Last night, I worked on a plan for my first commute. There's a website: Bike Trails, Paths & Routes From Over 40 Countries at Bikely.com that you can design your own bike route. This is one of the coolest things I've seen. It has a regular mapview and satellite view. You can draw your route from point A to B. It's amazing a lot like Google earth. Once finish, you can publish it for other cyclists.

Anyhow, I tried like heck to get a van pool set up to start me out going one-way and cycling the way back to the ferry, but they have to order the rack for the van. I am going to use the transit system bus if I get into trouble. But I want do this, so I am going for it.

I hope this encourages someone and hope that that site will be of good use.

Peace and Blessings,
Al

GO AL! GO AL! What a cool thing to do; drawing out your own route!

I wish I could do that here, but with my SUV. Gas is killin' me!

If you fail to plan then you're planning to fail! Clearly that is NOT you!! Good for you!!!!

Thank you Ladies!

I am here!

From Edmonds to Everett was 15.68 miles. Started at 5:36am and got here at 7:50am. I had one glitch, I got a pinch flat about 6 miles into the ride. I was broke down trying to pump the dang thing up and one cyclist came by, looked at me and rode by. So, I was starting to walk it down the road when another guy came by and stopped. He says, "Let's take a look..." we tried his pump and got it pumped up pretty good, tire back on the bike and he tailed me down the road. It went flat again.

So we pulled into a 76 station and proceeded to pull it apart. (Thank God for quick releases). He breaks out a spare tube and changes the thing out. We get it pumped up and back on the bike and he follows me a short way. I was making pretty good progress but clearly he was in better shape so I tell him to go ahead, I'd be fine now that I'm on the bus route. I kept going but soon he was out of sight. I was past the worst of it and most left was gentle rises and falls. The last big hill was 75th street. I really had to use my "Don't Quit" muscle there. I made the hill and finished it off. The shower at work felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. I recharged with my magic elixir, but for the most part I feel great. So, it'll be the same route back so another 15 miles to get home this afternoon.

Thanks again,
Al

Great job, and I bet you might be working from home tomorrow because you can't get out of bed. HA HA I am just joking what a great job. You will have those abs really quick doing that kind of riding. Be save and I will see you at home. Julia

Well, my first round trip commute is in the books. I finished up with 28 miles for the day. I don't mind saying, I am tired. I now know what I can do. I found myself a few new tweaks to the route, so my next trip over will be a lot more smooth.

You know what honey? I wished I could work from home but I have a few meetings tomorrow so I have to go in. Besides, guess what's tomorrow? Yep, that's right, lower body. Uh huh, I'll be there and there is no slacking, every workout counts!

OORah...

:-D

Great job, Al! Just think...you're not polluting the air, you're saving on gas, AND you get in a great workout!

Thanks Leiana.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rottnutz Well, my first round trip commute is in the books. I finished up with 28 miles for the day. I don't mind saying, I am tired. I now know what I can do. I found myself a few new tweaks to the route, so my next trip over will be a lot more smooth. You know what honey? I wished I could work from home but I have a few meetings tomorrow so I have to go in. Besides, guess what's tomorrow? Yep, that's right, lower body. Uh huh, I'll be there and there is no slacking, every workout counts! OORah... :-D

Don't call me Honey! Just kidding, ah no, not kidding, kidding. Wait till you see what that bicycle is going to do for your calves and glutes. Dr. Bob Arnot says that a bicycle is a time machine. Not only does it bring back your youth, (the good parts), but he says it regenerates the magic stuff in your knees. I hope he's right. I like doing the equivalent of fartleks on my bike workouts. Spinning, power strokes, and standing in the pedals on the uphills. Just another way of attacking the muscles from different angles, but you already knew that. -Art

Ah Art, just tryin to show the group some love... ROFL.

Amen to that. I am relearning all that stuff you mentioned. The spinning vice pedal mashin'. Building up energy and controlled displacement. All good stuff.

I ride, but I'm lost when it comes to workouts and terms...what is the difference between spinning verses pedal mashing? Is that just a low gear and going vs. a higher gear and causing the build up lactic acid? I'm so embarrassed to ask, but I'd like to know, thank you.

It's based mostly on your cadence. I don't know the exact tipping point, but I consider spinning going over 85 RPM. If you have your bike on the smaller chain ring and have a cadence of closer to 70 I consider that mashing. Some people are better one way then another, you see both mashers and spinners in the tour de france. I think spinning is more aerobic, and mashing is more about strength. I suspect all riders use both depending on the situations.

Thank you RainWillFall .