A giant steel spider at the greenway on the old Mueller airport site in Austin, Texas.

Where 747s once revved their engines preparing for a sprint down a too-short runway, giant spiders now roam. Or actually, one giant spider hovers over a granite gravel pathway that once was Austin Municipal (aka Mueller) Airport. Runways and terminals are no more. The area is now a greenway and housing development. Oddly, the blue and white checkerboard tower that reeks of 1960s “modernism” mixed in with a little art deco and dada, still stands, surrounded by no trespassing signs.

Air traffic control at the old Mueller Airport in Austin.

Now that I’m back on the bike, I wanted to check out a new trail. So far, nothing beats the Veloway for beauty, speed, fun and proximity, but sometimes a girl needs a change. So, I strapped Blue onto Pearl and headed north in IH 35 to the neighborhood where my oldest son Brian Kennedy was born in the master bedroom of a duplex 31 years ago. Much, much, much has changed.

Now called Mueller Southwest Greenway, a pathway morphs randomly from gravel to pebbled concrete and weaves through displays of native plants, fountains, hydrated ponds, picnic tables, benches, geese and outdoor sculptures. It’s not a good place to bike for exercise, but it’s a great place to treat as an outdoor museum or contemplative space.

The best part of the whole experience was the neighborhood this greenway serves. I don’t know if it has a name, but it’s a beauty. Every house is different, but all cut from the same modern take on Frank Lloyd Wright. Exotic, unique, every one a jewel squeezed onto a tiny lot. Porches on every one, paved alleys for parking and trash cans. Decorations, yard ornaments, flower pots all from arts and crafts fairs. This neighborhood keeps Austin weird, funky and beautiful.

I had more fun circling the neighborhood streets (8 miles total!) than anything else, especially since about every 5th house had an Obama 2012 yard sign! VERY cool neighborhood! The only presidential election sign I’ve seen in my ‘hood was one for Rick Santorum AFTER the primaries were over. Go figure.

I would rate this ride an interesting jaunt, but not worth the trouble of getting there and back to put on my list of regular routes. If you live in the area, lucky you. I’d ride there every day.

© Suzanne Freeman 2012

Most of us have probably read biographies – books that tell the story of another person’s life. Maybe we were curious, and hoped to discover what made that person great. In Philippians, chapter 3, the apostle Paul is giving us his own spiritual biography. In verses 1-11 Paul tells us about his past. Here, in verses 12-16, Paul describes his present spiritual journey. He compares it to a race, and he gives us the essentials for winning that race and one day receiving the reward that the Lord Jesus Christ has promised.

I. DISSATISFACTION (verse 12)

The first essential for winning the race is dissatisfaction. In verse 12 the apostle Paul says, “not that I have already attained it, or have become perfect”. Paul is not saying here that he is dissatisfied with Jesus Christ. In verse 8 he talked about “the surpassing value of knowing Christ”. But Paul is dissatisfied with his Christian life. Self-satisfaction is the death of progress. Dissatisfaction with passed accomplishments is the mother of invention. Because man was dissatisfied with carrying and lifting loads on his shoulders, he invented the wheel and the lever. Because he was dissatisfied with walking, he invented vehicles to ride in. Many Christians are self-satisfied with their Christian lives because they compare their spiritual progress with that of other Christians, usually with those Christians who are not making as much progress as themselves. But Paul did not compare himself with others. He compared himself with himself and with Jesus Christ! In verse 12 Paul says that he had not arrived at perfection. One mark of spiritual maturity is realizing that we aren’t perfect. The process of becoming like the Lord Jesus Christ is much like riding a bicycle: either you keep moving forward, or you fall down!

II. DEVOTION (verse 13a)

The second essential for winning the race and receiving the prize is devotion. Paul says in verse 13, “but one thing I do”. “One thing” is a phrase that is very important in our Christian lives. “One thing you lack”, said Jesus to the rich young ruler. “One thing is needful”, He said to Martha. “One thing I know”, said the man who received his sight by the power of Jesus Christ. “One thing I have desired of the Lord” said the psalmist. Many Christians are too involved in many things, when the secret of progress in our lives is to concentrate on “one thing”. For example, the cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world. He lives on the plains of Africa, and when he’s hungry he chooses one specific animal in a herd of deer or antelope and goes after it. Ignoring others, this swift cat has been clocked at nearly 70 miles per hour in hot pursuit of its prey until he catches it.

The same kind of determination and single-mindedness has been shown by some people. One of them was a man named Howard Marvin. First, a numbness crept into his fingers. Then weakness progressed quickly through his body. Within hours he was becoming paralyzed. Howard had Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disease that causes paralysis and sometimes causes death. He lived, but he was left totally paralyzed. Recalling Howard’s attitude of mind in those months that followed, his son said, “Dad’s one goal was to survive”. When he was told that his best friend had died, he accepted it and put it out of his mind.” He cared very deeply about his friend, but he refused to use up any energy in grieving because he needed every ounce of strength just to get well. Howard Marvin is walking again. Did God do it? Howard would be quick to say “yes”. But without a single-minded, dogged determination, he might still be helpless.

