September 18, 2005

Tour de Judy

Ok, cyclists. Another ride.

The Judy Ride Foundation's Tour de Judy gives people of all ages an opportunity to join the ride to save lives. The festivities begin at 8:00am and will include a 30-mile ride (7:30am registration, 8am and a 10-mile ride (8:30am registration, 9am start), and a 100-yard kids Tour de Judy jr. street sprint (10:30am registration, 11:00am start No Entry Fee Required!). So bring your bicycles, tricycles... basically anything with wheels! And bring your family and friends, too.
This one hits closer to home than Tour de Cure and the MS 150 - in both 1994 and 1999 I had breast lumps removed - thankfully benign. My godmother is a breast cancer survivor. I missed Race for the Cure this year because I felt I desperately needed a long training ride that day. So here's my chance to give back...and locally.

30 miler. Join me in Clayton on the 9th.

hln

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September 12, 2005

MS 150, Year 3 Indeed

This year's MS 150 was a surprise. I was ready! I can certifiably say that although I finished last year's, I wasn't really ready.

Saturday's forecast was for a high of 93, I believe, with winds up to 18 mph. Ewww. Thankfully, I don't believe it was either that hot or that windy. It was moderately hilly and essentially the same 75 mile course as last year. I should probably have done the century, but I usually err on the side of caution. So I did (most of the smiling people in the extended entry did do the 100).

Burned about 3500 calories during ride time (I turn off the heart rate monitor every time I stop). I inhaled 3/5 of a medium pizza for dinner, and I was in bed by 9. At 2:30 I woke up starving and ate two bowls of Raisin Bran. Back to bed. Started out Sunday with a mess of hills and no warm-up. Ouch. The first 35 miles or so were brutal in that fashion. For about an hour's worth of ride time I questioned my sanity (after knowing basically what to expect from last year). Then it was lunch time, and I ate some pickles. And then I ate more pickles - must've really been craving salt. Had a sandwich, too. Starting out from lunch, it was a dream come true. Tailwind. Flats to rolling. Flying, baby.

My average speed on both days was just shy of 14 mph. Not going to win any races, but considering my conservative approach, not too bad. I can (and will) push a bit harder in the future. Just didn't want to bonk.

So I was home by 6 last night, which was very nice.

Pic in extended entry. I'm the pale one.

hln

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September 05, 2005

Tube and Tires and Tubes, oh My

Well, as I mentioned about a week ago, I had my first flat, and being that my bike tires had about 2500 miles on them, decided to replace them. Took bike to bike shop. And that's where the fun started.

I got the bike back on Tuesday. Wednesday a.m., I was up at normal time (around 5:00 a.m.) and noticed the tires were a bit low on air. Checked the sidewall to make sure these tires were rated for the amount of pressue I like to put in them (102 psi, baby), and pumped both to that.

I was wandering around when I heard these squeaking uneasy noises from my office. Entered office and set bike to have better posture, and, yes, you who ride know what those noises were a precursor to. POP! Very loud. Woke Brian up, who probably dreamed of a gunshot. So, no ride for me.

Took the bike into work so the guys could take a look at it and tell me what I did wrong/assist me in learning how to change a tube and replace a tire properly.

Ryan set the bike upside down balancing on the seat (why didn't I think of that), and we took out one of my spare tubes. He released the wheel and explained the what/how/why of what he was doing. Tube was pissy and obstinate, but he got it in there, and we put some air in. Nearing full air, the bad dog popped. Yeah. POP! In the office, no less. And EVERYONE and his dust mites heard it.

So, if you're counting, that's two tubes and zero miles. At that point, we noticed that the tube (which the guy at the bike shop had just handed me, and I didn't check) wasn't the proper size for the tire. Well, at least that blown tube made sense.

Took the bike in at about 3:40 on Wednesday - took off early to do that. Needed to ride. The guys at the bike shop are really laid back - both a detriment and a calming effect. One takes the bike and hangs it on a stand, reviews the blown tubes and my previous tires. Which are a different size (yes, the tires) than the new tires, though Ryan had said the new tires SHOULD fit my wheel rims. The bike mechanic tries to put a new tube (of the proper size this time - they exchanged them for me) in the back tire, but really has no luck and goes to find new new tires from the warehouse.

