As I get older, it seems that I start caring less what people think about me.  It’s not in the, "dude, I’m so cool, I’m wearing this T-shirt by a band you’ve never heard of," way, but more in the, "I completely realize I’m going to look like a fool, but my comfort just trumps that."

The first hump was probably the spandex cycling pants.  Sure, you may look cool in a rarefied group of people, but the vast majority of people look at you and chuckle, if you’re lucky.  Next came the recumbent bike.  Sara inherited my old one, so I’ll write more about the new fancy one later. 

Most recently came these sandals, inspired originally by an article in BoingBoing.  I inherited annoying foot issues from my Dad (which I will lovingly pass on to Cameron…circle of life baby) including a big toe that kinda wants to point up, and arches that are so high that my footprint is made up of the front of my foot, and then the heel…they aren’t connected.

That makes shoes pretty annoying, but when I came across that article, my first thought was, "those are completely ugly."  However, I’ve always loved going barefoot.  As I’ve gotten older, I can’t get calluses fast enough to overcome the pain I get walking around outside barefoot.  That, combined with the whole, "Britney barefoot in a German rest stop," thing makes it kinda skeezy.  I went to the sandal site to look around, and sure enough, they had them at two shoe stores in all of Oregon, one in Bend.

Last Friday I went down there to try them out…it was a runner’s store, and I definitely don’t look like a runner.  As I found out later, there are an increasing number of hardcore runners who are using these to run, up to and including ultramarathons.  Glad I didn’t know that going in, because I really just wanted them for walking around town.  I tried on a pair (they are notoriously hard to size…if you’re weird like me and want to try them, I’d highly recommend finding a store that carries them), and after getting a different size, walked around the store a bit.  They seemed pretty comfy, and they have sole wrapping up around your toes, so you can’t really stub them too badly (still possible, but not as bad as bare feet).  The original version didn’t have a strap going around the inseam (and those are still available) but with my arch I don’t think that would really work…as it is, it completely conforms to my foot shape, nearly giving me my two-part footprint again. 

So, I got ‘em.  They’re the red ones shown in the BoingBoing article, and they are ridiculous looking.  They look like you’re wearing gloves on your feet.  Bright red gloves. 

The site recommends not wearing them too long at a time, since most people’s feet aren’t really used for much other than stuffing into shoes.  But, I’m home so much, and I walk around barefoot all the time there, so I jumped right in.  I went for a long walk with Sara and Cameron over the weekend (probably about 7 miles all told) and…yep…my feet were really tired afterwards.  Feet and calves.  But, it’s ridiculously cool to walk around!  You feel every texture and temperature change under your feet.  We went under a bridge, and the concrete got cool…went over blacktop in the sun, and I felt the warm.  It’s all tempered by the soles, so it was never unpleasant in either direction, although I imagine that blacktop in 100 degree weather may be another thing altogether. 

I was convinced when I got back that there’d be sand in them, because when I walked over sand, I felt it so clearly.  You feel the texture difference going from asphalt to concrete to a wood bridge.  It’s fun, and makes you want to walk on all types of surfaces…

There were a few exceptions.  Big rocks.  Big rocks still just sorta hurt.  Even if the rocks are smooth, which they weren’t always, they just jumble your foot bones around too much to be comfy.  I’m hoping that changes, but even if not, it’s not too hard to avoid big rocks. 

I did try running in them a bit, and it’s a lot different than in running shoes.  You most definitely don’t land on your heels, or else it feels like your top teeth are gonna fall out.  So, you land on the outside edges, and roll up to the ball of your foot, then launch off the toes.  Fun again!

But, yeah, I look ridiculous.  I went out with Cameron in his backpack (oh how he will loathe me) and for once the kid took a backseat to my shoes.  Some guy actually wanted to know where I got them.  I assume because he liked them, although it seems equally likely that he wants to burn down the store to remove all trace of them. 

Sara laughed at me when she saw them.  Then she tried them on, and it was the single funniest clothing application I’ve ever seen.  Apparently her little toe is so used to being squished against her foot that she got panicky and claustrophobic having it separated.  To the point she needed to get them off her feet right away. 

But, after watching me walk around in them (chuckling every hour or so) she tried again, and has actually taken them running a few times.  So, there are some more muted tones at the site, I may hand off the red ones to Sara, who mostly wants them for exercise and get some I can walk around in without a big red arrow pointing to my feet.  ‘Cause damn, they’re comfy.

