2009 In Review

December 31, 2009 — David Crowell

What a wonderful/busy/crazy/happy/stressful year it’s been.

Weight

chart-montly-weight-2009

I (mostly) lost weight through the first half of the year, but mostly gained it all back in the last half.  I’m still happier with my weight than I was in 2007 or 2008 though.  I need to have the self-control that I did in 2008 again.

Bike Mileage

Month Miles
01-2009 277.8
02-2009 263.3
03-2009 192.4
04-2009 290.9
05-2009 452.0
06-2009 542.2
07-2009 371.3
08-2009 199.6
09-2009 298.9
10-2009 436.1
11-2009 443.9
12-2009 91.6
Month Nermal Oria Nermal Oria Total
All 2008 712.8 1,525.8 712.8 1,525.8 2,238.6
01-2009 927.6 1,588.8 214.8 63.0 277.8
02-2009 1,004.9 1,774.8 77.3 186.0 263.3
03-2009 1,068.5 1,903.6 63.6 128.8 192.4
04-2009 1,359.4 1,903.6 290.9 0.0 290.9
05-2009 1,501.0 2,214.0 141.6 310.4 452.0
06-2009 1,769.0 2,488.2 268.0 274.2 542.2
07-2009 1,953.6 2,674.9 184.6 186.7 371.3
08-2009 2,024.9 2,803.2 71.3 128.3 199.6
09-2009 2,104.0 3,023.0 79.1 219.8 298.9
10-2009 2,417.5 3,145.6 313.5 122.6 436.1
11-2009 2,765.5 3,241.5 348.0 95.9 443.9
12-2009 2,857.1 3,241.5 91.6 0.0 91.6

I didn’t make my goal of 5000 miles.  I knew I wouldn’t fairly early.  I did ride 3,860 miles for the year, which beats the previous year of 2,238.

Month by Month Review

  • January 2009
    • Biking irregularly due to weather and ice storm
    • First RCCS ride
    • Rode 277.8 miles
    • Average weight of 216.5 lbs
  • February 2009
    • Gave up the idea of living car-free in the near-term
    • I assumed (wrongly) that I’d hit my goal weight by August
    • Rode 263.3 miles
    • Average weight of 208.2 lbs
  • March 2009
    • I met Kristy
    • Rode 192.4 miles
    • Average weight of 204.6 lbs
  • April 2009
    • My car died – spent two weeks without one before buying my truck
    • Kristy and I were engaged
    • Kristy left the state for a few months
    • Rode 290.9 miles
    • Average weight of 206.6 lbs
  • May 2009
    • Rode the 60-mile Tour de Cure
    • Set a new weekly mileage record of 186.1
    • Rode 452.0 miles
    • Average weight of 203.3 lbs
  • June 2009
    • Weight was under 200 lbs for a while
    • Set a new weekly mileage record of 201.9
    • Rode 542.2 miles
    • Average weight of 202.0 lbs
  • July 2009
    • Kristy came home
    • Went to West Virginia with Kristy to meet some of her family
    • Rode 371.3 miles
    • Average weight of 201.8 lbs
  • August 2009
    • Managed a 20-mile ride in Michigan while traveling
    • Almost sold my recumbent
    • Business trip to San Antonio – Too much good food
    • My daughter came to live with me
    • Rode 199.6 miles
    • Average weight of 208.4 lbs
  • September 2009
    • I married Kristy in Florida – managed to bring bikes and get in some riding too
    • Finished The Ride to Conquer Cancer – I enjoyed the achievement, but I’m not really sure I want to spend the (fund-raising) time to do another charity ride
    • Rode 298.9 miles
    • Average weight of 212.4 lbs
  • October 2009
    • Kristy left again for work
    • Rode 436.1 miles
    • Average weight of 209.7 lbs
  • November 2009
    • Went mountain biking for the first time
    • Rode 443.9 miles
    • Average weight of 209.8 lbs
  • December 2009
    • Kristy came home
    • Spent Christmas in West Virginia
    • Kristy left again
    • I’m gaining weight again, it’s going to take work to get back down
    • Rode 91.6 miles – holy crap!  what happened here?
    • Average weight of 215.2 lbs – wow back to January weight

Overall

I’m happy with what I’ve done for the year.  I met a wonderful woman, fell in love, and got married.  Looking back at my posts from the past year, many of them seem rather negative.  I guess it’s easy to focus on the times when things aren’t going as planned.  Things usually don’t go as planned, but work out alright anyway.

