It's Officially Recumbent Riding Season

posted by Danni

How do I know? Because it can't truly be recumbent riding season until I've fallen over on my bike, which I did yesterday - so it's official!! So how did it happen this time, you ask? Well, I came to a stop sign at the top of a fairly steep hill. I needed to be clipped in to make it up the hill, but when I got to the stop sign I couldn't get my right foot unclipped. You see, I was wearing my wonderfully warm, toasty Lake boots which I love almost as much as I love my bike. However, on Mr. Chamberlain's expert advice, I bought the boots big enough to be able to wear double socks to keep my feet nice and toasty on the really cold days, which works. I'm happy! Yesterday, though, was not a really cold day so I was only wearing one pair of socks. Even with the shoes tightened as much as I could tighten them, there was still a little bit of wiggle room - enough so, that when I needed to get unclipped quickly, my foot was moving inside the shoe and not giving me enough torque to get out of the pedal quickly enough and . . . BAM!!!!

As I was lying on the ground, tangled in my bike, I found myself laughing hysterically. I mean how is it that I can be extremely graceful off of a bike and such an extreme klutz once I am riding? Luckily, with only a few exceptions, I am typically alone when I have these misadventures. That is one saving grace, at least. And yesterday I fell on the right side of my bike so, bonus, at least I didn't have to replace my mirror yet again!! (I've started keeping a spare since I break them so often.) Anyway, my guess is that it's just the "powers that be" trying to keep me humble. It's working!!

In any case, it was a gorgeous day to ride yesterday. I did a 31 mile ride with a nice little pit stop at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson where I got to enjoy some Leffe on tap. Today isn't as sunny, but still it's warm. I'll be doing another 30 miles. That will get me to 75 miles done on my goal to my ipad ;-) Only 25 more to go!

I hope you can get out and ride today. After all, the touch-up paint is out - it's riding season!!!