First Contact

Its Here! Its not alone.. Launch date is....4-11-11 Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick...

Totals for 2010

2700 kms TOTAL
all on above bike

122 commutes to work
9.65 km one way to work
9.65 km one way home from work

10 for fun rides

1 Cat seen hit by car
1 Dog seen hit by car
1 replaced derailer cable [worn] 6000kms
1 replaced pair of Grips [Worn] 6000kms
1 replaced [broken chain x2] 6000kms
1 replaced [Worn] cassette 6000kms
1 replaced [Worn]big chainring up front 6000kms
3 flat tires [tack-red {front} / unknown - Black {back}x2]
3 close calls [Buses 2 times / Aborted looong wheelie]
1 repaired bungie strap
1 replaced bungie strap
1 Thermal Coolmax Shirt LOST
5+ students almost hit
2 races lost - too many to count won
1 non rider convereted to daily rider (72-yrs old)
3 days riden in Snow
12 days riden in rain

Fastest Ride to Work....
27.31 km/h average - 21.13 time
Average ride to Work....
25.42km/h average - 22.54 time

Fastest Ride Home From Work....
29.11 km/h average - 19.53 time
Average ride home from Work....
25.25km/h average - 23.21 time

All Data recorded with logyourrun.com and cyclemeter app for iphone

Bike Commute to work costs $39.99

Horray! i finally did it.
After almost 3 months of being injured I finaly bit the bullet and rode to work on Tues of this week.

My hip injury has been feeling a little bit better and the surrounding muscles have not been feeling too bad. There has been a constant "ache" in my hip for the last 3 months tho. I took it easy on the ride and didn't push too hard, didn't try to race the cars and put the bike in a granny gear to slowly climb the small hills on my route..I got to work just fine. I did almost see an accident about 2.5km into my ride...here is my version. (see above Photo for reference)

I pulled up to the intersection of Sandford and Cheapside (behind Fanshawe College)The light was red and i pulled up to the back of a SUV that was turning left. The light changed to green and the SUV pulled into the intersection. The traffic comming in the opposite direction was neverending and the light went back to red with the SUV (and me behind it) in the middle of the intersection. The SUV started to make the turn and get out of the intersection..A car that was at the front of the line in the opposite direction decided to not notice the red light and felt it was also a good time to turn right. This car did not stop at the red at all, just turned right without looking. The SUV blared on the horn and the pilot of the car looked to her left and seemed shocked that there was a SUV approx 1 foot from T-boning her drivers door... The SUV stopped, The car stopped, and i pulled up to the passenger side of the SUV (to get out of the MIDDLE of the intersection) The car driver did not know what to do. She put the car into reverse and started to back up!!! The lane she was trying to back up into was full right to the front of the intersection so the car at the front of the line started to Honk (or get backed into) at this point the car driver stopped backing up and threw up her hands, she was still blocking the SUV from continuing into the eastbound lane of cheapside. No one could go anywhere, i was now standing beside the SUV with nowhere to go either.. I yelled at the car driver to just GO! and pointed the direction that she should go. She reluctantly put the car in drive and proceeded along her way.. The SUV and i also finished making our left turns and everything was fine after that... I said to my self "welcome to the land of idiots" and got back into my riding groove. i guess Technically i should not have tried to turn left after the light was red but I feel in no way was this incident the result of a bike being on the road, I would have followed the SUV regardless of being on my bike or in my car. The oncoming car should have stopped at the red and then made her turn when it was clear to do so..All was well until i got to work.

