We got back from our Tahoe bike ride to ride bikes in Antioch.
Monday, May 29, 2017
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Tour della Vigne 2017 — Lodi
With our summer bike tour quickly approaching and with Tricia's wrist still in titanium-plated healing mode, she figured the best thing to do was sign us up for a century. So she did. She's not crazy. She had a plan: Instead of riding the flat metric they offer, ride the century route that included some climbing around Lake Comanche and Pardee Reservoir, then cut off the last 20 boring flat miles. So we did.
We hadn't planned on the ninety degree plus weather we got, but we started early and finished just as we started to really bake. We might not have felt as hot if it hadn't been the first hot riding day we'd had this season.
Tricia's wrist hurt, but she toughed it out. Neither of us are prone to foot issues, but for some reason — maybe lack of hot weather practice — we both got uncomfortable feet.
Tricia, who wore her "And yet she persisted" jersey, was tickled to see a "Persevere" street sign.
After the ride we were beat, so we stopped for some medicinal processed grape extract at McCay Cellars.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Helmets are tough
I DID NOT CRASH.
Don't worry, this is an old helmet I'd kept for no good reason. It had a crack in the inside styrofoam (or whatever it is) liner. I think I was from when I was mugged. I'd kept it, but that's silly. It was time to have it gone.
I'd read that one should cut the straps so no one will find it in the trash and use it. I did that. Then just to see what would happen, I decided to hit it with a hammer and find out how tough helmets really are.
They're tough. This took a handful of full on total leverage serious swings. The first couple just bounced off. I had to really try to inflict this much damage.
I know that helmets are designed to decelerate your head so your brain isn't jarred, and that stopping hammer blows and the like isn't their primary purpose. But still, it was nice to discover that they do a good job doing so.
Goodbye Catlike!
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Nevertheless she persisted
Tricia has been working so hard to get full use of her broken wrist back. She used hot and cold baths, exercise putty, and a slew of other exercises. She just keeps at it, and she's getting better, even though she's frustrated at the speed of her recovery.
I figured what's the point of all this suffering without some sort of reward or acknowledgment? When I saw Savvy Bike offering tis jersey I new she had to have it. Because she persists.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Amgen Tour of California 2017 Ryer Island
On a beautiful California Day we met at Clarksburg and rode a leisurely 15 miles to the bridge he'd picked. We waited by the bridge until the cycling gods came past, ever so fast and ever so effortlessly. First the four-man break, than two minutes later, the peloton. Then another lap, then a turn to leave the island. What a blast.
Sure, standing by the roadside sounds boring, but with good company and bikes to drool on it's pretty cool. Really. I even managed to shoot video as they went by so many times.
Crossing the bridge onto Ryer Island
Leaving Ryer Island
Our leader, Rich, in the green jersey
A short clip of the second lap
Tricia shot this video of the peloton leaving the island
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Bike to work day 2017
Bike to work day for me is pretty much like every other day, except I get a free bag from the nice folks at YouCanBikeThere and Bike East Bay. But the commute still has the same amount of weird stuff and odd people. Oh well.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
#30DaysofBiking complete!
Tricia also made it. At the start of the month they were trainer miles as she worked on wrist recovery. But the organizers say that counts, so we counted it.
Ceramic cycling and a short ride
We visited Davis, California for the The California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art and we amused to see a ceramic bicycle by Anthony Madrigal of San Jose State University among the many treasures on display. It's really only about a foot tall, so you wouldn't mistake it for an actual bike But it's nicely done and sure made me smile.
We stopped in Martinez to ride the Carquinez Scenic Loop on our way home for Tricia's first "away" ride since she broke her wrist in January. It's only 20 miles and 1400 feet of climbing but it was harder than we remembered it being. I guess we haven't been riding as much lately. Gotta fix that!
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Jersey unveiling and March for Science
I'd been waiting for a chance for Tricia and I to wear our new East Bay Regional Parks jerseys together. I didn't want to go solo with it.Our Saturday ride to Walnut Creek for the March for Science (OK, we took BART part way) was that chance. It was also Tricia's longest post-broken wrist outing, 38 miles.
