Hey all,
First off, my apologies for not updating this site nor visiting most of yours over the past few weeks. Work has been busy as hell, working late, getting in early and working weekends.
But what is new? Well, I have started running again. Due to the long work hours (yet still being required to take an hour long lunch), I started to run at lunch with a few coworkers. Most of them have been running for awhile now, so I generally head out with them then lose them after a few hundred yards.
But I am getting progressively faster and gaining a higher endurance. I am running between 3 and 4 miles a day now, up from the two I was doing two weeks ago. It is amazing the different muscles you use in running from biking. I can definitely tell I work my calves a hell of a lot more and use my quads a hell of a lot less. Of course I am running relatively slow (averaging 8 minute miles) so I think that has a lot to do with my lack of quad usage. I can also tell running works my back and abs hard and my arms to a lesser extent. Overall it is a great feeling! I am also down to about 146 pounds, dipping as far down to 143 a few days ago, but never getting above 150...which is awesome.
Unfortunately, I don't carry a camera while running, so I don't have any pictures to share. Below is my 3 mile route. The two mile one I started with was, instead of turning right, to continue straight into a school and turn around at the end of that driveway which was a mile. To go above 3 miles, I continue past where I turn around and that goes into the community pool/lake area where there is a side trail.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Going to the UK!
Just found out that I am going to the UK in early October/late September. I'll have a week free to do whatever I want, then the wife and I are going to do some traveling up to Scotland for a week.
My goal for the first week is to do some hiking/biking... probably along Hadrian's Wall. If any of you have -any- information on how to make that possible, please let me know!
My goal for the first week is to do some hiking/biking... probably along Hadrian's Wall. If any of you have -any- information on how to make that possible, please let me know!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Out on the C&O with the Mom!
Monday was Memorial Day over here in the States. I took off bright and early to go to Frederick to meet up with my mom for a day of biking along the C&O Canal. The canal is a 187 mile long now-defunct canal that reaches from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland. I was excited to try it out on my new mountain bike and my mom was up for some biking.
We drove our bikes down to Point of Rocks, Maryland which is on the border of Virginia and Maryland. We found a nice little place to park right along the canal and headed out on the 12 mile journey to Harper's Ferry in West Virginia. The goal was to meet up with my dad who was driving there for lunch. Then, depending on how my mom was feeling, either I would return on my bike to my car and have my dad take my mom and her bike home or my mom and I would bike back.
The C&O canal is awesome. It parallels the Potomac River (which is the dividing line for Maryland and Virginia) and is mostly shaded. Even with the temperature reported to be 93 degrees F (34 degrees C), the shaded path and the proximity to the river kept us much much cooler.
There were lots of sights to see., especially the river.
Nowadays there is a train track that runs next to the canal for most of the time. Through some tree jumping, I was able to make it along the tracks for a bit.
Since it was a canal, there were the lock keepers houses to check out as well.
And the locks themselves
We also stumbled upon the stones they used to make the canal.
And some more pictures...
As we were riding down the trail, we were surprised when, right after a quick turn, we ran into this monstrosity that had just fallen over.
I stuck around for a little bit to help some people over it.
Some more pictures...
The canal itself is a bit run down. Algae covers most of it, yet somehow wildlife still flourishes.
One of the many amazing views..
The Appalachian Trail (AT), which is a 2,000+ hiking route stretching from Georgia to Maine uses the canal for a bit. This is the famous "White Blazes" trail marker which means you are on the AT.
When you get closer to Harpers Ferry there are some fun little rapids along the Potomac.
And we finally made it. This is the first view of Harpers Ferry.
Harpers Ferry is a major location for trains.
We carried our bikes along the bridge that leads into Harper's Ferry.
And got some great views of the two rivers (Shenedoah river and Potomac river) colliding.
We got there just as my dad did, but since he had to park, I rode around town a little bit.
This is the Arsenal, which was what made Harper's Ferry famous during the Civil War.
And the flood line levels. Harper's Ferry has gotten flooded so bad so many times, this marker shows how high the water gets. I guess that's what happens when you put a town where two major rivers meet.
And the church...
And finally for some much wanted lunch. We were able to find a nice little outside diner where we could sit outside to watch our bikes.
After this, my mom said she was up for the return trip, so we got back on the canal and rode back to my car. I was impressed with my mom! 24 miles? Hell yea! It was slow though... took about 90 minutes to get there and about 2 hours to get back. I stopped to take all those pictures while my mom went ahead and I caught up.
It was a great trip and definitely made me want to go out and do the whole 180 miles!
We drove our bikes down to Point of Rocks, Maryland which is on the border of Virginia and Maryland. We found a nice little place to park right along the canal and headed out on the 12 mile journey to Harper's Ferry in West Virginia. The goal was to meet up with my dad who was driving there for lunch. Then, depending on how my mom was feeling, either I would return on my bike to my car and have my dad take my mom and her bike home or my mom and I would bike back.
The C&O canal is awesome. It parallels the Potomac River (which is the dividing line for Maryland and Virginia) and is mostly shaded. Even with the temperature reported to be 93 degrees F (34 degrees C), the shaded path and the proximity to the river kept us much much cooler.