That doesn’t mean I give myself a pass on not losing the weight and keeping it off.  I very much intend to achieve my goal weight of 175 lbs, and stay there.  I’m hoping I can do it before December of next year.

Happy New Year everyone!

Posted in Bikes, Goals, Marriage, Mental, Stats. 2 Comments »

Shifted Priorities

November 23, 2009 — David Crowell

I started bicycling to lose weight.  It stands to reason that I ride to lose weight.  That used to be the case.

Now I ride because I enjoy it.  It’s a way to relieve stress, keep me fit(ter), and still allows me to play with gadgets.  My gadgets are now mechanical instead of electronic.

I’ve realized that my weight loss has become secondary to riding a bike.  I’m disappointed that I can only ride one day (tomorrow) out of my three-day work week next week due to other obligations.

I only managed one ride in the last week, a 50-miler with Tim.  I even pretended to be on a single-speed, by not shifting (for most of the ride anyway).  Tim was riding his QuickBeam, which is a beautiful single-speed bike, but I’m not currently looking to have a dedicated single-speed bike.

My Next Bike?

My Next Bike?

Why am I up at midnight now, when I have to get up at 5:30 to prepare for the ride in?  I’m planning and scheming in my head.  I’m trying to figure out how to come up with the money for my next bike.  It’s a sickness.  :)

Why a new bike?  Why a Surly LHT?

  • I want to start touring.  I hope to ride to Michigan next year.
  • Touring bikes make great commuter bikes.
  • The Atlantis is too expensive.
  • I carry a lot of stuff on my commute.  I’ve been ridiculed for how much I carry.  A touring bike can carry more.
  • I’m not convinced I need a recumbent, and I rarely ride mine now.
  • My current upright bike, Nermal, is a low quality bike, with a lot of money put into it.  I have more upgrades I want to do, but should probably put them on a new bike.
  • Upgrades?
    • Better rack
    • Wider tires
    • Front rack
    • Dynohub lighting system

A quality bike like this is one I can have for the rest of my life.  It’ll cost some money, but nothing compared to my used truck.

Don’t get me wrong.  I still want to lose weight.  I’m still watching what I eat.  I still hop on the scale nearly every morning.  I just want to ride a bike even more than I want to lose weight.

Posted in Bikes, Goals, Mental. 5 Comments »

Daily Weighing Keeps Me Focused

November 18, 2009 — David Crowell

Now that I’m weighing myself daily again, and tracking my calorie consumption, I’ve noticed that it’s easier to say “no” to extra snacks.  Keeping my weight loss in my thoughts more often leads me in the right direction.

That’s just one of those simple things that is easy to forget.

Posted in Food, Mental. 2 Comments »

The Perfect Sh*t Storm

October 23, 2009 — David Crowell

I’ve mentioned that my life has been a little crazy recently.  My work life got a lot crazier on Monday the 5th.  I still rode to work 4 days that week, and rode home 3.  I wimped out one day and got a ride.  I drove one day because I needed my truck.

The week starting on the 12th was a little crazier.  I still managed to ride to work and back 3 days.

Why could this affect my riding?

  • I spend an extra 1.5 hours per day commuting when I ride
  • I have less physical energy
  • I have less mental energy after an extended amount of bicycle commuting
  • I need more sleep when I ride a lot
  • My weekends have been busy with personal errands and tasks (such as moving Kristy’s stuff into the house)

This past week, I had enough, and I was exhausted.  I still rode on Tuesday, but that was it.  I paid $8.75 per day to park for 4 days, and drove my truck.