There's an additional bike mechanic in the workroom. I chat with him a bit, and then I start wandering the store while awaiting the new new tire. Spontaneously, as in a "poetic justice," "icing on the cake" moment, the front tire, which has been silent and feeling neglected, blows its tube. POP! It was all I could do not to crack up.

An hour later, I left the bike store with new new tires (yes, two) of the previous size. And all is well with the bike.

3 blown tubes. Zero miles ridden. That's just obnoxious.

hln

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August 27, 2005

Heather meets the SAG wagon

So I planned on a century today - at least a metric century. Could've happened, but my back tire had other plans.

I have a bad habit of bragging about never having had a flat tire. Well, I don't do anything halfway, so when I had a flat tire, I completely blew the tire. Fortunately, it was between quarter of a mile and half of a mile from the last rest stop before completing 69.1 miles (which would've been about 71 for me because I took a wrong turn earlier). I was riding along at warm-up pace when all of a sudden I heard a loud POP and then felt this woosh of air on the back of my leg. And I knew why.

There was a man riding behind me who agreed to give me a hand with the tire (back one - after all, I've never changed one). Well, he was so fast that by the time I dug out the pump and my spare tube, the wheel was already off and the tire pried from the wheel. So much for learning, but I certainly wasn't going to complain to him. I play the damsel in distress REALLY WELL.

His comment, "well, at least it was just the tube." Au contraire! (as we discovered after replacing everything - big old shred marks on the back tire). So I took the bike back to the rest stop, and everyone there agreed that a call to the SAG was the best course of action. As it was on its way, one long-time rider did rig it with a Powerbar wrapper, but the SAG was just pulling up as I was about to head out (and I'd already called Brian to tell him I was going to end my ride at the 55 mile point), so I took the air-conditioned, non-self-propelled way back. A bit safer, since I had no idea the skill of the person who was working with the bike. And I was a bit squeamish.

All in all, though, good ride. 55 miles in 4 hours and 6 minutes. I would've been fighting the wind the 16 remaining miles, so it would've dropped a bit, but I felt good the whole way, and I think I'm ready for the MS 150 in 2 weeks (yeah, doing that again). Unfortunately, the bike's in the shop - needed a tune-up before the big ride, and I'm having both tires replaced (figure I have between 2500 and 3000 miles on them; it's time), so no ride tomorrow.

hln

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July 19, 2005

5:45 a.m. IS a Good Riding Time

This summer, I've started my morning cycling at sunrise if at all possible.

For those of you (some have to my face) who question why, I offer the following:

weather.gif

Any questions?

hln

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July 11, 2005

"Their Original Purpose"

Ah, the Post's online venture Stltoday.com features an article about the Tour de Cure and grumbly motorists.

It starts a little something like this:

Trouble is brewing in the bucolic hills and dales north of Alton, say some who use the roads there for their original purpose - to handle cars, trucks and farm vehicles.
I think this author ought to be reprimanded. After all, is "bucolic" actually in the 6th grade vocabulary? Of course, I'm being snarky. Nice word, Sue.

The article goes on to state that riders of June 11th's Tour de Cure up by Grafton were discourteous. And I don't doubt that's the case. Bad drivers make bad cyclists. Some very simple rules apply:
  • Slow traffic, stay to the right
  • If you don't have a rear view mirror, you don't have any business riding two abreast.
One interviewee complains that an adjacent bike trail isn't used and wonders why. Well, interviewee, I'll tell you. It's often full of obstacles caused by downed limbs and branches. Try riding that on your road bike. Same deal with a bike lane that doubles as a shoulder - if it's not well maintained, my 100 psi very thin tire isn't going to be rolling over it.

So, there you have it. Bike-friendly Illinois is being non-bike-friendly. Remember this?

hln

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The Open Road

I was insane enough to go riding at 6 a.m. on Saturday. These folks were insane enough to join me at various points along the way.

