why I love biking part 3

Today I rode through the covered bridge above and then I ran across this beautiful swan. The swan pranced around and posed for me and another lady who was also taking pictures.

The whole ride was one beautiful scene after the next. Blowing leaves and a good wind to remind me that it was indeed getting colder and winter is soon coming.

Chester County has some of the most scenic countryside in Pennsylvania. Unless you bike, you are missing much of it. I did pass a large group of seniors all getting ready to take a hike. I passed many cyclists out as well enjoying the gorgeous day.

why I love biking part 2

I am battling a bad knee. Doctor said go ahead and bike until the surgery, just load up on pain meds. So I downed 3 Advils and out I went. I had no plan except to just have fun. I meandered all around Chester County. Meandering on a bike is just plain fun. When you bike alone, you can go whatever speed you want and take whatever route you want.

So this is what I did. I ended up doing 40 miles. But it was pure joy. The leaves are so brilliant. It is as if they are spray painted. Plus with today's wind, they were falling like snow. I was peddling down a country road with a creek winding alongside. I spotted out of the corner of my eye a blue heron standing stiff as a statue. The heron was trying in vain to disappear into the foliage. I stopped my bike and as soon as I did, the heron took flight. The heron has to be the largest I have ever seen. Its body was gigantic. The wing span was huge and the sound of those large wings flapping as it took off was something to behold. Whoosh, whoosh as it disappeared into the sky.

If you are not biking, you are missing one of the most enjoyable activities. You can bike at any age. Enjoying the sights and sounds of nature and your surrounds, nothing is better.

hey Bike Store owners and managers, gimme a break

my bike - a custom Spectrum by Tom Kellogg

I got an email the other day from the manager of a local bike store. It was a woman which made her email even more maddening. Here is her email...........

"Hi Libby,
I work at So and So Bike Store in West Chester...a customer named Jane recently purchased a hybrid and was looking for casual/social/easier rides and I thought you may be able to point her in the right direction.
If you don't mind, I'll pass along your email and maybe you can advise her of some C level or "chick rides".
Thanks, Libby and have a super day,
Sue
manager So and SO Bikes of West Chester"

My reply.......

"the ABC Cycling Club does not offer rides for hybrid bikes
only road bikes , I hate to see a woman buy a hybrid as it limits her
all of our C rides are for road only
hybrids are too heavy and slow and not road worthy for the hills in CC
tell her to use the Schuylkill River Trail

sorry, Libby "

I was out today riding in beeeaaaauuuuutiful Chester County, PA. Nothing but red and gold leaves reflecting off of the Brandywine Creek. Gorgeous stuff. Tons of cyclists. Too many to count. But I could count the women, maybe I saw 3-4 ladies out there. One on a hybrid and the rest are road bikes. The men, all ages, with nary a one on a hybrid or some clunky bike.

Why do bike store personnel assume when a woman comes in for the first time that a hybrid is a good choice? I hear this sentiment often. "Well, I got a hybrid because it was cheaper and I want to make sure I like biking."

Trust me, you are NEVER going to like biking on that monstrosity you just bought. Women tend to be smaller and not quite as strong as men (some women) and yet bike stores stick them on the heaviest and most cumbersome bike in the store.

When I ride with my bike club, the men are all on bikes light as feathers. Fast, sleek and light! No wonder they love cycling.

Bike stores limit the potential for making a life long customer by selling the women hybrids. These ladies will ride maybe 2-5 times and give up. All they can do is ride on a flat bike trail and even that is going to harder than the guy on the road bike whizzing by them.

The bike store is never going to see this lady again. Her bike will sit in her garage unused. Had they sold her a good road bike, she would be back, she would want bike gear, and would most likely will be upgrading her road bike after a year or so and be looking for an even better bike.

