Tin Diesel

I've been lurking through this forum for a while, using it to make decisions on which bike to buy, along with accessories.

Now that I've got the bike, its time to go public! I picked up a new 2006 Specialized Roubaix Expert at an LBS clearance sale in another city. Its my first road bike as an adult, but I've really been enjoying it.

After running all my life (10K's and one marathon), my age, knees and a change to working at home (lost my running buddy) resulted in much less working out (aka: lazy). Over 5-7 years, my weight climbed, as did my blood pressure.

Finally decided enough is enough. Started spinning class at the local YMCA (new spinning buddy - my wife! Hey, I can pedal much faster, and never drop her!), went on a diet, and dropped most booze. Lost 47 pounds in 6 months. Blood pressure dropped way down (still hoping for more, though). I'm now 1 lb inside the BMI statistic of normal (no longer 'overweight'). But felt I needed a competitive reason for those endless hours on the spinning bike (I guess that's my running 10k background).

So I started looking for a bike (hence this forum).
Now I ride or spin (or both, sometimes) every day. I use Mapmyrun.com to lay out routes around our local residential streets. Looking for group rides in my area (and the time to do them).
Plan on doing the MS150 (Houston-Austin) in the spring, but my ultimate goal is the "Ride the Rockies" ride in June of each year. Hoping for that in a couple of years.

My wife thinks I'm crazy. But after watching me come back happy and grinning from 1 or 2-hour rides on my new Roubaix, we went out this weekend and got her a new road bike (a new Lemond Versailles WSD - chosen primarily because its pretty!) She won't do the 'ride the rockies', but she's threatening to do the MS150! We ride together every evening... just wandering slowly through the neighborhood.

Anyway, great forum here. Great info. MANY THANKS to the mods who keep it running. Without you, these places would be the 'wild wild west!"

(the avatar is a photo I found in a thread about the recent Tour de France... couldn't resist! But its not me!!! The User Name (Tin Diesel) is my name on the Airstream forum (travel trailers). Just seems easier to go by the same name.)

East Hill

Hello Tin Diesel, there should be at least a few members here who can give you a hand with rides in Houston--check in with the Texas regional forum.

I guess I don't have to tell you to enjoy your ride .

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

East Hill

Oh, and here you go:

It's not bike porn, but you may enjoy this--







Seen in Tonasket, Washington. I was rather surprised when I discovered it had a brand new license plate on it. Yes, it was being used .

East Hill

Tin Diesel

Cool.
Here's our rig - in Colorado in this photo. We just take our old mountain bikes up there, but I'm looking forward to some road biking.

East Hill

You are doing a fine job of multitasking there!

I especially like the way you've got the canoe up there on the pickup . How old's the Airstream?

East Hill

Tin Diesel

Its a 1999 30-footer. We bought it almost 2 years ago to have a place to stay during a construction project. What started out as a utilitarian approach to a housing problem has turned into a really fun vacation hobby. We really look forward to heading out in it.
We REFUSE to stay in normal RV parks. The most crowded we tolerate are state parks. A lot of times, we 'boondock', living off a small generator and our fresh water supply. Lots of fun - civilized camping.

East Hill

Avoid crowds! Avoid noise! Yes !! Yuck on RV parks !

East Hill