20160228 cycling

Monday
56° wind 2 ENE
I felt strong and rode hard. I got up to 14mph then turned on WRB. The wind was against me the whole way home. I went down to 13.9 but pushed it back up to 14 to finish. I hit resume too early and Wahoo said my average 13.6. I will believe my bike computer. 
10 miles 14 mph

Tuesday
DarkSky is failing me with the wind reports. It said 2-4 and it felt more like 8-10. WeatherNerd seems more accurate thought they both use Forecast.io for their data. Weird. 
63° wind E to SE
Decided to ride short and hard. I got up to 14.4 mph but lost much of it on Mansfield. I finished with 10 miles 14.1 mph

Wednesday
Rain and wind. No ride. 

Thursday
Cold and windy.
51° wind NW 3-6mph
I tried riding hard and did get up to 14 mph average but lost it on the way back. 
11 miles 13.7 mph
Coughing

Friday
50° wind 5 mph NW
I headed out west on CLR. The wind was against me and I didn't have the energy to push. I got stopped at SPES with the crossing guards. A boy was walking to JLMS. (He was dressed in jeans and t-shirt and carrying an instrument.) I turned into SR56 and found the wind was against me again! WTF. I had no energy to fight it. My average dropped down to 12.4. I decided to turn at Mansfield. The wind was behind me and it felt better. My averaged climbed to 12.9. I turned onto CLR and the wind was against me again. The boy was there. If he was going to JLMS, he was late. I couldn't get my average any higher. I had no energy. 7 miles 12.9 mph

this flag barely moves unless it is very windy

Saturday
56-60° wind 6-8 mph NNW with strong gusts. I started out west on CLR. The wind was against me on SR56 so I turned onto Mansfield. I went down Beardsley to MPB. I did get much above 12.5 mph average.
16 miles 12.4 mph
Coughing when I was done. 

I finished the week with 5 rides, 54 miles. 

still riding the same routes

errandonnee #2-4

Saturday 2016.03.05
Chilly and some wind, about 60º

#2 It was National Cheese Doodle Day so I thought I would celebrate by getting bag of my favorite, Barbaras Cheese Puffs. I rode to Nutrition Smart to get cheese puffs for National Cheese Doodle Day. It is about 2 miles from my home.
There is no bike rack so I locked my bike up to the railing used to corral the shopping carts. 
I forgot gum so my mouth was dry from riding. I got some pomegranate juice that was carbonated and icky. 
I was getting on my bike and lost my balance. I did a slow motion fall. Ugh. Thankfully there were no witnesses. 

#3 I wanted to get some honey to give to someone at work. Local honey has helped me with my seasonal allergies. 
I rode to the Shops of Wiregrass for Fresh Market. Fresh Market is a local farmers' market and craft show held twice a month. The market starts at 10 but they are open for business as they set up their booths. There were few people walking around at 9:30 so I rode right up the booth, got my honey and left. I didn't even have to get off my bike.

#4 I rode to work. Maybe this is a cheat but I work at The Shops of Wiregrass. Even though I live only a few miles from home, I have never ridden my bike to work. Some of my excuses include: varying schedule which includes nights; single parent with disabled kids; having an elderly parent living with us; living in Florida which high humidity which make riding in summer very sweaty; wearing skirts and having no step through bike.
Today, I threw all those excuses out, put on some dress pants (rolled up the right pant leg) and rode to work.
The cool weather helped me from getting sweaty as well as the casual pace.
There are bike racks through the mall but none near our employee entrance. I locked my bike to the railing for the stairs. It was first time using this particular u-lock so it took a bit to get it positioned correctly. (My first u-locks were purchased in the early 1990s and had the vulnerable lock mechanism so they were thrown out.) I was a little concerned about my bike still being there when I got out but it was in a spot that is frequented by employees on their smoking breaks.
3.75 miles 8.62 mph
I am a salesperson and am on my feet all day. After 5 hours, I really didn't want to have to ride home but there was nothing to be done. My bike was there and I unlocked it. I rolled my pant legs up because it was warm. I rode home.
The MUP home is blocked by construction so I rode in the street, in the bike lane. I didn't wear a helmet and was a little concerned being on a fast highway. I put my faith in the drivers.
I did get hot and sweaty on my way home. It was nearly 80º. It took me less than 20 minutes to ride the 4 miles home.
I will ride again next week as part of the Errandonnee challenge and may do afterwards. On my wish list is a step through bike so I ride in a skirt.
4.09 miles 12.45mph
Total mileage for all three errands, 7.89 miles
Total mileage of challenge 13.81 miles

errandonne #1

errandonnee 2016

Errandonee #1 20160304 Target for prescriptions
67° wind 3 W
What a beautiful day to ride. Sunny and cool with a light wind. The wind made me not realize I was working up a sweat even though I wasn't riding fast. It makes me want to ride to work tomorrow.
5.92 miles 11.9 mph. It was probably over 12mph but I didn't pause the app when I was stopped by the lights.

