Wet

We are having an unusual cool stretch of weather.  It is also damp.  Misty and damp.  I managed decent bike rides the last two days, but this morning there was just no way.  This means only about 90 miles ridden this month.  That's down from 125 last month.  That sort of bums me out.

Lots of people talk about finding their happy place, their zen moments.  Mine are on my bike.  No one can call me when I'm on my bike.  Well, they can, but I won't stop to answer.  No one can really talk to me on my bike.  Other than hi or good morning, we're all whizzing past each other and there's no time for anything else.  It is one hour, or maybe a little more, where I can think my own thoughts, without interruption.  I like that.

One thing I find amusing on my bike rides is the small groups of people jogging, walking, or biking.  They will be in twos or threes, and they are talking to each other.  Having conversations.  And there's the woman I see regularly walking, while talking on her cell phone.  The thought that pops into my head is that if they can hold conversations with each other (or on the phone), they aren't working hard enough at their workout. 

Of course, if they can talk while they are doing their workout, maybe that says a lot how good a shape they are in.

Not much to day in this week's blog, but I'd like to leave you with this.  My friend Ellie wrote this, and I agree with her.  You should read it too.

A Body is Not a Lifestyle

Washed Out

My path was washed out this morning by yesterday's rains.  I had to walk my bike across it.

This weekend was full of many roadblocks.  The weather was horrid.  It was hot and humid, since we are moving into our monsoon season, and the mornings were muggy and sticky and uncomfortable.  Unless I could get myself up and ride at 5 in the morning, it means I'm going to encounter this heat for a while.  Then on Saturday, there was some sort of foot race going on in the space I usually ride.  There had been no signage, I just suddenly rode right into a huge group of families running down the usual idyllic and quiet green space.  I had to go around them, and still ended up in the middle of them later down the greenway, and received a scolding to boot, from a "helpful" volunteer.  So it was hot, humid, there were a bunch of people on the greenway, and I realized as I huffed and puffed trying to go around them through muddy grass and gravel that I was in 7th gear. 

Ouch, my knees. 

Today was a bit better, but a bit more than halfway through, I encountered a washed-out path from the previous day's rain.  I stopped and walked my bike across, then kept on going.  I'll have to keep this in mind next week, after we'll have had a lot more heavy rain showers.  Might have to alter my path.

Which is just fine, if you let me know ahead of time!

I like my routine.  So far this month I've ridden 50 miles.  Not bad for a fat girl.

Never Take a Day Off

This past week I was on vacation, and I thought that meant I would bike more, but I didn't.  In fact, I seemed to have biked less, which disappoints me.  I know, there were things that I let get in the way, but there were days I just didn't get up and get out there.

I know me well enough to know that if I start slacking off, I will eventually stop altogether.  And I don't want to give up this journey I'm on.  I may not be losing a ton of weight (I've lost a grand total of 6 pounds in just about three months) but I am in better shape than I've ever been.  I have good stamina, and my legs and knees are strong and mostly pain-free these days.  That's the benefit of what I'm doing.  And that's a benefit I don't want to lose.

I did bike the Monday of my vacation, but then didn't bike again until the following Sunday.  I rode more than 99 miles in May, and over 125 in June.  If I don't get cracking, July won't be as good as either of those two.  As I get stronger, biking in a wind is not as big a problem, and I've been using a windy morning as an excuse.  That won't happen again, unless the wind is 20 mph or better.

I did take my bike on a short trip when my mom and I went to Santa Fe last week.  We rode around downtown, just to get around a bit easier.  It's the first time my bike has been out of the state!  It and my mother's bike traveled just fine on the bike rack on the back of her truck.  The doggies rode around in our baskets, and a fun time was had by all. 

This weekend I will bike all three days.  That has to come first, no matter what.  Winter will be here soon enough and I won't be able to bike.  Gotta get it in while I can!