This morning’s ride: 20:58 minutes Distance: 4.95 miles Average 87 RPM
I didn’t break a spoke on my ride on Monday. I broke two spokes. It was indeed the right choice to replace the wheel. Unfortunately, replacing the wheel altered the spacing on my cassette, so my shifters weren’t shifting properly this morning. I futzed around with the settings on the shifter in the cold dawn, but couldn’t get them to seat properly. I’ll try again tonight, and if I can’t get them set up right, I’ll drag the bike back to my guys (I just took the rear tire to them to replace, not the entire bike). I rode this morning anyways, as much as I could–the adjustments took time out of my morning, and I don’t think I could stand riding much longer with the hinky shifter.
This, by the way, marks the completion of the first month of this blog. Notice I didn’t write ‘one month anniversary,’ since that’s not possible. ‘Anniversary’ comes from the latin annus (year) + versus (faced*). Perhaps we should coin the word mensiversary?
In celebration of this, I would like to note that I have, in this month, ridden my bike a total of 273.09 miles. I have been on my bike for 22 hours and 45 minutes this month. Nearly a full day this month was spent pedaling. 273 miles. That’s the distance between my house in Rochester, and the Elks Memorial Park in Port Jervis, New York–dead center in the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area. My goal is to increase my riding so that I would be able to ride back home in less time than one month.
One thing I won’t be doing, however, is riding in the Powder Mills Race. While I was paying for the new tire at my bike shop, I mentioned that I was considering riding in that event. Steve (the guy ringing me up) pointed to my tire and said, “not with that bike you’re not.” He didn’t say it in a mean way. He was just being honest. “I don’t have any other bike,” I told him. “Exactly,” he said. “Within two pedals, they’d be out of your range, and you would never catch up to them.”
I had wondered if this might be the case. I had even written the organizer of the ride, asking him whether or not I should sign up for it, but I received no response from him. I just don’t want to embarass myself. I would have no problem finishing ten minutes after the lead riders crossed the line. But I didn’t want to finish thirty minutes after the penultimate rider.
However, I still need to ride with people. That’s not something I’ve ever done. I’ve ridden to Port Jervis alone. So my next goal is to find folks–experienced folks–with whom to ride. I’ve joined one of the local bicycling clubs, which offer various rides for people at various levels, but so far, I haven’t ridden with them on any of their rides. This is pretty much entirely due to me being a chicken. My goal is to get out and ride with a group by next Sunday.
A longer-term goal is to get a bike that will better suit my needs.
Happy menisversary!
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*Actually, it’s the past participle version of the latin word vertere, which roughly translates into turned (to face), but I didn’t want you to think that I’m some sort of egghead because the only reason I know this crap is because my son’s taking Latin in school right now.
i don’t know… mensiversary sounds like… menstruation.
yes, i said it.
They both have the same root. Yes, I said that, too.
i realize that. it still conjures up unpleasant thoughts.
I’m not exactly a “group” (or “experienced,” for that matter), but I’d ride with you sometime if we could work out the timing. I might even be persuaded to go at 5:00 a.m. Might.
Awesome! I’ll be in touch to see what we can do. I’m going to start mapping a route that will take me past your house in the morning. I might even let give you until 5:10. Might.