Consistant Injury

While David was at camp, he managed to injure his wrist to the point that he really couldn't bike, and in the last week, I managed to damage a tendon in my knee to the point that walking becomes difficult. I suppose that's what you get for biking too much... at least I had a few epic rides. Given I had been biking by myself during David's recovery, here's a short spreadsheet of my individual progress.
Individual Spreadsheet

There were a few good rides, as you can see, and a personal record just over 30 miles. It's going to be a month before I can really get biking again, and probably some considerable time of getting back to where I was prior to the injury. If you're interested, here are some links to various photos on the 30 mile bikeride:
Google Earth Screenshot


Gazeebo in Seminole


Trail Marker


Pinellas Trail Bridge


Pinellas Trail Bridge


Vehical Bridge

Insomnia Biking!

I didn't sleep last night, primarily due to not waking until 2pm. With David out at some camp or whatever, I haven't been doing as much biking lately, and so today I decided to change that. I did however have one long call before embarking, and thusly decided to follow her request of "take photos." Photos were indeed taken.

I started off leaving around 6:30. Adequate preparations are always in order, and coke bottles are, by far, the cheapest option available. That and, they really do hold a decent quantity, as this gallon-or-so would last me all of the 22 miles.
[Link]
I biked down 9th street, past Gateway Mall, then down whatever-the-avenue down to Weedon Island (If you're actually interested, google maps could probably show you the way). Over a small bridge en route, I stopped to take a couple photos of the sunrise, on my phone, of course.
[Link]
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After that bridge, past the Weedon Island nature preserve and all, I passed by several cell towers. They really are common around here, but more importantly, in 2000 a helicopter crashed, killing all the crew, when the rotor became tangled in a support cable for a cell tower. Telecommunications really are expensive, I suppose.
[Link]
Moving on, I biked up Gandy beach, which was surprisingly empty. It was still quite cool and all, but the sun was rising, and as such, was square right in my eyes. I stopped at a few spots between the mangroves for short, leisurely breaks and to grab a couple photos.
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A few miles later, after passing the very large highway that is Gandy, I snapped a quick photo before going over the Friendship Trail Bridge.
[Link]
On the Tampa side, I spent a few minutes trying to decide if I was to continue on, or just turn around. In this time, I sat on some pilings and read some news from NPR on my phone, of course, feeling epic. It really was nice out, much cooler than it tends to be in the afternoon.
[Link]
And, of course, the vehical itself: [Link]

I would consider it to be a pretty productive day, and with that, got home around 9:30am and just slept until 7pm. I've hopes of traveling a bit father, given this 20 mile run has been seeming vastly easier than the first time I did it.

I appologize for all the links, but unfortunately resizing made it relatively difficult to see them in full detail with a standard "img src" approach.

Repair Day

I must have some impressive way of abusing my bike. I brought it into the shop in mid-May for general repairs, and given I had managed to completely mess up my back tire...not to mention the derailer hanger having snapped in half. So yeah, a decent quantity of funds had been put into this bike...and as I found out yesterday, I had a flat front tire.

It wasn't quite flat per-say, but it had a small leak somewhere which caused it to lose all pressure in a matter of an hour; not much good for riding. Of course, I discovered this, while riding, which is not much good for turning sharply, which is exactly the action in which this state was discovered.

Today, I've put in another $10 for a new bike tube, but not just a typical tube. This one was pretty much, about four times thicker than a standard tube. With any luck, that should help me NOT have to stop and repair every twenty miles. Of course, in the spirit of things breaking, both of my bike pumps are broken. So, to fill this tube up, it requires an additional investment of $1.50 at the local BP station. But, with a new tube on the bike, and the gears and chain greased up, I'm hoping, just hoping, that I'll be able to traverse a few miles without having to give so much focus to maintenance.

In the last few weeks alone, I think I've put in roughtly half that bike's cost in repairs, air and spare parts. Woo, I'm waiting for this to become an economical mode of transportation again.

General Purpose

Welcome to the blog dedicated to two teenagers who have, for one reason or another, begun biking to an extent which deserves notice! These two, having begun in May, have already covered close to 170 miles and this is expected to rapidly accelerate. Keep tuned to the progress and various triumphs, pitfalls, and random shit which shall be encountered, ranging from being hit by a car to enjoying the bikes themselves fall apart with use and abuse.