Still “Training”

I’d like to build upon my fitness from the 2015 “season.”  It’s tough though, especially since I didn’t really do much after it ended.  The plan was to take a little bit of time off, but keep riding so I didn’t lose anything (much.)  Plans change though.  Shitty job was shitty, and I was in no mood to ride my bike.  In fact, I just sat around drinking and eating.  Fortunately for me, I didn’t put on much weight.  I was right at 225 pounds during the season which is right where I think I should be for my height (6’4”.)  The last few months of inactivity only got me up to 231 (and that’s easy to get off.)  That’s one reason to look up I suppose.

When I started my new job, it was rad.  Now that I’ve been there a while and have had plenty of time for a proper assessment, I can still tell you that it’s rad.  I immersed myself in it though, trying to learn everything I can to be successful.  That left little time for bike riding.  Lucky for me, a lot of my coworkers (and two higher-ups) are cyclists, and that means lots of talking about bikes during the workday.  It was encouraging, and I was certain I made the right choice in my new employment. 

I mean, I came in to work one day and my boss left a magazine on my desk…

I know, it’s mostly a roadie magazine, but it’s still a cool gesture.

No more excuses.  It was time to get back to riding regularly.  Like I mentioned yesterday, I want to keep things fun.  However, if I want to be fast and not struggle during races and longer rides I need to train.  That means trying different things, riding different bikes, and exploring new places.  When I was a kid, my bike took me all over the small town where I grew up.  Roads, sidewalks, neighborhoods, and even into the woods with no trails.

The Klunker is perfect for that.

Behind my house, there is a vast, wooded area.  I went back there many years ago but I didn’t remember what I’d seen.  I veered off my normal path and “discovered” a swiftly flowing stream.

It was quiet and peaceful.  Only a few hundred yards from suburbia, yet I was out in the middle of nowhere.  And I got there on a bike that’s older than me.

I rode/pushed my bike along the stream for a while, enjoying the tranquility of a random North Carolina waterway.

It was fun to explore.  The mileage wasn’t epic, but the pedaling was tough and gave me one helluva workout.  I felt like a kid again. 

But I’m not.  I’m an old(er) man trying to train for the upcoming season.

Who gives a shit.  

On The Road (Again)

After more shitty weather, the sun came out and it got a little nice around here.  Since all of our local trails were closed (and I couldn’t get out of town Saturday), I thought about doing a solo road ride.  I quickly decided against it when Little Miss Sunshine invited me on a local group ride. 

“You can go, but don’t kill anyone”, she said.

Apparently this was a causal group of pseudo-roadies, which means that they aren’t super fast, but they are pretty serious about riding skinny tires.  I figured it would be a good workout, and I went into it with a good attitude.  The plan was to stay low key, keep pedaling, and try not to make fun of/piss off those serious types.  After all, I’d be out on a bike on a nice day.  There would be no reason to be a dick about it.

We took off, and I stayed somewhere in the middle of the pack.  I knew I was headed for the hills the next morning so I wanted to save my legs.  Besides, being a no drop ride meant that I wouldn’t have to stay up front.  I took that opportunity to laugh to myself every time they pointed out “road hazards.”

Yes, they pointed at the mud on the side of the road.  Why?  I dunno.  Maybe they didn’t want anyone getting their fancy crabon bikes dirty.

We rolled out of town at a good pace, and I was actually having fun.  Every once in a while I would ride in the lead pack, but they were all over the place and it scared me a little.  I’m no roadie myself, but I can at least stay in a straight line.  Finally I stopped trying to get in the pack, and sat back to enjoy a really nice day.

We rode out by the airport, which was hilly and really fun.

When we came out of the airport, I started to question the route.  We made a turn onto a really busy road.  Before I had a chance to say anything, my chain popped off.  I fished it back on there, and decided to stop for a minute to see if I could catch a plane flying by.

I eventually did.

I was there way too long.  So long that someone from the group noticed that I was gone and came back to get me.  I was already riding at that point, and while I appreciated the fact that they didn’t want to drop me I was also (just a little) annoyed.  I was hoping to sprint like hell to catch back up to the group, but my plans were foiled.  Instead, we casually rolled back to the group (which was also casual), and gathered back together to make the last push back to where we started.

In all, it was fun.  I was really happy to be out on my bike (even if it was on the road), and those roadies were pretty cool.  Well, except for the fact that they aren’t as social as mountain bikers.  No one really talked to me during the ride, which was actually a blessing in disguise.  I like riding alone, but I get bored easily.  Being in a group helped beat the boredom and I have those folks to thank for it.  I’m pretty sure I’ll get out there again with them soon. 

Just stepping back to take a look at how I ride has done wonders for me.  Usually I only break out the road bike twice a year, and I’ve hit that already.  In the long run it will help me when I get on the trail, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  I’ll never be a roadie, but I’ll ride whatever bike I damn well please whenever the hell I want to.

I guess that’s what it’s all about. 

Or not.  Maybe I’m not supposed to figure it out.  Maybe I should just ride everything and see what happens.  Who knows.  I just might start shaving my legs soon.

You know, so I can feel beautiful.

Not Training

I don't do that shit. Instead, I just ride for fun. I know I can ride six hours this weekend, so there's no need to ride that long just for practice. Needing a bit of a break from beating myself up on the trail, I took a leisurely urban ride after work. We have many miles of greenways around here, so I took the liberty of exploring them.

The temps have cooled a little bit around here which means that more people are getting outside for exercise. I didn't see a whole lot of people on bikes, but there were plenty of runners. We didn't get in each others way at all. In fact, it was nice to be out and see everyone enjoying the outdoors.

I pushed hard up hills, but other than that I just spun along and enjoyed being on my bike. I only took two pictures, so here's the second one.

Exciting, I know.

When I got home it was time for the obligatory post-ride beer. I glanced at the TV for a bit until the commercials came on. I always turn away to keep those pesky corporations from trying to sell me shit, but one commercial caught my attention. It was the trailer for the new Jackass movie, Bad Grandpa.

I'm fan of the Jackass stuff, but I haven't been to a theater in years. I usually wait until stuff comes out on video before I watch it because I can't stand crowds or people talking during movies. I watched the trailer anyway, because some of that movie was filmed right here in Charlotte.

Yup.

Also, my friend and neighbor Vic The Chili Man had a spot in the film, and I was hoping some of his scene might make it to the trailer. Out of the ones I'd seen so far, that wasn't the case. This one however, was different. I spotted him, and luckily I was able to pause my DVR to get a snapshot.

If you look closely, you'll even see a B-43 sticker on his cart.

It's the old logo of course, since I haven't gotten with D-Wayne to make any stickers with the new logo.

That's kinda cool I guess. It was neat seeing my neighbor in it. I'm sure I'll make an exception to my “I don't go to the theater” policy to see that movie (just for The Chili Man of course.)

I found a trailer online, but it's not the one I saw on TV.





It looks like it will be pretty damn funny.

Where was I?  Finished I think.

Bye.