I Can Never Get a Break

Success!! Day 48

Weather: 59 deg F. sunny with a breeze
Time I left my house: LATE! 8:23 am
Time I arrived at work: 8.58 am
Distance: 8.11 miles
Avg. Speed: 16.6
Max Speed: 23.7
Time: 29.24 min.

Pre-game: Rushing again to get out the door, same old same old- this time little guy was ready, but had poured milk all over himself right before we were leaving… Dang it!!

Had to TT again today, even though I did a weekend ride and three days last week, I felt me legs hurting. Don’t know if that’s because I was TT’ing or I was just plain tuckered. Regardless, it was nice to get out again and this time on a clean bike (washed the Schwinn with my 5-year old on the weekend as sort of a bonding experience.) so I felt good. But I need to plan better to get out earlier. Not sure what to do. Looks like rain Friday, so this could be it for the week.



UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 63 deg. F cool,
Distance: 8.45 miles
Avg. Speed: 15.6
Max Speed: 25.5
Time:32.43

Got out of work late, so I tried TT'ing it home. Of course, my legs thought otherwise. Ouch.

Maybe The Dog Ate The Keys

Success!! Day 47

Weather: 56 deg F. sunny with a breeze

Time I left my house: early (for once) 8:16 am

Time I arrived at work: 8.51 am

Distance: 8.09 miles

Avg. Speed: 16.3

Max Speed: 23.9

Time: 29.53 min.

Pre-game: Still no sign of the keys, so I had the kid in a stroller and came back and biked. My legs are totally cooked but it’s so nice out I can’t complain.

Was a great ride- I couldn’t believe I’m putting out more power I guess my legs are adapting. Third day in a row I commuted, so let’s see how tomorrow goes. I’ll be coming in the rain. Old geiser gave me a honk today, I was all the way right and had no room, I didn't want to take the lane because I saw this guy coming, and I erred on the side of caution, Mr. Coke Bottle Burgess Meredith-type with no depth perception, some other time my friend!!

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 69 deg. F cool, a lot of headwind

Distance: 8.45 miles

Avg. Speed: 14.9

Max Speed: 23.3

Time: 34.00

Legs are cooked and in this wind, man... this was hard. Still no sign of the keys. Might have to ride in the rain tomorrow. Bring it!!

Why Volkswagen Sucks and Why You Should Always Have a Spare Key for Your 2002 Volkswagen Passat

Success!! Day 46

Weather: 65 deg F. sunny with a breeze

Time I left my house: early (for once) 8:16 am

Time I arrived at work: 8.51 am

Distance: 8.09 miles

Avg. Speed: 15.4

Max Speed: 23.3

Time: 31.37 min.

Pre-game: Holy moly. My wife misplaced her Passat keys and since we don’t have a spare, had to use my car to get to work. So I had to get my little guy ready, shower, get my clothes and bike ready, JOG over to the sitter’s with the stroller and diaper bag, come back and bike to work. It felt like a brick.

Was a great ride however, I felt a bit slow. Note to self, put the child seat back on…and get a f__ing spare for that dang VW!!!

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 85 deg. F summerish with gusts

Distance: 8.45 miles

Avg. Speed: 14.4

Max Speed: 22.7

Time: 35.27

The Return!

Success!! Day 45

Weather: 60 deg F. sunny with a breeze

Time I left my house: early (for once) 8:15 am

Time I arrived at work: 8.46 am

Distance: 8.09 miles

Avg. Speed: 16.0

Max Speed: 22.7

Time: 30.22 min.

Pre-game: Wife is off for Easter break so it’s all good. Unfortunately, it’s her last day, so we’ll see how late I get out when it’s back to work for her. Today, my son was at the door when I was setting up my bike. He was saying how he wanted to ride with me. He’s four and I told him when he’s a little older. He said he can’t wait. I told him I’d miss him and I love him, that just makes it all worth while, all of it.

Was a great ride- until it started raining about two miles before my destination. It wasn’t pouring, but I wasn’t prepared to get any rain (thank you again, Channel 61 traffic and weather). It should be a nice, dry, ride home. I was extremely inspired by this weekend’s ride…watched the Tour of Flanders and saw Cancellara kick Boonen’s ass on a climb, holy moly, once he broke away, there was no way Boonen would catch up. And…Sunday is Paris-Roubaix- get the DVR ready!!

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 66 deg. F cool,

Distance: 8.45 miles

Avg. Speed: 14.4

Max Speed: 22.7

Time: 35.27

Nice ride home, felt it in my legs, but it was just nice feeling to know I’m having a three-day weekend as well. I had to sort of rush as my wife was going out tonight, but got home in time.

Sitting Waiting Wishing Freezing

Well, for those interested, I've taken a hiatus from bike commuting. A combination of snow, sleet, ice, freezing temps and wind gust over 25 mph, have me leaving the bike in the garage and reaching for the car keys.

In the interim, I've been hibernating. On Xmas the family went up to Shawnee Mt. in Pennsylvania and we went snowboarding/snowtubing. The rest of the vacation, I went on the trainer a couple of times, but missed being outside. I've been playing my new Takamine and learning some songs on YouTube, joined a cheap gym, reading Vendela Vida and just hanging out.

