxious to see how far we had gone. I felt longer than Black Creek. And wow was it. We went almost 7.5 miles today! I felt so good about seeing that number. Sure I wore out, but I went a lot further than we usually do. And I only walked up 2 little hills and a little bit before that road. Yes, I am tired and sore. Yes, I was mad at my leg for the last 1/4 of the ride. But 7.5 feels damn good. Now if I can just fix my seat...

Introducing...Henri

Today was another great day to ride with the temps in the 50s and plenty of sunshine. We were both excited to get out on the trail with the new Peugeot (Henri) so we left early. We set off in the opposite direction of our usual route and stopped only once to get some pictures of the bikes.

Peugeot "Henri" on his first ride.

Henri & Bernard--Handsome Devils!

We then headed back past the trail entrance and headed towards the lake again, both planning on going only as far as the gazebo. There we stopped again for more pictures and water and a short rest.

Lake Crabtree from the gazebo.

Henri and Bernard taking a rest.

At this point the end of the trail was not much further so we decided to try and make it to the end. We made it with no problem, but shortly after starting back Llama's chain jumped off track and we had to stop. Part of the chain was jammed into the guard but it took only a few minutes to get it back on. My first roadside mini-repair! At this end of the trail there is a bit of a hill and going down it made me want to take my bike in to James to get it "set up" as he calls it. This would include fixing the rear wheel & spokes, updating the brake lines and fixing the pedals. Right now, my braking ability is very limited and I want it corrected so I can be a bit more daring on these little hills.

We stopped again for more pictures at the bottom of the hill as I think this is the most beautiful part of the trial. It passes not 3 feet from the lake at one point and is flat and only a foot or two above the water level.

Henri & Bernard--outdoor enthusiasts.

Black Creek Greenway.

My favorite shot, this is where the trail is closest to the lake.

Again as we neared the end of our ride, my thighs were getting pretty worn out. Usually the only way to alleviate the pain is to take my feet off the pedals and actually stretch my legs out. We've realized this direction of the path has a very slight uphill grade, but being a newbie and so far out of shape (I think my current shape is "blob") it really finishes off my muscles. The last part of the trail heads uphill into a park and I have no shame about getting off the bike and huffing my way up on foot. We think this is actually the hardest part of the whole ride--the walk uphill to the truck. A quick stop for Starbucks finished off our outing and it was pretty wonderful overall. I went a lot further today, and took breaks whenever I needed to so I wasn't in pain. Slow and steady makes the whole ride more pleasant...

A Rush

Take 4 or 5 things that you have really been looking forward to or hoping for: think about what it would mean to get/have happen each one of these things. Now put them all into a 6 hour time block. That was my day and I'm a bit euphoric.

Having left work early today, the first thing on the agenda was getting the Sears (which I have named Bernard) to the shop. James was in again today and listened quietly while I pointed out the obvious problem and then swung my beloved Bernard up into his workstand. "This is not a problem" he stated as he grabbed his tools. Of course my little heart soared at this prognosis and I asked him why it had happened. He stated that he had not previously wanted to tighten the nut holding the wheel in place too much as this could cause it to sheer. He said depending on how much torque was applied to it while I was pedaling just the motion of pedaling could cause it to become misaligned. He explained that if it was in high gear at a point that I was starting out from a stop or near stop this could have caused it. And the light bulb went on! On Sunday right before the mishap, I had been in 3rd gear as the trail was a bit downhill. I came up behind a family with several children and some of them darted over to the left of the trail as I was about to pass. I braked hard and then had to wait a moment for bikers coming the opposite way to pass. Not 10 seconds after getting going again the problem arose. So I now understand the importance of shifting into a lower gear when appropriate. James also talked about making sure the gear is engaged and demonstrated several times how it is important with this type of bike to NOT pedal while shifting and to even pedal backwards slightly to engage the internal gears. So within minutes my bike (oh beautiful old bike) was ready to roll again.

Then the surprise. James asked if I wanted to see his Hercules which he had finished working on. Um, of course. So we go through to the back of the shop and he's grinning as he shows it to us. And then he asked if I would test ride it for him--he wanted me to tell him how it rode and if anything seemed amiss. I quickly objected and reminded him that I am not quite *cough* a bicycle expert. He said the bike was my size and he wanted an objective opinion. Of course I wanted to ride it, so I said sure. He joked that basically he wanted me to say his was better. So I got to take this glorious old Hercules out into the parking lot and ride around for several minutes. I felt like I was floating. And I even managed to notice that the front brake was rubbing slightly. Riding that bike was a real treat, let me tell you. It made me think about what wonderful machines bicycles are. It made me think about the simplicity and mechanical genius of a bicycle. And of course it made we really happy that I had found someone with a love of old bikes like myself. Oh, yeah, and James didn't charge me a penny to put Bernard back together again. He helped me make sure my seat was adjusted correctly and chatted a few minutes about selling his Hercules. Man, I wish I could buy that beautiful old thing. I am starting to realize that bicycles are addicting and it's extremely easy to want several. One last thing about getting Bernard fixed: Bernie--I'm sorry for hating your old soul the other night and I'm sorry for flirting with that new bicycle online.

