I just bought my first bike in 20 years. I don't know anything about bikes, but I think the one I bought is pretty nice. It's a GT Legato 3.0. Currently, I'm just riding it around in my neighborhood, trying to lose some weight, but I'm hoping to ride in Habitat for Humanity's Bike to Build next year.

I have not seen a Legato in 'the flesh' so to speak, but it does look like a quite decent ride. How many miles are you doing on an average ride?

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

Thanks for the welcome!

I'm pretty out of shape, and right now I'm only doing about 3 miles / ride, and I'm riding every day. The road I live on is about 3/4 of a mile from end to end, and in the middle is a pretty steep valley, so my ride is down the hill, then back up the other side. I then tool around the neighborhood on the other side, then back down the hill and back up. All in all, I do about .5 miles at a pretty steep incline. For me, that's enough to make my legs turn to jelly right now by the time I get back home.

Sounds like a good start! Tell me more about the Habitat for Humanity Bike to Build ride. Is this an organised ride, or the cross country tour?

East Hill

It's organized by the Scotland County, North Carolina branch of Habitat for Humanity. Scotland County being the county where I grew up, and where my folks still live. My dad rode in it last year, and that got me wanting to ride with him. There's four routes, a 100km, a 32 mile, a 21 mile, and a 10 mile. We're looking at doing the 32 mile. The last event was last May, so I've got a little less than a year to train up.

You will think I am joking now, but I would bet that by the time you sign up, you will go for the 100k.

Seriously.

Thirty two miles is not really that much once you get going in earnest, and it sounds as if you have some good motivational factors.

East Hill

I don't know heh. That sounds like a pretty long distance to me right now. Also, I don't think my dad will want to go that far. I think he's doing pretty great riding the 32! So I'll stick to the 32 for this event, but once this event is done, who knows?

Welcome .. Charlotte's the cycling capitol of The South if not the world. The only down-side is that East Hill doesn't live there.

Well, ok.



East Hill

[blushes]

Thanks old and new!

East Hill

Welcome to BF, linuxelf!

Be sure and check out the "CLT Area Riders" thread in the Southeastern Regional Discussion forum. Those of us in the greater CLT area banter around a bit and share local info. You might also want to check out the Foo forum. A number of us participate in that circus, too.

What part of Charlotte are you in?

And what do you brew?

Yeah, I stopped by the CLT Area Riders area and saw mention of a group ride in Western NC that I'd love to do, but I'm nowhere near ready for yet. One of these days, though, I'll be there!

I'm in South Charlotte, between South Blvd and Park Rd. I work uptown, and would really like to be able to bike commute, but I just don't trust myself and the traffic enough just yet. It's only 8 miles, but people are idiots on South Blvd.

I've been brewing beer for about 15 years. Right now I've got a Belgian style Abbey ale and an American Pale Ale on tap. Didn't get around to brewing an Oktoberfest this year.

Welcome to BF!

If you're ever up by the University area and want to ride, shoot me a PM. There's a couple of us that live out that way. I homebrew as well, mostly just partial mash. I live in an apartment and don't have room to do all grain. I'm always up for talking about beer and bikes.

I don't get down to the University area very often, but once I get into better shape, I'll definitely take you up on that!

I'm brewing extracts as well. I just recently started building an all grain system. I've got my mash tun complete (48quart Igloo cooler with a stainless steel hose braid), and I've got a propane cooker. All I really need now is a larger brew kettle, and a propane tank. I live in a house, but with my wife and daughter, it's still difficult to find space for everything.

Egad. Consider riding somewhere besides S. Blvd! Perhaps Selwyn to Queens to East (I think there may be some bike lanes there) to College/Tryon. It might add a few miles to your route, but so much the better, and safer!

I'm going to have to drive that course and see if I can recreate it safely on my bike. I'm still a few months from being in shape enough to do the ride anyway, so I've got a little time. Thanks for the suggestion, though. I've lived here in Charlotte for about 18 years, but I have a horrible sense of direction, and no memory for street names or locations, so I still find myself getting lost.

Easy enough to get lost in an area where one of the intersections is Queens and Queens! Be sure and pick up a good city map from AAA. That's the easiest way to map out a route over time.

And I live on Tyvola, a road that changes names 5 times as you drive down it.

Yep.

Hey, given that you live out that way, be sure to check out the Gaston County Cyclists. They have group rides nearly every day, and at different paces, and most rides are "no-drop." I've ridden with them several times, and will probably start riding with them more often after the time-trial season is over in October.