MSers in Training 2020

[AMFADVENTURES]

The guy I've been helping train for Ride the Rockies decided since the ride has been cancelled due to Covid, we'd go down to Durango and do our own version of it independently, so we did. It was a mini version of RTR because of time and because some of those roads are really only safe in the context of an organized group event. Red Mountain Pass for example, is an old narrow two lane highway with almost no shoulder, limited guard rails and very steep drop offs. It's a beautiful scenic drive with 3,000 ft. of ascent but is heavily trafficked by tourists in motor homes as well as semi's. We didn't see a single bike on that drive. We rode 4 out of the 5 days we traveled though and managed 110 miles and almost 6,000 ft. of climb, got snowed on once and faced heavy winds which generally blew us up the hills and made us pedal back down. Classic Ride the Rockies weather and terrain!

For the year to date I've got 1,265 miles and 64,485 ft of ascent.

Dave, did the trike arrive yet? BTW, I saw an incredibly rad e-trike on the trail the other day. It looked like a Niner version of a trike with e capability, really cool.

Larry

[Grady]

Dave, I think we need to see a photo of your new toy or better yet would be a video of you in action.

[ActiveMSers]

Grady, my new e-trike handcycle arrives soon! As for my current training, I got out on the bike trail for the first time since mid March. We picked a day we thought that would be pretty day, and we guessed right. Friday night. Clouds threatening rain. And 97 degrees!

Burned nearly 1,000 calories and rocked my heart rate, maxing at 159. My average overall HR was pretty high, almost certainly due to the heat.

Overall, a great day! Hope everyone else is still getting their fit on during this challenging time.

[Grady]

That is the same reason I moved from 2 wheels to 3. I’m much more relaxed on my trike than I ever was on 2 wheels. Balance isn’t an issue, no concerns about needing to unclip from the pedals in a hurry. I miss the speed of riding on 2 wheels but since I purchased a trike with e-assist that is no longer an issue. Feeling more relaxed also means I’m putting on more miles, losing weight and sleeping better because of the increased exercise. For me it is mental and physical therapy.

[JTHrider]

Have been looking at trikes, due to balance not being what it used to, fine when the bike is moving sketchy at times when I stop.

[ActiveMSers]

JTHrider, smart call on the pedals. If your ever transition to a trike they are pretty much mandatory. After you get used to them (trust me, you will) you'll wonder how in the heck you managed without them.

Way to crush it, Larry! I'm again looking forward to hills. My new e-trike is going to crush them! Hills on a handcycle are agony times two...

[AMFADVENTURES]

Hey guys, I know it's been a while but I needed to take a little down time there, not to worry though, I have been active.

Karen, been watching your walk challenge, nice work!
Ronnie, I love your stories. What I love most about them is the variety of predicaments you seem to be able to get yourself into and then remarkably somehow back out of! It's still all about the adventure isn't it?
Dave, couldn't agree more with your reasoning on the new trike. It's the exploration part that intrigues me the most. Like Veronica, can't wait to see and hear all about it!

JT, I hope those peddles work as well for you as they did for me, I give them credit for launching my cycling endeavors. I did Crack 3 or 4 helmets while I was figuring it all out but never really hurt myself more than a few raspberries on knees and elbows. I was always pleasantly surprised by other cyclists who might rush over to check on me then make some comment about having been there and done that! I really think it also greatly improved my powers of situational awareness. Have fun and welcome aboard!

So I did need a little down time but I wasn't just doing nothing! I'm up to almost 1,000 miles now and over 45,000 ft. Of ascent. My goal is over 3,000 miles and 105,000 ft of ascent (20 miles) for the year. It won't be easy getting there but I think it just might be possible.

My toughest climb so far this year is Squaw Pass. It's 16 miles one way, starts at an elevation of 7,800 ft and goes to 11,000. I've attempted it twice, made it once and ran out of leg the next time, but only by a mile or so and a couple hundred ft. of ascent. The altitude definitely gets to me but it's a bit worrisome that it's actually leg strength that turns me around. Oh well, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. On the plus side, I beat my best time of the year on Lookout Mtn. by a remarkable 4 minutes after I did Squaw!

Take care all,
Larry

[JTHrider]

On the Bike/Trainer about 3 to 4 times a week, usually 30 to 40 minutes, then its stretching time. The other days are for stretching, core, weights or out with the trekking poles/cane to get a walk in.
Try to do some form of exercise at least once a day, but there are days when I know the legs need a rest day.

