My Most Recent Ride 2014 (Part VII in a series)

Well done Glenn!!!!!

 

Definitely well done!

 

Well I enjoyed a Saturday afternoon ride of 32 miles in Little Rock. Now looking at sleet packed streets and 25 degrees as high today. Will not be on Kadiddle today or tomorrow.

 

Go Glenn! Impressive all around! Maybe enough to even give me a bit of kick in the pants, particularly since I don't have to combat the snow and ice this year. Just chill, barely-above-freezing rain.

Actually, today there's something resembling sunshine, weak and watery as it is. Still a vast improvement over the above mentioned rain. About 40 F and not a breath of wind. Saw snow drops and a one or two other flower types. Daffodils have been pushing up their leaves for a couple weeks though no buds or blooms yet.

Took Loke out for his longest run of the year at 5.3 miles. He wasn't exactly bubbling over with excitement and enthusiasm, but he did keep a decent pace. I'll probably try to go out again tomorrow for his sake because of the cortisone he's taking now.

Loke had the 'prick' test for environmental allergens. Waiting for the test was a nightmare. He couldn't have ANY treatment because it might have skewed the test results. This is the worst outbreak he's ever had. It was in his paws, on his belly and the worst was along his lower lip on the left side of his muzzle. He kept scratching it furiously and spent 9 days wearing the 'cone of shame' almost continuously to stop him from scratching his face off. Poor fuzzy.

Turns out he's highly allergic to a type of yeast native to the skin of all dogs and most mammals. Something all animals have from birth to death, but generally harmless to anything with a healthy immune system or lacking allergies to it. Oh, he's also very slightly allergic to either birch, hazel or alder pollen. All that on top of his food allergies.

It's good to know and we're planning long term treatments for him. For the short term, he's on the cortisone for itching as we clear up his overgrowth of skin yeast. Cortisone causes muscle loss, so to counter it, I need to step up my cycling with him as much as I can without triggering his arthritis. So, short distances as often as he doesn't limp! Good motivator for me!

Terii

 

thanks for the encouragement, rest day yesterday.
Halfway to work on cycleway today there was some roadwork.
The signage was not well done , it was dark , [ 4:30 am ]
I could not see the large step on the left as I crawled along ,
suddenly I flipped over - onto my left side.
Quite a shock, I got a small cut on leg and I think I may have slightly strained my lower back.
Will see tomorrow if my back is injured.
I was still able to ride to work and home , just didnt feel right on my back.
-
Overall the trike has been my safest cycle - this accident was track related and probably would not have happened if I had Great Lighting.

 

Glenn, Well you have to feel better with less fat and more muscle. It takes good discipline to lose that much weight, but when you are committed it seems a bit easier. I have gone from an average weight of 199 lbs. in September to averaging 182 lbs. in February. So far this month I am hanging around 179 lbs. Unfortunately I have ridden my bike less than I have in the past 5 years over the same time period because of this and that and the weather. So I have spent a lot of time in the gym working on legs, shoulders and on the treadmill. I have been trying to focus on the core with several exercises I found by Yeger on Bicycling Magazine web site. I ache but hopefully all this will pay off when the weather gets warmer and nicer and I can get back on the bike. Anyway keep up the good work and watch those flips, trikes were not made to ride upside down.

 

Went out with Loke again today. He was rather lacklustre about it. No pulling, no 'wild mile'. Just jogging along at 7.5 to 8 mph which is pretty good, but quite slow for the first mile and half or so.

Of course that just meant I actually had to work for the whole 3.5 miles. I cut the ride short because after about mile 2, Loke got REALLY slow. Not sure if it was boredom or maybe his medication is upsetting his tummy.

Saw a man running his dog with an interesting contraption attached to his bike. It sort of attached to the side of it like a side car with a 26" wheel. There was a basket on it, but high up and full of stuff. His dog, a cross-breed, shaggy dog ran between bike and wheel, under the basket. A harness tethered to either side kept him securely in place. I've never seen the like, cool though.

