Today I did a late evening ride around the Adams loop. Even though it was at dusk, the ride was hot with no breeze blowing.
Adams loop
Trip distance: 17.72 Miles
Average speed: 16.34 MPH
Top speed: 26.8 MPH
Cats
No, I have never been chased by a cat or ever come close to running one over. I thought I should at least mention cats to counter the dog blog entry I had made previously. We do have a couple of house cats. Once while doing important work on my computer (playing a game). I had to stop for a few for an important boardroom meeting (bathroom break). When I returned our short haired black cat named Sophie was looking up at me expectantly from my computer chair. Willing to compromise I sat on the front of the chair leaving Sophie with the back half of the seat.
The computer work was getting fairly intense and I was getting less comfortable with the seating arrangement; my back was starting to ache a bit and I seemed to be letting a lot of aliens escape. I looked behind me and noticed Sophie looked very comfortable in her half of the chair.
My brain went into overdrive (and short circuited) , how could I make her decide that the chair was not the place for her? The burritos I had earlier was starting to work on me when it hit me. Ha! I'll just use a little gas warfare on her, that will get her off the chair and leave it all for me.
The bean burritos really are starting to build up some power. Time to fire the first round! I let it all go, loud and very smelly. I was holding my nose, feeling pretty smug as I was waiting for her to jump off the chair and leave me in comfort.
It was taking too long, nothing was happening and just as I was about to look behind me I felt the sharp end of Sophie's fangs needle through my pants and into my left rear cheek! I stood up with a yelp! Now I had a cat hanging from my rear. After what seemed an eternity, Sophie let go and gently dropped back into the chair while I was leaping about the room. Now with a pain in my rear I didn't feel much like sitting and decided to lay in bed for a while (on my stomach). I turned my computer off and looked down at Sophie now curled up using the entire chair looking up at me with a smug look.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Saturday, August 4, 2007
August 2nd group ride
Good turnout today with 10 riders for the Greensburg group ride. We rode the 20 mile loop. After the group trip I rode the Adams loop.
Trip distance: 35.56 miles
Adams loop
In route bike maintenance:
Some of you may wonder what happens if I am 50 miles from home and the bike breaks down. It would be a long walk if I wasn't able to repair the bike on the spot. Most In route problems are centered on the tires or tubes. I carry some tools with me at all times, carried in a bag attached to the seat back. They include pliers, tire tools (for removing the tire off the rim), intertube patch repair kit (yes I actually repair flat tires during rides), spare intertubes (patches don't always work), wire ties, wire cutters, allen wrenches, tire patch and of course a bicycle pump to air up the repaired tires. If every thing else fails I also carry my cell phone as a last resort.
I used to have intertubes that had over five separate repair patches before replacing them with new tubes. I was amazed to see that most of the group don't carry at least a tire pump. When I asked I found that most of them carry their cell phones as their first resort, when I use it as a last resort in case of problems.
It's also important to make sure your tires are pumped up to the proper pressure. If the tire pressure is too low, it takes a lot more leg work to make the bike move forward. If they are pumped too high the tires may pop. Most tires have the recommended tire pressure listed on the side of the tire. Most high end tires handle 100 - 120 PSI (car tires are usually around 32 PSI), which means you need a special tire gauge to measure the pressure. Car tire gauges typically won't measure that high.
Trip distance: 35.56 miles
Adams loop
In route bike maintenance:
Some of you may wonder what happens if I am 50 miles from home and the bike breaks down. It would be a long walk if I wasn't able to repair the bike on the spot. Most In route problems are centered on the tires or tubes. I carry some tools with me at all times, carried in a bag attached to the seat back. They include pliers, tire tools (for removing the tire off the rim), intertube patch repair kit (yes I actually repair flat tires during rides), spare intertubes (patches don't always work), wire ties, wire cutters, allen wrenches, tire patch and of course a bicycle pump to air up the repaired tires. If every thing else fails I also carry my cell phone as a last resort.
I used to have intertubes that had over five separate repair patches before replacing them with new tubes. I was amazed to see that most of the group don't carry at least a tire pump. When I asked I found that most of them carry their cell phones as their first resort, when I use it as a last resort in case of problems.
It's also important to make sure your tires are pumped up to the proper pressure. If the tire pressure is too low, it takes a lot more leg work to make the bike move forward. If they are pumped too high the tires may pop. Most tires have the recommended tire pressure listed on the side of the tire. Most high end tires handle 100 - 120 PSI (car tires are usually around 32 PSI), which means you need a special tire gauge to measure the pressure. Car tire gauges typically won't measure that high.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
July 29th ride
Early evening ride to New Pennington and New Point.
