Fun & Fitness over 50

I could have titled this "Disaster" or "Worst Ride" or something like that but I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
I lost the nut on my left crank arm so I called my wife to pick me up with the bike rack and pedalled a few miles with one crank (good practice!)
In the process I also lost one of my toe covers. Oh well, they were kind of shot anyway and I did get a good year out of them.
My Pearl Izumi MTN cold weather booties are on the way anyhow.
Here are some pics up until I lost the crank.

It was a little wet and foggy to start.


Here's the end of Van Dyke Rd. before going to Meads Lane.
My tires actually slipped at the top. It's very steep at the very end for just a couple of pedal strokes.


Meads Lane


Jurassic Park, no? This is actually the DEC (Dept. of Environmental Conservation). I suppose they keep suspected rabid gerbils here. :-)



First train crossing. Made it through! This area is very busy for trains and I frequently just miss getting through these crossings before a long, slow train goes through.

Here is the start of the (once dread) Orchard Hill Rd. I tried to take a picture in the middle of the climb but it's just too hard with one hand and the delay on the camera.

From 2008_11_07 Ride

Here is a little break in the middle of Orchard Hill Rd.

From 2008_11_07 Ride

This is at the top of Orchard Hill Rd. looking back down. A little light mist was starting.

From 2008_11_07 Ride

A little while after this I lost my crank!

So what did I learn?

• You need that little keeper cap on the end of the crankshaft to keep the nut in.
• I could probably limp all the way home with one crank.
  
• I didn't learn this yet but I intend to:
  

1. Go see Matt at Mad Dog and find out why the nut wouldn't stay on
2. What my options are
3. Can I put a special bottom bracket and crankset on this bike like I saw in the Bike Nashbar catalog. It's a 2 ring crankset but has an extra low small ring like on a mountain bike.
   

Around the neighborhood in Delmar!

I wasn't too creative about selecting a ride today although I did want to do about 3 hours.
So I did my recently designed 38 mile loop only I tried it in the opposite direction for a change.
Definitely steeper climbs although I don't know in total how much climbing as opposed to the other way.
I bought shoe covers for my cold feet but I didn't wear them. I decided they might be too small. They are Pearl Izumi MTB covers for cold weather and the sizing says that my shoes at size 48 (euro) are at the top end of the range (XL).
They were hard to get on and I thought they might even slip off the end of the toe while riding.
I'm also concerned that the ankle zipper might break.
I'll take them back to EMS tonight and see if they can exchange them for the XXL.
So yes, my toes were cold. The starting temp on the ride was 43°. Not too bad but I have a problem in general with cold hands and feet. They can get cold in a heated room. My wife can attest to this.
It warmed up considerably during the ride. Temp is currently 65°. These fall days are great. Got to take advantage of them while they last.
I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep my gym membership. I'm not crazy about going to the gym. I'd rather ride. I can dress for the cold but when the snow comes and it gets mushy and slick and there are no more shoulders it's too dangerous to be on the road. I was thinking about getting an indoor trainer for the bike and putting it in the basement. Not a very pleasant environment though compared to the great outdoors!
Waaa, waaa, waaa, call the waa-mbulance!

Here is today's route:

The fog that is! Boy was it foggy this morning.
Dripping!
I had to take my glasses off 'cause they were fogging up so bad on the outside.
Sort of a gloomy ride.
I was kicking myself because I forgot the camera again but what was i going to take a picture of but thick fog.
I went by the camel house but I couldn't tell if the camel was out or not.
I rode about 24 miles.
My feet got cold even though it was in the 40s because I didn't bother doubling up on the socks or wearing my toe covers.
I plan on going to EMS tonight and buy some cold weather booties if they have them.
The fog finally lifted near the end.
Here's the route. I call it "Old Army Depot Regular Route". I chose it because I just had 2 hours to ride.

I was not feeling on top of it today.
Got a good nights sleep but still felt drowsy all morning and had some pressure in my head.
Thought maybe I was overextended and possibly should take that as a sign to take a day off from riding.
But ... it was just too nice a day to pass up and I also know that usually, if I don't feel like riding, I'll feel better if I go anyway.
We had to go out that night at 5:30 and I needed to be back by 4 so I thought that if I left at 1, rode for 2 hours, I'd still have time to take a nap.
As it turned out, I took a 3 hour ride and had no time (or inclination) to take a nap.
This ride had it's good moments but I don't know if it's cause I was run down or some other emotional issue but at times I felt a little depressed.
Fall is one of my favorite times of year (the others are winter, spring and summer)but somehow it's always associated with a kind of melancholy feeling.
I don't know if it has to do with the angle of the sun in the sky or what.
Sometimes I think it's memories when I was on the road, hitchhiking with no means, wondering where I would stay that night (out in the open in a sleeping bag most likely).
Anyhow, it was getting dark, cold and remote. Perhaps I push harder when it's cold, trying to warm up.
I made it alright. Again, I'm glad I went but I think I'll take the day off today (Monday).
I brought the camera but I hate to keep stopping to take pictures.
For what it's worth, here's a brief video of some of the scenery along the ride.
I took a video because a photo just can't capture the panorama and it was too cold to try to figure out the "stitch" feature on the camera. :-)



And here's the route!

I'll take back what I said about the Buff as balaclava.
I checked their website instructional videos and here's how it's done


Although it does still leave your forehead exposed. Let me check it again ...

Also my glasses get fogged up really easy. Waa, waa, waa ....