Riding Terwilliger in Portland

It was another beautiful day in Portland, Oregon.  Of course, I wanted to take advantage of it by going on a bike ride.  Since I have been going on a few rides around town, I knew I was ready for something a little more challenging.  Ride up Terwilliger Boulevard.

I started the ride, like I always do, from NE Portland.  Usually the route I would take when I am going to do a bike ride up Terwilliger is along the river, across the Hawthorne bridge, up Hawthorne, make my change on to Broadway, then a short skip on SW 6th, to Terwilliger Blvd.

I had ridden this ride a lot last year, so I was a little skeptical as to how I was going to do on my first try.  And to my surprise, I did better than what I thought.  Broadway was definitely a challenge, but I knew if I set my pace and took it slow, I could make it all the way without stopping.  Since Broadway seemed a little challenging, I knew I was in for it with riding up Terwilliger.

The day was perfect.  The temperature was just right.  It wasn't too hot, but it wasn't cold.  I started on a slow pace up Terwilliger thinking I would take it like I did Broadway.  It was challenging in certain spots, but it was a lot better than I thought it would be.  Or Terwilliger was just being kind to me knowing this was my first attempt this year.  Once I had completed the ride it was the best feeling I could have imagined.  I did a lot better than I thought I would.

If you are looking for a good ride around town with some challenging parts, you should definitely think about taking Terwilliger for a spin.  I know the thought of riding it can be scary, but it is the best feeling in the world when you have completed the ride.  Give yourself a challenge, it will give bike riding a rewarding experience.

Learning to Bike Ride With Clip In Pedals

Last year I received a Cannondale Synapse road bike for my birthday.  I figured I needed to have all the right bicycle equipment on my new bike to help me look the part of an avid cyclist.

The bike came with most of the riding equipment that I would need, but I wanted to have clip in pedals.  I had been going to spin class for almost a year at my local gym and had been using them in class.  The pedals made me feel like I was using my legs more to pedal, which was giving me a great workout for my legs.

In class I used the Lateral Release clips that were easy to use and to clip in & out of.  With my new bike I chose to get the Shimano Ultegra, which are similar to the Look pedals.  I did not realize what a difference it would make.

Like I mentioned the Lateral Release were easy to use.  The Shimano Ultegra was a whole new learning experience.  Since they were new pedals, they were not quite as easy to clip in & out of.  Though it does have a handy allen wrench so that you can adjust them to your fitting.  The first day that I went on a ride, luckily I was with my boyfriend, I felt very awkward.  I had to keep reminding myself that my feet were clipped into the pedals instead of just on the pedals.  

We thought we would go on a ride through town, simple, easy and not too hard.  Think again!  We had come to a stop light and I was slowing down.  I thought that if I go slow enough that I would be able to keep my feet clipped in, then the light would turn green and off I would go.  The light stayed red, I came to a stop, by the time I realized it, it was too late to remember my feet.  I fell over like a domino.  There is nothing more embarrassing than to fall over in front of a few people on the street when you are trying to look good.  All I could do was laugh.  My boyfriend just looked at me like I was crazy.

That wasn't the only time I fell over.  We had just started and had only gone down to the end of our street and came to a stop, again forgot my feet were clipped in.  Luckily, this time I fell on grass.  My boyfriend just looked at me and said, "I feel like I am riding with an 8 year old."  I was laughing so hard I was in tears, because I did feel like an 8 year old.

I have had another incident with my pedals, but I am still learning.  I don't feel that it will ever become a second nature skill for me.  I will always have to remind myself that I have my feet clipped in.  Though I have only been riding with them for almost a year, maybe after years of rides, then I will be more comfortable with them.  As long as I am on my bike, pedaling...I look good!

Are You Ready For The New Biking Season?

The weather has slowly been getting nicer and it was time to take out my bike.  Like any hobby, you want to make sure that you and your equipment are ready for the season.  Learn as I say, not as I do.  

I have not exercised all winter since I had been very busy with work.  I know that is no excuse, but it is amazing when you are working hard all the time, that time just flies by.  On top of that, I can not say that my eating habits were the best either.  I guess you can say that I just took advantage of the winter season to let ME go!

Saturday is a gorgeous day for a ride and I wanted to take advantage of it.  I brought my bike up from the basement, along with my helmet and biking shoes.  I had to wipe off the dust so that I did not embarrass myself in public.  I got to look cool!  Right?  I made sure my tires were inflated and ended up blowing one after it was filled with air.  Luckily, the nice man at the bicycle shop when I got my bike, suggested I carry two spares just in case.

Once that was changed, off we went!  You could not have asked for a more beautiful day for a ride.  We traveled from NE Portland by Grant Park to the Eastbank Esplanade, then over the Hawthorne Bridge, down to the Waterfront.  Everyone that we came across was happy and filled with excitement.  It was a wonderful day to start off the season.

As we were heading back to where we started from, I started noticing my aches and pains.  You have to remember that I was so excited about going on a ride that I forgot to STRETCH before the ride!  Sometimes you just have to learn through experience and pain.

So before you go on your first ride of the season, be sure to stretch.  It is not a bad idea to take your bike in for a tune up to make sure everything is in working order.  You can take your bike to your local bike shop or REI.  The fee is generally inexpensive, plus it helps to maintain your bike so that it lasts for a long time.

Happy Riding!