I’ve been so busy, I’ve been running and doing something from the moment I wake up, until I get to sleep at night.  Some of it is work, some of it is moving Kristy’s stuff, some of it is normal domestic crap.  Oh, yeah, Kristy is out of town, so she’s not here to help.  I’m not blaming her, she wishes she could be here.  I also have my younger teenage daughter living here and increasing the stress level.

On Monday I applied a software update that has led to a work-week-long pain in the @ss.  This coincided with two other screw-ups (one of which is partially my fault).

On top of this, I had to come up with a fat chunk of money for a lawyer.  I’ve got some legal issues to deal with.  It’s just a “family law” matter, nobody is in trouble or anything.  :)

So, it’s late on a Friday night.  I can’t mentally let go of the issues at work, so I can’t sleep.  I can’t fix the issues at work until at least Monday.  I have to get up early tomorrow to finish up at Kristy’s old apartment.

On the bright side, I will be done at the apartment tomorrow.  I’m going to try for a bike ride on Sunday.  I think I’m going to get back on the bike for full-time commuting again on Monday.

I don’t know who said it, but the phrase “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans” applies perfectly.

Wish me luck!

Posted in Bikes, Marriage, Mental, Off-Topic. 2 Comments »

3.5 Commutes?

October 9, 2009 — David Crowell

I rode to work four days this week.  I got a ride home today, so I only rode home three days.  I guess that’s 3.5 commutes.  I didn’t commute by bike at all on Wednesday (the day with the best weather), but I did take a trip to the grocery store.  So I was on the bike all five workdays.

I have an extremely busy weekend planned, but I still want to get a few miles in.  I’m hoping to squeeze in an evening ride with Tim on Saturday.  It may even be this crazy bunch.  On Sunday I’m planning on attending the Harvest Homecoming ride.  My daughter may, or may not, come with for this ride.

I feel pretty good about the last five days.  I’ve been riding more, sleeping well, and (mostly) eating better.  My weight is slowly heading in the right direction.  I’ve been more productive in spite of the chaos surrounding my life right now.

Posted in Bikes, Mental. 1 Comment »

It Needs to Be More Than Commuting

August 19, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t done much bike riding other than to work and back.  I haven’t even done enough of that.

My commute is mostly flat and can be high-stress due to traffic.  So tonight, I went for a nine-mile spin in the country after dark.  My lights lit up the cats, skunks, bats, and even a frog along the road.  The night insect noises and the whir of my tires were the only noises.  There were a few hills to challenge my legs a bit more than usual.

There was some distant lightning that was my cue to keep the ride short.  I really wasn’t in the mood to get stuck in a thunderstorm.  I’m now home, and the lightning is still distant, so I could have probably squeezed a few more miles in, but I’m happy with the ride I had.

Although short, this was the best ride I’ve had in a while.  It does wonders for clearing the mind.

Posted in Bikes, Mental. 4 Comments »

Turning It Around…

August 11, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t ridden much.  I’ve gained weight.  I’ve been busy.

I’m going to hop on my bike tomorrow morning and ride to work.  I’m going to quit drinking Coke (again).  I’m going to eat out less. I have Nermal’s rear wheel fixed, and will re-install it tomorrow.

I’m spending some time with Kristy on Friday and Saturday.  I’ll also be school shopping for my daughter.  I’m hoping to get a good ride in on Sunday.

I’ve had some depression issues recently.  I’m not sure how much of it is due to work, and how much is due to not riding my bike and gaining weight.  The solution is to ride my bike… which is harder when I’m depressed.  I’ve got to break out of the cycle.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Mental. 6 Comments »

No Time

August 6, 2009 — David Crowell

I only rode to work two days this week.  The flash flooding, oversleeping, and after-work plans kept me driving more than I care for.

After deciding to sell the recumbent, then changing my mind, I did ride it to work today.  I’m still suffering knee pain while riding it.  There are no big hills on my commute, maybe something needs adjusting.

My 17-year old daughter is moving back in with me.  She has lived with her mother since the divorce, but she’d rather take her senior year of high-school here rather than in Michigan.  I’ll be driving up there on Sunday to move her.

