50/50

My tube on the front of my PedalForce (Road Bike).  Is considered my 'lucky tube'.
I have had that tube for 3 years now..and never a flat.
However, with the new wheels, the valve is super hard to reach when I need to inflate the tire.  Usually Dimitrios does it for me...
He is not here...
So this morning, I tried to inflate the tire..it needed it - riding on it would definitely have caused a flat.
There was not enough length in the tube for me to inflate...so when I put the pump on the valve, it deflated my entire tire.  And now I can't get it pulled far enough out to inflate.

Soooo...I'm going to have to bite the bullet and change out the tube, no big deal.
Except I don't have any tubes.  Dimitrios is king of the flat tires...and he has used all of our tubes..and I had a spare, but this morning I just could not find it.

Soooo..no dang bike riding for me today.
Wah
Did Yoga Instead.  Will buy tubes at lunch.  I find this kinda a 50/50.  As I will get in the ability to change out a tube again and I need the practice.

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!

Today's Goal

Night ride

You notice the crisp air - and how it has gotten cooler since you last left.
You note the wind direction
The Moon and how the clouds are.
The Pretty Christmas lights on the houses you pass ...and you actually get to look and enjoy them instead of blinking and they disappear (like a car).
You notice the nurse, heading to her car at 11:30 to make the midnight shift at her job (at least you conclude she's a nurse because she's in scrubs), and how she doesn't seem to notice you passing her and waving with a smile.
You miss your turn in the neighborhood and have to go through it a little longer, but you don't mind on your bike. There's more Christmas lights to see up ahead and more of the night sky and the night air.
The lesser traffic.
The sound of the bike while you pedal through a neighborhood...it's familiar rattles and spins.
The thoughts of the day pass through your head.
The thoughts of how pretty crisp and cool the night is goes through your head.
And when you finally get to your destination - you ALMOST consider continuing on your bike path as the night rides are so much better than the day rides.
Through the street lights, your speed appears faster and the asphalt does a spinning pattern in your eyes.
You bike. You smile. You relish everything your vision gives you on this ride.
And you become thankful for the little things, and for the ability to ride on this night and get home safely.

And this is why you ride your bike. Because everything just looks different when you're not in a car perspective..and when you're in a 'RIGHT NOW' perspective.
Such as RIGHT NOW when you are on your bike.

Wow what a gap...

I hate gaps.
I also hate getting the plague.
Six Gap was a no go due to illness.
October has no choice but to be my whole 'month off' as I'm usually busy with conventions and Halloween.
And still the plague prevailed.
Last week got a chest x-ray...found out I had walking pneumonia
This week - got the all clear from the doc after a follow up from five days worth of antibiotics that probably ended up making me sterile.  But I'm ok with that as long as I get over this hump.
Today - was bike day...
2 hours was a good breaking back in/getting back in the saddle.
Tomorrow will be the same
Saturday will be longer.
Sunday will be Yoga.
I am done with this stagnant shite! :D

Totally Unrelated to Biking

But I just had to show off my Halloween Costume for this year (as all that know me well know that I am a costume fanatic).
Miss Argentina - from Beetlejuice...

A new perspective

In searching for a new job - I have concluded that there are none (sadly) within the 5 miles radius from my house that I wanted and hoped to get (where I could ride to work) and b) I need to re-vamp my biking schedule.

Starting tomorrow - I am going to be leaving my car at work - riding home in the afternoons and then riding into work in the mornings, so I may drive home Thursday. 

This will give me a garantee'd 26 miles a day on the days that I decide to do this (4 days out of the week is the goal) and then my weekends won't be such a struggle to make up the extra miles (goal is 150 miles a week - to slowly increase each month by 50 miles give or take).

This will also enable me to - should I pursue a job with another company in the same area be able to store my bike (regardless of if they have a place in the building) on the days I ride in that I know the bike will be safe regardless.

