Because the way the world is going, we are all surely going straight to hell. I know, this isn't about riding. We haven't ridden because Jerry is still fiddling with the front derailleur on the new tandem. But he promises this week it will be fixed.
So not riding has given me way too much time to read the newspaper and observe the world going straight into the toilet.
I can't help but blame all of the money that has been poured into Iraq and the Halliburtons of the world, and bonuses given to CEOs of failing companies.
And I've never been quite so worried about the upcoming federal election. I had been devoting energy to California's Prop 8, but I think the presidential election is far more critical, and far more frightening.
My fear is that if the McCain/Palin ticket wins, it will make the George W. Bush administration look like Halcyon days. I never seriously thought about leaving this country until now.
At the end of the month, Jerry and I are heading to East Texas to visit his mother, her husband, and a passel of cousins from Arkansas. In the past I have really held my tongue around his Republican relatives, but this time, I'm going to let all Hell break loose. This is way too important for them to continue to believe the lies this administration and Fox news are telling.
And now that we have a tandem that has couplers, we can take it apart and take it with us in the plane. Initially I thought we'd be too busy with relatives to ride, but now I think it's imperative to have that outlet.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Bicycling Naked
Jerry and I took our first "real" ride on the new tandem today, but went with no pump, no trunk, no cyclometers and the use of only one chain ring in the front, instead of 3. What I missed the most was my cyclometer. My gut told me the new tandem was fast, but I'd like to know how fast.
Due to only one chain ring in the front until Jerry fine tunes the adjustments, we didn't do any climbing and took a pretty short ride. But it was fun and felt great. We do have a drag brake on the back, adding a couple of pounds, but the bike is still lighter than our old Trek tandem. It's got great balance, too.
Ont thing I noticed is, I can't see as well forward on the new bike, so I find myself sitting more upright when I want to see forward. But there really is so much to see on the sides.
It made me think quite a bit about sight. Earlier this week, I met with the director of a foundation dedicated to raising money to help improve sight. It did get me thinking about sight, how I'm happy to have it, and how fortunate that I had access to a really great physician and researcher when I was seeing double. Jerry and I played that old game, which would you rather lose-- your vision or your hearing. Kind of unfair, because Jerry has so little hearing, but we both agreed we'd rather not be able to hear than not be able to see.
When we got home, we took out or half bikes and did a little cruising around the neighborhood. I know the more I ride my single, the more comfortable I will feel. It mostly felt good, but I still have trouble getting started again after stopping, and I've got to tighten up my turning radius. But it's a work in progress.
We're hoping to find a group ride next weekend. We really like riding with groups, particularly with people we know. It helps our pace, and it's just good to see other folks.
Due to only one chain ring in the front until Jerry fine tunes the adjustments, we didn't do any climbing and took a pretty short ride. But it was fun and felt great. We do have a drag brake on the back, adding a couple of pounds, but the bike is still lighter than our old Trek tandem. It's got great balance, too.
Ont thing I noticed is, I can't see as well forward on the new bike, so I find myself sitting more upright when I want to see forward. But there really is so much to see on the sides.
It made me think quite a bit about sight. Earlier this week, I met with the director of a foundation dedicated to raising money to help improve sight. It did get me thinking about sight, how I'm happy to have it, and how fortunate that I had access to a really great physician and researcher when I was seeing double. Jerry and I played that old game, which would you rather lose-- your vision or your hearing. Kind of unfair, because Jerry has so little hearing, but we both agreed we'd rather not be able to hear than not be able to see.
When we got home, we took out or half bikes and did a little cruising around the neighborhood. I know the more I ride my single, the more comfortable I will feel. It mostly felt good, but I still have trouble getting started again after stopping, and I've got to tighten up my turning radius. But it's a work in progress.
We're hoping to find a group ride next weekend. We really like riding with groups, particularly with people we know. It helps our pace, and it's just good to see other folks.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Can I park that for you, Maam?
Jerry and I were valet bike parkers at the Sausalito Art Festival today. For four and a half hours, we tagged, rolled and steered bikes into pvc-pipe bike holders. And I'm happy to say a lot of people rode bikes to the fair. Big bikes, small bikes, hybrids, mountain bikes bikes with trailers, rent-a-bikes. All shapes, sizes.
We did notice, unfortunately, that many, if not most, of the riders were not wearing helmets. I know, I know, just out for a short ride, but I'm living proof that a short ride is all it takes to get your head (or in my case, helmet) bashed in.