There was still plenty of daylight left after we left the bike shop so we rushed home and grabbed the Huffy and set out for the trail. On the way, we actually discovered a small trail randomly so we decided to give it a shot. It ended up being a bit more than we newbies could handle. I ended up walking up two little hills, huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf. Then at the top of the hill, we realized it was time for plan B. The hill was quite steep and, given that my brakes are not good at all and the Huffy only has coaster brakes, we turned back. The trip back to the truck was quick and easy. I actually don't think I pedaled at all on the way back. I did burn up my brakes a bit. We headed for the fateful trail where the mishap took place. This time was much better. The trail had far fewer people today and it was a nice fairly flat ride. There is a bit of a hill in one place and a bigger bit of a hill near the one end. I'll try and get some pictures up soon as this trail turns truly beautiful as it passes a lake. I got pretty worn out near the end of our ride, but Llama encouraged me and I really pushed myself to make it the whole way. My legs were on fire and I had to take them off the pedals and stretch them straight to get the pain to ease at all, but we took our time and I was proud I had made it the whole way.

You might think that all that makes for a pretty good biking day and I'd agree. But that's not all, folks. I happened to check craigslist check when we got back and spotted something I thought might be a good find. I contacted the seller via email and waited for a response, checking my email every few minutes. Not more than an hour had passed before I got a call and set up a meeting this very evening. I was determined to be discerning and not simply add another hunk of crap like the Huffy to my "stable" (every now and then I like to go into "cyclespeak" and pretend I know what I'm talking about). Llama was hesitant to go and didn't want to spend more money on another bike. I convinced her as the seller lived literally a mile and a half down the road.

So again of we went in the old truck, me resolving not to even consider it seriously if there were any problems. We met Jim and looked at the bike, me pretending I might actually be able to spot a problem. Well, I mean I know in general some things about bicycles and after the quick once over tried to be a bit more thorough, but I was getting excited. No rust, decals still in place, tires fine, brakes great, no frame cracks. Jim said he was selling it as his wife had just upgraded to a newer bike. This one they had had at least 15 years and it was older than than. The last and most important part was the test ride. I let Llama have at it as the intention was that this would replace the Huffy she has been graciously riding. She rode around a bit, fumbled with the gears and we decided to buy it. The moment we got that thing home she wanted to ride it some more. No matter that it was far past dark, she rode around the parking lot for about 15 minutes, getting used to the gears and enjoying the faster feel of a road bike after the relative torture of the Huffy (which is a one speed cruiser type with wide knobby tires).

When we finally got it inside I started looking over it closely. By this time, I was already suffering bike envy, but the more I looked it over, the greener I got. This bike is seriously sweet. I want another one. We looked it up on the internet and I got even more excited/jealous. The detail of the metal, the unique frame, the curved, but still straightish handlebars. It's beautiful. And I am so excited to get out again tomorrow and ride. I'll plan on taking several pictures of the new bike and posting them as well. We found this page, which seems to be the exact bike. Well, ours has no accessories, no lights or rack, no frame pump and ours is white. But check out the super cool frame. Let me know what you think of it:




Today was a cycling dream. The whole rollercoaster of emotions through the week was worth it for today. I'm still flying. It's almost like...well the rush of riding a bike.

Grey Matter

So as I've said before, part of the obsession phase for me is reading every single thing about a given subject that I can get my hands on. So I have obviously been reading a bunch of books about bikes. Now first of, let me tell you, it is not so easy to find information about bicycles that doesn't have to do with racing or mountain biking or BMX bikes. I mean, it's not hard but it is a little more challenging. Since I'm not as interested in racing as I am in the utility aspect of biking, or even radonneuring or touring, I didn't want to read every biography and history of the the Tour de France and it's various winners. But, apparently these are the most popular and thus most accessible books to find. The local library has several books relating to this topic. I decided to get some of these and then dug a little deeper and found some other, more or less unknown (or at least un-marketed) books. Here's a little recap which I'll hope to add to over time:



It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life - Lance Armstrong
Ok I know. Could it be any more obvious that this was one of the first books that pops up on searches? But I figured it would at least have a human element to it and I was not disappointed. This book was moving. I teared up several times and actually cried a couple. There is something about the human spirit overcoming obstacles that speaks to us all. I'm not out to do a spoiler here, but suffice to say that this book was great. I had not thought about cycling as a job before reading this, onyl as a lifestyle or recreation. Next time I stumble across this, I'm grabbing a copy. It was uplifting.

