goal achieved

I have finally lost enough weight to start riding my bike.

Yes, I have been riding for months. I have been wanting to get back on my bike for years but I thought I was too fat. I made a goal that if I got to xxx weight, I would start riding again. I had gotten close before but then something would happen and I would gain the weight back. 

I hurt my foot in April and I couldn't walk anymore. I couldn't wait for my foot to heal and tried riding my bike. I wasn't too fat for riding and it helped with the weight loss. I have lost 30 pounds since I started riding. I still have a lot more to lose. 

Cycling is enjoyable even without the weight loss.

august cycling recap

I started the month trying to burn more fat. I used my new Wahoo Tickr with the Wahoo Fitness app on my iPhone. I tried to stay in zone 2 which is supposed to burn more fat. It was relatively easy and I rode a bit longer to make up for the lower speed and less effort. 

The scale didn't move. 

I started riding longer on Saturdays and did not eat back the exercise calories. Still, the scale didn't move.

I felt good about the mileage I was doing but getting frustrated at the lack of weight loss. When the boys started school, I started riding an hour a day. Still the scale didn't move.

Andy & I only did one evening ride. It rains a lot in the summer especially in the evenings. ANd if it doesn't rain, it is usually too hut and humid.

I began to think it was stress keeping the weight on. I am worried about replacing the income that is going to be reduced in September when Ryan turns 16. As much as cycling helps me relax, I still worry the other 23 hours.

With the longer rides, I need to address some problems. My hands tingle all the time. My feet start to tingle at about 50 minutes. I thought about going clip less again. I even tried on my old pair of shimano SPD shoes but they are tight. (My feet spread out when I got pregnant.) I wasn't sure I wanted to back to clip less pedals. I read some things online and asked in Bike Forums. Many cyclists are fans of clip less pedals. Some believe that platform pedals are just as good. I decided to try the Ergon pedals and ordered then from rei. While I waited, I tried riding with my Keen sandals and found them better than my sneakers.

When the Ergon pedals arrived, I was eager to try them out, I went to install them and found them incompatible with my cranks. The Ergon pedals are secured through the back and my cranks are solid. My road bike has holes as do the boys' bikes. I didn't want to go back to the cage pedals because my shoes slip too much. I took off the MTB pedals from Andy's old bike. They have pins which hold the shoe securely to the pedal. I noticed the difference right away. My foot did not slip. I just needed to find the right position because adjusting while pedaling is near impossible. I still get some foot pain if I ride longer than an hour and will look for stiffer soled shoes later.

I got a couple of new bottle cages. I found some nice cages from King Cage that will accommodate the Klean Kanteen insulated bottles.

t need some work done on my bike. I would like to do something about the handlebars. I think the narrower bars would help with the tingling and perhaps some new grips. I also need the chain and cassette replaced. I don't want to be without a bike so I kept thinking about getting my road bike ready. I took it into Oliver's expecting it to need new tires and a tuneup. I was hoping for less than $200. The tech put it on the rack and took a look. The gears are not working and need to be replaced. And if they replace the gears, they have to remove the bar tape which means it needs to replaced. Along with the new tires and a tuneup, the estimate was just under $400! I was not expecting that. I really don't have the extra money to spend on this. I have reduced to lunch time outings to once a week.

The scale seemed to be stuck all month. Then on the last day, I lost 4 pounds. Huh? I think the scale is wonky.

I finished the month riding 296 miles.

july cycling recap

My knee was taking a long time to heal. I kept up the slow and easy biking. My dad went to Michigan for a couple of weeks and I rode everyday. I loved being able to ride on Sundays when the traffic is light. Icontinued to ice my knee after I rode in the morning. I started to ride a little harder, a little farther.

The scale seemed to be stuck in the beginning of the month. I tried to only eat the calories I needed for the day and not the ones I earned by exercising. Perhaps the weight is being shifted to muscle. I got a couple of new cycling skorts since the one I had was just too large.  

A second pair of padded gloves.