I’m still eating too much.  After two decent days, today was over 4000 calories.

There has been so much for Kristy and I to do to prepare for our wedding next month.  Life is a little crazy.  I’m spending a couple of days at her house this weekend (before the Michigan trip).

Kristy is spending another week out of town later this month.  I’m attending a conference in San Antonio at the same time, but Kristy will be on the east coast.

I’ve been up to late almost every night this week just getting stuff done.  Today it was housework and packing for spending the weekend with Kristy.  It’s been really hard to focus on my weight loss while this busy and somewhat stressed out.

Posted in Mental, Off-Topic. 1 Comment »

Happy

July 29, 2009 — David Crowell

I’m still alive.  I took a break from posting.  Actually I took a break from quite a few things.  I haven’t stepped on a scale in a week.  I haven’t tracked my calories in almost two weeks.  I’ve been drinking beer again.

I took two vacation days from work, and had a four-day weekend and went to Parkersburg, West Virginia with Kristy and Dawn.  It had been 32 years since I was last in West Virginia, so I had little memory of it.

Parkersburg is an interesting town.  It has it’s issues, but I found one charming aspect.  People ride bikes there.  There are kids on BMX bikes all over town.  Adults were riding mountain bikes (most with disc brakes).  Nobody wore a helmet.  It was like the 80s all over again.  :)

Kristy didn’t have a bike, so we brought both of mine with, plus Dawn’s.  We hauled three bikes there, and four back.  Kristy doesn’t like riding either of my bikes, so we bought one for her.  Her new bike is a Cannondale Adventure 5.  I also test rode a Surly LHT, and it even fit.  I don’t have the budget for that bike.  It’s been on my wish list for some time, and the reservations I’ve had about getting one are now settled.  I want it.  I just can’t have it now.

I didn’t get to ride nearly enough while I was there.  I did ride between the hotel room and her family’s house (about 2.5 miles) several times.  The three of us also went on a short ride around town.

I had to go back to work on Monday, and wasn’t able to ride because I didn’t get much sleep, and had to pick up my dogs from the vet where they were boarded.  I felt a strong need to ride.  My mental health was requiring it.

So, on Tuesday, I rode to work.  There was a chance of rain, but it only rained while I was at work.  The ride home was lovely also.

Today, Wednesday, was the opposite.  I got drenched in the morning, and in the afternoon, but it didn’t rain while I was at work.

I enjoyed riding in the rain.  Only the first few minutes of getting wet is uncomfortable.  Once you get totally wet, it doesn’t really matter anymore.  I’m riding again tomorrow, no matter what the weather.  I probably won’t ride on Friday, as Kristy will be here.

Back to my weight… I’m sure I’ve gained.  I don’t know how much.  I’m actually pretty happy with the way I feel this week.  I feel like I’ve developed the right mindset to ride much more often.  If I can keep riding, I will lose the weight.  Yes, I should get back on the scale.  Yes, I should eat better.  Yes I need to lay off the beer.

Maybe tomorrow.  :)

Posted in Bikes, Food, Mental. 3 Comments »

Disconnecting?

July 20, 2009 — David Crowell

I feel the need to use the computer less.  I’ve been feeling stressed, frazzled, and I just don’t have much time.

I’m going to ride my bike to work tomorrow, and leave my laptop at home.  Yes, I use a computer all day at work, but without my personal laptop, I won’t be checking my email and reading bike-related stuff during breaks.

I’m not giving up on this blog or on weight loss, just taking a break from the “connected” lifestyle.

Posted in Mental, Off-Topic. 1 Comment »

Yo-Yo Weight

July 17, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t been tracking my calories.  I haven’t been riding my bike to work recently.  I’ve been sick.  I’ve been skipping my daily weigh-in at times.  So what’s happened?  I’ve gained weight again.  I weigh the same now as I did five months ago.  My weight has bounced around a bit, but no lasting loss since February.  That’s really frustrating.

I want my goal weight to remain at 175 lbs, but that doesn’t seem achievable right now.

