Bike: Day One--wow!
Oct. 4th, 2005 12:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
winterbadgerI took the morning off (I have the nicest boss in the world :-) and took my new buddy out for a spin. Well, started training myself would be more like it. I took an hour: half an hour of riding around a small grassy field, and then half an hour of riding up and back a nearby bike trail (part of the Accotink Creek trail) (fortunately with very low population density).
initial thoughts:
1. I asked for a very durable bike. I think I got one. If Hagrid rode a bike, it would be like this. SOLID. And possibly a little tall for me, but I think I will grow into it (meaning I think I will be comfortable with being higher off the ground as I get more experience, not that I think I will get taller ;-) I may mangle the gears (I managed to pop the chain off the front derailleur within miutes of getting on the bike), but I'm not going to damage the frame without a blowtorch. (Which is just as well, se Point 4.)
2. Wow! I can see why people love this pursuit. I got up some speed once or twice, and just the ability to move fast and to *make* myself stable was a thrill. Learning to steer/lean out of steering errors was cool. And just because one goes off the trail doesn't mean one has to stop, if one can steer back onto the trail (again, the wide-tire semi-hybrid was a wise choise over a pure road bike--more forgiving of bumbling learners).
3. Good exercise. Not at all hard on the knees, as promised, but no one told me it was murder on the lungs, sheesh! Copious breaks for water and breath, and I think when I take it back to get it checked out I'm going to ask for an additional bottle mount (it will fit two). Totally exhausted.
4. Also no one told me that bikes are attracted to solid objects. Any time I got near one, Rupert headed straight for it. In the first half hour I hit two trees, two stumps, and a concrete park bench. (See Point 1). On the trail I hit two thickets, almost hit one or two trees (managed to avoid them--learning!) and one bramble bush (getting the brambly creeper out of the rear derailleur will be some evening's entertainment...)
5. I didn't realize it had gone back to being summer, and--concerned about hitting the ground frequently--I had worn jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Not next time.
6. Mounting and dismounting are an art I need to learn. I tripped over the top bar twice when getting off (suddenly).
7. I was actually able to steer past runners and a small group of people (though I nearly hit the latter). Slowing down when approaching people was a good idea; but maybe in future I'll stop and walk past...
OK, quick shower, then off to work.
initial thoughts:
1. I asked for a very durable bike. I think I got one. If Hagrid rode a bike, it would be like this. SOLID. And possibly a little tall for me, but I think I will grow into it (meaning I think I will be comfortable with being higher off the ground as I get more experience, not that I think I will get taller ;-) I may mangle the gears (I managed to pop the chain off the front derailleur within miutes of getting on the bike), but I'm not going to damage the frame without a blowtorch. (Which is just as well, se Point 4.)
2. Wow! I can see why people love this pursuit. I got up some speed once or twice, and just the ability to move fast and to *make* myself stable was a thrill. Learning to steer/lean out of steering errors was cool. And just because one goes off the trail doesn't mean one has to stop, if one can steer back onto the trail (again, the wide-tire semi-hybrid was a wise choise over a pure road bike--more forgiving of bumbling learners).
3. Good exercise. Not at all hard on the knees, as promised, but no one told me it was murder on the lungs, sheesh! Copious breaks for water and breath, and I think when I take it back to get it checked out I'm going to ask for an additional bottle mount (it will fit two). Totally exhausted.
4. Also no one told me that bikes are attracted to solid objects. Any time I got near one, Rupert headed straight for it. In the first half hour I hit two trees, two stumps, and a concrete park bench. (See Point 1). On the trail I hit two thickets, almost hit one or two trees (managed to avoid them--learning!) and one bramble bush (getting the brambly creeper out of the rear derailleur will be some evening's entertainment...)
5. I didn't realize it had gone back to being summer, and--concerned about hitting the ground frequently--I had worn jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Not next time.
6. Mounting and dismounting are an art I need to learn. I tripped over the top bar twice when getting off (suddenly).
7. I was actually able to steer past runners and a small group of people (though I nearly hit the latter). Slowing down when approaching people was a good idea; but maybe in future I'll stop and walk past...
OK, quick shower, then off to work.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-04 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-04 07:25 pm (UTC)