Bicycle Diaries
30 years riding, 15 years writing
Safety Pin
Debris on the trail.
Finishing up my second lap of the McAlpine and I start hearing some ticking sound coming from my rear wheel. It sounds like a spoke is loose, so I stop to check it out.
I slowly rotate the rear tire and I come across a safety pin stuck in the rubber. I remove it and start hearing a hissing sound, the sound that accompanies walking your bike home. So I rush home before I run out of air, wishing they finish clearing the dead wood from the side of the trails, cause it’s bringing in all sorts of junk onto the gravel.
MTB: distance 13.37 miles, average speed 14.0 mph.
Soggy ride
Rained last night, the McAlpine was very soggy, hard pedaling for sure. Tried to keep a good speed but it was useless, so I did more miles. The forecast is for more rain today, so I’ll go for a long walk tomorrow.
MTB: distance 19.18 miles, average speed 13.8 mph.
Burning lungs
My legs are hurting my lungs.
Now that I can keep a good constant speed, my lungs are burning. I had to slow a bit today, my legs felt great but my lungs weren’t. Brings back memories of long road rides and trying to keep up with a fast group of riders. It’s a shame we lose fitness, I’ll just have to ride longer and more often.
MTB: distance 17.27 miles, average speed 14.3 mph.
Go Speed
Picked up where I left off last season.
I took two months off this past Winter, December through February I rested. I was riding really good, my legs felt strong but I knew I had to take some time off.
Now, only a couple of months back, and I can maintain a good average speed without going anaerobic. I know that faster speeds are just around the bend.
MTB: distance 13.60 miles, average speed 14.8 mph.
Picking up the dead wood
The city is out in full force picking up the dead trees along the trails. I would of thought that in the Winter months, it would of been easier to gather up the fallen trees, cause there is quite a lot of vegetation growing by this point.
MTB: distance 19.00 miles, average speed 14.1 mph.
Trimming the trees
The city workers are trimming the trees along the trails. I can’t quite figure out the logic behind what they are cutting, but they must have some kind of master plan.
MTB: distance 13.63 miles, average speed 14.2 mph.
Rained on
The radar said all was well.
Kept a watchful eye on my personal weather station for clear skies before I headed out, yet it started to rain on me halfway through my ride, cold drops of rain to be exact. Though it was raining, I had a nice tailwind heading out to the lake that made up for the shivers.
MTB: distance 13.63 miles, average speed 14.0 mph.
Warm D
I can feel the Sun’s rays on my skin, Vitamin D interacting with my cells. Sweated for the first time today, brings back memories of humid Florida, where my bike would also get drenched from the sweat pouring off my body.
MTB: distance 15.94 miles, average speed 14.1 mph.
Walking
Our morning walks are improving my biking.
This afternoon, my legs felt strong and I didn’t strain going up any inclines on the bike. I could of gone faster, but I don’t want to push it too early. I may have found a good way to get in bike shape quicker this year, live and learn.
MTB: distance 15.66 miles, average speed 14.1 mph.
Mowing the trails
The McAlpine is getting a cut.
The city was out in full force today mowing the overgrown brush and trimming the dead trees. I spend a lot of time on my lawn, yet the wild growth along the side of the trails looks better than some parts of my yard. Go figure, maybe I should just let things go wild then bring in a tractor once a year.
MTB: distance 13.60 miles, average speed 13.5 mph.
Charlotte, NC
Spent 10 years in Charlotte, a block away from an entrance to the McAlpine Creek Greenway.
Switched to a mountain bike from the road bikes I was accustomed to riding for 15 years.
The time spent on these trails was most appreciated.
Trek Fuel 70
