Today I did not suck

D

Dirt

New Member
I'm a clyde and have been riding for about a year now. I'm one of those guys who rides a bike that's a lot better than my skills. An all mountain bike, that's 10 years old isn't exactly made for XC or hill climbing... I'm doing the best I can though, am losing weight, and having a blast. Ok, FF to today.

Since I wasn't working today, I figured I'd go out for a nice long ride. I wanted to tackle Mountain Road where it turns into Calais. I've never been able to get even close. Started out by riding to Patriots Path then over to the mudhole. Started up Mtn only to have shifting issues. When I got to Mountainside I pulled off in the grass and found that my shift cable was kinked. Started heading home with my tail between my legs. Then I remembered that I had a spare cable. I'd never done this, but decided to swap it out on the trail. I didn't set any speed records, but got it done and it shifted smoothly. Headed back to Mtn and started to climb. Just above Mountainside my cable stretch was giving me issues. But backing out the barrel adjuster kept me where I needed to be. I just kept climbing. Granted it was in granny gear, but I just kept my eye pegged on my 705 watching the HRM keeping my HR between 150-160. I did this because I know once I go above 160 I have a lot of problems recovering if still pushing.

20 minutes later I was at the top, in the couldesac where you can head down PP towards CPR.

So actually did trail repair which I have don't much of, and conquered my nemesis. I'm pretty jacked up. With any luck, next time I tackle the hill on PP heading up from Whitehead Rd to LMP I'll be able to clean that too.

I'll never be as fit, fast or even as cool as most on here, but today I'm feeling pretty good about myself.
 
That's what its all about. Good job for sticking with it even after the mechanical. That would ruin many peoples day.
 
We all have our demons. For some of us its the negative talk that goes on in our heads when we are mile 16 at the Dark Horse. For others its on mile 30 at the Rattlin 50. Sometimes we give in to the bullshit, other times other times we conquer. And when we conquer, it feels so damn good. Congrats to you, from one Clyde to another. 😎
 
don't worry about being "cool" on here. there is no cool kids club. we all ride bikes and we all do it for fun whether it's racing or just killing mountain road...which i know is a bear.

wait, i take that back. norm is crazy and his version of fun is not normal. but aside from him, all the above applies. 🙂

great job. i was a full-on clyde not too long ago so i'm right there with ya.
 
for the record . . don't try to be the biggest loser cause I have that spot secured. . I can't fix my bike when its broken and that's the truth
 
Thanks all. I'll probably geek it tomorrow just to even things out lol. Thanks for the support though.
 
ellenserruto said:
for the record . . don't try to be the biggest loser cause I have that spot secured. . I can't fix my bike when its broken and that's the truth
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AHEM--you have some competition here....
Dirt--You do have a very COOL name IMO. Keep up the good ridin. 😎
 
Good job man, TBH I was shocked you had a spare cable. I don't know anyone who carries that. I can also almost guarantee if I had to change my cable on a trail (if I even had one) that I would likely have to keep it in one gear for the rest of the day. Way to keep it together.
 
Dirt said:
Then I remembered that I had a spare cable.
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OK, I consider myself the MTB boy scout "I'm always prepared".

Now, I bow to the master! I'd never thought of carring a spare cable.

Congrats on the accomplishments! bump up for all of the other comments.

What keeps me going in times like that is; a trusted friend once said "regardless of how slow you go, you are cooler riding than walking your bike"

Not that I'm concerned about being cool but I am concerned about being uncool.

Cheers,

"slow" Joe
 
I've been told

nitroracer1 said:
Congrats it only gets easier. Pretty soon youll be attacking thoses hills :getsome:
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Somebody once told me that it never gets easier or hurts less...... you just go faster...

What I can say is that crosstraining tm doesn't seem to make me stronger, it just makes me tired.

However, I seem to have learned how to make it hurt less and burn less fat.
Time to turn up the fat burn and bring on the suffering.

And... The fun factor goes way up!
 
joeschaar said:
OK, I consider myself the MTB boy scout "I'm always prepared".
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Ha. Don't give me so much credit. I'd picked up a few about a month ago and had them in the kitchen. During one of those wife cleaning times, I quickly tossed them in the camelback so they wouldn't get lost. Never did take it out.
 
Stratocaster said:
Somebody once told me that it never gets easier or hurts less...... you just go faster...
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true. but it makes the rides much more fun when you can sustain a faster speed. you also feel better about yourself to pass people rather than being passed 😉

a tip to the original poster: something that helped me get to the "next level" from the occassional/ beginner rider to someone that can hang with most "intermediate" riders here - have something to "train" towards.

pick a race or two next year to "train" towards. you live in Morris. "train" for the Lewis Morris Challange.

having something to "train" towards gives me motivation to ride even when I am dragging ass a little. I tell myself "you got race x coming up, gotta get on the bike and get some miles in". it motivates me to ride.

I am not going to be winning races anything soon. but in the two years since I got "serious" about mountain biking (after being an "occasional" rider for 2 decades) I have lost more than 20 lbs (and kept it off for 2 yrs now) and went went from having high blood pressure and bad cholesteral #s to having normal/ good b/p and cholesteral #s. this, with no significant changes in diet. my doctor has stopped warning me about needing b/p meds (I want to put that off as long as possible)

that's what worked for me. something to think about.
 
wonderturtle said:
pick a race or two next year to "train" towards. you live in Morris. "train" for the Lewis Morris Challange.
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Thanks. I appreciate the support, but I gotta say that I'm done with competitions. I've competed in sports all my life and made it to nationals in two different sports. All that does for me is burn me out. In both of them it got to the point where they just weren't fun any more. I'm more than fine with just competing against myself now. I do have a few loops where I compete against my previous PRs for those loops, but no races here. My problem is if I compete - I'm all in. At 44 I'm just looking for little successes.
 
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Dirt said:
My problem is if I compete - I'm all in. At 44 I'm just looking for little successes.
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I'm the same way. After the little successes you may be temped to race...I did and love it. Just know/learn how to keep it fun.
 
Dirt said:
With any luck, next time I tackle the hill on PP heading up from Whitehead Rd to LMP I'll be able to clean that too.
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Wasn't quite the next time out, but headed out that way today. After a year of trying, I finally made it up that hill from Whitehead going towards LMP. I've been able to make it up the short steep climbs leaving LMP starting last year, but today was the first time ever making this specific climb.

While my weight drop seems to have slowed, my resting HR has dropped considerably. I know 58 for 44 yrs old isn't awesome, but it's better than the 72 it had gotten up to.

Thanks for all the continued support.😎
 
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