Back in the saddle baby. Okay, so I did the 33+ miles to and from Sam’s Saturday, then jumped on the fixed gear and peddled around Sea Cliff and the Lake District for about 45 minutes, which actually was harder on the muscles in my legs than the Saturday ride.  Monday was a day of rest for me and my legs needed it. Serious lactic acid build up from me not doing anything for such a long time. But, it was not as bad as it could have been as my $100 Brookstone massager saved the day and really makes a big difference. I used it after both rides and it is amazing what a half an hour with the massager can do to help your muscles recover and prevent soreness. Believe me, I am still sore. Today I am debating what to do as far as exercise. It is ugly and cold outside, which is not a big deal because I have gear for all seasons here in San Francisco. But, I have a lot of things to do today and my road bike is still down at my buddy’s house (who won’t call me back). So, I can either ride the fixie again, do the Lyon St. stairs or go for a walk.  I think all are good options.

Most importantly, I had somewhat of an epiphany this weekend. Saturday night we had pizza and I had a few Cokes with dinner. As I stared at the ceiling that night, trying to fall asleep, I began to think about my family medical history and my lifestyle. I used to be in top shape inside and out and I let that go.  I realized on my ride that I was pretty much back at square #1 when it came to cycling and my eating habits were probably the same. So, I decided to not only begin riding again every week, but also get back onto my diet that I devised when I used to ride and run.  I will be posting more on my diet later, but you should know that it is a great way to eat well, lower your LDL cholesterol, lose weight, keep your digestive system healthy and feel great.  Gotta run.

Well, I finally got off my lazy ass yesterday and rode over to Sam’s with a good friend. It has probably been 2 years since I have ridden 30+ miles on a bike, which is pathetic. There have been the off occasions when I have ridden somewhere, but never more than 5 miles or so. I am a serious lard ass at this point and I am bordering on very unhealthy. I think it is time to actually start riding again. It looks like we are going to be selling our place here at the top of the hill and move down to the peninsula. If we don’t end up living in the hills down there, I will probably ride a lot again. But, since I am such a lazy ass, I fear that I will not ride much if we live up in the higher elevations again.  I don’t mind riding up hills, I really hate ending my ride going up a hill.  I just want some flats baby.

Quiet week for me and the bike. I managed to get out last weekend, but the rain has been relentless and I have not.  Let’s face it, riding in the rain sucks. It is cold. It is wet. And, it is just not good for the bike as all of the crap that was once on the road is now in the smallest cracks on your bike. So, to make a long story short, I have not ridden all week. But, I am going to Tahoe for the weekend and there will be some big-time snowboarding. Same thing right?

Technorati Tags: cycling, rain

Weather in the Bay Area is always a mixed bag and Saturday was no exception. The forecast was for sun all day, so I figured it was a great day to clean up in the storage room, true up the rear wheel on the LeMond Maillot Juane, change the front tire (for rain readiness), clean and lube the bike.  When I finished everything up, some clouds rolled in and the temperature outside dropped about 10 degrees.  By the time I went upstairs, changed and made my way back downstairs, it was drizzling.  I have a new mindset at this time of year and it is, “rain or shine,” you know, like the post office.  So, I put on a rain jacket and headed out on the bike. By the time I made it out onto the street, rain was coming down very hard…I would call it a downpour.  No worries, the bike was shiny, running super quiet and smoothly.  Making my way over the bridge was fun in the wind and rain for some reason. There were tons of cyclist out…they obviously had already adopted the “rain or shine” mindset.  Entering Marin, the rain had stopped, but the streets were still very wet.  I made it up and down the hills without incident and made my way out and back to the city.  Getting off the bike, I saw that it was covered in dirt and debris and had to laugh.  My brakes sounded like they had gravel in them and were grinding new grooves into my wheels.  So, I did what any good DIY guy would do and took the hose to it.  I blasted all of the dirt off, dried off the bike with a towel and lubed up all of the screws, pivots and the chain.  So much for cleaning my bike once in one day.

Technorati Tags: Cycling, San+Francisco, Rain

I was just thumbing through the December 2005 edition of Bicycling Magazine and they had a 10 page write-up on how much of a great town San Francisco is for cycling enthusiasts.  I really couldn’t agree more.  Living in San Diego for 15 years, I was fortunate enough to ride in some of the best year-round weather and some of the most beautiful terrain in the United States. Or, so I thought until I moved to San Francisco two years ago.  This could be the most scenic city I have ever lived in and ridden in.  The vistas from each street, the headlands of Marin County, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, they all work together to make one of the most incredible cities to ride your bike in.  And, don’t think for a second that all of the hills make the cyclists here few and far between. Quite the contrary, there are more cyclists on the road here every day than I ever saw in San Diego. And, San Diego is reported to be one of the big tri-athlete training grounds in the world. Anyway, if you get a chance you should check out the article.