So here's my route. If you're local, you'll enjoy this. From Maryland Heights down Dorsett/Midland into U City. Stopped at the Starbucks (picked Ryan up along the way) and met Hans and his brother, Kurt. Went into the city. Saw our cycling buddies Susan and Linda at another Starbucks along the way - they had ridden up from the south. Rode south down Broadway/Lemay Ferry to Jefferson Barracks. Rode around Jefferson Barracks a bit. Rode up a "shortcut" to Forest Park. Hans and Kurt split off, and Ryan and I got separated and met at the big Amoco. (Anybody local knows what I mean here). Went up to Big Shark to get Ryan some new gloves. Continuned on home via Skinker up to Olive then Olive west to Midland. (Yes, I'm a nutbar; I rode my bike on Olive during normal traffic hours). Then Midland to Link/Midland intersection.

It's at this point that I sat down, figuring I'd eat a bit and let my heart rate return to normal human points before trying to tackle the nasty hill at Midland and Adie just past Lindbergh. It never really did that slowing down thing, so after 20 mins, I called Brian, and he came and got me just 4 miles short of home. Still, 60 miles in heat and pushing it (the guys are faster than I am) - worth it.

Got a heart rate monitor from my mother for Christmas, and I'm just now getting around to training with it. It's really telling. Like...I run out of steam on hills because I'm usually working at 156 - 165 bpm before I start a hill. And at 174 - 180 it is all right to feel like I'm dying. I am NOT a natural athlete, and it's been suggested to me that I try some interval training. I've had to build back my strength from near zero (some health issues in February/March - turned out to be nothing serious), and muscle/strength/resistance training come pretty naturally. This cardio stuff, not so much.

Last week I made it out to Creve Coeur two mornings and rode for about an hour and fifteen mins each time. This week I had planned to do the same, but the weather isn't going to cooperate. My legs were complaining about the strain I put on them Saturday, so I walked/ran this morning for an hour, and it looks like cardio at the gym for the next 3 mornings b/c of the rain.

I have 2 months until the 150 (September 10 and 11 of this year). I should be fine. The heart rate monitor does prove that I'm not dogging it or anything - I work like a good little mule. Just don't get all that much output for my effort. And that makes me grumbly.

hln

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July 06, 2005

Now I Don't Feel So Clumsy

President Bush has more bike accidents than I do.

President Bush collided with a British police officer during a bike ride Wednesday evening, suffering scrapes on his hands and arms that required bandaging, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

The officer, from the Strethclyde Police Department in Scotland, was taken to a local hospital as a precaution. He was treated and released, after an evaluation revealed no fractures, McClellan said.
Of course, I don't ride in Scotland. And I avoid times of day on trails where 6 year-olds might be found; I've learned my lesson.

But one thing - why does CNN use scare quotes in the next paragraph.

Bush "visited" with the police officer for some time after the accident and asked White House physician Dr. Richard Tubb to monitor his situation at the hospital, McClellan said. The president was expected to call the officer later, McClellan said.
I'm scratching my head.

hln

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July 05, 2005

C'est rose vif

Poor Jan Ullrich. How do you motivate yourself to ride the Tour on your pink bike with your pink buddies?

pink.jpg

(Photo's lifted from here, where the caption is "Pretty in Pink." Exactly).

hln

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June 26, 2005

Ride Ride Ride

I had a 65 - 70 mile weekend...dunno exactly. My bike computer crapped out on me, and with my current level of physical fitness, that's probably a good thing (otherwise I'd be upset).

Around 32 yesterday with Bryce, the only one brave enough to join me for the 5:45 a.m. ride. This is the perfect summer start time for a weekend - no cars on city streets, the sun's fully up, and it's temperate outside. Yesterday's forecast was for 95 degrees. When we finished, it was only about 83. Two others were supposed to join us but later declined. You know who you are.

Today was the Bridge Bash up at Old Chain of Rocks. It was so hot I had chills...probably that's not a good thing, but I managed to finish my 30+ with energy to spare. I took an unplanned ride into Granite City after taking a wrong turn. That added a good 2 - 4 extra miles. The road was great - I was sad it wasn't our route. Oh well.

MS 150 is September 10th and 11th. If I continue at this pace (increasing mileage each weekend and making sure I get appropriate hill dosage and doing some weekday riding, that shouldn't be a problem).

See, back to old form talking about old things.

hln

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March 22, 2005

What NOT to do on Your Trailnet Ride

Drunken cycling!