Larry, ordered the pedals and shoes, should be here this weekend. Hope it helps with the out door rides.

[Veronica]

" Oh, the places you'll go", Dave with that e-assist! Gotta give Dr. Seuss credit for that quote..

I am so happy for you... yup, wicked expensive... don't want to think of the total cost of my trike and motor....and don't care what it cost because it DID completely change my cycling, and upped my Happiness several notches. Woohoo... Can't wait for the first report. Please include a photo. I want to see the grin...

[ActiveMSers]

Veronica, I'm about to put in my order! I'm gulping as a type this because the price isn't for the faint of heart, but I figure this e-trike is critical for a) for my health and well-being, b) for my happiness and c) for continuing exploring. Most of my other toys have been used and purchased at a discount on Craig's List. This is a splurge, admittedly, but one that I can justify. Sort of.

I've been getting on my bike every other day or so, but the weather is starting to get toasty. Urg. Don't go away too quickly, spring! And Larry, you are the man!

[Veronica]

Thanks for the “Oh Yoo Hoo” Larry!

Holy Cr*#, Larry..... you are cranking out the climbing miles, aren’t you? Wow… so impressed… and I LOVE the talk of having to withstand rain and wind on a 10-mile section. I LOVE the adversity of some of our rides… A few of my most dreadful moments on a bike ( or trike!) have been remembered by me later very fondly. They make for such great stories, huh?? Envious, for sure..

I am “maintaining” well here. I am about 100 miles north of NYC, and so we will be in the holding pattern for several weeks more… Our county hasn’t peaked yet…. Probably close to doing so, but not yet. It has been significantly less than NYC or even Westchester but still …………….

Before all this hit, I had established quite a nice rowing on- the- Bowflex routine, averaging 3 times weekly. There are YouTube videos on inside rowing, and I have particularly gotten hooked on the Go Row Indoor workouts by British Rowing. She mixes it up with other cardio and strength training to really give good workouts. I of course have to adapt and modify a lot of the planks, leg and core work she is doing, but I know I am still getting a good workout. If she weren’t there gently saying “It’s just one minute of your life…you’ve got this” as we are in a plank, or Full out on a row, I would have given up! And the rowing routine incorporate a lot of HIIT. Totally love it.

So, with being housebound, this became a great way for me to get some good workouts in. I continue to do these about 3x weekly but now have finally been able to get back out on the trike. My first ride was in early April. Earliest I have been cycling in years. ( one of the very few good things I can say about this pandemic…) Was gonna do a short ride, but one that incorporates some good hill climbing and I was ready to start the season with a challenging climb. Well, I was cruising along there, it was a gloriously pretty day…not too cold, no wind, just lovely. Then I heard a clunk and metal bouncing along the road. I first thought it was my cell phone that fell out of the seat pocket that is under the trike seat, but when I reached under the seat to feel for it, I realized that the BATTERY fell off the trike! I was so startled with this development that I just pulled over, and kind of sat there and probably said “ Huh….” And then stared off into space. No way I could ride back home without it, and I wasn’t gonna leave it wherever it was… I clambered off the trike, and was able to walk without any device back down the road a bit to try to find it, and found it lying at the base of a small embankment within a foot of the shore of a pond I was riding alongside. Without my trekking pole or cane there was no way I could get down there to get it.

I was fortunate enough to get a good friend on the phone who drove right over. He does a lot of handyman work in our community, and his car is like his workshop…full of all sorts of useful things. So, after putting on his mask, he got out, climbed down the embankment and got the battery and secured it on the trike with two Zip Ties. And then he followed me the rest of the way home just to make sure I got home ok. We laughed…. Looked like a little strange parade going down the country road!! He suggested he flash his lights and wave, but there was noone around to wave to...!! So, my short ride was even further shortened, but it still counted as the earliest in years!

The battery issue was caused by ME in the fall when I was trying to remove it ( when I didn’t quite know what the extra cold that we get would do to it in the unheated garage), unlocked it with the key, but couldn’t remove it from the holder. Well, obviously I loosened it from the holder…. and it just took a couple of bumps on the road to dislodge it.

