I survived the big ride!

It is over, now a thing of the past and I can't wait to take on the next challenge.
The Sojourn bicycle trip to Vergenees, VT was FANTASTIC.
The first day was a breeze riding about 12 miles followed by a lobster dinner reception where we met the owner of Sojourn Bicycle Tours. And the wine was free flowing.
Our accommodations at the Basin Harbor Club were fantastic. The entire time we were there everything about the location was first rate.
Our tour guides Luke and Barb were unbelievable. You couldn't have asked for two nicer people.
I will admit I was one of the slowest riders in our group. But everyone was supportive and good natured about it. On the last day when we biked to Burlington I wasn't sure I would make it but Barb rode right by my side encouraging me and waiting for me all the way into downtown.
I am now looking forward to new September and being able to participate in the New Hampshire Three Notch Century. Have to start strengthening the legs for those hills.

The Big Ride is quickly approaching

Last week I was feeling on top of the world.
I felt like I was making fantastic progress.
This week I am frightened that I won't be able to complete even the shortest distances each day.
If I don't and run out of steam will I be failing myself?
Will we have wasted all that money?
I guess only time will tell.
What I do know is that throughout this ordeal I have managed to lose 51 pounds to date.
My energy level has increased dramatically. My arthritic left knee has gotten stronger and I can almost see my facial cheek bones.
I am scared and excited.
Every day I am on the bike and most days I try to make a spin class in the evening when I don't have to cover a meeting or event.
I am, not sure there is more that I can do.
Tomorrow, Les and I will be going for a 25-mile ride and then the reward will be lunch at a new vegetarian restaurant in Chester.
The countdown has begun for the Big Ride.

Motorists need to understand what bicyclists endure on roadways

This post is really for motor vehicle operators who are not familiar with cyclists.
When a cyclist is riding on the road there are many reasons why he/she may not be hugging the curb.
There might be a lot of road debris over there, or there might be a series of drain basins or the roadway might be littered with pot holes.
Any of these scenarios could mean disaster to a cyclist if their wheel gets caught up.
Another reason might be the visibility on that particular stretch of roadway. If the street is tree lined there might be a lot of shadows and riding more in the center of the road might increase visibility.

The clock is ticking faster than I can pedal

The trip of a lifetime is less than a month away.
I don't feel like I am prepared for this trip to Vermont for a bicycling adventure.
I am training twice a day for the past couple of weeks and plan to continue up till we leave.
Every morning at 6:30 a.m. you can find me pedaling my way around the town of orange.
You can't miss me. I have the bright orange top and a flashing light under the seat of the bicycle.
Some of you have seen me saying "Hi Bridget" as I pedal past you while you are out for an early morning stroll.
In the afternoon/evening you can find me at LA Fitness in a spin class. Here I am trying to make my legs stronger so I can pedal faster and harder.
While the weight is dropping off my body frame and I am able to wear clothes that have been in the closet for at least a decade I still don't think I am ready for this adventure.
The journey continues.

Misery seems to love company

Trying to get into shape is really challenging right now. Take yesterday for instance. I took my bicycle over to High Plains Community Center where there is a large area that is paved. I need to feel comfortable on the bicycle before venturing into traffic. As I was attempting to ride and shift gears the bicycle kind of stopped and I fell off of it onto my shoulder. The same shoulder my doctor told me on Friday that most likely has a rotator cuff tear. When I fell numerous people came over and asked if I was alright. My pride was so hurt that I told them I was fine and that I was learning how to fall. Yep, I told them it was a planned fall. I got back on the bike and rode around for a while longer until I couldn't stand the discomfort in my shoulder. On a positive note my gym time is still consistent. I am still struggling with the stairmaster.

Time to increase the workout

Tonight I am taking a giant step in strengthening my legs. I am going to add the stair master to my workout. This is a challenging addition as it can be uncomfortable on my knees to go up and down steps. But I am told it will quickly give me quad strength which is needed for pedal power. I now also have a good knee brace which should give my left knee some support. I am not feeling like I am making enough progress fast enough. I think the spell of warm weather has begun to make me panic. Kind of OMG it is already warm out and I not on the road beginning to make any progress. My diet, on the other hand, seems to be getting better. In the morning I have been having a protein shake and a couple of hours later yogurt and blueberries. Then lunch at work and a high protein dinner with greens. Lately the greens have been red kale and red swiss chard.

A small start

Alright, I have actually stepped into LA Fitness twice so far. I wish they were a little more considerate with the music they played. Not everyone wants to have their ears pierced with the loud music. I prefer my own music and brought along my ipod. Unfortunately, in order to drown out the LA Fitness music I had to crank my volume quite high. I did some stretching, spent about 15 minutes on the treadmill and another 10 on the elliptical machine. Then I did some upper body stuff. Interestingly, I felt happy when I left the gym. Over the weekend we pulled my bike down from the hangar in the garage and it is in the back of the car to be dropped off at the bike shop for a once-over. Tonight, more gym time. I also signed us up for travel insurance. This should now mean everything will go fine and we won't need it!

The Big 6 0

I am 60 and fat. There, I put it in black and white. Turning 60, which I did in January, has really been kind of traumatic for me. Neither of my parents lived to be this age. Last year before the holidays I was dreading hitting the big 6 0. I decided to stop coloring my hair. After all, I rationalized; I don’t want those chemicals in my body. I no longer use ANY products that have been tested on animals. So why am I still coloring my hair? The simple answer, I told myself, was that I was doing my best to hide my age. I work in an environment where many of my coworkers are much younger than I am I rationalized. On my birthday, we did NOTHING. This was not a year to celebrate still being alive. I am not by anyone’s imagination athletic. However I am about to become just that. I came to the conclusion that to help me get through this year I need a change. So when we received an offer to go on a bicycle trip in Vermont I convinced my spouse that this would be a good move. She, is in fantastic shape and is a triathlete. This is nothing for her. But for me the next six months I will be in training. Yesterday I went to the doctor to make sure I had no medical complications. I received a clean bill of health. This morning I went to the eye doctor and had my vision checked and talked to her about proper glasses. My next step will be Kennedy & Perkins eye glass in New Haven to talk with Richard about some kind of wrap around glasses that will increase my vision. This weekend you will be able to find my at L. A. Fitness. The gym is about to become my friend. A scary thought indeed. Stay tuned to ‘Bridget’s great adventure. Any help you might want to offer will be appreciated.