I got to work in approx 35 min (my record in the summer is 19min) Rode over to my bike box (picture is from the summer Duh!)and saw that it was basically under a snowbank. My glasses started to fog up from just standing around trying to figure out how i was going to get into it. i took them off and put them on top of the snow on top of the bike box. After some foot shoveling and extra force i was able to get the door open enough to get my bike in. I quickly gathered my stuff and rushed off the the showers..I forgot to pick up my sunglasses!!! I didnt notice until I started to get my bike out of the box for the ride home. I looked up to the spot I left my glasses and noticed footprints in the snow leading up to that spot and leaving in the opposite direction. NO GLASSES!! Grrrr i was very upset with myself for forgeting to bring them inside with me.. I proceeded to ride home with no glasses while verbally abusing myself for this stupid mistake.
I bought these glasses at the Toronto Bike show last March for 60% off. $39.99 was now what i would hope to pay again at this years Bike show March 6th. Grrr i am still upset about this and had my mind set to buy somthing new for my bike this year instead of buying the same thing i got last year...
On a Good note the ache in my hip has gone away from my hip and moved itself into my head. I could not ride on Thurs. as i had planned, due to me being home in bed wishing my head didnt hurt so much..

My plan is to ride my bike on Monday , Wed, and Fri. of next week. Hopefully all will go well, i will make due with my UWO issued saftey glasses untill I can get some replacements..

It feels good to be back on the bike even if it cost me 40 bucks.

SS Out

Family Day Ride

Went for a 12km round trip ride to my grandmothers.

I took it easy and stopped once to stretch out my groin. Got to grandmas and did a few quick stretches before knocking. The ride home was about the same, maybe a bit more wind but non eventfull.

Physio seems stumped about my injury, now they think it may be a couple bulging discs in my back pressing on my leg nerves. I do have slight back pain when I wake up but it seems to go away after I walk around a bit, Anyway I have been trying to sleep on my back and it seems to be working. I guess if I ever purchase a Hennesy Hammok for any long distance touring I will have to learn to sleep on my back anyway.

I had a comment posted on my previous posting asking about the shoes in the picture.
here is the story on them....

They are Nike skate shoes that are approx 2 yrs old. They were pretty trashed and about to go into the trash. I had to ride in the rain late last fall and my feet got soaked. I spent the rest of that day trying to figure out a solution.. I did not want to shell out $$ for waterproof shoes so I thought I would make my old shoes waterproof.. I put them on then layered white duct tape onto them. I then took some of my reflective tape (DOT Reflective Saftey Tape) and cut a large red patch for the backs and a small stripe at the toe. I think that a moving reflector is much more visible then a stationary one. I look like a dork when I'm walking across the parking lot at work but I'm not too concerened about that. I have rode in the rain with them and the Tape seems to be very effective at keeping out the water and the cold. In colder temps ( below -7) my toes start to get cold my remidy to this is I have cut rectangles of Kraft paper (the stuff packages are shipped in) and I fold it over my toes and jam my foot into the shoe..It works awesome. I also doesent leave any ink stains like newspaper does.

Thats it for now. I expect to ride to work at least once this week. in the mean time I will continue stretching and iceing my leg...

SS out

1st Ride of 2010

Finally.....The bike is back in motion.
I decided to test myself today by going for an easy 5km ride. I am happy to say I did not re-injure myself, however I do still have a lingering issue. Today at physio it was decided that I may have at least 1-2 bulging discs in my lower back, this is causing the leg nerves (right leg) to become irritated and cause the Hip / Thigh / Groin / pain I have been feeling. I was given new stretches and told to keep my spine as upright as I can.. So far so good.
I did just over 5km and it felt great to be back on the bike. I tried to take it easy and not push to hard, this was harder than I thought. I wanted to go fast, flow around the corners fight the wind and pass the cars that were going slow.
I got home and promptly did 10min of stretching. My leg felt weak and the muscles felt tight. The pain went away after the stretching and I was happy. I still have some pain on my sit bone and along the muscle that attaches to it running down the inner thigh but I Think with stretching an correcting my posture I should be ok.
I will take my change of clothes and shower items to work tommorow so I am prepared at work when I do commute to work again.
The bike seemed fine and had no issues to speak of.
The weather here for the rest of the week is calling for a large amount of snow, I won't be riding while the roads are snow covered for a few reasons....

1 Traction issues with the bike and the cars on the road...

2 I am pretty sure riding in the snow is much slower than the bare road so i dont think I will get to work on time..and

Finally I really dont want to rush during my ride and hammer on the pedals too hard because I think this will re-injure myself again.

So There you have it.. I am back to riding, Wooohooo!
As soon as the snow clears off the roads again I will be out there with the rest of you riders...keep it up!
SS Out.