The prize of becoming like the Lord Jesus Christ takes that same kind of devotion. Becoming like Christ is the one thing worth giving up everything else for.

III. FORGETTING THE PAST (verse 13b)

The third essential for running the race and receiving the prize is “forgetting the past”. In verse 13, the apostle Paul says, “forgetting what lies behind”. Sometimes Satan will remind us of our past sins, trying to convince us of our unworthiness to serve Christ. When you are under attack, it’s a good idea to thumb through your Bible and notice the many people who were failures, but who went on to do great things for God. Would the apostle Peter have preached that wonderful sermon on the day of Pentecost, when 3000 people responded to Christ, if Peter was continuing to dwell on his denial of Christ and refused to believe that all had been forgiven and forgotten? Would the apostle Paul have founded churches, written epistles, and traveled across the country if he had allowed the memories of his persecution of Christians to make him feel guilty and discouraged?

When we confess our sins, they are forgiven and God will never mention them again. The choice is ours. We can either brood over our past or “reach forward to what lies ahead”. We can’t change the past, but we can trust in God’s forgiveness and live for the future. The words “reaching forward” picture a runner leaning forward to touch the tape first and win the race. If you watched the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, you saw that happen many times.

IV. DETERMINATION (verse 13b)

The fourth essential for running the race and receiving the prize is “determination”. The apostle Paul says in verse 14, “I press on toward the goal”. The point that Paul is trying to make is that we are not to give up, in spite of obstacles that may cross our paths. The Christian life is like a steeple chase, which is a long foot race that has many hurdles to jump over and many large puddles of water to slosh through. You may have watched that race during the Summer Olympics. Many of the racers fall at least once, but they immediately get up and continue running in spite of the aches and pains because they are determined to run the race to its completion.

A man by the name of Johnson Oatman wrote a song about this verse of Scripture. The first stanza of his song goes like this: “I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining ev’ry day; Still praying as I onward bound, ‘Lord, plant my feet on higher ground’.”

The famous preacher Charles Simeon said that whenever he looked at the portrait of Henry Martyn, these words came to his mind: “Don’t trifle … don’t trifle!” In other words, “Don’t waste your time on unimportant or trivial things”. Martyn had graduated from Cambridge University with honors in both mathematics and the classics, and had the makings of a brilliant career. But he chose to serve the Lord in India. He was almost 25 when he arrived there, and at the age of 31 he died. Yet in those six years he translated the New Testament into three languages – Hindustani, Arabic, and Persian. Only eternity will reveal how much his work meant to other missionaries, and how many people were saved because of it. It is said that Martyn’s picture still hangs in a hall at Cambridge where students go to pray, and that his penetrating gaze still seems to say, “Don’t trifle … don’t trifle!”

V. DISCIPLINE (verses 15 and 16)

The fifth and last essential Paul gives for running the christian race is “discipline”. This means remembering and obeying the spiritual rules given in the Word of God. It is not enough to run hard and win the race. The runner must also obey the rules. In the Greek Olympic games, the judges were strict about this. Breaking any of the rules disqualified the athlete. He did not lose his citizenship (though he disgraced it), but he did lose his privilege to participate and win a prize.

One of the greatest athletes ever to come out of the Unites States was Jim Thorpe. At the 1912 Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden, he won the pentathlon and the decathlon, and undoubtedly was the hero of the games. But the next year officials found that Thorpe had played semiprofessional baseball, and therefore had forfeited his amateur standing. This meant that he had to return his gold medals and his trophy, and that his Olympic achievements were erased from the record books. It was a high price to pay for breaking the rules.

One day each Christian will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. The Greek word for “judgment seat” is “bema”, the very same word used to describe the place where the Olympic judges gave out the prizes! If we have disciplined ourselves to obey the rules and to follow the example of Christ, we will receive our rewards.

Let’s run our race with joy, just as our Lord Jesus ran His race during His life on earth. Hebrews 12:1-3 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”

Addy and crew win 2nd place in Wagons Division of the Shady Hollow 4th of July Parade.

The heat of the summer drove me into the pool and kept me off the bike, although Blue Belle and I did ride with Addy in the Shady Hollow Fourth of July parade. She won second place in the wagon division!

I made three trips around the Veloway last week, just getting the kinks out. I also talked to the guy who maps out the Hill Country Ride for AIDS routes about taking on the 50 mile route next spring. He doesn’t think I can do it on a Townie. He tried it once and said he was miserable with only the seven gears. “Well, you’re not a little ol’ lady, either,” I said. “Don’t mess with my Blue Belle!”

