My First "B" Ride

Epic Bicycles - my LBS - hosts Monday and Wednesday night group rides for members of the Southern Crescent Cycling Group. Of course, I'm a member. I've been riding w/ the ladies on Thursday nights - it's a great night with lots of socialization - but sometimes I want to ride a little harder than they do so I've been thinking about the group rides that start at the bike shop. According to the forum at SCC, on Monday and Wednesday nights, there is a 6:30 group that calls themselves, "Z" group. It's basically a spoof b/c typically the group breaks apart based on speed and ends up as "A group", "Killer B group", "B group" and "C group". "Z" group is a true no-drop ride led by a guy who claims to need to get back in shape.

I showed up at the shop tonight ready to hang w/ the "Z" group. As I pulled up at 6:05, one group was pulling off. I was crazy nervous - no butterflies in my belly - I was feeling velociraptors flutter around. I felt like a minnow in Lake Superior...all of those cyclist staring at me, undoubtedly wondering who in the hell I was... I noticed Kristen (the only female worker at the LBS) coming out of the shop so I immediately approached her to ask which group was which and "how do I find Z group". Kristen explained that A group was riding off (sure enough...there they went....) and so that made the rest of us "B's". I immediatly explained that I was there for the "Z" group. Insistent that they wouldn't let me drop, Kristen told me to come along. As I typically do, I followed orders and fell in line.

I'm going to make this short - I managed not to die, commit any major cycling blunders (aside of the little scream I let out when we stopped at a light and I thought my foot wasn't going to unclip from the pedal) - and Kristen (and a cool guy named...Mark, maybe?) refused to leave me behind. Okay okay...I dropped a chain at one point too but three awesome guys stopped to make sure I was okay and road with me until we caught the pack (or maybe they were waiting for us?). Either way, I had a blast and conquered just over 22 miles at a speed MUCH faster than I was accustomed to riding. I'm sure Kristen would have liked a better workout, but she was such a team player and stayed with me the whole way. Here's the route we took (if ever you'd told me I'd ride my bicycle from my neck of the woods to Hampton, I'd have laughed uncontrollably...):

I had a blast and although I'm certain that Kristen and I sort of morphed ourselves into "group C", I had a great time, I feel really good about myself and I plan to show up again on Wednesday if my sweet husband will wrangle the rugrats.

WOOT WOOT!!!

Three theories on bugs

I completed two rides this weekend - about 20mi each. Both have been on the PATH trail from Panola to just past the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve and back. On both rides, I was attacked by grasshoppers and other flying insects when coming back to the Panola trailhead. So here are my three theories on bugs:

1) I do a lot of climbing on the way to Arabia so I travel slower. Perhaps I'm going so slow that I'm not a threat and the bugs are able to pass me on their journey to the bug market/bug mall/bug watering hole (or wherever bugs go during the day). On the way back, I catch a lot of great hills so I'm going faster. Perhaps this annoys the bugs so they fling themselves at me jihad style?

2) Bugs think of me as salt on their margarita rim. I always start pretty early to beat the heat so on the way back it's probably about bug lunch time. Maybe, since I'm sweaty on the way back, they like a lick to go w/ their margarita. It's a stretch, but we can't disprove it.

3) There only seems to be headwind on the way back. On the way there, there are hills, but I'm supercharged and I never seem to notice a wind holding me back. When I'm exhausted, just wanting to fly down hills and I'm on my way back, there always seems to be a headwind. Perhaps on the way there, the bugs are able to maneuver around me with ease. On the way back, the same headwind affects them, so it makes it more difficult to get out of my way when I fly down those glorious hills. Similar to #1, only this theory assumes that the wind is the problem more so than my ability to come off hills like Levi.

Other suggestions are welcomed...

Good tire, bad chain...

So I hauled my bike around with me all day today...I had to work and since I didn't know what time I'd be home, I let the bike hitch a ride so it'd be with me to swing by the LBS. As it turns out, I visited the other LBS also known as the "not so LBS". I was 6 miles away and I love that place so I stopped by, brought in my bike, they took a look and said the tire looked just fine - true and all! :) So I took the credit of course, even though I'm sure it's probably on account of the help I solicited from dh. I purchased a locking bike chain b/c as two separate family members pointed out yesterday...I spend a lot of time in "not so safe" places between his shop and my schools, so it might be good to have a way to "lock the bike" to my rack, just in case. So of course, all day today I was paranoid. I went by North Dekalb Mall w/ co-workers for lunch and I was a nervous wreck - afraid I'd come out to find my bike missing. I actually excused myself once during lunch to check on it and ended up moving my car to a parking space near a window in the area of the mall we were sitting in.

Anyway. I did finally go by the real LBS later in the afternoon. I ran an errand for the shop so TSD had Max clean up the apparent mess I had made of my chain by not wiping it down properly the last time I lubed it up.

I'm so glad Bike Mike doesn't read this - I'm sure he has as many lube jokes as rack jokes...

