July ride totals

I got sick and was unable to ride from July 18th to Aug 7th but here is what I did do in July

Rides 9
Time 15:21:02
Distance 191.78 miles
Elevation Gained 19469 feet
Elevation Lost 19415 feet
Avg Speed 11.61 mph
Max speed 27.89 mph
Burned 29577 calories
Pounds of fat if all the calories came from stored fat 8.45 lb.

Shipped

Well the wheel finially shipped - They did not pick it up until the afternoon but claimed it would be there today - so the waiting game continues.

I really miss riding

I had breakfast with Dad Saturday but that was all I was able to get myself to do. I watched the Tour both days and a triathlon. But that was it I could not get myself to do anything. As soon as I can I need to and I mean when it is financially reasonable I need to get a second trike so this does not happen again or maybe I just need to find so other way to get myself to do something. I do miss riding, I am still walking and eating correctly - I even lost .6 pounds to a new low of 354.2 pounds. Hopefully the wheel will be shipped Monday and get back soon - I hope to ride this coming weekend but dough if it will be back - I will try to get myself to ride with out it this coming weekend.

My wieght today is 354.2 pounds.

At work

I am feeling real poorly today - I am at work but wish I was asleep somewhere.

Got a lot of nice notes from my cycling/tri friends - really help when one is feeling down.

Doing a bit better

Some good news today -

My weight today is 354.8 pounds

I finally recorded a new loss today - had been stuck for a while.

WOW - 5 hours of the Tour de France on the DVR from the live coverage when I got home from work today.

Not my best weekend

Hello Blog.
Well I tried to do the Selma Cyclepath ride Saturday but turned around after 5.5 miles and went home. I tried to ride later but turned around and went home after about 8 miles. Sunday I was feeling real sick so I just gave up and did not even try. I was a real depressing weekend and I am still having trouble with depression.
Now when I really need it to be safe riding my Bionx is broken, I do not feel safe due to my health to ride alone with out it. The tests the dealer has had me do show the torque sensor is not working so the Boinx will not assist. Looks like I will have to return the wheel for repair and I have to pay the shipping. I do not know how long this will take. This is even more depressing.
I am surprised how much riding seems to help me feel well and not be depressed. I am not sure if this is bad or good but it seems to be true. Not sure if I should try to do something about this apparent need to ride or if I can change it. There are a lot of worse things to have a need to do. Maybe I should just work toward having backup bikes/trikes so I am not completely dependent on just one trike.
I maybe should not make decide what to do about things like this when I am feeling so poorly.

Our Ghost Bike ride

For any who might read this and does not know we lost a fellow cyclist last Saturday.

My post ride comments -

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A good ride - I did appreciate the route change - I knew Bruce and had ridden with him - it was something I wanted to do to pay my respects to Bruce - I wonder if in this case RIP could mean 'Ride in Peace'. God Bless Bruce.

Turtle liked her new teeth. The trike is a very different animal with the new front chain ring. I am having to re-learn shifting gears on the trike - since I got the High Speed Drive I have spent about 90% of the time in the 9th rear gear and today I spent most of my cruising time in the 4th or 3rd gear - perfect just what I wanted. Several time I was able to pedal the trike up to 24+mph, I never got to 25 mph but I tried.

My GPS data is here

My Pictures are here

I had trouble with the Bionx tonight - I had worked on it after I got the HSD and had it setup to mostly just assist when I am climbing but changing the chain ring messed that up. I had to do this when I got the HSD because it was different than the triple chain ring. I really like having it just help me climb. I plan to work on it Friday and hope I can have her ready to rise for Saturday.
I am reducing my insulin again down to 160 units twice a day. Had hypoglycemia five times this week - almost passed out at work today after my walk.
I may have found a pool here in Garner - going to check it out Friday evening after work.

My weight is 356.4 pounds

Healthy as an ox!?