I’ve been sick for a couple of days including taking one day off of work.  I’m feeling better today, but I’m taking yet another day off of the bike just to be sure I’m over whatever this has been.

Posted in Mental, Physical. No Comments »

What Have I Been Doing?

July 14, 2009 — David Crowell

Kristy came home on Friday.  I spent a lot of time with her.  She left on a plane again this morning, but she’ll be back on Sunday, so it’s just a few days this time rather than three months.

She tagged along for Sunday’s RCCS ride driving my truck as a “support vehicle”.  Mainly, she carried snacks and took pictures.  Tim’s write-up is here.

I didn’t post a weekly weight update, but basically I gained 0.1 lbs.  I haven’t weighed regularly and I’ve been eating more.  My next weekly weight will probably be up more.

I haven’t ridden a bike since Sunday, but I will be riding tomorrow.  I felt angry and depressed today, but I think it was the lack of bike riding, or exercise in general.  I felt much better today after my weight-lifting session.

I’m considering riding a century (100 miles) this Saturday.  I need the stress relief.  If I do it, it’ll be my longest ride yet.

If anyone else out there is interested in riding 100 miles starting early Saturday, and riding at a slow-ish pace, let me know.  I could organize a last minute RCCS ride.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food, Mental. 3 Comments »

It’s Going To Be An Interesting Few Days

July 9, 2009 — David Crowell

My “mental funk” eased up a bit by Tuesday, and I rode to work and back.  Wednesday morning I had to force myself to get on the bike and ride to work.  By Wednesday afternoon I wasn’t feeling well, so I got a ride home at the end of the day.  I had to leave my bike (Oria) at work overnight.  I had to drive in today so that I could haul it home.

I have tomorrow off, and I’m picking Kristy up at the airport.  She’s been away for three months, and it’ll be great to see her again… and that is a major understatement.

We’ll be spending the weekend together, even on Sunday when I’m going on the RCCS ride.  She’s not riding, but she’ll be driving as a “support” vehicle.

Posted in Bikes, Mental, Off-Topic. 1 Comment »

Still In a Mental Funk

July 6, 2009 — David Crowell

I hate it when this happens.  I have a lot of good things going on right now, but I’m depressed to the point of not being able to accomplish much.

I didn’t have the willpower to get out of bed early enough to ride to work, so I had to drive.  When I left work, I found out that they had increased the parking fee from $7.00 to $8.75.  Although that does give me more incentive to ride, it didn’t help my mood much.

My daughter and I went grocery shopping this evening.  I usually ride my bike, but I wanted to go to a different grocery store, so we drove.  It wasn’t all bad, we stopped for ice cream along the way.  I’ve eaten light all day today, other than the ice cream, so my total calorie consumption is only 1305.

I really need to figure out how to shake off this bad mood.  I feel that it affects my health, my job, and my relationships.

Posted in Mental. 2 Comments »

Lazy Weekend

July 5, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t done much this weekend.  I now need to replace my lawnmower, so I didn’t finish the lawn.  I didn’t ride my bike at all over the weekend, but I don’t feel too bad about that, I did ride three full commutes to work, and two partial ones, for a total of 117 miles for the week.

I did do housework, cooking, and bike maintenance, so it wasn’t a total waste.

Despite a case of the “blahs” that made me want to consume large quantities of food, I actually ate pretty well.  I did have to keep reminding myself that I want to lose weight though.

Kristy will be back in town on Friday.  I’m taking that day off, so I have a four-day work-week.  I’m going to ride to work every day and try to keep my progress going.

Posted in Bikes, Food, Mental. No Comments »

More Weight Gain

June 11, 2009 — David Crowell

My weight was below 200 lbs for eight days in a row, then started climbing again.  I weighed 206.8 this morning.  I really feel like I have less control over it now.  It’s getting a lot harder to lose weight.

My eating hasn’t been great, but it hasn’t been horrible either.  I rode to work on Monday, but not since.  It’s easy to say I’m going to “buckle down” and eat better and ride more, but it’s not so easy to do it.

