The hubby is hysterical on the trainer...

Seriously?  This is such a guy thing!  


Picture it... the hubby puts on his jersey to ride the indoor trainer.  He tells me he's thrilled that he can put his phone in one jersey pocket, the TV remote in another, and GU in the last one.  I never thought I'd see a TV remote sticking out of a jersey pocket, but then again, I don't think like a guy (thank goodness!)  LOL!

(Backwards) bike on a trainer...

In my defense, I have only been on a bike on an indoor trainer once, and it was just at the shop when they fitted me for my current ride.  Therefore, since I don't have alot of experience with indoor trainers, please give me a break about the stupidity of this story.


I picked up our new CycleOps Magneto indoor trainer recently and the hubby and I set it up this morning.  I had no problem taking care of the skewer.  Then, I played with the handle and figured out how to get the roller mechanism against the tire.  However, the right pedal was blocked by part of the resistance unit.  Hmmmmm. My hubby and I stepped back and stared at it.  As you can guess, it was a little hard to tell from the pictures in the instruction manual if I had done anything wrong.  I was just about to go online to find some more information, when the hubby said... "Uhhhhh, maybe the bike goes the other way?"  Uhhhhh... yeah, that would solve the problem.  Duh.  After we flipped around the backwards bike, the hubby climbed aboard and went at it.  I had to take a shower and get ready for work.  I rushed since I was running late, so I really wasn't gone that long.  When I came back downstairs the man was all red in the face and sweat was dripping down onto the floor.  I laughed and said, "Ya like it?"  He responded, "Yeah, it's great!" in between the huffing and puffing and schvitzing all over the damn place.


Thanks to Jeremy at Bicycle Generation for recommending a great trainer!  ;-D

Sick of the wet weather...

Screw the rain (and the hurricane heading our way!)  I picked out a CycleOps indoor trainer today!  Yay!  

No Autism cycling events in South FL...

I rolled with a new friend at this week's club ride and we got to talking about different events.  Our kids are in the same program at school and we lamented the fact that there are no cycling events in South FL to benefit Autism programs and awareness.  She has some connections and ideas... I have some connections and ideas... hmmmmmm........  stay tuned.  

Watching races...

A transition day:  watching the last of the Tour of Utah coverage and starting to watch coverage of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge!

Also, got to watch video on Facebook of this past weekend's Florida State Championship Olympic Team Sprint race down at the Velodrome. Very cool!  Can't wait to go in person!  (had a meeting at work and couldn't get there!)  

Livestrong fundraising goal...

Just met the mandatory minimum fundraising goal for my Livestrong event!  Yay!  And, thanks!  ;-D

Impressive bike lanes...

Was getting caught up with last week's Tour of Utah on the DVR.  I have to say, Salt Lake City has some beautiful bike lanes!  They are well-marked with green to really show off the lane and set it apart.  I'm impressed and jealous!

Yay for L.A.! New bike plan & anti-harassment law...

Courtesy of Bicycling.com...

http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2011/08/09/l-a-ordinance/?cm_mmc=BicyclingNL-_-666258-_-08192011-_-l_a_ordinance

Stupid bike lane stuff...

Why would you do this?!! 

Let's see... cyclist crashes into grass. 

Nah, let's put up a metal barrier so cyclist gets squished between that and a car. Brilliant!

So glad they just finished "fixing up" this part of Powerline Rd. south of Palmetto! What were they thinking?!!

So unsettling how many people don't know the law...

The state of FL classifies bikes as vehicles. The law gives me a right to the road. I have a responsibility not to hog it and block traffic. Drivers have a responsibility to give me at least 3 feet of room when they pass. So, to the young driver who buzzed me, then yelled at me before turning into the neighborhood next to mine... I know where you live and I will make your Mommy and Daddy punish you for being a little prick.

USAC Officials' License Level C...

Success!  I earned my USA Cycling Officials Level C License!  The class was great and I met some really nice and interesting people.  Jose Basulto of the Florida Velodrome Association was an awesome host for the clinic and Brent Lucas was a terrific instructor.  Looking forward to getting out to some races!

Have I moved to Animal Kingdom?!!

