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Today December 2020

Had the chance to spend a full day riding today so I threw together a route along the Tama river, past Ome and up to Okutama station via Ome-Kaido for a total of 129km round trip. I got a late start, departing close to 11am.

I originally planned to refuel at a cafe near Kouri station but it was closed to plodded on to Okutama station, and gobbled down some lunch and a cappuccino resting for about a half hour before heading back down.

Because I departed so late I was worried about it getting dark before I got home. Normally that wouldn't be a problem but after turning on my running lights on the way up to be seen in the shade and tunnels I was worried the batteries on my lights would run out. Hustling back I tried to conserve my lights as much as possible and just managed to make it home as my front light was showing low power.
 
Hustling back I tried to conserve my lights as much as possible and just managed to make it home as my front light was showing low power.
Yeah, the fear of running out of juice for the headlight can be nerve-wracking. Visibility and the ability to be seen properly are crucial for safety.

That's why I have had dynamo hubs and headlights on both of my bikes almost since almost the start (wheels built or rebuilt by GS Astuto). Being able to ride through the night on long brevets, sunset to sunrise, without giving battery life any real thought is liberating. When you drive a car or ride a motorcycle you take it for granted that you always have adequate light when you need it. Why should it be any different on a bicycle?

The second benefit of dynamo hubs and dynamo lights is the utmost reliability of it. Batteries die and rechargeables lose capacity over time (until they also die), but LED lights running off a dynamo hub basically last forever. At brevets over 300 km or with a night time start I am required to bring a spare light to comply with event regulations, but I basically the spare I carry would only last for three hours (not enough for the purpose) because a failing headlight is the least likely failure mode on the bike: I am much more likely to lose my shifting or run out of spare tubes than have a dynamo LED lighting system fail.

As for brands, SON (Germany) is the most famous but also most pricey brand. Shimano is cheap but reliable. Shutter Precision (Taiwan) works virtually as well as SON but is almost as affordable as Shimano, which is why I have it on both of my bikes now.
 
This morning I had the hardest crash of my year. Pedal strike in a transition area thew me up over the highside.
Hi @bloaker,

I hope you heal quickly and that there is no long term damage.

I twisted a knee when I fell while skiing many years ago. It took 6 weeks before the pain went away, but that knee has been giving me trouble ever since if I try my luck at running. We don't appreciate the benefits of a well functioning body until we lose them.

Since I started my "Century a Month" challenge in 2012, remaining injury-free has become much more important. I've had my share of falls and the odd cracked rib, but never anything that would keep me off the bike for a whole calendar month (such as a broken collarbone) and that's really the key to maintaining that kind of streak (now at 100 months). I think the older I get the more serious I get about not getting injured.
 
Today I went for my first road ride after a break of a few months.
During the last couple of weeks I did about half a dozen of base training sessions on the roller. Though only the last one actually felt like base training. All the other sessions rather felt like HIIT.
After today's ride on a somewhat hilly course I can say that on one hand I definitly out of shape. On the other hand I got at least enough fitness left so that today's ride wasn't too frustrating and I was still able to enjoy riding. Only my love for ascending somewhat disappeared. I used to love climbing as it was my favorite thing to do when cycling. But today I was always happy whenever gravity was in my favour.
I think it takes some more effort to get back on track.

Btw, when I walked past my MTB this morning, I stopped for a short moment and was wondering to change my plan for today's ride. But @bloaker's post made me strick to my choice of taking my road bike.
 
After a night of sleep - My knee is clearly sore, however I am thinking just a mile sprain now that some of the swelling seems to have gone down. I did some stretches this morning and I can go full stright and I can bend it quite far before there is significant discomfort. I can walk fine once my knee realizes that is what we are gonna do. The issue is twisting and 'pulling back' of the foot. I do pull back when pedaling, so i think a day or two off will be required. I might throw a leg over the trainer and just feel things out this afternoon.
 
Hope you recover quickly and nothing is seriously damaged.

Not sure if you saw this but Wahoo has come out with a new indoor trainer for mountain bikers. Looks like a good way to train on days when it is too cold or wet outside.;)

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so i think a day or two off will be required. I might throw a leg over the trainer and just feel things out this afternoon.
soft tissue damage, take it easy and give the swelling time to recede. If you compare the heat of your knees with your palms you can often feel the heat difference so icing and don't stretch beyond pain. Hope the bike was okay. Video? Take care, And that is not a wish.
 
