spacekadet

"Fuck!"

This is apparently my gut reaction to falling off my bicycle.

So I was cycling home from work today, going fast 'cause the wind was at my back and there was no traffic, when a dude steps out in front of me. I don't really remember what happened between me hitting the dude, and me hitting the ground, but I certainly remember standing up and shouting

"Fuck!"

I then sensed a slight ache in my head and started to cry.

So there I was, standing outside of an African hairdresser's on Kingsland Road, crying to the person I just slammed into, who was probably worse off than I was.

It's not that I was in much pain. As I said to the dude, "You really scared me!" Just the other day Tim and I were questioning the merits of the bicycle helmet. I know if I wasn't wearing mine today, my head would be a whole lot worse. It's a scary thought.

The guy and his friends were nice and took me into the hairdresser's and sat me down and offered me water and an ambulance. I really just wanted to go home so I left and got back on my bike, then quickly got off to replace the chain. Home again, and all that's sore is my ass, which took a harder thump than my head (Giro doesn't make a butt helmet).

Posted by monica at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This appropriately-timed article in the NYTimes explains how those beer-bellies managed the 59-mile London to Southend cycling trip.

Cycling is a lot more forgiving of body type and age than running. The best cyclists going up hills are those with the best weight-to-strength ratio, which generally means being thin and strong. But heavier cyclists go faster downhill. And being light does not help much on flat roads.

James Hagberg, a kinesiology professor at the University of Maryland, explains that the difference between running on a flat road and cycling on a flat road has to do with the movement of the athlete’s center of gravity.

“In running, when you see someone who is obviously overweight, they will be in trouble,” Dr. Hagberg said. “The more you weigh, the more the center of gravity moves and the more energy it costs. But in cycling, there are different aerodynamics — your center of gravity is not moving up and down.”

Posted by monica at 07:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tim and I cycled 59 miles yesterday as part of the British Heart Foundation's charity ride from London to Southend. We left Victoria Park at 08:00, made it to Southend by 14:30. We were on a train back to London by 15:30pm and by 17:45, we were at the Londsborough (our local pub), celebrating with cold beer.

Here are a few things I learned along the way:

• Contrary to my prior belief, the weather does not improve when one leaves London
• A bicycle ride through the suburbs of London isn't so bad when the route is signed and lined with an eternity of other cyclists to follow
• Anyone with legs and a bike can cycle 59 miles, even people with really heavy mountain bikes, big beer bellies, or painfully squeeky gears
• A beer belly won't stop an Englishman from brandishing flashy, skintight cycle gear
• Tandem bicycles are absurd
• Sunscreen should be worn at all times, even in cloudy England
• A flat tire always occurs at the most inopportune time, such as after the journey, back in London, on the bike ride home from the train station
• My bicycle seat (a Selle Italia XO Genuine Gel Saddle) rocks - 59 miles and no bum-pain. This may have more to do with my rock-hard ass than my bike seat
• 1 pack of pumpernickle bread, 1 handful of walnuts, 1 handful of almonds, 1 block of cheese, 2 apples, 2 bananas, 2 slabs of leftover tofu steak, 1 tomato, and 2 Whole Earth raw food bars are almost sufficient for 2 people's journey, but it doesn't quite cover the insatiable craving for salt on the train ride home
• Really long bike rides make fully-leaded Coca-Cola tie with extra-cold lager for most thirst-quenching beverage EVER (lager wins, I think)
• Southend is a dive
• Leaving London is good for the soul, and I should do it more often, but not to Southend

Oddly, neither Tim nor I are muscularly sore today. I think this has something to do with my pre- and post-ride stretch, 8 solid hours of very sound sleep, ample food for the journey, proper hydration, and post-ride carbo-loading with beer, wine and a generous pile of delicious pasta. Either that, or my rock-hard ass.

Go to the photos!

Posted by monica at 08:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Flickr photostream

Posted by monica at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the best things about living in London is the comparable relief of the country.

Not only is it Easter weekend, but the weather is unseasonably perfect. In the race to enjoy it, city-dwellers are cramming into planes, trains and automobiles, readying themselves for a grueling journey to something better.

Is it possible to escape from the city while still enjoying the journey? I say yes. My secret? The humble yet powerful bicycle.

I say this now having never been on a long bicycle journey in England, but tomorrow I take the first of what I hope to be many cruises in the country. Tim and I are headed 54 miles north to Cambridge, traveling along the River Lee and passing through Newton (home of Sir Isaac!). I hope we get to Cambridge in time to see a bit of the town, and perhaps enjoy a restful beverage at a "quaint" Cambridge pub.

In the meantime, here are some links I've found useful in my planning:

Route plan via Gmap Pedometer

GPX file of waypoints between London and Cambridge (note: the waypoints between London and Ware along the River Lee are rough estimates at best)

Sustrans - the UK's leading sustainable transport charity, has loads of maps of the UK National Cycle Network

Matthew Belmonte's London to Cambridge bicycle route

Posted by monica at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the best things about living in London is the comparable relief of the country.

Not only is it Easter weekend, but the weather is unseasonably perfect. In the race to enjoy it, city-dwellers are cramming into planes, trains and automobiles, readying themselves for a grueling journey to something better.

Is it possible to escape from the city while still enjoying the journey? I say yes. My secret? The humble yet powerful bicycle.

I say this now having never been on a long bicycle journey in England, but tomorrow I take the first of what I hope to be many cruises in the country. Tim and I are headed 54 miles north to Cambridge, traveling along the River Lee and passing through Newton (home of Sir Isaac!). I hope we get to Cambridge in time to see a bit of the town, and perhaps enjoy a restful beverage at a "quaint" Cambridge pub.

In the meantime, here are some links I've found useful in my planning:

Route plan via Gmap Pedometer

GPX file of waypoints between London and Cambridge (note: the waypoints between London and Ware along the River Lee are rough estimates at best)

Sustrans - the UK's leading sustainable transport charity, has loads of maps of the UK National Cycle Network

Matthew Belmonte's London to Cambridge bicycle route

Posted by monica at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Leaping into the abyss...
Originally uploaded by spacekadet.

Last weekend, Matt and I enjoyed a blend of extreme adventure cycling with the humble simplicity of hobo life. We started with a bike ride through the Hill Country, meandering our way through various facets of Texas geography. After the 40 mile ride, we retreated to our campsite in Wimberley, where we recovered from a day of hard work with water, wine, and food cooked over (and sometimes in) an open flame. On Sunday, after a quick splash in Jacob's Well, we begrudgingly packed up camp and headed further west towards Blanco, where we toured the Real Ale Brewing Company. We ended our trip on a mammalian note, stopping at Pure Luck Texas goat farm for fresh goat cheese (alas, it was an anticlimactic finale – the cheese was not for sale, but there were plenty of pure goat kisses to pass around).

Posted by monica at 09:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)