I’ve been very busy recently, which stresses me out.  My shoulder pain has taken a turn for the worse.  These things aren’t helping any.

Posted in Mental, Physical. 1 Comment »

Useless Sunday

May 24, 2009 — David Crowell

After yesterday’s blah-a-thon due to pain medication, I figured today would be more productive, but with more pain.  I was half-right.  I am in more pain, but I wasn’t productive.  I did eat better though.

I need to clean my house.  The dog hair has a life of it’s own, and is threatening to take over.  I need to get back on the bike.  I did ride 100 miles for the week, but 120 would have been better.

I did cook dinner today, but other than that I’ve watched some TV shows on iTunes, played with the computer, and talked to Kristy on the phone.

Back when I suffered from more serious depression I often felt like this, but I also felt trapped, or hopeless, or something.  I don’t feel those things.  I just have a complete lack of motivation.

Posted in Mental. 2 Comments »

The Week is Off to a Great Start

March 31, 2009 — David Crowell

I rode a repaired and improved Nermal to work on Monday.  I felt strong, and made great time going to work, and on the return trip.

My mental state is greatly improved from being back on the bike.  Starting off the workday with a bike ride is a huge boost to my mood and attitude at work.

I was highly motivated to get home quickly after work, so I could drive to go visit Kristy, my girlfriend.  I have to drive to see Kristy, as she lives about 90 miles from my house.  I may eventually ride there, but I’ll need a few days off work to do that.

I did drive to work today, but I’ll be back on the bike tomorrow.

My weight is  still up, but I’m back to eating healthy, and plan to put some serious miles on the bikes, so I should be back to losing weight very soon.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food, Mental. 2 Comments »

Back on the Wagon

March 23, 2009 — David Crowell

I rode to work today.  It’s been over two weeks since I rode to work.  It was a beautiful 50 degrees with a few clouds.  Traffic was tolerable.  I made good time, at one hour and ten minutes.

I’ve been lazy, but made up my mind this weekend to overcome it.  Today was a great start.  It felt good to arrive at work completely awake.

I’ve spent too much time thinking of my 33-mile round trip as long.  Thinking of it that way makes it hard to do everyday.  I need to remember that I’ve been on several trips longer than that, and that weren’t split in half by a work day.  If I can convice myself that the 16.5 mile one-way is “short” then I’ll do it more often.  If I can get where I can do it in an hour or less, that’ll make it easier.

Posted in Bikes, Mental. 4 Comments »

Re-Thinking Some Goals

February 28, 2009 — David Crowell

Every once in a while it’s good to look at goals, and revise them.  I think it’s time for that again.  This is the third set of goals since I started this blog, and my lifestyle change.

  • Goal weight will remain at 175 lbs (for now).  I hope to reach that goal by the end of August.
  • Ride a century this year (100 miles in one day).
  • Raise $3200 for The Ride to Conquer Cancer, and complete the entire ride under my own power.
  • Learn to ride my new unicycle, and complete a ten-mile ride on it by June 2010.
  • Juggling?
  • Ride to work more often.  I had hoped to average 3 days per week, but I’m not even managing that right now.
  • Ride to work five days a week at least 3 weeks per year.
  • Increase my average speed on the bicycle a little bit.
  • Learn to kayak this year.
  • Get a rod, reel, and fishing license, and spend some time relaxing and fishing.
  • Find new fitness activities.
  • I had made a goal to live-car free.  I think I’m giving that up.  I do want to drive less, but realities of the modern world make this a very unpopular choice.
  • Ride 5000 miles this year.  I’m way behind on this so far.  I’m two months into the year, and I’ve only ridden 541 miles.
  • Get better about riding in cold rain.  I often use this as an excuse not to ride to work, but I have the gear to do so.
  • I had planned to try to drive less than 3500 miles per year.  I’m giving up on this also.
  • Ride in a roller coaster this year.  I’ll actually fit now.
  • Go skydiving in the summer of 2010.
  • I want to be a better cook.
  • I want to find a wonderful woman to enjoy these activities with.

