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View albumEnjoying life one day at a time
May 14
May 13
- 26m
- 4.00 kms
- 9.23 KM/hr
Probably the hardest ride I've ever done... not because it was physically difficult, but emotionally. We were along to support the family in their commemoration of a very special man.
As they placed the ghost bike, flowers, and a picture of Barrie... we stood by and watched... quietly and in solidarity. We then observed a 1 min moment of silence with the family. Standing... hand in the air... saluting a fallen comrade. Then the ride back to the church and home... the ride was shortened for safety as there were at least 500 riders... WAY more then they expected. The accident was last weekend... the ride was planned on the spur of the moment during the week, with only word of mouth, 1 article, 1 news story, and the strength of a community in mourning. He wasn't just a cyclist, but a runner... but both communities showed up in support. Truly a beautiful thing in a tragic event.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOM'S!!
Today, I'm going to join the memorial ride for Barrie Conrod... the cyclist who was killed last weekend. His wife and the local cycling clubs have organized this event... and it has been weighing on me heavily. I have a lovely supper planned for Sweetums, but the ride is at 3pm... and may take 90 min... so I have to everything absolutely ready to go before I leave. Even though it goes against my grain, to drive to the start of a ride, I don't want supper to be too late, so must take the vehicle.
This is not about political statements, or driver safety... this is about commemorating and commiserating with the family. The local media is reporting that several hundred cyclists will attend... I hope there are 1000's. The wife is leading the ride... and we must ALL show our support to her.
Just a report on what happened... I had read that the SUV passed her then pulled in and hit him... but that's not what happened. He was riding behind her and was hit from behind, so hard that he flew PAST his wife, over her shoulder. She is extraordinarily lucky, not to be hit at all... by the bike, by her husband, by the vehicle. This could have been much, MUCH worse... but if you read/listen to the media... they are all reporting it as a tragic accident (of course), and the cyclist was obeying the rules of the road... but the driver and family in the vehicle were not injured.
{RANT}I'm sorry, but WTF?!?!?! Cyclist?? How about husband? Father? MAN!!!! Why use the word cyclist? Why are you assuming the cyclist was in the wrong? WHAT THE FUCK!!!!! He was taken out FROM BEHIND!!! Isn't it obvious? The driver was clearly in the wrong...even if the rider swerved out to avoid an obstacle, it doesn't make the rider at fault... when passing a cyclist you are required BY LAW to allow 3' MINIMUM, and the entire lane is preferred. If it's not safe to pass, then stay behind and pass when safe. It's not going to affect your life to lose 10-20 seconds by obeying the law. It could change your life and the lives of your victim's family if you don't. Think about it for once people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! {/rant}
- Calories out: 3193 From lifestyle:3054, From activities:139
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
May 12
too busy today... grocery shopping, weeding, taking & picking up #2 at work, sharpening knives, watching movies, spending time with Sweetums... all good things. Then Sweetums got the call... her mom has been feeling chest pains. She got opinions from SIL to talk to the Nursing home staff... they said to call ambulance... she called us wondering if we could take her. Sweetums said... CALL THE AMBULANCE!!!
Then she went to the hospital with her brother to spend time with her... no definitive answers, but they are suspicious of heart attack. Waiting for more tests to be done. Crappy night! :(
May 11
- 46m
- 22.30 kms
- 29.09 KM/hr
Another lovely morning on the seat of my bike... twas a gorgeous sunrise. To bad it was only 4*C... brrrr. I took a little hilly route to work, but this is the least travelled roads... I just didn't want to deal with a lot of traffic this morning.
Took it pretty easy too... just easy gears and light pedaling. My heart is not in to hard training today. The death of that cyclist last weekend has really been bothering me. :(
Average speed is due to downhill and downwind... nothing to do with hard work.
In zone: 7:41
Calories: 326
- 50m 25s
- 21.90 kms
- 26.06 KM/hr
Oh yeah... that's right... a very slow and methodical ride home. I just had nothing left to push hard thru the wind tonight, so I just went with it. Maintained a steady pace, but nothing hard. Took the hilly route home though, so it wasn't a total waste of time... strength training. ;)
Easy peasy ride home.
In zone: 22:08
Calories: 433
- Calories out: 4542 From lifestyle:2998, From activities:1544
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
May 10
- 42m
- 23.30 kms
- 33.29 KM/hr
Since I didn't ride home last night, this morning decided to work.... HARD!! (well ok, as hard as I can)
Big gears, spinning fast, and hard work on the hills... oh and a stiff tailwind... made for some speedy riding. Had a few vehicles be patient and wait behind until it was clear to pass... and other's that just had to pass while blind... truly sad these people can't wait 10 seconds. Must be so difficult living their lives... always being late.
In zone: 36:20
Calories: 500
- 36m
- 15.60 kms
- 26.00 KM/hr
Scrappy ride tonight...was supposed to ride from work to Dr appt ( stupid warts) then get a ride with Sweetums and #3, but my tire was flat before I left work. Had to call Sweetums for a lift to Dr. While I waited, I changed tube. Called her and told to meet at KFC to save time. I got caught in traffic and high winds, but still made it there, just after she did.
On way there she realized that there was not going to be enough room in car for bike and humans, so I had to bike home after wart treatment...fun wow.
Riding home was difficult...high winds made it slow and tricky as it tried to blow me into traffic. Really rough going into Petersburg as the wind was funneled into a headwind just as I crested the hill into town. On the long descent to Baden, I actually had to stop, first time in a long time. My legs were tired...and I picked up a flyer on the house going up for auction soon. ;-). Made it home safely though, all is well.