Map of the ride
Trip distance: 35.54 miles
Average speed: 14.96 MPH
Remarks I have heard while riding my recumbent bicycle:
-Awesome!
-Did you build that yourself?
-Nice bike!
-The dumbfounded look from first time viewers.
-Hysterical laughter. (I assume also from first time viewers)
-Car horn
-Police siren; I was actually pulled over and told by a state trooper it was illegal to ride a recumbent on Highway 46! (unless I could keep up with traffic.)
-Thumbs up/down
-Finger up
-!$%!@
-One van load actually drove alongside me for a few minutes and filmed me with a camera phone while laughing hysterically. (I keep looking on youtube but haven't seen the movie yet.)
-"Dang, what happened? Did you have a bike wreck and not know how to put it back together?"
With so many people remarking about my unique bike combined with my own delusions of grandeur I have now put a sign on my bike with this websites address so anyone can look at the bike and instantly know how to find more information about the bike and the rides I take. Tonights ride was the first with the new sign.
Map of the ride
Trip distance: 35.54 miles
Average speed: 14.96 MPH
Remarks I have heard while riding my recumbent bicycle:
-Awesome!
-Did you build that yourself?
-Nice bike!
-The dumbfounded look from first time viewers.
-Hysterical laughter. (I assume also from first time viewers)
-Car horn
-Police siren; I was actually pulled over and told by a state trooper it was illegal to ride a recumbent on Highway 46! (unless I could keep up with traffic.)
-Thumbs up/down
-Finger up
-!$%!@
-One van load actually drove alongside me for a few minutes and filmed me with a camera phone while laughing hysterically. (I keep looking on youtube but haven't seen the movie yet.)
-"Dang, what happened? Did you have a bike wreck and not know how to put it back together?"
With so many people remarking about my unique bike combined with my own delusions of grandeur I have now put a sign on my bike with this websites address so anyone can look at the bike and instantly know how to find more information about the bike and the rides I take. Tonights ride was the first with the new sign.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
July 22 ride
Rode to and around Lake Santee. Excellent weather, slight head wind into Lake Santee, no breeze on the way back.
Lake Santee trip
Trip distance: 37.77 Miles
Average speed: 15.51 MPH
Lake Santee trip
Trip distance: 37.77 Miles
Average speed: 15.51 MPH
Friday, July 20, 2007
July 20th ride
Evening ride around the Adams loop
Trip distance: 15.32 miles
Average speed: 15.96 MPH
Dogs
I am often asked how do I handle the sometimes ferocious evil dogs that I may meet on my many bike adventures. I have been bitten only once while on a bike. This incident happened back when I was in high school and rode my bike the one and a half mile distance to the retired farmer that I worked for (I'll have to tell some stories about my first work experiences later).
Our closest neighbors had some dogs that barked a lot but I never really considered them a threat. I was happily biking past their house on my way to work one morning when I felt the dogs teeth barely bite my rear end. It was quite a shock and I always made sure to watch him on future rides. The creature did break the skin. I have never been bitten by a dog since (cross my fingers).
It is easier for a dog to bite my rear when I used to ride a road bike (more tempting real estate hanging over the seat). On my Recumbent my rear is secured in the larger seat with none of it exposed. My thighs are fairly protected by my handlebars and arms. The rest of my legs are moving too fast to be a tempting target. I'd like to see a dog try to bite my rotating feet! The only real target would be my hands and arms. If a dog was to get too close I would only have to raise my hand and then bring my closed hand down on its snout (seems simple enough).
Usually I am more concerned about hitting a dog that causes me to wreck. This is especially a concern for dogs that insist on racing me by running down the road barely ahead of the bike with its head turned back looking at me. Or by dogs that dart across the road in front of me. This happens quite often (I'm not smart enough to slow down).
I remember once back in high school while riding to work there was a particular dog that would wait at the end of a fence row and wait till I rode by to pounce at me and then race me down the street and when it became bored of that it would actually jump at my legs as if trying to bite them. It was only a short dog but it seemed ferocious and was the most dreaded part of the trip to work.
At one time the old man I worked for needed me to bring a shovel from home. I carried the shovel on my bike handlebars. As a bonus, this seemed like the perfect protection from the ferocious dog, I could hold the shovel between me and the dog. This worked great on my way to work that morning.