I got a bike mount for my iPhone. I looked at so many options but decided on an inexpensive one from Target. It is a simple mount but keeps the iPhone from getting wet. I like that I can see notifications at a glance. I can see who is texting or calling and decide if I need to stop and answer. I keep the display off most of the time.

I kept thinking about getting a heart rate monitor. I had one when I biked in the 1990s. I still had it but it was an old model and needed new batteries. The monitor and watch need to be sent in for battery change since the units are waterproof. I figured it would be about the same price to get a new unit. And the new units can work with the iPhone or other cycle computers. I ordered a Wahoo Tickr from rei. It arrived July 30 so I took it for the first time July 31. I decided to try using my iPhone with the display on to test the bike mount and battery drain. I set the iPhone display to 50% brightness. The iPhone did not get hot and only drained about 8% in 40 minutes. I learned that I was riding too hard for the best fat burning which is my primary objective.

The Sand Hill Cranes don't move off the path. But they don't mind of you ride around them at a reasonable pace.

I rode 212 miles in July and lost 8.8 pounds. 

june cycling recap

Another setback.

Andy & I still went on some evening rides.

I climbed up the ladder to the attic. I needed to get the bike repair stand down to give away. I climbed a few rungs and looked for the stand. I realized I needed to climb up another rung. I grabbed onto the frame of the opening to steady myself. The ladder slipped and fell. I tried to hang on but didn't have a good grip. I fell. I landed on my feet but my right knee gave away. My left leg hit the ladder as I fell on my butt. Ouch. 

I got up. Moved the mangled ladder and moved the car back into the garage. I hobbled in the house and got my crutches. I got an ice pack and sat down. 

This road dead ends at the county line. There is a road about 30 feet on the other side of the county but the two municipalities cannot come to an agreement to connect them.

Crap. I didn't want to stop and let my knee heal. I was just getting into a cycling groove. I joined a bike challenge to ride 250km in June. I didn't want to lose my progress. Crap crap crap. 

My right knee was a mess. I have had problems since high school when I failed to vault over the pommel in 10th grade PE. I stretched the ligaments and my knee has never been the same. I have sprained my knee plenty of times. It would be sore for a day or two then I am good to go. It wasn't the case this time. My left calf hurt as well. Actually, both calves hurt like muscle pulls. Even with the crutches, I was moving very slow.

We had an appointment with the chiropractor the following Monday. I told Dr B what happened and he looked at my knee. He did some adjustment with his pneumatic adjusting tool. It hurt some but my right calf was feeling better the next day. I wished I had him check out my left leg but I thought it was just a bruise.

My right knee was slow to heal. I continued to ice it three times a day. I walked slowly. I did not exercise except for swimming on Thursday. I did some bicycle rotations in the pool and could feel how stiff my knee still was. My left calf was still aching when I walked and sometimes when I went to bed. I made an another appointment to see the chiropractor the following Monday.

The chiropractor adjusted my left knee. Oh man did it hurt! Andy left the room when I cried out. My left calf started feeling better the following day. And I decided to try riding my bike. My knee was still swollen and stiff and I took it slowly. I was very careful not to get into any situation where I might have to stop quickly and jump out of the seat. I made it 20 minutes and iced my knee right away. It felt good to exercise again even if it was slow.

I continued to do some easy morning rides. Andy & I went to the chiropractor for another visit on the following Monday. He adjusted both knees. They were still tight and sore but getting better. 

By the end of the month, I was back to riding everyday. I still wasn't back to my pre-injury speed but I was healing. Riding did not hurt my knee at all but I iced it after every ride. I ended the month with 107 miles. I had hoped to ride 150 miles before I fell. Even with 12 days of no activity, I managed to lose 8 pounds in June.

I had the front tire replaced. It was old and about to burst a sidewall.

one hundred and forty miles

I did well riding in May. I noticed some problems with my bum and got a new seat. I also started wearing a padded skort. It all helped and I felt really good. I wasn't losing weight but I knew that would come once I got better at riding and could ride faster and longer.

I was surprised and happy to find that I rode 140 miles in May. It may not seem like much to seasoned cyclists but it seemed like so much compared to the 50 miles I did walking. Many of those miles were ridden with Andy in the evenings. Even after he did well in the Special Olympics State Games, he still wanted to ride.