OGDEN, Ark. - An allegedly drunken bicyclist wound up getting a ride to jail after a state trooper saw him take a clumsy spill at a state highway intersection.

Don Evans, 46, was riding where U.S. 71 and Grand Street intersect early Saturday when he fell from his mountain bike onto the highway pavement.

Trooper Jamie Gravier was about 50 feet away.

"He was pedaling through the intersection of Highway 71 at the Grand Street crossover and fell off the bike. The pedals kept hitting the kick stand and he couldn't keep it up. He was in the middle of the southbound lanes of traffic," Gravier said.
First mistake? Mountain bike on a highway. Eww. 2nd - kickstand. What's that again? I guess if you're going to go carousing it does make more sense to take the crap bike.

Doesn't mention whether the police officer impounded the bike.

hln

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September 13, 2004

Tuckered Out

But still slightly skipping through the office today.

MS 150 160.25 was this weekend.

The guys did 200 (both century options), but they couldn't talk this girl into that without having a 150 under her belt. So, maybe ONE century next year now that I know what to expect.

Saturday started when the camera broke right when it was time for our official picture. Due to the wonders of modern technology, though, we still got group photos. (I'm the girl).

teamEnvision.jpg

The first day was 77.25 miles, and it had 7 rest stops, so about one every 10 miles. The 4th rest stop was lunch, served and provided by Lion's Choice. Lunch was wonderful, but I started out too early after eating it and had some stomach issues the last 30 miles. Still, went fine. Too many casual riders on the first day (most didn't show up for the 2nd) - meaning they got in front of you on hills and you had to slog it up on your own power with no momentum. Ow.

On day 2, the course was 84 miles. I remembered I had brought my digital camera, and at some of the rest stops, I actually took some pictures and had some taken. Like this one at rest stop 7, the 150 mile sojourning spot. Not the most flattering picture of any of us, but very funny, and truly illustrative of how the body felt. (See how YOU look when you've had more than a gallon of fluids to drink each of the last two days).

wipedOut.jpg

Why are we so wiped out? Because the route was 84 miles of #@)%(&@#)(%*#@)(% HILLS! I exaggerate not. There was some wind thrown in there, too, to ensure we weren't bored.

But, we all finished. This is my friend Susan congratulating me after I crossed the finish line. She still looks pretty put together after all that riding. Me - heh - no. But I'm smiling. Those muscles weren't sore.

yesIfinished.jpg

So there'll be a next year. There's a local century in a couple of weeks I'll probably try to do provided it's not pouring down rain, freezing cold, or hurricanously windy (anything above 14 mph means I'm at home snuggling with a book if it's cold).

Oh, and as Brian pointed out, it's not too late to sponsor me for this ride. At 160 miles, $1.60 would be a penny a mile, $3.20 two pennies. $16 is 10 cents a mile. Anything would be wonderful.

hln

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September 10, 2004

MS 150 (Again)

I just printed my rider packet .PDF thingee, and it notes that Anheuser-Busch is sponsoring a Beer Garden, and the MS 150 Expo site features sand volleyball. And showers!

Because, you know, right after a 75 or 100 mile bike ride, the things I just can't WAIT to do are drink a bunch of beer and roll in the sand. Maybe that's what people who are really in shape do. Or those who star in television commercials - can't you just see it? Out of the bike helmet (with perfect hair but a bit of dirt on the leg) - some steaks cookin' on the grill, and happy, slender, muscled people with perfect white teeth and tanned skin (and not wearing anything but their cycling shorts and maybe sports bras) are batting around a volleyball)? We've conquered our mountains and have set down to play. Bussssssch!

That shower thing sounds good, though. I'll be happy if I'm still coherent and not asleep (I guess those go hand in hand) at the end of the day's ride. (What I can promise is that EVERY ounce of my quite long hair will be sweat drenched.)

hln

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September 09, 2004

2 Days

MS 150 is Saturday and Sunday, so I won't be around this weekend. I'll either be riding, eating, or sleeping, possibly two of those at the same time; hoping sleeping isn't one of the combined ones.

hln

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August 08, 2004

Gateway MS 150, September 11 and 12, 2004

This evening I finally signed up for this year's MS 150, due to take place in a scant 5 weeks. I'm sorta ready - could do the ride, but it would be serious suffering. So I'm going to be training and training seriously the next 4 weeks because it's the smartest thing to do.