Yeah, it’s not a real race. I liked the quiet streets on the last trip, so I figured I’d go more-or-less on the same route.

Turned off to my main street, and there were probably 50 cyclists, a few tents, bunches of cars and the odd random officiant wearing dayglo orange. Now, I was feeling very manly today, because I had just put on my 2 ft long rainbow windsock on the back of my already tres manly recumbent, so I sped up behind some wedgy riders and asked what the race was. It was apparently the High Desert Road Race. I was peeved. It was my road, after all.

So, I figured out which way they were going, and I went the other direction. It wasn’t a closed route, so I wasn’t being a dick…there were still other cars passing me. Anyway, turns out guys don’t look at you when you’ve got a rainbow windsock recumbent, but the ladies all smile. Sure, they’re laughing on the inside, but it’s all good.

I also found a few really nice smooth roads, one that went on a really nice gradual 3 mile or so descent. It was completely awesome until I saw the Pavement Ends sign. The 3 miles back felt longer.

Also broke my first spoke, which was pretty nifty, and I felt hardcore wrapping it around a good one and going on. The wheel was pretty untrue by the time I got back, so the wheel’s in the shop. They look at a 20″ tire with a road wheel on it with some questions.

Hot freaking day today. And the gaps that my GPS put into the Map My Ride map ended up ripping me off of a full 5 miles today. The GPS, which I trust more than MMR, showed a little over 41 miles…2900 calories burned. I feel it too. I just about barfed three times afterwards.

Sara wanted to go to lunch and a movie, so we did. It’s a damned good thing it was the Bourne movie, ’cause I wouldn’t have made it through any other movie without falling asleep. As it is, the camerawork only made me want to barf one more time.

I know I should leave earlier in the day, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Well, I took nearly three weeks off, because my back went out a few weekends ago. Rooting around all day in the crawlspace was not a good idea, apparently.

So, this was a short ride, but good for a few reasons. A lower traffic route to China Hat, and finally getting my goggles figured out. No dust, no fog. Perfect.

Only one downside…after a family breakfast, I didn’t get out the door until around noon, when the temps were in the mid-90s. Bad idea. I sunscreened well, but I burned my lips, of all things. Think I’ll have to start earlier next week. Backs all strong again though.

I had to get back on the horse after the horse lost it’s rear wheel last time I rode it. So, I opted for the wedgie bike this time, and let me tell you, shoving a seat back up your ass really doesn’t feel as good as I remember. And I didn’t remember it feeling too good.

I created this route originally on MapMyRide, and imported it as a course into the GPS. Sadly, because I didn’t go the exact same route at the beginning, it kept telling me how far away I was from like the second point in my course. There must be a way to say, “hey, tell me how far to the closest point, not the one way back where I started.” Didn’t want to fiddle with it on the ride though, I wanted to ride.

The good news was that on the map view, I got to see my course, so it would show me when I needed to turn, which was useful because I went a few places I hadn’t been before. One thing that I didn’t pay attention to on MapMyRide was the fact that I had to pedal over FUCKING AWBREY BUTTE. I wasn’t expecting that. There was a fairly short distance that was at a higher grade than I ever remember going before. Pain.  [note: the GPS shows me grade.  13% on that patch.  Yep, that beats short term my highest grade.]

At any rate, it’s a good thing I didn’t use the recumbent, because it’s pretty unstable under 6mph, and I was going up that sucker at around 3mph. After the end of the steep, it just kept going up. Got some nice speed on the way down…33 was the max, and that’s probably pretty close to my all time max. I’m not so much with the speed.

One change I need to make. The goggles are very nearly airtight, which just completely gums them up when I get hot. They came with something that converts from the strap to the regular glasses-esque earpieces. I’ve put them on, and it seems like it holds it slightly away from my face, so we’ll see how that works next time. May go for a shorter ride tomorrow just to get on the ‘bent this week.

Oh, and I sooooo need to figure out how to get rid of all of those stop signs on the route. I actually stopped twice on the route, not the 50 or so stops it shows. So, more manual reading…

This thing is friggin’ awesome. Sara got it for me for my Birthday, and while I haven’t been on any bike rides since getting it yesterday, I’ve carried it around when we go out and about town. It’s a geeky-statistician-wet dream. Elevation, maps, heart rate, routes, integration into google earth and mapmyride.com. It’s awesome. Upcoming bike rides will be a lot more detailed…

Wordpress really hates my big picture. This is meaningless text meant to pad so the image doesn’t break the layout. Awesome.

