Fell off Track on typing, but not biking.

I've been hardcore riding, and hitting the gym, starting up my ballroom dancing and just all around kicking ass, taking names and doing my life instead of doing my life via computer.

But..I have found a new love/obsession in the biking world...

Meet my new baby...

Gary Fisher Marlin GS - WSD - 13.5 for ME!

That's right - I am in LOVE/LUST with mountain biking.  Granted, I am in Central FL - so there is not very many areas around here to fully appreciate the love of Mountain Biking..BUT...

I have a car, and I have friends in places that have those...so - I will be staying with them, using their house as a homebase and riding the HELL out of this bike!

Morning Catch Up

Instead of biking this morning - I have decided to drink some coffee, catch up on my internets/posts and milage updates then do my hair, finish laundry and have a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

Team Skinny has been slacking :(.  I didn't mean for it to happen, but the weather has been nothing but rainy the past week - both morning and afternoon and I dislike doing the trainer..so - the dislike took over the 'need' to do it....there it is.

We're considering the summer months our 'off season' anyways (per The Greek) since most of the time it's just too hot and too unbearable...

However, I have been riding most of the time, both days on the weekends..and taking some pretty neat photos while on my journeys...

Taking photos while on my rides really makes me apprciate the bike riding even more...and gives me a small mini break to nom and drink water moreso than I do while riding.

I think I'll be ready for Six Gap in 30 days..ACK!  Training and better eating habits start this week.  No more eating out constantly.  We're going to dinner tonight with a group of friends, but that is mainly for a person's bday and I'm going to attempt to just order something small.  

In other news - I <3 my new bike!  It's so light and fluffy ;)..ok it's not fluffy - but you can see it in most of the photos posted above.  It's comfy - I'm really really happy with it.  Best decision I ever made was to go Carbon :)

Conclusion of miles rode will be in the next post.

D had knee surgery a week and four days ago ..he's actually feeling a lot better and is actually looking forward to doing Six Gap as well.  he's been slowly getting on the bike and riding slow when he can to get  his knee in shape/physical therapy and  him and I have also started doing upper body working out.

I've learned what moleskin in for blisters and areas that rub your feet.  Why did I not hear of this stuff before??  Holy crap it is a godsend, especially with my freak feet.  The big toe constantly rubs the sides of my shoes which hurts like ungodly hell.  I thought that seamless socks would be the answer, but then realized it's also my cycle shoes and the stitching on them from the velcro.  Double wrapped the big toe in moleskin yesterday on my ride..and BAM no pain.  Amazing stuff.  And no, it's not REAL moleskin..maybe it was back in the day, but now it's just a tightly woven cotton fabric with padding. 

I think for the most part, I am ready for Six Gap ....I think.

Fingers crossed.

New Frame

The frame when we pulled it out of the box (note the box and the old bike in the background. 980grams. Meow

Saying goodbye to the aluminum frame - putting it on the rack to move parts over


When we hit the speedbumps. Needed a new stem, and seatpost with a new seat clamp.
All the snafu's have been adjusted now and I rode the bike today. Man, they weren't kidding when they said that carbon is the way to go. It was lighter, and felt so easy/less struggle. I loved it.
I'm still a little over-extended on the bike, so I think I'll need a shorter stem or just to simply move my seat up just a bit. But other than that - she rides like a dream. :D
And Sean Connery and I rode over the bridge again this morning. I'll give you more details on that later.
Also - will make better photos of the bike this weekend with the 'real' camera.

Goodbye Trek

Sold the Trek Alumunium frame (and fork and seatpost, which were carbon, and seatpost clamp) yesterday for 120.00 via Craig's List.

It actually went to a cycling buddy of D's who found it on there and is making the bike up for his girlfriend.

So it's getting a good home :).  

Tomorrow I ride the carbon frame for the first time ever.  Going to take it out tonight when I get home to make sure everything fits just right.

Back on Track for Team Skinny!

P.S. It's AUGUST now - and while I am shocked that the year is flying by - I am also glad as it makes it closer to cooler/better weather for us here in sweltering Florida.

Movin' on Up

Last night I became the proud owner of a PedalForce RS2 Carbon Frame...

Thanks to Ebay (and my wonderful boyfriend, who watches for these things like a hawk) I got it at a pretty sweet deal.

If you want to check out more info on the frame, click here...

