Now With Better Suspension

No, I didn't buy a new bra. I probably should, though.

Nope, today I retired Red. He's served me well, but the fact of the matter is that he's not really road worthy any more - at least, not for the distance I'm going this weekend - and I was both starting to feel unsafe and really getting tired of the saddle induced injuries. I was just going to give Red a new saddle, but that would only have solved part of the problem.

Mind, a new bike was not in the plan, but things came together such that it was feasible, and now I've got a new pair of wheels:




The brakes on this are AWESOME, and now I have full use of the gears - all 21 of them. Suspension is terrific, the saddle is big enough that it's not all up in my bidniz, and the addition of the gel cover has made it just heavenly. Bubbazander and I made seat adjustments, I think the handlebars might still need a tweaking, but that will be easy enough to sort out.

Really, my only complaint with this bike is that it's not purple. But that's why Krylon gave us spray paint, so this is easily fixable. Not til after the Ride, though, because there's still some tweaking to be done.

This close to the Ride, I really ought not be doing distance rides, I don't want to wear myself out before I WEAR MYSELF OUT, but VG and I are going to load up the bikes and head out to Oak Openings on Thursday afternoon for one last 18 miler, so we can do whatever other tweaking needs to be done.

You guys, the ride is on SATURDAY!

Have you thrown a dollar at the MS Society through my sponsor link yet?


--Missy, the Fat Bottomed Girl

Now, With Wildlife!

Today's ride was exciting!! 18.12 miles in 1:40!!

I know, it looks like a plain old straight line on the map, and it is, but what a straight line! We started at the Springbrook Picnic Area at Oak Openings Metropark, rode a 9 mile stretch of the North Fork of the Wabash Cannonball Trail to just before Fallen Timbers Battlefield, stopped for 10 minutes to chug some Amino Vital, the turned around and rode back.

The morning started with excitement of a different sort, though. I recently bought a bike rack to put on the back of the Prius, because The Vita Guru insisted that there was no way we were getting two bikes into the back of Shuri. So we set it up, strapped the bikes in, added some bungie cords, and off we went.

We got a ways down Alexis, nearly to Regency Hospital, when suddenly there was a KATHUNK, and one of the bikes dropped from view. YIPES! We pulled into the hospital parking lot to see what happened, and discovered that the small support struts on the sides of the rack had popped loose, so the rack collapsed. Both bikes were fine, thankfully, and we learned right there that yes, Shuri can in fact accommodate two bicycles! We're going to reinforce the rack tomorrow so this isn't a problem again.

So, off we went to Oak Openings, and we hit the trail!

Wildlife spotted:

Box turtles hauling ass down the path: 1
Bluebirds: 1
Cardinals: Flocks and herds! Seriously, they were everywhere!
Toads: 1
Horses: 2
Wabbits: 3
Orioles: 3
Scarlet Tanagers: 1
Suicidal Chipmunks: At least a dozen. Instead of getting out of the way, they charge you! But they're cute as hell.
Dogses: 4
Dragonflies nearly swallowed: 1 Ugh, they taste NASTY and BITTER! Gross.

It couldn't have been a more perfect ride! Well, actually, it could have been. My battery died at mile 16, so I did the last 3 miles with no tunes! This will not be an issue for the big ride, though, because I just ordered some extended batteries for my EVO! I will not be caught without my primary means of motivation!

At the end of the ride, we guzzled some concoction The Vita Guru had thrown together and loaded the bikes into the car. The Vita Guru got the bright idea to pop his front wheel off to make it easier, and it was. But he left his wheel in the grass, and didn't realize until we were halfway home. Around we turned, back to fetch the wheel.

It was right where he left it! When he went to fetch it, though, some dude called across the parking lot "Oh, man, I was just about ten minutes from taking that!"

WTF?

What, did he want a cookie? "Hey, thanks for not being a thieving dickface!" Douchetruck.

What kind of wildlife have y'all spotted lately?


--Missy, The Fat Bottomed Girl

I Might Have Dog For Dinner

If you know me for real - as opposed to being someone who has just stumbled on these ramblings - you know I have an adorable 7 month-old puppy named Rocky.  See how adorable he is?  Seriously, cutest puppy ever.

And I'm pissed at him right now, because he's a buttface!

See, Rocky has this thing about chewing.  If it fits in his mouth, he chews on it.  He is pretty certain that this is the way the world works, and in spite of having great toys for chewing, he still forgets that some things are not his, and he chews.  And so it was with my sneakers.

Now, I didn't think the damage he did to my sneakers was too awful.  Some bite marks on the sole of one, and torn fabric on the heel of the other.  Meh, whatever, they're shoes and I don't care if they look raggedy.  I packed up my gym bag, tied up my shoes, and off I went.

I did my bellydance warmup, which got me all stretched out and limber.  The MS training plan called for two hours on the bike today, and my trainer wanted me to break that up into two sessions - ride for an hour, lift, ride for another hour.  I rode for an hour, amusing myself with music and reading G+, then nabbed my trainer and headed for the weights.  Since I'm looking to increase my stamina, Jay suggested we start with leg presses - 15 reps at 70 pounds.

...and that's where I found out that it wasn't just torn fabric on the back of that shoe.  The heel cup is damaged, too.  I learned this when I started my first press, and my foot popped right out of my shoe!

Dammit, Rocky!

I did learn that I can actually safely back 70 pounds down with only one leg!  Go me!

Unsafe shoes are not allowed, so Jay sent me packing.  No, don't get back on the bike, he said.  Can't be on the floor with a janked up shoe.  *sigh*  So off I went, workout cut short.

Kinda short, anyway.  It's a two mile walk from the gym to Target, where I had purchased my original sneakers.  These, in fact!  So I had a nice, brisk walk and found that they had one more pair in my size, clearanced out at $15!  Sneakers, a new towel, and out the door I went to walk the mile back home.

I guess the workout wasn't a total wash.  I did get in half an hour of warmups, an hour of riding, and a three mile walk - well, four if you count walking to the gym - but that's not doing diddly to get my actual ass conditioned for a long ride.  The Vita Guru calls it "getting your saddle".  I call it "getting my ass callouses", and that's the worst part of training!

I wonder if I could get ass callous implants?  And Rocky still isn't safe from being eaten for dinner, the little shit.