So Bike Store owners, do me a favor please. Offer the woman who comes into your store a chance to think of herself as a cyclist. Encourage her to buy the road bike. Tell her the drawbacks of the hybrid. At least give her the choice. When you steer her to the hybrid you are assuming she will never be a cyclist and you just want to sell a bike. This shortsighted approach is the the one reason in my opinion that men rule the road and women, well, their bikes are sitting in the garage.

do you bike on the roads??

I get this question all the time. When I mention to folks that I bike, the first thing out of their mouths, "do you bike on the roads?" Where else would I bike? They assume I am on bike trails. Right now my county is building an ambitious trail that will ultimately connect West Chester, PA with Philadelphia, PA. While I enjoy biking on trails, the real joy of biking happens on the roads.

Chester County is fortunate to be an ideal place to try biking on the roads. We have a road network in our county that is hard to find elsewhere in the country. We have so many tertiary roads that I could conceivably bike on different roads each and every time I head out on my bike.

Tree lined roads, horse farms nestled along the roads, big fat piggies walking alongside deserted back roads and the list goes on and on. What can be better than biking by yourself on a nice country road enjoying the scenery? Nothing.

I have posted before though that to succeed in biking on roads with fast traveling cars takes some practice and skills. You must have a rear view mirror. You must dress in bright clothing. You must follow all rules of the road. You must be aggressive. Cars must know what your next move is going to be. No sudden stops, no swerving into the car lanes, signal when turning and on and on. Bike like your drive a car.

Always carry your cell phone and make sure you know how to change a tire. Carry supplies for tire changing. You WILL get a flat at some point in time.

Have fun and bike on the roads. Chester County is quickly becoming a biking mecca. I see many cyclists out. I see old folks, young folks, men and women. Get your bike out and join us on the roads.

the time of his life - Superman

Frey's leg ( yes, he can bike barefoot,too!)

My son, Frey (free) is earning his Masters at the University of Pennsylvania. While this is a huge opportunity for him and he appreciates it greatly, his greatest joy this autumn is the commute to Philadelphia from his home in West Chester, PA. The total commute is close to 60 miles. He travels down Rt 3, known as West Chester Pike, and climbs into the city through Fairmount Park. He has spectacular lights for his bike, over 240 lumens for his tail light.

He does this ride 5 times a week. His mileage for the year is high, he is closing in on 9000 miles for 2010. He said the ride is beyond fun and challenging. Rt 3 is busy, busy, busy. He has to pass the on and off ramps for I 476, which in itself is harrowing.

He is quickly becoming a regular on this ride. The crossing guards give him a wave. The construction guys give him a wave. He has a horn and squeaks it back to give an hello to his new road friends. He travels with about 25 lbs on his back. His food consumption is high and he carries his daily needs in his backpack. Since the roads are littered with glass and nails, he carries tubes, tires and patch kits.

He rolls in to home around 9 pm. On Mondays, he gets in after 9 pm and hits the road on Tuesday by 7 am to make his 10 am class. Frey locks his bike in a closet in a building on campus. The building is security locked and has a security guard. Frey's bike is in a closet. The security guard has nicknamed Frey, Superman. He goes into a small closet in bike gear and comes out in street clothes and eyeglasses.

As I have said, "the time of his life. Enjoy, Frey!"

disabled for biking

My goal for miles this year was 5000 but alas, my left knee is going to derail those plans. Currently I have 3800 miles on my bike. Glorious biking through beeeeautiful Chester County. Heading to doctor today,I will most likely need the scoping of the knee as I had done on my right knee a few years back.

Recovery is not bad, I hope that is all it is as I MISS biking. I will miss the fall foliage and the best weather for biking.

So instead, I am busy painting some rooms in my house to give me something to do as I am in complete withdrawal from biking.

why I love biking

look hard, the piggy is out in the distance

Here in the northeast, we have had about 3 days of rain. But today the sun came out and I went for a bike ride in gorgeous Chester County. My usual sights are hawks, foxes, herons, goats and tons and tons of horses and foals. As I was making my way down a very back road, I spotted out in the distance a large black pig. At first I was hesitant to pass it. I have never run into a pig walking on the side of a road before. I slowly crept up and lo and behold, I see the largest pig I have ever seen just meandering down the road.

