What I learned this afternoon

Dave Vandervies <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> Random stuff I learned this afternoon.
:> Comments/agreement/disagreement welcome (why else would I be posting
:> it?).
:>
:> *Doubling my normal distance (and then some), combined with
:> forgetting how long I've actually been on the bike, is a great way
:> to get sore muscles. (Fortunately it seems to have been a temporary
:> thing.)

Mostly so, once you get your miles up enough.

:> *I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find
:> some snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that
:> won't melt in the heat.

Clif bars don't melt...but you need to find the ones you like best first,
assuming you like them at all. Powergels don't melt, either.

About liquid...carry powdered gatoraid...then just find water.

Or maybe just stick with riding at night.
:> (Tip I heard in a discussion of motorcycling that probably applies
:> to biking as well: Carry two (or more) water bottles. Make one
:> (or more) readily available, drink often, refill when possible.
:> Make one hard to get at and save it for emergencies.)

Why carry more than two water bottles? Plan your route to pass stores and
firestations...

:>
:> *It's possible to pay three different prices for identical bottles
:> of gatorade within an hour of each other. Worst prices are at gas
:> station chains near major highways (no surprise there). Best prices
:> are at small independent variety stores (this seems unintuitive to
:> me; I'd've expected medium-size small-chain stores to have lower
:> overhead).
:>
:> *I need to get pants or shorts with waterproof cargo pockets, that I
:> can comfortably wear on the bike[1], to put my map+phone+wallet+keys
:> in on long rides. (Short rides I either have my messenger bag +
:> cargo pants with me or can leave everything but the keys at home, so
:> no problems there.) Or maybe a purse would work - something smaller
:> and lighter than a messenger bag but that can be worn the same way
:> and is big enough to carry the stuff I need with me when I'm out for
:> a ride and not going somewhere.

I have a bag that goes on my top tube. i put my cell phone in there, my
garage door opener, some paper towels, a couple of clif bars, a few
powergels, some powdered gatoraid, and some glucose tablets in there, also
with ID. All of those go in snack sized zip-locks in case of rain. That's
in additon to my under-the-seat bag. Of course, I have a jersey that has
three pockets, but I haven't been using those as I figure that would make me
uncomfortable.

:> (Hmm, I wonder what kind of reaction I'd get going into a store
:> and asking for a purse that I can take with me on long bike
:> rides.)
:>
:>
:>
:> dave
:>
:>
:> [1] I don't actually have bike shorts; I find that the generic
:> athletic pants that I bought before I heard of bike shorts work
:> well enough, and I assume that adding pockets that will keep
:> stuff dry while I'm working up a sweat won't change that.

You can get those baggy shorts that mountain bikers wear. Some of them have
pockets.

Dave Vandervies said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find some
snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that won't
melt in the heat. Or maybe just stick with riding at night.

Whatever chips you prefer--corn and potatoes are fast carbs and you get
salt too, if your stomach doesn't protest the fat.

Dates--hit the bloodstream faster than straight glucose, according to
glycemic index research. Fig newtons are a cheap alternative to energy
bars.

A banana, at least before you start if you don't have a way to carry one.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut into strips. This is my favorite
when I am pushing myself, but my body burns fat well.

Pam

Dave Vandervies said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find some
snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that won't
melt in the heat. Or maybe just stick with riding at night.

Consider a rack and trunk bag. I carry 2 extra quarts of water, plus some
tools, plus snacks and lunch if necessary. Map, phone, etc. go in here too.

Quoted message said:

*Dishes don't wash themselves, no matter how nice the weather is outside.

Ah. See, the trick is to buy cheap dishes at a thrift store and unflavored
gelatin in bulk. Then, when the sink is full of dirty dishes, simply fill
it with water and add gelatin. Put in a big pot lid with the handle
sticking out of the water. Wait overnight; then, in the morning when the
gelatin has solidified, lift the whole mass out and bury it in the back
yard.

Reid

"Dave Vandervies" wrote: (clip) (Hmm, I wonder what kind of reaction I'd
get going into a store and asking for a purse that I can take with me on
long bike rides.)(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"It's not a purse! It's European!"

