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Snapshot of my life ATM(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)
Posted by: Jagular
Well, I haven't been here for a while. Actually, my net presence has been pretty limited. I just seem to have found a lot of non-net things to do.
I had a bit of a songwriting explosion for a few weeks earlier in the year (seemed pretty productive) and then haven't really written anything in the last 6 months or so. I guess that makes sense since I haven't been putting time into it  . I still want to write, but I have had a little break from it for a while.
I joined the church choir and am a soloist in the choir. I'm really enjoying that and happy to help find a place to use one of my talents to serve.
I've gotten into bicycling pretty heavily over the last 4 and a half months. I bought a fairly inexpensive flat bar road bike and started riding it in late April. My first ride was 15 miles at an average speed of 13 mph with two fairly large hills to climb. I had to walk up the second hill as I felt like I was going to puke and my legs were going to explode. Plus, after 10 miles my butt really hurt. I had to alternate sitting and standing/coasting the last 5 miles to finish the ride. "The boys" were numb for 2 days after that first ride  . But I did some adjusting of the saddle position and got on the bike again a few days later...
Since then I've lost 14 pounds. I've done successively longer rides which culminated in a 100 mile (164 km) ride on 9/1. I did that in 6h 55min of saddle time for an average speed of 14.6 mph.
Here's by bike computer after the century ride...
I regulary take weekend rides of 35 - 50 miles averageing between 15 and 16 mph (with some hills) with a typical speed on the flats between 17 & 20 mph. Here's the bike...
Here's me on the bike...
I also am purchasing an indoor cycle trainer for the coming winter months so I can continue my training. I won a fitness challenge contest ($750) at work so that is paying for the trainer. Woo hoo!!
I was going to do the MS150 ride (150 mile ride over two days for Multiple Sclerosis) but, oddly enough, my wife had a grand mal seizure in the middle of our lunch at Panera Bread on Sunday. She now can't drive until she is seizure free for 6 months so I need to be a little more handy  . Scared the crap out of me. I thought I lost her there for a couple minutes and made me contemplate life without her. Not good!! I'm glad she's still with us! I'll do the MS150 next year and make a goal for next year to do a 200km ride as well and do that same 100 mile ride in under 6 hours.
My daughter is doing great. Turning into qutite a young lady. She's in second grade. She had the highest GPA in her first grade class last year (and Kindergarten the year before). She started a new school this year. A little bigger. Maybe a little more compentition for that highest GPA! She's doing great! Here she is on the first day of second grade in front of her new school...
Ok..that's my life right now in a nutshell. All is good. No...all is GREAT!
Posted by: Dave
Way to go John! Good to know life is going well.
Posted by: Reck
Wow, props on the fitness competition and weight loss. 
Posted by: ]DucK[MrNiceguy
You have no idea how jealous I am  Glad to see you are doing well Jag! *drools at the bike ad congratulates on the epic ride*
Posted by: Cashes
37 max mph !!!
that must have been fun
i ride only abought 25 miles a week on my mountian bike
heres another benefit ride , but the 550 miles is killer , i couldnt do that 
http://www.aidslifecycle.org/index.html
Posted by: Jagular
Thanks guys.
Yeah things are going great and I'm grateful.
Cashes - 25 mi a week is better than 0 miles a week!
I just did a 50 mile ride on Saturday. Hit my new top speed ever of 39.2 mph on a descent. My legs were already a bit fried at this point so I really didn't attack the hill too hard. And the wind (pretty stiff one) was in my face. Maybe next Saturday I can break 40. I'll just say a little prayer that I don't have a blow out at that speed . That would leave a mark...
I would love to do a multi-day tour like that some day. I need to work my fitness level up a bit for that yet. That is averaging close to 80 miles a day for 7 days in a row. I could probably do 2 days of that now. Maybe 3 if I went really slow.... I know when I finished my century, there was no way I would have gotten on a bike and done the same thing the next day. But someday...
Posted by: dan
Nice spandex bud
Edit: Speaking of biking, I reeeeally want to get into it, although mountain biking rather than road biking. Went on about a 20-30 (I really haven't got much of a clue, but I'm pretty sure it was somewhere around there) ride by the river here in the summer and I loved it. Too bad I moved back in with my parents for the next year so I don't have anywhere to ride 
How much did that thing for your bike cost you?
Posted by: Jagular
quote:
Originally posted by dan
Nice spandex bud
Edit: Speaking of biking, I reeeeally want to get into it, although mountain biking rather than road biking. Went on about a 20-30 (I really haven't got much of a clue, but I'm pretty sure it was somewhere around there) ride by the river here in the summer and I loved it. Too bad I moved back in with my parents for the next year so I don't have anywhere to ride
How much did that thing for your bike cost you?
Yeah...I looks good in my lycra...
Plus I caught my wife feeling up my quads this morning...
There are side benefits to cycling
If by "thing" you mean the bike computer this is a pretty cheap one. Probably about $40 U.S. Probably can find some cheaper too if you shop around.
Hope you get out on that bike again Dan! As you found, it sure can be a lot of fun...
Posted by: Dave
My dad used the bike to cut back on his insulin when he got diabetic. For most of his life, he actually didn't need it at all. The year he retired, he cycled 12,000 km, and until he was 70, he did a weekend ride from Ottawa to Kingston and back - about 300 km one way.
After his last heart surgery, he managed to get out on one last 50 km ride. He was annoyed that he couldn't get over 25 kph. I inherited the bike he did that ride on - the other 9 went to friends
Posted by: Jagular
quote:
Originally posted by Dave
My dad used the bike to cut back on his insulin when he got diabetic. For most of his life, he actually didn't need it at all. The year he retired, he cycled 12,000 km, and until he was 70, he did a weekend ride from Ottawa to Kingston and back - about 300 km one way.
After his last heart surgery, he managed to get out on one last 50 km ride. He was annoyed that he couldn't get over 25 kph. I inherited the bike he did that ride on - the other 9 went to friends
Cool story! Your dad sounds like he was an animal (in a good way ). 600 km in a weekend is darn good. He should have trained up for the Paris-Brest-Paris ride. That is 1200 km with a 90 hour time limit. They do it every 4 years now. I bet he could have done it based on that 600 km ride!
Looks like you got yourself a cool bike there. If for noting else, for sentimental reasons. So...when ya going riding
Posted by: Dave
Good question. I got it planning to get out, but it hasn't happened yet. Between work, working at Bernice's school, volunteering at the church, and small musical shows, I don't even have enough time for Bernice, never mind getting out on the bike. I make due with the treadmill at late hours.
Posted by: Jagular
quote:
Originally posted by Dave
Good question. I got it planning to get out, but it hasn't happened yet. Between work, working at Bernice's school, volunteering at the church, and small musical shows, I don't even have enough time for Bernice, never mind getting out on the bike. I make due with the treadmill at late hours.
I hear ya. That's a lot of why I'm not doing a lot of writing right now. Just not enough hours in the day...
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