Thanks Ned,
I've been experimenting with a pinch of salt in watered down juice for longer rides. It seems to work fairly well. Of course the first couple of weeks is always a little slow, and with the weather here I havent been out yet. Due to my work schedule, I havent been going to the gym,but have been working out at home. We have a recumbent stationary and a total gym along with my road bike that I have on a trainer. I have a schedule of three days a week on all three and five days a week on the recumbent. So hopefully when the weather gets better, I can jump out there and enjoy it. The fuel problem Im still working on, with quite a few good suggestions from others. Up until recently I was working grave shift, and actually had more time to ride daily. Not true anymore, but I'll work something out.
thanks again.

Great shots of the recumbents. I've been thinking about those lately, so its very timely.
Here's a couple of shots of my bikes (I hope! it works). The red ones my first adult bike (with a few mod's) that I've had for almost seventeen years now. The blue's just a couple of years old and just got rebuilt with new components. Eventually I may have to give them up but I dont plan on quitting cycling!!
thanks


**those pics didnt come out too well, I'll have to work on that!**

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"I take the Atkins Bars with me instead of any type of power bar. Becareful with them though as some people have a bad reaction. As for drinks I only use water and a small amount, 1/4cup of maltodextrine.(sp) It burns off quickly but gives you a good boost.
Sean
ps., where in nor cal are you at."




Sacramento area. I've used the Atkins bars but not for cycling. Another good suggestion
thanks

I am just staring back Biking after the winter off, I was riding 20 miles a day last year, but right now i am lucky to get 8 in, with the WOE change I think maybe I will lose weight, last year I did 20 miles a day and still gained, but my legs were strong, i found some rubbermaid bottles that fit in my water bottle holder and hold a lot more water, and I finish a whole bottle while i ride, so it helps me get my water in. I have a mountain bike, because I often ride off road on trails in the mountains, and I am always going either up or down, there is no level ground here

Well I did do eight miles with my grandson today, it was good to get out.

I rode a 40 mile round trip
today on my bike to an Earth
Day Fair in Pasadena, CA.

Had a wonderful time although
it was cloudy, threatening
rain and cold for southern
California at 58 degrees with
a fierce headwind from East to West.

Took two bananas and a diet
coke with me and that got
me through. I had planned to
slurp a Double Caffeine Energy
Drink packet with 110 grams of
carbs but I didn't get near
bonking and had a whey
protein smoothie when I
got home for a late lunch.

Happy Earth Day people!

I had a nice 40 mile ride yesterday also. No food, just water. There was a bridge out, so I had to detour through town, so my ride time was longer than normal. My HRM showed an average of 141 for the almost three hours. There was some wind and lots of hills.

Today was about 12 miles on the urban cruiser. Rode to a health fair and back.

I rode 46 miles today and had 2 atkins bars, 2g carbs each, and 3 bottles of water. Had a great ride with a friend that I only see about every 2 months. HRM was an avg 151 over 3 hrs. Alot of rolling hills and we were talking the entire ride.
I love California in the Spring Time.

Ah you guys shame me. I did yardwork and school work. Didnt make anytime to ride out yet. By that you also inspire me...Im with you in spirit! love to hear about the great rides you go on. Even the 12 miler on the cruiser..........\:^)

Slowrider I was in your neck of the woods. I rode the American River Trail in Sac. Nice ride. Fairly flat except for a few parts. Try it out if you haven't already.

Waklee1,
the parkway is a great place to ride. no cars and plenty of scenery. Where did you start out from?

Started out in the Watt area, not sure what specific street as i was following my friend who lives there. We rode to the lake and back. Nice 46miles.

Nice to find this thread!

I too am an avid cyclist. I lived on my bike when I was a kid and into early adulthood. I went everyehere on my bike till I got a drivers license. I still rode it several times a week. My bike was also my cure against boredom. Nothing to do, get on the bike and go do something. I used to consider a 20 mile ride a short one.

Then I sold the ol' tank. No joking! It was a Schwinn "Varsity", all steel and was built like a tank! It weighed about as much as one too!! I had that bike from 12 or 13 till I was 22. Went through 2 or 3 rear tires and at least two front ones. Never did a lick of work to the bike, other than minor crash repair and routine maintenance. I took that thing on road, off road and underwater, twice!