Over the Hills: A Midlife Escape Across America by Bicycle - David Lamb
I'm not middle aged. I do, however, love a good travel story. This is just such a story. This book makes me want to say "Screw the rat race, screw the bills and obligations". What would happen if I set off across the country on my bike? Well, I would probably keel over dead before I hit the state line. But David Lamb doesn't. He constantly weaves bicycle lore and history (!) into the tale of his journey from Virginia to L.A. He paints with words beautiful portraits of the people he meets, showing their humanity. He exposes his doubts, his troubles and his triumphs. He rediscovers a faith in people and lives the definition of American-style freedom. This book will make you want to put it down, grab a bike and head out into the setting sun.



The Memory of Running: A Novel - Ron McLarty
Imagine a middle aged, balding, fat man. He is a manager in a toy factory, a Vietnam vet. He's a drunk. He's a lifelong bachelor whose parents are killed in a car wreck. A few days later, he gets a letter his sister has been located. She has been missing for over 2 decades. And she's finally turned up--in the morgue in Los Angeles. And now he's going to get her. On a bike. Smithy Ide is a first class loser. For a good part of the book, I didn't like him. But I found myself routing for him. This book can be a bit weird. It might make you uncomfortable in parts. Socially awkward scenes, death, psychosis, Vietnam. But this is the second time I've read this book and I liked it even more this time around. It's a story of beating personal demons, of the best and worst sides of people, of losing oneself and then finding onself again. It's a story of redemption.

Bikeless in the Triangle

The Sears remains unfixed. I spent the daylight hours after work today going to look at a used bike--which I did not buy. But because I went to look, I also did not have any time to ride my one working bike, or to take in my one un-working bike. So yet again the repair has been put off. Yet again I'll put my hopes on tomorrow. And tonight I'm going to spend thinking about how nice it would be to have a new bike, a working bike, a bike that though not cheap does not require frequent trips to the bike doctor. And I'm going to look at such new bikes and drool excessively on my keyboard. And then I'll probably end up digging through closets and appraising every single thing in the apartment with an eagle eye and make elaborate schemes about selling each thing I see so I will have enough money to buy said new bike. And then I'm going to throw a mini-bikeless pity party and go to bed.

The Reign of the Bike

As I accomplished nothing towards getting my Sears fixed, nor had time to ride tonight, I thought I would share this neat old article that I found in my random searching today. Make sure you click the "Next Page" link at the top to be able to read the end of the article as well.


http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/pageviewer?root=%2Fmoa%2Fcent%2Fcent0049%2F&tif=00314.TIF&cite=&coll=moa&frames=1&view=75

I love that the article calls the bicycle "the great leveler." Maybe we will one day be able to use bicycles for political persuasion. Maybe it will one day become a "necessity of life" to our country again! Here's hoping...

A Pleasant Surprise, Right in My Backyard

Today had a different focus for the ride. The point was to make time for a short ride after work and before the sun went down. Instead of distance this ride is about working on my balance which is often harder to focus on out on a paved multi-use mostly straight trail. I don't even know if anyone else would call it a ride. It's basically about a mile around the apartment complex. But even though I expected to feel really stupid and like it wasn't worth it, the value of this little jaunt was obvious before too long.

I had to utilize the Huffy today as there was no time to take the Sears in to the shop. So I made quick adjustments to the seat height and off we went. First off, this bike is a lot higher than the Sears. A lot. The seat is still leaning forward but for such a short ride it wasn't too distracting. It took more time to feel out the one speed backward-pedaling type brakes. So lest I make this boring by prattling on, here's the gist of today's ride. I had to actually take corners which I haven't really done since, oh, probably 7 or 8 years ago. So that was interesting and (I'm not ashamed to say it) very exhilarating. I realized how unbalanced I am and that if nothing else this ride is good for perfecting my balance and stability. That can only come in handy later.

Also, though there wasn't too much going on I had my first taste of being aware of cars and traffic. There were only a few, but I definitely had to spend more time swiveling my head about and paying attention to everything around me. Also there were speed bumps and I know how silly it is to even mention those, but you put a porky kid on a 3 inch wide frame and with the bulk of the weight a least 3 feet off the ground and that speed bump takes on a whole different life. It was fun going over them even slowly, and again made me think more about balance.

Though this was just a short little ride, I could definitely feel my thighs wearing out from the very mild grades. The ride ends going up a bit more of a hill too so there's a bit of a challenge for me at the end. There were actually a lot of interesting aspects of this ride that I had not anticipated even a little bit. And since it takes very little time and is a short distance, it doesn't feel the least bit overwhelming and I may actually be able to maintain the motivation to do it each evening while there is little light after work.

I would say overall this little insignificant ride was a pleasant surprise. My muscles got a workout (as practically any small bit of exercise requires a good bit of effort), it was fun, and it stimulates other parts of my riding brain than a plain old trail. Perfect for now.

An Upper Body Workout With a Bike

Another perfect day weather-wise and a new trail to explore. Today, we headed off for part of the local greenway system, which we have previously walked and know to be an easy trail. Our ride begins flawlessly and we are just zipping down the path. I decide to chance it with the gear system and to my astonishment and joy the Sears cooperates today and switches gears without a hitch. There a lovely warm breeze, the sun is out, the path is lightly shaded and I can't wait til we get down to the portion that passes the lake so I can snap some pictures. We slow down to pass some walkers and just as I get by my bike starts making a squealing noise and pedaling has become very difficult. I feel like I just shifted into 21st--except my bike has only 3 gears. Awesome.

So I hop of and begin looking it over, wanting to assess and fix quickly to get back on my way. Except, um, that's not going to happen. Because now my rear tire as become skewed somehow and is rubbing directly on the metal support. It's actually worn a smooth spot around the tire in the few seconds it took for me to realize something is wrong and hop off. So defeated I turn it around to head back to the truck. Oh, but wait. The wheel is actually not turning at all now. So I can either drag the bike along, or... pick it up. I can't tell you exactly how wonderful these is feeling right now. So I'm lifting the back end and wheeling the front end down the path. Then I alternate with actually carrying the bike. Humiliation and embarrassment don't even enter my mind as people pass staring.

Tire is rubbing on the bike frame itself and doesn't even turn at all at this point.

We had passed several access trails leading into neighborhoods and decide I should walk my bike up to one of those and wait for Llama to make her way back to the truck to come and get me. And bonus! The neighbor is sitting on top of an Everest-like "hill". So I can lug my "beloved" antique hunk of metal up the damn hill. Oh and of course the road I come out on doesn't actually connect to the road the truck is parked on. And I'm back who-the-hell-knows-where in this neighborhood. After asking 3 people for directions back to the road the truck is parked on, Llama finally goes off to get the truck via the bike path and come rescue me. My plan is to start walking out of the neighborhood so I can at least get to a road that connects to a main road. I finally give up lugging the damn bike and plunk it down by the road. I stand there smoking and thinking all sorts of unpleasant type things about my "great find" of a bike. Which is probably going to end up costing at least half the price of a brand new bike to get fixed. Which was clearly not the point of buying an old inexpensive bike. Not to mention my opportunity to have so much fun has been a little more than ruined. Yesterday I was the problem. Today it's the bike. So for now the grand adventures of a fat kid and her bike are paused. Maybe tomorrow the bike can go back to the shop and I can see hope much it will cost to fix it...again.

Oh but hey, there is a really cool positive side to the story. Usually bicyclists don't get enough upper body workouts. After lugging the bike a couple of miles today, I can definitely check that off my list until at least next week! Sweet!

Expectations and Realizations

The beautiful Sears on it's first ride with me!

Finally, the weekend with it's wonderful and warm weather and loads of free time! We had both bikes ready to go and set off for the American Tobacco Trail (ATT) again. As we pulled into the parking area I saw dozens of bikers, most clad in their semi serious biking clothing, with snazzy looking bikes on their racks. I felt a moment's embarrassment when we roared through the parking lot with the old truck, our bicycles stacked on top of each other in the bed. We unloaded and spent a few minutes adjusting our helmets and checking to make sure we had out water and camera in the backpack. New items for the wishlist: saddlebags and handlebar bags and water bottle with cage.

We started out slowly, just sorta breezing down the trail, headed south. I was so excited to be riding the Sears! Before long the trail crosses a road and then another nice flat, straight stretch. We picked up speed and cruised along, yelling happy hellos to those we passed. Before too long another road crossing and just as we reach the other side, my pedals begin spinning with no resistance. I tried switching gears to no avail. I pulled it over and hopped off having absolutely no idea what was wrong. My first thought was that the chain popped. Nope. So I'm squatting on the edge of the trail spinning my pedal and thinking "um, nothing looks wrong." I tried switching the gears a few more times and sure enough there's suddenly resistance again. So I hop back on and we're off again. Since it was the first really nice day all week the trail had a lot of people on it walking, running, with dogs, with kids, bicycling, and horses. About 10 minutes later my pedals again have no resistance. By this point I had noticed the shifter looked a bit askance and that it was not exactly responding. I felt like it wouldn't shift down, and then a few minutes later would be stuck in the "down" position. Up until now the trail had been flat or even a very slight downhill grade. We crossed a bridge and suddenly it was not flat.

We slowly passed a mother with two kids just as the pulled over for a break. Not far up the trail, I had to take my first time-out. Water and a minute or two and I was good to go again. Not even 5 minutes up the trail, which has been noticeably uphill since we passed the family, I spot a bench and ask if we can plop for a few minutes as my thigh muscles are screaming. So we pull over again and I play around taking pictures for a few minutes. My thighs are still pretty sore after resting so we agree to walk a little ways up the grade. When we get back on, the trail is still climbing. Now I use the word "climbing" relatively here. I mean, it's probably like a 1 or 2% grade. I tough it out for a few more minutes, we cross a road, and still my thighs are on fire. At this point, the end of the trail is only 2.5 more miles. I had really wanted to get to the end of the trail. But I realized I would have to go all the way back to the truck and my legs were tuckered out. So we wisely turned around.

The Sears looking good on the trail.

Now every 5-7 minutes, my gears are not working. And I don't mean I can't shift. I mean the pedals will abruptly lose resistance and I fly forward from the momentum and my legs are churning like I'm sitting in a spinning class. Each time require me to get crafty with the gear switch and push and pull until whatever is screwed up clunks into place and I can propel myself again. Also, my thighs are basically in a constant state of pain. Not like, oh wow, I can feel my muscles a bit. More like, oh god, can you do permanent damage by continuing if your muscles feel like they are pulled and on fire with each revolution? After another quick rest, via my complaining about the pain, we start back towards the truck. I'm noticing now that this direction is not as easy as on the way out. Apparently the slight grade is no longer in our favor. I end up off the bike and walking again when my legs actually stop responding to my "go" commands. Llama decides to keep going and come back to me. So as I'm watching her go, I start having myself a little pity/bashing party. I'm pissed that I couldn't go as far as I wanted, and that my muscles are hurting so badly. I angry that I ever go so fat and out of shape. I think about all the sports I played in high school and how I could always play through the pain. That makes me even more upset that I am not "strong" enough mentally to push through my physical weaknesses. I'm embarrassed that I couldn't do better, couldn't reach my goal. I'm embarrassed that I had to walk up a slight grade and that I'm walking now. I'm embarrassed that with such little exertion I had to huff and puff my fat ass up the hill. I feel stupid about making Llama wait for me, take a thousand breaks. I angry that something is wrong with my bike. I'm hot and thirsty and the truck is still more than a mile down the trail. Finally, I get enough anger built up I use it to get back on the bike. There was no way I was going to take an hour to walk back to the truck. I wobbled off, slowly and immediately the burning feeling returns to my thighs. I'm barely going fast enough to stay upright, but I am damned determined to at least ride to the road crossing. At one point, only the thought of how long it would take to walk keeps me on the bike. Finally the road crossing comes into view and I feel my spirits lift slightly. It's not too much further to the truck.

I'm still embarrassed and angry but realize these emotions aren't exactly helping and are sorta ruining the experience. I know I need to lower my expectations at least slightly. I'm not 17 anymore. I am carrying around about 80-90 pounds more than I was in high school. I am no longer an athlete. I'm a fat slob. And I guess that's ok but it's hard to admit that I did this to myself, that I let myself get to this point. It's hard facing the cruel facts. It's hard to admit I'm not quite who I want to be. It's irritating to think of the amount of work needed to get even minimally back into shape. To add insult to injury, all my little fantasies about riding for causes and commuting to work are looking a lot less immediately tangible. But then I'm thinking--well I'm out here now. And I'm not doing great, but I won't do great until I at least do something for awhile. So I guess a slow start sucks but at least I'm not sitting on my fat ass at home. At least I'm putting forth an effort. And really it's not the pain that is so bothersome, but my inability to drive through it. My willpower is no longer strong enough to be the only fuel for my mass. But I didn't give up and I think it's ok to say "you know, I need to walk for a minute". As long as I get back on, I think that's just part of the journey.

Me still smiling at the end of the ride.

Today, I rode nearly 6 miles. I don't even remember the last time I went that far when not riding in a car. It's not as good as I wanted. But a hell of a lot better than nothing. And I guess not a shabby start. And the joy of being outside, of the wind and the sun on my face, of riding my treasured old bike, these are things that cannot be measured in miles, but in smiles. And already I can't wait until tomorrow...

A 1968 Sears Austria

Today has been a roller coaster ride of biking emotions. I was hoping to get the Sears bike fixed up enough to let me go out on it this weekend. I was supposed to take it to the shop last night but life got in the way. So today I fretted about whether it would still be a possibility to ride it tomorrow. I had spoken with someone last week at the bike shop and he told me to bring the bike in when James was working and he would fix things and assess damages so to speak. As of this afternoon though, I had no idea how long those damages would take to correct. I called the shop after lunch today and asked if James was working tonight. After speaking briefly with James I was told to walk the bike in after work and he'd look it over. So I was elated that maybe tonight I could get it fixed. And then I was worried about what might be wrong with it. And then I was daydreaming about riding it tomorrow. And then I was anxious about how much it was going to cost. And so on and so forth, etc, etc. Anyway, as soon as my cohabitant got home from work I loaded the bike up in the back of her truck and off we went.