Managed 57.5 yesterday - yes, that's miles. Two to three weekday mornings, or, becuase of fluky weather, afternoons for this upcoming week (it'll be about 50 degrees in the a.m. - no thanks) hold 15 - 20 mile rides for me, and there's always the indoor trainer if there's rain. Joy.

I need to increase my leg strength training regimen because, oddly, I seem to lose leg strength in cycling season. Part of it is that I cut down leg strength training to once a week, so I'm going to try to up that without having an adverse effect on the cycling. Could be interesting. For example, I trained legs today. If you're interested, the scoop's in the extended entry.

In the next couple of days I'll put up a donation link because I'd like a bit of support. There's no little short easy option for the MS 150 like there is for Tour de Cure (where I did the 50 mile option - which turned out to be only about 44). This is some serious training and pain...and accomplishment. I'm encasing my feet in antibiotics and not leaving the house for the week before. If you're scratching your head at that statement, go here.

So, yeah, here I am again begging for money. Please remember it's not for me. It's for people like you and me who just have a bit of luck going the wrong direction. Brian and I had a good friend diagnosed (early, thankfully) with the disease just a couple of weeks ago.

You can donate as little as three dollars. Just think - that's two cents a mile (and I'm only half joking here - three dollars would be great).

I can't find the way to do a single click donation, but you can go to the MS 150 site itself and search for Noggle under last name and Missouri as the state. That should bring you right to me.

more...

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July 18, 2004

Brian Told Me To Post

But I don't really know what's going on in the world or with your blogs, so, well, here's what I did yesterday.

I rode 42 miles. To non-cyclists, I'm sure that seems like a whole lot. To cyclists, well, in context, that means I wimped out of the 51 mile option I was given. I have about 6 or 7 weeks until the MS 150, so I'd best be upping my mileage (18 yesterday). Oh, and I need to sign up with my team.

I'm unevenly sunburned, but it should turn in a couple of days.

See? Inane. And I already have a Bonfire post.

hln

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June 20, 2004

Tour de Cure

Yesterday's Tour de Cure was held in almost perfect weather - drop the wind about 5 - 7 mph, and then we're in the "Perfect Weather Zone." As it stands, it was cool enough that I was more comfortable in tights over my shorts.

The routes were 25, 43.5ish, and 100. I did the 43.5ish route and wimped out of the 100, but I'm up to ride again today, bits of saddle soreness and all.

My team, Velocity, will pull in close to or right at $5,000. I'll post some pictures when I get them - I wasn't one of the folks with a digital camera. But the jerseys are amazing. Venerated jersey designer.

hln

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June 02, 2004

The Perils of Cycling

I left work early today - beautiful day, but a bit windy. Creve Coeur Park opened up its trail that connects to the Katy trail on Friday, and I wanted to take a look.

After about 14 miles, I decided to head the 2 miles back to my car and call it a good after-work ride.

If I were to describe the trail at between 3 and 5 in the afternoon on a weekday, the first word would be "empty." And we cyclists like it that way - means we have fewer worries when we get up to or near training speeds. There's one stretch, though - the "feeder" part of the trail...the part where most of the parking lots (and my car) reside. I actually thought this over. It's so true.

I'm about 1/4 mile from my car, when I notice two little girls riding really near each other on their kiddie bikes - don't think much of it. They're heading out to the main part of the trail, and I'm heading back to my car, so we're traffic in opposite directions. I'm going about 17 - 18 mph. When I reach them, the smaller of the two girls, who (by this time I've finally noticed is not looking anywhere but down) cycles into my lane. She doesn't swerve - she RIDES. Her whole bike is there, almost perpendicular. And I just couldn't stop that quickly. Other girl is in proper lane, can't fall that way (didn't even have time to process this). Sand to the right (would've been the better decision). No, I try to stop. I fail.

I smashed into her. My 150+ pounds of self and bike collide with maybe 50 pounds of girl. And not lightly, either. I'm so shocked, though, that I don't tense up at all, and my first thought of myself (sprawled on girl on trail) was, "wow, that could've been worse."