So - goals are updated and changed.  Here's hoping

Tampa Bay

I love my morning rides into work.  I especially love them this time of year when the weather is perfect all day and cool at night and first thing in the morning.  It always feels good to ride.  Makes me almost want to not stop at work and just keep going and see how far I can go until I can't take it anymore.

Training mode is back.  In full force.  :D

Six Gap

My training was going really really good with Six Gap - I felt pumped and I felt ready.  I still was unsure how I would do on the mountains/hills, but still - it would be worth it.


Until I got the plague the week beforehand.
Someone at work determined she no longer needed to call off when she was sick.  She came into work, and thus, infected a LOT of other people.  I got that bug.  I got it on the 17th of September.  
The Tuesday before Six Gap it seemed as if it was going away, for good.  
Wednesday morning, I woke up and it was like something happened overnight that made it 3x worse.
I was miserable....
Thursday involved an Urgent Care visit and the doc telling me I have sinusitis (sinus infection), laryngitis and acute bronchitis (meaning that due to the sickness, I have this).  Was loaded up with drugs and told to NOT do the race.
I went to Six Gap anyways.
We drove Friday night to Tallahassee and then Saturday to Gainesville, GA to stay in our hotel.
Woke up at 5am the next morning and got ready to head to the race.
The the rain started.
Torrential downpour right when we got there.  Then come to find out that the rain was going to stop for about 3 hours but then it would start right back up, if not worse than what it was, right about the time you get to 'Hogpin' gap.  Which would make that mountain more brutal than it already is. 
B-Man said 'Nope, not doing it - too hard and too evil with the rain.' ..he's been riding for years if he states he doesn't want to be miserable, then it's probably with reason.
I thought about it and decided it would not be in MY best interest to ride either.  It was cold up there in the Blue Ridge, and I had only been on 4 days worth of antibiotics..I still had the worst cough known to man and still didn't feel fully like..ME.
So - NO SIZ GAP THIS YEAR :(
Just means that next year I have to do ALL 100 miles, and not just 50.
My antibiotics end tomorrow.  And I will be back in training mode for it then.

SIGH - WTF Tampa...Really?

Another cyclist was killed today, this morning..right by my work area (Spruce Street)

This makes the fifth fatality in the Tampa Bay Area for cyclists in a month's time.

This is so..embarrassing..and also motivation that I need to get the HELL out of this area as soon as possible.

But ..>Tampa isn't going to do anything about it.  NO no, there's 'nothing they can do' I'm sure /end sarcasm.

I drive and I cycle.  I am aware of the rules of the road for BOTH aspects of transportation and know when and how to change them accordingly.  I know that is is not my RIGHT to drive, it is a privilege that is given to me by the state I live in based on me following the rules of the road and taking a competency test to show I do know and can obey these rules.  Everyone around us thinks that they are ENTITLED to drive and that is not the case AT ALL.  It can be taken away from you ...(well, it seems not in Florida since that jackass Congressman who has 5 DUI's got the ok from our State to re-apply for your license AFTER YOU'VE HAD 5 DUI"s) but it is not in the Constitution or anything else that you HAVE to drive - and it is your RIGHT to drive.  NO, it is a  privilege and it is your RESPONSIBITLY to drive safely and responsibly.  PERIOD.

That goes for cycling too.  There are rules of the road for cyclists as well (I even have them tagged in here on one of my entries per state should you want to read them).  And cyclists need to follow those as well.  Don't be dicks, don't be rude, just ride and enjoy it.  I know there are a TON of people who don't follow the rules, I have rode with them on occasion and it has made me feel uneasy and thus, I stopped riding with them.  You need LIGHTS if you are out at night - you need to go WITH traffic (and not against) and if you do use the sidewalk, you need to understand that NOBODY sees you on the road OR SIDEWALK and do not assume that ANYONE sees you EVER...be on alert, be on lookout and be SAFE.  Please.

