First in sequence but not importance.
I did an after work ride on a nice warm day. The wind was less, but it still was far from still. It was my standard YVR loop of 34 km. It was the quickest this year at over one minute less than the previous quickest. I averaged 27.35 kph over the loop. I still had significant head wind on several legs. If I got a still day I think I could do really well.
My FFF was lower than usual at 4.5 so I was not pushing. My new Garmin dongle thing may actually help me motivate as it said this was a "moderate workout". I have pushed harder, but you gotta feel it to do it. Not there was I. I have to reconfigure the screens as I want to see speed on each one, and it currently is set for distance. Hey I care about that at the end, not while in the middle of stuff. The user interface is not actually hostile, but I could design a better one.
My current rate of progress is better. I can do longer rides. I can do harder rides. My usual situation is starting the year with OK strength, but needing endurance. Doing longer and longer rides takes care of endurance. Strength comes from other weirder places.
Sprints are useless by yourself or without a target like making a traffic light. I find that doing a short climb standing is strength limited, so I do that. There are a couple of places I try this and over the year I can go farther. It is that stuff that makes my legs burn. It is surprisingly hard to push that a bit farther each time. It is straight up strength.
So I am OK. It is not going to be a big year, but we will see how it goes.
My bruises are in that green stage where the body is just cleaning out the mess left from the healing process. My side has a nice big bruise. So Green!
That segues into the second thing.
In Arizona a Stupid pickup driving asshole ran into a group of cyclists. This was not an accident. It was deliberate. It may have been worse if he had a gun, because then the NRA would spring to his mass murdering defense as it was his RIGHT to have a gun. If cyclists object they should carry guns too and shoot back. That is the NRA WAY. No doubt he thought cyclists have no right to be on his planet and its all fair game just like on his favorite video game.
He probably objected to healthy athletic humans doing charitable fundraising for the community.
Stupid as there were police nearby who chased the moron down. He objected to being arrested so the cops shot him. No doubt Jesus made him do it so don't ask me I was only doing the lord's will. Stupid Trump Voter I wager.
I have been in groups that cars threatened. When I was riding as a leader in sketchy areas I would ride at the back a bit farther out in traffic so if anyone got hit it was me and it would protect the people in front of me. (Kinda foolish actually talking about it).
One time a guy in an old car intentionally swerved within inches of my group then got stopped by a light. He was surrounded by a group of Lycra clad athletes including one COP. We made our displeasure known. It was a shame we had to get to a place by a time, as it would have been nice to call the police and have him arrested for assault. Assault only needs a threat, contact and injury are extra charges.
In another case in my City a cyclist in a morning group ride was killed. An affluent Asian gambler who had been at the tables all night was going home and chose the same quiet road to avoid police and he fell asleep in his Mercedes. The dead person had a new baby. The Gambler had his license suspended for a couple months. No jail.
I have been hit a few times. Very lucky for me the closing speeds have always been slow. Usually cars pull up beside me and turn into me because cyclists are invisible you know. Bright colours and flashing lights are not enough. My last two crashes have had no cars or trucks involved.
Thing is death is a real threat. I guess it is good that these events are so rare they still make the news. Statistically far more pedestrians, and motorcyclists are killed than cyclists. There are still more motorcyclists than bicyclists out there. I used to have a motorcycle. It was fun, but there were no other benefits. A bike is very healthy. Of course you do have to get a bit serious to really benefit. Doodling along to the shops is better than driving, but fitness and health come from pushing. If you sweat you will get better and better.
So crashes and threats from psycho drivers notwithstanding I will keep going. My Garmin doohickey says my biological age is 21 years less than my birthdays. That is worth something no?