In any case, we did brisk business. Hundreds of people rode their bikes to the event, including us.
After our shift, we had lunch-- a very good chicken-veggie wrap-- and then strolled around the fair.
Perhaps I'm spoiled; perhaps I'm an art snob, but I was by and large not impressed with what I saw. I also didn't like the layout of the fair. It was hard to tell where you'd been and what you had yet to see.
So, we perused art for about an hour, decided we'd had enough and headed on home.
We did notice, unfortunately, that many, if not most, of the riders were not wearing helmets. I know, I know, just out for a short ride, but I'm living proof that a short ride is all it takes to get your head (or in my case, helmet) bashed in.
In any case, we did brisk business. Hundreds of people rode their bikes to the event, including us.
After our shift, we had lunch-- a very good chicken-veggie wrap-- and then strolled around the fair.
Perhaps I'm spoiled; perhaps I'm an art snob, but I was by and large not impressed with what I saw. I also didn't like the layout of the fair. It was hard to tell where you'd been and what you had yet to see.
So, we perused art for about an hour, decided we'd had enough and headed on home.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Slowly but Surely
Two rides on the half bike this weekend. I wish I had ridden closer to when I had taken the bike skills class. A lot of the fear was back, but I did ride. Jerry and I rode on the path out of Mike's Bikes in Sausalito. I was nervous, but I did it. I finally was comfortable enough to let go of one hand at a time. I did get spooked at the top of a hill, but I soldiered on.
I was absolutely fine until I decided to take one more little lap before putting the bike on the car. That's when it happened. I cut a turn too close, fell and managed to get my leg caught between the handlebars and the bike. I've got a bruise the size of a one and a half egg omelet and a few other scratches and bumps. But I got up and got back on the bike, and I rode it back to the car.
Today we rode through the neighborhood and it felt pretty good on the roads. We have a path that runs through the neighborhood and I did not like that as well. Too many walkers, kids on scooters and dogs. Strangely enough, I feel safer on the road with cars. I'm pretty sure they won't run into me if I stay close to the side of the road.
Tomorrow, we're volunteering to do Bike Valet Parking at the Sausalito Art Fair. We'll ride our new tandem, despite not having any rear brakes yet. It's a short ride and no hills, so we'll be fine.
I was absolutely fine until I decided to take one more little lap before putting the bike on the car. That's when it happened. I cut a turn too close, fell and managed to get my leg caught between the handlebars and the bike. I've got a bruise the size of a one and a half egg omelet and a few other scratches and bumps. But I got up and got back on the bike, and I rode it back to the car.
Today we rode through the neighborhood and it felt pretty good on the roads. We have a path that runs through the neighborhood and I did not like that as well. Too many walkers, kids on scooters and dogs. Strangely enough, I feel safer on the road with cars. I'm pretty sure they won't run into me if I stay close to the side of the road.
Tomorrow, we're volunteering to do Bike Valet Parking at the Sausalito Art Fair. We'll ride our new tandem, despite not having any rear brakes yet. It's a short ride and no hills, so we'll be fine.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
No Riding, No Eating
One might ask how in the world an endoscopy could be related to riding, but oddly it is. I had an endoscopy yesterday because when I ride, my usual everyday garden variety of heartburn takes on epic proportions. I won't wander into TMI territory, but let's just say it's really become unpleasant and it's affecting my level of hydration.
So off to the gastroenterologist I went. He's about 12 and a very pleasant fellow. We discussed his recent trip to Krakow before he put me under.
Turns out I have a hiatal hernia. Not totally sure what that is, but after I look it up on the web I'm sure I'll scare the hell out of myself. I go back to Doogie Howser in a month and get more details and see if we can make all of this better. In the meantime, it's a double dose of prilosec for me.
This week, Jerry hopes to finish rebuilding the new tandem so we may be able to ride it this weekend. We will also take a spin on our single bikes, and I'm really looking forward to that. Amazing, considering I dreaded even looking at that bike for the last year. Thank you, Lorri Lee Lown and the VeloGirls!
The new tandem is blue, so we can no longer refer to ourselves as the Green Machine. Any ideas for a new team name would be greatly appreciated.
So off to the gastroenterologist I went. He's about 12 and a very pleasant fellow. We discussed his recent trip to Krakow before he put me under.
