Getting wiser as I get older

This past weekend I should have been up in Vermont playing in a softball tournament. About two weeks ago trying to stretch a double into a triple*, I felt a little pop. My Achilles tendon has been a nuisance ever since. I can walk, but there is ABSOLUTELY no running. If I try, the action soon turns into something akin to skipping. It is not pretty. This is where the “wiser as I get older” part comes in. I decided to stay home and recuperate instead of riding up to the tournament. I know me, I would have tried to play especially because we did not have any subs. Have I mentioned the competitive gene that gets passed down in my family? This morning I was feeling a little stir crazy, and decided a hike with my teggret should be doable. What’s a teggret? It’s a rare dog cross which includes terrier, tigger, and ferret. Here’s what one looks like:

If not exercised frequently, a teggret will find it’s own entertainment. Usually, it involves their 14-year-old pug brother who is never amused by this turn of events. So, off we went to the woods. The Achilles didn’t hurt, but I felt it the whole time. I’ll ice it and decide if I’ll try a test run on one of the bicycles today or tomorrow. I don’t think pedaling will bother the Achilles all that much. I hope not because an Italian sport tourer and a muffin top is never a good combination.

Heather

*No, I was out, but where would you be if you didn’t take a risk every once and a while.

Hawley State Ride

Heather and I may be on our way to a record in how many times we’ve ridden together in a year’s time. Last Friday we connected for a late afternoon ride in Hawley State Forest.

Hawley is off the Mohawk Trail in north western Massachusetts. Cell service is null. You go in the woods, you’re on your own.

We entered via fire roads and within the first mile, came across an oversized pickup truck with cab blocking the trail. The occupants were an elderly couple. As we approached, the woman exclaimed “NOW you get here!” They had been stuck in a deep rut and had just freed the truck and when they saw us approach, assumed we were there to help. I’m not sure what we would have done to assist.

Heather had brought a few toys along: a go pro camera which she’s been experimenting with: it was mounted on her handlebars and takes photos every 30 seconds. Since I was in front of her for part of the ride, I anticipate photos of my ass to be published soon (note my excitement).

The other toy was some kind of gps that calculates our elevation gains and losses as well as mileage and so forth. I’m not sure how much we climbed, but we went downhill forever, and then killed ourselves climbing back to the trail head.

We stuck to fireroads for this ride, and made it out before the sun set.

–Karen

First Time for Everything

Last Wednesday Gail and I met up for an early ride. We’ve been trying to get together to ride for weeks now. We met at 9:00am at Atkins in Amherst for a nice 1.5 hr. ride.

Gail arrived and started to unpack her bike, a Specialized Dolce Elite like mine. Her rear tire was totally flat. We gave it air and waited, hearing that unmistakable hiss after pumping it up. She needed a new tube.

Neither one have us, in all our years cycling, have ever replaced a tire tube. I’ve been shown, she’s been shown, but the act had never been performed.

Fortunately, Gail had just bought tire levers and a new tube. Between the two of us, we managed to get the tube changed in about 20 minutes. Not bad for a first time. And now both of us won’t have to rely on the kindness of strangers when we flat.

–Karen

Wipeout

This afternoon I brought my friend’s Marin out for a test ride. She complained the shifting was rough and wanted my opinion. I hopped on and cruised away on smooth, flat, newly paved, blemish free roads.

I went through the gears and determined that a simple tune up would remedy her shifting issues. Then I decided to ride a bit. The Marin had skins for tires and was the perfect commuter bike. I pedalled hard and started to bank a left turn. The Marin glided smoothly underneath me until my left pedal struck the pavement; I had committed a rookie error by not aligning my pedals with the ground. The impact bounced the bike to the right and me right over the handlebars. I crashed ass over teakettle, my right shoulder, hip, knee, outer calf all getting a mild scrapping. My left palm also got a little chewed up.

Fortunately, my head never made contact with the ground, which is a good thing since I wasn’t wearing a helmet. Dumb move, I should know better. I’ll consider myself lucky and not be so careless again.

Karen

Note: the little cutie behind the post is my five year old, who is down to just one training wheel on his bike. I’m hoping by mid summer he’s got them both off!

Sweaty, stinky, happy

Today’s morning ride was due to an OT shift I have later today. I have a couple of other items on the itinerary, so I wanted maximum output in minimum time. I headed for the hills of Leyden. The Garmin states the elevation gain was 1205 feet and my lungs and legs would agree with that. I didn’t have to stop and recover, but I was fond of the granny gears.

Apparently, the self-timer on my Olympus is set for ten seconds and not two. The little guy below had more than enough time to crawl out of the camera’s view while I waited for it to take the picture.

Operator error had nothing to do with the missed shot.

Ride stats

Distance: 13.4 miles
Temperature: 71˚
Ride category: Keeping the muffin top in check.

Heather

A couple more from the ride

Crossing over the bridge between Sunderland and Deerfield. Sugarloaf Mountain is in the background.

Rumor has it Louise may know someone who “tagged” this barn.