My comments in my cycling forum -


Hey team sorry I did not make it tonight, I know we are not a team but it is fun to think of the group that way. I really was looking forward to riding tonight - I spent a good part of Monday evening refitting the High Speed Drive crank on the trike.
The good news my Doctor says I am healthy as an ox - are oxen really healthy? Maybe he said I am an ox. Really he is was very pleased with my weight loss and my fitness improvements - I still have the problems I have had but everything is under control and if anything I am doing better than I have for a long long time. He is doing some additional test just to be sure as he says - I will find out the results of those soon. He approves everything I have been doing, has no problem with me training for a triathlon. He thinks adding swimming would be very good for me and the only thing suggested is some weight training if I want to. So I plan to be there for the Brick every Tuesday and for when the team is not going to train for some reason I plan on setting up a 17.2 or so ride route and a 1.5 miles walk/run here in Garner so I can train here and not have to do the drive. I still need to find a place to swim - the only pool in Garner is sort of a club and requires a yearly membership - I am only looking for a place to swim laps. I work downtown Raleigh and plan to look to see what is any gyms have pools - with a gym membership I could swim and do the weight training when ready.

My Weight today is 358.2 pounds

Turtle has new teeth!

Turtle has new teeth - 7 to be exact. Utah Trikes came through for me - if you even have a need for something trike check them out.
It took me about an hour to remove the crank, shifter button and the 27 tooth chain ring then installing the new 34 tooth chain ring, crank and shifter button.
I then took her out for a short test run. Just around the house but unless she acts very differently on the road this change is going to really help.
Numbering the rear casette rings with 1 being the largest or 34 tooth ring and the smalles or 11 tooth ring I was able to peddle the trike up to 12 mph in the 3rd or 4th rear ring - before the change I was almost always in the 9th ring.
I hope I get to ride Tuesday with the Tri group the 17 mile ride would be a grweat test distance.

Great ride and gathereing with Team CBC

My pre-ride comments -

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Nice - looking forward to the ride - no commitments after the ride this week so I do not need to hurry off.
Turtle and I are doing the 42 not ready for the 72 yet beside we just love those hills
Good luck or break a leg or what ever one is suppose to wish all the Tri Triangle triathletes

My post ride comments -

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I had a good ride and it was the wrap of a good week of riding - I have done 142 miles this week. I will likely try the new 72 miles route next time - I am not ready to try 72 miles yet but 42 is a bit short - I have not checked the route yet but I have read I can bail out for a 47 and that is a little better than 42 and maybe I will see some new roads. It would be nice if there was a about at 52, 58 and a 64 or so - I will have to check the route once I create my GPS route.
I really enjoyed being able to stay for the gathering after the ride the food and people were both great. What a nice and different sort of event and group.
I arrived late for the 10:30 start - so I rode most of the day solo but I did caught up with a few and got some pictures on the road I also got some of the gathering after the ride. Also my GPS worked today Ya!

My GPS data is here

My Pictures are here

OK I have created three routes between 42 and 72 miles - a 48+, 55+ and a 63 mile routes. I used the 72 mile-July route as much as possible, the 48+ and 55+ only hit one SAG stop, the 62 hits two SAGs. I have created these for myself and have not driven or ridden the routes so I cannot be sure what the roads are like or even if they are there(once MapSource which I use with my GPS to create route showed a road that did not exist or at least did not exist any more) I use the GPX file format because it works best for me also I do not have anyway to create cue sheets. All mileages are generated by MapSource so actual millage may be different. I plan to ride the 48+ next time Team CBC rides.

Attached Files

	Team CBC 48-July.gpx (68.8 KB, 0 views)
	Team CBC 55-July.gpx (79.4 KB, 0 views)
	Team CBC 62-July.gpx (83.2 KB, 0 views)

I should get the new 34 tooth chain ring for my crank. I really hope this does the trick for my speed problem with the trike. I really like the trike and I seem to have gotten the stability problems down to the point to where it is acceptable - I have done several plus 30 mph descents now with no real problems. Monday is my rest day so if they do come in it would be great - I can install them and not miss a ride. I really do not want to spend more money on the trike - I have a lot of money in it - I just want to ride now,

Cool Flower Hill Thrill 47.75 miles

My post ride comments -

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I had a real good ride - some new roads for me some were real nice. Selma Cyclepath once again did a real nice job setting up these rides. My GPS does not have ride data for me to download - I am not sure why it shows having a history but not a download able activity. My cycling computer showed 47.75 miles, ride time 2:50:53, average speed 16.1 mph, max speed 27.5 mph, 1557 feet of climbing, max climb was 8%, average heart rate 118 bpm, max heart rate 132 bpm, 3270 calo burned. My Pictures are here

