winning the war on fatassedness
As some of you may know, I got too fat. I am only 5'7" and I was weighing in at 200 pounds 2 weeks ago. I have been riding bikes more often though, as I have updated their status from total P.O.S. heaps to serious beaters. I finally got my road bike put back together and have a new drivetrain on my mountainous bike.
I would have upgraded to a nine speed rear cassette on the mountain bike, but the techs at Assfark Bunghole, the closest shop to me, said that I could not run a 7 speed on a nine speed hub body. Those of you who know me well know that the best way to ensure that I will do something, is to tell me it can't be done, because I will inevitably try it. I found a new 7 speed cassette from SRAM and ended up spending less than 100 for a new crank, chain, and cassette.
It is this stubborness/rebellion that lead to my adventure today. As I mentioned previously, I got the road bike back together, and I did an acceptable job even. The bike rides so nice, I have ridden into town a few times. This doesn't sound like a big deal unless you know were my apartment is off of Zeeb rd. It is something like 6.6 miles as a crow flies to central campus. In the Ann Arbor Paper today, there was an article about cops cracking down on cyclists. This is a good thing since they got rid of all that violent crime. Oh wait, violent crime has increased since 2003. I decided I was going to continue waging war on flab, and so I decided to use my bike to drop off my car insurance payment (more irony than a dry cleaners). If I could run a few red lights on the way, all the better.
I dilly dallied too much, as I often do when it is my time and there is no real deadline, but I thought I might have had a chance to make it there by 5. The insurance place off of Plymouth Rd., in Green Rd plaza. I was not successful in my quest to make it to the insurance place on time, as I arrived at 5:15. Oh well, I figured, I can just mail it in like a semi rational person. I was not ready to be done riding though, so I decided to check out some hills on north campus. Did I mention that my bike runs awesome now? I kept pedaling and I was not even tired. I decided to go on the river greenway that starts at the Mitchell field ball diamond and runs to the old mill. I stopped and got some more water and figured this would be a good point to turn around and go home.
When I got to the dam near bandameer park, I felt good still. I decided I would ride around on the B2B trail. I went past WCC and then St. Scarys, but at the EMU Conocomation center they have the pavement all torn up because they are stupid. I was already in Ypsi at this point, so I figured I would stop by to see Eddie. I got some precious water at Eddie's and we shot the shit for a little while. We are going to see Shai Hulud/ Full Blown Chaos this Friday. I thanked him for the water and then I eventually rode home.
All in all, I think I rode something like 50 miles. My butt does not hurt, but my arthritic wrists made me ride most of the way back with no hands. I think I'll be better when I develop my form better. I can already feel less of my gut getting in the way when I am in the drops. I am now so tired. I think I may have reached the end of the internet. ttfn
I would have upgraded to a nine speed rear cassette on the mountain bike, but the techs at Assfark Bunghole, the closest shop to me, said that I could not run a 7 speed on a nine speed hub body. Those of you who know me well know that the best way to ensure that I will do something, is to tell me it can't be done, because I will inevitably try it. I found a new 7 speed cassette from SRAM and ended up spending less than 100 for a new crank, chain, and cassette.
It is this stubborness/rebellion that lead to my adventure today. As I mentioned previously, I got the road bike back together, and I did an acceptable job even. The bike rides so nice, I have ridden into town a few times. This doesn't sound like a big deal unless you know were my apartment is off of Zeeb rd. It is something like 6.6 miles as a crow flies to central campus. In the Ann Arbor Paper today, there was an article about cops cracking down on cyclists. This is a good thing since they got rid of all that violent crime. Oh wait, violent crime has increased since 2003. I decided I was going to continue waging war on flab, and so I decided to use my bike to drop off my car insurance payment (more irony than a dry cleaners). If I could run a few red lights on the way, all the better.
I dilly dallied too much, as I often do when it is my time and there is no real deadline, but I thought I might have had a chance to make it there by 5. The insurance place off of Plymouth Rd., in Green Rd plaza. I was not successful in my quest to make it to the insurance place on time, as I arrived at 5:15. Oh well, I figured, I can just mail it in like a semi rational person. I was not ready to be done riding though, so I decided to check out some hills on north campus. Did I mention that my bike runs awesome now? I kept pedaling and I was not even tired. I decided to go on the river greenway that starts at the Mitchell field ball diamond and runs to the old mill. I stopped and got some more water and figured this would be a good point to turn around and go home.
When I got to the dam near bandameer park, I felt good still. I decided I would ride around on the B2B trail. I went past WCC and then St. Scarys, but at the EMU Conocomation center they have the pavement all torn up because they are stupid. I was already in Ypsi at this point, so I figured I would stop by to see Eddie. I got some precious water at Eddie's and we shot the shit for a little while. We are going to see Shai Hulud/ Full Blown Chaos this Friday. I thanked him for the water and then I eventually rode home.
All in all, I think I rode something like 50 miles. My butt does not hurt, but my arthritic wrists made me ride most of the way back with no hands. I think I'll be better when I develop my form better. I can already feel less of my gut getting in the way when I am in the drops. I am now so tired. I think I may have reached the end of the internet. ttfn