They Killed Granny + Picture Touring Paloosa

The bike shop killed my granny! With less than 1000 miles on my Raleigh Venture I messed up the back wheel, 6 spokes broke and a bad brake cable to boot. In fairness you’ve got to figure I weigh like twice an average weight person and add in doctor’s notes and medical records being a bike messenger in my mail pouch means that bike likely say somewhere around 350+ pounds. Moreover, my riding is lots of stress on a wheel, from accelerating, braking, and weaving. I wouldn’t say I pummel the bike, but it has seen a bit of “air” occasionally jumping a curb in an emergency as well as a bit of gravel trail riding. Still, I think I’m a bit disappointed with the quality of the stock rims.
A picture of my mighty bicycle in front of some mighty impressive artwork that some very skilled artist did on a wall in Portsmouth NH. I wish I could say it was my art but it's not. It's very Rockwell isn't it? Nice work!

Back to the death of my granny… the bike shop was originally going to replace the spokes but it looked like they needed to remove outside spokes to get to inside ones… in short heavy labor. So they bike shop guy finds a used wheel that he swapped in to save me a bit of cash. They set back was the wheel has a gear set that has a much higher ratio “granny gear” (the lowest gear I use a fair amount of the time to pedal fast but easy to make it up steep hills.) the new gear ratio “feels” like 1st is now 2nd or maybe even 2.5? Going downhill or flats I can really boogie though! So all that celebrating on those hard hills… well, it’s like the hills just got a bit steeper! I tried my hardest hill I made before and could still do it with a light load but I was puffing like a cog steam engine climbing Mount Washington!!!

I went to the Fair and saw a smash up derby!!!
The wild thing is they stopped the derby when the car had got hit so hard it flipped on it's side. a bunch of guys pushed it back over and it started back up and continued!!!
At the end of summer I’ve tried to get in a bit of activity and local travel. Wow time flies since I posted (sorry about that!) but I’ve got to Portsmouth (The seacoast of New Hampshire) and to Hopkinton State fair and saw my first live demolition derby. Got to love watching people senselessly pummeling automobiles into each other over and over until they won’t move! What’s not cool about that? Of course I ate too much… but holding at about 306ish right now. Along this journey I like to drop more weight but I’m glad to say I’m more fit and doing more activities. The other pictures are from the seacoast in Portsmouth.

A image from Portsmouth waterfront... an area that's neat.


At Foolsfitness we encourage people to wreck their cars, (just not by running into us)!- Alan

Kick the Ball Charlie Brown!

One of the hills going out of town has mocked my bicycle riding skills forever. It’s reasonably steep but fairly long as well. I always run out of steam about half way up the hill. Yet like Charlie Brown wanting to kick that football, futile attempt after futile attempt each time I get another pedal stroke higher up the hill before giving out.

Yesterday was different. I decided to ride up the hill to the top to rent a dvd movie and as always tried to find the balance between getting enough run on the hill, yet not exhausting myself. Three quarters up the hill I had to stop pedaling but in a few gasps of air I still had a bit of momentum… a bit shocked I figured why stop there and put my head down as my heart was threatening to pound out of my chest I pushed on. ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP! I was really too tired to celebrate at the finish.

When I made it back home I needed a nap! (And a major shower!) Forgive the "recycled" art I did from one of my other postings but I'm really still tired a day later. I seriously red lined.

Gee, I only have like two more hills in the whole town that I can’t make it up! Those however I don’t think many people can. But you never know. Keep trying to kick the football Charlie Brown, someday it might just work!

At Foolsfitness We officially race bicycles… to the corner store for sodas and candy bars!- Alan

Stalemate?

I finally saw a number on the scale this morning that wasn’t between 297-300… the unofficial 294.5 beats that wall I’ve been hitting for the last few weeks. I also for the first time in a while can say yesterday I ate reasonably balanced and in somewhat sane amounts.

Last week’s planned trip to race had a bit of a twist. I got misinformation and the flat oval I had been training for and ready to ride on was NOT the course. They had a race they refer to as the “frontier” which takes the bicycles all over up and down hills and corners everywhere. I’ve made progress here but getting my mass up a hill is still a challenge, never mind trying it at any reasonable speed! But I came to ride and I figured I would give it a go.

I got in about three laps and decided to not officially run the race. There was one point that whips down a hill into a 90 degree switchback left and immediately uphill. I’m white knuckled hauling downhill to start and then throw in the sharp curve and need to switch gears for a climb… insane! It was a very creative course but best left to more serious bicycle racing professionals than my current skill set! I retired the bike and waited until the end of the race and went back out on the course to use up the last slivers of sunlight. The course is such a maze that on my own I took a wrong turn someplace and ended up a bit lost. All in all about 7 miles, which doesn’t seem like a lot but they were rather very intense miles. At points of climbs I was seriously doing my Darth Vader imitation.