I am really annoyed that my GPS did not recorde this ride - it was a nice route and I would have liked to have seen that data - I hope they ride the same router next week, one hill out on the route with an 8% grave and of course the finishing ride hill which is about 7% grade. The first leg of the ride to the rest stop was about 28 miles -I did it none stop mostly riding alone and I felt good - the 19 miles after the rest stop were also no problem but I did get a little tired at miles 45 - a good ride,

On a different note I bought running shoes Friday - it was an interesting experince - the salesman looked at my feet with shoes off then asked me to walk - he also asked me some questions - then he told me I needed shoes from the one column on the wall and he told me why he felt I needed them - I agreed and he got my current shoe size and whento get shoes for me to try on - he came back with two boxes - one box was a size too small and the others were the right size but from the next column over from the one he told I should get - seemes that they did not have my size but he felt sure these would be just as good for me - interesting how the ones I needed were the ones they had instock - well I got them anyway because they felt good and I can return them with in two weeks if I do not use them outside - I will try them on my treadmill and diecide if they fell OK - I do need shoes if I am going to do this - I got some Yanks laces for them - they seem like a cool this if they work - what they are is elastic shoe laces that are installed backwards meaning the loop is at the top and the ends are down by the toes - there is a way to adjust them I hope they wrok - I also got some swim googles have not foud a place to swim yet but I am looking - there are several places around but nothing close to Garner - mow I am looking for a place near work - I also got some road tires 1.5" 80 psi 26" slicks for the mountain bike - I need to be able to ride a DF bike and ride it far enough to use in also I want to see if I can learn to an aero dymatic position on the MB - well I may just be being sjlly but it grivs me something to think about.

A good well atended Slow Spokes Thur night ride

My post ride comments -

I great ride - we had a crowd out tonight. I had a good ride not sure exactly why it was easier tonight for me but it was. The pace was a little slower , I was able to draft a lot more tonight and I just seemed to have better legs and more stamina.
We also had a nice group for food and beer after the ride - lots of Fun!


My GPS data is here

My pictures are here

I was told by several people that my right front wheel was wobbling - it was strange I could not feel it. I examined both front wheels and found the right front had a broken spoke again. So I unloaded the trike from the van when I got home and removed the right front break and the right front wheel. This time I will take the wheel in and get them to make me a replacement spoke and 3 spares for each side.

CBC Tri-Team ? first training ride/run

My post ride comments -

I had a good time and took my first step to possibly become a triathlete - I am not sure I will ever compete but I am looking forward to the training and training with a goal in mind. I plan to look around Garner to see if I can find somewhere to swim. I can begin doing that now and I am not ready to try running yet but I will be ramping up my walking. One thing I do need is some running/walking shoes. Was really nice to see everyone and I hope we can make this a weekly event at this park and maybe at some other places also. I think there were 7 or 8 of us there sorry I do not have everyone's name.

My GPS data shows both my ride and walk so the average speed in not correct for either - my cycling computer had a average speed of 16,2 mph.

I only got one picture

I have an app for my iPhone from http://www.mapmyride.com which will use the GPS built into the iPhone to collect the course data of walks, rides, hikes and other types of sports. It tells me that I walked 1.28 miles in 34:18 minutes with a pace of 26.53 average(not sure what this means) at a speed of 2.23 mph average. Click HERE to see the link to the site with my data - I am not sure if it can be seen by other people if the link does not work.

I still have trouble believing I am doing this and that I really want to. I know so little about Trialthletics and the events but I am looking forward to learning,

I still can not beleive I write - but I am interested

From a post I placed on the TringleCycling Forum -

I find this really hard to believe but I am interested in this - PLEASE do not hurt yourselves laughing. Has there ever been a 356 pound tri - I wonder? But I find I am interested - I would not compete until I have lost a lot more weight. I am sure I could not compete at all unless I can get to the point where I can ride a diamond frame bike and that may not happen no matter how much I want. If that turn out to be a fact then I will just look at it as a way to get fit. I would also have to buy a diamond frame bike I am pretty sure one can would not want to do this on a mountain bike and that is the only DF bike I have but I can use it at a later date to see if I can ride one. But I fell sure I can train for now on my trike, the swimming should not be a problem I hold two Open Water SCUBA diving instructors certification(neither one is current but I can swim) when I get to that point I would just have to train however I am not sure I can run at least not yet. I walk everyday for exercises about 2 miles but I have not even tried to run in a long time. I guess I will just try a little at a time and see how I do I also have to get some shoes for running.
I will check out the book mentioned earlier about the Fat Tri:hyper:

My weight today is 358.6 pounds

First Night Friday ride - July 2009

Well this has to be one of them most unusually rides I have been on in a long time. I had a great time -Thanks Pugylyyy - I was way over dressed - I showed up for the ride in my regular cycling shirt and shorts also shoes - since I wear saddles all the time to ride my feet fit right in. This was a group of cyclist who ride a lot and some may have no other means of transport but most likely do not own a helmet. It was a very laid back group who were all very nice and pleasent to me even if I did not look like I belonged there and everyone seemed to like the trike. The ride meets more or less at 7 PM at the Bell tower(which has no bells I was told) on campus and the proseeds on a route not known until it is anounced to gallry or some other place of interest once there we enjoyed whatever was happening there then moved on to some other place. We made about five stops and took some very interesting routes around the city (see GPS track). I estimate there were about 75 of us maybe a few more. All in all a nice time and a lot of fun. If anyone reading this is in the area I hope you join us next month.

My GPS data is here

My Pictures are here

Crashed!

OK well I am not real sure what happened but I was going about 12 mph on the American Tobacco Trail riding my Vanguard recumbent then I was on my side sliding down the trail. I guess I will have to accept for now at least I still cannot balance well enough to ride either of my two wheel bikes. The Vanguard in now hanging in the garage. I broke the rear brake handle so I could not ride back even if I wanted to try. According to the GPS I had a total trip distance of 3.99 miles so I had to walk back 2 miles pushing the bike. I found out that bike shorts while great for riding are not that great for walking. My arm hurts but is not too bad. The elbow does hurt and not just where I am cut - I will have to watch that. I also have some small cuts on my left leg and I have a number of sort spots. During the walk back I got light headed a couple of times but seem to be OK now,
I still want to try to do the First Night ride tonight. I will just have to wait and see.

My GPS data is here

A bit better tonight

My post ride comments -

Had a good ride tonight - I did not find it to be hot - I guess growing up around New Orleans changes what one feels is hot lol. I got dropped again by the fast group it took them a bit longer and once I knew I could not join the group I just stopped worrying about it and road as fast as I could. I am riding Friday since I am off and Saturday and Sunday if my body and legs can do it. My cycling computer which has my heart rate monitor in it died during the ride - hope it is just the battery

My GPS data is here

My Pictures are here

My Blog is here

I am really looking forward to the 34 tooth chain ring - I still may get dropped but I believe it will help - I spend almost the whole ride with the High-Speed drive in High and in the 11 tooth(my smallest) ring in the rear cassette - with the 34 I should be able to do higher speed at a lower rear ring and be able to use a lower cadence - at a lower cadence I will not tire as much and might have more left toward the end of the ride - I will just have to see.

My weight today is 356.0 pounds.

Good afternoon Blog

Well I finally got someone to agree to get me the parts and tools I need to modify the High-Speed drive on my trike so that the trike will have the ability to allow me to pedal it up to 30 mph if I am able at 66 cadence. This has taken a lot of time to figure out - I found a assemble/service manual to the High-Speed drive online on the Schlumpf website. Anyway I found out that all of the 3 chain-rings they sell will work on the HS drive and after doing some calculations with a Gear-Inch calculator - http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisil/gearinches.asp - that the 34 tooth chain-ring with the HS drive in high speed mode and the 11 tooth cassette ring would give me 154 gear inches equating to 30 mph at a cadence of 66. I cannot pedal this on a flat but it means I can continue to pedal on downhills and that I should be able to achieve 23 to 25 mph with a cadence of 60 to 65 and this is exactly what I am looking for. Also I should still be able to climb hills as the lowest gear will still be 20 gear inches and that is 3 mph at 60 cadence and 2 mph at 45 cadence. The trikes original gearing had a lowest gear of 18 gear inches and even through the HS drive allowed for a low gear of 15 gear inches I never used it it was just too low. Now the BAD news it is going to cost me about $200 for the parts and tools. This is pretty annoying to me since when I got the HS drive I thought I was solving this problem - I really hope this is it - I am spending too much money on bike stuff.

My weight today was 356.0 pounds - WOOT!