Tag: biking

Am I a creature of habits or just a prisoner to my rituals

Ian HunterLeave a comment
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I wake up straight away when the alarm goes off

I never hit snooze or go back to sleep

Leaping out of bed wide awake

Perhaps a legacy of working ten years as a first responder

My first task is taking my daily medication

Counting the pills and identifying each one individually

Disregarding the fact that I had carefully preloaded them into a weekly container

Then its off to hunt for my favorite mug

Tea does not taste the same in anything else

I watch the kettle heat up close to boiling

Switching it off before 190F for my green tea

I always make a second cup for the wife even if she is still asleep

If the dishwasher has run I always unload the top tray first

The bottom tray is next with the cutlery last

I put them in the cutlery drawer like little soldiers standing to attention

Knives are first in followed by forks and spoons

The dishwasher is always reloaded in reverse order

If its a bike riding day I will pump up the tires next

I always pump up the rear tire first

I imagine the front tire would eject the air if inflated before the rear

All my riding gear will have been neatly laid out the night before

No need to hunt for anything in the morning

Next up is my protein shake

I line up the ingredients in the same order every time

Allowing myself a few minutes of browsing while drinking the shake

Now its time to load my drink bottles on the bike

The front bottle always in the holder first

Clipping on the rear flashing light before the front

Next is a quick shower with its own set of ablution rituals

I always shave my face before shaving my head

It seems like the essential order of grooming

Now its time to get dressed for riding

My left foot always greets the first sock

Not sure why because my right foot is dominant

My right leg is always first inside my shorts or pants

Once ready I wait to the same exact same daily time before opening the door

It would not feel right to be a minute early or late

Wheeling my bike outside into the fresh air

I always take a few breaths to meditate before riding

My right leg swings over the bike to mount up

I have never tried mounting from the other side

My left foot clips into the pedal first soon followed by my right foot

Next task is to verify all the sensors have connected to the bike computer

I could not imagine myself riding with a sensor was missing

Once rolling I change the gears up and down and test the brakes

My helmet rear view mirror must be perfectly aligned

I never start a ride without all these “pre-flight” checks

Before coming to a stop I always unclip my right pedal

Leaning the bike to the right as my right foot finds the ground

I would probably fall off the bike if I tried to stand on my left foot

Pushing off with my right foot when moving again

The end of my right bike shoe is almost worn away from starts

My left shoe is unblemished

My conscience is seriously blemished by all these OCD rituals

Cycling with a data screen

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I rode my bike today

A 35 mile ride alongside fields of corn in the eastern shore

I rode with four other experienced local riders in a pace line

With a slight tailwind we rolled along at 20mph on a beautiful Friday morning

Occasionally we sprinted at 25mph

Its very rewarding to train in a group and chat along the way

Camaraderie is priceless and it makes for a fun workout

Upon returning home I hit the “end of ride” button on the bike computer

It responded by telling me it was a high intensity workout and that I should recover over 36 hours

I cleaned up my bike and hung it on the wall like a piece of art

Its carbon fiber frame is ultra light and very strong

Sensors monitor my speed, heart rate, cadence and power

The bike computer automatically uploaded the ride into an App called Strava

Soon I was pouring over the recorded ride data

Comparing my speed, heart rate and power exertion to similar training rides

My times on specific segments showed I was trending faster

A deeper analysis from AI in the App gave me more detailed fitness analysis

My phone has become my personal trainer

It even congratulates me when I train hard

My thoughts wandered back to my first bike back in the 60’s

A heavy steel frame with no bike computer

The only data collection was the time on my watch

Training intensity was measured by the post ride aches in my legs

I had no trainer back then, real or virtual, but I still enjoyed riding

Today my ride analysis even tells me how much carbon I saved the planet by cycling

