Picked up the bike after tune-up today and its so clean!!!! I mean probably the cleanest its been since I have bought it. It rode home really well too – this tune-up was probably overdue. It was a bit weird riding home the opposite way, especially in the beginning when I was in strange forest. It smelled and looked different than my forest – but once I got back to Independence Grove it was my territory again. Great ride home, even if it was a bit humid. 🙂
I biked with MapMyRide!
Distance: 8.15mi
time: 41:57
pace: 5:09min/mi
speed: 11.66mi/h.
I’m heading out of town this week so it’s the perfect time to drop the bicycle off for its yearly tuneup. I put little (no) effort into the upkeep of my bike so I am excited to sees how well it rides when I get back!
No group this year, just me but it was still fun. It rained even though there was only a 10% chance so I guess I should enter the lotto now and see if my luck holds! (Thats why I’m wet, it’s not because I’m super sweaty). There were still a ton of people in the park, grilling in the rain, but they looked happy so that’s all that counts.
Ordered pizza for dinner cause ‘Merica and it was fantastic. Nobody was too rowdy in the neighborhood with fireworks which is a plus. All said and dine a great day!
It was a beautiful day for a ride so Scott and I met up with some fellow riders from the bike shop. No destination in particular just a lot of country roads. I met some new friends and it was just really fun to be out riding with a group again. I don’t get to do it as much as I used to and I didn’t realize how much I missed it. Everyone except one person was riding Triumphs so it turned into a “British invasion” ride which was ironic and humorous on this Independence day weekend 🙂
I also did some patriotic nail art which I think turned out pretty great even though I haven’t done nail art in a while. I was pretty steady with my left hand so they both look equal. I think the trick is to keep it simple. (duh) But that is hard to remember sometimes when you see all these great ideas on the internet.
With all the holiday excitement there have been teenagers setting off fireworks in the park next to my house for the last 2 weeks which has made Brutus afraid. The first time I found him hiding under the bed but now he has taken to being carried around after some fireworks go off. Luckily there isn’t too much in our neighborhood so I am hoping tomorrow won’t be a big deal. He doesn’t seem nervous about the city fireworks that are far away, only the ones that are happening nearby.
Decided to switch it up and go north today. Good ride but way too many bugs. Bugs in my eyes, in my mouth, in my ears, in my nose, and on my skin. Not fun at all. Not sure what makes the north route so much buggier than going south but it is a big difference.
I don’t remember this last year but I started riding much later in the season so maybe they die off as the summer goes on. Might give it one more shot going north but if it’s just as bad I will resume my southerly route until fall.
On another note I noticed that a lot of trees were cut down on the north path. Big trees too, not just the small weedy undergrowth trees. I wonder if this is development or ash borer beetle or some other tree issue. It was significant and just happened this week since I rode this route last Sunday and it was not like this.
My Sundays are turning into recovery days where I bike shorter lengths. I am trying to make it an active recovery – shorter distance but at a faster pace. And I totally would have had it today but I had to stop and move this magnificent bastard off the path. He didn’t want to move either, he pushed back against me and ended up jumping across the path (in front of an oncoming bicycle) to the other side. Luckily that rider saw him so he made it safe to the other side. Ribbit on, friend – I appreciate your bug control duties!!!
Hot ride today, even going later than I usually do. I love the progress being made though – I feel better each time I go out and it takes less time to find my rhythm. This ride (and the last one) I didn’t stop for a break in the middle. This one even shows improvements in my segment speeds so I am feeling great! Too many bugs though. I feel like I don’t even have to eat dinner with the amount of bugs I have been swallowing lately. Gross.
Scott and I rode down after work on Friday to check out Motoblot. It was great to see so many bikes and talk to so many people who share the enthusiasm for riding. Got to see a lot of old friends too which is always fantastic! The ride down was miserable – bumper to bumber in 90* heat!!! Scott and I both agreed we would take the 30* days over the 90* ones!! But we made it, had fun, and on the way home got to open it up a bit and have some fun. 🙂
My Glass died so I couldn’t record any images from this trip. These images are from my Tuesday ride but recently every time I ride (usually around dusk) there is a ton of wildlife – deer, bunnies, chipmunks – and they all just stare and me and don’t move. Even when I jingle my bell at them!!!! Usually I just keep riding at them and swear until they move. I would totally pet them if they let me. In the video below, it was literally the 3rd time I had ridden past this deer taking pictures and videos until it decided it wanted to leave the path.
Thursday nights are usually the rides with the bike shop but I had a lot to do tonight so I went out on my own for a quick ride. The group rides are fun but when you start getting 10-20 people it gets more difficult to keep everyone going in the same pace and direction. Sometimes its nicer (and less stressful) to just ride on my own. Either way, its nice to have options depending on my mood
Followed some new paths today, so much fun!! And I’m starting to hit my groove. The first mile to two is still a bitch but after that my legs stop whining and I get a good pace. Would like to be a bit faster but am pretty happy with my progress.
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