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chhotiiThis morning I awoke with the realization that the midnight bike ride is just 2 weeks away looming over me. skreeky had made a good point, that if you haven't been riding much this summer, the 30 miles results in a very sore butt, no matter how slow they take it. Also, I felt like my bicycling skills had rusted over. So, in spite of the fact that it looked like it was going to rain, I went out for just a little bit (perhaps in the 7 to 10 mile range).
Conclusions:
* My bike is quite old and somewhat beat up. It's fine for getting me from point A to point B if those points aren't too distant. It's great for not being the first bike stolen if I have to chain it up outside. It's not so great for keeping up with other people, which makes it not so great for sport.
* Yes, bike skills have rusted over. Fortunately, the midnight bike ride is not challanging. One can take it at what, for a bicycle, is a turtle's pace. But it's kind of embarrassing to be getting off my bike and walking through intersections, which I wind up doing because I don't know how much of a curb or crack I can hop, I'm having trouble with the knack for mounting my bike while starting up on a hill, I've forgotten how sharply I can turn, I'm afraid of wiping out on sand or gravel, as I saw Rich do on July 4, etc.
* skreeky was right, don't drink caffeine just before setting out on a long bike ride with limited bathroom stops.
* We'll see how things develop, and today's ride was much shorter than the event itself, but I don't think sore butt is going to be a problem. Fortunately, I have done a couple of rides this year.
* I should ride ride my bike to work regularly over the next couple of weeks to get re-acquainted with the bike.
* I should drive rather than being lazy and letting other people drive. Maybe if I keep driving they will eventually let me into the Boston Hive Mind, and I'll understand traffic patterns around here.
Conclusions:
* My bike is quite old and somewhat beat up. It's fine for getting me from point A to point B if those points aren't too distant. It's great for not being the first bike stolen if I have to chain it up outside. It's not so great for keeping up with other people, which makes it not so great for sport.
* Yes, bike skills have rusted over. Fortunately, the midnight bike ride is not challanging. One can take it at what, for a bicycle, is a turtle's pace. But it's kind of embarrassing to be getting off my bike and walking through intersections, which I wind up doing because I don't know how much of a curb or crack I can hop, I'm having trouble with the knack for mounting my bike while starting up on a hill, I've forgotten how sharply I can turn, I'm afraid of wiping out on sand or gravel, as I saw Rich do on July 4, etc.
* skreeky was right, don't drink caffeine just before setting out on a long bike ride with limited bathroom stops.
* We'll see how things develop, and today's ride was much shorter than the event itself, but I don't think sore butt is going to be a problem. Fortunately, I have done a couple of rides this year.
* I should ride ride my bike to work regularly over the next couple of weeks to get re-acquainted with the bike.
* I should drive rather than being lazy and letting other people drive. Maybe if I keep driving they will eventually let me into the Boston Hive Mind, and I'll understand traffic patterns around here.
