Cool Mountain Ride

Thursday morning I am going to borrow my friend, Ranger Tim Scott's mountain bike and visit my favorite mountain bike trail. Mountain biking use to be my only form of riding and I put a great deal of energy and time into it. Well since then I sold my equipment and then later migrated to Road riding. What I loved about mountain biking was the fact that I had to focus and get into a zone, not only physically, but mentally or I would suffer possibly hazardous results. It use to be my form of meditation where after an hour or so, the problems I felt took a back seat to living in the moment. I look forward to my ride tomorrow. It is suppose to be colder than the last few days, but being in the trees deep in the woods shouldn't be too bad. It will certainly be a change of pace.

Fall

Well now it is getting cooler. I am less motivated, and I have never really enjoyed cooler air. I would do more on my bike, but I don't want to put a lock on my road bike to do errands. I am thinking about getting a light cable lock and putting a terry cloth around it so it won't scratch my bike. I am considering finding a place to do weight training or core exercises during the up coming winter months. My big goal is to get my truck fixed and taken care of as I certainly can't afford to get another one. Anyway, this picture pretty much describes my mood lately, tumultuous. I am needing something positive to focus on, so I think I will just go for a ride as a good form of meditation, come home, and clean my house. The tour de cure ride went well, but the wind the second half of the century was murder for everyone. The roads in Missouri were rough. I took a wrong turn at the end of the ride just a few miles from the end and ended up doing 105.36 miles. I did ride a little before the event to warm up, but most of the added miles were from getting lost. I felt pretty good except for a little tendinitis from working so hard in the wind. I rode 13 the next day, and then did 40 the next week, and then 35 the next week. I guess I need some cross training, and I am thinking of borrowing a mountain bike to do some single track next week.

Seven more days

It is Saturday, October 4th, 2008 and seven days until I ride the Century at the Tour De Cure for diabetes. Today is a very special day for me, a very personal anniversary, but not a birthday, but a kind of re-birth, a second chance at life, which has lasted 19 years. I am grateful that at age 50, I still have relatively good health. I have started to notice the little things that I assume comes with age and is controlled by genetics and the life long experiences my body has had to endure and heal over time, but generally I am in OK shape. I am in as good of condition as I can get before the 100 mile ride. My average speed with out pushing myself to my limits has crept up to over 16 miles an hour over distance, anywhere from 26 to 51 miles. But to survive the century, I know I will need to keep my average low for most of the ride to ensure I don't bonk, or over tax my body. My max distance at one time is a little over 62 miles. My last 26 miles felt very good, but I can see where I need far better discipline with regards to keeping control of my effort and speed. My "yard dog" mentality doesn't help me be consistent. Around other bikers or racers, I catch myself trying to keep up at their tempo and not mine which can be disastrous to my performance and endurance goal. 16 is almost always in my range of average speed taking into consideration the hills I often climb and the changing wind conditions. Wind is my biggest enemy and when hit with a wind or hill challenge, I give up on my average and just do the work. I allow my self to be slow. Often, it is benificial to train slow and build up slowly. I try to be mindful and listen to my body signals. It takes these old bones and muscles several miles to warm up, but after about 13 miles it seems my body gets into a pain free and comfortable posture. Things that bother me like a knee, or an ankle, or back pain seems to settle out and I feel free of pain. Occasionally it takes a little longer, but if I drink enough, stop to stretch and just take it easy, my body responds. Most importantly, I have to ride my own ride and do my own pace. I will also try to eat and get my glycogen levels up before the ride and hydrate well. I have a hard 3 and half days of work to contend with, and then I will need to be well fed, hydrated, and rested. The lower back exercises and stretching exercises are helpful, but I haven't kept them up and I can't change much in a week. So hopefully, my basic fitness will be enough if I keep my speed and effort low at first and try to conserve energy.