Oh yeah, even better, that wasn’t enough space, so I need to add more.  The Edge is a lot cooler than wordpress is right now.

So, I was all ready.  Water, panniers for my business PO Box, yeah, I’m sure I didn’t forget anything.  Until, after stopping to give a guy bad directions, I jumped on the pedals again, and the rear wheel came out from under me.  Huh.  Turns out the rear wheel quick release was gone.

I had taken it off to use it on the recumbent for awhile, but never put it back on.  Bad move.  I turned around immediately and rode back super-slowly.  Bad day, bad ride.  No injuries, but I didn’t get to go very far.

I decided to go on Saturday instead of Sunday…the weather report was much nicer. They lied.

Once I got out of town it started raining. I tried to ignore it for awhile, but it got old, and I put on my jacket. That warmed me up a lot, but I already had issues.

The goggles I had on work great. They form an even better seal than I thought they would. I had no dirt in my eyes at any time during my ride, and that makes them worth the $30 alone. Unfortunately, they form a really good seal. Apparently the skin around my eyes sweats. They have a fog-free coating on them, which is nice, but once your eyes sweat enough, you get a thin film of water on the inside. I thought something was screwing with my eyesight for awhile. Instead, if I lift up the bottom of the goggles for awhile, and let some air circulate, then it clears up.

Second, it was cold. I’m not sure how cold, but I should note it, because parts of me respond poorly to the cold (no…not that part). My right knee aches in the cold, and given that the main part of me that’s sore right now is my knee, I think it may be related. I have knee warmers, and I need to bring them the next time. That pretty much kept up through the entire ride.

Since Sara is pregnant, the phone is a godsend. It’s my map, my lifeline. I got to find out where I got lost, and to call Sara on occasion. Also, at about a mile past the turnaround marker on the map, Roby called. Completely randomly, since I was 25 miles away from Bend, and he called to talk about Mark, another friend of mine.

My big bonehead move was not paying enough attention to my phone. I ended up looping around and adding about 10 miles to my route by retracing my steps, and then realizing it, turning around, and going back down the same road for the third time that day.

All of this time it was raining. Raining enough that when I stood up, pools of water poured out of my jacket. Raining so that after awhile I got tired of wiping off my goggles, and completely abandoned my mirror, because all I saw was water droplets.

Eventually, when I saw how much time I had lost, I realized it was time to call it in. I’d been riding for about 3.5 hours in the rain, I was cold, and I just wasn’t having fun anymore, especially when the lion’s share of my remaining ride was going to be going through downtown. I called Sara and said, “pick me up!” I had another three miles in me after that, so i finished a respectable distance from town, and still got my 52 miles in.

Next week, rather than spending all my time riding flats, I’m going to head up into the mountains until I get tired of hills, then turn around and coast back. We’ll see how long I can make it. Climbing in the ‘bent is harder, but still doable.

Also, a late-breaking problem…my lower back was sore last night, and today I threw it out bending over wrong. So, we got a heating pad, and I need to take it easy for awhile. I’m not entirely sure what I do that exercises my lower back, but it surely does. I need to watch that.

Goddamn China Hat Road.  I was so ready to like you.  Rolling, steady uphill (meaning rolling stead, fun downhill on the way back) and it went for almost 10 miles straight.  I had a route planned that would let me take a left in about 6 more miles, hit Hwy 20, and cruise back in style, after one huge hill.

I was fighting dust in my eyes again the entire time, so I almost missed the “Pavement Ends” sign, but I definitely felt the cattle guard.  I pulled over to take a look to see if I could get an idea of how far the dirt road went, when a guy in a minivan stopped going the other way and told me it would be a dusty route forward, and that the dirt went on for about 10 miles.  That meant turning around, since I was already having a hard time seeing, and I’m far from comfortable enough on the recumbent to go on a long dirt road.  That, and the lack of new tubes meant a U-turn.

As a result, the path looks like a big sperm.  I wasn’t ready to go back home yet, so I tooled around, and actually hit my max speed so far on the bike (31mph) on a steep downhill on Knott road.  That was a little scary because there was debris all over the bike lane.  But, quickly got to the bottom, found a nice mormon church parking lot to turn around in, and headed home.  My eyes are still hurting.  Those goggles better come soon.