The scotties and my daddy would smile

I had a flat while riding tonight...it was neither expected or appreciated. I was irritated but only mildly irritated. Here's what I look like, mildly irritated:

I had intended to ride at least 30 miles...I ended with 14.98; Let's not discuss speed. Despite my irritation, I really did want to change my own tire. I sat down in the garage where no one could hear me cuss:

About a year ago, my BFF and I tried to change the tube in her tire and it was a huge disaster. My children are still deaf from the sound of her tube exploding....but I learned a valuable lesson...always check the inside of the tire to determine if there is debris that caused the problem. In her case it was a thorn...and we didn't check for it. In my case, I found the culprit, it was a tiny shard of metal - almost like a straightened staple. So I was momentarily elated...until I couldn't figure out how to "true" the wheel correctly. I did what no woman ever wants to do...I asked my husband for help.


I came home to change my tire in the privacy of my garage because I wasn't sure I could change it without looking like and idiot. I guess it's better to look like an idiot in front of one's husband than the entire group you're riding with. In my case, it still makes me mad. I like to have that "I don't need a man" kind of attitude. Here's what I think of women who are afraid to dirty their fingers or chip their pedicure:

I am capable of anything - that's what I learned from the women's college that I attend. When I was a child, my dad used to tell me that he could do anything he put is mind to - he could fly a fighter jet if you gave him enough time to tinker with it. At the time I believed him and as an adult, I still believe him. I also believe that I've adopted the same sense of determination he had, even though I'm not sure it's the kind of determination my daddy intended for his daughter. I'm sure my husband might even appreciate a "more delicate" sort of wife. But they've grown to accept me...I think.

When I experience failure, which I often do, I become especially standoffish and irritable. I don't mean to "clam up" or act "grouchy", but failure serves as confirmation that I'm not the person I was taught to be. I become easily irritated and any sense of humor I may have had about the situation completely diminishes. As the innocent bystander affected by my many moods, my husband would likely attest that what I've just explained is quite the understatement. I hate to feel as though I can't do something that I put my mind to. I was overwhelmed with this feeling tonight. It sucks.

So I got my hands dirty and I proved that a woman can change a tire, even if it's only on a bike. I'm not okay with this, but I'll sleep on it and undoubtedly feel better in the morning. My husband...well, hopefully he'll forgive me for my grouchy ways...and tomorrow I'll do what daddy would have wanted and I'll visit the LBS to see if they'll give a "girl" a hand.

Gimme some Cheese, cause I've got the WHINE covered

I had a great ride tonight - I met up w/ Nina and others to put in some miles at AMS. I had a strong ride for the most part, my speed wasn't what it should be but it was a "group" ride so I wasn't focused on speed (well, not entirely..how can you ride a road bike and not think about speed? I mean...come on! So I though about it a little...).

I called it quits after 25.09 mi with an average speed of 16.39mph including two stops - one to help someone and one to grab a different pair of gloves.

The problem? I was riding w/ a new set of gloves that I bought last week. The padding in the palm was awesome but they were cutting of the circulation between my pointer and middle finger from shortly after I put them on. I managed about 16 miles before I headed back to the car to see what the heck was happening to my fingers. I changed over to my old gloves and headed back out. I felt immediate relief...which allowed me to think about the pain in my neck and shoulders...

Nina said I looked "stretched out"...I wish I could ride with someone w/ experience who could tell me if my riding position is unproductive. I feel fairly comfortable except for the neck and shoulders but I'm chalking that up to using muscles that I don't use all of the time - and b/c I'm just getting comfortable with this bike - I'm thinking tense muscles might be a factor too.

Look at my Kick A&% Blog Header!

My husband kicks tail - have I ever mentioned that? He created this new blog header and rearranged all of my colors and fonts so they'd be a little more "me"! WOOHOO! I especially love the way the bike silhouette is almost the same color as the "pistachio" on my Jamis!! (don't get me started on that either - I scratched the skin off of a pistachio and it IS NOT the color of my bike...I think it should have been called mint mojito! But I digress...)

Isn't it great to have someone who loves you? It's even cooler when he's an artist!

To see more of his work - check his blog - he does commissions if anyone is interested . His blog has been idle for a while and I hardly find the recent stuff to be a good indication of his talent - dig around a little for the picture he painted of our daughter - you'll fall off your chair!

My first Diva ride @AMS

Tonight I decided to try out the Diva Ride at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the ladies who frequent Epic Bikes. First off, when I pulled up I noticed Nina in the car next to me. Now mind you - I've frequented the SCC Forum and I even remember reference to a "Nina" but never did it cross my mind that it'd be my husband's prom date from our senior year in high school!!!! Yes, you heard me correctly...I did a huge part of my ride w/ my husband's old prom date! LOL! Talk about 6 degrees of separation...

I had a blast! All of the ladies were great - I didn't get to talk to everyone as much as I'd have liked to but I really enjoyed riding and talking w/ Micah (hope I speed that right) and Nina. Lucky for me, Nina and several others also go out on Tuesday evenings so I think I'll join them - I now have two nights to choose from, or better yet, I have TWO nights that I can ride with others!

Oh, and btw - for the one person who would even care - I conquered 27.98 miles BABY!!! WOOHOO!!! Did I mention that I had an average speed of 14.21mph? How's that for my second time on a road bike?