Thursday we were pretty tired. We did a 22 mile flat ride, but by the end I was a hurtin' unit. I'm finding that my legs are not the limiting factor so much as it is my triceps and holding my head up. Road bikes are just an unnatural position, and it takes awhile for the upper body to readjust to that form of torture.
For whatever reason, we did not go out last night for Indian food. Instead, Jim and I cooked sweet potatoes, dressing and Jim grilled a spatchcocked game hen. The dressing, despite not having any scratch made cornbread or turkey stock was not bad. It's been years since I've made it. This morning we had to throw the left overs away, we are powerless over dressing. I had to laugh at us last night, picking at it out of the baking dish. It's not like calories consumed standing up don't count.
Today, the wind is once again blowing like crazy. It was fine, we read terrible news on the internet, tore our hair out some, and then went to Performance Bike for tubes for the road bikes. After my two flats on Wednesday, we were down to two. Given the state of the roads around here, one must have spare tubes. We also discovered Wednesday that Jim's frame pump is not working. Do you think you can buy a frame pump anymore? No, no you can not. This is not progress that I can embrace. Now they sell mini-pumps to put in your jersey pocket. I don't know about you, but I already have enough stuff in my jersey pocket without sticking a pump in there, as well. So this is very frustrating.
Do you get this from Google on your birthday?
I don't think I like this, I feel like they're spying on me. I wouldn't give Facebook my real birth date, and I'm pretty sure I didn't tell Google, either.
Finally, this is what's happening in the GPNW. There have been pass closures due to ice caused accidents, and there are landslide warnings being issued. Are we not happy not to be there?
I use a pocket rocket pump that fits in the seat bag along with spare tube, quick stick patches, levers and multi tool. The fork stem on today's bikes is cut very short so the handle bars are very low. Thats ok if you are a 25 year old super fit cyclist. When I built my bike I deliberately kept the fork stem long and used spacers to bridge to the handlebar stem. That way its adjustable. If its a long term problem for you the best way is to buy new forks and to this. You can also buy stem extensions.
ReplyDeleteI used to do that, too; leaving the fork uncut and then adding spacers. This bike has a longer head tube than normal, and has the spacers. It may be time to raise the bars. I was hoping not to because it makes standing on the hills feel awkward. Hopefully over time, this will get better.
DeleteBarry added a stem extension to my bike to raise the handlebars. It may be a bit geeky, but I don't care. I'm not as young as I used to be, and I still have residual issues from a fractured ilium in '05, so I just can't worry about what people might think. A recumbent bike is another option but difficult to carry in a motorhome!
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