What is this?!!  All of a sudden, it appears I'm living in Animal Kingdom!  I've had near misses recently with salamander/lizard things, ducks and (worse yet!) ducklings, and a squirrel.  And that squirrel was frenzied, I mean, he was on a mission.  I saw him coming out of the corner of my eye and he was not stopping.  He looked really intense, like he was trying to calculate in his head what our intersect point would be and whether or not he was going to get there first!  It was crazy!  So, naturally, I started yelling, "No no no!  Dude!  Take it easy!"  I mean, that totally made sense, right?!!  LMAO!  Luckily, my record of not hitting anyone or anything remains intact.  But, when it comes to these critters... just barely!  

Really? 1,000 hits?!! No way!!!

We just passed 1,000 hits!  I hope you are enjoying reading my thoughts and rants on cycling because I sure as hell enjoy sharing them here!  ;-D 

Reading Lance's book...

Someone loaned my hubby and I a copy of  "The Lance Armstrong Performance Program:  7 Weeks to the Perfect Ride," by Lance and his coach Chris Carmichael (I'm familiar with Chris from his articles in "Bicycling" magazine.)  I had no intention of reading it.  I don't have time, blah blah.  Whatever.  I figured I would just flip through a bit and then return it.  So, I flipped a bit, then started skimming, then began actually reading, and I couldn't put it down.  So now, in my spare time (because, ya know, I have so much of that!) I'm reading this book.  Pretty interesting so far!  

New training technique: "Hammering home, a.k.a. Beat the storm!"...

I believe I have stumbled upon a new training technique.  I'm calling it "Hammering home", a.k.a. "Beat the storm!"  


Yes, I am getting a bit tired of setting out for my ride, only for it to be cut short as it turns into a mad dash to make it home before the rain hits.  This has become all too familiar lately.  Even though I am not thrilled with it, I guess the fear of being struck by lightning is great motivation to take my riding to the next level!  


Rain, rain, go away...

90 mpw (miles per week)...

As I've explained, my biggest obstacle to biking is simply finding the time to ride.  I'm a wife, mommy, employee... ya know, a busy human being.  So, I'm very proud of myself that I found enough time to bike 90 miles this past week!  Yay!

Definitely going to shoot for 100 mpw! (miles per week... did I just make that up?)  ;-D

My scariest ride ever (so far!)...

Just returned from what can only be called my scariest ride ever (so far)!  


The sky was overcast, but the sun was shining through here and there.  And, my hubby had stuff to do, so I only had a small window of opportunity to ride.  I figured I'd get in a quick 10 miler.  


I started with my usual route and then cut over toward where I work just to get a few more miles in.  I wanted to have a direct route home, instead of getting stuck for a mess of traffic lights holding me up.  I spoke to a few folks at work and filled up my water bottle.  The sky got a bit darker and I decided I'd better head back.  As I turned west, I noticed the sky was much darker there.  And that was where I needed to go.  The faster I pedaled, the more black and ominous the sky became!  I started getting nervous.  I've lived in Florida long enough to know how dangerous the weather can turn in the blink of an eye.  Rain sucks, but lightning and tornadoes kill.  


When the road that would be my final home stretch (pun intended!) came into sight, the wind suddenly whipped up.  But, it didn't just get windy.  These were spinning circular winds, and I immediately looked up to the sky to see if a tornado was forming.  The trees next to me were bending and twisting.  All the leaves and small branches that were being torn off were flying around in the spinning circles of wind and, quite frankly, it was freaking me out.  I mentally flashed back to my time in the TV news business many years ago.  Whenever a tornado hit, there was always that soundbite from the local yokel.  The eyewitness' description was always the same, "It sounded like a freight train!"    


For a split second I thought, do I have any options for shelter?  There was an overpass to my left, and maybe I should have rushed over there and taken cover.  I don't know why I thought I could make it home in one piece.  That could have been a really, really bad decision.  But I made it, ignored the overpass, turned onto the straightaway, and started pedaling.  I pushed into a higher gear, got in the drops as low as I could to combat the crazy winds, and hammered as hard as I could.  I was cursing out loud and begging the sky to hold up for a few more minutes so I could make it home.  