- Calories out: 4486 From lifestyle:3013, From activities:1474
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
May 9
- 45m 15s
- 23.30 kms
- 30.90 KM/hr
This morning's ride I decided it's time to do some real training on these rides. My stamina is coming back, leg strength is starting to get better, so it's time to put myself to work. I decided that today was going to be a single gear workout... which translates to high cadence and power increase on the hills. Was a good solid workout. Kept the cadence around the 90-100rpm on the flats, tried to keep above 80 on the inclines and the big hills, just powered up all of them. Good work... and my legs feel fine, not tired at all. I like that feeling, knowing I've done a good workout, but have something left.
In zone: 24:15
Calories: 412
- Calories out: 3643 From lifestyle:3039, From activities:604
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
May 8
- 42m 45s
- 20.55 kms
- 28.84 KM/hr
Damp morning commute... still the odd rain drop coming down, but otherwise it was dry. The roads on the other hand were soaked and I had to be extremely careful not to do any sudden or sharp turns and brake WELL ahead of stopping. I took a little shorter route, but this means much more traffic.
Took it very easy, VERY easy! Was a pretty nice ride... my legs feel fine.
In zone: 16:43
Calories: 353
- 46m 15s
- 21.86 kms
- 28.36 KM/hr
Headwind ride home... didn't push to hard, but maintained a steady pace. This is getting easier, but it still hurts on the hills.
The detour thru the subdivision was "fun" as I passed a stopped city bus, and tried to stay out of his way... even pulled over a little bit, to let him pass... but he would have to stop and I was able to stay ahead of him all the way thru the sub-division...even with it being uphill and into the wind. Was kinda fun. ;)
After that, it was a basic ride until Sandhills which was into the wind and up the big hill into Baden. As I crossed Bleams, I saw a tractor coming ... he turned onto Sandhills and followed me up the road. I figured he was going to pass me as he kept gaining on me... but when we got to the hill, I stayed JUST ahead of him and he couldn't pass. It forced me to keep pedaling hard, right over the top. On the descent I lost him, because I go VERY fast down that hill (over 60 km/h) and he was pulling a scuffler and seeder, so wasn't driving fast. I need to work on these hard efforts more... I wimp out a lot when the HR gets up there. Today was a good day riding.
In zone: 39:50
Calories: 495
Some very sad news in this area... this past weekend, 2 people were killed in accidents. One pedestrian, crossing in the middle of the street was struck and died in hospital (think Sweetums had to issue a LOT of blood for this one). One cyclist, crossing the street against traffic was struck and is in serious condition. Both of those accidents could have been avoided had they obeyed the rules of the roads.
The worst though, was a cyclist, riding on the same roads that I ride on (and I think I saw him Sunday) was struck from behind and killed. He was doing nothing wrong and was just out riding with his wife? (or a cycling partner, I don't know... details are sketchy). The SUV passed the woman and then swerved in to avoid getting hit by an oncoming vehicle and struck the gentleman. Another senseless accident/death... of course the police haven't laid any charges --YET--.
It's a very tenuous position to be in as a cyclist... you don't want to see anyone charged arbitrarly, but when there is an OBVIOUS and blatant abuse of the rules of the road, you lay charges. Why is it that it takes a couple hours for the officers to lay charges in a vehicular accident, when there is a death involved, between two cars? But when it's a bicycle it can take 6 months??? I'm sorry officials... but if you want to treat us as a vehicle in the traffic act, and expect us to act like a vehicle on the roads... then it behooves you to lay charges to offending people that cause accidents involving a bicycle in a timely manner. By NOT doing so, it appears that you're condoning this behaivour. It is time to get your priorities in order.
With this in the back of my mind this morning, I decided that I'm riding 3' from the white line... the LEFT of the white line... at all times this morning. I will not move over, I will not change my pace, I will not allow drivers to bully me out of the position that I am supposed to be in. I did have one large dump truck, pass me VERY close on a hill... but for the most part everyone was respectful and would wait until it was safe to pass. Unfortunately, dump trucks have license plates that are almost impossible to read (too much dirt) that I could not get his number. From this point on, I am reporting every abuse on the road. It begins with one voice... and if I must be that voice, then so be it. :o
- Calories out: 4429 From lifestyle:3004, From activities:1425
- Health data: Hours slept: 6
Bopper's Training Log
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May 2012 
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Did no riding on the weekend and had a couple hours between my massage and #3's dentist appt, so took the opportunity to get some T.I.T.S. Decided to take my normal NW win route, but there was very little of that, so was flying. Made it to the turn around in 40 min. On the way back decided to tack on a few more kms and hills. Rode thru Wellesley and came back on Sandhills Rd. At Erb's road was still time left, so rode into St.Agatha then Petersburg and home. At my garage door saw that I was .8 km short of 70 km so went around the block spinning the legs out.
Good hard ride, an my legs were arguing with me by the end, so I feel good about it. Need to strengthen them and this is how you do that....long distance a speed.
In zone: 1:43:38
Calories: 1320
I want to thank you all for the wonderful words of encouragement after the memorial ride. As I may have mentioned, I never met this man, but his story has touched me deeply. I travel these same roads ALL the time. It makes me sad to think that there are drivers out there that lack the attention span, or even worse, don't CARE to obey the traffic laws. It's truly sad that they are allowed to drive... I believe all drivers should be retested every 5-7 years... just so they are MADE to become familiar with any new traffic laws... and to make sure that all drivers are safe.
Off to do my driving around now... weeeee