I often ponder if my riding is more enjoyable because of the added data

A few days ago I found the answer to this question

My bike computer shut down at the start of a ride because I forgot to charge it

I had to ride 35 miles blind with no data screen

Guessing my speed and selecting my gears by feel rather than data

I had no idea if I was exceeding my maximum allowed heart rate

It was basically like a pilot flying without any instruments

I felt robbed of data when I got home

Until I realized that my Apple Watch had silently captured my ride

Surprise surprise when I uploaded the data from my watch

I had ridden faster than usual and my heart rate was not excessive

Maybe I should take more breaks from riding with a data screen

Even when riding solo you are never alone

Ian HunterLeave a comment

I mostly cycle in a group

Its much safer and the camaraderie is great fun

Today the rest of the group were unavailable

So I did the ride to Key Biscayne on my own

I have done the same route many times before

It never gets boring

There is always something new to see

I left late to avoid the morning rush

Carefully negotiating heavy traffic at the start

Valet parking for breakfast diners at Sadelle’s restaurant

Expensive cars and expensive coffee and bagels

Next challenge was crossing the roundabout on SW27th

Miami drivers don’t seem to know the rules of the road

Ignoring the cars already in the circle and just entering at high speed

I see near misses ever time

Today I waited for a big gap before sprinting across

Then onto a deserted Tigertail Avenue

Slowing to let a flock of peacocks walk across

I swear one of them winked at me

The short section of South Bayshore thankfully had light traffic

I turned towards Alice Wainwright park on a quiet street

Passing the former homes of Madonna and Sylvester Stallone

Its has become a Billionaires row with huge mansions

Some of them have security guards parked outside 24/7

I must be stressful to be so ultra wealthy

Pedaling onto the Rickenbacker causeway

Breathtaking views of Biscayne bay and the Miami skyline

I pushed hard up the bridge hugging the cycling lane

Cars speeding by just a few feet away to my left

My only protection is the white painted line on the roadway

I wear bright colored clothing to make myself visible

My bike has strobe flashing lights front and rear

I worry that drivers may be distracted and veer into the bike lane

Its not just the Miami skyline that might distract them

To my right there is a pedestrian walkway full of joggers

Mostly supermodels in skimpy outfits plodding up the bridge

I tried hard to keep my eyes firmly on the road ahead

I sped down the descent at an exhilarating 35mph

Thankfully all the cars stayed in the roadway

After a fast ride towards the village, I looped back

Onto the safety of Virginia Key

No cars on this uninhabited section

Just bikers enjoying the sunshine and cool December air

A large truck passed me hauling a smelly cargo

Heading towards the sewage treatment works

I reached the rest stop at the beach

Unfortunately no model photoshoots were in progress today

The beach was deserted apart from the yawning beach patrol guys

Although devoid of any wild human activity around the beach

There was plenty of of natural wildlife to see

Its amazing how close you can get to animals on a quiet bike

Raccoons were out playing in the roadway

Scurrying away when they spotted me approaching

The massive iguanas stood their ground as I got close

Miniature dinosaurs claiming the roadway for warmth after a cool night

A flock of white ibis were running along the side of the road

Pecking the grass in search of sustenance

They totally ignored me as I pedaled by

One more loop of the key and I turned for home

The Peacocks were still wandering around Tigertail

Watching the construction of new large contemporary homes

Which are progressively taking over the old neighborhoods

More expensive cars for the peacocks to dance on

I sped round the surprising empty roundabout on SW27th

Soon I was back home and taking a shower

I reflected on the 30 mile ride

Even when riding solo you are never alone

Thanks Mr Wind

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I rode into the wind

Heart racing

Head down and pushing hard

Legs aching

Checking the computer

5 miles in

The wind blew harder

Head down lower

In the paceline

Clipped into pedals

Pulling up and pushing down

Legs complaining

Ignore the pain

Focus on speed

Checking the computer

10 miles in

Leading the paceline

But speed is dropping

Head down lower

Can hardly see the road

Push hard downstroke

Pull hard upstroke

Heart rate increases

Speed slightly up

This is supposed to be fun

Checking the computer

15 miles in

Still battling the headwind

Open fields offer no shelter

Mr Wind spots us easily

Rushes towards us relentlessly

I try my best to hide

At the back of the paceline

Checking the computer

20 miles in

Rest stop approaching

Take a welcome break

Hydrate and eat some carbs

Short rest and back on the bike

Homeward with a tailwind

Leading the pack again

Speed magically increases

This is worth the effort

Riding with head up

Taking in the scenery

Breathing the Eastern shore air

Not breathing near chicken farms

Checking the computer

25 miles in

Eagles fly overhead

Old men in lycra fly below on bikes

The wind blows harder

We pick up more speed

Sailing home gracefully

Checking the computer

30 miles in

Legs stopped complaining

Heart rate up but steady

We break formation to chat

Friendly banter as we fly

Time to split up

Riding final leg solo

Drop the pace slightly

Cooling down phase

Arrive home

37 miles in

Exhilarating ride

Thank you Mr Wind

Things I like to do but not in preferential order

Ian HunterLeave a comment
Chilling

I like to swim in the pool

well to be truthful I like to float more than swim

it requires minimal effort 

and you can just let your troubles float way

soaking in the hot tub at night is divine

slowly cooking under the stars

while listening to soothing music

sipping single malt whisky completes the decadence

riding my bike fast gives me a buzz

feeling the wind in my face

watching my heart rate elevate on my bike computer

my heart must have a limiter because it won’t go above 175

a walk in the countryside is so rewarding

observing nature and bird watching

you can see lots more when you move along slowly

animals can sense when you are not a threat to them

sometimes all I want is to sit alone in my back yard

watching watermen collect crabs in the bay

listening to the soothing waterfall in my pool

peaceful relaxing quiet solitude is my serene treasure

I am most at home when tinkering in my garage

building something or just mending stuff

I listen to exceptionally loud rock music while alone there

Every man should have a man-cave retreat

fine dining is tickles my tastebuds

especially in the company of good friends

wine helps folks loosen up and make the conversation flow

alcohol is the WD40 for fixing shy and reserved party guests

they say that travel broadens the mind

I have been fortunate to travel worldwide 

seeing many different cultures and fascinating places

I think my mind must be a mile wide now