Week 1

 

Direct Life Activity Monitor

New Plan

I had several plans to choose from, and I've chosen the one that starts where the other one ended.

The purpose of DirectLife is to make you aware of your activities, and to increase your activity level in a comfortable manner. I'll keep increasing my work bike route as I need to.

Yeah - I completed my 12-week Direct Life Plan and hit my goals!

Knitting

I've been knitting this whole time, the white shrug needs seaming on the sides, I understand that there are many projects sitting in baskets all around the world waiting for seaming. Something I need to tackle head on and figure out!

I've made one white fingerless mitten, but don't like how it turned out, so I'll probably do it again. The ribbing is just too loose around the arm at K3, P2 like the shrug. I'll redo in K1P1 and make two this time.

My maroon shrug is almost done too, and I've almost completed the first fingerless mitt for this one. I also need to make ear warmers for each.

Walking to the bus to the bus the other day, my ears got so cold they were very painful. I rode the bus with my fingers in my ears for about 10 minutes trying to warm them up. The rest of my body was hot from just wearing a sweater in the 35+ weather. Walked a mile that morning.

The Bike Saga is over - GYPSI is doing just fine!

Crazy isn't it? To be so possessed by one thing for so long? Well it's over, Gypsi is riding just fine, shifts really nice and I made it home.

I was instructed, yes instructed, by the guys at the bike shop to NEVER let Bernie near my bike again, and to come in right away even if I just hear a rattle. Never lay it on the derailleur and watch how I put it underneath the bus.

University Bicycles: Bohemia, Colorado

They showed me how to bungee cord the front tire to the frame after I turn it backwards so it's more manageable getting it on or into the bus. All is well!

Twitter

I added Twitter today . . . see it in the right hand column.

Library

Today we walked to the bus, bused to the library and I got several books on knitting and bike repair! I figured it couldn't hurt.

Greasy Hands

Yesterday I rode my bike finally to the bus stop, not a good exercise week as friends gave me rides (against my will I might add!) and I was a total sloth . . . All went well with the bike to the bus stop, and when I got off the bus to ride the short trip to work, the chain came off again! I didn't realize it at first, but I was really peddling and going no where fast!

So I put the kickstand on, and got the chain back on the bike. My new $10 sweater (cheap but looks nice) got stuck and ripped a thread or two but I made it to work. I walked in with a ripped sweather and very black and greasy hands. I personally think I should have a "Bike Reality Show" so someone  can capture my daily adventures.

I was wearing my new heels too,  what a sight!

A one mile walk in the rain - nice!

Haven't had time to check out bike yet. It's raining, will walk today.

Bernie: Day 3 [cont.]

Bernie came by today and worked on my bike. He took the plastic shield off and the chain came right out. He is used to working on "high end" racing  bikes, which have different parts. [He said the type that cost $1000 just for the frame!) I told him it was good though, as he can just figure out how to work on mine. If I ever get a flat tire, he will have to show me how to fix it. Really nice guy, spent 1.5 hours working on the derailuer as the chain kept slipping, and the brake is off center, and only charged me $20. He said it's not "perfect" yet and that I should ride it and report back to him. Well, car repairs used to cost about $400 at a time, so I feel fine about this.

It's also nice to know that he is mobile and will come over to help next time there's a bike problem.

Bernie: Day 3

It's 6:15 am and Bernie is due in about an hour. To be continued . . .

Stuck bike chain: Day 2

I've been sporadically working on my bike chain, trying not to break it and create a bigger problem. My hands are dark grey with grease. And I'm so patiently frustrated, as it's raining really gently today and there are many people out biking. We walked to the store and they were everywhere . . . except for me.

I looked up "Mobile Bike Repair" and found Bernie. He will come by early in the morning to take off the derailleur and rescue the stuck chain. I called the bike shop and they told me how to do it, but I would need a special tool. Bernie will cost $20-$40 for the house call. I could have bought the tools and a good repair book for that, but not this time.

The chain is stuck between the large gear and the plastic plate.

Stuck bike chain: Day 1

I've had a loose bike chain for the last few weeks, but haven't found the time to get to the bike shop which is deep in town. Well, it slipped yesterday and got stuck. Today I will try to figure out how to fix a stuck bike chain. I like the hands on aspect of this whole project, and would rather learn to fix this myself than pay someone. We'll see how far I get without breaking the chain.

For right now I'm grounded!

My new bike route

I rode my new bike route this week, 3.3 miles instead of 1.0 coming home. The only problem is getting across the highway from the bus stop, can you imagine a bus stop and then no way to cross easily? Traffic has a right hand turn, so I need to cross that piece in order to take a left across the highway. (I do walk it when I cross major streets). The first time I walked my bike on the slanted island, the 2nd time I decided to stay on the bike, but alas, I lost my balance and slowly tipped over onto the island.

It was my backpack, the laptop alone weighs 10# and then there was other stuff I was hauling home. It's weight just took me down. But I got back up, scratched my hand but didn't break anything this time and headed home. I can ride almost all the way without walking the bike, there is a steady incline. That last block before I hit my home street is a killer so I walk that piece. I looked down and saw that my left leg was bleeding, not sure what I did. When I got home it appeared that I had 3 vertical slices down the inside of my left leg just above my ankle. Hot washcloths and peroxide washed off the grease and it didn't look so bad after that. I guess I caught the peddle.

I've never been one to hurt myself but there is some sort of tomboy feeling going on these days. I really enjoyed running 26 years ago, but I would walk a lot too. I can't be a slacker on the bike though, it's just as difficult to walk it as it is to ride it, probably easier to ride.

My calorie count has gone way up! 

It's not easy to ride on Wednesdays as I work from home on that day. Weekends are not good for long trips either, as I have a child at home and she gets lonely. We spend time together as much as we can. 

 

Need a bike trailer!

(photo courtesy of Jon Russell Hanson)

I rode to the nearby grocery last night, and forgot to attach my basket to the bike. I keep it off as it's difficult to get this bike on the bus with the basket attached.

Purchased heavy package of drinks, dogfood, etc. and then turned around and realized the basket wasn't there. What a stack I had on the back rack... turned a corner and there it went!

But believe it or not, I am having fun with this!

I do believe that age has something to do with my attitude, because if I was still in that place where I cared what people thought, I probably wouldn't be doing this.

I'm alone in my own little bubble when I'm riding, when I'm struggling with groceries, and back ache and sore legs. It's become my personal achievement, day after day. I'm focused just on me, and I can tell I'm stronger. Nice!

I had these feelings back when I was running everyday. I wouldn't want to run now, but am so content that bike riding has given me this peace again.

WOW - 1054 calories burned!

Didn't start my new bike route yesterday as I had an errand to run. But it was still far from home. Walked and biked all the way home, didn't take any short bus trips to get there. Direct Life assumes you are walking, but I am able to tell it I was really biking, and chose "moderate level" although I was huffing and puffing and hot and dripping. But it certainly paid off!

The early morning rides are to the bus stop, and from bus to work.Then in the afternoon from work to bus stop, and then home again.

September results with my Direct Life Monitor

The 12-week plan increases your goal every week. 

I made it to 100% for the month of September!

BIKE BYTES
I made a left hand turn signal this morning without tipping over!