MASH Transit

A couple of introductions to Fixed gear riding will follow in my next posts. As a result of a Facebook post of a friend of mine, I found that though commercial bike companies are selling fixed gear bikes of all kinds, there is hardly anyone talking about how to ride them.

For the impatient:

If you want to see the result of intense knowledge, skill, and experience, look no further than MASH Transit's film and body of work.

Surfing the Heat Wave

So, sports fans, this is my first summer in the fair city of Myrtle Beach. I have to say that it's (the heat) not been as bad as I thought, but IT's Hot! When I get down from my bike, or stop at a stop light, the sweat pours off of my body. This hasn't stopped me so far. It's a great idea to get up earlier. The heat is also motivation to get up earlier.

One of the riders this morning said his heart rate shot up to 189. Then he couldn't get it down. He seemed all right, and I hope he's okay. Personally, I have a slight headache, but I can't tell if it's from coffee.

p.s. I've been logging my food and supplements in my diy blog, "Food Up." The link is here.

Great ride with friends. 2 1/2 hours in the saddle. Did the "Moose Lodge" ride. Saw some buffalo. We are all working hard on our endurance. Hopefully our speedwork will keep getting better. It's great having new people on the ride too. They make if fun to welcome them into the fold. Out-of-towners are fun too... as long as they pull. j.k. Here's to Myrtle Beach rides!

Great group ride today. To moose lodge.

Nice to meet you.

Hi Brent. Nice to meet you.

Week 2: The present.

After week 1, the past, now it's time to move into the present. The last will be the future. I'll include the last quote from week 1's issue by Debbie Ford. She writes,

Liberated from the confusion, fear, guilt, and self-doubt of the past, you will naturally open up to new realms of awareness, emotional freedom and spiritual liberation.

Pretty cool huh?

So, on with the present.

The theory is that you have shed your old, "emotional baggage." All the stuff that has in the past depleted you is now resolved. So make sure you've accomplished week 1.

Debbie recommends a present-awareness practice of becoming present for 5 minutes. In our cycling analogy, this would be...

• Checking your heart rate every 5 miles. Make a note of your respiration and your muscles.
  
• Every so often, notice something that you haven't before on your regular ride. Be observant and enjoy being either outdoors in nature, or on the town, learning about your community. Maybe there's a shop that you can spend some time at another time.
• How hungry are you?

Now for challenging yourself. Try a new sprint in a group ride that you left up to the other riders before. If you have been meaning to try a group ride, why not try it out. It could be a good way to energize your riding and gauge your fitness level. Eat more or less. Can you ride longer if you eat more or build muscle? If you eat less can you stay at the same performance level and lose weight?

In this enhanced sense of the present you can listen more deeply to the calling of your soul [the speed you want to reach.]

In a couple days I'll post the rest of the plan, the final week.
Here's the link for her book. http://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/courses/courseoverview.cgi?cid=40

Murrels Inlet Biathlon.

There are three types of streets in Myrtle Beach. There's Bypass 17 which is not quite a highway, and has all the big chain stores from around the nation. There is Business 17 or Kings Highway that has local restaurants and beach shops. They go on forever and there are so many. Every possible square inch is covered and all visual space is covered by signs. Then there is Ocean Boulevard which is on the Ocean, duh. This has beach high rises forever and ever on it. Those are the three main streets. They all go Northeast to southwest.

I rode to Murrels Inlet today to a psyche appointment. 25 each way. I rode 3 miles down the point at Murrels Inlet to see if there, keep your fingers crossed, another bridge back to the, "mainland." There was not. It is all condos. Then I came up with an idea. Stay with me. Why not park my bike across the inlet from Little Tony's Ave. which is where the psych office is. Then I could find a navigable route and swim across. It is about 200 meters across. Then I'd keep clothes and a towel at her office,