What I’ve achieved

  • I’m no longer obese.  My weight is hovering just above 200 lbs.
  • My blood pressure and resting pulse rate are low.
  • I am physically stronger than I’ve been in years.
  • My pants size dropped from a 44 to a 36.
  • I feel better about who I am, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
  • Others have been inspired others to improve their lives.
  • I am more confident in all aspects of my life.
  • I am usually much more upbeat, happy, and optimistic than I used to be.

What I’ve learned I still need to work on

  • Occasionally, depression still gets the better of me.
  • I’m still lazy by nature, and have to fight this every day.
  • The “I want it now” mentality is still hiding back there, and surfaces occasionally.
  • I am still somewhat self-centered.  I don’t think having a blog helps in that matter.
  • The depression and “I want it now” mentality sometimes team up to hurt my financial state.  I need to get better about that.

If you think I’m going off-topic… I’m not.  What started as a weight-loss effort has turned into a complete transformation of who I am.

Posted in Goals, Mental. 2 Comments »

Happy, but No Riding

February 27, 2009 — David Crowell

I haven’t ridden a bike since Monday.  I was going to yesterday, but I had a date after work.  I’m not going to chronicle my love life here (or lack of it), but I had a good reason for not riding.  A first date is probably not ideal for showing up in cycling gear, drenched in sweat.  I’ll save that for the second date  :) — If there is one.

This morning, I can hear the wind howling outside.  Not ideal weather for a ride.  I also woke up late.  Apparently I had a brief power outage overnight, and my alarm clock didn’t go off.  The alarm on my cell phone did go off, but it took it almost 2 hours to wake me up.

I’m happy and in a good mood despite these setbacks, mostly because new possibilities seem to have opened up.

Posted in Bikes, Mental, Off-Topic. 4 Comments »

Pulling Out of the Mental Funk

February 25, 2009 — David Crowell

I’ve been in a “mental funk” since Monday night.  I initially thought it was food, but now I think it’s more complicated than that.

Anyway, I feel better now.  I haven’t ridden my bike since Monday, but I will tomorrow.  The weather forecast is calling for a chance of rain, so maybe I’ll get wet.  Big deal.

I’m just a couple hours away from seeing The Pink Floyd Experience.  I almost skipped going, even though I already bought the ticket, but my improved mood has helped.  The last thing I need to do is hide at home all the time.

Posted in Mental. 6 Comments »

It Was a Beautiful Day for a Ride

February 25, 2009 — David Crowell

… but I drove.  I woke up in a foul mood.  I woke up at 5:00, but reset my alarm clock for 6:00.  Nermal had a flat tire. I could have rode Oria, but I just wasn’t in the mood.  Now, I’m at work, and I really wish I had gotten up at 5:00, and rode to work.

I ate Girl Scout Cookies for breakfast.  At least those things are gone now.  I now know not to ever buy them again.  I apologize to the Girl Scouts, but my problems with food are not solved.

Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer,  but with a good chance of rain.  I may ride anyway.  I may even ride Nermal the entire distance.  I will fix the flat tire tonight.

I did do some dumbbell workout routines last night, and this morning, so my chest and arms feel a little weird.  They’re not really painful, just weird.

Posted in Bikes, Exercise, Food, Mental. 2 Comments »

The Car Won

February 24, 2009 — David Crowell

I really had planned on riding to work again today, but the allure of the car won.  The heated beast with a radio has preyed on my weaknesses.

In reality, my legs hurt and I feel “blah” from my sugar consumption yesterday.  I know the best thing to do would be to ride anyway, but my ability to do so seems so far away.

Posted in Bikes, Mental. 4 Comments »

Liquid Crack

February 23, 2009 — David Crowell

As an addendum to my earlier post… Ohmygod they gotta outlaw soft drinks!

I had a soft drink with my fast food.  I drink the stuff so rarely these days… and now I want another, in a deranged kinda way.  I actually considered getting dressed and riding down to the gas station to buy some more.

That said, I’m going to go to bed and curl up in the fetal position.

Posted in Food, Mental. No Comments »
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