50 Miles. 4 Hours.

I'm only now recovering from a 50 mile bicycle ride on Monday.

I discovered something about a 4 hour bike ride. No matter how flat you think the route is, after 2 hours every minor bump is another mountain.

Yet, very little feels as great as the countdown from mile 49.

EDIT: WOW! I just discovered that 4 hours of riding is capable of shredding the boxers right off of your legs.

..Edit: Edit: I discovered this while doing the week's laundry. But thanks for thinking the worst. ;P

Exotic Locales

I had to travel today. I love having a job that sends me to exotic locales.

From Drop Box

I hate having to put on clothes to leave the office...

Evening Bicycling Checklist

Riding Attire, Check
Bicycle, Check.
Tire Pump, Check.
Riding Satchel, Check.
Flirt-with-cute-cashier-while-picking-up-water-and-gatorade, Check.
Meet at Steve's house for 20 mile ride, Check.
Riding shoes necessary for riding due to locking pedals, DOH!

Working for my lunch

I really appreciated lunch today and I hope to repeat this route to earn my meal each day. Food is guiltless when you work for it.



It was a "There and back again" route, but I didn't include the "back again".

Productivity

It's been a productive day. I cut back my monsta-hedges. I no longer trim them, I have to now cut them back to keep them in control. I mowed my lawn and took the trash to the dump. Then I took a 26 mile bicycle ride from Clarksville to Trenton. Dammit Steve! Where are the ride stats?!? Oh..right.



Now to close out the day with two PBS documentaries and one NatGeo one.

EDIT: Did I mention it took a ladder to cut back my monstredges?

3-One-Thousand.

Please people. When you follow a bike, give them 3 seconds of lead time. There wasn't an incident today, but people follow so close on today's ride that if there was an incident, a biker would end up under your car. Then you are facing manslaughter charges.


Other than that, the day was excellent! With blue skies above and cool breezes behind, the bike had no problems straightenin' the curves and flattenin' the hills! I thought my joints would give me problems, but only my ears and shoulder blades are sore. My mileage is now 650 and I'm scheduled for service tomorrow!

Land Between the Lakes by V-Strom

Pic #1 - Whoa, did you know there is a dude ranch/camp at LBL?

From 2009-05-15 LBLbyVStrom

Pic #2 - Lighthouse Harbor

From 2009-05-15 LBLbyVStrom

Pic #3 - God Damn!

From 2009-05-15 LBLbyVStrom

A 200 Mile Day!!

If anyone needs me today, I'll be somewhere along here:

Flats do not just happen to other people

I thought carrying an extra bicycle tube was for the amatuers. I thought SAG was there to help other cyclists. I thought I was invincible on the bike. I was wrong.

As my finger joints are aching, I was waiting for Steve to post about it. And he did.

I am not a recycler...

But you know what? That's ok. I said to Jenn last night, "I'm waiting for my inspiration, my reason to finish what I start." and it led to an immediate epiphany and overnight re-evaluation. I am not a recycler and no amount of waiting for someone to inspire me to be so is going to change that. So I asked myself, why are you making life more complex than it should be? Why are you, one, PUTTING UP and then stressing over artificial roadblocks to your growth?

I give myself leave of failing to recycle and I give myself leave of waiting for someone to mould me into a a person who would. Who can make me a better man. I can.

Life is good, now keep it simple.

Shared Experiences

Steve, Jenn (not that Jen, the other Jenn) and I took a 216 mile train ride today! Although sitting for the 108 mile out/108 mile back trips was excruciating, the company was very nice. The three of us talked for the 4.5 hour trip out, walked around downtown Monterey TN for an hour before taking the 4.5 hour trip back. On the trip back, we took turns naping and talking. It was a very good day that ended with a great Mexican restaurant dinner.

Words for the day: Look out for the domino's!

On the train:


Steve and "Not-That-Jen" Jenn:


"The Great Disappearing Stevie Act":