I made it. I did 6 miles today. That is my personal record so far. I went to the bike trail that is 20? 25? miles from here? I really have no idea... my navigator took me on a wild goose chase that took over an hour and went about 50 miles... :-(
I almost gave up, but I finally got there and it was too late to turn back. The trail is beautiful - it is about 10-12 feet wide, paved, and very gently rolling. The whole thing is 10 miles, I did three miles up and three miles back. There were a few bikers on the trail, but in the hour I was there, I think I saw 10 or 12 people the whole time. It is a "rails to trails" thing, and it goes right through the middle of two bodies of water at one point... lots of beautiful wildlife, etc. I found my way back home, and I think it took about 1/2 an hour. I am planning to go there again soon. I am almost 1/3 of the way to my first century. :-)

:thumb:

It won't be long until 10 miles each way = 20 miles. Good stuff!!

I am not sure if this is the same, but I hate "wasted time", and a lot of working out or riding a bike seems like wasted time because I am not very good at riding. I can sort of "redeem the time" by listening to podcasts while I ride. I am not riding for long periods of time, but even if the riding time doesn't "count" somehow... getting my podcasts in makes me feel like I got something done.

-theresa

I've been riding late at night.

http://www.blipfoto.com/uploads/5850....92977590.jpeg

http://www.blipfoto.com/uploads/5850....94743600.jpeg

Congrats on the 5 miles. It gets easier and easier if you keep on riding.

Any distance over thirty minutes is a good distance. The 100 degree heat really narrows down the window, though.

That's livin'. :)

I somehow suspect that there was a little more than luck involved in the equation. Some people make bad decisions in their lives. Sounds like you made at least a few good ones somewhere along the line.

This an interesting discussion in highlighting the different ways we can see the same situation. For example, I see time and tasks other than bike riding during my time away from work as infringements that I work to minimize so that I have more time available for riding.

Heat is another interesting angle. Extreme heat definitely makes riding less pleasant and even dangerous if you don't acclimate yourself to it and take necessary precautions to avoid dehydration and exhaustion. But I ride even on the hottest days and I have noticed that the people I know who ride the most during good weather are the same people who ride when the conditions are less pleasant.

This is not to say that I ride every day or at every opportunity. It is not to say that I won't put off riding on an especially hot day if there is a milder day soon before or after when I could ride instead. What I won't do is what I see many people do, stopping or severely cutting back on my riding during the summer and waiting for cooler weather before restarting.

That's where I hope to get, since I don't see other 'enjoyable' activities as an infringement, but rather as a good use of my free time. However, until I get in better shape bike riding is currently more enjoyable in terms of the ride's varying accomplishment after the fact, not the actual ride itself. :) I'm sure that will change as I progress.

I won't claim to be immune to hot weather, but where I live (like you in Georgia) it's a fact of life. Hopefully, I don't bail too often on account of the temperature, although I definitely try to time a ride during the day for my benefit. Some days though (like yesterday) I twice anticipated riding, but twice had other things get in the way. Such is life, I guess. :)

If I said something that disagrees with this, it was not intentional. I may have been exaggerating to make a point. I was thinking more about things like mowing the lawn, washing the car etc. I'll put this kind of thing off as long as possible in favor of bike riding.

Oh no, not at all! You said nor implied nothing wrong. :thumb:

I was just trying to make the point that in my case cycling has not yet fully reached parity with some other leisure-time activities. However, I think that's because I'm still trying to come up to speed, no pun intended. At this point in time, it's more work than fun, but that should change over time. I went through the same process, eg., when I learned to fly years ago (something else I ran out of time, not to mention $$$, to sustain) - As I became more skilled, I was able to relax a bit and enjoy it more but early on it was just hard work. From what I've seen in acquaintances, playing golf might trigger a similar response, but I've never gone there. :D

It is easier to cycle a kilometer than a mile,
suggest keeping you log in km.
Plus when you are ready to cycle in most places outside the US,
you will already be calibrated.
miles may be better suited for your car,
km is better for your bike.

I did 4.1 miles yesterday. I am now over 1/3 of the way to my first century. I rode to my friend, the bike-nut's house to see his mountain bike track, and he adjusted my brakes and my handlebars, and lubed up some parts. It's great to know someone who knows how all the parts are supposed to work, and can fix them without a problem. Anyway, I went to his house, spent about an hour, and then rode home. The bike feels much better. It is starting to get more comfortable, and I am starting to feel the bike more and work with it rather than fighting it or clinging to it. It is starting to get fun. I hope to do the paved bike trail tomorrow if the nice weather holds. btw- I keep reading about "pie" on various messages, What is that about?
Thanks.

New personal best: 11 miles today. Went to the bike trail and rode 11 miles. I did not have a planned distance to go, but kept going as long as the going was pretty do-able. At 5 1/2 miles, I turned around and started back. Somehow the folks who made this trail engineered it so that both ways are up hill. I'm not sure how they did it, but I made it. It is much easier to do mileage on a relatively flat surface; unlike my neighborhood which is pretty hilly for my current fitness level. I have a couple of blisters, and my elbows hurt. I think the seat needs to be a little bit forward of where it is. Gonna check with my bike guy.

Wreader, do a google search for rail trails. They're usually paved, pretty scenic, and flat. I've been enjoying making day trips out of driving to various rail trails in nearby states. Or when I'm travelling in the area (with my bike on the rack, of course) or visiting someone out of state. I'll research what trails are in that area and see what people have to say about them. You might be surprised to find some really good trails not too far from you.