25.83 miles (Airen 1) 12/21/2016

It is really funny, but some of my best rides start out with my brain telling me other wise.   I get out their and my noodle will be saying ah ok this will be fine, ok ok you don't have to go that far.  But when I ignore the preprogrammed ramblings in my head and push on like today. The end of the ride is really rewarding an my body and legs feel amazing.  No 25.83 miles is not exactly wow, but I was on the verge of calling it quits, but I said no, my legs don't hurt and it was only my subconscious that is telling me to stop and that not a good enough reason.   When it come down to it, it really is about mind over matter.  I remember a couple of rides back feeling really awful at the beginning of the ride and then after about 6 to 8 miles feeling like I could climb up Everest Backwards on my bike. Well maybe not that extreme.  Don't get me wrong I have been out their and if after that I really don't feel the love, I do have the smarts to call it quits.   Riding while feeling really crappy is no fun.  So being a smart rider is being a wise, in stead of ill informed rider who makes them self sicker. 

As for being informed I took my bike to the bike shop that assembled the bike and got it tweek for the better.  They raised the handle bars, the bike seat, and find tuned the gears a little.  I also learned the real reason for my toes going numb. The peddle is to small for my feet.  So in a couple of days I'm going to replace my peddles for wider ones.  And they are also going to be moved further out, because my back heals plow into the back of the bike.  I have been riding pigeon toed.   I want to figure this all out so I don't hurt my self.    I also order a new bike speedometer, so I can keep better track of everything.    

Oh yeah about going fast, Holy shit. I am the wind hear me roar!!!!!!   Bwhahaaaaaa!   No not really, but I just like the way it sounds.  
I was not planning to go break neck speed, but my competitive side got the better of me.    A man in a grey full body cycling suit was right beside me and he had a road bike too and well I could not resist.   We did a back and forth of passing each other and then I was like ok let's up the anti.  Climbing hills comes in handy and I left him behind.  Or may be he let me go ahead I really don't know.  But the curious thing was when we got to the end of the trail when it open up into a parking area.  He did follow me around back to the other side, but going up hill he did not pass me until I swollowed a bug.  Yuck!  Then he passed me while I was hacking and cough my brains out.    What ever the out come I love going fast, but it's more fun to race.  And I'm not ignorant, their are people out their that can use me as a rag for their bike.     
 

15.15 miles. 12/20/2016

Took a easy ride with hubby and had a pick nick.    Here is what I got to do, raise my handle bars, and raise my seat.  I think that my main problem with my feet going numb.    I research alternative shoes to wear instead of cycling cleats and well their is non.  So I'm going to buy some laceless shoe's and call it good.  

26.74 miles 11/17/2016

Yippy road 26.74 miles today on the new bike.  I broke the ride in half 13.37 for the first ride took a break and did another one with no hill climbing.  Again it ride so smooth.   I felt like a happy ice cube riding my bike, it was so cold 48 degrees brrrrr.  Walking is one thing, but getting on your bike and riding when it's cold is another thing.  I was bundled up, gloves and a double layer of shirts. My nose was frozen, my face was frozen and did I mention I was frozen.  And yes before I did the ride I notice that their was ice and frost all over the place.   Hmmmm  wait a minute?   Yeah I'm a hard core cyclist now, I ride below the freezing point. ha ha.

I split the ride in half because my toes are going numb, so I got to figure out what going on.  I should really being wearing cleats on this bike, but I have watch enough videos, no no and did I mention no!   My arm's and leg's sometimes don't match up with the signals my brain tell them and I can't do cleats.  If you think my grammer and spelling are atrocious now?  it's going to get even worse after me doing a head dive to kiss the dirt.  So no cleats.  However I'm going to be looking for different shoes.  

For scarier news.  I almost wiped out.   On the way home from the first ride we went under a bridge path and as you can see all the flooding we've been having here the river has deposited a lot of mud.  Well I was not thinking the mud would be that bad or that deep.  On my old bike I wouldn't have blinked an eye the tire is wide and has grip.   I could not go around it and the moment I was at I had to go thought it.  :/     My tires have no traction their completely smooth.    And just to give you a idea how deep it was, if I were to steep into it, it the kind that would suck your shoe off.    Yes I did scream and yes I did slide and how I manage to stay on the bike is beyond me.  The sliding part was the worst.     Their were a few other spot were their was mud, but it had already been scraped off by the City's Parks Division with all the trees that fell over.   

On the second part of the ride at the 1 mile pool area, their was a guy in a Kayak taking advantage of the very strong water current coming over the break.   I hope he had warm cloth on.  

I hate people who have small dogs.  Let me clarify! I hate people who have small dogs that instead of gently pick the dog up, instead yank the dog off it's feet thought the air to get it out of the way.  These people have plenty of time to pick their dog up.    Little dog can suffer from damaged trachea's and other breathing problems and eating problems, because of this. Small dogs are very delicate.   I've seen people to lazy to pick their dogs up, use the chain as a way to pick the dog up with out bending over.    (Face Palm). 

Going to take a break today.   Maybe.  Or at least try to.  .....??   But my next ride is going to be with the Pain Cave. ;)   Who says your pain cave can't move along with you. 
  

25.74 Miles. Great day to ride.

Great ride today with hubby, kind of muddy and a bit chilly, we were bundled up so no big deal.  

Did I mention I love my new bike.  I road 12.12 miles the first time through the park with hubby.   

I have no prior experience on a road bike, but I can tell you this much this, is an awesome bike, it rides so easy, I could easily see my self doing 50 to 70 miles on this bike.   My first ride picking it up and going home with it, I was so tense and my feet and legs and hands did hurt a bit, but today nothing hurt.  However by watching videos I do need to move my bars up maybe a tad.
This bike ride so much smoother than my hubbies bike I had to keep slow down continuously, so he could catch up.  Chris bike is the exact same model of my bike for men and it's really heavy as is my first bike, but that is not a bad thing.   The first 12.12 miles were so easy and smooth I got home and was like, did I just go for a bike ride or do nothing?                                                                                     The  

12.12 miles really felt so easy that I decided to go for another ride, but this time on my trusty steed'et.  (female)   I know have dub the pain cave bike.  This is the bike that I want to get my heart pumping and give my legs a great work out.   Note: I don't want to say old bike, but cause it's my first bike and it means a lot to me and dubbing it the pain cave, reminds me that their is still some more awesome riding I can do on it. 

I add on to today's ride 1 hill climb on the new bike and 4 hill climbs on the Pain Cave.  I do realize now I'm going to need a lot more practice on the new bike.  Changing gears on the Airen 1 is night and day compared to my Pain Cave ;)   On the Airen 1 I have 3 options for holding one and only 2 access the breaks.  I caught my self braking with my other bike brakes, invisible brakes.  LoL   That was a eye opener.   The Airen 1 is making me a lot more aware of  my surroundings, even more so.  I really got to pay attention, because if need be I got to move my hand to the breaks and fast.    With the Pain Cave, the breaks were always right there.  

Their is nothing more nerve wracking than having a unleashed, (luckily friendly dog), but never less too happy and go lucky.  Started wagging his tail and trying to get some attention from me on my bike.  Yikes!  That was the beginning of the ride.  That's not all then on my Pain Cave towards the middle of the ride, I almost creamed a little dog. :(   Uhgg!  Rolling eyes.
I grew up with dogs, you think I'd be a dog person.  Nope! I'm a Cat person.    Close your eye's if your a dog person, but this is a observation I have noticed for a long time.  When you see people with out dogs they always walk in a nice predictable line.   Dog people are all over the place and kind of reminds me of those old Family Circus cartoons when the children would be tracked with dashes all over the front yard and what not. 

And one more thing, I now am scared of leaves.  Why, well my bike tires are road bike tires and leaves are very slippery and their were lot's of leaves and mud.  So the whole first part of the ride I was playing avoid the leaves, because leaves hid things.  One the second part of the ride, I hit a big stick with my Pain Cave bike, I was thinking to my self it that would have been the other bike would I have been able to get out of it.    So like I said, I hyper aware, don't want to crash on this bike.  


And after I was done riding it I gave it a bath, with out spraying it.  Use a tooth brush to get the leaves and mud out and then dried it off with a towl, put it to bed, read it a bed time story.  No I'm not that psychotic.  LOL






Did I mention lot's and lot's of trees down in the park and lot's of flooding from the rain. 

12/12/2016 8.24 miles First Bike

Did a short ride on the other bike.  Trying to get back into the swing of things.  

DAY 2 Of riding.