The flat oval course is today. Alas as much as I really want to go and do what I planned I think it may not happen as coming up with travel costs and track fees for two times in two weeks rather pushes my budget uncomfortably. I feel a bit defeated, but I wouldn’t have imagined even thinking of trying the “frontier” this time last year. Maybe it will be a goal for next year but I doubt I will try to run it but I have to admit that the course was somewhat terrifying with watching out for other cyclists too. Even watching I saw some very close calls with guys who run it seriously, a near crash and multiple missed shifts and pedal slip offs.

At Foolsfitness we are not sure if we are winning or losing, We are not even sure which side we are playing on!- Alan

Off to the Races! Again!

Last year I had a goal of “showing up” at the New Hampshire Cycling Club oval race at New Hampshire International Speedway Nascar Track to ride. I had a goal to just try to ride a few miles… I think in the end I had ridden almost 12 miles. I remember at the end I thought I was going to collapse and pass out. I was proud I peddled my little sears and roebuck 10 speed so far though. I was so determined to ride last year I borrowed a friends jeep when my car broke down to get to the track.

What a difference a year makes. Last night one of my “training rides” came in just under 14 miles. This time last year I think I was about 8 or 9 pounds lighter, but my fitness level has jumped by a huge margin. This year the “goal” is to actually finish the distance or at least ride 18-20 miles. Next year maybe, just maybe it will be able to keep up with the other riders! Last year I actually won my racing Class, however there is the slight detail of being the only rider actually in “D” class (For the beginners, “A” being serious athletes, “B” being just a bit slower than them) I always joke that “D” class indicates a speed of “D” for dead… how fast dead people can go?

So what’s with the picture you ask? It’s a gift from a friend. It’s an old Peugeot Corbier road bike. This friend knew I was looking for something a bit higher quality than my current road bike I nicknamed “Frankenstein” because it’s built from four parts bikes. This new (well old) French bike is lighter and we will test it by fire at the race track to see how we work as a team!!! I just got it this morning! The friend got it off a Church Auction for $25. It's bigger than my car!!!

Tune in soon for the next post the race results. Well, “race” is a strong word… for the ride results as all the others pass me twice on each lap!

At Fools fitness we just want to know one thing, “Are You Going to Eat That?” - Alan

I'm Hungry!

1 caboose, two cabice? Ca-boos-see'? How about a whole lot of em?!

I wish I could say I have eating right down pat as it’s still elusive. (As Rettakat mentioned if I had that I’d have this weight thing whooped in short order!) My bicycle riding miles have just gone through the roof lately… Nearing 200 miles just this month alone. A ride with a bicycling partner on Tuesday for 19 miles plus my daily miles bumped it to over 30. We ended the ride in the dark with our little blinky lights and headlights on. If you look close I’ve got a new (rather old) teardrop light on the bike I traded for. It’s heavy but it looks just so darn cool! I’m thinking to convert it to LED lights to extend the battery life.

Today I’m riding my racer 10 speed “Frankenstein” for a bit, but it’s too hot to really rack up any serious miles. I chose it this morning just because I’m not wanting to carry the heavy Boba bike up and down the stairs. I unofficially weighed at about 296.5 today this morning mostly keeping an eye out for water drops trying to stay the same weight drinking water. The bank thermometer only said 89 but I’m dripping with sweat.

A rail trail caboose yard in Tilton, NH is one picture and the other is the bridge that spans the river between Franklin and West Franklin NH. I did this ride last week but took the bus again because now I explored I wanted to ride the trail both ways and go a little further out. The ride between Northfield and Franklin is a great one; my only wish was it was longer!

I found another rail trail that went from 140 to the edge of Tilton Main street but be fore warned that if you try it on bicycle that there are *many* areas washed out by draining water, I had to creep along through it and in one spot I didn’t dare drop the tire off the edge through a pot hole but inched over walking it.

You might want to pass on congrats to Lisa at http://inweighovermyhead.blogspot.com/ if I read it right she just past the 100 pounds off mark! WOW!

My current numbers are around 45 off since the start (actually lost the same weight twice now! It’s sort of 80 pounds off?) and roughly 16 pounds up from lowest in blog. I wonder if this picture has anything to do with it… that bike in front of the Chinese food place looks awful familiar?! (Hey, at least I rode there?)
At fools fitness we are always tempted to put on a baseball card in the spokes of our bicycles to get the little clicky sound! - Alan

Am I Reading Your Blog?

