We went out early Saturday morning (5 am) for a 30+ mile ride. We figured we needed it in preparation for the Tour for Tucson's Children ride on the Fourth of July (this coming Friday). This upcoming event is an easy 27 mile (mostly flat) ride from Tucson's city center in a loop to the southwest of the city. Our daughter and her husband will be joining us (in fact, my daughter is the one who clued us into this event).
This was the first long ride that both my wife's bike and my trike had Tuffy tire liners and puncture resistant tubes. I noticed a slightly stiffer ride, but my wife complained that she had to put a lot more effort into cycling this time. We are going to put her old, non-puncture resistant tubes back in and see if that makes the difference of if it is the liners (we are not sure which are causing the problem).
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
First Flat...First Crash...
We got up early this morning to beat the heat on a short ride. As I wheeled out of the garage, I noticed that my front, right tire was completely flat. I figured that I must have had something major happen to the tube, so I wheeled it back into the garage and started fumbling about for the tools to take the tire off. My wife suggested that maybe, since I had pumped all the tires up the day before, I had not tightened the Presta value all the way. So I took the cap off and, sure enough, the value was not tightened down. So I filled the tube and properly tightened it up and off we went.
Some time and miles later, as we were going through a park (on a narrow pathway), I came to an abrupt halt (there was a man with two large dogs on the path ahead and sprinklers in the park were going and spraying on the sidewalk). I thought to stop before reaching either, but miscalculated and ended up stopped on the sidewalk and getting thoroughly soaked by the sprinklers. And immediately thereafter getting run into by my wife. Thankfully, she stayed on her bike and didn't receive any harm to her or her bike. I on the other hand, got a thump on my head and had one of my tail lights torned off. We got out of the water, picked up the pieces, and continued on our way.
However, just a few yards down the path and I realized that my front, right tire was again going flat. I got off, took my small hand pump, and pumped the tube up as best I could (far less than I could using the pump in our garage -- there is no leverage on those little hand pumps to push against the 50 or 60 pounds of air pressure you need in the tire).
We turned around and headed home. We made it without the tire going flat again (though it was getting flatter). I guess I will be changing the tube (or patching it since I cannot find a 20" tube around here with Presta values -- I have to order one from HostelShoppe). While I have the tire off, I will also be putting the Tuffy tire liners in that I bought some time ago. Guess I should have put those liners in right after I got them...
Some time and miles later, as we were going through a park (on a narrow pathway), I came to an abrupt halt (there was a man with two large dogs on the path ahead and sprinklers in the park were going and spraying on the sidewalk). I thought to stop before reaching either, but miscalculated and ended up stopped on the sidewalk and getting thoroughly soaked by the sprinklers. And immediately thereafter getting run into by my wife. Thankfully, she stayed on her bike and didn't receive any harm to her or her bike. I on the other hand, got a thump on my head and had one of my tail lights torned off. We got out of the water, picked up the pieces, and continued on our way.
However, just a few yards down the path and I realized that my front, right tire was again going flat. I got off, took my small hand pump, and pumped the tube up as best I could (far less than I could using the pump in our garage -- there is no leverage on those little hand pumps to push against the 50 or 60 pounds of air pressure you need in the tire).
We turned around and headed home. We made it without the tire going flat again (though it was getting flatter). I guess I will be changing the tube (or patching it since I cannot find a 20" tube around here with Presta values -- I have to order one from HostelShoppe). While I have the tire off, I will also be putting the Tuffy tire liners in that I bought some time ago. Guess I should have put those liners in right after I got them...
Monday, June 16, 2008
112°
We didn't go riding today. It looks like even early in the morning it will be kind of warm (the low tonight is going to be around 86°). We'll have to gather our courage together and brave a morning ride in the next few days (before the sun comes up).
My friend's comments (on our previous post) about his 25-mile ride is yet another good warning for those that might want to challenge the heat AND the bad air around here.
My friend's comments (on our previous post) about his 25-mile ride is yet another good warning for those that might want to challenge the heat AND the bad air around here.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Summer In The Desert
Well, it's really summer again. Today is Fathers' Day and we are expecting 111 degrees. It's currently two in the afternoon and 104 in the shade. So maybe we won't make it to that 111 after all (at least in the suburbs). We set up our small solar oven in the backyard and my wife is making pineapple upside down cake to cook in it. That will be followed by some potatoes to bake (all in preparation for our Fathers' Day meal). Two of my sons and their sons will be here for a while (most of the kids were here last week for a different occasion and so we had a head start on Fathers' Day celebrations).
We went out somewhat early yesterday morning for a quick 10-mile ride. We went around the ASU Research Park a couple times and then came home. It was pretty warm by the time we got home. We went by a couple people we know who were standing outside their house and we waved. They waved back. When we saw them later in the day, we asked about waving to those strangers on the bike and trike and they laughed and asked if that were us. They hadn't recognized us, but since we waved to them, they waved back. I wonder how many of our other friends have seen us out riding, have done a double take, and said, "Nah, it couldn't be THEM..."
We will be trying to do part of the Tour de Phoenix course early on the Fourth of July (if we are not in Tucson trying a route down there with our daughter and her husband). Chances are, if it is like our other early morning rides, even the long ones, when we get back, the rest of the family will still be sleeping or just getting up.
We went out somewhat early yesterday morning for a quick 10-mile ride. We went around the ASU Research Park a couple times and then came home. It was pretty warm by the time we got home. We went by a couple people we know who were standing outside their house and we waved. They waved back. When we saw them later in the day, we asked about waving to those strangers on the bike and trike and they laughed and asked if that were us. They hadn't recognized us, but since we waved to them, they waved back. I wonder how many of our other friends have seen us out riding, have done a double take, and said, "Nah, it couldn't be THEM..."