There were lots of sights to see., especially the river.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
Nowadays there is a train track that runs next to the canal for most of the time. Through some tree jumping, I was able to make it along the tracks for a bit.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
Since it was a canal, there were the lock keepers houses to check out as well.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
And the locks themselves
 |
| From May 31 |
We also stumbled upon the stones they used to make the canal.
 |
| From May 31 |
And some more pictures...
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
As we were riding down the trail, we were surprised when, right after a quick turn, we ran into this monstrosity that had just fallen over.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
I stuck around for a little bit to help some people over it.
Some more pictures...
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
The canal itself is a bit run down. Algae covers most of it, yet somehow wildlife still flourishes.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
One of the many amazing views..
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
The Appalachian Trail (AT), which is a 2,000+ hiking route stretching from Georgia to Maine uses the canal for a bit. This is the famous "White Blazes" trail marker which means you are on the AT.
 |
| From May 31 |
When you get closer to Harpers Ferry there are some fun little rapids along the Potomac.
 |
| From May 31 |
And we finally made it. This is the first view of Harpers Ferry.
 |
| From May 31 |
Harpers Ferry is a major location for trains.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
We carried our bikes along the bridge that leads into Harper's Ferry.
 |
| From May 31 |
And got some great views of the two rivers (Shenedoah river and Potomac river) colliding.
 |
| From May 31 |
 |
| From May 31 |
We got there just as my dad did, but since he had to park, I rode around town a little bit.
 |
| From May 31 |
This is the Arsenal, which was what made Harper's Ferry famous during the Civil War.
 |
| From May 31 |
And the flood line levels. Harper's Ferry has gotten flooded so bad so many times, this marker shows how high the water gets. I guess that's what happens when you put a town where two major rivers meet.
|
| From May 31 |
And the church...
 |
| From May 31 |
And finally for some much wanted lunch. We were able to find a nice little outside diner where we could sit outside to watch our bikes.
 |
| From May 31 |
After this, my mom said she was up for the return trip, so we got back on the canal and rode back to my car. I was impressed with my mom! 24 miles? Hell yea! It was slow though... took about 90 minutes to get there and about 2 hours to get back. I stopped to take all those pictures while my mom went ahead and I caught up.
It was a great trip and definitely made me want to go out and do the whole 180 miles!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Kinder Farms again... and again... and again...
Since I have gotten my mountain bike, I have been out riding it every day. Kinder Farms is the closest place that I can experiment tearing up some trails, so most days I'll ride her over there. I've gotten fairly accustomed to the trails now, though every time I go I find something new. Today was no different.
I started off passing by that pond again. I decided to stay away from the bamboo though, considering I already popped a tire over there.
The pond has a pretty nice little floating dock which somehow I missed up until now.
While out exploring around, I did stumble across this... which I can only presume to be an oven or fireplace.
The best part of mountian biking though, is making your own trails.
Kinder Farms is a great little park. They even have my college's favorite sport, Frolf!
I took a little break for some lunch in a hidden away picnic table:
Where I found something a bit creepy.
Yes, those do say Mother and Baby Meyn.
Kinder Farms has a lot of pavilions you can rent out
along with a ton of fields and playgrounds
They also have a communal gardening area that I might look into!
Anyways, thats it for todays ride. I can't track mileage while on the mountain bike, but since getting it, I have put in about 10 hours.
I started off passing by that pond again. I decided to stay away from the bamboo though, considering I already popped a tire over there.
 |
| From May 30 |
The pond has a pretty nice little floating dock which somehow I missed up until now.
 |
| From May 30 |
While out exploring around, I did stumble across this... which I can only presume to be an oven or fireplace.
 |
| From May 30 |
The best part of mountian biking though, is making your own trails.
 |
| From May 30 |
Kinder Farms is a great little park. They even have my college's favorite sport, Frolf!
 |
| From May 30 |
I took a little break for some lunch in a hidden away picnic table:
 |
| From May 30 |
Where I found something a bit creepy.
 |
| From May 30 |
 |
| From May 30 |
 |
| From May 30 |
 |
| From May 30 |
Yes, those do say Mother and Baby Meyn.
Kinder Farms has a lot of pavilions you can rent out
 |
| From May 30 |
along with a ton of fields and playgrounds
 |
| From May 30 |
|
| From May 30 |
 |
| From May 30 |
They also have a communal gardening area that I might look into!
 |
| From May 30 |
Anyways, thats it for todays ride. I can't track mileage while on the mountain bike, but since getting it, I have put in about 10 hours.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
New Bike's First Time Out!
I got a call today from Bike Doctor saying my bike was in and built so I should stop by at some point to pick it up. Needless to say, I have never driven the 3 miles from work to the mall in that high of speed.
As I mentioned two posts ago, I won the grand prize at the Maryland Bike to Work day, a brand new 2010 Trek 3500. I was ecstatic. I could barely get out more than a "Thank you!" for the 10 minutes after I won. I road over there on my lunch break to check it out. The Trek 3500 is an entry level bike, retailing for about $350. While it is a great bike, I have had my eyes set on a Cannondale F9 for awhile now. My buddy has one and he let me ride it for a bit. I loved it. While it is still an entry level bike, it is a great trail bike. I'll give a little review of it shortly...