We are in this together! Please share a note about your weight or fitness blog in the comment section of this post. We are in this war on fat to fitness together! I’d hate to thinkI was missing checking out your blog. Now the disclaimer if we need one… Foolsfitness doesn’t “endorse” any products (I don’t do any magic diets or super suppliments) nor will I offically endorse blogs per say I don’t think but I do want to share in reading your trials, ideas, adventures, and journey into better fitness and a healthy weight ... I draw a lot of inspiration from you, as well as encouragement and ideas from your comments! So share a link to your weight/ health… even Art blogs! ( But please *don’t* put up links to porn thanks.)



So the current adventures have me off with the Granite State Wheelmen for a ride a couple of days ago for 23 miles with them. After I casually did another 4 to cool down and stretch. (that tank picture was taken along the ride)The day after I tried doing a rail trail in Derry NH I had done last year.


If you’ve followed my blog somehwere last year I think I posted a picture of this little tunnel from the other side. I always think of a hobbit hole. The pond area was also taken along that ride.
Things I learned on a group ride. I need to bring extra-extra water! I’m thinking having a gallon jug in the car might not even be over kill. Of course over these couple of days I did see temps at 95 degrees at 4pm too (OUCH!) My first ride with the GSW was good. I even held my own with the “Turtle group” (Slowest group), didn’t come in last, and even helped someone fix a double derailed chain.

Right now I’m unoffically hovering about 4 lbs up from last weigh in… I’ve been extremely active but not watching what I eat at all. I’m attempting to get back on track with that. In the last 7 days I think I went over 80 miles total. Of course for “real” bicycle riders that could be a day but I think it’s a pretty big accomplishment. I’m also slowly repairing and upgrading my 12 speed frienze whioch now is a ten speed because the used rear hub was 5 cogs and not six. I’m nicknaming the blue bike “frankenstein” as it’s got three other bikes parts on it now. I bought a new tire but am trying to build up the courage to take the other one off.

Don’t forget to leave a comment and mention your blog, leave a link (I think they let you?) if I find it goes to spam I’ll try to restore it. Maybe this post can be an unoffical link hub? Again please no links to something you wouldn’t want your mother to be seeing!

Foolsfitness… the emerging cyclomaniac!? - Alan

Fools Fitness Adventurer Extraordinaire

As promised the picture with the tiger written about in last posts, but now on to the next adventure! Firstly, some neat number’s lately. Last official weigh in 298. Last weeks bicycle riding over 60 miles with the biggest single total over a day ride (lots of stops and breaks though) over 31 miles! My weight still fluctuates in such a large range so I think I can really only say that I am flirting with the 290’s. I actually got stopped on the street today by someone who said, ”I’ve been meaning to tell you that you have dropped a lot of weight and are looking good.” As odd as it sounds sometimes those compliments make me a bit nervous. I’m not totally sure why.

(in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s this area was known for being a mill town area getting it’s power to the mills by waterwheels… this I think was what was left of a paper mill that burned down long ago) I love old places and things. Maybe thats why I love old bicycles? It's like I can almost hear whispers of the past.

This is not just about a number on a scale though. It’s about gaining the ability to be able to do new things… and sometimes the courage to do them. I found a local bus that you can take a bicycle on and rode it as far away from my home as I could. Then I took about riding through three towns for an 11 mile or so ride, popping into a couple of flea markets, a library, and then to the main event of the trip… a river bike/pedestrian trail that was an old railroad bed. I didn’t factor one thing though… I was traveling upstream!!! Most of the hills were very mellow but for future reference if you’re following a river downstream might be a bit easier! But if you’re anything like me with dealing with weight you might chuckle as it’s symbolic as it’s an upstream battle getting more fit and healthy. I didn’t ride completely back home on my own peddle power, the last few miles I got a lift back into my town as there is a patch of road that is very busy, narrow, twisty, and has zero shoulders on the side of the road. I’m not sure if I will ever try that stretch, if I did I’m thinking there is small a chance I would end up a hood ornament for a tractor trailer.

If you are out there and are just starting out or on your way in this journey of weight loss and getting fit I hope I can encourage you with this. I have a long long way to go. But in a couple of years even with the ups and downs I’ve gone from barely being able to ride a bicycle for 3 miles to over 30 miles in a day, and over 40 lbs (actually twice). My only special superpower I’ve found so far is the ability to strike fear in the owners of Chinese Food Buffet restarants… If I can do this, just maybe you can too!!! Do it safe and all (have a doctor check you out) but don’t miss out!!! Life isn’t in the fridge. Life is out there, go and see.


(This is not part of the miles you count when you take your bike out for a ride!)

Foolsfitness will sign off for a bit and see what next adventure awaits!- Alan