It is now extremely secure….locked back into place and some Zip Ties attaching it to the frame for good measure…

I’ve only been out once since then, just over this weekend. Everything is tightened up, and staying put, and it was a great ride as I got to do the hills I never got to the other day. Makes me very hopeful for a good season this year. Since I work in Westchester and it involves going into private homes, I am fully expecting to be home based, doing remote sessions for at least the next six weeks. Good news with that is that I will have more riding time… gotta look at the positives with this, don’t we??

Starting to work on cleaning up the garden, so I will get stair climbing in as I go up and down my deck to the garden beds.

Just gotta find a way to keep truckin’ and getting through all this, right? Glad you are back out there too, Karen. And Dave? Ignore my battery story…..get your e-assist….

[AMFADVENTURES]

RTR secumbs to the Corona virus

Reported late last week, the 2020 Ride the Rockies cycling tour was officially declared dead from the Corona virus. All entry and other participation fees to be applied to the 2021Tour. Perhaps if my then to be 79 YO buddy and I survive that long, we might yet be able to test our strength and endurance against the Colorado Rocky Mountains in this epic event. (I will play a minor role in providing SAG and trying to do some of the the major climbs.)

Meanwhile, I've managed to completely exhaust myself with 138 miles last week in almost 13 hours for a total of 33,400 ft of ascent to date. Gotta admit, I was so exhausted that at first I thought the MS was acting up but when I looked at my log for the week, it all became crystal clear. So I'm taking it a little easy this week with only one long climb planned for Friday.

Dave, yep, the wind is definitely up, so is the rain and the heat. Had to peddle down most of a 10 mile hill in the rain the other day - pretty miserable! Temps expected to approach 90 this week.

Suebee, good to see you're hanging in there. I'm sure it's not easy with kids at home. We have an 18 y/o grandson living with us and it's driving us more than a little crazy trying to get him to finish the last month of high school under the current conditions.

Karen, glad to see its finally warmed up there in Winterpeg. I'll be checking in on strava. I just loaded my stuff for this year, hoping my friends will keep me honest.

Veronica, TM, Marina, you guys doing alright?

Hang in there guys, there will be a summer!

Larry

[cl3me]

It’s been a cold April here in Winterpeg but finally warm and snow/ice free this past week to finally get out on the bike.

City has restricted a bunch if streets to local traffic only to give right away to cyclists and pedestrians so there was good routes within the city so didn’t have to load up bikes and drive.

Getting used to working from home, my dog is loving daily walks.

Low infection rate here, so the anxiety level is coming down, and now that I can get outside more won’t feel so cooped up. Still taking precautions....

My Tysabri infusions are at a small private clinic, so I have been able to keep on schedule with that.

Cheers

[ActiveMSers]

Great tips, Larry! (Personally, I get take-out and delivery with care.) We went on a local bike trail yesterday--cloudy, threat of rain, windy--and it was busy but not too busy. Felt great to get in a good climb and get the HR into the 150s, which is harder to do on the flats immediately around my house. Felt great!

Managing to get out and ride about every other day depending on weather. Right now the issue is mostly wind, ugh.

[AMFADVENTURES]

We've had an unusually snowy April so far still I've increased my total mileage to 525 and total ascent to 22,000 ft. Not bad considering we're only able to get out once or twice some weeks. Staying in good shape has gotten me through some tough periods and it will continue to be a factor in my risk/reward analysis in the current situation.

The "social distancing" rules of riding go something like this:
- I only ride in my own car and only with people who live under my roof.
- When we drive somewhere to bike we don't park close together nor do we socialize before or after the ride.
- Proximity during a ride isn't a problem since everyone I ride with is faster than me on the uphill and slower than me on the downhill.
- We've found that there is essentially NO crowd when temperatures are below 50 degrees even on the trails so we try to get going at about 45 and be finished by around 50. We stay off the trails as much as possible at temperatures above 50 degrees.
- There are no crowds on the longer, steeper climbs.

Also, having survived the SARS epidemic of '92 '93 while living in SE Asia, we try to live by those rules at home:
- Limit public exposure as much as possible.
- If one must go out, always wear a mask.
- Vegetables went straight from the store into the sink for washing.
- only eat food you can thoroughly wash, peal or cook under your own roof, lettuce is particularly high risk.
- No restaurants, take out or fast food PERIOD.
- While working, maximize distance from and limit exposure to others as much as possible.
- And one more, clean, clean, clean!!!

Hope everyone is doing well out there,

Larry