So I was able to get a store credit for the Trek 3500 and only had to pay the $90 difference for the Cannondale F9. I paid, thanked them again, and drove home. I tossed off my work clothes and headed out to Kinder Farms Park... a place I have ridden many many time before on my road bike. A coworker said there are some awesome trails back there for mountain biking... I had my doubts. I hadn't seen anything of that sort on my road bike... man was I wrong.
And here is a close up of the bike...
I love it.
Anyways, you may recognize that photo... I took a similar one last year when I first went there on the road bike. So I took off down the paved road and before long I was in Kinder Farms. Still having my doubts about mountain bike trails. It wasn't long before I spotted an opening off the side of the pavement and off I went.
Soon this grassy trail turned into dirt...
Which then opened up to be a beautiful glade.
I was surprised to see a lake nearby with a small "bridge" going over some marshland. Hell, I have a mountain bike, lets do this!
After riding through some bamboo, I came across another glade on the other side of the lake.
With beautiful tree coverage.
A few more side trails led me out to a field overlooking a pitch (as most of you call it)
And in an attempt to pull a CoastKid profile picture, I lifted my awesome new ride up in all its glory.
I rode some more trails then headed home. Gotta start dinner soon anyway. So, how do I like the Cannondale F9?
It is everything I could want. Assuming my scale is calibrated right, the bike weighs exactly 29 pounds. The tires are "slick" enough to ride on the road without losing much efficiency (I was going nearly the same speed on pavement as my road bike). I didn't feel any of the roots I hopped over and the overall experience was great, albeit different.
I do have to get used to riding the bike though. The upright position is a bit... strange after only riding a road bike for a few years. The lack of hand grips is strange as well, though once you actually get in the woods and off pavement, the thought of getting "aero" goes away completely. Shifting is of course different... I got caught in too high of a gear quite a few times, but that will just come with general mountain biking practice.
But all that aside... I am astonished at the amount of fun I had. Even with stopping that much to take pictures, it was a great experience to get off the pavement and get "hidden" in the woods. I can't wait to go back out again!!!
As I mentioned two posts ago, I won the grand prize at the Maryland Bike to Work day, a brand new 2010 Trek 3500. I was ecstatic. I could barely get out more than a "Thank you!" for the 10 minutes after I won. I road over there on my lunch break to check it out. The Trek 3500 is an entry level bike, retailing for about $350. While it is a great bike, I have had my eyes set on a Cannondale F9 for awhile now. My buddy has one and he let me ride it for a bit. I loved it. While it is still an entry level bike, it is a great trail bike. I'll give a little review of it shortly...
So I was able to get a store credit for the Trek 3500 and only had to pay the $90 difference for the Cannondale F9. I paid, thanked them again, and drove home. I tossed off my work clothes and headed out to Kinder Farms Park... a place I have ridden many many time before on my road bike. A coworker said there are some awesome trails back there for mountain biking... I had my doubts. I hadn't seen anything of that sort on my road bike... man was I wrong.
 |
| From May 26 |
And here is a close up of the bike...
 |
| From May 26 |
I love it.
Anyways, you may recognize that photo... I took a similar one last year when I first went there on the road bike. So I took off down the paved road and before long I was in Kinder Farms. Still having my doubts about mountain bike trails. It wasn't long before I spotted an opening off the side of the pavement and off I went.
 |
| From May 26 |
Soon this grassy trail turned into dirt...
 |
| From May 26 |
Which then opened up to be a beautiful glade.
 |
| From May 26 |
I was surprised to see a lake nearby with a small "bridge" going over some marshland. Hell, I have a mountain bike, lets do this!
 |
| From May 26 |
After riding through some bamboo, I came across another glade on the other side of the lake.
 |
| From May 26 |
With beautiful tree coverage.
 |
| From May 26 |
A few more side trails led me out to a field overlooking a pitch (as most of you call it)
 |
| From May 26 |
And in an attempt to pull a CoastKid profile picture, I lifted my awesome new ride up in all its glory.
 |
| From May 26 |
I rode some more trails then headed home. Gotta start dinner soon anyway. So, how do I like the Cannondale F9?
It is everything I could want. Assuming my scale is calibrated right, the bike weighs exactly 29 pounds. The tires are "slick" enough to ride on the road without losing much efficiency (I was going nearly the same speed on pavement as my road bike). I didn't feel any of the roots I hopped over and the overall experience was great, albeit different.
I do have to get used to riding the bike though. The upright position is a bit... strange after only riding a road bike for a few years. The lack of hand grips is strange as well, though once you actually get in the woods and off pavement, the thought of getting "aero" goes away completely. Shifting is of course different... I got caught in too high of a gear quite a few times, but that will just come with general mountain biking practice.
But all that aside... I am astonished at the amount of fun I had. Even with stopping that much to take pictures, it was a great experience to get off the pavement and get "hidden" in the woods. I can't wait to go back out again!!!
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