Upon my velocipede
March 14, 2008 | 10:34 pm | Uncategorized | Houston | 3
When we first moved back to Houston I bought a new bicycle. It was a difficult decision to trade my old beach cruiser in since we’d had some good times together. And some bad. I still have scars on my ankles from trying to ride that thing on the Memorial Park bike trail so treacherous it’s nickname is the Ho Chi Min. But the new bike is better in dozens of ways. The tires have grip. It has shocks! And more than 20 speeds and front and rear breaks.
Three years ago I rode my Schwinn beach cruiser — the bike with no gears and with nothing but coaster breaks — in the first annual Tour de Houston. Twenty miles isn’t that far on a bike, and that was my plan. Ride 20 miles and see how I feel. The long ride was 40 miles, but the route circled through Houston’s six wards and passed close by my house several times along the way, so I figured I could skip out and ride home at any time. When I felt pretty good at the end of 20 miles I decided to just keep going. At 30 miles I didn’t feel so positive. Towards the end of the ride I was getting to the relief stations so late they were already out of snacks and water. But still I soldiered on, me on my beach cruiser, and I finished the race so emotionally and physically drained I actually cried with relief.
Much has changed since then. I weigh about 30 pounds less and I’m in much better shape in terms of muscle mass and cardio endurance. And I have a better bike. So tomorrow I’m going to ride the Tour de Houston again, and this time I’m aiming for a distance they didn’t have the first year, 70 miles.
Seventy miles on a bicycle. We’re actually going to be riding on the highway. We’re riding to the suburbs of Houston and back. Seventy miles is like riding your bike from Oklahoma City to Stillwater.
I’m not sure if I can actually do it, but I am so excited about giving it a try that I can’t even sleep, and I have to be up at 5 a.m. tomorrow.
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Good luck to you, sounds like a fun ride. The difference in shape coupled with the better* bike should make things a lot smoother. May I also suggest padded bicycle shorts? They make a world of difference as well. Another small item is Chamois BUTT’r
http://www.pacelineproducts.com/products/chamois.html
This is a life saver.
Have a great ride.
*Better for this particular application, I am sure your new bike would not look as cool on the beach.
Wish I’d had butt’r. My behind is sore but my legs are no worse for the wear. I only did 40 miles though.
40 miles is nothing to sneeze about, that is a good work out. It is not like you are Lance Armstrong, 40 to him is not worth getting on a bike.
The Butt’r just keeps friction from causing problems, but when you get a friction burn in the bicycle seat region you will become a believer. What you needed for the sore butt was a pair of good padded-buttock bicycle shorts (or skirt). They are strange at first, kinda feel like a full adult diaper, but after a ride they are heaven.