We will be trying to do part of the Tour de Phoenix course early on the Fourth of July (if we are not in Tucson trying a route down there with our daughter and her husband). Chances are, if it is like our other early morning rides, even the long ones, when we get back, the rest of the family will still be sleeping or just getting up.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
45 Miles!! Again!!
We did it again! Friday, we set out from our home and went up through Tempe and Scottsdale to Shea Blvd. There were three of us this time. My son, visiting from Minnesota, came along for the ride. This time we took extra water and some food (in the form of energy and cereal bars). That made the exertion part of the trip much easier. And in this case, the computer on my son's bike agreed with mine in regards to the mileage (45 miles). So we think we need to revisit the settings on the computer on my wife's bike.
We started out at 5am and hit the top part of the ride around 7:30. We made it home around 10:30. It was still plenty warm. But it wasn't the warmth that slowed us down a bit this time. It was my knee. It started hurting in earnest about two-thirds of the way on the outbound leg of the ride and hurt all the way home. The knee brace didn't seem to help this time.
Here's a video of our going homeward and going across the north side of Tempe Town Lake.
We started out at 5am and hit the top part of the ride around 7:30. We made it home around 10:30. It was still plenty warm. But it wasn't the warmth that slowed us down a bit this time. It was my knee. It started hurting in earnest about two-thirds of the way on the outbound leg of the ride and hurt all the way home. The knee brace didn't seem to help this time.
Here's a video of our going homeward and going across the north side of Tempe Town Lake.
My wife thinks we can do the 67 mile portion of the Tour de Tucson. I am not yet convinced. We'll have to decide soon so we can sign up for the event.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Memorial Day - 43+ miles!!
We got "on the road" shortly after 8am on Monday the 26th (Memorial Day). We left directly from our home and headed north to the ASU campus. You can see our outbound jaunt across campus in the following video.
Prior to getting to campus, we had to pass over the I-60 freeway. The next video shows a bit of this. (I was having problems with the camera, hence the reason it cut out. I also think the batteries were running low.)
The outbound portion of the trip was not too bad. We undoubtedly got on the road a little later than we should have. By the time we got to Shea Blvd, it was getting a bit toasty. We were half way done (at about 21 or 22 miles).
On the return trip, the heat started taking it toll. I think we were both pretty tired by the time we got back to Tempe Town Lake. There is not a lot of shade in that area. In fact, once you get south of Curry Road, it's pretty much sun and "desert" (or sun and dirt).
By the time we got to the south end of campus, we were getting really tired. We made it south and back over the freeway bridge (the one in the short video above) and stopped to rest. My wife used up the last of her water at that point, and I had only a bit left (lesson here - two bottles of water were not enough - we needed to refill the bottles at the northern most point of our ride at one of the parks in the green belt).
I was also noticeably "red" at this time. We had used sun screen, but apparently had not slathered on enough (or we should have taken some with us to re-apply about half way through the ride). The following photo of my arm demonstrates the "ouch factor" in my sunburn. Unfortunately, I was also starting to feel nauseous, a sure sign of heat exhaustion (probably coupled with not enough water).
We did make the last 3 or 4 miles of the trip back to our home without "calling for help". And were we ever so hot and tired. BUT WE DID IT! After this 43 mile ride, we knew we could do the 35 mile portion of the Tour de Tucson. We will keep riding and keep extending our "reach" each time just to keep ready. In fact, we plan on re-doing this 43 mile trip within the next few days (with one of our sons - if he can keep up). We'll be leaving a lot earlier this time (around 5am) so we can be done and back before the temperature gets too much beyond 90 degrees (the temperature forecast for the day we are going is 101).
Prior to getting to campus, we had to pass over the I-60 freeway. The next video shows a bit of this. (I was having problems with the camera, hence the reason it cut out. I also think the batteries were running low.)
The outbound portion of the trip was not too bad. We undoubtedly got on the road a little later than we should have. By the time we got to Shea Blvd, it was getting a bit toasty. We were half way done (at about 21 or 22 miles).
On the return trip, the heat started taking it toll. I think we were both pretty tired by the time we got back to Tempe Town Lake. There is not a lot of shade in that area. In fact, once you get south of Curry Road, it's pretty much sun and "desert" (or sun and dirt).
By the time we got to the south end of campus, we were getting really tired. We made it south and back over the freeway bridge (the one in the short video above) and stopped to rest. My wife used up the last of her water at that point, and I had only a bit left (lesson here - two bottles of water were not enough - we needed to refill the bottles at the northern most point of our ride at one of the parks in the green belt).
I was also noticeably "red" at this time. We had used sun screen, but apparently had not slathered on enough (or we should have taken some with us to re-apply about half way through the ride). The following photo of my arm demonstrates the "ouch factor" in my sunburn. Unfortunately, I was also starting to feel nauseous, a sure sign of heat exhaustion (probably coupled with not enough water).
We did make the last 3 or 4 miles of the trip back to our home without "calling for help". And were we ever so hot and tired. BUT WE DID IT! After this 43 mile ride, we knew we could do the 35 mile portion of the Tour de Tucson. We will keep riding and keep extending our "reach" each time just to keep ready. In fact, we plan on re-doing this 43 mile trip within the next few days (with one of our sons - if he can keep up). We'll be leaving a lot earlier this time (around 5am) so we can be done and back before the temperature gets too much beyond 90 degrees (the temperature forecast for the day we are going is 101).
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