The jeans gene

Ride #65
Thursday, April 21st

About 13 miles on the splendid American River Bike Trail: Sunrise to Wm. Pond and back again.

The rain stopped, the sun came out, and I had to get OUT. I had an appointment later in the afternoon, so for the first (and last) time I rode my recumbent trike in jeans. Not doing that again.

Why were the jeans so awful?
Was it the button digging into my bellybutton? Was it the rolled up cuff catching repeatedly on the end of the chain tube? (Chain tubes are plastic tubes through which the bicycle chain runs - helps keep the chain and you cleaner). Was it the apparent effort needed to repeatedly force folds into all that fabric around my knees on every stroke?

Some wag on bentrideronline said something like "would you ski in a swimsuit?" when responding to the 'bent community's tendency to gloat about wearing street clothes for bicycling instead of 'having' to wear bicycle-specific clothing.

Street clothes mean you blend in when not on your bike, you theoretically don't have to change clothes after a ride (I do since I sweat like a horse), and you don't have to buy more clothes just for bicycling. Well, I like bicycling-oid clothes since they don't flap around and get caught on parts of my 'cycle, they identify me as a bicyclist, and they come in BRIGHT colors.

However, when I get to the point of wearing shirts and shorts plastered with logos and advertisements and so on, you may feel free to point and laugh.

Well. Got that out of my system.

I saw a recumbent tandem today on my ride, and lots of families out together (Spring Break for many local schools). And never have I seen so many squirrels dashing across the trail. Spring Break for squirrels?

I was so excited to get out that I managed an overall average speed of 11.4 mph over the 12 miles! That's pretty fast for me. I think the longer ride last weekend got me over some speed-barrier (not to mention the intoxicating effects of fresh air and sunshine).

My bicycle group has a ride this weekend and I hope to get my sweetie out also (he is getting over a horrible chest cold so we'll see).