Later when I was returning home I tried the same trick. It worked great, the dog kept its distance. I held the shovel with my left hand while steering the bike with the right. The dog was finally giving up and starting to fall back. Great! I thought, I may have to carry this shovel to work every day! As I was bringing the shovel back to the handlebars the shovel handle ended up through the spokes of the front wheel.
A micro instant later the bikes rear tire magically lifted itself off the road as it began pivoting around the front wheel that now refused to go forward. In that same micro instant I was suddenly laying on my back with the bike on top of me. It happened so quick that I wasn't sure exactly what happened.
It caused a loud enough crash that the dog owners actually came out to see what the commotion was. They only saw me standing next to my bike examining the broken spokes. Why don't they ever come out and call their dog off me? I started thinking that maybe I was their daily entertainment. Luckily I didn't land on my head since this was before I started wearing protective gear. I was still able to slowly ride the bike home, this time with the shovel safely planted on top the handlebars.
What about the dog? He didn't know what to think, I was probably the first bike he had actually caught. Not knowing what to do he simply put his tail between its legs and ran off to his owners home. Which was great for me since I didn't feel much like fighting him off. He never bothered me again after that.
Trip distance: 15.32 miles
Average speed: 15.96 MPH
Dogs
I am often asked how do I handle the sometimes ferocious evil dogs that I may meet on my many bike adventures. I have been bitten only once while on a bike. This incident happened back when I was in high school and rode my bike the one and a half mile distance to the retired farmer that I worked for (I'll have to tell some stories about my first work experiences later).
Our closest neighbors had some dogs that barked a lot but I never really considered them a threat. I was happily biking past their house on my way to work one morning when I felt the dogs teeth barely bite my rear end. It was quite a shock and I always made sure to watch him on future rides. The creature did break the skin. I have never been bitten by a dog since (cross my fingers).
It is easier for a dog to bite my rear when I used to ride a road bike (more tempting real estate hanging over the seat). On my Recumbent my rear is secured in the larger seat with none of it exposed. My thighs are fairly protected by my handlebars and arms. The rest of my legs are moving too fast to be a tempting target. I'd like to see a dog try to bite my rotating feet! The only real target would be my hands and arms. If a dog was to get too close I would only have to raise my hand and then bring my closed hand down on its snout (seems simple enough).
Usually I am more concerned about hitting a dog that causes me to wreck. This is especially a concern for dogs that insist on racing me by running down the road barely ahead of the bike with its head turned back looking at me. Or by dogs that dart across the road in front of me. This happens quite often (I'm not smart enough to slow down).
I remember once back in high school while riding to work there was a particular dog that would wait at the end of a fence row and wait till I rode by to pounce at me and then race me down the street and when it became bored of that it would actually jump at my legs as if trying to bite them. It was only a short dog but it seemed ferocious and was the most dreaded part of the trip to work.
At one time the old man I worked for needed me to bring a shovel from home. I carried the shovel on my bike handlebars. As a bonus, this seemed like the perfect protection from the ferocious dog, I could hold the shovel between me and the dog. This worked great on my way to work that morning.
Later when I was returning home I tried the same trick. It worked great, the dog kept its distance. I held the shovel with my left hand while steering the bike with the right. The dog was finally giving up and starting to fall back. Great! I thought, I may have to carry this shovel to work every day! As I was bringing the shovel back to the handlebars the shovel handle ended up through the spokes of the front wheel.
A micro instant later the bikes rear tire magically lifted itself off the road as it began pivoting around the front wheel that now refused to go forward. In that same micro instant I was suddenly laying on my back with the bike on top of me. It happened so quick that I wasn't sure exactly what happened.
It caused a loud enough crash that the dog owners actually came out to see what the commotion was. They only saw me standing next to my bike examining the broken spokes. Why don't they ever come out and call their dog off me? I started thinking that maybe I was their daily entertainment. Luckily I didn't land on my head since this was before I started wearing protective gear. I was still able to slowly ride the bike home, this time with the shovel safely planted on top the handlebars.
What about the dog? He didn't know what to think, I was probably the first bike he had actually caught. Not knowing what to do he simply put his tail between its legs and ran off to his owners home. Which was great for me since I didn't feel much like fighting him off. He never bothered me again after that.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
July 10th group ride
Today we only had a small group of 4.
Trip distance: 24.10 miles
I have now ridden over 1000 miles this year! Bike Worksheet
Trip distance: 24.10 miles
I have now ridden over 1000 miles this year! Bike Worksheet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)