Monthly Archives: March 2015
Nothing New
Yesterday it snowed all day with a lot of wind. Mostly flurries but it eventually stuck. Now there is a thin layer of it everywhere. Temperatures hover in the low 30’s and I’m waiting for a consistent 45ºF or above before I get on the bike.
The refurbishing of my rental property is nearly done. A few minor issues, carpet and tile, that is it. Then I get a couple months off until I tackle the outside of the house. That will be a lot easier as it is merely some repair and paint.
Since I’m not riding I’m spending my time with my hobbies, chess, guitar, banjo, poker and writing.
This isn’t bike related but one of my favorite websites is called Life’s Rich Pageant. It has page after page of goofy pictures from the past. The most addicting site I’ve ever seen. Be warned. Many of the pictures are for adults. Check it out. That is where I found the gif below.
Cycling Tattoo Tuesday
I don’t like tattoos. The only tattoo I would get would be a bold Leviticus 19;28 on my arm. Each to their own I suppose. I’ve seen a bunch of cycling tattoos on the net and will be posting them on Tuesdays.
First Ride of the Year
Took the bike out for the first ride of the year. It was around 60ºF and a little breezy but beautiful. No real goal of this ride but to get out there and ride. Heading east I saw lots of wildlife and heard lots of birds. I surprised a flock of wild turkeys at one point. Most of the ponds are still ice-covered and there are a few mounds of snow around but it will all be gone soon. The fields are all brown with just a hint of light green in places.
The legs protested a bit on the few hills but I still rode a respectable 15.7 miles in an hour and eleven minutes.
The Garmin worked well but I think I’m going to change a couple of the data fields. I don’t really need to know the grade or the temperature. I think I’ll get rid of those and add maximum speed.
Been a good first day.
Tomorrow The Season Begins
Spent the morning working on the old house and it is finally getting near done. New flooring, drywall and paint make a huge difference. Carpeting should be installed in week or so and then we are done until Summer when we paint the outside.
In the meantime there are still piles of snow everywhere but Spring is in the air. I’ve missed the first two rides of the Silver Wheels Cycling Club due to the house, The Chili Weiner Ride and the Pi Ride. With the house done there is no excuse not to be on the bike. Tomorrow the high is 65°F and once I’m on the bike I’ll try to do it as often as possible.
It says it will be 47ºF today but as of right now it is 39ºF and feels much colder. I’ll ride tomorrow and as many days as I can after that. From the looks of it there is no rain in the forecast, that is good.
Forgot to mention. I took the Garmin in my car as a test. I took it out to Chatham where I had a poker tournament. It said that the elevation there was 450 higher than my house. That would explain the Ride to Chatham post.
Got My Garmin
Just two days after ordering my Garmin 500 from Bike Nashbar it came via UPS and then the USPS. I’m surprised it came so fast as it said that with free shipping it would take 7-10 days. They used SurePost to save money. SurePost ships via UPS and UPS delivers to the local post office who delivers it to the address. Interesting partnership. As a retired UPS guy it would have been nice for me to drop off my stuff at the post office.
I played around a bit to configure the data screens. So far I’m impressed. It found the GPS signal in the house quite easily and seems easy to use. Putting it on the bike is a snap as all it takes is putting the bands around the bar and hooking them to the bike mount. Took less than a minute.
If all goes well this year I may get a Heart Rate Monitor and cadence sensor as the Garmin picks these up. Hopefully I will be able to get on the bike tomorrow for a quick ride. I’ll be hanging drywall all day today.
Garmin 500
Twenty-Fifteen is my year to get serious about cycling (and all of my other interests). Last year I used my iPhone 5s to record my rides and it worked well until the phone up and died
on my longest ride of the year. I lost the data and I was far from home with no phone.
I’ve been thinking of getting a Garmin for a while but couldn’t decide which model. I didn’t need turn by turn and the price difference between the 500 and the 510 seemed excessive so I ordered the Garmin 500 from Bike Nashbar. With a coupon code it was only $153.35 with free shipping. It should be here in a week. If I can get any riding in I’ll log it with my iPhone and upload to Strava, DailyMile and all the others.
I think this is going to be a great year.
A New Season Begins
I’m back after a long hiatus.
This has been a brutal winter. Up until a few days ago it has hovered at -7°F. Yesterday was the first day in a long time that it was over 40ºF. It will be over forty for the near future and the roads are now dry. I can begin cycling today or tomorrow. There is a lot of snow on ground but Spring is here. Here is how my backyard looked yesterday.
Although I haven’t been cycling or writing I have been extremely busy. I have a second house that has been empty for a number of years. I finally found someone to help me get it in shape for a rental and we’ve been working like fools to get it ready. We’ve been putting in drywall, laying flooring and painting. New counter-tops and cabinets, the works. I should mention that the house was built in the 1860s. It has been a brutal job and for the first time since I’ve retired I am feeling my age. I told my buddy that this is rough as I’m nearly sixty (I’m 58). He looked at me and said, “You are only sixty?” I need better friends. Here is what it looks like in the living room and dining room.
It’s getting done. There is still some tile to be laid, some carpeting and miscellaneous stuff but we are almost there. Once the carpeting is done my renter can move in. Then in May or so I can work on the outside of the house and do some painting. After this job that should be easy.
I will by cycling soon and this blog will become an active cycling blog again. I will be back posting my trip to boulder and a few other things. After this horrible winter I am excited to see Spring and all that it offers.
Chubby For Life? 