For today’s trip, I discovered my tires were too low. I had packed a lunch and my latest read—Swamplandia!—so I struggled through to my favorite tree at the 2.5 mile point, and chilled for awhile. I enjoyed a cool breeze under the tree believe it or not.

A stop for a bite of book and lunch on the Veloway.

Although it is about 91 degrees out, it is the autumnal equinox tomorrow! What a beautiful day. Steve and I are about to head out and buy a new bicycle pump to get me ready for the next ride. I want to start exploring new trails again.

The pool and Schlitterbahn  water park helped me keep in shape over the summer, but I can no longer pull Mount Everest. I can ride 10 or so miles at a clip, however, I just need to get my hill legs back. I also need to find the instructions to my odometer. I forgot how to calibrate it! Ahh, the inconveniences of old age.

© Suzanne Freeman 2012

Bratislava at Night

To give our bodies a break and to really enjoy the culture of the wonderful place we were in,we spent a full day in Vienna,without our bikes, visiting the Schonbrunn Palace and it’s Marionette Theatre. The Palace was modeled after Versailles and it is very grand and built-in the very ornate Baroque style. Schonbrunn is the place that Emperor Joseph II appointed Mozart as court composer. Just around the corner from the Palace entrance is the Marionette Theatre, which was originally intended for the entertainment of the 16 royal children of Empress Maria Theresa. We were able to see a performance of the “Magic Flute” with a marionette of Mozart leading us through the Opera. It really brought you into their puppet world and was very entertaining. Later that afternoon we explored by foot some of wonders of Vienna.We sampled some apple strudel and walked through some gorgeous streets filled with tourists and locals. I’ve included a photo of a beautiful monument which was dedicated to the many innocent victims of the plague which devastated Europe.

The following day, it was time to jump back on the Tandem and make our way to Bratislava.The riding was wonderful and included a stop at a cafe that was just for Bikers…It was not accessible to cars. We ate dinner on the ship and then explored the charming capital of Slovakia by night. It was a wonderful combination of cobblestone streets, ancient buildings with warm and inviting restaurants inside, and contemporary sculpture all around. This is a place to which I would love to return!

On the Tandem!

Monument dedicated to the victims of the Plague.

Marionette Puppet of Mozart at the Marionette Theatre

Public Sculpture in Bratislava

Here is a picture of the Lovely Amadeus Elegant that followed us down the Danube River as we made our way to Budapest. One of the places we visited as we meandered down the river were the villages of Stein and Krems.These villages have been growing grapes and making wine for the past 600 years.They are famous for their whites. We were invited into the cellars of two of the family-owned and run Heurigens.They opened up their medieval cellars which are located below their houses and let us taste their wines and eat wonderful little sandwich type “cold” foods. That was a restriction imposed on them, that they could sell their wine and food but the food had to be “cold”.
We also tasted apricot wine and jams made from their own orchards. It was a great experience…

The camp now has sculptures representing many different countries, expressing their love and compassion for those that suffered and died there.

We wandered in and through the camp and saw pictures of what went on there. The most powerful and the very saddest was to see the gas chambers. I couldn’t believe that I was witnessing with my very own eyes, the mechanical structures which had brought so much suffering to so many…It was a very sobering experience. One that I will never forget.
It was a very sobering experience. One that I will never forget.

The movie, Hope Springs, with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones, which describes a couple that, have fallen out of love and had their sex life in the tank. With the help of a therapist, staring Steve Carrell, they were able to rekindle the sexual fire that they once had. What can you do if the same thing is happening to you?

Try Something New-It Is The Spice of Line
There’s biological evidence that novel experiences, both sexual and non-sexual, cause the release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical messenger that’s connected to the pleasure center in your brain. Remember how exciting your romance was when you first met and first had sexual intimacy? That’s because the romance was novel and everything is novel and your brain responds accordingly.

Be creative. Try a different place, a different time, a different position, a new sex toy. Sex every Saturday night in bed with papa on top for 4 minutes is not going to cut it. Try having a morning quickie. Attempt sex in the shower, or on the kitchen island. Do it on the floor or in the changing room at Victoria’s Secret. It isn’t a secret that you won’t be the first couple that tried that venue! Try it at 25,000 feet on your next flight.

Got a headache or are too tired? Take a Romantic Break
All couples are tired at the end of a long day with many demands. By the time you get everyone to bed and deal with unavoidable chores, you just don’t have the energy for a romantic evening.
Instead of waiting until just before you put out the lights, take a break from the computer the newspaper or a TV show (unless it is Modern Family) for a romantic encounter before going night-night.

