Bike to Work Day 2013

New pit stop.

April 2013 Stats

For April, I biked 170.8 miles. This includes the 47-mile Ocean to Bay Ride, which I did not blog about. (sorry)

I biked 25 days out of 30, which is one day more than I had predicted I would.

Someday, I will bike more days, and more miles. But probably not while I’m still in school. I apologize for the lack of posts this month. Unfortunately, I may not be able to post very often until I’m finished with this program, but I will keep riding, even if it’s only to work and back.

March 2013 Stats

For March, I biked 209.8 miles. This includes the Half-Vasa ride and the Thurmont Populaire.

I am planning to ride at least one organized ride in April. Let’s hope the weather finally warms up!

The One Bike Theory

I’ve been riding my Tricross bike for everything lately. I use it for commuting to work, getting around town, running errands, and weekend rides. I’ve even ridden two (hilly) populaires on it. According to my statistics, I’ve ridden well over 2500 miles on it since I bought it used in 2010.

I have a road bike that is currently sitting in storage until my favorite shop ride resumes in the spring– I think. I have a folding bike that I had bought to be multimodal, except now I either ride an entire trip on a bike, or I take the Metro, or lately I’ve been multimodalling it via Capital Bikeshare.

Maybe I should only have one bike? I’ve been thinking of eventually selling the Tricross and getting a nimble yet solid steel-frame bike– or at least a bike that fits me a little better than what I have now. Like Alex, size is an issue for me too, but I can’t afford a custom-built bike right now.

And yet– I’m not sure whether I want to give up my road bike. I like it for short, fast weekend rides, but not for longer rides. I can’t decide.

Lessons Learned From the Thurmont Thump

I’m pleased to report some progress.

New saddle is comfortable. The Terry Liberator X saddle works great for long rides. A big difference there. I was sore, but not in pain like last time.

New top tube bag= easy access to food. I bought a Detours Slice bag, which makes it easier for me to use while riding. It opens and closes with a zipper, and I was able to fish out Shot Bloks and a Larabar with one gloved hand. Nice.

Fueling up. I had a good dinner the night before. I took small bites of energy bars and Shot Bloks while on the bike, a quick stop for a sandwich, and followed everything with a Tums chaser. My energy (and mental state) was more or less constant throughout, and I managed to keep the heartburn at bay this time. I stayed well hydrated.

Some things to think about:

The Thurmont Thump: 115K Populaire

Thurmont and the Catoctin Mountains- photo by Bill Beck

Some of you may recall that my first brevet of last year was the Urbana 200K, which landed me a trip to the ER. Knowing how ridiculously hilly the route is, and knowing that once again, I would not have had adequate training and riding by this point, this year, I– wanted to do the Wilderness Campaign ride. But I had just come back from my annual out-of-town conference, and I also had a final paper to write for a class, so I bowed out. I did want to get a ride in March, so I signed up for the Thurmont populaire instead.

The Halvvasan: Half of a Tale

I meant to write up my account of the WABA Vasa Ride this week, but it’s been a hectic week, due to finals and such. So, here’s the very short version:

• I did the half (30 miles) instead of the full this time.
• It was cold.
• Lots of good Bike DC friends came out. As always, it was great to have Rootchopper as a riding buddy.
• My legs felt pretty good throughout. Am still trying to resolve the heartburn issue.
• Hot bilberry soup (blåbärssoppa) felt great going down after a chilly ride.
• I had a great time.

I hope to write up my next ride soon!