Greenway Expansion and a New Fork

I was riding back from an appointment on Thursday, taking my usual route through Sylvan Park, and was shocked to see new Greenway being built along my route.

In spite of all of the added burden to the cities budget brought on by the flooding, they've apparently opted to continue with the scheduled greenway projects.  Way to go Nashvegas.  Maybe I can live here after all.  This section, unfortunately, runs parallel to some really nice neighborhood roads so it's not going to help bike commuters much, but it does run along the golf course so it'll be a nice section. 

In my ongoing quest to rehabilitate my Baby Leg, I got the geared bike out a few weeks ago and decided that I had to remedy the fork issue.  Previously the geared bike had a suspension corrected fork on it, but I discovered (almost immediately) that it didn't need one.  It felt like riding a chopper.  So I stopped by Biker's Choice and got them to throw on a $30 rigid fork they had lying around.  Works great, looks ok.

For sake of comparison, here's a shot with the old fork:

It's a subtle difference, but it handles a lot better now and will be even more noticeable when I hit the trails out in Colorado.  Riding a 26er, geared, rigid bike isn't really what I had in mind for my summer, but it'll have to do until I get my knee back 100%.  Hopefully after the summer is over it will still be alive and will achieve its destiny as an XtraCycle.  Went for the longest ride since the injury yesterday and it felt great.  I followed that up with a long walk to get some dinner, then realized I'd locked myself out of the house.  This happens to me sometimes. 

Trying now to decide which of the Specialized CruX cyclocross bikes to get.  The Alloy frame is sweet and affordable but the sponsor wants me to get the carbon.  I've got a standing rule that I can't spend more that $1000 on a bike, no matter how I slice it, this one's going over budget.

Headed West tonight.  So psyched to breath some clean air and spend some time in some hip communities (Flagstaff, Santa Cruz, Grass Valley, Big Sky, Lyons).  This is going to be a great summer.

Trying to get everything packed and ready in time to squeeze in another short ride this afternoon.  Forecast looks pretty good in about an hour and a half, so the timing may work out perfectly.  Gotta work on the "brace tan."

Summer Reading

Summer's finally arrived. Out of the dregs of a spring spent just trying to walk, I'm back to more normal activities. This week I took about 50 books into McCay's and turned them into Summer Reading Gold. I've gotten away from novels, not because I think they're a waste of time, but because I find myself empathizing with the characters and obsessing over plot. When I catch myself daydreaming, on-stage, about a character in a book I'm reading, I know it's time to put it down and engage in something with a little more utility. Food, Economics, Social Theory, the Outdoors and Yoga are my main topics of interest. I hope it's not too pretentious, but I wanted to share my summer reading list:

A couple by the Dalai Lama, the king of joy, some opposing viewpoints on the state of the world, several volumes on yoga, some straight up travel writing (I like to stash the Best Of series under the benches in the van, and it was only $1.50!) and ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes' autobiography.  There's a little too much about the state of the world, I'll need to balance it with some lighter fare, but that'll come around on the road I'm sure.

Heat Theory

It's getting hot. Time to test my Heat Theory, in which I theorize that by getting out and getting maximum heat exposure in the hottest part of the day, for example by running shirtless in the sun on asphalt at 2pm, the body is trained to function at a higher temperature, thereby rendering all other parts of the day more bearable, especially when at rest. This is dangerous, it requires a lot of fluids, but I think it works. I don't have the luxury of running (luxury of running?) yet, but in an effort to get there by the 12 week mark (I'm at 9 weeks now), I'll be further testing the Heat Theory this afternoon with a ride to the gym (for a swim) and back.

Yesterday Sarah and I tested it with a walk to pick up the 4Runner from the oil change place and only succeeded due to a timely margarita stop. We'll see if the moving air of a ride makes it a little easier today. It's supposed to be 89 degrees at 3pm, that's pretty close to the sweet spot for testing the theory. Pray for me.

Margaritas and The Leg

Went to see my Physical Therapist today. At the end of our appointment I asked him if I should plan to see him when I'm back in town in a few weeks. He indicated that it seemed like I was doing fine and probably didn't need to see him again. I could take this one of two ways:
1. My progress is so great and consistent that he really doesn't need to see me anymore. Or...
2. My incessant questions are no longer worth the exorbitant fee he charges my insurance company. "When you say 12 weeks, do you mean 12 weeks?"
I'm assuming it's the former.

So to celebrate I spent the day outside, walking back from dropping the 4Runner (Foreigner) off at the oil change place, mowing the grass, cutting down bamboo, and walking back to pick the 4Runner (Foreigner) up from the oil change place before heading to Tequilas for margaritas (again). Happy Hour comes once a day and lasts for more than an hour, kids.

Sarah leaves tomorrow and I've got a couple days of full-on bachelorhood before I head west for the summer. I'm trying to throw away or sell everything in sight that's less than very useful. The rule is if I haven't used it for it's intended purpose in the last year and/or wouldn't pack it in a moving truck headed for Colorado it goes in the pile. Liberating? Indeed. Now all I need is a bigger garbage can.

Life is so mellow here in Suburbia. Can't wait to head west. I have friends with more interesting lives than mine. They're the Coyle's. You may now replace my blog with theirs. Good on ya, Ed and Katie, can't wait to kick back on the ranch for a few days next month. Don't give that .22 back to your neighbor just yet.

Walk on Water

Believe.