Take Your Sex Life Off of the Back Burner
Make a date with your partner. Set aside one day a week to have time together. Hire a baby sitter and leave the home for something special. I don’t suggest that you go for the humdrum such as dinner and a movie thing, which seems like it’s supposed to be a lead-in to sex. Instead tray a shared experience such as biking, bowling, or something silly. Return from your night out with new sexual vigor and you can be sure you will be singing, “Come on baby light my fire!” Now don’t make date-night a once upon a time event. Make it a priority and stick to it like you stick to the other obligations on your schedule. Let it become a habit, and you’ll feel reconnected, and the desire will just grow from there.

If It Hurts, Get Help-NOW
Sometimes it’s not that you’re not feeling in the mood, it’s that your body isn’t cooperating because sex is actually painful. This can be a big issue for women approaching menopause, and you might be too embarrassed to tell your partner. It is entirely normal for women to have vaginal dryness after menopause. When the vaginal lining becomes thin and dry this can result in painful intercourse. This pain is due to an estrogen deficiency and can be corrected with oral or topical estrogen creams or vaginal tablets.

For women who have had breast cancer and should not use any estrogen supplements, there are lubricating jellies like K-Y jelly Vaseline, or Replens that do not contain any estrogens but do decrease the friction and pain associated with sexual intimacy.
Some men have a condition called Peyroine’s disease, which results in a significant bend of the penis resulting in pain for both the man and the women. There are treatments for this condition and men should see their urologist. (For more information on Peyroine’s disease see my YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkZZPBdWztY)

Your Libido or Sex Drive Has Mysteriously Disappeared
A dwindling libido may not just be a sign of aging. It may be the sign of another health problem or behavioral issue. For example: Depression, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances can all contribute to sexual dysfunction. In men, the inability to get an erection can be an early warning sign of diabetes or heart disease, or testosterone deficiency. Some medications, including antidepressants and blood pressure drugs, can lower your sex drive. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can put a damper on sexual response. Even too much time on the bike can lead to problems in bed. Both men and women who are always on their spin bike or the small seat on a road bike can have problems with orgasm and arousal, because of the pressure put on the nerves and blood vessels that supply the penis or the vagina. Sleep apnea can also be a culprit and can lead to lack of oxygenation of the genital tissues. See blog (http://neilbaum.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/not-enough-sleep-can-lead-to-not-enough-sex/) for more information on sleep apnea and its treatment.

Bottom Line: Sex at age 20 is easy and fun and occurs without any effort. Sex in mid life can take some work, effort, and time. Invest in your relationship; you will be happier, healthier, and will have more love and affection from your partner. If that isn’t reason enough to get your sex life back on track, tell your partner that Dr. Baum prescribed it!

If you have any ideas for putting the fire and passion back into your relationships, let me hear from you. I’m always looking for new ideas. Don’t hold back. No idea is too wild or far out.

This blog was modified from a recent post on WebMD by Gina Shaw (https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/13939af485fb6048)

Most of us after the ride

Wow – We did it. Rode the 69 mile mountain loop. Our team, Coach Karl’s Chain Gang, was able to raise over $6000 to fight cancer in Boulder and Colorado. Here is a picture of most of the team after the ride. There was a great after ride celebration at Celestial Seasonings. Lots of great sponsors turned out to feed all of the riders.

This is the second year of the B Strong Ride. There were 800 riders and the event raised over $320,000. LIVESTRONG was the partner for the event, but the money will stay within the community. The funds raised will benefit Boulder Community Hospital and the George Karl Foundation. The goal for next year is over 1,000 riders and to raise over $500,000. Great goals that are achievable.

We want to give recognition, as the event did, to Rick Gorton for his generous support of us in this event. THANK YOU for the unique level of support! Rick was one of a few donors who were recognized publicly by the B Strong Ride event for his level of support!

The green line is the route we rode. Amazing.

I will also post a variety of pictures of the ride and route that I have. While my intent was to take more pictures, climbing slowly up the mountain (or hill to some) and quickly descending did not make taking pictures easy!

First things first – the route map. We rode UP Lefthand Canyon to Ward and beyond. As one friend said “where is the end of this hill?” It was a long climb and a bit tough for all of us who trained in Wisconsin this summer. Yes, the grade did get to 12% on the switchback. I had to walk that one!

Three of the gang on the ride up to Ward.

So, on the climb we experienced sunshine, cloud cover, rain and some sleet. There were 5 of us who stayed together for most of the ride up. Here is a picture of 3 of us on the way up to Ward, before it got more cloudy and then wet.

As we got further up the mountain, or hill as some would call it, we began to get wet. With a light breeze and more rain, we started to get wet and COLD. At one time, when a girl behind us got into the SAG wagon, we were all thinking ‘that looks like a warm option. Should we ask for a ride up?’ None of us took that option. But we all needed to walk some – Next year we will all ride the whole thing! We now know what will be expected of us. Bring it on.

