Monday, September 7, 2015

Short Day, Short Ride

Today's Trifling Tracking

I tried out a very short ride this morning just so I could say I rode.  Also hoping it helps with the metabolism, blood glucose, yada, yada.
I got up shortly after 6 AM this morning and had to walk Lilly the spoiled puppy dog who has yet to learn that OUTSIDE is where she is supposed to go potty.
She did her business like a good girl  and I proceeded to saddle up and take off on the bike.  I didn't want to use up the entire morning with bike riding, much as I'd love to, as I have other less exciting things to do, like finish painting the house, it's past time to start building up the winter woodpile, keep the RV and cars and tractor lubricated, maintained, and running, all that kind of baloney.
Tink, for once, did NOT anxiously follow me around begging to come with, since she was still in the sack with Jacque.  So I left the snoozing females and got going.
Of course at the 7-ish hour there is a lot of traffic, courtesy of those few Americans who still have jobs and must commute to Albuquerque and Santa Fe to get to work.  For the last several years I have had almost no negative experiences with those who think it's cute to come as close as they can without hitting me, although of course there are often those young fellers who love to rev up their engines while passing or approaching just because...... just because..... because they have an engine to rev up.
But none of such nonsense today.  The only "close encounter" I had was with a walker approaching me head on who foolishly walked off into the weeds and gravel off the shoulder so I wouldn't be forced to go around her by veering into the traffic lane.  It was nice of her, but no traffic was around at the time, so I could have easily gone around her, with both of us able to remain on the pavement or shoulder.

Ride Started: 7:25 AM    Ride Ended:  8:31 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage:   13.3   Ending Voltage: 13.1  Lowest:  13.0
Lowest Temp  61 F      Highest Temp:  71 F 
Stats from the GPS:    Total Miles:  6.37
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
   5.5 MPH                              7.0 MPH                   26.6 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
1 hour 9 mins                         54 minutes                15  minutes

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Jogger Outruns Bicycle - Bad

Today's Tracking, Got it Memorized

We got going a few minutes later than we did yesterday, but still got going fairly early.
The clouds kept the sun covered up, mostly, and kept things quite a bit cooler than normal.  So much so that I actually wore my thin windbreaker today and only took it off after the first 3 miles and first real hill climbed.
All the coolness was wonderful, of course, but as we were creeping up the first hill in Grandma Gear, we were shocked to notice a jogger passing us like we were sitting still.  (I say "We", but Tinkerbell wasn't  shocked at all or upset in the least.  She just rides in the back basket peeking around my left shoulder to see what's up front).  We WERE moving slow, but NOT sitting still.... at least it didn't seem like it until this guy stormed by us.
Even more disgusting was the obvious fact this jogger was no speed demon;  he was just out for his morning constitutional, same as me.
Now, this happened while Tink and I were climbing a long hill, plus I was carrying Tink in the back basket, plus 20 or more pounds of electronics, radios, GPS, snacks, water, tools, and other favorite junk..... but still.  To be outrun by a jogger.  This video was edited for shortness, and necessarily so.  It took me a good mile to catch up to him and pass him, and he kept running farther ahead of me as long as we were both going uphill.  I caught up with and passed him about a quarter mile AFTER I topped the hill.  OH, to be 20 again.  Or 30.  Or 40.  OR FIFTY..... sigh.
Once we got the jogger in our rear view mirror  and rode on our way, it was a typical enjoyable ride.
Still working on the idea of a better time angle.  It was just enough time left to shower and get dressed in decent clothes and make it to Albuquerque for our appointed duties.
Another thing I have discovered the last couple of earlier morning rides..... I have left without eating anything for breakfast, not even a snack, and my measured blood glucose has been HIGHER during the rides.   Normally I ride after breakfast, and even with food in the belly I normally have to set my insulin pump to a lower basal rate (usually 25% of normal) while riding to avoid insulin reactions from low blood sugar while riding.  Two days in a row of riding without eating ANYthing before or during the ride and my blood glucose has RISEN while riding.... on an empty stomach.  I am forced to suspect I am burning fat by not eating, and I am not used to this, so am not getting the insulin dosage right to take care of this situation.  I'll have to continue riding without breakfast and monitor my weight to see if any blubber really IS burning away.

Ride Started: 8:04AM    Ride Ended:  10:14 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage:   14.1   Ending Voltage: 13.0  Lowest:  13.0
Lowest Temp  60 F      Highest Temp:  71 F 
Stats from the GPS:    Total Miles:  10.52
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
   5.1 MPH                              7.1 MPH                   27.2 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
2 hours 4 mins                       1 hour 28 minutes       36  minutes

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

The Early Biker Catches the Worm

Today's Tracking via GPS and Ham Radio

With our recently overloaded time demands, I decided to try riding fairly early in the morning, BEFORE I perused the Drudge Report, before I checked FB for gossip, etc, in hopes I could get in a ride and still get anything else done.
Didn't seem to work out that well.... it's currently 11 AM and we have to leave for Albuquerque in about 40 minutes, which means I'm still  not gonna get any household, yard, or car chores done today.  Sigh.  Maybe if I wake up a couple hours earlier and trade sleepy time for bikey time..... we'll see.
Tinkerbell, as usual, was literally between my feet after spotting me donning the biking duds, i.e. the day-glo yellow Tee shirt with the Velcro zipper down the front for fresh air purposes. Since Jacque was home safeguarding Lilly the Teeney Dog, Tink and I rode the vast dusty trail..... together.
We encountered more road crews paving small sections of Mountain Valley Road, as well as county crews trying to keep up with the heavy tree-sized weed growth along the guard rails on Frost Road.
The Paving Crew was, surprisingly enough, already hard at work at just after 8:00 AM.  They blocked the road only for  a few minutes, and the workmen kindly held back the Bobcat while I bounced around them and got back on the right side of the road.


We, Tink and I, stopped for about half an hour to check up on our favorite neighboring teenagers to see if they had gotten their donated garden tractor running yet.  We clunked around with it for a bit, getting all smelly with gasoline all over my hands.  The battery had not been charging so it was too dead to even spin the engine to see if it would start.  Gave up for another day and left for home.
On the way home we encountered another mild road blockage... crews cutting and slashing around the guard rails, freeing up the shoulders for bikers and such...

It was a bit cool this early in the morning.... it won't be long before I'm wearing additional layers to stay warm.  BUT not YET.

Ride Started: 7:20 AM    Ride Ended:  10:09 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage:   13.5   Ending Voltage: 13.2  Lowest:  12.6
Lowest Temp  57 F      Highest Temp:  82 F 
Stats from the GPS:    Total Miles:  10.51
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
  4.8 MPH                              7.1 MPH                   27.2 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
2 hours 13 mins                    1 hour 20 minutes       52  minutes