The Fat Tired Chronicles

Dead Cat Juice

2011-03-15T06:31:00.001-07:00

Think I have some dead cat juice on me from the morning ride. Hip was hurting today but pushed through it. Definitely adding some mileage to the morning ride next week. Gonna need to maximize the morning rides and stay out of the worst of the coming summers heat.

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Location:Central California

No bike this weekend

2011-03-12T07:52:00.001-08:00

Didn't bring a bike with me on this trip, but took advantage of some snow that needed shoveling to get a little workout in. Eating stuff I shouldn't, but will hopefully walk some of the home cooking off today.

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Location:Mi-Wuk Village, California

Pondering the snow...

2011-03-10T06:35:00.001-08:00

Well, might have an opportunity to do a little scenic mountain biking this weekend, but threat of snow is making me reconsider. Definitely going to be a "pics of it happened" event!

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Location:Train to work

Test

2011-03-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

Test

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Location:Test

Back at it....

2011-03-09T16:00:00.001-08:00

After a gluttonous Winter, it is time to get to work. been riding, working out, eating "Somewhat" better. I have been riding a direct route to my train station in the mornings, and trying to push hard enough to be winded and feel a burn for the whole ride. Thinking it may be time to start taking some detours and lengthen the ride.

Shed a few more pounds..

2009-07-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, down to 237 pounds. According to the NIH I am no longer obese, just overweight! HA!

I have not been riding much, as my schedule allows for a morning workout/drive to work, or a ride/train/ride commute, and I have been opting for the former. Been fairly aggressive with diet changes and workout schedule, and am really happy with the results. I am now an off the shelf guy instead of a big and tall store guy.

11 months in .....

2009-05-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

Started riding 11 months ago. Updating things, I am down to 250 Lbs from a peak 283 Lbs. Snore less, have heartburn less, ride more. I survived My first winter as a bike/train commuter, and all the while paid for my bike and accessories by not buying parking passes and paying for gas on a 60 mile round trip commute. Good times so far!

Ready for some sunshine...

2009-03-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

but then I will complain about the heat. Still riding, even though most of my fellow Bike>Amtak>Bike commuters have gone back to their cars now that gas is back to $2.25.

The Early morning street sweeper and I have worked out an agreement.He now cleans the streets 1 minute prior to my arrival along my route only when I am wearing light colored clothing.

I am resisting a reflective vest, although logic saya it would be a good idea, opting instead for more of the cool black reflective tape I found. (pics later)

Bonehead Move

2009-03-03T09:17:00.000-08:00

Riding my normal route this morning, I came to the first rail crossing . As there was a freight train passing through I moved to the left curb of the street(no cars on the street at that time except the traffic held back by the crossing train, so that I could take the side street and avoid stopping.

The train passes faster than I expected, and unleashed the few drivers that would now be heading towards me. I kick up the speed a little so I can turn off onto the side street before the cars get near me. I make my turn in time, but am paranoid and hugging the gutter/curb a little close and my downward pedal stroke contacts the curb, unweighting the back of my bike and pitching the back end sideways quite a bit. The recovery was spectacular, but not without banging my leg on the frame and having a pedal come up and hit my shin.

Proved I can hurt myself by not falling off my bike.

Off to a bad start.

2009-01-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

Have not ridden this year. Ate too much, drank too much, etc...

Actually this is my first day back to work for the new year, and my wife and kids are at the beach for a few days. If it was just a bike commute, I would be on the saddle, but since the Amtrak system is involved, I feel like I am travelling without a backup plan when my wife is out of town. i will be riding Thurs-Fri, and it is gonna hurt.

Little Things

2008-12-17T06:38:00.001-08:00

What a difference little things can make. The change from 40 degrees to 36 was a big difference for my morning ride. Finally switching to full fingered gloves was big too! Pearl Izumi Zilch gloves seen to be the ticket for me and California winters (unless its raining)

Tis the season for Christmas Parties!

2008-12-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

My amazing wife, who, when I feel like I know everything, reminds me there are intangibles in life that I know nothing about.

Now this is more like it!

2008-11-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

Lower gas prices have not lured many of the local bike commuters back to their cars. The bike racks are a big help in both organizing our commute, and I feel is sort of a welcome sign!

Amtrak Bike Racks

2008-10-27T14:13:00.004-07:00

Hopefully a sign of things to come. I have been riding the San Joaquin trains for 4 months, and this is the first time I have come across a rack.

Runtastic Pro and Daily Burn

2008-10-27T14:13:00.001-07:00

Got to say these apps are awesome and motivating. The former, although titled Runtastic is a great bike app. Speed, distance calories, mood, effort, and logging, as well as online maps and tracks. Nerdy fun!

Daily burn is similar for diet and exercise tracking, along with emailed summaries, nutrient counts, and ability to set challenges for yourself.

I have a way to go before I reach my lowest weight from last year, but feel I will reach it in a much more fit and healthy manner.

Back in the saddle.....