Not as wobbly as I was on the ride home.   Didn't take it out on a long ride, just around the block or maybe a mile or two.   This time I wore gloves, made holding on the bar easier.   The biggest difference between the two bikes is my old bike I maintain a up right sitting position, the new bike make me lean way forward and down.    This is what I have to get use to.   I'm use to having my hands on the breaks all the time with the old bike, with the new bike I three different options and only two of them allow me to rest my hands on the break.     Another thing is I've got freaking huge feet, I wear a size 11 in women's and a size 12 in men's.  Yeah I tend to like men's shoes because their actually more comfortable on my toes. On the way home I had to ride pigeon toed, because my heels were hitting the back.   Today it was better and I didn't hit the back once, but still have to get use to the whole feel of the bike.   And another thing I have to consider logically I need to lose more weight.   I ended up gaining 8 pounds over this month.  Oh well at least it's not 20 to 25 pound. But I can see being thinner would help.   My old bike seat is aligned to my hip bones for greater comfort, the new bike seat is not and I can really feel it, but then again it's new.  Being on the new bike it is making me work different muscles and I feel I'm putting more weight on my legs and my toes.  After a short ride I can really feel it.    So I guess just more practice and it won't be that bad.   Other wise I'm still very excited.  All I have to do is do my home work by watching videos on how to take care of my bike, so it dose not end up looking like my old bike and a lot more practicing.    

AIREN 1 Has Landed.

No this is not photo shopped, this is me actually standing in from of my new bike.  Insert (Giddy laughing) here. 
This bike is day and night to my other Diamond Back, this is a lean light riding machine all I can say is WOW!   I have a new found respect for people who ride these.  I can see were if you don't handle your self right on this bike you can wipe out really easily.  So no I will not be flying like the wind on this bike for a while. Practice and more practice.  I only rode it 3 1/2 miles home, their is no way I'm stuffing this in the back of the car.  Uh uh.  Nor will I lock this bike anywhere.  This is to be use for riding from to a home that's it.  The other bike will be use to go place were I can lock it up.    For now I'm going to alternate between the bikes, this way I can practice with the gears and get use to how it feels.

New seat so yes my butt was sore, even on a 3 1/2 miles ride.  And my hands hurt too be cause holding on to the bike is a lot different.  And because the angle of my body is different on the bike, I was using different muscles, heck even my toes were sore??   Maybe I was really tense riding the new bike.   And did I mention it's light, Really super light.  Yeah I know what I said about stick to the the first Diamond back, but now I have two bikes.  :)   And I can change my mind can't I.  ;)      I can tell you this much it was very cold, rainy, but when I was on that bike, I could hear the birds singing and see the sun shinning.  This makes me happy.

FREAKING OUT 2 & EXCITED!!!!!

You have no idea how excited I am.  Really super excited it here and it's mine all mine, box included.  :)      It a day late, but that ok.  WOW!      And holy moly it fit into the car so tight, no room to spare at all.   For a few second I was sweating bullets.   Got it in as snug as a bug and took it right to the bike shop for assembly, no way I'm doing that.    They told me it will be done by today.  :D    
My legs are feeling like puddy. :(    I have been so busy painting , painting and did I mention painting.  No bike riding what so ever.  I been getting home around 8 and 9 at night because of out of town work. 

 Twin City Floor Covering in Yuba City.
11 hours of love.   And oh and one of my window paintings was featured in the local news paper.  :D     2nd page.   That below. 
So Yes I am happy.  And I'll be even happier riding my bike.  

1,563.44 miles.

Maybe if your a professional your looking at this and going Meh.  But for me I'm pretty dame proud.  Yeah that last of the month as been so so for bike riding.  But This is what I have accomplished with my hubby, by my side.  His would be a little less than mine, but I'm not leaving him out of this, he worked his butt off two and he a trooper when it come to the pain cave.

As of  5/18/2016 which is the first official post we have rode 1,563.44 miles and have burned a grand total of 76,007.2 calories.   :)        

The next thing we have planned is to takes Chris bike to the Dr and get it some TLC, hubby does not want a new bike. :(     His class ends in another two weeks and window painting will dry up some what.  More time to ride. :)   I planned to still use my first bike, she's not going to be ignored, but I'm retiring her from long rides.  

TIME TO FREAK OUT!