James is my new hero. It took him about 35 seconds to pop the bike into the workstand, run a finger over a few parts and come back over to deliver the news. My bike is a 1968 Sears Austria that is in excellent condition and has probably been ridden less than 100 miles in it's lifetime. James gave me 2 options: do some basic repairs and I can ride it tomorrow, or give him a fews days and it will be as good as new. I pondered only a moment, knowing tomorrow the weather is to be gloriously warm. James set about the basic repairs: new tube in the rear wheel, correcting the pedals which were on backwards, something about the crank (it was a little hard to get specifics from James--like pulling teeth), removing 2 broken spokes and putting on a new rear brake cable.

Meanwhile James is telling me a bit about my bike--Sears got the parts from Nottingham and specified a wide crown, which makes the bike super stable and strong. He remarked several times on the quality and excellent condition the bike is in. He stated he would like to replace the brakes with Shimano cables, which I've read a lot about but don't know much about. He also thinks the rear wheel needs respoked, and one pedal is slightly bent. Everything else seems to be in fine working condition. He oils various parts while he's talking and I ask him about cleaning the rusty front spokes. He immediately sorta snaps "Don't! Do not remove the rust." Further explanation reveals that, in James' opinion, the removal of rust will only allow future rust to get deeper into the metal causing more damage. He states that in Europe no one would give a second thought about cleaning up the bike and we Americans only care because of the aesthetics. At this point I feel thoroughly stupid about my time spent painstakingly removing rust from the handlebars and assessing how to get at the hard to reach places. I ask "Doesn't the rust make the spokes weaker?" Apparently no. At least not in James' eyes. Upon further consideration I've decided three things: I will not remove the rust from the spokes, because it doesn't seem to do them any harm. Also, it was really irritating and frustrating when I tried. Secondly I'm damn glad I clean up the handlebars because it makes me happy and feel good to look down at those shiny little curves of metal. Lastly, I will probably also still remove what rust I can from the remaining 3 fender stays because it makes me feel good to be working on the bike and I like the clean look of it. Front spokes be damned.

All of this makes me very excited about my Sears bike. Apparently I got a steal. James told me when he worked in NYC this bike easily would have sold for $500. For a 40 year old bike. Also he keeps making small remarks about what a nice little bike this is, how it's just the right size for me, that it would be great for commuting, that it's all the bike I could need for getting around. Now all this isn't worth a fig, but it makes me feel really great about my bike. I don't know James from Adam, but I do know he spends a lot of time at a local bike recycling shop, that he showed me the old Hercules bike he is refurbishing, that he seems like a damn good bike mechanic, knowledgeable enough to assess and recognize a 40 year old bike in 35 seconds. Oh, and that he didn't say one damn thing about how great his bike was to the guy with the super sleek and expensive looking tricked out racing bike he finished right before mine. Also I was reassured that he offered the quick, cheap fix up so I could ride it within an hour of taking it in as well as the more extensive (in terms of money, time and labor) fix up for either tonight or some time down the road. He recommended I ride it a while and figure out if I wanted to invest any more money in it. Basically the no-pressure approach. That gets me every time.

So tonight was basically a glowing, positive experience for me. I feel like I learned a bit from James. I also got my bike fixed relatively cheaply and very quickly. I feel proud of my bike. It's old, in great shape, easily fixed and a damn workhorse. My inexperience didn't keep me from stumbling on a great bike that I got for a pittance. Actually I'll attribute it to that inner "geek" my sister always references. If the damn thing didn't look like an old bike I wouldn't have given it a second look. I also felt my curiosity and passion rising a bit about this wonderful new little subculture I've stumbled upon. I want to learn how to fix bikes. I want to have bike projects. I want someday to be able to assess a bike in 35 seconds.

But most of all I want to throw a leg over and ride...

"Manic-Obsession"

As so often happens during my manically-obsessed phases, I find myself diving into the various cultures surrounding bicycling. As always, I've check out every single book the library has on the subject. I've read dozens of magazines, scoured the internet for blogs and websites, and clicked through hundreds of pages on pictures. I never cease to be amazed at the depth of a given segment of culture and truthfully this is one of my favorite parts of learning about something new. One day I have no idea that there are several types of cyclists, myriad cities with biking cultures. The next day I have to carefully monitor myself so I don't spend the entire workday browsing blogs, Flickr and cycling and manufacturers sites. I discover groups, forums, magazines, specialized clothing shops all dedicated to various aspects of biking. I learn about touring, competitive cycling, velodomes, mountain biking, radonneuring. I discover the biking cultures of Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Portland. My head spins at the opportunities out there for one interested in bikes.