Heather

Cool morning ride

There was suppose to be three of us early this morning, but Doug* had to take care of a car tire issue. We had all agreed that early in the morning was going to be the best time to ride before the temps got into the 90s. Louise and I headed out around 08:30 with little traffic and temps that were bearable. The only thing we did not think about was our ride would be over before the ice cream stand opened. We will not make this mistake again.

Louise and I did an out and back down to Hatfield, and I will be returning to play on the twisties.

But I’ll be bringing this bike.

Ride stats

Distance: 20.2 miles
Temperature: 67˚ and climbing
Ride category: Beating the heat.

Heather

*Doug, hope this makes up for not posting last time when we all rode together.

Wildlife photo minus the wildlife

I was planning on a road ride this evening as soon as I could pull myself away from the computer and my hunt for World Cup updates. Luckily, this was one of those rare occasions were my procrastination worked in my favor. I was just about to log off when the phone rang. It was my friend Laurie and she wanted to know if I was up for a ride on the trails in her neighborhood. That would be a yes. So, I grabbed the Rocky Mountain Oxygen and the latest toy, the GoPro camera. I have it set up to take a photo every thirty seconds. It grabbed the above one as I was waiting for the beaver to make an encore appearance. No such luck. I’ll save you the boredom of the photo of the fallen log sans porcupine that made his exit under it.

Ride stats

Distance: 9.5 miles
Temperature: 67˚
Ride category: Dirt therapy

Heather

3 Days in a Row

Some vacation time this week has translated into some much needed ride time. I had gone beyond grouchy at work, crossing over into downright hostile. When an employee tells you that you look like ” a very pissed off cop,” it’s time for a vacation.

Day 1: 26 miles in very pleasant, albeit breezy weather. This improved my mood a little, but I was still dwelling on work a bit. Getting texted from work probably didn’t help matters.

Day 2: A big ride day with a new cycling buddy. 50 miles planned. I misjudged the route and only got 47, but close enough. LeeAnn dropped me on the hills and kept me pushing hard, but not so hard that we didn’t get the chance to chat the 3 1/2 we were out there. We hit it off pretty well and I’m looking forward to riding with her again this summer. After 47 miles I had no choice but to relax, I was so beat.

Day 3: Recovery ride. After 3 days, I was finally starting to feel like I was on vacation. I was slothful this day, and didn’t get out the door until late afternoon, just in time for a sustained downpour. It rained the whole time, and I couldn’t have been happier. Once your wet, your wet—and all cares go out the window. I was 12 again, riding the bike in the rain on summer vacation.

I have 3 more days off until I’m back at it, but I’m reasonably sure I wont look like a pissed off cop when I return (although looking that way is helpful at times).

-Karen

New LBS: Valley Bike & Ski Werks–Hadley, MA

Boulder, Colorado is a cycling mecca.  When I was visiting  Boulder a couple of years ago, I hit a few local bike shops to see what they were like.  It was like nothing we had here in the Northeast;  at least, nothing like the shops I was used to.  Bike shops in New England are often crammed into old store fronts, bikes displayed in creative yet confusing ways.  As a retailer for 20 years, I know a thing or two about merchandising.  Bike shops around here are using old space as best they can.  In Boulder, bike shops are built for bikes.  And so is Valley Bike & Ski Werks.

I started hearing about the arrival of Valley Bike & Ski Werks as early as last January through a list serv.  Then, a few people in the cycling community started buzzing about it.  Somehow I missed the opening event last April.  This weekend, I finally got to check it out.

When I walked in, I was instantly a kid in a candy store.  High ceilings with rows of bike stacked evenly and neatly 3 cycles tall drew my eye up.  Breathtaking epic wall art of racers flooding the countryside in typical Tour de France fashion graced the walls.  A coffee bar doubled as the service counter for repairs.  Equal offerings of mens and women’s clothing.  Yes I’ll say it again….EQUAL OFFERINGS TO WOMEN.  Friendly staff.  Road, Mountain, and bikes for kids. They also have the Specialized Body Geometry Fit to ensure you get a proper size bike for your body geometry.  This was a well-rounded shop, easily serving the causal bike rider to the serious athlete, as evidenced by this sweet triathlon bike set up I noticed while wandering around the shop in a giddy daze. 

I had a chance to talk to a few of the people in charge at Valley Bike and Ski Werks.  “We needed this.” I told them.  Because honestly, I haven’t seen a shop like this around these parts, ever.  They are definitely filling a  need, and bringing the LBS of the Pioneer Valley into the next century (at last!).

People who know me know that I use a few different shops.  There’s one I’m almost exclusive to service because they take me seriously and tend to do me favors in turning my bike around quicker than casual customers.  I’ve used the small local chain several times and never had a complaint.  And I’ve used this quirky small shop literally down the street from my house for an odd or end here and there.  I definitely plan on using this new LBS for service, and I’ve already bought a few small essentials during my maiden trip today (gloves and a couple of water bottles).  And after seeing a the bikes, it will be difficult to resist investing in a new ride.

So join me in welcoming Valley Bike & Ski Werks to the cycling community. It looks very much like we’ll be richer for its arrival!

 –Karen