Thank you guys.
I have had my knee wrapped all day in a compression wrap. At lunch I took the SS out and pedaling easy felt fine.
Then of course I did a bunny hop up over the curb heading back to my office and was immediately reminded I am not all better.
No setbacks today, just a lot of dull/numb discomfort. Walking was fine after the first few steps. Standing was never an issue.
We are a skeleton crew at work, but no one noticed and mentioned I was hobbling - so all is looking good.
 
soft tissue damage, take it easy and give the swelling time to recede. If you compare the heat of your knees with your palms you can often feel the heat difference so icing and don't stretch beyond pain. Hope the bike was okay. Video? Take care, And that is not a wish.
No video. I should have had a camera rolling so you could see the tunnel vision you get when spitting tree with nothing but a couple bike lights to guide you!
 
. . . I threw together a route along the Tama river, past Ome and up to Okutama station via Ome-Kaido for a total of 129km round trip. I got a late start, departing close to 11am.

I originally planned to refuel at a cafe near Kouri station . . . .

You don't mention taking Okutama Mukashi-michi, so perhaps you didn't take it. If you didn't, congratulations: you'll find it makes the first half of Okutama-station-to-Ome a lot less dreary. ["senior moment"] (As for the second half, I now much prefer the right bank to the left bank.)

Did you try "Hemlock"? It could be the refueling stop to end all refueling stops!
 
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I wasn't able to ride over the weekend. (No injury or similar, just ride-incompatible commitments.) However, I was able to do my bit as a small cog in a late capitalist economy: I made another, small addition [centre] to my winter ensemble. Its carbon lay-up makes it laterally stiff yet vertically compliant.

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You don't mention taking Okutama Mukashi-michi ... it makes the first half of Okutama-station-to-Ome a lot less dreary.
Have you been hitting the hemlock again? Shurely ~michi goes upstream from Okutama station, not downstream toward Ōme.
 
Update - I planned to get up this morning and ride.
Step 1: Get up - complete.
Step 2: get out of bed with no pain - Fail - and by a lot.
Step 3: message riding buddies at 0400 and let them know I am out - complete.

I had a goal of 8000km this year. I am at 8004.
I had a goal to ensure at least every bike I own would get over the next 500km mark since the summer. All bikes but the Emonda are there. The Emonda is 7km short.... just 7. It will happen even if I have to put flats on the road bike and do circles in the neighborhood.
I had a goal to get to level 25 on Zwift - I am at 24 with 80% complete. I am pretty sure this goal will be missed.
 
Update - I planned to get up this morning and ride.
Step 1: Get up - complete.
Step 2: get out of bed with no pain - Fail - and by a lot.
Step 3: message riding buddies at 0400 and let them know I am out - complete.

I had a goal of 8000km this year. I am at 8004.
I had a goal to ensure at least every bike I own would get over the next 500km mark since the summer. All bikes but the Emonda are there. The Emonda is 7km short.... just 7. It will happen even if I have to put flats on the road bike and do circles in the neighborhood.
I had a goal to get to level 25 on Zwift - I am at 24 with 80% complete. I am pretty sure this goal will be missed.

Take it easy and take your time to let your body recover.
It's actually the best time of the year to do so.
But I totally agree with getting the 7km on to the clock of the Emonda.

Btw, did you tell your wife yet?
 
Take it easy and take your time to let your body recover.
It's actually the best time of the year to do so.
But I totally agree with getting the 7km on to the clock of the Emonda.

Btw, did you tell your wife yet?
Megan is aware I am hurt. She is not sure of the extent, but has encouraged me to go to the hospital.
I hate pills. I probably only take a Tylenol or something one or 2 times a year.
She saw me take 3 pills yesterday and she is keenly aware something is up.

She sees me go to work without a complaint and hit the grocery store with no complaints - so I am pretty sure she is on to me. :D
I will usually bitch about something on a normal day, so my silence is probably making it obvious I am covering for something.
 
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Update: Feeling better this morning. I resisted the urge to get on the bike. I think I am going to hold out for Saturday to ride. It is killing me - but I am attempting to be mature and think longterm. I would hate to F' things up and miss all of January when a week or so of rest could have solved my issue.
I am not even hoping on the trainer. I jumped on the SS at work yesterday for a minute. Felt good just pedaling around. I then gassed it for a quick sprint to bunny hop and obstact and it was the sprint, not the bunny hop that caused the pain. The slight pulling back motion seems to be what flairs up the discomfort.

So......................... I sit here in the morning drinking coffee watching videos of other people riding mtbs. :(
 
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