Todays Ride

[Tom Blum]

We're back on full pay here in Florida, where you get half your pay in sunshine.

About 50 deg F at 9 am, with wall to wall blue skies when I left the house.

I'm making an effort these days to "ride the bike (or bent, as the case may be) to go somewhere,
rather than going somewhere to ride the bike.

I took the SMC today. (That's Speed Machine Clone) I have the seat reclined to 30 degrees. It's
quite hard to ride when there is much traffic. Sunday AM is best. (more on this later). South of
Winter Haven there are lots of secondary roads weaving through the lakes, swamps and groves. I start
out with a general plan and then improvise and adlib as the mood takes me. Today I began with a 22
mile ride in mind.

I have the heavier seat on the bike again because it seems to have better ergonomics. I find I can
cruise around 20 mph frequently. Also, I picked up a trick from the performance computer. The speed
vs. distance plot for a given power takes over a mile to reach maximum speed. I've been Working hard
to reach the desired speed NOW and then cruising. Today, I just let it happen. I think this laid
back approach stops lactic acid build up and the resulting tired feeling.

There is a new muscle showing up in laidbackville. That is the muscle across the front of the hip
joint. I know I have one for sure, because it starts to cramp, when I stop,after an hour or so. It's
okay after a minute and, by staying calm, I can avoid bad cramping.

Any advice about the particular muscle would be appreciated, including it's name. @#$%^&*(+"?><**
doesn't build a good relationship. I want my muscles and I to be close.

The stupid muscle also caused another fall. My falling skills are improving, though!!! I only fall
when stopped now . Slow operations are hard on a low racer. Throw in a cramp at the wrong time and
over you go.But it's just a "Laugh In Fall". Me and Arte!!Now, if I could just learn not to stick my
elbow out when falling, I could eliminate all bloodshed.

My Sunday rides span "church time". I have to say that the people getting out of church and,
presumeably, rushing to brunch ane not very christian. Sheesh. Once they hit the road, get out of
the way!!!

Anyway, today about 30 miles. computer average 13.6 mph. Does anyone know how soon the timer stops
when you stop?? Last week, I busted my ass for fast and only averaged 14.6 for 22 miles. I do stop
for water or stretch several times.

--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum Winter Haven, Florida Homebuilts: SWB Tour Easy Clone Speed Machine Clone

www.gate.net/~teblum

 

[Tom Sherman]

Tom Blum wrote:
> ... Slow operations are hard on a low racer. Throw in a cramp at the > wrong time and over you go.
> But it's just a "Laugh In Fall". Me and Arte!!Now, if I could just learn not to stick my elbow out
> when falling, I could eliminate all bloodshed....

I believe with a more upright (>30 degrees) seating position, the proper steering set-up [1], and
minimal foot-wheel interference, a lowracer can have decent low-speed handling down to the 2-3
mph range.

Elbow and hip pads should protect a lowracer rider from almost all low-speed fall injuries.

[1] I prefer a small amount of tiller, but less than some lowracers (such as the Optima Baron) have.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side) RANS "Wavewind" and Rocket, Earth Cycles Sunset and
Dragonflyer

 

[Carl]

in article [email protected], Tom Blum at [email protected] wrote on
2/2/03 11:10 AM:

> My Sunday rides span "church time". I have to say that the people getting out of church and,
> presumeably, rushing to brunch ane not very christian. Sheesh. Once they hit the road, get out of
> the way!!!

I'll second that. I hate riding past churches when they let out. They behave like weekday rush-hour,
although there is usually plenty of room to pass. We rode past Willow Creek (huge affluent church in
the Chicago 'burbs - services attended by thousands) one Sunday morning. I think we were buzzed by
more SUVs on that ride than any other.

-Carl

 

[Christopher Jor]

"Tom Blum" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> We're back on full pay here in Florida, where you get half your pay in sunshine.
>
> About 50 deg F at 9 am, with wall to wall blue skies when I left the house.
>
>

Pay? Pay? California is so broke that the governer is tryong to get $36 billion out of benters! ;-)

One thing I do not understand: no heavy snow, rain, etc. Broke as Hell, but record temps. 50 deg
would be freeing! Middle of winter- I just don't get it.

Chris Jordan Santa Cruz, CA.

 

[A&B]

Tom, I don't know it's name, maybe psoas, but it's deep so maybe not that one. Anyhow. Try the psoas
stretch in the first link. It's kinda like the calf thing but more around front at the hip level.
Also check the iliotibial stretch in second link. Both stretches deal with the connectors and
muscles around your hip. http://www.spinalhealth.net/stretching.html
http://www.nismat.org/ptcor/itb_stretch/ bill g

Tom Blum wrote:

> There is a new muscle showing up in laidbackville. That is the muscle across the front of the hip
> joint. I know I have one for sure, because it starts to cramp, when I stop,after an hour or so.
> It's okay after a minute and, by staying calm, I can avoid bad cramping.
>
> Any advice about the particular muscle would be appreciated, including it's name.

 

[Carol Cohen]

> From: "Tom Blum" <[email protected]> Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Newsgroups:
> alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 12:10:42 -0500 Subject: Todays Ride
>
> We're back on full pay here in Florida, where you get half your pay in sunshine.

Don't rub it in, you nasty gloating biker. Today it's beautifully sunny and the snow & ice are
melting somewhat.
>
> About 50 deg F at 9 am, with wall to wall blue skies when I left the house.

