It's been an emotional, eventful few days.
I'm glad to be a part of the VK family... to read your words and feel your support.
It's time to look forward.
Beef and Boards.
VK's in Edinburgh.
VK's say ALOHA!
Anything else?
This is an "Open Forum", so let 'er rip!
20 comments:
Can anyone give me some bike riding lessons on the Blog? Purple Tom and I started riding bikes a few weeks ago and we really enjoy it.
There are a few problems.
1) Sore Butt Syndrome. OUCH! We got some biker shorts and that's okay, but why do I feel like I'm wearing a Depends? Then I bought a new bike seat. Marginal improvement but I don't want to give up the time together and the exercise.
2) I keep falling off! OUCH with an exponent! My crashes are so,, ah,, creative? I keep thinking I will see them on Funniest Home Videos or YouTube. I haven't broken anything yet but it's only a matter of time. Suggestions welcome to minimize Involuntary Dismounts.
The problem seems to be that the more I try to stop or avoid hitting obstacles the more the bike wobbles and then CRASH.
3) One more thing. My spousal unit doesn't get home until 7 and right now that only gives us a hour an half or so of light. We're up to about 15 to 18 miles (depending on how many crashes I have) but want to go more. Plus I don't want to stop when winter gets here. Any suggestions? I’m not going by myself! Who would help peel me off the pavement?
First of all...
my guess is Albert Einstein.
Second: The last time I was on a bike, my 13 yr old son (he's 24 now, you do the math) cut in front of me and hit my front wheel, I went flying over him, crashed into the pavement tore up both knees one pretty bad) and an elbow, broke my bike, had to walk home, then gave up riding. Before that I rode all the time, so I have no tips for you. Sorry.
I've been thrown from horses, had horses fall on top of me, bite me, kick me, break my front teeth, scar my legs from hitting barrels, pin me against the barn, and crash straight through fences with me on board, but it never scared me. I just got right back up on that horse and showed him who was boss......
but a bicycle?
I gave up on that, much, much too hard.
I knew you were my HERO! All of a sudden it struck me about 2 weeks ago that I wanted a bicycle! Now you are riding 18 MILES?! WOW!! PT just keep on keepin on. I'm so proud of you.
Bo
p.s. Doesn't Paula Deen sell some kind of Butt Cream?
"Paula Deen Butt Cream"...
I like the way that rolls off the tongue!
And Joker, the pic is actually of Norman Einstein, Albert's genius twin!
PT-
You ain't gonna like my comment-
Practice, practice, practice!
You've already done the "larger seat" thing.
The only way to get accustomed to it is to ride, although I'll have to say, 18 miles?!!! Good Golly!
You must have callouses in strange places!
GB - LOL
That Joe Theisman - he's a trip!!!
GB - I may just change my name to Blazin' Saddles.
Bo- everything Paula Deen makes ends up on somebody’s butt.
Joker-- with all your experience you could easily qualify for a First Responder Certification. I mean, you've been there, injured everything and know how to treat it!
PT.
With all that I've been through, especially with horses, one must think I'm one scarred-up, broken-down old hag...but I clean up well.
I'm not the daredevil I once was.
But you - riding 15-18 miles and crashing a lot and still trying for more. Now that's a daredevil!
WAIT! I didn't write that right. I meant we can ride UP TO 15-18 miles. We don't do that everyday.
When we started, we could ride up to ONE mile, and then we just kept increasing. Usually we only ride about 10 or so (sometimes not that far if I'm whining about my seat)
Weekend mornings is when we go farther. We could shorten the time if I can stop wasting time on the ground.
PT-
Whining about your "seat", or
whining about something else?
And remember this, please-
You don't have near the problems guys have. We have to figure out whether "the accessories" will go on the left side of the seat, or the right side.
Pretty quickly, they get numb.
Then you have a problem...
"Can I move the 'accessory kit' subtly without bein' spotted?"
Problems, problems.
It's almost more than I can bear.
Ooooo, GB, you are so right. That sounds much worse.
It explains why it took Lance Armstrong so long to realize he had an “accessory” problem.
And it certainly gives another meaning to numb nuts ;)))
PT and Joker,
I am so sorry, but I just didn't know who to laugh with the hardest.
Meaning, I feel your pain. We started riding our bikes after moving here, just about every day. Just a few miles, nothing Olympic or anyting.
At the first, after getting home, I could hardly lift my legs to get off and I was on a girl's bike. The pain in the pelvic region was horrid, not to mention my okole region.
After several months of this, I went to the dr. and they did xrays. They told my I had inflammation in the okole area. Well Duh. Yep, it was hot to the touch. No need for your remarks here.
I had fallen hard almost two years before on that region and the bike riding had irritated it to the max. I am still riding, and I still have a hot okole.
I have tried, like you, a better seat, you name it, it is still sore and hot. Now, I just take Aleve.
As for the horse thingy, I am with you there Joker, I have been fluffed, bluffed, rode hard and put away wet and still have vivid memories of my ole horse Admiral.
He was cool to me, but he had a thing for unsaid boyfriend. Everytime he would walk behind the horse, good ole Admiral would gently pick up his dainty size 3 hoof and push just behind said boyfriends knee and take him down.
Never any malice, just good clean sport.