Nemo has new tape

Nemo has new bar tape, a new hg 105 10 speed chain, and stunning white fredestein tires. She is getting all gussied up for the October 11th, 100 mile ride at the Tour de Cure. in Northwest Arkansas. My co workers at Walmart Optical Lab in Fayetteville are helping to raise money and sponsoring me at this years tour. I am very humbled by their generosity. I have ridden 3373 miles this year and even then, I am nervous about the ride. It is difficult for me to pace myself. I did 51.01 miles the other day with a 16.01 average with windy conditions and long climbing sections. It was the first time in a long while that my legs were sore and I felt bonked climbing the drawn out hill back to my house. Even though my legs were wanting me to stop on the last hill, I carried on. My bicycle, Nemo, has been such a blessing for me personally. She is a well designed hand made Italian road bike and made of columbus nemo steel, with assorted carbon fiber parts. She is very well balanced and has performed extremely well in all conditions. Thanks again Tom at GVH bikes for putting her together. Hope to see you at the Tour.

Riding with the wind.

I love this painting on the side of an old bike shop that once flourished in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This outer wall on the small building says it all about what makes me feel and stay alive! Bicycling has saved my life in so many ways, and I am very grateful. I am looking forward to the Tour de Cure on October 11th. I will be riding the century, and I am trying to raise 500 dollars. I hope I can do it... I think I can.... I think I can... I think I can.

Rickie

Gearing up for the Tour de Cure

Never mind the pillow in my jersey, I've started raising money for the Diabetes Association's Tour De Cure. Please visit my Tour De Cure web page by clicking here. I will be riding the century on October 11th. Thanks so much for your contributions which will help fight to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

My new bicycle route.

Today I rode my bike 61.2 miles and took my new bike route which presents me with mostly back roads where traffic is not as intense, the views are beautiful, and the route presents a plesant ride that is not too difficult, but challenging enough to get a mix of a variety of conditions. My ride started with three bottles of electrolite drink, two on my bike, Nemo, and one large bottle in my riding jersey. Foolishly, I didn't eat breakfast. My camera phone is not a good camera, but was easy to carry and document my ride. I first take a right down the hill, which I have to climb coming home and always presents a challenge at the end of the ride. It is the last major stressor in my ride and I judge my conditioning by it's precieved difficulty. I then take a few quick turns to a road that is often used by road bikers and the sign with a picture of a bicycle on it says, "Share the ride." Most roads allow bicycle traffic in Arkansas, but trying to tell the motorist that. After a quick and long slight down hill flat area, and with the wind at my back today and the temperatures like fall after the cool front came in, I start a one mile slight incline that always is a good measure of fitness as it always kicks my butt. After the long slight climb the course takes the new turn. I turn left off the hill and the road winds down and up several short but extremely steep little hills that eventually crosses the main highway. After the highway crossing, the road again is serene and relatively traffic free in comparison to the main highway. This road eventually connects the town Farmington and I have to take a left at the main highway and ride about 3/4 of a mile before I take a right on another country back road which is again relatively traffic free and serene. I pass several beautiful houses and some newly built mansions. I love the old brick church and a brick house along the country road leading to the bottom of the hill on the highway to Prairie Grove. At the top of a long shallow, but deceptively difficult climb into Prairie Grove is the Prairie Grove Battlefield Park which the locals have done a wonderful job recreating the history of the area decide to ride on towards Cove creek which goes to Sulfur Springs which is another back country road that is surrounded by farm fields and the higher hills in the distance. This winds back toward an area used by the Joe Martin stage race in a little town called, "HOGEYE." Only in a place like Arkansas would a person find a town named HOGEYE. I decide to take a smooth country road that again connects to Prarie Grove a different way and reconnect back the way I come. The temperature was unusually cool, and didn't start to heat up until I started to return to town and into the wind. I had to stop and refresh my water supplies and my right leg knee area seemed to be a little cramped from standing and pushing hard on the steep little hills coming home. The hills are not long, just very steep. I am planning to ride a 100 mile ride in October to raise money for the Diabetes Association, and I couldn't help but note, that my conditioning is good, but I have a long way to go. Thank goodness October will be much cooler.