Bike odometer: 2510
Van odometer: 154057
Weight lost (in pounds):Â 4
Aches & pains: numbness in left leg at times, stye (left eye), sore throat and cough
Current reading: My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Recent listening: Down by the Old Mainstream by Golden Smog, Accelerate by R.E.M., Science Friday, Coverville, DrugMusic
Recent viewing: The Daily  Show, The Colbert Report, Numb3rs, Meet the Press, Patriots at Chargers, 60 Minutes, Nashville, Made, Dan in Real Life, Presidential Debate
Recent playing: Chain Factor, GlueFO
Recently accomplished:Â Cancelled gym membership, mowed lawn, paid bills, stored air conditioner for the winter, mailed packages
Imperative To Do: Get rid of office junk, freecycle, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, clean garage, office organization, get rid of MacRenewal Macs, trim bushes, pull blackberries
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 2510
Van odometer: 154024
Weight lost (in pounds):Â 2
Aches & pains:Â numbness in left leg at times, dry left eye in the morning
Current reading: My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Recent listening: All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot, Quadrophenia, Pink Floyd
Recent viewing: Superbad, No Country For Old Men, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Countdown, The Rachel Maddow Show
Recent playing: Chain Factor, Spaceward Ho!, foosball (at Yahoo!)
Recently accomplished: Prepped “new” computers for Thomas & Graham, installed Tina’s bike computer, Craigslist ad for Thomas/Graham, freecycle, Goodwill runs, booked trip to Iowa, book trip to Foster City, returned cans, office organization, returned Xbox
Imperative To Do:Â Cancel gym membership, get rid of office junk, freecycle, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, clean garage, office organization, get rid of MacRenewal Macs
Morning Bike Ride
Distance: 10.0 miles
Riding time: 57 minutes
Max speed: 29.8 mph
Average speed: 10.4 mph
Temperature: 90º (according to questionable bike computer read)
Route:
- Stanton to 162nd
- 162nd to I-84 bike path
- Bike path to Fairview Parkway
- Fairview Parkway to Sandy
- Sandy to 223rd
- 223rd to Marine Drive
- Marine Drive to 185th Ave
- 185th to Airport Way
- Airport Way to 158th
- 158th to Fremont
- Fremont to 156th
- 156th to home
Tina recovered quickly from our soul-sapping ride last week and got back in the saddle on Saturday to ride with Thomas. I was more conservative about my recovery time and didn’t attempt to ride again until today. I felt pretty good the whole way and my legs felt fine going up hills. I had a conference call so I headed for home from Marine Drive but Tina decided to keep going.
Afternoon Bike Ride
Distance:Â 15.0 miles
Riding time:Â 99 minutes
Max speed:Â 22.2 mph
Average speed:Â 9.0 mph
Temperature: 90º (according to questionable bike computer read)
Route:
- Through the neighborhood to 158th and Sandy Blvd
- 158th to Marine Drive bike path
- Bike path past 205 several miles (turnaround)
- Bike path back to 205
- I-205 bike path to Fremont
- Fremont to 122nd
- 122nd to I-84 bike path
- Bike path to 162nd
- 162nd to Stanton
- Stanton to home
Ever since we knew that I would be working from home, Tina and I have been looking forward to riding our bikes together during the day. We finally did it today and boy did it wear us out. I thought we might go five miles out and then turn around, but Tina was enjoying herself so much that we went another mile. I also decided to take the 205 bike path home which may have been a mistake since it seemed like it was all uphill. When we attempted the last hill at 122nd, my legs had had enough and I simply didn’t have the will to pedal uphill anymore. So we walked up the heavily trafficked hill in the very narrow bike lane gasping for breathe the entire time. The rest of the ride went smoothly but we’re both pretty shot tonight.
My fitness definitely needs some improvement so I’ve been doing some homework on indoor training. After a fair bit of reading, I’ve decided that the best turbo trainer for my ability would be a CycleOps PowerBeam Pro. Extra indoor sessions should make these outdoor rides much easier in the future and also more enjoyable.
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer:Â 2500
Van odometer:Â 154003
Weight lost (in pounds): 0
Aches & pains: left shin (scab gone), lower back, all my muscles
Current reading: My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Recent listening: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Box), News from Lake Wobegon, Science Friday, Coverville, DrugMusic
Recent viewing:Â Olympics, Democratic National Convention, Republican National Convention, The O’Reilly Factor
Recent playing: Chain Factor, Spaceward Ho!
