Today was one of those days when nothing went well.... Except that it still turned into a good training exercise.
Things began when I checked the weather... Light rain until 1pm and 54 degrees. I dressed appropriately, filled my water bottle and set off at 1. As I lowered my hand cycle down the steps, I noticed the light rain was still in progress. I figured, that I may as well start and the rain would end soon after I got rolling.
I get loaded into the HC and head to the street I depart on... There is a major project going on with the gas lines. Road closed. I get onto the sidewalk.... Sidewalk closed. I turn around( Not easy on a hand cycle). I go up the street to the major corner....Access denied. Every cross walk and sidewalk are blocked....I turn around again and find one last exit from my neighborhood.... The rain continues. At this point, I was not going to break any speed records, and the rain was persisting. I figure I will just do the ride and go easy..... The rain continues....
On a hand-cycle, you are close to the ground. If there is rain, you get every bit of it whipped up at you by the front wheel. You end up wet and dirty no matter how hard you try to avoid this outcome.
I ride up to the top of the two lakes on my route and mother nature calls..... I duck down a park entrance and scout out a tree....I find one with a high curb that I am hoping to dismount onto......I fail. I am sitting in a puddle trying to wrestle my self from the rain soaked street.... The voice on my gps app reminds me of how slow I am going.......I am able to stand and lean against the tree as I relieve my self. I get back into the HC and look for the turn around..... A back-hoe is digging a large pit. The road is filled with water. I move through it slowly and decide not to turn back, but to proceed through the park. It cuts 3 or 4 miles from my ride. I am OK with it.
As I approach the last section of the ride, I notice my sifting cable is out of it's sleeve. Because the cables are attached to the cranks, they get torqued about and have to be replaced often. If it comes out of the housing it will almost always break from the constant bending. This cable was installed last week. I am not thrilled to know that I likely am going to have to replace it.... It finally does break a half mile from home while going up a hill. The chain drops into the toughest gear on the cassette. I have to work hard to get over the hill.
I finally pull up to my building, dismount, pull the HC into the door, and inadvertently rip the bottle cage from the zip ties. Once the HC is in my apt, I shower and make lunch.
I had been hoping for chicken noodle soup. I open the can and see that it is cream of mushroom......not what I was hoping for, but it will do.
All in all it was still a fun adventure. It is rare that I will head off into a rain like that and get dirty, cold and struggle through adverse conditions. It used to be a regular event, but since the Spinal cord injury, I haven't done anything like that. That makes today a good training day, as it reminded me of the need to suck it up from time to time and deal with whatever nature throws me. I have to do some work on the bike now, but that is constant. The cable set came with two, so at least I don't have to order another cable.....
Though the ride was short, I am planning to meet Annie at the pool around 6, so the training day still has more for me...... I will intentionally get wet for the swim.
Things began when I checked the weather... Light rain until 1pm and 54 degrees. I dressed appropriately, filled my water bottle and set off at 1. As I lowered my hand cycle down the steps, I noticed the light rain was still in progress. I figured, that I may as well start and the rain would end soon after I got rolling.
I get loaded into the HC and head to the street I depart on... There is a major project going on with the gas lines. Road closed. I get onto the sidewalk.... Sidewalk closed. I turn around( Not easy on a hand cycle). I go up the street to the major corner....Access denied. Every cross walk and sidewalk are blocked....I turn around again and find one last exit from my neighborhood.... The rain continues. At this point, I was not going to break any speed records, and the rain was persisting. I figure I will just do the ride and go easy..... The rain continues....
On a hand-cycle, you are close to the ground. If there is rain, you get every bit of it whipped up at you by the front wheel. You end up wet and dirty no matter how hard you try to avoid this outcome.
I ride up to the top of the two lakes on my route and mother nature calls..... I duck down a park entrance and scout out a tree....I find one with a high curb that I am hoping to dismount onto......I fail. I am sitting in a puddle trying to wrestle my self from the rain soaked street.... The voice on my gps app reminds me of how slow I am going.......I am able to stand and lean against the tree as I relieve my self. I get back into the HC and look for the turn around..... A back-hoe is digging a large pit. The road is filled with water. I move through it slowly and decide not to turn back, but to proceed through the park. It cuts 3 or 4 miles from my ride. I am OK with it.
As I approach the last section of the ride, I notice my sifting cable is out of it's sleeve. Because the cables are attached to the cranks, they get torqued about and have to be replaced often. If it comes out of the housing it will almost always break from the constant bending. This cable was installed last week. I am not thrilled to know that I likely am going to have to replace it.... It finally does break a half mile from home while going up a hill. The chain drops into the toughest gear on the cassette. I have to work hard to get over the hill.
I finally pull up to my building, dismount, pull the HC into the door, and inadvertently rip the bottle cage from the zip ties. Once the HC is in my apt, I shower and make lunch.
I had been hoping for chicken noodle soup. I open the can and see that it is cream of mushroom......not what I was hoping for, but it will do.
All in all it was still a fun adventure. It is rare that I will head off into a rain like that and get dirty, cold and struggle through adverse conditions. It used to be a regular event, but since the Spinal cord injury, I haven't done anything like that. That makes today a good training day, as it reminded me of the need to suck it up from time to time and deal with whatever nature throws me. I have to do some work on the bike now, but that is constant. The cable set came with two, so at least I don't have to order another cable.....
Though the ride was short, I am planning to meet Annie at the pool around 6, so the training day still has more for me...... I will intentionally get wet for the swim.
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