We all made it to the second aid station as the workers were commenting on how cold it was. We got snacks, water, electrolyte  drink, and encouragement. The ride down to Lyons was a bit slow as we had wet roads and wet brakes. Here is a picture of some of our team members (Nancy, Regis & me) on the way down. We are still feeling cool here. About 1/2 way down to Lyons, the sun started to come out! With cold toes, feet and fingertips, it was a welcome change.

Yes, it was downhill and it was fun to find dry roads. My max speed was 41 mph. Needless to say, I didn’t take too many pictures during the ride into Lyons. It was beautiful, as I remembered it from the drive, and nice to have the warm breeze.

Paceline training buddies!

We got into the Lyons after branching off onto some fresh asphalt! Nice change from the chip seal and traffic. The crew there was amazing. Three of us, Cindy, Linda and myself, were the first of our team into the aid station. We waited for Regis and then Nancy. All of us ate, refilled on drinks, used the facilities and motored on. It got quite warm after leaving Lyons. I was wishing for the cloud cover of earlier in the day. The paceline worked well until the railroad tracks in Hygiene. I just lost it and had to move forward at my own pace. Until that point, we were able to maintain about 24 – 22 mph on the road. For me, my pace was right around 17 mph for this part of the ride. As we were motoring into the finish, we passed a rider on a mountain bike. He was plugging along. Happy to be riding. Here is a picture of the paceline team.

A photo with Kevin after the ride. He is the person behing the B Strong Ride.

The celebration after the ride was amazing. A chance to rehydrate, eat some great food, drink more of my lemon Skratch exercise hydration mix, listen to the nominations for the awards and just rest and chat with the team was so fun.

The highlight of the day was when we, the chain gang, were out for a meal after the event. Nine of us were sitting at the table, chatting and enjoying the time. A woman approached us and said ‘I see all of you rode today. I want to say thank you as I am in treatment for cancer now. THANK YOU!’ Wow, that made our day. Yes, were able to ride up the canyon and do much more. We were not limited to only dreaming about doing it by a disease or treatment. Thank you Kevin for starting the ride!

Overall, it was an amazing journey and success. The event raised over $300,000 and had 800 riders. Next year they want 1,000 riders and to raise over $500,000. I think we will all do it!

When I first bought my new bike, I was ridiculously terrified of trying to learn something new at my ripe old age of 9626.  But darnit, I was bound and determined to not let some stupid pedals win me over.  It took me a few weeks of practice but I feel like I am finally getting to a place where I am not a hazard on the road when biking.  At least not the whole time I am out anyways…

However, I am now finding there are certain things about biking that I never knew before and no one ever warned me about.  Here are a few rules of the road I have learned in the last 3ish weeks:

1) Road rash hurts SO much worse when you fall a height of 5′+ rather than falling when you are five and probably more like 3′+ tall.  Way more than a little princess band-aid can fix up.

2) Road bikes actually go FAST!  Making said falls so much more painful if they happen at any kind of speed.

3) Cars will inevitably be annoyed you are on their road.  Last I checked I had as much of a right as you to be on the road in your car.  The most dangerous drivers are those I would describe as Sunday Drivers.  I think you know what I mean.  For some reason, a large target appears on my back when said drivers are near…

4) In my opinion, the rule of yielding at intersections/crossing should be as follows: runner/walkers always have the right of way, then real bikers (aka, those who pedal and are on two wheels), then sitting bikers (ESPECIALLY those with powered bicycles?!?)and finally cars.  Just because you have more power does not mean you can bud ahead and take out a walker/biker with your car/powered go-kart/bicycle thingy.

5) Helmets are not optional.  Stupid looking and total hair-do ruiners, yes, but optional, no.

6) It’s not OK to go topless on a bike.  Unless you have rock-hard abs of steel.  Then yes, there is a double standard.  But if your belly flops on the handlebars?  Yeah, that’s gross…

7) Drinking while riding a bike is even more challenging than clipping in pedals.  For this reason, always leave your water bottle in the open position.  It’s 200x harder to both open the bottle and drink while riding without falling on your face.

open before leaving…

8) You will get hit by bugs/stung by bees while riding.  This will hurt and cause you to fall off your bike.

9) You don’t have to be nice to people when you pass them going the opposite direction on the bike.  (something I often feel compelled to do when running) In other words, it’s fine to keep that scowl on your face as long as you want!  Especially when said powered bicycle riders try to run you off the road.

10) You heart rate will not get as high as it does when running so it’s not a substitute.  A compliment to running, yes, but it’s (so far for me anyways) endorphin high free.  Unless you count the adrenaline rush you get when you start to fall but just barely catch yourself – that DOES indeed make your heart rate accelerate.

