Saving the World with My Free Spirit and my Diamondback!

Saving the World with My Free Spirit and my Diamondback!

April 18, 2011

Started working again!

One day I will get back in the groove of blogging daily.  I started my new job last week and so far I love it!  I get to carpool with Aaron which is amazing because I like to save gas and money wherever possible.  I haven't ridden my bike to work yet, and I was going to try this week, but I'm sick.  Yay.  Hopefully I'll be better soon so I can ride on W or Th!  Thanks to those who follow my shizzy!  I will get more inspired and motivated soon!  Just send healthy vibes my way please.  Much thanks.

Happy Cycling!

April 6, 2011

Keeping the momentum

     Right when I was starting to lose faith and "oomph" for my bicycle riding lifestyle, I saw the prices at my local gas station go up again.  Jumped six cents overnight.  Also, my ride to my new work place yesterday wasn't nearly as painful as before, and my recovery time has shortened drastically!  Right now, I'm thinking I will be able to bike two days a week to start out, then progress to three!  I was able to make it halfway up a hill in 2nd gear (on both shifters) instead of my "peewee herman" gear (1st on both shifter things), when I would usually be walking!  That's a happy. 

     I can't wait until California decides to be California again and get rid of this rain!  I'm not at the point in my cycling life where I look forward to getting dressed and ready to go get drenched.  Maybe someday, but not anytime soon. 

     Here's a group on f-book I just joined!  You should take a look at it and give it some thought. 

  Until next time... Happy Cycling!

April 5, 2011

Frustrating ride today...

     I am very sad to report that I had to walk about half of my ride today.  There are just so many STEEP hills and I'm not quite in the physical shape required to make it up without walking.  I need to improve my "out of the saddle" technique.  That will help a lot.  Right now I just feel so uncoordinated when I stand, plus I don't like my bike wriggling from side to side.  It freaks me out.  I'll get there though.  Soon hopefully, as I start my new job next Monday!!

     There are a couple issues I had (other than hills) with my ride/walk today.  First, it is illegal to park on the sidewalk!  So, don't park there.  Please.  And, make sure your scary, barky, bitey-looking dog is locked up so I don't have to illegally and scarily cross the street to avoid getting bitten.  I'm sure there's laws against having loose dogs running around, too.  One more thing, totally unrelated to biking or saving the world... When you go and walk your dog and take little plastic baggies to pick up the poop, the point is to take the baggie with you after it is filled with said excrement, and dispose of it at your home.  Not on the side of the road.  Follow through, that's all.  I passed three ominous looking plastic baggies!  Come on people.  Take a little more pride in your planet, okay?

     I've got quite a bit of riding, recovering and strengthening to do this week before I start next week.  My idea is to drive M and F, and ride T-Th.  That way I can drive my clothes and toiletries to work on M, ride and get gross and sweaty T-Th, then drive my clothes home on F.  Then again traffic is terrible on F.  So, maybe I'll change it up.  Ride M, W-F, and drive T.  We shall see.  Sorry you just had to read me thinking "out loud"!  I think that is all for now.  Thank you to my loyal followers!

Happy Cycling ( :

April 1, 2011

Holy crap

     So I thought it would be a fantastic idea to ride my bike to my new workplace (also where Aaron works) to get a feel for the ride.  Well, to keep it semi-PG, F that S.  It was the ultimate test of my strength to keep on riding my bike.  My rear end hurts, even in areas that I don't actually sit on, my index finger repeatedly went numb, I always hit red lights and lost a LOT of momentum to get me up a hill, I have red lobster legs, I have a cute little red stripe on my arm where my sleeve shifted... It was a GREAT TIME.  But, I do have good news.  On my final stretch, the last turn before my apartment complex, is a gas station.  It was up to $4.13, up four cents from yesterday.  So, although I looked gross, smelled like sunscreen and sweat, felt like I'd been hit by a semi, all the good stuff, I wasn't paying that much for gas!  I got a very awesome app for my phone that calculates my distance, speed, calorie burn, and it maps out my route.  It's very awesome.  I rode over 33 miles today, and burned over 1,000 calories.  I think the ride will be a LOT easier when I'm doing it earlier/later in the day, and I'll have 8 hours in between rides instead of an hour and a half.  I crashed when I got home. 

     Happy Cycling!