this weather is to die for ...

this is the 3rd time I've been out already this week (well if you count the weekend) and I'm loving it.

I found a long, challenging and exciting route that ends up being about 8 miles one way to home if I follow it all the way- Today's challenge was to go all the way to the end and come back making it around 16.

It was a bit humid today and the we're already out of the 70's and right into the low 80's - quite warm for April if you ask me. My usual red riding shirt felt hot and stuck to me the second Blanche and I hit the open air.

I had had some technical difficulties on the last ride with my gears and vowed to get to it before the next ride... famous last words..

We started out weaving in and out of alley ways trying to find the safest (and least excruciating path for a bike with tires about as wide as a sharpie) way to get to the head of the trail - the neighborhood roads are crap - honestly the allys are so much better.

Once I find the trail head I'm so gone. I can't stop myself.. 12, 14, 16 mph.. I decide on 16 today since there aren't a lot of people and there's a nice tail wind behind me to give me a bit of a push.

There's never but about 10 minutes that goes by and I find my rhythm and perfect cadence - Im so in it until I come to a sharp hill and nasty little hairpin turns. I gear down instantly and try to get into first. I was distracted by a few guys on riding mowers that were nice enough to turn their blades off before I passed them - I whipped around the corner, across the bridge and started riding next to a gurgling little creek.

Cross the road and as I'm coming up the hill to the next part of the trail I notice that it's getting really hard? Something is wrong. I pull over and take a look at what I already know has happened. My gears have slipped into the highest gear I have - 190 - not 7 or 13 - 192. Or at least that's what it feels like coming back into a head wind. Omg you HAVE GOT to be kidding me with this? I'm 4 miles away from home and so that means that I'm going to have to ride 4 miles home in a head wind in the highest gear I have.

best not to dwell on it and just get the job done.. I thought about keeping my current route but I was worried that since there was a lot of road involved I might be walking a lot and or unsafe to make any quick maneuvers. I opted for the trails. Always the best bet even if it is twice as long.

This way home I knew too was going to be easy once I got past a certain point. It would be downhill most of the way. That would help.

Remember that big hill I just came down? Yep - I hoofed that back until I got to a place where I could hop on and pray my legs could take me in gear 192.

Needless to say I was whooped when I got home. Completely stomped. Had this been mid season I would have been in way better shape but I wont lie to you and tell you that I keep my riding stamina up in the Winter at all. I absolutely hate to ride the trainer. That will be changing as we recently inhereted an airdyne - for whatever reason I don't mind riding that.

we get in the door and my legs are blocks of solid pissed off and fatiguing muscle. Park my bike in the garage and start ripping at my clothes that are now working as wet oven to keep me hot. Once I got into some cool, dry cotton I was able to get water a banana and some peanuts to sit down and recover. That was a bitch of a ride but an excellent training session. I gotta say really that my legs did much better than I expected. Not an unhappy result at all.

Quick check on the sugars before I nail this banana down - 109 - nice. Sometimes when I ride really hard my sugars will actually rise - my bodies way of making sure that I have extra glucose if I need it completely unaware of the fact that I am diabetic. Thanks body but no thanks. The metformin that I take does a great job of keeping my kidneys from dumping extra glucose. I bring along fruit leathers for that. At least I know how much Im putting in in that scenario and can account for it in the long run.

But my sugars were good. That's the whole point for me. Stay healthy. Stay fit. Stay well. Keep diabetes from causing me unwanted health problems aka: Ride. ;)

The plan is to fix my gears this afternoon. I don't feel like working on my bike again right now but I really just need to get this done. I know exactly how it failed and honestly it shouldn't take too long. Doesn't matter what needs to be done - I just need to be ready for the next ride which incidentally is this evening with Marci ;)

After the bike repair my plan is to add to my attire and get that saucy shirt that says: I'm 230 lbs, have diabetes and ride my ass off. What's your excuse?

So it begins. Another beautiful training season. Where would I be without my bike? I honestly don't know. But riding makes everything better. EVERYTHING.

If you get a chance would you please stop by and help me help others by taking a peek at my Tour De Cure page? I'm raising money and awareness for diabetes and the likes. If I raise enough I'm going to ride 50 miles so I can show my support to my fellow diabetic brothers and sisters ;) Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

Tour De Cure for Payton Jett

Ride on..
Pedal

and still I ride...

I can never quite put into words the freedom and exhilaration I feel when I ride...

it doesn't hurt that Blanche is absolutely gorgeous and completely customized to fit my every whim. I'm certain you would also be comfortable on her but not the way I am. A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into making her the perfect fit for me.

There's never been a time when I've looked back and said "I spent too much time working on my bike".  Working and tinkering is just as much a part of the cycling experience on a whole as riding is.

Today's ride was somewhat short but awesome. It was about 70 degrees out (which feels more like 60 on a bike) and there was a slight overcast. I started out going out of our neighborhood and across into the next before I decided to head on out to the trails. I rode the trails almost the entire way..

I'm  not sure why I didn't finish this post but I find it funny.. ;)