"pam_in_sc" wrote: (clip) Fig newtons are a cheap alternative to energy
bars. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
According to a display booth at the California State Fair, (put there by the
fig lobby), figs rival or surpass bananas for nutrition and energy.
According to my own tests, fig newtons survive a rough ride on a bike much
better than bananas. Fig newtons are also easier to eat a little at a time
on a long ride. I am not connected to the fig industry in any way--just a
satisfied consumer.

"Leo Lichtman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"pam_in_sc" wrote: (clip) Fig newtons are a cheap alternative to energy
bars. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
According to a display booth at the California State Fair, (put there by
the fig lobby), figs rival or surpass bananas for nutrition and energy.
According to my own tests, fig newtons survive a rough ride on a bike much
better than bananas. Fig newtons are also easier to eat a little at a
time on a long ride. I am not connected to the fig industry in any
way--just a satisfied consumer.

Fig Puppet!!!!!!

🙂

[email hidden] (Dave Vandervies) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Random stuff I learned this afternoon.
Comments/agreement/disagreement welcome (why else would I be posting
it?).

Quoted message said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find some
snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that won't
melt in the heat. Or maybe just stick with riding at night.
(Tip I heard in a discussion of motorcycling that probably applies
to biking as well: Carry two (or more) water bottles. Make one
(or more) readily available, drink often, refill when possible.
Make one hard to get at and save it for emergencies.)

I carry a bunch of apples in my pack, Now matter how hot it gets,
somehow they're always cool when you bite into them. They're mostly
water and have plenty of simple carbs.

Quoted message said:

*I need to get pants or shorts with waterproof cargo pockets, that I
can comfortably wear on the bike[1], to put my map+phone+wallet+keys
in on long rides. (Short rides I either have my messenger bag +
cargo pants with me or can leave everything but the keys at home, so
no problems there.) Or maybe a purse would work - something smaller
and lighter than a messenger bag but that can be worn the same way
and is big enough to carry the stuff I need with me when I'm out for
a ride and not going somewhere.
(Hmm, I wonder what kind of reaction I'd get going into a store
and asking for a purse that I can take with me on long bike
rides.)

My wife got me cargo pants from Lands End that are water resistant and
light weight. Everything stays dry in the pockets. Everything else
about the pants sucks, though, from the dorky belt to the actual pocket
design.

--ag

Leo Lichtman said:

"pam_in_sc" wrote: (clip) Fig newtons are a cheap alternative to energy
bars. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
According to a display booth at the California State Fair, (put there by the
fig lobby), figs rival or surpass bananas for nutrition and energy.
According to my own tests, fig newtons survive a rough ride on a bike much
better than bananas. Fig newtons are also easier to eat a little at a time
on a long ride. I am not connected to the fig industry in any way--just a
satisfied consumer.

I was a big fig Newton fan until I took a baggie of them on a century.
I discovered they make me nauseous when I eat them on a big ride. I
fell back on the salty pretzels that were also along for the ride.

-Buck

"Dave Vandervies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >

Quoted message said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, >

i just started using a camelback water pouch. i was resistant to them for a
long time, but after hiking with a friend who never stopped to drink (and i
couldnt keep up) i got one and now like it a lot. i just bought the bladder
and velcroed a sleeve into my pack & run the tube out the top.
now im just wondering how to clean it...

Dave Vandervies said:

(Hmm, I wonder what kind of reaction I'd get going into a store and
asking for a purse that I can take with me on long bike rides.)

Any large outdoor/sporting goods store will have a bunch of cordura
nylon bags that can be worn as either a [censored] pack or a shoulder bag. I
use mine off the bike a lot in the summer time because shorts and a tee
shirt simply don't have enough pockets to carry all of the stuff I
need. OTOH, everything I need *on* the bike fits nicely in my jersey
pockets and under-the-seat pack.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

"Bob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any large outdoor/sporting goods store will have a bunch of cordura
nylon bags that can be worn as either a [censored] pack or a shoulder bag.

