Friday, May 31, 2013

The Great Outdoors

A couple of you remembered I bought a bike late last summer, and have asked if I've climbed aboard this spring.  The answer is "yes."

I pumped up the tires and took my first 2013 ride a little more than one week ago.  By the time I put the bike away for the winter, I had increased my pace and distance a little bit.  It was far, far from what the hard core riders do, but I was happy.  I was concerned I lost considerable momentum over the winter and long spring, in spite of my regular gym visits.

I was pleasantly surprised at my first ride.  I pulled off the same distance as I did when I peaked in November.  There was one concession.  I maneuvered around a hill I used to climb with ease.  I probably could have pulled it, but I didn't want to take the chance.

On my second ride, I got a little closer to taking the hill.  Once again, I worked my around it, in a slightly more difficult route than my first ride.

Trip three was the big one.  I pulled the hill, and it wasn't all that hard.  I probably could have done it on day one.

As noted here before, I joined a gym when the bike was stored for the winter.  My gym routine is longer than the bike ride, but a little less intense.  As it turned out, it kept me in "bike shape."  I'll now alternate bike rides and gym for the rest of the summer.

After all these years, I finally broke down and bought a tube of sun screen.  Heck, that stuff is expensive!  I received a bad burn at a RailRiders game last month, and more redness on election day.  It had to be done.  Unfortunately, as soon as I bought the sun screen, the weather turned cloudy, rainy, and cold.  There's plenty of sun season left.