OMG It's Beautiful!  It's mine my precious...... Oh huh was that me.  Oh yes it was.  And yes it's ordered.  This isn't a dream, it's a reality.  And I'm in love.   It's Airen 1 Diamond Back Road bike.   eeeeeeeeeeeee!    Now this time I'm going to make sure my baby is taken care of.   It will have it's own bed and I read it bed time stories...LOL   No not really, but I'm going to take better care of it than the other poor Diamond back.  But I'm not trashing my first love, I've got big plans for it in my training.  Sorry I'd tell you but I have some thing I want to keep my secret for now.   In all the cycling magazines I have never seen any one do this.  I will tell you about in time.  ;)       So I'm going to be counting they days down till it arrives.     

8.24 miles 11/28/2016

Got home a little early today and when hey I can go on a quick last minute bike ride.   So I did a 8.24 mile bike ride thought the park. Yaaaaa.    But I was not going fast that for sure, between climbing up and down on my little step ladder I'm feeling it in my thighs.    And all this week I'll be lucky if I get maybe one or two short rides in.   And did I mention it is so cold. When your walking out side it cold, then get on a bike and the wind chill even feels colder.   Brrrrrr.   

8.24 miles 11/24/2016

 YA!  Got a last minute Thanks Giving day ride in with hubby.   It was a short 8.24 miles but worth it.   And oh man is it cold.   Painted a place called Has Bean Coffee.  Really wonderful people and I was really surprised they have a wonderful little selection of European chocolates.  I was talking to the guy at the counter and look down and recognized a German cookies my Oma use to send us when I was a teenager.  WOW!  
Did a 3 hour window painting for them.   

No don't worry I'm not going to eat it. LOL  But it is very beautiful.  Hopefully the kids near by won't terrorize all the mushrooms growing.  

BLARG! 11/22/2016

Yes you heard me right Blarg.   I am up to my eye balls in window painting jobs, and I just coming home way to late to do anything. :(  :(     When I'm painting 2 stores a day I can squeeze a late ride in, but when it comes to 3 or 4 stores in one day,  no.   Till next time.  Maybe in a few days I'll get home early enough, crossing my fingers.  

ZERO Miles 11/20/2016

Yeah I'm a cycling whimp this time.  It rained really hard and it was so cold on the 19th.  I was trying to psych my self up and grit my teeth and go for it.  But Getting drenched in non water proof cycling cloth is not fun, been their done that and it's like jumping into a swimming pool.   Chilly and so so cold and to top it off I can't go fast because it's more slippery and the wind chill factor can turn your skin to ice.   Today I could have taken a ride, it didn't rain too hard, but we did some necessary running around to do and by the time we were done it was just too dark.    

9.57 miles 11/18/2016

Did a shorter ride today.  Why?  I was going up an down on the step ladder for 4 hours, so by the time I got on the bike I could feel it in my legs. 
9.57 miles that's all. 

13.64 Miles 11/17/2016

Well on this bike ride today found some people picking a pants I was unfamiliar with, they didn't know what it was called either, but they were using it their soup.   I identified it as Mallow which is very edible.   So cool beans found a new edible food source.    Did 13.64 miles with 3 reps up the hill.  
I decided I want to join a cycling club, but which one?   Chico Velo? or .....?   The prices are not bad $10 for 1 year membership that awesome.   
My only worry is that they take one look at me and got shit lady your in the wrong sport, my size.    I don't fit the cycling profile.  I guess their only one way to find out.  Just join and see what happens.    I just want to practice cycling in a group, in case I ever go any further with this.    So well see.  

12.08 miles 11/15/2016

Painted Party Town today 4 1/2 hours. 12.08 miles and no hill climbing today.   As I took off on my bike it was looking pretty dark and I was thinking is it going to rain.   The sky was very over case and it had rain a little though out the day.   Was greeted by a bunch of quail on the way around my loop so cute.    When I got to horse shoe lake and was going up the hill before the parking I spied a 10 year old boy on his scooter walking up the steep hill and riding down fast with no helmet.   When I got to the top I saw his mom standing their watching him.     I been riding pretty late now and it get dark a lot faster.    It so quiet and still along the ride, their are people out their, but not as many.  Just damp stillness.    And the lighting is completely different.   Not spooky just very calming.
Yesterday I was racing the setting sun and was riding the 4 miles home in the dusk, didn't want that to happen, but it did.    And I just cut it close today got home exactly at 5:00.     