It was a beautiful day to ride. It was 67º when I left for Target. I rode my Trek 820 (my hardworking hybrid from 1990) and without a helmet. I knew I wouldn't be riding fast and only crossing one busy road at the light.

I don't ride enough just for pleasure nor transportation enough. I find it hard to keep the pace easy and not get into a pace where my heart rate is in zone 1.

I had to add a lock to my bike. I thought about my new u-lock but didn't think the short trip warranted it. I got a cable lock instead.

I used my Wahoo app to record my ride though I put my iPhone in my bag so I didn't look at it while I was riding.

I knew Target had bike racks near the entry doors. The one I picked is also near the bench where employees sit and smoke. Yuck. Happily, the wind was blowing the right way to keep the smoke away.

I wasn't in Target very long. I also grabbed a couple of bags of candy for a friend who just had to put her 14 year lab down.

I didn't think ahead about the bag. I knew I could put my prescription bottles in my handlebar bag but the candy was too much. I have a rear rack but didn't bring the net. I had to hang the bag on the handlebar. This reminded me of when I lived in Hawaii for a summer and would carry my grocery bags on my handlebars of my beach cruiser. Those bags were heavy and affected my steering.)

The ride back was nice as well. I didn't stop my Wahoo app when I got stopped at the lights. I knew it was affect my average speed but this ride was for transport and speed is not part of the equation. I added a neighborhood loop to make sure my ride was 30 minutes long so FitBit would consider it exercise.

I really enjoyed the ride. I am trying to think of other reasons and places I can go on my bike.

I added a neighborhood loop to make sure my ride was 30 minutes long so FitBit would consider it exercise.

errandonee

Errandonnee starts today. It is 12 errands in 12 days. I am going to try. I don't know how many I will get done and I am not going to push myself. Most of my errands are too far to ride the bike or include groceries which are too heavy and cold to carry on my bike. I may even try to rode my bike to work a couple of times.

20160221 cycling

not a lot of miles but I am glad I got in 5 rides this week.

Monday

No school. I had to take Ryan to the dentist in the morning so we didn't get a chance to ride in the morning. Ryan went out on his bike as soon as we got home.
I guess t ready to go out and Andy surprised me by coming along.

It took a while to get ready. I had to pair Andy's iPod with his speaker. A neighbor came to the door to tell me Cheryl told her to tell us that she thought one of the boys was stuck on BBD. I checked and Ryan was moving by again. 
Then we had to pump up tires. I tried to get the iPod case for Andy but Ryan had broken that one too. 
We finally set out. It was windy. 
We passed Ryan in front of the new school. He laughed but didn't stop. 
We rode to Wiregrass. We went under the parking garage so Andy could make some echoes. We went back up SR56 to Mansfield and home. It was 8.88 miles. A record for Andy.

Dad and I moved Ryan's wheel so his chain would have more tension.

Tuesday

I got ready for a bike ride and asked Andy is he wanted to go. He walked away then came back with his shoes on. I asked Ryan if I could ride his bike. He said no. But he didn't have a good excuse so I rode it. 
We didn't have much time. We rode down Mansfield. At one point, Andy caught up to me. After a few questions about the Keene activists, he asked me if we were going to be home before dark. He wanted to turn back at the high school.
We did just under 4.5 miles. It was better than not riding at all.

Wednesday

I got a haircut and ran some errands. I worked late. No time to bike.

Thursday
62° and windy 8 NNE
I was glad I was wearing my tights. It was chillier than it looked. 
Car cut me off as he was turning left from Mansfield to SR56. Ass. 
I went one loop. 
10 miles 12mph

Friday
Bike. 
50° wind 4 NE
It was late so I didn't have time for the full 10 miles. I went out Mansfield and back. I rode hard. 
Six miles isn't long enough for 30 minutes so I rode around Deer Run.
6.89 miles 13.4 mph
I ended the week with 40.3 miles.

I stayed around the neighborhood. Cycling was all about exercise, not exploring.

I wish it could have been more miles. But it has been too cold and it is still dark until 7am. 

20160214 cycling

Monday was too cold to ride before work. 

