Our further goal is to try a group tour, entry level. Because of that we have to be able to ride at least 10 miles. Or 15, 20 miles.
So when we ride, we decided to ride a little more distance.
Today we almost gave up to ride, but we couldn't waste any day. So we did the same time of day, surely it was windy severely. We rode as much as we felt OK.
The result was:
Almost 7 miles!! Average speed was 8.1 miles/hr .
Now we really need a good rest tomorrow. We both felt pain on our hip joints.
We will sure to have nice stretch and go to bed soon.
Long hour event finished, so we rode late afternoon. The wind got stronger and bashed us fiercely. We made an incremental improvement.
We rode 6.32 miles! Average speed was 8.5 mph.
Neighborhood bike. I was not good at riding with small number (I should say, big sprocket) for back gear before. So I started with 3rd today, it was not so bad as before in my memory. It was OK for a while, but more pedaling made my left knee get a strange feeling which is just before hurting. So I changed up to 4th. Even for down-slope 5th is comfortable for me, because it's easy to slow down by brake.
After warming up nicely, I pedaled faster and using middle number or heavier.
Today Mr. wheelpedal used his smart phone as an odometer. We biked 5.50 miles.
I checked google map for our route miles before. From now we can check this convenient stuff to know. That's great. We, granma and granpa were away from technology.
Drank a glass of water, and some cherries, yummy, yummy.
Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th, we walked 2 miles and biked our neighborhood 5 miles on each day. We got just pooped. Mr. wheelpedal was no energy left, and I noticed finally after gardening a little bit, oh, my goodness, I'm exhausted.
So we decided today is for resting.
Found interesting videos.
Laughing made me cheer up
I need this slow pedaling practice!
My eyes can't follow the speed!
Well, I hope I can ride tomorrow. My plantar fasciitis on the right heel has gone now!
We went to Sonoma Valley Regional Park today. I was thinking to go much earlier but as usual we arrived at around 1:30 p.m. Weather was nice very sunny with lots of breeze. It should have been a perfect cycling day.....
Last time riding Mr. wheelpedal took the folding bike and had hard time to climb up the steep slope. This time he managed to pack two regular bicycles in our car. So we both could ride our own regular and comfortable bike.
Because it's Sunday today, many family and friends were walking and biking. Some of them were with their dogs. Most of the people were nice and relaxed.
Only me who got tense extremely. As soon as I saw people, my wrists and arms got stiff and even shaky, so my riding got really wavy and uncontrollable. I had to get off my bicycle seat, and wait for them passing.
Sonoma Valley R.Park bike route is a paved road, but bumpy and narrow in some spots and have a height difference between paved road and dirt parts. I think this is very beginners' complaints, It was so disappointing about myself. My mind wanted to cry. Luckily I am too old to cry, so I couldn't and didn't.
Poor my husband he could have enjoyed nice easy 2.5 miles ride going down, and then coming back. But when we reached the point 2 thirds of the bike route, he found and warned me from now on I have to watch out for the poison oak on both side of the bath. That's really dangerous sign. I know myself who might do what I'm supposed not to because of my tension. So I gave up.
My physical strength told me go more, but my mind got already tired. We rode back up and had a small lunch I made. And tried to ride more down and up.
Again! I was not satisfied with my today's ride. I tried myself calm down and relax, but I couldn't.
When we got home back, I was really tired.
My dream seems never come true. Tear, tear, tear....
Next time I should ask my husband to stand as guinea pig, so I can practice not to hit and ride inside of edgy of road.
We rode along the plan I made last night. 5.5 miles Unfortunately we both forgot to time. After lunch I was going to go again, but the fatigue came out more and more to let me down. I felt sorry about myself.
At least we walked 2.5 miles on paved road. Surprisingly it was easier than used to be. My legs must have been stronger than before. That's a good news!
We searched and searched about possible bike road to try.
We both are timid people to try new things right away, but I want to try tomorrow at least short course!
Click here to listen La Bicyclette by Yves Montand
It's sunny day, today. Just right day for practice! Before going out, I need to review what I'm going to do today.
The 1st practice. Flat area : Front (Left hand) 2, Back (Right hand) 4, and then
Up-slope: Front 2, Back 3 or 2, and then
Down-slope: Front 2, Back 4, 5, or bigger
This practice shouldn't be so hard. I just keep in mind to pedal faster than usual for up-slope.
The 2nd practice. Flat area: Front 2, Back 4/ Up-slope: Front 1, Back 4/ Down-slope: Front 2, Back 4, 5, or 6
Left gear changing might be tricky for me. Mr. wp gave advice some, so I will do it ahead of time. I hope I can remember what I'm going to do.
And one more big challenge will be ride on 1'' higher seat.
I'm not sure about this, because I was scared to do it before.
Well, Practice 1 went very well. At the beginning I had a hard time to get used to a faster pedal speed, but after 10 mins. I was OK. The seat got higher and it made pedaling easier for me. That's great!
I found it quite difficult changing front gear. Because I had to use clumsy left hand and also gear is quite heavy. I decided not to change the front gear until it's really necessary, as I've done before.
Once I got used to pedaling faster, biking got really fun. We biked round and round for at least 6 miles or more.
We got a craving for carbohydrate so we made our own ice cream sundae.
My homemade Ice cream sundae.
His homemade banana split
It's almost midnight now, and we are really tired.
Last weekend's too much excitement made me exhausted, and him too, we had to have a rest for a while.
Today we finally lifted ourselves up and biked on the road in our neighborhood again.
At beginning my body was awful. 10 min. later finally I was fine, besides my buttocks hurt!??
But we finished a bike ride of 3.5 miles today! I feel better.
Then, we did it again after we checked all the grades.
Surprisingly the even steep looking slope is not! That is a little bit disappointment, but in a way this is a good place to practice all kinds of things. Because I didn't know many things about bicycle.
Today I learned how to use both sides gear shifts on Internet, and also from him.
Tomorrow I'm going to practice gear changing properly.
Low Gear is great for climbing: Front - small, Back- the largest (1-3)
High Gear is great for descending: Front- big chainring, Back- the smallest (4-7)
Middle Gear is great for everyday terrain: Front- middle chainring on triple, Back- the middle (3-6)
So I'm going to use back gear 3 , maybe 4 for flat and practice changing for up-slope and down-slope next.
In our neighborhood there are some slopes. I've never chosen the steepest road before, but I really want to try the slope this time.
After I had the experience yesterday, the steepest road was not scary for me any more. I was so excited and I tried riding on the slope repeatedly.
We could change our daily course, and that was so much fun.
But for concouring the reginal park upslope, I have to train my legs more.
It was a nice and sunny afternoon. We drove up to Spring Lake
regional park. We parked at the end of Violetti road near the Swimming
lagoon.
According to the regional park information, the
paved loop is for families and beginners. But there is a quite sleep
upslope which frightened me. I tried as hard as I could, but I had to
give up, because my heart was getting worse. Maybe because I got tense
and breathed wrong. I got panicked. So I just walked to the hill top.
I'm a beginner. I have no shame.
This
time I brought my regular bike, but even that bike I couldn't go up.
Unlike me he was struggling but went up OK with the folding bike! His
good old sense must have come back.
Beside that
terrible slope all the spring lake loop 3.5 miles was easy and fun for
me. In addition the lake view is so relaxing.
Nowadays the weather will change unexpectedly. So we drove out after
putting the new seat on the folding bike. I rode the folding bike and
he rode his bike on part of the bike path around the Depot Museum in
the city of Sonoma. Maybe about 1.5 miles.
Next time we should ride on the trail at a regional park.
http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Activities/Cycling.aspx