So that is what I have learned thus far.  If you are contemplating getting a bike/riding the one you have, my advice is stock up on first aid gear, buy a helmet and have fun*!  Eventually you will start to feel more in control of the situation and really, really enjoy it.  Or at least I do!  Maybe that’s my need for speed finally getting a little action?!  Clearly that never happens with running…

*I am not trained to tell you this so please don’t take my word for it.  You may be much more graceful than me and not require band-aids.  If so, more power to you.

A sign of a great country road with little car traffic!

Sunday found us riding along country roads for a 26 mile ride. It was quite beautiful! You know you are in the middle of nowhere, on great roads when there are NO lines on the road (yellow or white), grass growing across the road, and only a few cars!

Monday was more of a rest day, doing things around the house. Tuesday found me out for a quick 15 miles in less than 1 hour. This has been a nice improvement over the summer. While it was quite warm, there was a light breeze which made a difference.

Wednesday found us riding around Lake Mendota in Madison. We had asked about the distance and were told, by someone at a local bike shop, that it was 60 miles. Well, it was a far cry from that. We rode 23 miles around the lake, on roads that were lakeside, main roads and meandering through some very nice homes. The best part was the fresh ice cream from the UW Agricultural program! YUMMMMM ! ! ! It was a fitting end to a ride that averaged over 92 degrees warm.

Some well needed rain derailed our Thursday morning hopes, but it was ok. Tired bodies are not so responsive!

Saturday found me on a local chain of lakes with some great friends. We paddled our kayaks for 3 hours in very nice water. By the time we quit, the lakes had become quite busy. We picked a good start time and had the lakes to ourselves.

Sunday, I went out with my friends who are training for the Ironman in 3 weeks. They had planned to ride 100 miles, so I just joined for 40. It was so fun to ride with them. 3 of us are quite well matched in our speed and style. We were moving for 2:32, which made for a nice ride. The wind was in our face for the first 1/2 and when we turned toward the start, it was a nice change – but the wind was still in our faces!  HA, HA, HA….it is a Cindy wind meter!

We also got our team gear! WOW is it great. Coach Karl’s Chain Gang is ready for the road!

If you still are interested in donating, contributions are accepted until Friday. Here is the link to my donation page: http://laf.livestrong.org/site/TR/Partnered/Partnered?px=1015407&pg=personal&fr_id=1351 

Thank you again for all your support!

its so good to get out there and get in good health

Looking for parking? Don’t let your pretty hearts be troubled, surely you can park anywhere dressed like that … & ladies, may I just say, those hats are on point!

Wow, she makes it look so easy! i.e looking fashionable as well as riding in heels! Bravo mademoiselle!

Lol, you gotta love those pointed toes. A great woman of elegance never forgets the rules!

This lady is working that bike like it’s a cat walk. Perfect Posture, straight legs – I don’t know how, but somehow she nails it!

I have a feeling the beautiful Miss Solange is going to get free parking too! Well deserved.

But I did get some hiking in while in Breck. It was an amazing conference and it is always great to be in the mountains. So, back to the riding details…….

I got three rides in this week, for just over 70 miles. Yes, that is not too great, but it is a huge improvement. The first ride was a quick loop from home, past 3 cemeteries. One is a national historic site. The things you find out while riding your bike.

The view from my bike….. saw lots of cornfields, with ok looking corn.

Saturday found me riding with friends who are training for the Ironman in Louisville. Thank you for including me on part of your 75 mile ride! The ride was through rolling hills and corn fields! And we got some great rice cakes from the Feed Zone Cookbook!

So, our team for the B Strong Ride, Coach Karl’s Chain Gang, is starting to get very excited. We should get our team kit in the next few weeks. Thank you all for your support in this adventure. Without all of your support and donation, it would not be possible for me to undertake this adventure!

If you would like to donate, here is the link to my page for the B Strong Ride donations: http://laf.livestrong.org/site/TR/Partnered/Partnered?px=1015407&pg=personal&fr_id=1351 

