My first ride with NCBC - the Spring Rally

There seemed to be some displeasure from some of the riders at the Rally but I had no complains - however I did ride the 42 miles route so maybe the problems were on the longer route - I was late getting back and they were packing up when I got in.

Turtle had a great ride - I finished dead last but was not dead, I was tired. I thought the club did a great job setting up the Rally and fell it was well done. The weather turned out to be great even though it was raining when I left Garner. I most likely tried to do too much this weekend at least for me. I rode 35 Saturday and 45 today. I have not had a 70+ miles weekend in over 7 years. It is so great to be able to ride again. I am looking forward to when I can ride faster. I was really hurting the last 5 miles but I did finish. My GPS track is HERE. I have attached a few pictures.

My weight was 370.8 pounds today

First Slow Spokes ride from Saltbox Village

Here is my first post about going on this ride - short but sweet -

Turtle is planning to ride.

My post ride comments

Had a great ride - was all new to me and I got to meet and ride with 4 new cyclist.

You may see my GPS data by clicking HERE.

Missed riding with you Rick hope you are OK

Thanks Zonda.

Zonda had made a comment about my weight lose. I really enjoyed the ride and the nice folks I rode with - do not remember their name - I need to get better at that - once again everyone had to wait for me a lot - no one complained but it still bugged me - it is funny I do not think it would brother me to wait for someone but it does when other have to wait for me.

My weight was 370.0 today.

St Paddy's Ride from Trek for ADA

My comments -

I had a real nice ride. It was a lot of fun.Click here for a link to my ride, I missed a turn and added a few miles just for fun - lol.

My weight is 376.4 pounds today.

My first Thursday evening Slow Spokes ride

I was still worried about how I would be accepted with both the trike and Bionx - post follows -

I would really like to go on these rides. I know my trike presents some problems when you all are working on riding in a pace-line. I do not mind riding behind the group off the back. I am more aerodynamic than you all are and do not need to draft to keep up. I just like riding with groups, however if you fell it would cause too much trouble as has been suggested to me for other group rides let me know and I will not attend.

The following was Ricks the ride leaders answer on the forum - we have never had any other recumbent cyclist but I keep hopping -

Ashby, it should be no problem having you and your trike on these rides. We are not to the point with this group, yet, of trying to rotate, and I know you can keep up with the pace. You do not need to stay off the back. On the back or second from the back (with an experienced rider behind you) would be fine.When we do get to the point with this group to start rotating pace-lines, you are still welcome to ride with us. All I would ask is that you allow the rider who is coming off the front to get back into the line in front of you.It would be a blast if we could get three or four more trikes or recumbents to join you and start a separate rotating line just for the recumbents.

03-17-09

This was my reply to Rick who by the way has turned out to be a friend and is a good ride leader.

OK - GREAT! I am looking forward to the ride. I am new to cycling in this area but not a new rider the trike however is new to me. I am willing to ride anywhere in the group you want me and follow instruction of the ride leader. I am comfortable riding on the road and in groups. Unless work inter fears I will be there. I have ridden in a group of 9 recumbent before - I use to organize a recumbent ride monthly in New Orleans when I lived there. If you think one recumbent bike or trike get looks you should see 9 of them rolling down the road. I do not have a picture of the 9 bent ride but here is one from a six bent ride. I use to ride a long wheel base bent, I still have it but balance issues prevent me from riding it right now. Thanks.

Here is my post after the ride which I did really enjoy even through I could barely keep up and was exhausted afterwards. What can I say I am a geek - I like numbers.

A good ride
I really enjoyed the ride - it was a bit short but as daylight allows I am sure it will get longer. My GPS reports

1:00:33 ride time

11.54 miles

1,191 ft elevation gained

1814 calories burned

Avg speed 11.4 mph

max speed 29.9.

My cycling computer reports

2% avg. climb

7% max climb

54 avg. cadence

91 max. cadence

I did not get my heart rate on this ride.

At the beginning of the ride the temperature was 73 degrees and during the ride in one 20 time period it dropped to 66 degrees, it was 64 degrees at the ride end.

I have included some pictures - you can see a map of my route here - hope to see everyone next week and some new folks also.

Every second and ounce counts.

My weight was 376.4 pounds today.

The next bunch of posts

The next series of post will mostly be copy of posts I have made to the various ride websites and forums - I will also likely make additional comments based on notes I keep or things I remember.

Scaling up

Today I weightin at 377.4 pounds which means the not only had I been succesful in staying on the program with no feed back I had now lost a total of 32.6 pounds. I do not know where it went because I still see this FOG in the mirror. (Fat Old Guy) I really can not see a change - it is annoying if most people had last 32 pounds they could see something. Yes I got a scale. I am not sure when it changed but when I had saved the money for a scale and went to order it I could not find the one I had seem online before so I did a new search and found several and at much lower cost so I got one and device that measure precent of body fat - I am almost half fat!!! 45.7% How bad is that?!!!