My Writing Side

My Writing Side: July 2013

Saturday, July 20, 2013

A Tale of Two Bikes

Who says you can't have your cake and eat it? Yes, that's a picture of my brand new bike. Took it for a 50 km initiation ride within a couple of days. And yes, below is a picture of a spinning bike. Okay, so it's not mine, but I get to use it whenever I want at the YMCA.

Outdoor versus indoor riding. Same pedaling motion, and that's where the similarities end...for me. The comparison between the two was academic until I took to the road and experienced the differences for myself.


Here's my quirky list of differences:
  1.  Look at the beautiful seat on my bike, white with a pink stripe. The spinning bike's impersonal seat caused me great pain in the derriere, years ago.
  2. Ride like the wind when you go downhill...oops...not so fast, watch out if you're on the road. I love speed, only when the bike is stationery.
  3. Huffing and puffing up the hill, on my last gear. Too bad you can't turn the crest into a valley with the flip of the fingers. Now, on that indoor machine, we'll huff and we'll puff, and we'll keep going. But when no one's looking, maybe the tension lever might just drop a notch or two.
  4. How about those cyclists who glide past you and no amount of pushing and pedaling with my little feet will make me go any faster. Now you come to my spinning class and I'll show you a trick or two about speed.
  5. There's nothing comparable to the breathtaking beauty of a nature ride. However, a spin class takes my breath away...literally.
  6. When you ride indoors, you never have to worry about being caught in a downpour or wonder if your water bottle has turned into an ice block. And oh...load up on the sunscreen.
  7. The night before an outdoor rendezvous, gotta pack and gear up. Helmet...check, water...check, snack...check, spare tire...check, and the list can go on and on. Now for my spinning checklist. Gym bag always packed...check.
  8. Hey, how about the treat at the end of a road trip? A loaded brunch to replenish all the calories lost. Now how about breakfast after my Sunday class? A leisurely coffee with a reward or two to replace the fat I lost in that one intense hour.
Okay, the comparison ends here. I can't get enough of both. If you love cycling too and have an interesting comment or two about either the outdoor or indoor kind, feel free to comment and connect with me.



Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Initiation to Outdoor Cycling


We actually have a picture to commemorate our first outdoor cycling road trip...yeah...it's free advertising for D'Italiano. Okay, not completely free--we got a pulled-pork sandwich each for posing in front of their truck. Geez...what some people do for freebies. :)

But what about the ride itself? It may have been the most humid day we've had up to that point this year. Let's see what else I can think of to make our first ride more adventurous than it really was. It had rained the day before, I think, and there were puddles on the trails. We did 31.5 kilometers with some near wipe-outs to boast of...hmm...I don't think cyclists boast about that. I was on a mountain bike pedaling twice as hard as the hybrid and road bike riders.

The highlight of our trip was the food. The D'Italiano sandwich was unexpected, but was a welcomed treat. It hit the spot at the right time. However, we had our sights set on Sunset Grill, so, great pulled-pork sandwich or not, we trooped inside for our 1 p.m. breakfast--waffles with fresh strawberries and, humid weather notwithstanding, coffee of the hot kind.

The ride back was easier, maybe because I had a full stomach or maybe the single-trip experience I'd gained by then was starting to pay off. I thought I was this hotshot six-year spinning veteran, and would be able to handle outdoor cycling easily. Well, let me tell you that there's a humongous difference between the two. Although I was no worse for our outdoor tryst, other than a few patches of sun-burn, I must point out that cycling outside is no stroll in the park. The outside elements, learning to change gears so no one hears the cranking sound you're not supposed to make, other cyclists--some who are crazy enough to careen into you, a moving bike versus a stationary one...challenges not for the faint of heart.

Really, cycling isn't quite this dramatic...only the rider is.

Labels: , , , , ,