I tired in vain to get a picture but fumbled with my camera phone as I rarely use it. The picture above is the best I could do. This piggy had come down a long country driveway, crossed a bridge and then turned and went down another driveway. Now since I was out in the country, I could see no farms or houses.

But apparently Porky the Pig knew where he was going. But so much fun for me to spot this piggy and watch him.

Biking is the best activity by far.

be aggressive but talented too

Biking is never going to become an acceptable means of travel and recreation until folks doing it learn to think about the other folks on the roads and become talented and skilled riders. I see large groups of fast cyclists riding together and basically taking up the entire lane. Often times, they are 4 abreast and unaware of any cars behind them or even the scare of death they give to a slower cyclist that they might pass on the road.

This just happened to me last weekend. I got passed by a large group of cyclists and they wizzed by very close and not one person in the group announced "passing on the left." It was unnerving to say the least and very poor form. I saw others speeding over large gravel piles and taking no precautions for safety. I see cyclists make sudden turns or stops. I had a female cyclist miss hitting me by inches going downhill. She did not think about the rain and her brakes.

Biking is a fabulous activity and lots of fun. I have discovered the joys of solo cycling this year and find it the most relaxing activity. But I have also learned how to be a better cyclist. I spent a lot of time riding with my 26 year old son. He is now commuting 60 miles a day to center city Philadelphia so he is doing some serious riding. Getting into the city from an outlying suburb takes some serious skills on the bike and tons of experience biking on highways and busy streets.

But what I have learned from my son is how to bike and be in charge on the road. He stays way over on the side, never dominates the car lane and follows all the rules of the road. But he also is in charge of himself in relationship to the cars. At intersections he gets right out in front of a car if he needs to take a lane to make a left turn. He is dominant on the road but not to the point of being stupid. This is a fine line and I have learned from watching him bike that he can be aggressive but at the same time show talent and confidence on his bike. The cars KNOW exactly what he is going to do next.

His model of cycling has helped me immensely on the roads. I feel more confident and more skilled on the road. But like my son, I never take this for granted. I constantly think about what I am doing on the road. I constantly use my rear view mirror. I constantly look for gravel or pot holes. Cycling is fun but it also demands vigilance on the road.

So be aggressive but be skilled at the same time. Take care and you will not find yourself hitting gravel and flying over your handlebars.

Bike Communting with $450 worth of lights

I know a fella who is bike commuting to Philadelphia from the outlying suburbs. The round trip runs around 60 miles. So this is a substantial commute. On the advice of his trusty friend, the Internet, he decided to invest in some high powered lights. The lights require that the cyclist attach the battery packs to the bike frame.

So armed with a huge backpack and his huge body (he is 6'6") and the fabulously powered lights, he said biking became a whole new adventure. On his way in, during daylight, he turned the lights on as he approached the city limits. He said all of a sudden, he noticed that cars and buses started giving him a wide berth. Coming home it had become dark and he had both the front and back lights blaring, he said the wide berth experience was even more pronounced. Buses hung back and passed him slowly as the drivers gave him the OK sign. On four lane roads, cars moved over to the passing lane.

People stared at him. He passed a high school soccer game and he said they all turned to look. So the investment in the high powered lights was worth every penny. No one buzzed him. No one gave him the finger and swore. Apparently the motorists had no idea who or want he was. Being a large male certainly helps but he has been hassled and buzzed on his bike. The big difference seems to be the lights. They create an impression that he is either a police officer or someone important. No matter what, the lights seem to keep him safe.

Here is the link to the company he used to buy lights: DiNotte Lighting. My son bought a tail light with 240 lumens. So spend some serious cash. It's cheaper than an ER visit.

