A Line In The Sand

Cycling Activity 2.84 mi   RunKeeper

Part of the draw of California was a life lived more outdoors. There are too many Connecticut days too hot or too cold. Here, most are just right.

The problem is I’ve been sedentary the last six months. The effects of that inactivity are noticeable. At some point you just have to draw a line in the sand. That’s what I planned on doing and what I’ve now done.

Stef and I went out a few days ago to get bikes. She got a yellow beach cruiser and I came home with what was labeled a ‘comfort bike.’ That’s the mom jeans of peddling, right? It’s what we used to call a racer, but with wider tires.

Bicycling was my first choice because it’s low impact and something I enjoyed as a kid. It’s also reasonably easy to control the level of exertion while biking.

I went out for ten minutes Saturday and another fifteen minutes today. Not much. It’s a start.

We live in an area of small rolling hills nestled against the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. There’s little level peddling and lots of gear shifting. I came back sweating and breathing heavy.

As incentive (and because I’m a true technogeek) my rides are being logged with RunKeeper on my phone and Pebble watch. Over time I’d like to see distance and duration get longer and me get stronger.

Stef said this second ride was already one more than she expected to see!

9 thoughts on “A Line In The Sand”

  1. Biking is one of the few forms of exercise I can do after 4 back surgeries. I have a Giant bike and I love it. No leaning over, high handle bars, and comfortable to ride. I agree that CT has too many days of too hot or too cold. If I could convince my husband to move, I would be in CA in a heartbeat…..but he is very attached to the area work wise and it would be difficult for him at his age to start over with a new customer base.

  2. I started riding bicycles about 8 years ago after a quarter century lapse. I too went with the “comfort” bike.

    I was taught to not play in traffic when I was very young and stick to the rail trails.

  3. I’ve always enjoyed riding a bike – short or long rides, on skinny “road” bikes or down trails on fat tires.
    Have fun!

  4. I hope you also purchased a helmet. My sister-in-law is an avid biker, and suffered a serious brain injury in a fall.She has since recovered, but without a helmet, she would have died (that’s what her doctors told her). So wear your helmet at all times! Even just around the block!

  5. Safety Tip: Be sure to check if helmet liner is designed and made of material to protect against more than one impact. Some materials are good for only one impact and need to be replaced after an incident.

Leave a Reply to NancyB Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *