Great Bicycle Art Found with a Change of Plans

There was no cycling for us on Saturday. It snowed!

 Our daffodils were not very happy. 

~ Plan B ~

We decided to make the best of it. We went shopping. 

TJ Maxx in Warwick has a fantastic HomeGoods store. And look what we found! It's a large canvas wall art piece featuring a bicycle. Just our style! It will be hung on our living room wall just in time for a family gathering this Sunday for Easter.

After that, we planned an afternoon for my 8-year-old daughter and her best friend to enjoy an activity with us! We went roller skating!! Then, it was pizza time!

On Sunday David and I were able to get out on our tandem bicycle for 26 miles, even though it was damp and cold. At least it wasn't raining or snowing, and we had a chance to get in some pedaling. We're hoping for brightness and warmth as the Spring season progresses.

Balance and Moderation

This past weekend was a tough one for us when it came to getting on the bicycle. David was not feeling well, and he decided to pull out from Saturday's criterium race. For a change of pace, we ventured over to Talcott Mountain State Park. We hiked to the top for a view. I bet it's breathtaking in the Fall with Autumn colors! I found that hiking the steep uphill winded me. I needed my inhaler, and that didn't feel good. To top it off, as soon as I stepped on the trail, my allergies stirred up -- my eyes were itchy and watery. I had a terrible time of it, and I could hardly wait to get back into the van so I could blow my runny nose.

Our view on Saturday (3/24/12) from a climb to Heublein Tower
at Talcott Mountain state Park in Simsbury, CT

We had a better afternoon. We took a shortened version of a tandem ride we had already planned, and that felt good. Then, we picked up my daughter and her best friend, and we brought them over to a local farm stand that was offering free ice cream sundaes to celebrate their season opening. The ice cream was homemade -- tasty and delicious, and the girls were lots of fun! However, it was windy and cold outside, and that was where we had to sit to eat our sundaes because the place was too busy inside! Needless to say, we ate quickly.

After that, we drove to visit with my elderly grandfather in Rhode Island. That was the greatest part of our day's activities. He thoroughly enjoyed our company, and he was especially entertained by my daughter's viewpoint of other kids her age. Her animated story-telling skills made him smile. We read him his mail (because he can not see very well), and I left with him a homemade meal and a few cider donuts we picked up earlier from the farm stand.

Sunday turned out to be another cool, dreary day with the threat of rain. We decided to catch up on our growing list of household to-do's. David's enthusiasm for tackling each item on the list impressed me! We made terrific progress and later on took in an afternoon movie at the theater.

I must say that I am so grateful for the wonderful husband I have! Of all the options we had to see different movies -- and even though The Hunger Games was pulling in huge crowds, David agreed to see a movie of my liking: The Vow. I loved it.  : )

Later on in the day, we got a Red Box movie rental that David picked: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
We snuggled, and I fell asleep in his arms.

Sure, it was unusual for us, but we did not ride on Sunday. We took a break and welcomed other activities. It's good to bring a sense of balance into our lives.

* Our blog is on the list for Connecticut's Top Blogs of 2012 on the Hartford Courant's website. Please take a moment to vote for the Tandem-Team blog under Sports blogs. We will most certainly appreciate your efforts!

What's Your Connecticut Story? Please Vote for our Entry!

What's Your Connecticut Story? | Gallery | Beauty and Magic on a Bicycle Built for Two!

Clipping in... and Falling Over! Tips for Using Clipless Pedals

David and I are active members in a couple of cycling groups. I enjoy being on the email lists and participating  in some of the discussions on topics that many of us would find interesting.

Today a topic came through on the message board from a cyclist looking for advice on becoming more skilled at getting out of pedal clips.

Ha! That reminded me of my own beginnings when David first convinced me that I should be 'attached' to my pedals. (I've since learned that it does make pedaling more efficient.)

We practiced a few times in the driveway, and then we took off for an easy ride on the bike path. Dave had my daughter attached to his bicycle with the tag-a-long, and I was on my own single bike. She may have thought I was being entertaining, but I fell over three times in a row! I simply was not conditioned to thinking about preparing to stop in advance, so I can certainly relate to the woman seeking advice!

I've learned from my own personal experience that it's best to wiggle your heel outwards to unclip -- away from the bicycle. Previously, I wiggled my foot both ways, and in doing that the back of my shoe had actually caught up in the spokes of my rear wheel, which threw me to the ground!

Another thing I've figured out is that the tightness of the cleat in the pedal can be adjusted. Not having worn such things before, at first I wasn't sure of how easily my foot 'should' be able to clip in and out, and sometimes it was really too tight of a fit, so I was unable to clip out quick enough.

It was helpful for me to establish a habit in how I unclip -- always 'left out' first. Being that I often ride on a tandem, it also works to assure that we are coordinated when we come to a stop, so that we always dismount on the same side.

An interesting thing we've noticed that seems to be unique to each couple on a tandem bicycle, is that many stokers choose to remain clipped in during a ride when it's necessary to stop at an intersection. I suppose it's easier, but I think I'd be a little bit nervous. When Dave and I start off, we clip-in in unison. When we need to stop, he will often let me know to unclip by saying, "Left out."  But, everyone has their own way of doing things!


 For more information, check out...
Do I need clipless pedals? Will I fall over when I stop?

Positive Benefits in Joining a Cycling Club

We have been fortunate to have awesome warm weather this week!! And, with the change over to daylight savings time, we've had more opportunity to get out on the road too!

On Sunday, we got together with other club members from the Thread City Cyclers and it was an enjoyable ride to Coriander Cafe & Country Store in Eastford, Connecticut. Although one member experienced two flats, it was otherwise smooth going!

We also ran into another group of cyclists from our club at Coriander -- including John and Beth -- who also sometimes ride on a tandem!!

Later that evening the kickoff meeting for the Thread City Cyclers at a local firehouse took place. Not only did they serve the best homemade ice cream ever from the UConn Dairy Bar, it was a great time to mingle with other riders and learn about upcoming plans and cycling events.

Dave and I are planning to include many of these rides on our calendar for the season. Part of the meeting's agenda included introductions of new members and each member was given an opportunity to share some of their goals for the year. Mine are to increase the duration  (mileage) of many of our rides for greater comfort and to improve my overall fitness level. As David becomes more involved with bicycle racing, he may want to get in a few extra miles on his own where he can hammer. I need to become more accustomed to riding on my own at times.

The club is always open to new members, and one thing I can say that is especially great about the Thread City Cyclers is that they offer group rides for cyclists at all levels. For newbies, there is a weekly beginner ride led by Scott of Scott's Cyclery. The club is very social, the members are extremely supportive when it comes to sharing information and helping new riders to improve their skills. Being involved has most certainly enriched our lives with great friends!

For more information about the Thread City Cyclers, check out the About Us page on their website.

Getting Started in Bicycle Racing... Again!

The starting line...

We had an hour and a half drive to get to the race on Saturday morning. We got up early, and I made David one of my most famous and healthy smoothies along with a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on an English muffin. We hurried around gathering belongings and ate in the van on the way.

When we first pulled into the parking lot, David immediately approached another rider for information on where the registration area was located. That rider actually gave him direction to the starting point of the race.

It was extremely cold! Even with the wind whipping, David was starting to gear up into his cycling clothes outside of the van! Then I noticed there was a table set up far across the other end of the lot. Wondering who else in their right minds would be sitting at a table set up outdoors on such a day, we realized that it was likely that the registration spot was right there! It was a good thing we didn't head right over to where that other rider suggested because we would have wasted valuable time.

This was a criterium training race. It was the first of this year's Plainville Spring Cycling Series held at the Farmington Valley Corporate Park. Basically the course consists of forty half mile loops -- twenty miles total.

Although David has racing experience, it was many years ago. This was a good race for David to ease into now, to familiarize himself with the feeling of pushing himself to the max and riding super close!

David comes into the finish!

At the starting point, David tossed his extra pair of gloves over to me. It's not always easy to know how to dress with the changeable weather conditions we've had lately.

He stuck with the pack for a few loops, but then he fell behind. With training races such as this, lapped riders don't get pulled. As the race progressed, David once again found himself within the pack, and for a few laps he was again able to hang on. Although he was eventually lapped again, I'm proud of him for sticking through to the finish.

The plan is to continue these weekly training races so that David can work to improve his skills and overall fitness level. This commitment assures that he will take advantage of every opportunity to work on his skills throughout the week -- with early morning or after work rides or spin classes, attacking challenging climbs, and monitoring his heart rate to ensure optimum performance.

We'll be there again next week!

Good articles to check out!
How to Race a Criterium
10 Tips for Beginning Road Racers

Following the Dream

This will be an exiting weekend! David's USA Cycling license arrived in the mail yesterday. Tomorrow, David will test the waters as he re-enters the world of bicycle racing as more than just an observer!

David raced as a teenager, but with becoming a grown-up and having stresses and responsibilities, his own desires were put on hold. Now that David's (with me!) in a supportive relationship, he's on the right path with his career, and his son is off to college -- it's time to do those things he didn't have the freedom to do previously.

I'll be ringing a cowbell on the sidelines to cheer him on!!

The Plainville Spring Series is held on the roadways of The Farmington Valley Corporate Park in Plainville, CT. The course consists of a flat, 0.5 mile circuit on smooth pavement with two, wide 90 degree turns.

I discovered this video clip online of a previous year's race.