We walked, and rode, in support of facts and scientific method. We enjoyed getting to wear the EBRP jerseys our son Eddie managed to get for us. They're really nice! A good day indeed.
Sunday, April 16, 2017
She's back a little more
Look! An actual bike ride. Her wrist still hurts when she rides, but she's out there anyway. Yea!
The world is so happy it offered a rainbow on my bike commute the other day.
Sunday, April 09, 2017
She's back. Kind of.
Tricia took a wrist-test spin on her road bike today. She said she can still feel pain up the back of her wrist, but, hey, still she persists. It's her first road bike appearance in months. YEA!
Friday, April 07, 2017
She persists
Tricia says she's not ready for the road yet. She wants her wrist to be strong enough to handle the bumps as well as squeeze the brakes. But she's back on the trainer. She read that even trainers count for #30daysofbiking, so that's what she does. She persists.
Thursday, April 06, 2017
Sidi replacement parts! Yea!
I bought my shoes in 2009 and fell in love with them. Sidi apparently had me in mind when they created their Ergo Carbon magic cycling slippers. They've been good to me.
In 2015 I broke a strap and was pleased to find I could replace it. I did, but went with on-sale white straps.
I broke a buckle this week and was again happy to find it was replaceable. It's a bit different, and I think I like the old style better. But it may well be a gram or two lighter, and came it white, so what the heck. All hail Sidi, best bike shoe ever. I hope they last another eight years or more.
Sunday, April 02, 2017
30 Days of Biking with wrist recovery
In honor of the first day of 30 Days of Biking, Tricia mounted her trainer for the first time in ages and ages. She's been off the bike (and rather grumpy about it) since breaking her wrist in a skating tragedy in early January. She's tough, but hasn't been a happy camper. She's been forced to drive a car to work for months. Here's hoping the swelling goes down, mobility and flexibility go up and she's back doing what she loves really soon.I started #30daysofbiking with a short ride on the American River Bike Trail in Sacramento. I had to wake up early to slip away from Journalism Association of Community Colleges conference I was attending but I managed. I even had time to stop to make a photo for a Facebook group, "Look at my bike leaning on stuff."
Monday, February 20, 2017
New titanium parts plus healing
Nope, it wasn't the bicycle that did her in. It was roller skating. After having a great time on the rink at her grandson's birthday party she left the floor only to be done in by the carpet outside the rink.
She had hoped to avoid surgery, but after wearing a wrap for two weeks she had an X-ray and discovered it hadn't improved. The medical team operated and installed an impressively large titanium plate.
After two weeks in a pretty pink cast her arm is now free, but isn't fully functional yet. She misses her daily bike commute and hopes to at least get on the trainer soon.
As for me, solo fun rides just aren't as much.... fun. That, and all the rain, has made the start of 2017 a sub-optimal cycling year thus far.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Which bike camera should I get?
My Rideye camera started only focusing very close. Too close to be useful. I tried to contact the company, but to luck. Word on the web is that they are having issues...
Here;s the video of my problem. I tried to take the camera apart. I removed every screw, but no matter how hard I pull I can't slide the circuit board out.
What should I replace it with? Not another Rideye. The Fly12 costs too much and I don't need its light, or the other features.
I'd like a small, simple camera with a GoPro mount that cycles like a security cam, overwriting old footage. I'd like reasonable battery life. I'd like it to be affordable (I mean cheap,if possible.)
Hints?
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Partial band reunion tour
Lancd Oldstrong gathered Steve, Tricia and my own bad self together for a reunion tour. We haven't ridden together in ages, and it sure was about time.
We got in 75 miles, from Concord up to an obscure wine region in Suisun Valley.
The most dramatic thing all day was the amazing California November weather. It was prefect. I did get a bottle of wine and managed to fit it in my water bottle holder. Tricia and I may have to go back with our trailer and do some more serious wine shopping.
Giro di Vino 2016
We had another fun year riding the 2016 Giro di Vino on Lodi. We pedaled from winery to winery, tasted a little and bought a lot. It was all delivered to the ride start so we didn't need to carry it.
In years part the ride has been windy or foggy or raining. This year was perfect.
In years part the ride has been windy or foggy or raining. This year was perfect.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)