11/17/13 - Jamey

Hey All!

Sorry for our lack of posting over the last couple of weeks.  Busy time with work.  Parent/Teacher Conferences and the start of basketball coaching.  Such is life...

Anyways, now back to what is important, thats right, you guessed it, biking!  Sam and went for what could likely be one of our last few rides of the year today.  It was a little chilly but not too bad!  We did a little over 10 miles before coming home to watch the Vikings (big waste of time by the way).  We started on the Mississippi River Trail in Brooklyn Center and headed north and started toward the Coon Rapids Dam but didn't make it all the way there.  Sam had some issues which I'm sure she'll share with you.  We then turned around and rode toward the Islands of Peace Park.  We did a quick lap through the park then cruised back home.

It was a great ride and I'm starting to realize how much I'm going to miss this once the snow flies.  Hopefully we can get a couple more rides in before winter sets in.  

Happy Cycling and we'll talk soon!

11/17/13 - Sam

Did you know you can put a bike tire on the wrong way? Me either, until today. (Oh, I bought myself a new bike a few weeks ago. It's also a Trek and it's pretty great.)  These new bikes have quick release wheels, making it super easy to transport them. I took mine along with me last weekend when my friend and I went to Grandview Lodge in Nisswa MN for a girls weekend. I did manage to get about 9 miles in before the snow started up there. Anywhoo ... I took the tire off to bring it back home and put it back on to store in the garage. 

Lake view from my bike ride at Grand View Lodge

Mississippi River Trail

Today, I spent the morning taking Buddy for a jog through down the Mississippi River Trail and was pretty tired by the end. But, as soon as I got home Jamey wanted to go for a ride and I couldn't say no. It quickly became clear that I could not keep up with Jamey. I felt like I was working four times harder than usual. I shifted through all my gears, tried all the hand positions and I just couldn't keep up. Damn, I worked my butt off. Poor Jamey kept waiting for me, but I decided that the morning jog had kicked my butt and turned around.  For some reason, I remembered Jamey mentioning that his tire spun better when the release lever was on the left, so I got off my bike and checked - sure enough, my lever was on the right. I took the tire off and put it on the right way -- NIGHT AND DAY difference! I sped past Jamey and shouted "eat my dust!" (because I'm a grown up). Lesson learned - lever goes on the left.

Man made falls in the North Mississippi Regional Park

Once I got my groove back, I wanted to return to my favorite place, the Island of Peace. It's a little known oasis in the middle of the city. It's a small island, about 2 miles around, but it's just beautiful and I love it there. I go there whenever I need to clear my head, so I was glad I got to ride there at least one last time.

Lucky for me, my other bike is in fine shape. It's a thicker hybrid with bigger tires, so I think I'll get some winter riding in on nice days, but Jamey is probably done. The tires on our road bikes are too thin to ride in snow and ice.

See? We're novices. I'm sure there is a really good reason why a tire spins differently based on the way it's put on ... but I don't know what that reason is. Anyone out there want to let me know?

Toodles for now, friends.

11/2/13 - Jamey

Hey all!

Great afternoon for a ride today.  Low 50s and sunny.  Got out there and rode 10.5 miles in 45 minutes around Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis before setting in to watch some Gopher football vs. Indiana.  The first 3 quarters went well for the Gophers but the last 10 minutes has been tough.  They still have some time to pull it out though.

Went out and bought a Bell Bike Computer today and put it on my bike but I couldn't get it to work.  I followed the instruction to a T but nothing would register.  I got frustrated after fiddling with it for 20 minutes and took it off the bike and just went for my ride. I'm trying to decide if I should return it or not.  Anybody out there familiar with the product can send me some info.

I'm hoping to get a good ride in tomorrow afternoon between the Vikings game at noon and Timberwolves game at 6:30.  Stay tuned for details on the ride!

Happy Riding and we'll talk soon!

Prevented from biking?

11/2/13 Sam

Over the MEA school break,  Jamey and I took a trip to Duluth and the North Shore. I love that area! The Gitchi-Gami state State Trail, is up there and I would frequently sigh "I wish we'd brought our bikes!" For me, biking is a chance to commune with nature and appreciate the natural wonders of this world. We got a lot of hiking in while we were up there which was almost as good.

Of course, if you know me at all, you know that I'm a klutz. So ... of course ... I fell. I landed really frigging hard square on my tailbone on a pointy rock. OUCH. Two weeks later; still ouch. I tried to ride my bike once since and it was quite painful.

This weekend is one of the last nice weekends we're going to have for a while. The fall colors are still beautiful. I've had a pretty lousy week. I need to get out on my bike, but damn it hurts!! I might have to put the super padded bike seat back on, climb into my padded bike shorts and load up on painkillers and suffer through.

Riding my bike on beautiful trails is like church to me; it soothes and heals my soul, quiets my mind and inspires a sense of awe and gratitude within me. Rest may be the best treatment for my ailing tailbone, but my soul craves some quite time on the bike.

My next post may be one of me whining and crying about the pain, but I suspect it'll still be worth it!

Meanwhile, enjoy these photos from our Duluth trip:

Duluth Bridge at sunset

Obligatory couple pose at Gooseberry Falls

Great view of the falls, a bridge, the river