Well, at least we have the blue skies too. Made my kitchen too damn bright at breakfast time; forced
me to clean the cabinet fronts, since I couldn't get out biking on that ice. I moved the refrig. 3
times, got more miles on its cyclometer than on my TE this week.
>
> I'm making an effort these days to "ride the bike (or bent, as the case may be) to go somewhere,
> rather than going somewhere to ride the bike.
>
> I took the SMC today. (That's Speed Machine Clone) I have the seat reclined to 30 degrees. It's
> quite hard to ride when there is much traffic. Sunday AM is best. (more on this later). South of
> Winter Haven there are lots of secondary roads weaving through the lakes, swamps and groves. I
> start out with a general plan and then improvise and adlib as the mood takes me. Today I began
> with a 22 mile ride in mind.

Now, THAT sounds like a nicer Florida ride than the railtrails! Next time I come down, I'm gonna do
the back roads.
>
> I have the heavier seat on the bike again because it seems to have better ergonomics. I find I can
> cruise around 20 mph frequently. Also, I picked up a trick from the performance computer. The
> speed vs. distance plot for a given power takes over a mile to reach maximum speed. I've been
> Working hard to reach the desired speed NOW and then cruising. Today, I just let it happen. I
> think this laid back approach stops lactic acid build up and the resulting tired feeling.
>
> There is a new muscle showing up in laidbackville. That is the muscle across the front of the hip
> joint. I know I have one for sure, because it starts to cramp, when I stop,after an hour or so.
> It's okay after a minute and, by staying calm, I can avoid bad cramping.

I think it's the ileopsoas. If you do mean that muscle that actually crosses from the hip to the
inner thigh. (I'll check that later in the anatomy CD). My physical therapist showed me an exercise
that involved sitting on the floor with my legs out in front and lifting one leg at a time, slowly,
up to about a foot above the floor, then slowly lowering it. If you find that doing 12-20 sets of
these is too easy, add ankle weights.
>
> Any advice about the particular muscle would be appreciated, including it's name. @#$%^&*(+"?><**
> doesn't build a good relationship. I want my muscles and I to be close.
>
> The stupid muscle also caused another fall. My falling skills are improving, though!!! I only fall
> when stopped now . Slow operations are hard on a low racer. Throw in a cramp at the wrong time and
> over you go.But it's just a "Laugh In Fall". Me and Arte!!Now, if I could just learn not to stick
> my elbow out when falling, I could eliminate all bloodshed.
>
> My Sunday rides span "church time". I have to say that the people getting out of church and,
> presumeably, rushing to brunch ane not very christian. Sheesh. Once they hit the road, get out of
> the way!!!
>
> Anyway, today about 30 miles. computer average 13.6 mph. Does anyone know how soon the timer stops
> when you stop?? Last week, I busted my ass for fast and only averaged 14.6 for 22 miles. I do stop
> for water or stretch several times.
>
You're talking a few seconds here & there. You don't need to prune bits of seconds off your average,
since it's your personal record and not a public one. Because you'll still know, inside, how you've
done, without fractional seconds.

C.C.,Rider

 

[Robert Siegel]

There are beautiful country roads through the horse and cattle country both north and south
of Gainesville. Very little traffic. The Gainesville Cycling Club runs a Horse Farm Hundred
each Spring.

--
Gator Bob Siegel EasyRacers Ti Rush "Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote>
> Now, THAT sounds like a nicer Florida ride than the railtrails! Next time
I
> come down, I'm gonna do the back roads.

 

[Carol Cohen]

(reproachfully and regretfully) too bad, Gator Bob; you missed your chance.

C.C.
> From: "Robert Siegel" <[email protected]> Organization: AT&T Worldnet Newsgroups:
> alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2003 21:38:13 GMT Subject: Re: Todays Ride
>
> There are beautiful country roads through the horse and cattle country both north and south
> of Gainesville. Very little traffic. The Gainesville Cycling Club runs a Horse Farm Hundred
> each Spring.
>
> --
> Gator Bob Siegel EasyRacers Ti Rush "Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote>
>> Now, THAT sounds like a nicer Florida ride than the railtrails! Next time
> I
>> come down, I'm gonna do the back roads.
>>>
>>

 

[Robert Siegel]

Yeah, I suffered in the totally flat, sunny, (and fairly warm) Florida Keys while you were touring
the rest of FL during that record breaking cold snap.

--
Gator Bob Siegel EasyRacers Ti Rush "Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BA6459EF.43E20%[email protected]...
> (reproachfully and regretfully) too bad, Gator Bob; you missed your
chance.

 

[Carol Cohen]

> From: "Robert Siegel" <[email protected]> Organization: AT&T Worldnet Newsgroups:
> alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2003 00:10:41 GMT Subject: Re: Todays Ride
>
> Yeah, I suffered in the totally flat, sunny, (and fairly warm) Florida Keys while you were touring
> the rest of FL during that record breaking cold snap.
>
> --
> Gator Bob Siegel EasyRacers Ti Rush "Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:BA6459EF.43E20%[email protected]...
>> (reproachfully and regretfully) too bad, Gator Bob; you missed your
> chance.
>>
>
But didn't Tom tell you? I wore your Bike Team outfit. (plus helmet, of course)

C.C.

 

[Larry Varney]

Robert Siegel wrote:
> There are beautiful country roads through the horse and cattle country both north and south
> of Gainesville. Very little traffic. The Gainesville Cycling Club runs a Horse Farm Hundred
> each Spring.
>
> --
> Gator Bob Siegel EasyRacers Ti Rush "Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote>
>
>>Now, THAT sounds like a nicer Florida ride than the railtrails! Next time
>>
> I
>
>>come down, I'm gonna do the back roads.
>>
>
>

That sounds awfully similar to the Horsey Hundred held on Memorial Day Weekend in Georgetown,
Kentucky. There's nothing quite as pretty as the Kentucky Bluegrass region, with its miles of
white fencing. It's a good ride, with several different routes on Saturday and Sunday, and
housing at the dormitories (Georgetown College) is very economical. I've ridden this ride the
past two years, and I'll be back again this year.