I find myself drooling over catalog pages of bicycles, signing up for free info from various cycling clubs and associations. In my head I start charting out a possible route for commuting to work and outfitting my bike with upgrades. Inevitably my love of history leads me to look up books telling the story of how we got from the first bike to the sleek machines of today. I find pages and pages of vintage bike posters and advertisements.

More than anything all of this information overload makes me want to hope on my old bike and go tottering off. Scoff if you will, but it's too damn cold outside for me to actually follow through. I know it's not as cold as such and such place or this that and the other. I don't care. It's like 15F out and my fat ass is not going out there for more than a few minutes. I will sit inside and read about other people riding bikes, thank you very much. I will think about this weekend when the temperature stops tormenting me and I can go for a nice long ride with the sun on my face.

In the meantime, here's some eye candy:

Cultures I wish I lived in:

Lastly, I have not been entirely wasting my time held prisoner by the cursed weather. The handlebars of the Sears, the pedals and a good bit of the front wheel are now cleaned up and looking shiny and wonderful. I tried tackling the spokes, but alas they shred the tin foil. Looks like I'll be getting some brass wool after all. Also I am feeling a bit thwarted as I can't really get at a lot of the parts that need cleaned up most. I think I will end up taking the bike apart a bit to clean things, but don't want to tear it apart before the weekend and before I can get it to the shop. My hope is that with some minimal repairs it will be road ready for this weekend...

Before and During

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I wanted to post a few of the bikes before basic cleaning and also some that highlight the damage that I'll be trying to reverse.

The Sturmey-Archer hub caked in rust and dust.

Close up you can see how dirty everything is and the extensive rust.

The hub is clean but still rust I can't get to until I take the thing apart.

Here it's easy to see how clean the hub was after a simple wash down.


Before shot of the dirt and corrosion on the pedals and bottom bracket.


It's a little harder to see the rust here--it's also not as extensive.


The rust speckles the handlebars and the gear cable is quite worn.


Not sure if the tin foil will work on the brakes yet.


This shows the completely rusted spokes. Hopefully there is still strong metal under all that. Notice the contrast with the far side fender brace which I have given a once over with the tin foil.


More damage to the gear cable: 2 cracks/splits and it's stripped below the cable guide.


The Huffy's awful looking front fender. The entire thing was rust speckled, but is now shiny except for this spot where it's actually flaking off.


The shine shows up a bit better in this photo. I'll have to figure out whether I'll touch this up with paint or just coat it with sealant so it doesn't get any worse.

Rust, Rust, Go Away

As both of my bikes are not in great shape, I have begun the slow process of trying to improve them. Basic cleaning, removing rust, tightening blots, adjusting fenders, and assessing more critical damage is as far as I have gotten. BB is the less ambitious project obviously. Light rust covers all the chrome as well as the faux-chrome parts. I was going to have at it with brass wool after watching a youtube video of restoring old bikes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C9R7XjhUuo). Then I talked with the guy at the bike shop and he said WD-40 would work great. Doing a little more research I came across a great blog called How To Fix Bikes (see sidebar)--he suggests steel wool and metal polish with great step by step directions. But it was reading the comments section on his blog that I came across the suggestion to just use some wet aluminum foil like sandpaper. So I figured--why not give that a try. It was worth a shot and maybe I could save a trip to the store and spending more money on supplies. I was very doubtful about this approach and unsure if it would cause more harm than good--so I decided to give it a shot on BB (the Beater Bike) instead of screwing up the old Sears. And I'll be damned but it worked. It worked really well. I started on a small part of the beat up front fender, continually wetting it with a damp rag. Before long it was gleaming except for a small area where the "chrome" was peeling away. Then I did a small section of the handlebar and that looked great as well. I noticed there were still little pockmarks but not more rust. I don't know if brass wool would smooth the chrome out of if it would basically just get rid of the rust as well, but for BB the Huffy, I am not too concerned with detail right now.

Of course I got curious and excited to try this little technique on an inconspicious part of the Sears bike, so I started on one of the fender braces. Now, the Sears is pretty encrusted in rust. There is basically no chrome showing except on the handlebars, head tube and pedals. The wheels and spokes are completely covered. Ditto other smaller metal components. So even though I knew the tin foil trick worked on the Huffy I did not really expect quite the same results on the Sears. Well, slap me hard and call me stupid for doubting. That little crusty, rusty fender brace came clean in 5 seconds. I didn't even really put any elbow grease into it. Wipe with wet rag, rub with tin foil, wipe with wet rag again and wipe with dry rag. Bam! it was like a new part! So now a little more believing, I went at one of the spokes. I didn't even expect to find real metal under all that crap on there, but sure enough in a matter of seconds the rust was gone and the 40 year old metal finally saw the light of day again.