As luck would have it, it was 40 degrees and I went on my first 24 miler yesterday. I admit, it was tough. I was cooked on a few hills there.

Hopefully I can get back out there. The days are getting longer again so it will be OK.

42-Damn You Wintery Gusts!! And...My First Honk!!!

Success!! Day 42

Weather: 30 deg F. cold, a crazy headwind

Time I left my house: Late (surprise) 8:25 am

Time I arrived at work: 9:01 am

Distance: 8.08 miles

Avg. Speed: 15.1

Max Speed: 22.4

Time: 32.14 min.

Pre-game: There’s got to be a better way. With all the prep work once my wife leaves, I should be out the door after I feed the little guy. I got him to the sitter’s by 8:14 am, but didn’t get out until 8:27. Go figure. Of course I was late. I don’t think I’ve been on time all winter. It’s also all the layering.

Bad ride today. Well, bad in a sense that the headwind was like the bully pushing my head down with his straight arm as I was swinging away at him. The cold wasn’t a factor, (I was suited up with the blizzard jacket, a neck gaitor I use snowboarding, my Specialized winter BG gloves with Thinsulate flex, my tights and EMS breatheable waterproof/windproof skullcap), but the dang wind! It didn’t help that I haven’t been on a bike in a week and a few days, so I’m apparently slower. Hopefully, it’ll get better. I’ve really got to find a way to get out on time. I’m really trying. And my parents have screwed us again (although, not on purpose) so I don’t have that Friday liberty of leaving at 8:00am.

However, I did get my first honk, which was pretty humorous. It was a lady in an SUV. I was running out of shoulder, I looked back and signaled to take the lane. I took it and heard the big honk. I stopped at the light at the intersection and waited for her. She was turning and I motioned that she had nothing in front of her, so go ahead and turn. She lurched up and rolled down her window,”What, you can take the whole lane now?!!” And drove off. I wanted to yell,”Well, yes, actually!” but it didn’t matter. I had my neck gaitor on and really was over it. Awesome. Unfortunately, motorists are ignorant or forgot we cyclists can take the lane just like they can. Especially those SUV soccer moms on their way to school/work.

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 34 deg. F cool, crazy headwind

Distance: 8.43 miles

Avg. Speed: 14.0

Max Speed: 21.8

Time: 36.18

It’s been cold and windy which is such a challenge to make any sort of good time home. At some points during the ride I was only on the second ring (the middle ring, not the granny gear, although I was tempted) so it was pretty rough. It’s the first time in a long time whether I was making a good choice to ride today, all things considered. But like anyone doing this, it’s now a challenge. And it’s personal.

There was a coworker who was going to her car as I was putting on my gloves outside before I set out home. She said her son tried it for two days and gave up. (I give him credit, his ride is much longer- Valley Stream to Syosset is a hike compared to my 8 mile jaunt). And she mentioned she thinks we’re crazy. She did like that I was well-lit because I was wearing my PB rear blinky.

Winter is just hard…. Blizzard alert this weekend. We’ll see what happens.

41-Back On The Saddle... So to Speak

Success!! Day 41

Weather: 46 deg F. cool, a little headwind

Time I left my house: Late (surprise) 8:27 am

Time I arrived at work: 9:02 am

Distance: 8.08 miles

Avg. Speed: 15.7

Max Speed: 23.3

Time: 30.59 min.

Pre-game: I really tried this time. Although bundling up would prove to lose a couple minutes. I should wear all my winter gear (tights and jacket) to the sitters when I drop off the little guy, even though I look like an alien in all that wear.

OK ride today, it’s been a while (two weeks) since my dual flat in the dark and rain… so I was a little cautious and apprehensive. I just wanted to get to work. BF suggested to get some Schwalbes or Armadillos which cost a pretty penny, but are worth the investment. My legs weren’t up to par and the speed/time shows it. I was so late it was embarrassing. Changing out of my winter gear is timelier and I got to my desk at 9:11 am... I can’t believe how warm I got with the Addidas Blizzard jacket. I need to tune up my gearing, a low gear, it’s been jumping so I’ll have to take a look at that this weekend. It’s supposed to be a quiet/snowy weekend.

Hopefully, it’ll get better.

UPDATE: The ride home.

Weather: 50 deg. F cool, a little headwind

Distance: 8.43 miles

Avg. Speed: 13.9

Max Speed: 23.3

Time: 36.31

Well, the cookies I had ordered from a coworker arrived. It’s a Crayola cookie dough and cookie design kit that my kid would love to make. I couldn’t NOT bring this home this weekend… especially if Saturday called for snow (which it rained… ALL DAY I might add…) So during lunch I got some bungy cords and found an old box to rig the dough and the bucket of cookie design kit into. I have to say, the Schwinn held up pretty nicely; being a touring bike, I knew it wouldn’t have any problems. I kept it on the middle ring for most of the ride, and obviously, no TT records here folks. I also was extra cautious at night what with the double flat the other week so I shouldered the bike for the shady parts. But… success!!! Needless to say, we made the ugliest cookies known to man… but the kid had fun!