2008-10-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

First day back on the bike in awhile. Feels good! Lights are working out well. I have not had a chance to modify them (yet). I still have not shopped for some colder /wet weather gear, but maybe this weekend will find me motivated.

I am hoping my energy level comes back pretty quick, and eases the step down off of the respiratory meds I am on.

Not a Great Month...

2008-10-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

nasty respiratory crud curtailed ridng, and put me in the hospital for a few days. I am car/train/walk. commuting this week, and hope to be back on the bike next week. My lungs are being shored up with Predinisone, advair, cingulair, and albuterol in tapering doses over the next month.

It is getting colder here now, and I need to start thinking about layering clothing and or taking complete changes of clothes to work (especially when it rains.) It is becoming clear that there is not alot of "Big and tall" type stuff availsable off the shelf for bicyclists.. SHould be interesting what I find.

Its getting dark...

2008-09-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

so I have been shopping for lights. Being the cheapskate I am. I have a plan. I found the Cateye HL-EL135. 3 LEDS, 2 AA batteries. at about $20. I recognized that this little light was not enough light to really see much, so I bought 2. I can keep one on steady and one on strobe. Combined with a random flashing tail light, I feel like a Christmas tree.

I did a little test ride a few nights ago and think they will do fine. I also have a plan power these from an external rechargeable battery. My only gripe is the fact that they did not recess the button, and these will turn on accidentally in a backpack or trunkbag. I think I will be making some plastic dip sleeves to build out the area around the switch to prevent that.

The Bicycle as a lifestyle thermometer....

2008-09-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

I had a 4 day weekend of lethargy, guitar playing, distilled beverages, and fat Honduran cigars. I enjoyed it (of course), but definitely felt it this morning on my commute ride. In a coordinated effort, my legs were screaming "REPENT!" while my lungs were following it up with "SINNER!".

The morning ride is cool breezes and little traffic, so this kind of abuse is tolerable. This afternoon it should be 100 degrees with a headwind on the way home. Not looking forward to it, and I am sure my body is going to send me a few "I told you so!" messages along the way.

I want to kiss the person who invented noise cancelling headphones!

2008-08-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

30 minutes of my morning commute is by Amtrak train. Today was screaming baby day ( I think they ride free if they can reach a certain brain scrambling decibel level) Luckily I had my mp3 player and a set of fine Costco purchased Phillips Noise Cancelling Headphones. A little Albert Collins, a little Kid Rock, some Adam Carrolla Morning Show, and it was over! I did happen to look around and see the tortured faces of my co-travelers. If you use public transportation, I highly reccomend them.

An Oily mess!

2008-08-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

The City decided that my commute route was the only street worthy of being oiled and sanded today. I managed to avoid it on the way to work, but had to ride through it on the way home.
Lots of little grains of sand sticking to my pants. Hope it washes out ok.

Multimedia message

2008-08-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

I shed the backpack at 100 miles

2008-08-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

A few things for today. My first 100 commute miles are behind me as of this morning. SO now the next one to look foreard to is 500!

I have been weighing the pros and cons of Messenger bags versus racks, and settled on the Topeak Explorer Rack and MTX DX Trunk bag. I did a few test rides over the weekend with miscellaneous stuff from my house, to get a feel of it. So far I like it, and at 270+ Lbs, the weight I carry is overshadowing (litterally) the bag/rack.

School started for my kids, so I am working on a few scenarios to allow me to get them to and from school and still allow a Bike/Train commute.

Mid Forties Spare Tire

2008-07-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

Yep, Got one! It kinda sneaks up on you, till one day you are sitting on the sofa and realize you have a shelf to put the remote on.
In my youth I rode road bikes. I was bent much more forward than on my mountain bike, and still do not recall my legs coming up and touching my belly when I ride. I also do not remeber my ass hurting so much, but I guess it makes sense.

Roughing out a 10" X 6" saddle

(10x6)/2 for a triangular saddle = 30 sq inches of surface area.
Average Adult male is disputed, but I will say 180 Lbs
Pounds per square inch of seat (Wieght/Surface) average male adult = 6 lbs
Pounds per square inch of seat for me = 9.16.

I also only look in mirrors if front view. No profiles! Maybe some of it will go away as I continue my quest to not pay for gasoline.

Lets get this sucker started!

2008-07-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I am a 43year old 275 lb guy who is in horrible shape, could care less about global warming or saving some tadpole that is endangered, and am a cheap bastid.

I wanted to document my path as I cope with rising gas prices, mid 40s spare tire, the realization that I cannot do things as well as I did when I was young, and the fact that there are things I should have done along time ago that I cannot catch up to now.

In turn:

Gas prices are insane!
My job is 30 miles from home, and until July 1 I was spending $300 a month plus parking to commute. I now do a combination of these.

Am I saving money? Hell yes! (well maybe not this first month, as I had to buy a bicycle)
I now pay $82 a month for commuting, and incidentally leaving a smaller carbon footprint on the planet. Anybody know how many cigars I have to smoke to replace that carbon in a month?