The best part was that my ankle pain was almost gone. I still had problems with plantar fasciitis especially in the morning but it was manageable. I no longer had ankle pain while I was sitting.

I do look at bicycles I would love to buy but know that what I have is fine. I love the idea on the Dutch style city bikes. I know I won't be going car-free but the idea of riding my bike everywhere. Suburban Florida just isn't the place the go car free. 

special olympic state games

Andy was chosen to participate in the Special Olympic State Games in cycling. Andy went with the school group Friday morning. They went to Downtown Disney and had dinner at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

I found this on my photo stream in the morning. It was cool to see Andy having a good time without me.

Ryan & I went over to EPSN Wide World of Sports around 8:30. Sam and his parents were already there and set up. We moved the van and joined them. Andy showed up. He looked tired and hungry but was happy to see us.

We hung around and waited for them to call us.

The boys thought it was cool to hang out in the truck bed.

Andy did his 500m. He kept fiddling with his bell and lost time. I actually made it to the other side to see him finish.

Hanging around. Andy did have some goldfish.

Andy won 2nd place. Sam won 1st.

Andy ready for his 1k race.

Andy did OK. Sam came in ready to “die.”

Andy got a bronze. Sam got a silver. He was OK but took it off as soon as he could.

Ryan kept track of the riders and their order.

We left and ate lunch at CFA in Celebration.

it's just like riding a bike

I was really getting into walking and increasing my daily steps. Then I woke up one Friday and could barely stand, let alone walk. I self-diagnosed plantar fasciitis. I took it easy and hoped it would heal. I hated not being able to walk. I hated missing those steps on my FitBit. I decided it was time to try my bike. 

Andy was out riding his bike and I got my bike down and pumped up the tires. They held air and I got on the bike. Hmm... when did the gears change? These are not the original bike gears? It all felt weird. I didn't last long. 

The following Monday, I rode around Deer Run. I had no confidence in my riding skills. I didn't like feeling this way. I took Andy's bike it to the LBS to have them install the basket. (It involves removing the headset and that is beyond my confidence level.) I got some lube for my bike. 

The next day, I lubed up my chaine and asked Andy if he wanted to ride. We rode up to CVS. I am trying to teach Andy how to ride with cars on the road. I felt a little more confident with my own riding.

I began to ride in the morning by myself and in the evenings with Andy. I was training him in case he was chosen to participate on the the Special Olympics State Games. I wanted him to be able to do 5k easily. We were riding about 3-5 miles in the evenings.

Once I felt more confident on the bike, I started pushing myself to ride faster and farther. It felt good to get my heart pumping and I looked forward to the rides. (One downside is that I cannot listen to my iPhone while riding and my podcasts were piling up.)

a new bike

Andy needed a new bike. He had been riding his current bike for 4 years. Back then, all I could find with a single speed were expensive cruisers. I didn't understand why they were more expensive than geared bikes. I didn't want to spend $600 or more on a simple bike. A salesman convinced me that the BMX style bike would be fine. And it was fine for a few years. But Andy is tall and the smaller bike takes more effort. He cannot compete with those rising larger bikes. 

Andy is not competitive but he needs to have good times in order to qualify for the state games at Disney. He really surprised me by riding  the 5k and even earning a blue ribbon. I started looking at new bike. 

I started my search online. I found that the Trek single speed bikes are still over $500. I kept looking and found a bike called Pure Fixe. These single speed bikes are fun looking and about $360. But the reviews are mixed. I kept looking but didn't find anything else.
 
I decided to check out the Pure Fixe at a bike shop. There is a shop downtown that carries both the Pure Fixe and Trek. I went down there after a photography meet-up. 

I walked in and saw this beautiful matte olive green cruiser for $259! The salesman greeted me and I asked him about the Pure Fixe. He said they are sold out but have these Electra Cruisers. I had not heard about Electra. He told me that Trek bought them this year. He said that they specialize in cruiser bikes which is why the price is so good. The model they had was a men's tall. It would be good for Andy. Electra also makes fun accessories like bells and baskets and such. I asked if they would take a deposit but they would not. They would hold the bike for 24 hour. 