If you are a commuter and plan on doing it regularly, go get some good bike lights. I want them now. Although an old lady on a bike with high powered lights might not elicit the same response as a huge 20 something male on a bike.

our vulnerability and helping each other

This blog has detailed my many biking adventures and the joys of doing this activity as we age. I am accustomed to asking folks who are off their bikes along the sides of the roads if they are OK?? Most time they are fine. Today I was not on my bike but coming home in my car from picking berries and nectarines from my local "u-pic-um" farm. I see a neighbor sitting on the grass at the side of the road with a dog who appears to be down as well.

Lo and behold my neighbor was indeed in need of help. The dog was merely comforting her as she lay in pain. She had fallen and had either broken her ankle or sprained it badly. The dog was not her dog. She was walking a neighbor's dog and slipped on the wet grass. She was as pale as a sheet and desperately needing help. My son and I got her and the dog into the car, we took the dog home and retrieved my neighbor's purse and took her to the ER.

I left all my phone numbers with her in case she needs a ride home. Not sure if she has other folks she can call. This lady is a loner. She lives alone and I never see anyone at her home. I know her as we both have lived here forever. My heart ached for her when I saw her stranded on the side of road.

Like me, she is getting older. She and I are now the resident old farts in the neighborhood. The older folks have died off and young families have moved into their homes. My greatest strength is that I am a nosy neighbor. I do notice folks. I know everyone's pets and cars and whatnot. I would recognize anyone even if I did not know their names.

Lesson to be learned is that as we age, carry your cell phone, even when walking a dog. You never know when you might go down. I wear ROAD ID as well when biking but I am thinking maybe it is not a bad idea to wear it all the time. Lucky for my neighbor I know her. I could help. I am heading back to the hospital to see what is up. I have called several times and she was still in the ER.

Bike more and get better

I bike with many different folks; ladies, men and newbies and experts as well. At one point I was a newbie. I was afraid on the road and I could not do many things on my bike except fall over when put into a difficult spot. I fell going up steep hills, and I fell at intersections when I could not unclip fast enough.

I have had my fair share of close calls. I could not even stand up on my bike when riding. Last year my total miles was 2400. Sounds like a lot but even that high number was not enough to make me much better on the roads.

This year I am already at 3000 miles. And this year I am improving. I can now stand. I can now avoid the falls, and I can now bike on busy roads. Have I done anything extraordinary on the bike?? No. I simply went out and biked. Some days I went fast and some days I went slow.

I had no plan. I went to no training clinics. I do not wear a heart rate monitor. I have no idea what cadence means. I have no plan except to get out more and bike.

I have found as well that many ladies want to bike and do it sometimes but not enough to improve. As a result, they give up. They make excuses as to why they cannot bike. I have had little success in getting women to bike regularly. Since I have been leading bike rides for my club I can count on one hand the number of ladies over the last 4 years that have really taken to biking. My hat is off to these ladies. It is fun to see them improve and ride. One lady recently rode across Iowa and one lady is doing her 2nd 100 mile ride this weekend. If these ladies and myself can do this, why can't you? None of us is under the age of 50 and yet we found a way to bike. One of us is retired, one works full time and one works parttime. So we come from all walks of life.

So tell me, just what is your excuse??

thanks frey

Frey (free) and a friend

Yesterday I did a 54 mile bike ride, the Dog Daze Ride sponsored by the Brandywine Bike Club of Chester County, PA. It was a long fairly hilly ride but the weather had finally cooled and it was quite nice for a change, no sweat stinging my eyes. Most sponsored rides attract folks ranging from expert to novice. My son , Frey, accompanied me.

I am a good rider but I cannot do the speeds of the faster folks on these rides. Pace lines flew by, old men passed me on the hills and younger women also passed me. We had men go flying by pumping away up the long climbs.

My son can easily out bike anyone on this ride. He is large and strong and one awesome cyclist. He has the stamina of a work horse when he is on a bicycle. But not once in this ride did he ever feel the urge to take off and try and pass anyone. Never once even when the old gray haired guys went by and said, "hey, how ya doing?"

Took me over 4 hours to complete the 54 miles. My son could have done it in half the time. But he choose to ride with me, lucky me:)