My pony had a way of telling people when she wanted to go home, she would run as hard as her little dainty feet would go, then when in a particularly hard place, usually gravel, she would suddenly stop and put her head down. I guarantee the rider was going off. She was accurate 100% of the time.
So, I guess, I am not a great person to help with your problems, but I can give you plenty of compassion and empathy.
GB
As for your problem, I am totally out in the wind on that one. I know alot of men get a split seat. I can just give you compassion also. But please stay out of that hot sun and humdity guy.
GB,
Well I have learned something new today....how do you guys live with those things?
BO
Well DAH!!! PT.
There is a simple answer to your problem and I'm surprised no one especially GB didn't come up with it.
TRAINING WHEELS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The other thing is check and see if your hubby has sabataged (can't spell it) the seat with out you knowing it. Perfect reason for him to have to "rub" the boo-boo.
They may be gittin old but the old gray matter is stilling working in that aspect. HAHAHA
Now for GB. Since you brought up the subject. I never have figured out how you guys walk with those "things" (around here called "little buddies"), let alone ride a bike.
When I read your plight, it brought to mind a sort of funny but true story.
A friend of mine had the old style of bed with the book case head board. (This is to set the scene.)
She kept a "special" tube of ointment in the headboard.
Her husband had recently hurt his shoulder and she bought some "Deep Heat Rub" to rub on it. So after using it she put it in the headboard. One night (in the dark) she reached for the "special tube" and accidentally grabed the "Deep Heat". A "little while" later she and hubby realized the
mistake.
Need I say more. GB he would have given a million dollars for "anything to go numb".
Brilliant, Indy! I'll have to find some BIG wheels for it,,, maybe from somebody's wheelchair???
Just got back from 16 miles and I have a couple of thoughts:
Grass is softer than concrete (except for the stickery bits) and mud is softer than grass (except for the gritty bits) and after 16 miles there is NOwhere that is soft enough for sitting.
I really must learn to slow down and turn at the same time. I ended up in the middle of an intersection, eye to eye with a little old lady in an old Chevy. She had both hands on the steering wheel and a mean look on her face when she put the pedal to the metal with me in her sights.
Little old ladies can be very scary ;))))
PT -You are not going to believe this, but I have been thinking about getting a bike and gee, maybe it would be too dangerous. I am so so so proud of you Purple Tabby and Purple Tom riding so many miles at a time. That has got to be the best exercise ever. This has to be good for your heart and legs. Have you lost weight? The Sore Butt Syndrome and falling off the bike would be not so bad to take of I could lose lots of pounds. I bet the Texas countryside is beautiful. Is it hot, or the wind from going really fast keep you cool? I need to know all of these things!
Mrs. Hawkeye
Mrs. Hawkeye - If you get a bike be sure to let me know...I just might get on too! Where could we ride? I've looked at Bikes at Target and on line but haven't jumped on one in a long time. We have an old 1950's bike in the basement; I'm going to give it a try as soon as the humidity gives up some.
Bo
Mrs. Hawk, I might be exaggerating just a tad about my falling off. I can fall in slow motion and it doesn't hurt much ;)) Riding with Bo would be great fun – I think it’s really important to ride with someone (it wasn’t a big deal in Banta 40 some odd years ago, but as GB says, “we aren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto”)
Sadly, I haven't lost an ounce. When riding I still look like a cross between a dancing hippopotamus from Fantasia and that old guy on Laugh In who kept falling over. But I don’t care – we have a good time.
You might want to visit a local bike shop for advice about a bike; they can be very helpful even if you don’t buy from them.
A friend sent a site to measure a route no matter where you are. It works a little like Google Earth. Plug in your beginning address then point and click the rest of the way.
http://www.mapmyride.com/create
I don’t like to ride on roads (I’m just too unpredictable) so I stick to areas with side walks. We started out on flat streets and kept adding more and steeper inclines. (There is one near home that seems like it’s at a 45 degree angle and about a football field in length. Man oh man is that hill FUN coming home. Purple Tom can ride it without brakes; I burn brakes all the way down and still love it.)
OH one other thing – we bought a rack for the car so we can try out bike trails in other places. Ft Worth has a great one by a river and Arlington has a wooded trail. Bike trails = no traffic, flat and hilly places for long distances and no obstacles to cause falls.! Great stuff.
I am thinking maybe a merry-go-round here. Should fit us all and we should travel to and from safely. And never get lost.
I have seen some with safety straps even for PT.
PT
Thank You, Thank You Very Much. About thte training wheels.
Now back to something that you mentioned before that I failed to comment on. It's about those biking pants. I presume that they are the spandex. Would you do us all a favor? Please take a picture and post it here for us. I just have to see this rather than picture it in my mind.
I will admit you are braver than I am. I can't picture me in spandex (anything) and I sure as heck wouldn't want anyone else to see me in it. It would not be a pretty picture. So give us a peek girl.
about the spandex.
There are dozens of types of bike shorts --- some that cost $120!!!
For that kind of money, they need to make me look like Angelina Joie's identical twin.
I bought the cheaper brand for $55 -- which is still a heckavah lot of money for shorts'! At the time, though, Sore Butt Syndrome trumped all so I bought them.
They have the spandex on the inside and baggy black nylon (? I don't know what it is but it isn't cotton) on the outside.
Yep we are a sight to behold but we try to ride fast and not make eye contact with folks -- hoping no one will recognize us.
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