I am moving up in the cycling world. The cool thing?! I already have wheels, and other parts from my trek that we will just move over to this frame that I am 100% happy with (the frame on the Trek was the only thing that was holding me back so to speak)

This new frame is also a 49er...my Trek is a 47. Which is, in all honesty, a little too small for me (WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT)..but it did put me in a more aggressive position for riding..and while that can be nice when you're racing, I have yet to get the urge to do any major races (Crit's for example) - I already dropped and busted my elbow/got stitches..but we'll see that could change as everything else seems to be changing as I ride the bike more day by day.

So the new dishwasher for my birthday lost to this...hell it's my birthday - who wants to buy RESPONSIBLE toys then?!

Great

I am now considering venturing into mountain biking....

Hiatus is almost over

I'm sorry, but the heat and humidity for the month of August pretty much killed any ambition I had to ride to and from work - or even just to go and get the mail.

We went to Colorado for a week - it was..AMAZING!!! D did some mountain biking and had a good time.
Just got back from an Atlanta/Tallahassee visit this Labor Day. That was fun, and the Silver Comet Trail in Atlanta is really a nice trail that we enjoyed. Shaded, nice - and EVERYONE KNEW HOW THE HELL TO RIDE, walk, and jog on the trail (unlike here in the 'Burg, where the Pinellas trail is filled with morons and walkers who take up the entire trail....Sigh).
D went with Brendan up in Tallahassee to a Chaires ride...i bailed on riding as my rear is sore from the ride on the Silver Comet. Mainly because I haven't rode in over a month and my booty's gotta get used to my seat again.
I have come across a conclusion however....

My bike is too small for me. It's something I didn't...WANT to admit - but let's face facts...I have a stem on it that's ridiculous (150-200), I have spacers to get the stem up where I need it in order to fit me correctly (about 4 or 5 spacers...which is a LOT). its' just too small. It's a 47cm, and I probably need one up - (49 or 50). so I'm biting the bullet and looking for a bike now. When I get it - I'll sell my Trek and that will be the hardest thing. Since it was my baby - my first REAL bike and her and I have shared many memories.
W
I've got time and like I said - The Trek fits for now..but it does still hurt sometimes...so bigger would be better as I can't really keep stretching it out when it's gone as far as it can go.
So that's the plan with that...

As for the biking - the plan right now - depending on the weather - will be to ride into work tomorrow. Here's hoping it's not disgusting - as one month without biking is like going north to sound on my arm with a razor blade!

FOR SALE: TREK PORTLAND

The Greek has a Trek Portland for Sale...
<-- Here is a photo:
Specs are as follows:
Details: 60cm seat tube C-T and 57.5cm effective top tube. For someone 6ft and up. Comes with the stock fenders. There are other photos of the bike on my flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/pitaphotos). You can't miss them.

Price: 850.00
Ask me if you would like more details and I'll get you in touch with the Greek of course.

End of October

The end of October had me not cycling as much.
Riding Stats for October are as follows:
Total Distance for the Month: 65.20 miles
Total Calories: 2,158
This does not show the rides we did in Portland however, add about 40 miles to this and we're set.
(note: All information is logged on the http://www.mapmyride.com page under the name Ritapita or bikingbettie@gmail.com

There was a vacation to the Portland, Oregon area planned, and it was a blast. We did lots of commuting there via bicycle and walking (thanks to the lovely Seth and Kaya for letting us borrow their bicycles on our days there). Bottom line: I loved it there. And am going to try as hard as I can to get up there to move. Starting at the beginning of the year, the wheels are going to be put in motion to get up there.

Had a 'equipment' failure right before we left for Portland. One of the rear bicycle lights broke and the clip for it is no longer attached to it. Bummer, but fixable.

And I have a new addition to my family. Her name right now is unknown (still can't think of one), but she's a 1988 Miyata Road Bike. Got her on Craig's List for 100 bucks:
She needs some work and some TLC. The wife hadn't ridden her in about 10 years. So the tires are dry-rotted. But I think I can put about 40 bucks of love into her and sha-zam! I will have a commuter bike for the work week. Complete with a rack and lock holder. I am pretty excited about this. The Trek I can then spruce up and do some cool stuff with to make it more of a 'race' bike and this one can be used for errands or going downtown, to work and/or the movies.

Today is the beginning of November. Ride schedule to and from work is every 5 days for now on, weather permitting of course. I will be riding this week from Monday-Wednesday. Driving in on Thursday with clothes change and then Friday-Wednesday the next week. Riding will probably happen a lot more as the weather is staying cooler and nicer.