'[censored] pack' over on this side of the pond; such a term would more
accurately describe a box of sanitary towels or tampons, considering '[censored]'
has an *entirely different* meaning over here :-D

Cheers, helen s

Quoted message said:

I
use mine off the bike a lot in the summer time because shorts and a tee
shirt simply don't have enough pockets to carry all of the stuff I
need. OTOH, everything I need *on* the bike fits nicely in my jersey
pockets and under-the-seat pack.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Leo Lichtman said:

"Dave Vandervies" wrote: (clip) (Hmm, I wonder what kind of reaction I'd
get going into a store and asking for a purse that I can take with me on
long bike rides.)(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"It's not a purse! It's European!"

nearly every man in Asia carries a pocketbook or handbag. since i
live here i have also taken to carrying one also, and it is extrememly
convenient. i wear this bag over my shoulder on short rides or tuck
it into a pannier on longer rides. you can get really nice smaller
bags at the night markets for about US$3.00 to 5.00.
Michael J. Klein & Asian Castings Consortium
[email hidden]
Yangmei Jen (Hukou), Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

Roger Zoul said:

Dave Vandervies <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> Random stuff I learned this afternoon.

Quoted message said:

:> *Doubling my normal distance (and then some), combined with
:> forgetting how long I've actually been on the bike, is a great way
:> to get sore muscles. (Fortunately it seems to have been a temporary
:> thing.)

Mostly so, once you get your miles up enough.

I prefer not to double my mileage. :-) I'm doing Centuries right now.
But yeah the muscles get sore. Give them some rest so they can heal.
Don't ride day after dayt making them more sore. It's a balancing act,
you'll learn one way or another.

Quoted message said:

:> *I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find
:> some snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that
:> won't melt in the heat.

Quoted message said:

About liquid...carry powdered gatoraid...then just find water.

Roger's suggestions on the Firehouse and what not is an excellent
idea. It doesn't work well for my rides as there can be as much as 40
miles between stops (I want to ride in the middle of nowhere). To
solve this I use a large Camelback (carries about 100 oz.). A lot of
people can't stand having it on there back. I don't mind and I tend to
keep it loaded with fluids, tools and food. I also carry powdered
Gatorade and I tend to water it down 50 - 60% of recommended mix.
I also cary 2 water bottles but generally that's because I'm the ride
leader and others may not be good at judging to the long distances and
need for supplies. When they're not being used I'll use them to cool
myself down on hot days.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email hidden]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog

wafflycat said:

"Bob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any large outdoor/sporting goods store will have a bunch of cordura
nylon bags that can be worn as either a [censored] pack or a shoulder bag.

'[censored] pack' over on this side of the pond; such a term would more
accurately describe a box of sanitary towels or tampons, considering '[censored]'
has an *entirely different* meaning over here :-D

Cheers, helen s

In that case I feel better that I always use the shoulder strap option.
Wasn't it Winston Churchill that said we are two nations separated by a
common language?

Regards,
Bob Hunt

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was a big fig Newton fan until I took a baggie of them on a century.
I discovered they make me nauseous when I eat them on a big ride.

Nauseous or nauseated :-D?

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

In article <[email hidden]>,

Neil Cherry said:

Roger Zoul said:

Dave Vandervies <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> Random stuff I learned this afternoon.

Quoted message said:

:> *Doubling my normal distance (and then some), combined with
:> forgetting how long I've actually been on the bike, is a great way
:> to get sore muscles. (Fortunately it seems to have been a temporary
:> thing.)

Mostly so, once you get your miles up enough.

I prefer not to double my mileage. :-) I'm doing Centuries right now.

I don't think I'd want to double that.
My normal biking-for-transportation distances are under 10km, and the
ride normally I do 2-3 nights a week (depending on weather, motivation,
and free time) is 20km. Yesterday was 40km from home to the park where
I got on the bus and then a bit under 10km from where I got off the bus
back home.

Quoted message said:

But yeah the muscles get sore. Give them some rest so they can heal.
Don't ride day after dayt making them more sore. It's a balancing act,
you'll learn one way or another.

It wasn't the "I'm not used to the kind of abuse you gave me yesterday"
sore muscles (which I'm actually a little bit surprised to not have today,
but which I don't find that bothersome in any case, it's just a hint
to not abuse them much more for few days), it was muscles in my legs
complaining when I asked them to straighten out and hold up my weight
when I got off the bike. That went away after about half an hour, though.