Recently accomplished: Upgraded DSL, cleaned cat boxes, setup VPN access for work, office cleaning, office moving, office remodeling, cardboard recycling
Imperative To Do:Â Craigslist items for Thomas/Graham, install Tina’s bike computer, get rid of office junk, freecycle, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, weeds, clean garage, moss
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 2485
Van odometer: 153885
Weight lost (in pounds): 0
Aches & pains: left shin (scab gone)
Current reading: My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Recent listening: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Box), Fresh Air
Recent viewing:Â The Dark Knight, Airport 77, Rounders, The Player, Igby Goes Down, Meet The Press, Reign of Fire, Last Comic Standing, Garden State, The New World, Olympics
Recent playing: Chain Factor
Recently accomplished:Â Updated LinkedIn profile, updated resume, sent two job feelers, fixed The Doctor, mowed lawn, cleaned cat boxes, installed AC window unit
Imperative To Do: Get rid of junk (couch), buy trailer for van, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, weeds, clean garage, moss, new muxtape
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 2485
Van odometer: 153551
Weight lost (in pounds): 0
Aches & pains: left shin (still healing but stopped oozing), lower back/sciatica
Current reading: My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Recent listening: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Box), It’s A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads, This American Life
Recent viewing: One True Thing, Biography, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog, Dazed and Confused, iCarly, Monk, Batman Begins, From Dusk Til Dawn, The Incredible Hulk
Recent playing: Chain Factor
Recently accomplished:Â cleaned cat boxes
Imperative To Do: Get rid of junk (couch, vacuum cleaner), buy trailer for van, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, weeds, clean garage, moss, new muxtape, upload pictures
Morning Bike Commute
Distance: 11.9 miles
Riding time: 70 minutes
Max speed: 21.6 mph
Average speed: 10.2 mph
Temperature: 75º
Soundtrack: Jimi Hendrix (box set)
Route:
- Stanton to 162nd Ave
- 162nd to Sandy Blvd
- Sandy to 158th
- 158th to Airport Way
- Airport Way to Interstate 205 bike path
- Bike path to Old Evergreen Highway
- Old Evergreen Highway to 164th Ave
- 164th to 34th Street
- 34th to 168th Ave
- 168th/169th Ave to 26th Way
- 26th Way to Fred Meyer parking lot
- Fred Meyer parking lot to 167th Ave
- 167th to work
It’s been three months since the last time I rode to work. I knew I’d have to start riding again but have been dreading/avoiding it because it was so traumatic last time. The good news is that, even though I’m in much worse shape, the ride went much better than last time. Knowing when to expend effort really helps to manage your energy for the entire ride. Also, I was much better prepared for the locker room at the gym after my arrival (last time I had no towel) and that went much smoother, too. I’m looking forward to at least one ride next week!
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 2472
Van odometer:Â 153074
Weight lost (in pounds): 0
Aches & pains: left shin (still healing)
Current reading: The Book of Totally Useless Information by Don Voorhees, My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
Recent listening: News from Lake Wobegon, Fresh Air, Science Friday
Recent viewing:Â Numb3rs, Pardon the Interruption, Mo’ Better Blues, Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
Recent playing: Chain Factor
Recently accomplished:Â sold G4, mowed lawn, cleaned cat boxes, resolved various online purchase problems, ordered replacement LCD for Thomas, attempted to fix The Doctor (GPS), recycling, got rid of junk (bed, mower, microwave)
Imperative To Do:Â Get rid of junk (couch, vacuum cleaner), buy trailer for van, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, weeds, clean garage, moss, new muxtape, upload pictures
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer:Â 2472
Van odometer: 152961
Weight lost (in pounds):Â 0
Aches & pains: left shin (bumped into a fire pit)
Current reading: The Book of Totally Useless Information by Don Voorhees, My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk
Recent listening: Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, In Rainbows by Radiohead, News from Lake Wobegon, Science Friday, Fresh Air
Recent viewing: Countdown, My Life on the D List, How I Met Your Mother, WALL•E
Recent playing: Chain Factor, Rock Band (Wii)
Recently accomplished:Â cat boxes, bought clothes for business trip, paid bills, packed for two day business trip, haircut, bought new shoes for first time in 10 years, pulled dandelions
Imperative To Do: Sell G4, get rid of junk (couch, vacuum cleaner, mower), buy trailer for van, activate new Tivo, oil change for van, weeds, clean garage, mow lawn, moss, new muxtape, upload pictures