I came home and told dad. He lent me the money and I called the bike shop. They do not accept payment over the phone. They would not hold the bike after 24 hours and, by the way, they were having a sale starting Thursday so don't plan on the bike being there by Monday. 

I really didn't want to drive back the next day. I had a meeting in the morning so my day was already busy. I called a local shop and asked about the Electra. They had them but not the one I wanted. However, they get a new shipment every week. If they didn't get the bike this week, they would make sure they get it next week. OK. Can I pay over the phone? Yep. Done deal. 

About an hour later, the first bike shop called back. They said they can accept payments online and I can order the bike on the website. I told them I made other plans. I did check their website and found  that they didn't even have that specific bike listed. They only had the Pure Fixe listed which were sold out in the store. I am glad I didn't try that. 

About a week later, we got a call that Andy's bike was ready and we went to pick it up. I had Andy try it out. He was shaky because the seat was too high. He rode more confidently once it was adjusted correctly. Once we got home, he wanted to ride around the neighborhood. 

I kept looking at my bike hanging on the wall and wondered if I could ride. It has been years and I am much heavier. 

school's out

Today is the last day of school but both boys are home. They decided not to go today because there isn't anything for them to do. Andy cleaned out his desk yesterday and brought a bag home of supplies he didn't use. Ryan never used his locker so there wasn't anything to clean.

This morning, I woke up at 4:15. I got up at 5. Andy was already awake! On school days, he drags himself out of bed at 5:45. On non school days, Andy is up and raring to go before 6. 

Ryan never changes his schedule. He goes to bed at 8:30 and gets up at 4:45. Ryan hates to miss school so I was really surprised when he said he would stay home.

pruning the palms

queen palms, 2010

I had my palms pruned yesterday.

There is a guy who drives around the neighborhood about once a month and knocks on my door and asks about my palms. I step out and look and tell him they don't need it yet. He knocked yesterday and I was going to tell him to come back but he said that I told him this month. Sigh. OK, how much? He looks at my queen palms and tells me he can do them for $30 each though he should be charging $40 each. They really don't need the trimming. He explains that the seed pods should not be popping out like that but I know better. I ask him about the washingtonian palm which does need pruning. "You tell me what you will pay." Right. That tree is already 20 feet tall and needs a tall ladder whereas the queen palms need only a 6 foot ladder. He goes on to tell me more bullshit about the palms and how he does the neighbors' trees. I am surprised because I did not hear any chainsaws before he knocked. I ask if he will do it all for $100 and he says yes though he looks like he is doing me a favor. (I paid $80 in 2012 and 2013.) The men get to work.

queen palm flowers, 2012

I come out a bit later to move my dad's car. It is in the driveway and under the palms. It is not really in the way but I am being cautious because he had asked me to move it in the past. I see the men are using handsaws which explains why I hadn't heard them. I ask if they want some water. He says yes, "or gatorade or pepsi". We don't have soda in the house and I am not generous with dad's gatorade. He doesn't keep more than one in the fridge. I make up three jugs of water with ice in some rubbermaid plastic water bottles I have had for years. I carry them out. He says he will put them in the cooler and asks if I want the bottles back. Yes, though there is no rush. I know I will see him again. I am not so sure about the bottles.

washingtonian palm, 2010

He knocks on the door asking if they have taken enough off. Once again, they have trimmed more than enough. Palms get their nutrients from the green in the palms. Green fronds should not be pruned. Our old neighbors would have their palms sheared. They were told it is better for hurricane protection. That is not true but I never told them otherwise. I have learned to leave the green fronds on the palm. But the washingtonian palm is too tall for me to climb and prune so I am at the mercy of these guys who knock on my door.

queen palms, 2009

After they clean up the yard and get paid, I decide to check online about palm pruning. Yes, they did prune too much and it may hurt the tree. I am angry at myself for not insisting they do what I ask and not watching them. I will have to diligent if I ever let them trim again.