13.64 Miles 11/14/2016

Opp's got distracted and for got to post yesterday.
Did 2 hours worth of window painting and 13.64 miles on the bike with 3 reps up the hill.   
No the hill is not that steep. LOL
I am turning into a hill junkie. On the way around the loop which as is very mild down hill I go fast, but it's not the same when I turn around and go back up a very mild up hill grade, that when I'm like ahhh that feels better.  And I been doing the hill almost every day now.
When I go up hill I sit down the whole way I do not stand up.   In the beginning I did stand up and it really is not worth it, I lost a lot of energy.   Standing up is good for very short burst up hill to get up and over a small hill.  But for 0.2 miles no.      To get a perspective of what 0.2 miles is.
0.2 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.2 = 1 mile   When I'm doing the hill it's So doing three reps not counting the going down hill part would be 0.6 miles and so on.     My goal is to do it 10 times.    I've gotten up to 6 so far.  
The hill is 36ft up and 3ft down or
344ft
308ft.

Kind of sad I offered to get hubby his cookie monster jersey, but he said no, he been in the book and we don't ride together very much. So instead he's going to buy some books.  And beside the jersey he want price is still astronomical.    So I found my a short sleeve version of my favorite jersey :) for an un-astronomical price.  Ya!   Having just one jersey it's taking a beating.  I've already had to stitch a few spot from wear.   Having two now will help. 

29.3 miles 11/13/2016

 Great riding day today.  :)    Did 29.3 miles and got 6 reps up the hill.  But I split it in half did three reps made the 12 mile circle and did another 3 reps.   The weather was perfect and so nice.    Yes the first part of the ride was a hard, but this time after 10 miles then I started to feel a lot better.   Curious side not.  Cycling make you stand with a straight stance when you walk.   I did not believe this at first, but it's true, it enhances your posture when you walk, like an arrow. LOL   
I decided to start parking my bike like this from now on.  I had my bike fall several times and this just make more sense.  
Now for weight loss I've hit a rock, I'm not gaining, and I'm not losing, but I'm not stressing.  Because I dropped 4 sizes being in this same rut.   Ya I know it sounds crazy, but I look it up and it's a fact.   And like I said before I'm in no rush to be skinny.  If it happens it happens.   Losing a lot of weight fast is impressive, but very harmful to your body.   I want to do it the right way.
Decided to add a mug shot.
After 1 hour of riding I use to eat a whole cliff bar, know I can eat 1/2  a cliff bar after a hour and be fine.     Ya!      

 Well now.   This got caught in my break pad and yes it stop the bike.  Yikes.   Any thing and every thing get pick up by the tires.    Branches and sticks are basically projectiles.      

WHEN I CYCLE

I see these all the time so I thought I'd have some fun and do one for my self.  

13.24 Miles 11/12/2016

Happy B day to me. I'm now 42 years old.  

I had a very mild food irritation and was out for the count all day yesterday.  And today feel better the first thing that pop's into my mind is a bike ride.  Hubby stayed home with his head buried in studying.  So off I go... go.... um....go!   Oh boy... 13.24 miles felt like 40.  I did my regular loop and did only two reps on the hill.  For some reason I was having a harder time, and was ok I know I'm not up to par, but what going on.  Then on the way down from Horse shoe lake I could hear a very loud scraping sound. It was so bad I was going 7 miles an hour. "Hey I just got every thing fixed??" I was thinking.    So I stop, turn the bike over and I could not get it to make the sound.  Road it again and scrap, scape.  It finally went away, so I think maybe a rock or a stick got lodged for a while in the brake pad. Hopefully that is all it was.   But no I was not rocking it today.   Today was not invigorating.   Maybe tomorrow will be better.  

13.24 miles 11/9/2016

The weather was prefect today.   We did a 13.24 miles and climb the hill twice.   I'm feeling it today I've been riding for, 4 days in a row, so tomorrow I need to take a break.  

14.5 Miles 11/8/2016

How cool is this I got to paint a Atari Christmas.  :)       This was a 3 hour job.   
Then did a 14.5 mile ride and included 4 time rep up the hill.    Saw a sun dog today and took a picture of it, but the camera faded the image.  :(     So I posted one below.

From Google.
 Sundogs form when sunlight passes through hexagonal, plate-shaped ice crystals in cirrus clouds, which act like a prism and refract light, according to a NASA release. Also known as parhelia, they can be seen anywhere in the world, but are most visible when the sun is low in the sky.

9.2 miles 11/7/2016

 Paint SUSHI KING Today 6 hours, including up and down on a step stool.  That a really good work out. ;)    Then afterward my hubby and I did a 9 mile bike ride thought tons of bugs.   Ya Protein.  I think I ate about 2 and choked on 1.  Yuck.