St. Vitus’s Cathedral at the Prague Castle

We spent most of our time in the Old Town of Prague, wandering the cobble stone streets and exploring the ancient ruins of former rulers. One of the most interesting sites is the Astronomical clock which on the hour has a bell that is rung by a skeleton, and 15th century statues that rotate so we can see them appear, one after another, in windows that open for a few moments. It not only tells time but also relates the movement of the planets around earth and the sun and moon, through the signs of the zodiac. We walked up to the top of the tower and were able to have a breathtaking view of all the gorgeous red roofs below us in the city.
We spent time at the Prague Castle which is one of the largest castles in Europe, was once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and currently is home to the President of the Czech Republic. There was so much to see there of interest….I took my turn at shooting a crossbow, we saw a torture chamber in a medieval dungeon with cages where they held their victims, explored the most amazing St. Vitus’s Cathedral (check out the video) and watched the changing of the guards.
We had a tour focused on the Velvet Revolution, led by a woman who lived through it.
Her life was greatly affected by the soviet occupation as her brother had escaped from the country and her family was punished for it. She couldn’t travel outside of her country, couldn’t study medicine, which is what she wished to do, and wasn’t able to see her brother for more than 20 years. She took us to the Communist museum and we saw examples of what a store might have had to sell, which was only a few cans of food, and what an interrogation room would have looked like.
There was a film with footage of the Soviets crushing the student demonstrators in 1968 during the Prague Spring. It was so moving to have been standing in Wenceslas Square, where this history had taken place, and to have remembered it from my youth.
One morning we went to the Jewish section and visited the old Jewish Cemetery. Because the Jews were forced to live in a ghetto, there was only a small area for their cemetery. They buried their dead in layers on top of one another. This cemetery is thought to have about 200,000 bodies buried there, with the oldest headstone dating back from 1439. The last time it was used was in 1787, but you really get a sense of the depth of the community when you wander through it.
One of the synagogues has been turned into a holocaust memorial, with all of the names of the 80,000 or so, citizens of the Czech Republic who died in it. You can search by the city and last name of the person you are looking for, as the names are all listed one after another, in alphabetical order, on the walls of several rooms. I found three Danzig’s listed and wondered if they were my relatives, as this is my maiden name. The saddest part was the 3rd floor exhibit of art work done by the children of the camps, who drew pictures and wrote stories about what they were feeling at the time, haven’t been separated from their parents and left to fend for themselves.

On a happier note, we found a salsa dance club near our hotel and saw that at least 100 or so younger people were really enjoying salsa dancing. It was quite a happening scene.
We had some wonderful walks around the city and got to enjoy the very talented street musicians. There were several dixieland bands playing on the Charles Bridge, which is an all pedestrian bridge, and they were greatly appreciated by the hoards of onlookers who really seemed to enjoy walking the streets of the Old Town.
We spent a few more wonderful days in Prague, walking all around this ancient city. I really look forward to my next visit there…but now it is time to start telling you about the actual bike trip!

The attitude seems to be that if anything without a motor comes in between a car going from point A to point B it’s violating the driver’s right of way. Having just spent a week riding in Arizona at the Adaptation Futures conference, I got the strong impression that US drivers are more bike friendly than Australian drivers. What can be done to make Australia, a mostly flat country that’s great to ride on, more bike friendly?

I live close by to Beach Road in Melbourne, one of the great rides. It has become so popular on weekends that roadside parking has been banned between 6 and 10 am Saturday in one municipality for the last few years, another for about a year and now the linking council, Bayside, has just announced a permanent ban. That isn’t guaranteed because it hangs on government funding of $1.5 million and the state government has just yanked all new bike infrastructure in the recent state budget. (Rally to protest Sunday July 29)

Jan Garrard in The Conversation points out that bicycle infrastructure and program funding gives a $5 to $1 return on benefit to cost, whereas road funding is much lower and sometimes less than parity. One figure on the proposed East-West tunnel link in Melbourne gives a return of around 70 cents in the dollar. I met an economist from the Victorian Department of Transport at last week’s 41st Australian Conference of Economics who is hell bent on building the link. The Bailleu government is in favour of course, but I got the impression that DoT would be trying to build the link regardless of what the government thought. I made the suggestion that there was some much cheaper infrastructure with higher returns that could be built at much lesser cost. But bicycle infrastructure was cut. Go figure.

Another recent debate on bikes on roads has been whether rider numbers in Australia are increasing and whether helmets should be compulsory. They are in absolute numbers but not in proportion to population growth. This can be put down to a few trends. One is the growth in car-oriented suburbs over the past thirty years. Another has been cultural, working on two fronts. One is the growth of the “I can drive as fast as I like wherever I like” attitude, the other is the cotton-wooling of kids where they are now driven to school. These two trends are inter-related.

Rider numbers are increasing in inner city areas and along main commuter routes but are still low in the suburbs of our sprawling cities.

The helmet liberation army are becoming increasingly vocal in their campaign to see compulsory helmet wearing removed. This is based on several lines of argument with evidence of varying quality.

Studies gauging intent to ride if helmets were removed suggest the added fitness from those riders would deliver greater benefits than the added injury from crashes without helmets. This is essentially a utilitarian argument. There are two issues to this – one is that stated intent to ride is not the same as riding. Studies continually show that stated intent is sensitive to framing issues, so it is unlikely that all the people who say they would ride, would ride. The other is that although the health benefits from increased fitness and costs of head injuries can be balanced monetarily they are not the same.

Added fitness from more riders (if the argument that more people would ride helmet free and exercise more than they otherwise would) is a frequent small benefit, acquired brain damage or death is an infrequent large loss. People continually weight these losses differently and the difference between how individuals weight these loss/gains varies widely. If a minimax argument is made, the minimum number of maximum losses, then the argument for compulsory helmets becomes stronger.