Final #'s For 2009

Its been almost 7 weeks since my last bike ride.... I think I might be ready to ride again..
I am feeling a bit better lately.. My Physio guy thinks stretches and exersize might fix the Sports hernia that he thinks I have.. I am not yet convinced about that but there is/was some goofy shit going on in my hip...

I am thinking about riding to work again on Tuesday, Why Tuesday?? because thats when my next physio appt is...Teo will see first hand what is going on if riding to work messes it up. I feel like an ass when he asks whats wrong and its not currently hurting.. sometimes I think its rotting away from the inside out and other times it feels perfectly fine.

So I have the Final #'s in from last year.. The bike riding summary is as follows

Total Days that I rode my bike...99 out of 365 = 27% of the days
Total Days that I rode to work...85 out of 365 = 23% of the days
Total Km's = 1971.7
Most Km's in 1 month = 402km (September)
Longest ride in 1 day = 82km (almost to Port Stanley)
85 of 99 rides were Commutes to work = 85% of the rides
Close calls with Cars / Busses = 4
Flat tires = 2
MTB Rides = 6
Times I was passed by another bike rider = 2
Times I passed another rider = over 20
Rides With Son = 7
Rides with Daughter = 6 (Trail a Bike)
Compliments on my reflective visibility and safe riding style = 2
Parts replaced on bike = (1) Grips.

Modifications through out year. = Added red tires after 500km untill fall, added lots of reflective tape to front and rear of bike. Painted a few small parts red to match tires. Added flashlight zip tied to bars. Added Grips (White) Switched tires to urban Knobby tread in late fall. Added Front fender in fall (Vintage fender from old womens ccm 700c wheels hybrid that I saw in the garbage. Trail a bike seatpost attachment.

Next post will be after Tues....
SS out

Only 28.3 kms to go!!!

1971.7 km. That's my total Km's for the year.
I don't think I will get to reach my goal of 2000.

I have gone to see the Dr's and had an appt at Physio.

I have Pulled my Hamstring and have very poor Core Muscle strength in the hip area. This may be what is causing the hip issue.
I have Stretches to do and strengthening exercises as well. I go back first thing Monday morning so I will get a better Idea then when I can ride again.
This is most likely a hockey injury that was caused by the weak core Muscles.

I almost forgot the best part. The physiotherapist recommended clipless pedals if I am going to be putting up big km's just for the balance aspects of my leg muscles. Push Push Push currently....Push Pull Push Pull if I get clipless.. I will have to check out this option as I have all ways been a hater of the clipless.

If I do another ride to work this year it will still leave me 9.3km from my goal.
I don't think that I can/should do 2 more rides this year either.
I have alot of Bike plans for next year that I don't want to jeopardize by getting in 2 more rides just for the sake of a number and potentially risking greater or more permanent Injury.
I will just have to aim for a bigger and better goal next year.....I'm thinking at least Double this years goal. My biggest Month this year was 400km so theoretically I could accomplish 12x400km in a year if I went super hardcore....hmmmmm (psst...its 4800km)

Wow I never thought about it that way yet......4800! that's a pretty big number, props to anyone that can put up that kind of numbers on commuting alone.

So I have been off the bike for about 3weeks, I miss it alot.
There are some things that I find I am glad I don't have to do if I don't ride.

Things like...
1-Check the weather every night so I can prepare my attire for the morning.
2-Prepare my attire for the morning, I usually have to alter it anyway from the night before.
3-Spend at least 10 min. getting dressed to ride to/from Work.
4-Rush to get the Morning kid deliveries done quickly so I don't have to rush on the bike.
5-Rush to get to work in time to have a shower and still not be late to my desk.
6-Packing my bag strategically so my gear/clothes and my "never big enough" lunch all fit.
7-Bruised apples and bananas.
8-Replace batteries!!!
9-2 extra loads of laundry a week
10-Hungry all the time.

These are just things that I have thought to myself in the last few weeks, Please Understand that I will gladly do all these things again as soon as I am cleared to ride again.

Time to go Stretch.