Terii

 

Terii , could the dog harness have been to support some weak rear end or the like ?
Great that you are both out exercising even if you had to cut it short.
Just beat a Banging Electrical storm home this Arvo.
- wondered if my High Flag pole would become a Lightening Pole
Now those pessimistic weather men are predicting rain for the next week
- which means I have to get wet 4 days out of 5

 

Got my 3rd ride of the year in on Wednesday. Hoping to ride again today. The weather is finally above 40 degrees and it is NOT raining!!! Woohoo!!!

 

Now I officially have spring fever!!! It is sunny and 60 degrees here. Rode 20.1 miles on my Strada. Just a glorious day.

This is more like it!!!

 

Ok!

I bought a hero pro camera. I am working on how to best video my rides.

Tried the head harness on my helmet but it keeps sliding off. Too slick.

Tried the ball cap visor attachment but the camera slid down my face.

So I am going to try the handle bar attachment next to see how it works.

Stay tuned!

 

First 50 miler on Kadiddle

Yesterday 3/7 I rode 54.81 miles round the River Trail area here in Little Rock. Wasn't my fastest fifty miler ever, but wasn't my slowest either. This was my longest ride since 2012 . Longest ride on a recumbent and I was a little shocked how comfortable I was. I got off once for a bathroom break and another time when a couple wanted to talk to me about my bike. No butt aches, hands soreness, arm and shoulder stiffness. Wow I enjoyed it. I hope to get a couple more 50 milers in next week while I am in Pensacola Beach.

 

Yep! Every now and again when my back feels good and strong, I toy with the idea of riding a DF… then I laugh at myself for being so silly as to want the sore rump, wrists, and neck with numb hands thrown in for good measure!

Terii

 

Ditto ... for Britt and Terii above comments.
-
My super Fast Alloy framed racer - with the ultra narrow / high pressure tires is in my face every time I lift out my Trike.
I reckon that Stiff alloy frame used to magnify the jolts through my neck, wrists, super sore posterior etc . ... havent touched that bike in two years.

 

Woke up this morning and it was soooo pretty and about 25 degrees warmer than it should be (55 F) at this time of year. I pulled the trike out of the car and stored it under the balcony to go for a ride later.

Sadly, I dragged around about it and clouds came in, still I wanted to go even if I was having trouble find the 'oomph' for it. Then Jens called and wanted to know if I was going to be home so his parents could come pick something up. I answered that I could ride there to drop it off. It would give me a kick in the butt.

So, in spite of the gaping wounds on the heel of my left foot, I crammed on my cycle shoes after dressing and limped out. As I settled the pannier bag with the item to be delivered, it started sprinkling. Light as it was, I decided my thin wool was more than enough.

Loke was again a well tuned machine as we set out. It especially excites him when we go some other way than the standard loops. This time we headed off through Uppsala and took streets we've never rolled down before. Not with the trike any way. If I went slower than 8.5 mph, he was hauling like mad. Surprisingly though every other shoe I've worn makes my heel feel as if it's being torn apart, the wounds might as well not have been there at all with my cycle shoes! Odd, but such a relief.

After about mile 2, the light drizzle became a respectable light rain and I started going from damp to wet. The temp also took about a 4 degree plunge. Water dropped constantly from the brim of my cap which is better than running down my face. Loke delighted in soaking me further every time we slowed or stopped for a crossing.

I was more than a little wet and chilled by time we arrived at my in-laws. I swear I heard a couple low growls of thunder while I was waiting for my lovely mother-in-law to come fetch what I brought.

The rain picked up even more on the way home, not helped by Loke slowing down and me getting smacked with bits of frozen rain the size of peas from time to time.

While pedalling and shivering up the underpass of the rail tracks, I spotted a hundred or so of crocus buds that will be opening up in the next day or two. That made me smile. I love crocus even when they're a month or more early!

We finished up with 7.3-ish miles which is the longest outing of the year for us both. Naturally the rain stopped as I coasted to a halt at our apartment though at least it sounds like it's raining again now.

It is past time for a HUGE mug of hot chocolate, sipped while under a massive pile of feather comforter and watching something on TV. Hopefully, I won't be looking rather smurf like when Jens gets home.

Terii