Turns out I have a hiatal hernia. Not totally sure what that is, but after I look it up on the web I'm sure I'll scare the hell out of myself. I go back to Doogie Howser in a month and get more details and see if we can make all of this better. In the meantime, it's a double dose of prilosec for me.
This week, Jerry hopes to finish rebuilding the new tandem so we may be able to ride it this weekend. We will also take a spin on our single bikes, and I'm really looking forward to that. Amazing, considering I dreaded even looking at that bike for the last year. Thank you, Lorri Lee Lown and the VeloGirls!
The new tandem is blue, so we can no longer refer to ourselves as the Green Machine. Any ideas for a new team name would be greatly appreciated.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I'm Single Again
Or at least I rode single today, and to my amazement and delight, it was wonderful. I took the VeloGirls Bike skills class to help me get over my fear of riding my single and it did that, and much more.
The class was pretty large, yet it felt like we all got great attention from the teachers, Sara and Lori. We got on, we got off, we rode, we braked, we slalomed, we had our butt places where no butt (at least on my bike) had gone before.
My single bike is a Bianchi Boardwalk-- kind of a hybrid-- flat bars but 27 gears and skinny tires, so in reality, not the most intimidating bike in the world. But it scared the hell out of me. I couldn't ride it out of my driveway. But today, I rode it around and around a parking lot, and down the road to another parking lot.
And now that I've got some confidence, Jerry and I will ride one afternoon or evening this week so I can keep my skills-- and my confidence-- up.
When I got home we went for a late celebration lunch at Comfort Food Cafe. While I didn't burn all the calories I ate, I felt somehow I had earned them.
The class was pretty large, yet it felt like we all got great attention from the teachers, Sara and Lori. We got on, we got off, we rode, we braked, we slalomed, we had our butt places where no butt (at least on my bike) had gone before.
My single bike is a Bianchi Boardwalk-- kind of a hybrid-- flat bars but 27 gears and skinny tires, so in reality, not the most intimidating bike in the world. But it scared the hell out of me. I couldn't ride it out of my driveway. But today, I rode it around and around a parking lot, and down the road to another parking lot.
And now that I've got some confidence, Jerry and I will ride one afternoon or evening this week so I can keep my skills-- and my confidence-- up.
When I got home we went for a late celebration lunch at Comfort Food Cafe. While I didn't burn all the calories I ate, I felt somehow I had earned them.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Our 15 minutes
Better late than never, Jerry and I were featured in the Marinscope papers, about doing the AIDS ride on a tandem. Here's a link to the article: http://marinscope.com/newspointer/subpage.php?story=Mn2
It doesn't explain anywhere that this is our attire for Red Dress Day. I hope readers don't think we dress like that every day on the ride!
This weekend, we rode up to Lagunitas for lunch, and compared to recent rides, it was a the cliched piece of cake. So much had to do with the temperature. It was sunny and beautiful, but not the unbearable heat of recent weekends. We had a lovely ride. After getting home and showering, we headed to our favorite Comfort Food Cafe and ate many more calories than we burned off.
We were successful bidders on a one-year-old Co-motion tandem frame, and it should arrive this week. We'll be tandemless for several days until Jerry finishes rebuilding the new one, so probably no tandeming this weekend. I will ride on Saturday, though. I'm taking a basic bike skills class the Velo Girls offer. After crashing a year ago, I'm still afraid to ride my single, so my hope is this class will get me over my fears. Who knows, maybe I'll be confident enough to ride on Sunday!
It doesn't explain anywhere that this is our attire for Red Dress Day. I hope readers don't think we dress like that every day on the ride!
This weekend, we rode up to Lagunitas for lunch, and compared to recent rides, it was a the cliched piece of cake. So much had to do with the temperature. It was sunny and beautiful, but not the unbearable heat of recent weekends. We had a lovely ride. After getting home and showering, we headed to our favorite Comfort Food Cafe and ate many more calories than we burned off.
We were successful bidders on a one-year-old Co-motion tandem frame, and it should arrive this week. We'll be tandemless for several days until Jerry finishes rebuilding the new one, so probably no tandeming this weekend. I will ride on Saturday, though. I'm taking a basic bike skills class the Velo Girls offer. After crashing a year ago, I'm still afraid to ride my single, so my hope is this class will get me over my fears. Who knows, maybe I'll be confident enough to ride on Sunday!
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