Her sister, who's probably 10, untangles our bikes and starts to scold the little one (who's wailing up a storm, and, amazingly, only a small scratch on her). I help calm down the little one by pointing at my oozing elbow and cracking jokes about how fine I am (probably because of shock or what have you...because about 5 mins later, zow, that hurt). She finally calms down, and I (after looking both ways to ensure cyclistwalkerrollerblader traffic is not going to be impacted) move her across the trail into the grass.

The girls' father (who was for some reason not with them at collison time) finally approaches on bike. And apologizes. It's pretty clear older sister has filled him in on the details. I point out the young girl's cracked helmet and remind him to replace it. It's "used." The older sister picks up my sunglasses and looks strangely at my mirror. I say to all in earshot, "that's so I can see behind me and pay attention to everything."

When all's said and done, my derailleur is a bit beat up, and my handlebars are all off, and, of course, I did just get this bike a tune-up. But a kind guy who sees or hears me clopping (my clips make noise) back to the car gives me a hand with it and says it won't need another tune-up. So, that's good.

When I got home, I surveyed the damage. Elbow - wow, oozing, bleeding, ugly, and bruised. But that's all. Left quad and thigh took a pretty bad beating. I iced them and will hopefully be ready to ride again by the weekend, but probably not tomorrow.

Any good come from this? Hopefully that father won't leave his children unattended. It's a good lesson in wearing your helmet, too (comment directed at everyone). You never know when a non-attentive kid will suddenly ride into you for no reason. And for the girl - I'm very glad she had hers on. I could've done her some serious damage.

St. Louis people - Creve Coeur trail's great. I didn't actually ride on the Katy - figured I wanted to get home in time for dinner, so I'll check that out next week. Looks to be stable enough for a road bike. Never been on it.

Good night. I'm going to go ooze elsewhere.

hln

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May 11, 2004

Helmets

CNN has a thing today about kids and bike helmets. I have a few things to say, but CNN can have its say first.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Fewer than half of all U.S. children wear helmets while biking, skating and riding scooters, a survey by safety researchers said Tuesday.

Many children observed in the survey who were wearing helmets were wearing them improperly, leaving them vulnerable to head injury, the nonprofit Safe Kids campaign found.

The researchers found that helmet use was lowest on residential streets, although that is where most accidents occur because that is where children play most frequently. Only 33 percent of children watched on residential streets were using helmets, the campaign said.

But in states with mandatory helmet laws, 45 percent of child bikers were seen wearing helmets, as opposed to 39 percent in states with no helmet laws.
Somebody want to find the main idea for me? <sarcasm>Make a law!</sarcasm>

First, what's the purpose of the helmet? No, first, did you know that you should only "use" a helmet once? Yes, really. If you smash your noggin while wearing the helmet, that helmet's fin for the scrap heap. Or it should be. Back on track. What's the purpose of a helmet? Does kid riding fall under that purpose?

I rode a lot as a child. I never, and I mean NEVER, wore a helmet. On my kid bike and my sportin' 3 speed that I had in junior high, I'm pretty sure I never exceeded 12 mph, too. If a kid's clipped in, that kid should be serious enough to wear a helmet. If not, guess what...kid's probably smart enough and possess enough reaction time to land on a different body part.

Adults need helmets more than kids, and many organized rides require them so as to reduce liability. And this is smart. If I'm careening down a poorly paved road at 30 mph, I need a helmet. It's usually a sign of a serious cyclist; you know, a sign that the person obeys traffic laws and doesn't run over kids pedalling on the sidewalk...because that cyclist is ON THE ROAD.

Okay, that turned into a rant. Yes, CNN, the brain is fragile. Kids, if you're planning to do some serious riding, you'd be wise to acclimate yourselves to bicycle helmets. CNN, shhhhhh. Can't you focus on slamming Big Food or something? Tomorrow? Ok.

hln

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May 10, 2004

Initiation

The first long ride of the season was Saturday. Six of us took off from U City and rode around Mid County and out west. My total for the day was 33.5 miles, though a few others rode more like 50 and 60 miles.

Must ride more. Hilly = very slow right now.

There are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening rides as well as sponsored weekend rides (this one Saturday was a coworker ride). No softball this summer, so over the course of the next few months, I should lessen hill hell into hill torture.

hln

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