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Much better

Much better

Sep 12, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

It’s amazing the difference properly inflated tires make. Not only was this ride much faster, but I don’t feel like my legs are about to fall off. Bravo for proper bike care.

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 11.86mi

time: 01:02:08

pace: 5:14min/mi

speed: 11.45mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2459647013

Bike ride to snap city

Sep 9, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

The tires were flat. Really flat. I didn’t realize until I got home, just thought I was out of shape and it was a beautiful day so I wanted to do a longer ride. Now my legs hurt and I want to cry. Luckily my bike is ok and not damaged.

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 13.74mi

time: 01:39:05

pace: 7:13min/mi

speed: 8.32mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2453475671

Ergoride!

Aug 8, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

So I finally got around to switching my saddle and raising the seat post on the Pug and whew, what a difference!! My knees aren’t aching after this ride and although my butts a little sore cause this saddle is harder I don’t have the usual post ride numbness. I know I’m pretty lazy and should have done this weeks, nay, months, ago but better late than never.

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I biked with MapMyRide!
Distance: 6.81mi
time: 43:49
pace: 6:26min/mi
speed: 9.33mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2385007979

2 pedals forward, 1 pedal back

Aug 6, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

Well it rained Wednesday through Friday so the 120 and washing underpasses are flooded again. However trail repair is coming along great (I might even right the 29er next time out) and the fishy smell is mostly gone – at least up to Washington. Progress.

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I biked with MapMyRide!
Distance: 5.70mi
time: 41:13
pace: 7:14min/mi
speed: 8.30mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2380657871

Stinky Ride

Aug 1, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

So Washington is open now but Grand is not. I probably could have gotten through as it didn’t seem that deep but the whole trail in that area stinks like rotting vegetation so I decided to cut my losses and turn back. I had the fat tire today but even so trail repair has started which is great. Next ride I’ll probably go south and see if 120 is open and how repairs are going, plus it stinks less 🙂

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 5.44mi

time: 38:12

pace: 7:01min/mi

speed: 8.55mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2369924567

Wet trail, drying out

Jul 30, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

120 and Washington underpass are still flooded and most of the trail smells like fish or beach or whatever but slowly or surely the trail is drying out. Lots of trail damage as well so even though I rode the 29er today I’ll probably have to switch to the fat tire for the near future until LCFP can fix the trail.

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I biked with MapMyRide!
Distance: 5.76mi
time: 37:58
pace: 6:35min/mi
speed: 9.11mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/2364850535

Tons of Buns!

Jul 6, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

Saw lots of bunnies on the trail today. Almost too many. Makes me think they are up to something!

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 6.77mi

time: 40:47

pace: 6:02min/mi

speed: 9.96mi/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/2312542439

It was 84* at around 8pm tonight which is awesome for me but I assume uncomfortable for most everyone else. There were lots of mosquitos though which kinda sucked – I kinda assumed it’d be too hot for them. Oh well, I hope this weather lasts!!

Windy joy ride

May 16, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

So the trail has dried out a lot, even with the crazy downpour last night and the 1st 21 underpass was open. Yay! I was just gonna check that out but it was such a nice day and the spring blooms smelled so good I ended up riding all the way to Independence Grove. It was a surprisingly easy ride even though I was on the fat tire. I probably would have rode father of sunset wasn’t imminent (I have no lights on this bike yet) and that’s all for the best as I don’t want to over do it and burn out.  Can’t wait for next ride though!!

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 10.86mi

time: 01:06:46

pace: 6:09min/mi

speed: 9.76mi/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/2197777586

Finally spring weather

May 11, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

The day started off cold but warmed up to almost 70 degrees by the afternoon. Even when I I rode around 5pm it was still about 65 which was very nice. The trail is still flooded but the water is receeding quickly so as long as we don’t get much more rain and it continues to warm up we should be in great shape!

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 5.69mi

time: 37:36

pace: 6:37min/mi

speed: 9.08mi/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/2186468426

Springtime Ride

Apr 24, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

I biked with MapMyRide!

Distance: 4.51mi

time: 30:43

pace: 6:49min/mi

speed: 8.81mi/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/2148685373

The other and I went on the first springtime ride of the season today. Even with riding most of the winter it always seems hard to get started – maybe it’s the pollen, maybe it’s the muddy path, maybe it’s general winter laziness. Whatever it is, it’s good to get out and after the first 2.5 miles it wasn’t too bad at all.  I am looking forward to this riding season – wonder what my goal should be?

Review: At the Mercy of the Sea

Apr 5, 2017 | Literature | 0 comments

At the Mercy of the Sea
At the Mercy of the Sea by John Kretschmer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

50% compelling story of 3 sailors who were lost at sea in a hurricane. However I think the author, maybe in an effort to make the story interesting, maybe in an effort to assuage any perceived guilt he had for his friends death, at some points seems to be victim blaming – either that the sailors did something wrong or went against a superstition.

Now I am sure lots of mistakes were made but at the same time there is a point where nothing you do is going to get you out of a hurricane. “If only they had called the coast guard 2 hours earlier, if only they had sailed north, if only, if only”. Yes some was bad decisions but some was decisions based on widely accepted sailing tactics and what many sailors probably would have done in the situation. The hurricane (Hurricane Lenny) was a freak occurrence that was not only travelling the wrong way but also was late in the season and unexpected, even for the weather service. At some point, there was nothing these sailors could have done to survive.

The other part – the superstition – maybe it was just being an element of excitement or interest to the book but I highly doubt these guys died because they renamed their boat or because they left on a Friday. However when you say it it pulls me out of the story because I have to analyze it – are you mentioning a superstition? are you saying this added to their misfortune? I felt it was jarring.

The audio narration was so so. Sometimes the technical parts were read in a different volume like they were recorded in a different studio. Overall through the narrator was clear and easy to understand.

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I really thought it was going to be faster.

Feb 12, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

I biked with MapMyRide! 

Distance: 6.72mi

time: 52:12

pace: 7:46min/mi

speed: 7.73mi/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/2005833944

My goal is to get up to 10 mph on the fat tire. That is what the Internet tells me the average riding speed is. Right now I am the high side of 7.

I expect it to take time but I really thought today’s ride was faster. It was definitely colder and it felt faster so I was feeling pretty good when I got home. I hadn’t been as tired on the ride, I was able to push through more bursts, and IT FELT FASTER! 

But it wasn’t. It was almost exactly the same speed as my last ride. Oh well. There is always next time.

A little bit of snow

Feb 5, 2017 | Hobbies | 0 comments

I biked with MapMyRide! 

Distance: 6.76mi

time: 52:14

pace: 7:43min/mi

speed: 7.77mi/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1993057076

Found some snow on the trail which was fun to ride on although probably not deep enough to take full advantage of the fat tires.

I also think I need to raise me seat a bit since my knees were hurting a bit after the ride. Not surprising since my initial adjustment was done super quick in the seller’s garage the day I bought the bike. Thinking about other things I was to add – maybe a different saddle and some fenders… but we will see where that goes