Life Resumes
You can now expect this blog to resume its normal sporting emphasis. A few home projects remain but we're getting close totapping out our home equity loan so I think we'll have to be satisfied with what we've accomplished. Our neighborhood (Greenbush) did warrant an article in the paper due to the issues facing our neighborhood as the rental market softens as students move into new fancy apartment buildings and landlords can't afford upkeep on old houses like ours. Well, at least Dave and I are no longer "slumlords" as our apartment is looking great and is very marketable.
Anyway, Saturday was devoted to trying to deal with all the chaos left from our remodel (paint cans, tools, left over building material) and it took most of the day but we our apartment is in reasonable shape again (or at least you can walk without tripping over something).
Sunday I decided I would make a return to biking. I finally took the cross tires off my road wheels and put the road tires back on. I put a seat back on my road bike and I oiled the chain. I finally took the studded tire off my commuter bike as well. After accomplishing all that I actually even went for a ride. I really only rode for about an hour and a half but it sure felt longer. The first ride is always tough for me but I got it done. I also got passed by about a zillion people going a million times faster than me but I always remind myself that my racing season doesn't start until the end of September. No need to be fast right now!
After my bike ride I broke out my brand new roller skis which arrived in Saturday's mail and got Dave to give me a lesson in not killing myself. Roller skiing does not come naturally to me but I survived day one. I'm very timid going downhill though. Dave had me work a lot on rolling into the grass which is the way you stop if you get going faster than you are comfortable. You can snowplow a little but it really isn't an effective way to stop.
Here I am working on my rolling into the grass to stop. My technique isn't great there but it's improving.
Here I am going uphill which is easier since you feel more in control. I have to admit that was a little difficult at first as well but I'm getting more accustomed to the balance you need for the wheels. It's going to take some practice before I can focus on my ski technique and not just staying upright.
It was not that long ago that I swore I would never be a roller skier but even then I knew that wasn't true. I like to try new things and with Dave doing it I was likely to succumb eventually. Besides it's only 306 days to the Birkie! Besides after 17 years of bike racing it's nice to focus on something new. Don't worry I'll still be racing cyclocross this fall but this summer I'll be out at Badger Prairie with the dorky roller skiers (instead of the dorky crossers!).
Anyway, Saturday was devoted to trying to deal with all the chaos left from our remodel (paint cans, tools, left over building material) and it took most of the day but we our apartment is in reasonable shape again (or at least you can walk without tripping over something).
Sunday I decided I would make a return to biking. I finally took the cross tires off my road wheels and put the road tires back on. I put a seat back on my road bike and I oiled the chain. I finally took the studded tire off my commuter bike as well. After accomplishing all that I actually even went for a ride. I really only rode for about an hour and a half but it sure felt longer. The first ride is always tough for me but I got it done. I also got passed by about a zillion people going a million times faster than me but I always remind myself that my racing season doesn't start until the end of September. No need to be fast right now!
After my bike ride I broke out my brand new roller skis which arrived in Saturday's mail and got Dave to give me a lesson in not killing myself. Roller skiing does not come naturally to me but I survived day one. I'm very timid going downhill though. Dave had me work a lot on rolling into the grass which is the way you stop if you get going faster than you are comfortable. You can snowplow a little but it really isn't an effective way to stop.
Here I am working on my rolling into the grass to stop. My technique isn't great there but it's improving.
Here I am going uphill which is easier since you feel more in control. I have to admit that was a little difficult at first as well but I'm getting more accustomed to the balance you need for the wheels. It's going to take some practice before I can focus on my ski technique and not just staying upright.
It was not that long ago that I swore I would never be a roller skier but even then I knew that wasn't true. I like to try new things and with Dave doing it I was likely to succumb eventually. Besides it's only 306 days to the Birkie! Besides after 17 years of bike racing it's nice to focus on something new. Don't worry I'll still be racing cyclocross this fall but this summer I'll be out at Badger Prairie with the dorky roller skiers (instead of the dorky crossers!).
posted by MadCross at 7:20 AM
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