Friday, September 18, 2009

29-It's Cold Out Here...Look! A Shopping Cart!

Success!! Day 29

Weather: 56 deg F. cooler, a lot of headwind
Time I left my house: 8:07 am.
Time I arrived at work: 8:46 am
Distance: 8.16 miles
Avg. Speed: 14.2
Max Speed: 23.4
Time: 34.26 min.

Pre-game: My parents are watching the little guy, so it gave me a chance to take it easy and leave at a normal time. They will come on Fridays, instead of both Thursday and Friday, as my mother is not as spry as she used to be and carrying the baby, who is getting bigger by the day, is trying on her aching back.

Ride was OK. I was on the Sequioa, which is a love/hate relationship, since I love the speed but hate the gearing now (I know) and it was damn windy and a bit nippy this morning- which explains the low avg speed and time. I’m convinced the computer on my Schwinn is messed up.

On my way, as I do everyday, I try to survey the road beneath. As many of you riders know, here in LI, the roads are less than perfect. Especially on the shoulder. We’ve got our fair share of potholes, glass, sharp rocks, garbage and today- a shopping cart. It’s amazing what bike commuters and riders deal with on a daily basis that folks in their vehicles don’t really experience. I wonder if the pros think like this. Or are they just in a zone to keep the cadence up?

It's time to think of jacket options or arm warmers... damn you addiction!

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 72 deg.F cool, a little headwind
Distance: 8.40 miles
Avg. Speed: 15.9
Max Speed: 24.8
Time: 31.42

I always love the Friday rides home- this time made a record time home on the Sequoia. The ride back hardly had any issues on the wind, so it was nice. One note getting ready to go from work- as I was heading down the stairs a girl I guess had a party and was bringing home a box of Krispy Kremes (leftovers I guess). She looked at me in all my cycling gear and saw me carrying my helmet and said,”I should be carrying that instead of these donuts.” I said something to the extent that I would ride to the next Krispy Kreme if I knew any open in LI. She said she didn’t know.

I am seriously thinking of upgrading my speedy road bike. I think of my Sunday rides and that my Schwinn is surprisingly beating the sh__t out of my Sequioa in average speed and trip time. It may be time to shift to a good racing/comfort road bike and leave the commuting to the Schwinn Tourer. I can’t stand the Sora shifters. If I knew then what I know now kind of thing…I sound like a whining baby, but then again, I was told I need a bike to grow into and not grow out of. I’ve been looking at Carbon. I feel like a man cheating on his wife… is that so wrong to look a CF frames??? I don’t know where all this money is coming from, but it will definitely pay off in the end. I need to make some sacrificing in other hobbies, like eating. I don’t NEED this bike, but it would be nice to have…just like anything else.


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