When my DW and I started dating, there was no time to ride a bike....young love...well not so young, mid 20's....I still rode to work once in a while though, about 8 miles one way. Since I had no bike I rode hers, a road bike made by Zebrakenko (sp). A light, alloy framed, skinny tire bearing foo foo bike, compared to my old Schwinn.

Her bike was swiped one day and we never replaced it. Then I got fat.

That was the end of my riding days for a spell. Once I started on Atkins, I went out and started looking for a bike. We have 2 bike shops within 4 miles of my house, and there are a lot of good bikes to choose from.

Well, DW see's that I am looking for a bike and I end up with a Huffy "Stone Mountain" Mountain Bike. She really tried, and was beaming when I went to the garage to see what she bought.

Honestly, it is a good bike, but I will never get the use out of it that I got out of my Schwinn. I have added a rear rack so I can haul duffle bags and groceries etc.... and a front cooler pack for water, cd's an personal CD player etc...

I figured I'll just wear it out and get a new one. The damn thing won't freaken die!

I have my eyes on a new bike at the local Schwinn shop. Adam has Schwinn and Giant bikes. I will go and get a good mountain Hardtail for all around use like I do now. Some roads, some trails some stuff no man should attempt to do on any bike, any time....

I can honestly see that I will end up with at least two, maybe 3 bikes as one really is not practical to do it all, and do it all well.

I am getting interested in more serious off road type biking and will probably want a good, full suspension job for trails to careening wildly through, over and a round stuff that would make most people wince. I want one like that mentioned above and I am really digging the idea of this job for serious road and paved bike path use.
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin...Bike=1112195609

Now, I would not mind a nice road bike, but the bending over the handlebars kills my back. The stooped posture wreaks havoc on me as I have spina bifida. It is not really a bad case of it, but the bending and stooping posture for 20 miles on a bike makes me walk like a duck for days. And it is painful.

So I'd enjoy a recumbent or a touring type bike for road biking over the typical road bike.

Oh, as to eating, maintianing energy etc....I eat some protein before, nothing special, and some carby stuff while riding. A few nuts, some berries, that sort of thing. I also have a protein bar with me and lot's of water! I will also drink an Energy drink along the way as well. (XS, Caffene Free) I may have a protein shake afterwards if I really got a good workout on the bike.

Never an issue with wiping myself out, or running out of steam unless I am pushing my limits.

Helmets, helmets, helmets! Wear your helmet! Always! I went over the handlebar last week and donked my head on the side of the front fork and a second shot off a rock on the ground. The helmet got a paint smudge and I had a great laugh about it as I lay in the spongy, wet grass.

I went and found out that you can go down the big sledding hill in the park, just fine. It is when you hit the grass at the bottom that is waterlogged and your tire sinks in about a foot or two at a decet speed, I found out that it will stop a bike dead, and that I cannot, in fact, fly. I plummet. The flight of the Dodo bird!

LOL ProfGumby! That made me laugh. With you of course...
I also spent a ton of time riding bikes as a child and thought high school. Don't know why I ever got off the bike.

I went to a Team In Training meeting tonight. And I've decided to do it. And instead of putting it off until Tahoe next June I'm aiming for THE SEA GULL CENTURY. It's closer to home and it's in October. Giving me 6 months to train. I'd love to drop another 30-40 pounds over that time.
I never thought I could do this. Never thought I'd be in the shape I need to be in to do it but I will give it my best shot. I will ride in memory of my Mom who died of Lymphoma and also to honor my chapter's honored patient.

Nice ride. I've never put in at Watt, I usually park at the Nimbus fish hatchery on Hazel (its free parking), ride up to Beales point (great climb) and back to Sunrise Ave then back to Hazel. That's twenty five miles. Last year I rode from home to the parkway at Beales to Sunrise then back home. Thats about 43 miles. Thats my longest so far. I hope to do it again this year while trying to hit my goal of 50 miles as my weekend ride. I'm dealing with a sore back right now, so even riding the trainer is a bit of work.