As the words, and profanities, came flying out of my mouth, my mind wandered to the possibilities.  Struck by lightning?  Pushed over by the wind, into the canal, and drowned?  Carried away by a tornado, never to be seen or heard from again?  Yeah, I know it sounds nuts, but it was getting really heinous out there.  I could hear beeps coming from my phone, which was tucked away in my fanny pack.  I knew those beeps were weather alerts, and I kept thinking to myself... no shit!  


Big raindrops were coming down here and there.  In my experience, that usually precedes torrential rain and sometimes hail.  I hammered harder.  I honestly think a few cars passing by slowed down to see if they could offer me a ride, but I didn't even look at them.  I was totally focused on getting home in one piece and then writing on this blog how I'd cheated death.  As I came off the bike path, I barely paused before crossing the road and entering my neighborhood.  I was so close to safety.  I made a few turns and then was facing my place.  My hubby was outside in our courtyard looking a bit freaked out, and as soon as he saw me he helped me get inside.  That's exactly when the sky opened up and the torrential rain started pouring down.  I mean, if my timing had been off by even a matter of seconds, I would have been caught out in it.  In a heartbeat, it was raining heavily and the winds pushed it at an angle sideways.  It was lightning all over the place, followed by tremendous claps of thunder.  I'm not saying this storm was any worse than other bad storms we have in South Florida.  I'm just saying it was unbelievably scary to almost be caught out in it,  defenseless, just me and my bike.  


I feel really lucky that I got home okay.  And I'm so thankful that my bike didn't get all soggy or fucked up or anything.  C'mon, I've got my priorities straight... me and then the bike.  But, the bike is in a really close second place.  ;-P

Cool new place for indoor training...

Doghouse Performance Cycling Center


http://www.doghousecycling.com/


CompuTrainer classes & more.


Maybe I'll give this a shot one day in the future, looks pretty cool!

Got buzzed... Whoa!

Lately, I have been riding a mix of road and bike paths.  I am pretty careful which roads I use the bike lane on because drivers here are so unpredictable.  I've had people pass me while they are exceeding the speed limit.  It makes me uncomfortable, but usually they give me fair space.  Yesterday, I got buzzed a little too close for comfort.  It was the first time that's happened and it really pissed me off because I was on a residential street right in my own neighborhood.  He had plenty of room to give me more room and there were no other cars around.  He was just an ass.  I think it was a young guy, local college parking sticker on back window, etc.  Here's the thing... I knew he was coming but he buzzed so close that I actually yelled, "Whoa!" out loud because I was so surprised.  After he passed, I yelled, "Hey!" and put up one hand in a sign of "what the heck was that?!!"  But, he was already too far ahead for me to even see if he noticed.  Jackass.  :-(

Learning curve...

Just finished reading "Track Cycling For Roadies" on the Florida Velodrome Association's (FVA) website (www.flavelo.org).  We have plans to go to the velodrome in Broward County to check out a race.


Also, reading the rulebook for my USAC Official's clinic coming up soon.


Good stuff!  ;-D

Daily rides: update...

I've been riding most every day and it feels really good.  I can feel myself getting stronger with each ride!  I'm really only taking a rest day when I force myself to because I know my body needs it.  I should be in awesome shape by the time my next event rolls around.  Plus, I've dropped several pounds in just a short amount of time.  I've been watching what I'm eating and drinking tons of water.  But, it's also like a sauna outside, so biking in that heat and humidity is really making it melt off!  ;-D

"Map My Ride" app: thumbs up...

After using the "Map My Ride" application on my phone and playing on the website a bit, I have to say, I do like it.  There are some cool aspects to it, like the Course Fly-By Video (being able to watch the route in motion online after you've saved it.)  My hubby loves doing that and then asking, "Why did you go into this parking lot?", or whatever!  LOL!  I also like the way it keeps track of my mileage on a calendar so I can easily see how many miles I've done for the week.  It will be even better once they get the "live" part up and running.  I hope that happens before my next event in October!  

The soggiest 10 miles so far...

I just returned from the soggiest 10 miles I've ever ridden.  It was quite an adventure.  I mean, it sucks to be cold and wet, riding in a South Florida torrential downpour.  On the other hand, it was good experience to handle the bike in the wet conditions.  When I came home, I wiped down the bike and lubed the chain and components.  Here's the crazy part.  I did that BEFORE I even peeded off my wet kit!  So, it seems I care more about my ride's well-being than my own!  LMAO!  ;-P