Thursday, August 28, 2014

Today in Training: Jersey City and Liberty State Park

Not sure why I don't cross the river more often to ride in Jersey...it's a quick 1-stop PATH train ride and there are some nice paths. Today I hit up Liberty State Park, which is flat and uncrowded during the week and you really can't beat the views.
T-Minus: 22 days
Fundraising to go: $365
Total training miles ridden: 1452.87

Total books read since started: 31
Looking toward the Freedom Tower/Manhattan



Sunday, August 24, 2014

Today in Training: 242nd St ->Elmsford (???), NY + 125th St -> BPC

Where on earth is Elmsford, NY? I'm still not entirely sure, but it was the terminus of the South County trail in Westchester County so I decided to turn around and head back to the city. Still my favorite trail of the summer (it's about 15 miles end to end)—still cool and shady, not very crowded and smooth like a baby's bottom (frost heaves are my worst nightmare). Glad to get my numbers back up, considering a week ago I was afraid I might not be able to get back on the bike again at all. Less than a month to go and I can't believe how generous everyone has been supporting me. So close to that fundraising goal! Crazier still is the fact I've ridden over 1400 miles since I started training... (that's like riding to Salem, South Dakota for reference)


T-Minus: 26 days Fundraising to go: $365
Total training miles ridden: 1407.95

Total books read since started: 29

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Today in Training: A bird pooped on me.

That is all.

T-Minus: 29 days
Fundraising to go: $425
Total training miles ridden: 1344.04

Total books read since started: 29

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Today in Training: Low and Slow

They say when you fall off the horse, it's best to get right back on so 2 days after the crash I'm back in the saddle. Fortunately my Citibike membership finally came through so I gave that a try today (with my brand new helmet of course). My theory was to have the Citibike so I could do my daily work commute and then swap out the pedals on my road bike so I could use it for my longer weekend rides. What a difference a bike makes! The Citibikes are BEASTS—heavy, the tires are about 2x as fat as my road bike and they have only 3 speeds. Let's not even get started on braking. (hint: plan ahead when you might want to be stopping. And don't expect to stop on that dime.) But I'm still in love with the concept of being able to pick up one of the bikes on the corner and go for a ride. After 40 trips, the yearly membership fee pays for itself in subway rides.
 
T-Minus: 31 days
Fundraising to go: $425
Total training miles ridden: 1326.54

Total books read since started: 29

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Today in Training: .85 miles: mildly concussed.

Woohoo! New helmet day!
Took me a while to get up and going this morning (and bizarrely the cat was acting all affectionate like he didn't want me to leave) but I was determined to use this day off to get some miles in. But a few horrible Irish tourists walking in the bike lane had other plans for me. Despite it being a clearly marked bike lane, these 2 do as NY tourist do and ignore all signs and continued strolling. All it took was clipping the woman's arm and I was down for the count. (You do not get 500 points for winging a tourist, instead you get road rash on your hip, a chunk of meat out of your elbow and a mild concussion. Oh and a chunk of foam out of your helmet.) Thank you to the kind stranger who stopped and held my hand and attempted to get the police officer to summon medical help—I don't think I really needed it, but was willing to be safe rather than sorry, but I'm pretty sure that medical help still hasn't shown up. My PSA for the day is ALWAYS wear your helmet... this was slow speed on an uncrowded bike path and now I'm going to (fortunately) be spending the rest of the day not on the bike and not in the hospital.

Not pictured, my smashed to shit Blackberry screen and wounded pride.

T-Minus: 33 days
Fundraising to go: $455
Total training miles ridden: 1320.54

Total books read since started: 28

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Today in Training: BPC -> GWB -> FtL,NJ -> JC, NJ = 29.85 miles

Grant's Tomb
One would think that today's excursion would net me more than 30 measly miles, (for those of you who need a decoder: Battery Park City, George Washington Bridge, Fort Lee, NJ and Jersey City, NJ) but I'm holding out the hope that these city miles (in city sneakers) count for something more than a 1:1 ratio... hoping at least a 1:1.25 ratio. God willing. 

Had a quick stop off at Grant's Tomb (because I'm a NPS nerd) on the upper West Side. Today I also learned that I really need protein to fuel this ride. (if Five Guys would like to sponsor me, I would not turn that down.)

Riverside Church, across from Grant's Tomb

When riding across the GWB, the trick is not to look down.

Finally made it to JC! only to find out the PATH trains don't run on weekends. Fortunately the water taxi picks up the slack.


T-Minus: 40 days
Fundraising to go: $455!!
Total training miles ridden: 1234.91

Total books read since started: 28

Friday, August 08, 2014

Today in Training: The King of Queens

Love in Kissena Park

Got up early today and headed over to visit my car which I've parked a good 15-18 mile bike ride from my apartment (depending on how lost one gets, which I'm notorious for in Queens).  All told, I'll end the day at about 43 miles but it was it was tough Queens pot-holed and frost-heaved pavement so I should get extra credit for that.

And how about that fundraising tally!?!? I can't thank my wonderful donors enough, you truly are what get me out of bed in the morning and back in the saddle even though my bunions are getting worse, my shoulder has been strained for over a week and I've got a random case of arthritis in my thumb from shifting gears. Thank you all!


T-Minus: 42 days
Fundraising to go: $555!!
Total training miles ridden: 1204.91

Total books read since started: 27

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

Today in Training: Well, yeseterday in training...actually the past 10 days in training if you want to be specific.

My love/hate relationship of NY shows off to my love/hate relationship of NJ.
Still rolling and rolling and rolling... had the weekend off for a quick trip to NH for AMC's wedding but after the 6 hour drive back, I got antsy and hit the streets for a 15 mile loop around the island...up the east side over 72nd through the park and then back down the Hudson River bikeway. The good thing about this training is that though I don't have a lot of free time to ride, when I do have the time, there's always somewhere I can ride to in the city. (See the view over there from the bikeway at when I ride home after work at 12:30a? Can't beat that.)

I've had a love/hate relationship with NYC for the past 20 years. Back in the early days I thought for sure that I wanted to live here, but in a "sliding doors" moment I chose in LA instead. Last summer we were so busy that there wasn't any time to stop and experience the beauty of the city. This year I'm blessed with a nice apartment in a quiet area that is far enough from everything that biking everywhere gives me a good workout and I'm saving money!

Excited for two new additions to my Climate Ride experience: they've asked me to lead one of the roundtable discussions when we're on the ride—I'm going to build a discussion on how simplicity can work to combat climate change and I've also signed up to meet my elected officials on the day after the ride in DC.

T-Minus: 45 days
Fundraising to go: $985
Total training miles ridden: 1135.91

Total books read since started: 26