Cycling "Cheese Cake"....... NOT

Well spandex certainly shows one where one needs to focus one's nutrition and work-outs on.

Either that or I need to get more than one 15 year old cycling jersey.... something with many colors and designs on it to place less emphasis on my mid-section.

That or I need to cut back on the breakfast tacos and migas and eat more veggies.

Hmmmmm..... but is not my cycling partially done to allow me my few food "vices"???

Wait, don't answer that.

Well you do finally get to see me actually out on the bicycle placing some credence to my tales of woe and dead skunks.

Enjoy but please do laugh too hard.

XO

More Wind and My First Brush With Impending DOOM:

Pretty good day for cycling here in Cen-Tex. I say "pretty good" since there was a wind from the South today at 15mph sustained with gusts up to 28 mph. The sun and the temps were pleasant, temps that would have BalticTiger out cycling even.

I decided to head South today into the aformentioned "wind" and quickly started to question my sanity. It was a cross of feeling like I was riding on the beaches of Oregon or sitting in a Boeing wind tunnel. Intrepid that I was, I continued on with my ride bound and determined to get the most out of my time. I did take heart with the knowledge that I would be returning with the wind at my back, something that helped me continue along.

During my ride south to San Marcos I decided to head farther through the city to add some miles to my favorite course. After braving the city/college traffic in San Marcos I was treated to a narrow state highway with absolutely no shoulders. Brings to mind the game "Frogger" from my youth.

After surviving the mile or two of absent shoulders I was treated to a very nice stretch of smooth and wide asphalt shoulders, something that helped me keep going for another 4-5 miles.

Well I had decided that I would not be out too long, lest the CO send out the SAR teams, so I turned around at the 17.6 mile point and headed back North.

Praise be to God and cycling, Mr. Wind decided to hold true to his word and supplied me with a merry trip back, merry that is except when I went through San Marcos. Oh well....

Oh... you wonder what my first Brush With Doom was??? Well as I was going through the streets of San Marcos I came to a 4-way stop sign. "Mr. Import Sedan", who was coming from the opposite direction, decided to rush the stop sign and made me take evasive action while I turned to the left. Well I did not see a gravel patch as I was turning to avoid "Mr. Import Sedan" and almost kicked out my bike from under me. This would have happened except that self preservation and probably a Guardian Angel separated my left shoe from the pedal and I rode for a couple of feet with my foot on the ground like an outrigger. This helped me avoid the gravel but it directed me into the path of "Mrs. Silver Camry". Suffice to say she was not traveling at a very fast clip and I quickly moved back to my side of the road cursing "Mr. Import Sedan".

Well "Ce la Vie" I guess.....

I don't think the CO liked it when I told her my tale. Better shut my talkative trap next time.

Take Care.

XO

Things That I Have Learned in My First 153 Miles:

Hmmm, as many of you can read below, I have decided to take up cycling both to prepare myself for the upcoming MS-150 in April and for an additional exercise outlet. You see your faithful XO has to keep up his running and his swimming for his job but the old knees are not going to last forever.

So since I have started cycling again on 1/11 (I last did serious cycling in the mid to late 80's) I have logged in about seven rides around our residence south of Austin. My longest ride has been 40 miles with my average ride about 22+ miles. My 20+ route takes me south into San Marcos and probably has the nicest roads and scenery. I am currently scouting out additional miles onto this route since I want to get up to average rides of 40-50 miles and long rides of 70 miles. I think I have a route going west out of San Marcos but I want to explore it in a 4-wheeled vehicle before I set out.

Some things I have learned-

Dead road-kill skunks are much worse when you are cycling along at 15+ mph as opposed to driving by at 60 mph.

I HATE CHIP-SEAL ASPHALT ROADS, may the creator of these "cheap" rural surfaces have dead skunks outside their driveway each night (no offense to the poor skunks).

I love my cycling computer and I must have been crazy back in the 80's not to invest in one of these beautiful tools.

I love my bike.

I do not like railroad crossings, had my first "pinch flat" (thanks for the terminology Howard) crossing over one of these. This happened even after I made sure at the start of my ride to have my tires inflated to 100+ psi.

I love the CO2 cartridge inflator. Again something I did not have in the 80's. Made quick work of my tire repair.

