A huge feat for Robynkind

OK, so you know how I got a bike? And then I found that I live in the midst of many hills, which made bike riding hard? Well, this has proved to be a huge challenge for me, and one that has quickly changed my fitness level, and my thighs.

First I conquered a smaller hill near my house and I felt great about it. But there was still the Hill of Doom. Very close to my house, which is on the Albuquerque/Rio Rancho border, I can hit a street that takes me down into the village of Corrales for a nice flat ride through a more rural area. There's a bike lane and the lovely aroma of cows. I like riding this area, and to get there is a nice, breezy downhill ride. But what goes up must come down, and it seems to work the other way, as well.

At some point, I have to go home, and the only way back into Rio Rancho is a steep climb. I have found no path that isn't. So I'd been taking this street back up that is quite steep in parts. Then it curves and becomes a, I swear I'm not exaggerating, 45 degree angle. It's unbelievable. So, on the straight part of the street, I'd make it up about 1/3 of the way and then have to walk the bike, all while gasping for oxygen and feeling quite dizzy. Then I'd reach this particular tree and the road would flatten out for a bit. So I'd be walking about another 1/3, then get on and ride a bit. Then I'd reach the Doomiest hill of all -- the 45 degree one. I'd ride till I was going so slowly that I'd almost tip over. I would be gasping so loud, I'm sure people could hear me from a mile away. My head would pound and I'd be dizzy. I felt like I'd vomit. I'd get off and push to the top, where it meets with another street and then I'd turn left. But no point getting back on here, because it's immediately another hill, albeit a short one. At the crest of that one, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way home.

Well, today, I was riding up the straight part when I realized I was already past the part where I usually had to get off and walk. I was already to the point where I would get back on and ride! I did it! I did it! I rode to the 45 degree angle and had to push, because even an Ironman could not ride this part, I am sure of it. I got to the stop sign, but instead of turning left and walking the last hill, I got back on and rode it.

I rode home in a huge state of joy and excitement. I think all these painful workouts are paying off! Plus, I've lost about 4 pounds in the past several months, which may not seem like a lot, but I didn't have much to lose -- just a little jiggle. I'm looking a world better in the legs and I'm very excited. I'm even not TOO scared about being photographed in a skort for my newspaper article on golf wear.

Pedaling, pedaling

Today's workout: 7.4 miles on my bike, for one hour. Yay!

No, I'm not going to commute this way

It's just for fun. I got a bike! I haven't owned a bike since I was a little kid and too small for an adult bike. A few times in my pre-teen years I rode my dad's bike. Once in my adult life I attempted to ride my mom's bike with my brother to the store. I was a bit wobbly and every pebble on the street made me scream like a ninny. When we got to Central, my brother eyed the convenience store across the street, and then the curbs and median, and rolled his eyes. "You just wait here. You'll never make it," he said, before hopping off the curb and riding OVER the median. This is something I will never be able to do.

I wanted a bike to cruise around the neighborhood in the nice summer evenings. It's unfortunate that I work evenings, so I am limited to just two evenings a week for potential bike riding. I have also discovered that the area I live in has lots of hills. Steep hills like Mt. Everest that you don't notice when driving.

Anyway, Mark drove me to Costco where I picked my bike. It's not but a few miles from home, and we have small cars. So I decided I'd just ride it home. There is a back way where I don't have to ride busy streets. I hadn't been on a bike (besides the above incident) in about 20 years, so I was a little wobbly. Another thing about bikes now is that you wear a helmet, which makes you feel like a HUGE dork. But supposedly it's good for your skull when you are hit by a car and go slamming into the pavement. The whole helmet thing makes me want to say, "In my day, we didn't wear no stinkin' helmets. When we fell off our bikes, we cracked our skulls open and our brains slid out. And we didn't cry like no babies. We liked it!"

On to the Costco story: I DID buy a helmet because I'm always reading about bicyclists getting hit by cars and killed in this city. I started riding through an apartment complex to get to the back street. The wind was in my face and I felt like I was flying. It was the most wonderful feeling. Until I got to the hill. And I swear, the street went straight up into the sky. I felt like with every pedal, I was going BACK a yard. I was dizzy. Gasping. ...

... This might be a good time to add that I have been really sick the last few days, first with a long, severe migraine and then with a mini-bout of food poisoning or something that made me barf the morning of my bike excursion. So I was not really up for any excessive exercise after 5 days of headaches and nausea. ...

I get off the bike and start walking it. Now I'm a dork in a helmet biking in flip-flops and I can't even ride it. After a while, I notice a creepy youth walking a ways behind me. I approach the top of the hill and decide to lose that freak. On I go, till I reach another hill. It's close to my house, but it's steep enough that even when walking, you breathe really hard and wonder when it will end -- and I love walking up hills. I can see my street, but it feels like it just keeps getting farther away. I can't breathe, my chest is burning. My head is pounding, and I think I'm going to barf. I keep telling myself I can do it -- not to be a wimp. But I couldn't. I had to walk it again.

When I got home, I really was going to barf. My body had been too sick to handle that level of exertion. My head hurt so badly and I had to lie down awhile.

This morning, I felt healthy. I wanted to ride my bike, but midday in New Mexico is rather toasty. I also had to admit what kind of wimp I was on the bike, so I thought about which way I could go that wouldn't have any steep hills. I thought about taking my 3.5 mile walking route, but once I got riding, I realized my butt felt bruised from the day before. There was no way I could make it that far, so I just took a 20 minute ride, then finished my workout on the treadmill at home. I always thought my butt had excessive padding. What good is it?

That's my story. I can hardly ride a bike. My legs are too wimpy, and so are my lungs. Hills terrify me. Cars terrify me. I hate the nerdy helmet and my butt hurts so much.

Here is my Schwinn 21 speed (not that I know what to do with speeds ...) It's white and claims to have a padded seat.