The last few articles on The Conversation on rider numbers have been reduced in the comments to a yes/no argument on compulsory helmets. Neither side, in my view, have done themselves too many favours with poorly argued I’m right, you’re wrong arguments relying on inference and providing little understanding of risk and less of the economics of risk.

My view is that reforming bicycle transport in Australia cannot be reduced to a single issue. There is no silver bullet. It requires a three-pronged approach. This needs to recognise the unique aspects of Australian transport, infrastructure and culture.

Culture – back to the first paragraph. Australian driver culture is toxic. One of the great things I saw while in the states were signs everywhere that said share the road. That has to be our motto here and we need to change driver culture to manage that. This also means that cyclists need to become a little less holier than thou, run fewer red lights and acknowledge good driver behaviour. Often. I’m aware that four wheels behave worse on average than two wheels, but selective sampling means that bikes get noticed more often. If riders think they’re good on the inside, they’ll have to be extra good on the outside. And people: lycra is sensible. Get over it.

Infrastructure – we need more on the economics looking at the co-benefits and externalities of riding. My personal co-benefits include greater fitness than otherwise; higher work productivity through fitness, mood and quality thinking time; low carbon emissions and low impact on infrastructure. There are lots of benefits and the economics need to be emphasised. As detailed above though, I think we have to careful as to how risks are translated into dollars when assessing costs and benefits.

Legal and general – it may be possible to justify no helmets safely for <20 kmh riding on town bikes etc but if minimax risk management is applied, then not with the current culture and infrastructure. That really needs to be fixed and won’t happen quickly unless governments come to play. Currently in Australia the car is receiving even more special treatment than it usually gets, especially in the eastern states.  Two-tier riding behaviours need to be recognised, where we have genteel commuting including riding to school, town riding, family and recreation as one tier and fast commuting, training and long rides as the other. That’s without thinking about expanding mountain biking in the countryside.

One final lack is a comprehensive plain language interpretation of car and bike road rules and regulations to help explain  how car drivers and cyclists can engage in civilized intercourse. Australia-wide standards would be nice. I have looked at the road rules and regulations in Victoria and there is no way that they can be interpreted sensibly. What do green bike lanes mean in Victoria? They don’t say. The guidance from peak cycling bodies is not comprehensive enough. When can solid white lines be crossed and when not? Can cars cross out of designated lanes, across a green bike lane and two white lines? It seems they can. Elsewhere in the regulations it says that single and double white lines have the same function – is that only in the middle of the road? Drivers think that one peleton cannot overtake the other. They can if they’re two abreast and not on a highway and are signalling to overtake (a big mob of four abreast is not legal).

It’s difficult to share the road with diverse vehicle types, and with the regulations and infrastructure  we have now, it’s not clear how that should best be done.

Tuesday found me out for a quick 1 hour ride. 16.9 miles in 1 hour 6 minutes. It was hard to get into the grove again at times, but towards the end of the ride I found my grove. I rode past 3 cemeteries, 1 road kill skunk, a few dead squirrels or chippies, 2 birds of black color, a frog or two, but NO snakes! Thank goodness. I was also struck by the overall dryness as I watched a dirt devil in a corn field. Not good for this time of year. I was well hydrated thanks to my Lemon Skratch Labs exercise hydration mix. It was so nice to have a little flavor without GI issues!

Wow, so it has been a crazy few weeks. Lots of heat, humidity and NO rain. House work has been keeping me busy and made my back a bit wonky. I was unable to ride for almost 2 weeks due to some issues with my back. Darn deck! But, the deck is clean and looks beautiful again.

During this time, we experienced temps in the range of 102-109 degrees. The most striking thing was seeing the temp read 107 in the shade at 530 in the evening. OUCH. It is hard to know how to train during this type of weather.

We were supposed to go camping, but the heat and non-electric site convinced us to go camping at home.

Well, it was difficult for him to find a tile to play!

We had a great time with Drew, Rachel, the boys and the dog. Spent time in the lake, playing games, using the campfire app on the iPad and drinking ‘white flour’. Really, we made sangria and it was in a container labeled ‘WHITE FLOUR’ during the weekend. So, we are now calling it white flour. It was a time of lots of laughter!

I did get another project done – the shore station is ready for the pontoon boat. It should be put into the lake on Monday! Yeah!

Back in Colorado for one week – work and a conference. Perhaps I can find a D-D & D this week.

While the riding has been less than stelar, I have gotten some miles in each week. I forgot my shoes and pedals in the rush to leave for a surprise party and the trip out to Colorado. So, I will make do with whatever comes my way!

News flash . . . . found my old shoes and some shorts. I will ride this weekend with Venus de Miles! I am excited. Now to find the old pedals for those shoes. THAT could be a problem.