Today was my first back to back in 10 days and only my fifth full ride in the last two weeks. The prevailing wisdom is that fitness is fleeting, that in a break in training I can expect to lose one half of my fitness in about two weeks.
Verdict?
I am absolutely SHOT. I am clearly not trained for riding hard two days in a row.
Oh, well, I suppose I will just have to try to build it again.
I am very, very pleased to report that the actual paving portion of the repavement project on Hamline Avenue is completed. This is excellent news, I ride there a lot. In fact yesterday the Guest Rider and I had a harrowing path through the very end of the paving. We passed through as the last bit of the work was being done. The project had people in bright chartreuse vests directing traffic at the three intersections we had to clear before being out of danger. All three of these apparently not trained even the slightest bit individuals acted as though we did not even exist. One looked at us not at all, one looked right at me but declined to give any sort of signal about what my actions should be (I was traffic, right? I was expecting to be directed, OK?) The third was the worst, she looked at us and signaled for a line of cars to go ahead and turn into our path.
My usual practice when riding in traffic is to take the steps which in my opinion make me the safest that I can be. That sometimes means particularly when as in this case where exactly the lanes are is ambiguous that I take the lane. I ride out there in the middle. So yesterday the people in the cars saw us and yielded right of way appropriately despite the inattention of PEOPLE BEING PAID TO DIRECT TRAFFIC.
Speaking of road construction there is a lot of that going on and some of the other work means that I am constantly having to rearrange the usual routes. Today I rode a route past Island Lake that I used to ride but haven't really been on for at least a couple of years. I discovered that the bike path/multi-use trail through that park is under construction. I am pretty sure that you can go to the city website and find that pavement listed as a bike path. I am amused that when it goes under construction is when what they really think is revealed.
Does anyone know what a beaver sounds like? It sure sounded to me like there was a lot of talking going on while I was out there today.
3 comments:
I am very surprised (and impressed) that they stopped the flow of water I saw yesterday.
It's hard not to root for the underdog. Or underbeaver, in this case. They're just doing what beavers do. Persistent creatures.
Conventional wisdom confuses me. Take time off the bike and you'll lose fitness. Rest days make you stronger. Rest weeks are necessary, especially as you get older. Build a base. Get back on the horse.
Lots of years on the bike trumps conventional wisdom.
Sometimes the safest place to be is in the middle of the road. Sometimes it is on the bike path. People in yellow vests ignoring bicycles? Fire them all, I say.
Sounds: Beavers make several sounds--churrs, mumbles, whines, snorts, hisses--as well as slapping their tails against the water to sound an alarm.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/beaver.html
Post a Comment