I know that this just gives me more incentive to move out of this State and get to a better place.  One that recognizes and acknowledges that bikes are around and bikes are here to stay and ...they are good for the environment, society and everyone as a whole and they CAN be in a community with cars just as easily.  I hope one day very soon to get there.  For now, I'm starting to wonder if the Tampa Bay Area is ..well for lack of a better terms..just FUCKED in this aspect.

Tallahassee

Last weekend we went up to Tallahassee

so I could work on my hill training for Six/Three Gap.
It was a blast.  We rode for three days - I hung on the last/third day of the ride and stayed with the group we had and basically learned how to spin the pain out of my legs and to take it easy and not kill myself.

It was so nice up there - the weather would get hot by the time we were back at Brendan's from the rides in the morning.  But the mornings were perfect and the canopy roads are oh so pretty.
It really made me miss it up there ... and miss the ability to live in a city that I could pretty much ...BIKE anytime during the day if I wanted to.  Unlike here, where I live now - and if I wake up late in the mornings, the opportunity to ride in peace with less traffic and less jerhks is just impossible (unless I bike to St. Pete.  Which I don't mind doing - but the first 5-7 miles to get to St. Pete are just hell).
And the weather down here - still is humid and gross.  I am SO.READY. for the fall months to get here.  I think everyone is.

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.

Life has been busy  I have been biking and I have pictures to share of my adventures...so be prepared.

Sunday - Sunday will have a supa dupa post for you...about ..you guessed it - MORE CYCLING..

And some life stuff that's going on as well :)

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY YOUR PROVIDER

So while I can't read my blogs at work anymore (BOO cause that's what I did at lunch) I can read them before work...well I can read them..but not make posts..
Meaning that updates probably won't happen unless I actually get up and type in the mornings (Like I'm doing now)...
Anyways
I'm depressed.  It hit around my birthday and no I don't know why.  Because of it - I have not been so ept at getting on the bike, even though it is a new bike (I've only gone on it three times in one week...wah).  I was hoping to knock that out today with the weather being nice, but that didn't happen.  So training is going to start again TOMORROW and I will be biking both days this weekend to make up for it.   It will pass eventually like it always does when it hits...and I have been DYING to take a PTO day and be depressed, but I really just don't have time right now.

I committed to doing Six Gap, meaning I registered for it - so I've GOT TO DO THIS TRAINING NOW.

Sharon is moving out today :(...it's bittersweet.  I am going to miss having one of my BFF's right across the hall (D doesn't get the talky talky thing as often as her and I do after work on the weekdays, etc ) but at the same time - I'm GETTING MY OLD ROOM BACK and can start SEWING AGAIN.  So like I said - bitter sweet.  The kitties are also going to miss having her stuff to des---- I mean sleep on :P.a
Dimitrios is having a guys night tonight.  I get the house COMPLETELY TO MYSELF tonight for a few hours.  I have not had that in ...well 8 months for sure ..I should do something crazy like drink a bottle of wine and run around naked, but instead I am going to crash out no later than 10 so I get my ass up in the morning for a ride.  Like I said - gotta go back to the TEAM SKINNY DEDICATION.

Hope everyone else is swimming along ok.

Six Gap, Georgia - End of September

http://www.cyclenorthgeorgia.com/

I have decided that I am going to commit to doing this.

Which means I definitely need to start training for this.

Weather is not fully agreeing with me on this - but I will start as soon as I don't hear rain in the morning when I wake up with the riding.  Including having to ride on Saturdays if I have to.  Those were supposed to be my off days, but with this coming up rapidly - I think I'm going to need to do that for the next two months..

Along with the other things I got going on (sewing for costumes, etc).

I will only be doing Three-Gap (or at least that is the one I am signing up for)...depending on how I feel after three gap, I will then determine if I can keep going or just stay back and enjoy myself/wait for B-Man and D and take photos while I'm waiting...

Fingers crossed I accomplish this...