I haven't really gotten much further on either bike yet. I think it will be a lot easier of a task if I can remove the part I want to work on, clean it and then put it back together. I don't have a workstand, so right now it's a lot of bending and arm twisting and I'm starting to feel like a cross between John Candy and Houdini.

I also need to take the Sears into the bike shop. The owner took quite a while to chat and help me get started when I dropped in last week and he said on of his mechanics loves refurbishing old bikes and would love the chance to go over my Sears with me. He would explain what needs fixing and give me some suggestions on how to tackle the more simple tasks. Then if I wanted he could take care of the more involved aspects. I like this compromise--I want the Sears to be my project, but I don't want to butcher it and I don't want to take 40 years to get it road ready. So hopefully this week I'll be able to get the bike down there and get started on returning it (at least partially) to it's former glory. I have given it an abbreviated cleaning from top to bottom already and am really glad to see that the decals and the paint so very little damage. I am guessing (wildly) that the chain will need replaced and maybe the bearings as well. I'm hoping against hope the Sturmey-Archer gear hub is in working condition. I know for certain the rear tire, the brakes and brake cables, and the shifting cable all need replaced. The wheels are also in possible need of replacement, but I'm hoping I can hold off on that awhile. I also know I'll need some reflectors for the Sears and a water bottle for the Huffy.

This week is supposed to be pretty cold (for NC) and with all the repairs and maintenance to do, I don't imagine I'll get much riding in until the weekend.

Not related, but ELATED!

The Pittsburgh Steelers win Superbowl XLIII!!! I had the best time watching this game and think I've got a new slogan-- Pittsburgh Steelers: Good to the last drop-back! Two historic records in a game that had me wishing I had an inhaler. STILLERS!!!

And not that it matters who he cheers for--but it's fun to see!

Our President, by his own admission, doesn't get too high for things. But from what I can tell, the man has Steelers fever.

Original Post can be found here: http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2009/01/12070_obama_weighs_in_on_super_bowl.html

The First Ride

So today I took my first ride. I went with my girl, Llama, to the American Tobacco Trail. This trail is an old railroad bed that has been turned into a recreational trail. The best thing about it is that it is flat. I thought it would make the perfect place for a first attempt as it would be easy and that would be an encouraging and positive start for me.

The American Tobacco Trail

The old black bike is not yet road ready so I had to take BB--the Beater Bike. BB is a relatively newish but not well cared for Huffy one speed step-through. I know people wax all poetic about their thousand dollar bikes and their performance and I respect that. But let's be honest--my performance does not require a high end bike. And though I winced at getting a box-store, mass-market, el cheapo hunk of metal (even second hand and cheap), right now it's really about the ride for me. Isn't the whole point to just get out and ride? I hope that there never comes a day when I refuse to ride on a perfect spring-ish day in February due to the bike that is available. I never want to lose sight of the pure joy of hoping on a bike and wobbling my fat ass off down the trail!

BB (The Beater Bike)

That said, my ride was wonderful. My thighs were hurting within 7 minutes and I felt like I was positively crawling down the trail. And it was great! It was great to feel my muscles working, to feel the cool wind, to be breezed past by "serious bikers" in all their gear. I took it slow and steady and let myself rediscover the whole experience. I listened to BB make unpleasant noises and realized why a bike should fit properly (aka the seat kept dumping my off the front and my knees were coming nearly to my chest cuz the seat was not high enough). I remembered why I liked riding and felt a sense of joy about riding again. I pinpointed my next "essential" gear--2 damn water bottles and some breathable shirts.

There was a little unexpectedly wonderful moment during the ride. Llama, the girl, had been running while I was riding. We were both taking a break, feeling a bit worn out and walking and I offered the bike to her. She strapped the helmet on and slowly wobbled down the path. Before long, she was coming back towards me and then whizzed past. I continued walking toward the trail head thinking about how much I was enjoying the bike, the day, the company, and the sunshine. Then from behind me, I hear a shout! "Watch out! I'm a racer!!!" and Llama went flying past as fast as she could go! I broke into a huge smile just watching, vicariously feeling the joy and appreciating that I could share it. Nothing like seeing someone in their mid-twenties racing with the abandon of a child! This is what I wanted. This freedom and innocent exhilaration, the pure fun of riding a bike. I probably traveled about 3 miles give or take today. Some of it I walked, some I rode fast, most I rode slow. But I didn't really care how far I'd gone, or that the bike is as yet ill-fitted, or that I had a few too many layers on. I had a really good time.