Conveniently, though, the weather forecast for the next two days sucks,
so I have an excuse to give them some rest.

dave

--
Dave Vandervies [email hidden]
Until everyone else in the world is better at C than I am (which, admittedly,
could happen any day now), I will refrain from casting malloc.
--Richard Heathfield in comp.lang.c

In article <[email hidden]>,

pam_in_sc said:

Dave Vandervies said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find some
snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that won't
melt in the heat. Or maybe just stick with riding at night.

Whatever chips you prefer--corn and potatoes are fast carbs and you get
salt too, if your stomach doesn't protest the fat.

Hmm, I'll have to try that - I normally prefer salty junk food to the
sweet stuff anyways, so if I have something that I'll eat before the
"need to get blood sugar up, NOW" hits that will do the job that would
probably be better for me anyways.
Usually greasy/fatty stuff isn't a problem, though I'm not sure whether my
stomach would see it that way when I'm in the middle of a long bike ride.

Quoted message said:

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut into strips. This is my favorite
when I am pushing myself, but my body burns fat well.

That sounds like it'd also work, and probably be better fast-sugar
than chocolate, if only because it's less melty. Especially since I'm
not too concerned about burning fat (a bit more or less won't make any
difference I'm likely to notice), as long as my stomach will take it
while I'm riding without complaining.

dave

--
Dave Vandervies [email hidden]
Until everyone else in the world is better at C than I am (which, admittedly,
could happen any day now), I will refrain from casting malloc.
--Richard Heathfield in comp.lang.c

In article <[email hidden]>,

Andy Gee said:

[email hidden] (Dave Vandervies) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Random stuff I learned this afternoon.
Comments/agreement/disagreement welcome (why else would I be posting
it?).

Quoted message said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find some
snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that won't
melt in the heat. Or maybe just stick with riding at night.
(Tip I heard in a discussion of motorcycling that probably applies
to biking as well: Carry two (or more) water bottles. Make one
(or more) readily available, drink often, refill when possible.
Make one hard to get at and save it for emergencies.)

I carry a bunch of apples in my pack, Now matter how hot it gets,
somehow they're always cool when you bite into them. They're mostly
water and have plenty of simple carbs.

That sounds like a wonderful idea. Will have to get an apple or two
(and something to carry it in) next time I try this.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

*I need to get pants or shorts with waterproof cargo pockets, that I
can comfortably wear on the bike[1], to put my map+phone+wallet+keys
in on long rides.

[snip]

Quoted message said:

My wife got me cargo pants from Lands End that are water resistant and
light weight. Everything stays dry in the pockets. Everything else
about the pants sucks, though, from the dorky belt to the actual pocket
design.

But, y'see, I don't want the whole pants to be water resistant - it has
to be comfortable to wear while I'm getting hot and sweaty, and I've
never met something that combines that with water resistant. It just
has to keep a map and wallet dry while I'm getting hot and sweaty.

dave

--
Dave Vandervies [email hidden]
Until everyone else in the world is better at C than I am (which, admittedly,
could happen any day now), I will refrain from casting malloc.
--Richard Heathfield in comp.lang.c

In article <[email hidden]>,

Reid Priedhorsky said:

Dave Vandervies said:

*I need to find a way to carry more liquid with me, and also find some
snacks that are appetizing and high in simple carbs and that won't
melt in the heat. Or maybe just stick with riding at night.

Consider a rack and trunk bag. I carry 2 extra quarts of water, plus some
tools, plus snacks and lunch if necessary. Map, phone, etc. go in here too.

Interestingly, I never even thought about getting something that attaches
to the bike instead of me carrying it until I saw the responses here.
Probably mostly because I do more walking than biking for transportation
(which is when I usually want to carry stuff) and it's not an option
then, but I think I also have a slight irrational aversion to attaching
carrying capacity to the bike, because something I can carry instead
still seems like a better idea.

dave

--
Dave Vandervies [email hidden]
Until everyone else in the world is better at C than I am (which, admittedly,
could happen any day now), I will refrain from casting malloc.
--Richard Heathfield in comp.lang.c