Tuesday. 
I didn't have to work but it was cold and windy. 
50° wind 13 W feels like 47°!
I did the big loop clockwise. It was cold. I couldn't seem to get my HR up. 
MUP is torn up where Hueland Pond Blvd will connect to SR56. The bike lane is also torn up until they pave the turn lane. A driver in a Mercedes honked at me. Ass. 
My hands and feet were really cold. It was mostly cloudy so the sun didn't warm.
11 miles 13.1 mph

sometimes the younger cows are startled by me. this one was curious.

Wednesday
Off to a late start because it was very cold.
Cold and windy. 
49° wind 4 NW ?
Stronger gusts and it kept changing direction
Rode one big loop clockwise. 
11 miles 13.4 mph
I did get up to 13.7mph but the wind against on Beardsley brought my speed down. 
My toes are still cold. And my lungs hurt. 

Thursday was too cold to ride before work.

Friday
Dark Sky said wind was at 3 SSE. Wrong. It was more like 7-8 WSW. I went out clockwise only to fight the wind on SR56. I did the loop at WRB and went back along SR56, this time with the wind. I had to fight the wind again at MPB and Beardsley. At least it was warner and sunny. 56° when I started and 65° when I ended. 
14 miles 13.2 mph

Saturday
Dark Sky reported wind 5 mph NW but it was much windier and a bit NE. I had wind against riding east on SR56. 
Breathing hard but heart rate not up. 
11 miles 13.2 mph

just getting in the miles close to home.

I only did 47 miles this week. I am OK with that. They weather has just not been good and it is better than riding on rollers.

20160207 cycling

The week was better for cycling. I rode 5 days. Although those rides were all short, they were good and I felt better for having ridden.

The path along SR56 has been blocked off with SIDEWALK CLOSED signs. Because the construction cannot be seen from the signs, I ride in the road and avoid the path. 

On Monday, my HRM wasn't working. I hoped it was just the battery but didn't turn back to figure it out. Without the HRM, Wahoo will not calculate calories spent. Instead, My Fitness Pal calculated my speed and estimated I burned over 700 calories on my 10 mile ride! I usually burn between 250-350 calories in 10 miles.

Tuesday. No HRM because I forgot to get batteries. It was another short ride. It was foggy and the wind was a little stronger. I had to push to keep my pace above 14mph.

Wednesday. Warmer and windy. I got a battery for my HRM and it worked again. I tried to keep my pace up again over 14 mph. But the wind was too strong and I only managed 13.7mph.

Ryan continues to ride even when it is cold.

Thursday. It was windy and I didn't have the energy to fight it. I rode 10 miles.

Friday. It was too cold to ride.

Saturday. It was cold and windy but I really wanted to ride. I managed another 10 mile loop.

I rode 50 miles last week.

20160131 cycling

Last week was a better week for cycling.

I did not ride on Monday. I had to take my car in for an expensive repair. I had thought about taking my bike with me and riding while they worked on it. The weather was cold and I opted to walked to Starbucks instead.

There are too many of these signs around. This is the the downside to growth.

The MUP along SR56 is still closed. Most of the time, the path is clear but I can't see that from the turns. I have started riding in the bicycle lane in SR56. I have to be more alert for debris in the road and trust that drivers will stay in their lane. Rather than turning left from SR56 to Mansfield Blvd, I turn right onto Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. It is a future road but construction has begun to connect it to Bruce B Downs via Chancey. They have cleaned up the overgrown vegetation but now there is debris in the road, mostly gravel from the all the dirt haulers. On Tuesday, there was a fire truck and the firemen were draining a fire hydrant into a nearby swamp. 
I rode 19 miles.

Ceramic tiles fell off of a truck making a turn. Another downside to growth.

I didn't ride on Wednesday. It was raining and I was tired from working late the night before.

Construction made the roads muddy and my bike got filthy.

It was still wet on Thursday but I got in 20 miles. My pace has been slow. I have only been averaging about 13 mph.

Friday was cold. I rode 11 miles. 

Saturday was cold. The wind was light but changed so it was always against me. I rode 11 miles.

I rode 4 times for 61 miles. 

I finished January with only 201 miles. It was a cold and wet month.

20160124 cycling

The worst week. The weather was too cold and I couldn't wait for the sun to warm up. On Saturday, it was too windy combined with the cold that I walked. It wasn't such a good idea since my ankle hurt the rest of the day. And I can't even et my heart rate up for it to count as aerobic exercise. 

20161117 cycling

Again, I missed riding on my birthday. I had to work in the morning and it was too cold to ride before I went in.
It has been too cold to ride. I can ride comfortably to about 55°. I can ride with gloves to about 48°. Anything cold and I just don't have to the right gear. I don't even like riding with the long gloves because I have to take them off to operate my iPhone and the app so use to track my rides.