The only thing worse than a chip sealed road is a chip sealed road with fresh gravel and tar. Many thanks to Salt Lake County or UDOT or whomever is responsible for ruining a perfectly good road (Wasatch, south of Parley’s).

Anyone who really knows me also knows that I do not do well in the heat … and it is definitely hot today. Surprisingly, I felt okay on the bike today. I was still slow, and still had to stop a couple times to get my HR back down, but it never [...]]]>
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Anyone who really knows me also knows that I do not do well in the heat … and it is definitely hot today. Surprisingly, I felt okay on the bike today. I was still slow, and still had to stop a couple times to get my HR back down, but it never really spiked up, and even when I was hurting while rolling, I felt fairly smooth, not like I was having to mash or struggle to turn over the cranks, and that’s always a good thing.

After standing, sitting, and driving for much of the past 3 days, it actually felt really good to get out on the bike today and turn over my legs a few times. Managed to keep the heart rate down, too … avgHR was 144 bpm, and maxHR was only 163 bpm. For [...]]]>
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After standing, sitting, and driving for much of the past 3 days, it actually felt really good to get out on the bike today and turn over my legs a few times. Managed to keep the heart rate down, too … avgHR was 144 bpm, and maxHR was only 163 bpm. For comparison’s sake, this past Sunday, on a flatter, shorter route, my avgHR was 162 bpm and maxHR was 180.

Tour of Utah Stage 3 time trial at Miller Motorsports Park later this afternoon. Looking forward to it. Looking forward to some food first though; I’ve had nothing to eat today, just a Mexi-Coke and a bottle of CarboRocket. Funny thing is that I’m not really hungry at all; but I know if I don’t eat something soon, I will be crashing hard in an hour or two.

Tired from yesterday, but managed to take it easy enough to keep from blowing completely. Now to figure out where I’m going to ride tomorrow before going to shoot some photos at the Holladay Crit. Perhaps I should station myself at the pothole that took me out last September, since no one [...]]]>
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Tired from yesterday, but managed to take it easy enough to keep from blowing completely. Now to figure out where I’m going to ride tomorrow before going to shoot some photos at the Holladay Crit. Perhaps I should station myself at the pothole that took me out last September, since no one seems to care how deep it is and that it’s at the narrowest part of the course, which means that there’s a very good chance that as the pack squeezes together, someone will hit it … and if I’m in the right place, that would be the makings of some excellent crash photos.

I am completely blown. I tried to take it easy, since the plan was to combine my two most common routes, but even taking it easy today was friggin’ hard. I must have looked it, too, since on a few occasions when I was resting in the shade trying to cool off, [...]]]>
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I am completely blown. I tried to take it easy, since the plan was to combine my two most common routes, but even taking it easy today was friggin’ hard. I must have looked it, too, since on a few occasions when I was resting in the shade trying to cool off, other riders asked me if I was okay with looks of concern on their faces. Yeah, I was okay, just hot, fat, and out of shape. Wherever I ride tomorrow, it’s going to have to be flatter and easier than today.

Despite my heavy legs, I felt pretty good on the bike today. Tired but pretty strong (albeit, still not fast). Then at the stoplight after descending past the Old Mill, my chain started to drop to the outside, and bent the hell out of my front derailleur cage. My ride went from [...]]]>
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Despite my heavy legs, I felt pretty good on the bike today. Tired but pretty strong (albeit, still not fast). Then at the stoplight after descending past the Old Mill, my chain started to drop to the outside, and bent the hell out of my front derailleur cage. My ride went from pretty good to instant suck. Managed to get everything back into shape enough so that I could actually ride home, but the derailleur is toast. The other bikes all have clamp-on front derailleurs, whereas the Sachs has a braze-on front derailleur, so I can’t even cannibalize another bike to replace it. So now I’m in hunt and beg mode to see if anyone I know has a used one stashed away in a box, because I’d like to be able to get the derailleur replaced before the long 4th of July weekend, and I’m broke enough that paying retail for a NEW derailleur isn’t really an option right now.

Grumble grumble bitch whine moan.

Jelly legs, probably remnants from the pummeling I got from Rachel on Thursday evening to help with some low back and shoulder issues … but since the entire body is a system, she works on the whole thing, not just the known trouble spots where issues manifest themselves.

I’ve really gotta ride [...]]]>
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Jelly legs, probably remnants from the pummeling I got from Rachel on Thursday evening to help with some low back and shoulder issues … but since the entire body is a system, she works on the whole thing, not just the known trouble spots where issues manifest themselves.

I’ve really gotta ride more often … consistency doesn’t really matter when it’s 2 of 7 … should really try to get closer to 5 or 6 of 7.

Felt much better on the bike today; not great … not even good … but better than yesterday, which isn’t that difficult to accomplish. Struggled up Emigration to the first switchback at Pinecrest, then along Wasatch over Parley’s Way. Stopped at Barbacoa to grab a burrito (stuffed into my jersey pocket), then [...]]]>
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Felt much better on the bike today; not great … not even good … but better than yesterday, which isn’t that difficult to accomplish. Struggled up Emigration to the first switchback at Pinecrest, then along Wasatch over Parley’s Way. Stopped at Barbacoa to grab a burrito (stuffed into my jersey pocket), then dropped 45th South to head home.

Made a discovery today. If you have a sore back, it’s not really a good idea to rub Sombra (or other similar menthol/capsaicin analgesic gels) onto your low back before going for a bike ride; because when your sweat starts rolling down your back into your ass crack, things can get a little … uncomfortable.

Legs felt good, but heart and lungs were not cooperating today. Felt good to be out in the warm sun, though … so we’ll give it another go tomorrow.

Since this particular loop of mine has been dubbed “The Sheffield Loop” by Jennie and Joel, I might as well go with it. Took a little break in the middle to help Amy and Anna get Amy’s car started again … good thing my phone has my AAA info in it, but [...]]]>
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Since this particular loop of mine has been dubbed “The Sheffield Loop” by Jennie and Joel, I might as well go with it. Took a little break in the middle to help Amy and Anna get Amy’s car started again … good thing my phone has my AAA info in it, but it wasn’t needed. We just kicked the crap out of the car until it started again. Okay, we tapped the starter with a tire iron. Whatever. We hit it, and it worked. Brute force auto mechanics!