Cycling with others is nice, I just kinda avoid it right now since I am a bit of a newb. While I am by no means out-of-shape, I do not wish to embarass myself at this early juncture of my riding career. My ego can be frail when cycling...

I did cycle along with my first cyclist today while heading south to San Marcos. Nice kid from Texas State out for a ride. We pulled for each other for about 5-6 miles and chatted about his schooling and cycling. I hope that is evidence of more "fun" group cycling to come. It is tough though since I usually ride in the daytimes each week when others are in work. Who knows maybe I will try and join one of the local cycling clubs after I feel that I can hold my own for a decent distance.

I love Texas weather (except the winds) and am very happy that I do not need to own a "ice-bike" like my bro-in-law Howard.

I love the CO for being patient with my new hobby while I am out on my bicycle, without her it would not be possible with 3 little ratings.

Well... more tidbits to follow soon.

XO

A Boy and His Bike or How My Sister and Brother In-Law Con'ed Me to Bike the MS-150:

Well my relations in Colorado, Baltictiger (my sister) and Howard (of "Why Howard Laughed" fame and my brother-in-law) are very avid bicyclists. In fact Howard (http://rktect.blogspot.com/) has biked 8,000 and 10,000 miles over the last two years with Baltictiger joining him on many of his adventures. Now do not get me wrong, biking has helped keep both of them in fantastic physical condition and it has led to many new friendships for them, but now they have pulled me into it.

Last year during one of his rides Howard met a gentleman that sponsors a bike team in the BP MS-150 bike ride from Houston to Austin in April. Well Howard has been looking for a reason to come down to Texas to bicycle so he arranged with the gentleman to get three team spots in his group.

Well lets do the math,

Howard+Baltictiger= 2,

Howard+Baltictiger+XO=3,

hmmm I sense a conspiracy here.

Bro-in-law and sister would only come down and do the event only if the XO participated in the event and being the family guy, I said "Yes I would love to do it"

You ask, "Where is this post going???"

Well the last road bike that I owned was passed on to Goodwill about 8 years ago in favor of a mountain bike. That mountain bike saw limited service and was recently sold to finance the new road bike for the XO's folly.

After multiple visits to the various bike shops in Austin with the CO and lower rates in tow, searching the Bicycle magazine "Buying Guides", and talking with co-workers who are avid cyclists like Howard, I made the jump and now am a proud owner of a Trek 2.1 6ocm road bike.

I won't go into the deep specifics of this fine machine (if you would like to dear reader then head to http://www.trekbikes.com/ ) but I am very happy with it.

Now comes the riding... wish me luck fellow readers and donations to my life insurance policy can be made to the CO.

Actually in all honesty, they did not con me into riding I actually enjoy the challenge.

XO

Note: Both photographs were taken by 1stLT "CJ" and Ssg "AJ" budding photographers that they are... and yes "CJ" put his fleece on backwards but he won't listen.

Laughing Out Loud

So... we're on our way to lunch after church today and CJ asks "Where are we going?" and the CO replies "That remains to be seen".
The kid's responses had the CO and XO in stitches -
CJ - "Where is mains be seen?"
AJ - "I don't like that place! It's yucky, yucky, yucky!"

I think something got lost in translation! Just wanted to share our laugh for today...

Little Momma

SSG AJ had all of her dolls lined up and was "changing them 'cause they all dirty, dirty"; "give them milk 'cause they crying"; and "give them kisses 'cause them so cute!" She's really turned into a little momma since EJ arrived - she tries to help feed and burp her, brings us the diapers and cream for changes, and has become an expert "paci minder". She'll say "Ohhh, EJ crying! I find paci! Here EJ, eat your paci!" She also thinks that you should "pet" your little sister! We're having fun watching our little family grow...

New Math??

How does someone so cute make such big messes?

OK, I have a Master's degree and I can't figure this out so maybe y'all can help me. How does adding one more person to the family make my laundry TRIPLE? Especially when her clothes are all so small?

Thank heavens for the super capacity, quick wash and dry cycle, energy and water efficient washer and dryer set we just got. Now if only it had come with someone to actually put the clothes in and fold them when they are done I'd be all set!



Sincerely,

The CO (aka "Drowning in Laundry")