Tag: Fort Hunt Park

Back Out, Day 15: A Walk in the Park

I should be better by now.

I am not better.

I am less worse.

I woke up pain free. Back stiffness set in within minutes. 

After a morning of hanging out, I drove (that alone is rather telling) to Fort Hunt Park, three miles from home. As I got out of the car, my back and legs felt fine. I walked the park circuit road, 1 1/4 miles, three times. After about 2 miles I felt like I was climbing stairs. My limp was much less pronounced today. I didn’t have pain in my hips or my lower back as long as I kept moving. Still I felt tired. Walking is exhausting when you have to fight for  a smooth gait.

I stopped to stretch out my iliotibial band. Resuming, I made it to the car at 2 1/2 miles, stopped to stretch the ITB again, then set out for lap three. A man on a bike flew past me. Envy.

I had to stop one more time to stretch but made it back to the car feeling not half bad. 

I rewarded myself with a Gary’s Lunchbox sammich at Sherwood Hall Gourmet, a deli near home.

After lunch and some more lazing about, I did 1 hour and 20 minutes of easy pedaling on Big Nellie in the basement. I felt fine the entire time. Getting off the bike, however, I felt the tightness in my left leg again. And my right foot went into a cramp, my toes curling as I stood.

Still, it was a day of some progress. I am hoping to be back to the bike commute in time for Friday Coffee Club. Unfortunately, I still have some unresolved items on my to-do list. New tires for one car, an inspection and minor repairs to another, and minor surgery on my finger. Hopefully, all of that will be behind me by mid March. 

By then I hope to be more better.

Lost and Found

After wasting most of the day expecting rain and getting little, I decided to take Little Nellie out for a test ride. Little Nellie is my Bike Friday folding bike. It was in the shop for some TLC. After I put on a new cassette, the good folks at Spokes Etc. at Belle Haven, my LBS (local bike shop), put on some new chain rings and a new chain and some new cables and housing, and new brake pads. They also put some lube around my bottom bracket.

I expected to go ten miles. Which led to another ten and another. It sure is nice to have a bike that works properly. And the click-click-click sound that happened whenever I pedaled hard was gone (thanks to the bottom bracket lube).

I rode to Fort Hunt Park then down to Mount Vernon. I stopped to check out the massive bald eagle nest on the edge of Fort Hunt but I couldn’t find it. It was completely obscured by leaves. Closer to Mount Vernon, I head two ospreys cavorting in the sky above. I could only see one and he was putting on quite a show.

My ride took me to a loop and a figure eight on the roads beyond the Mount Vernon estate. The streets are calm and well maintained. Sometimes I pick up a stray golf ball along the road at Mount Vernon Country Club. It is only fair that I do so since I lost dozens playing incredibly incompetent golf as a kid.

The weather was warm and a little muggy. This may have helped my disposition. I am truly sick of riding in cold weather. So it was time to get my yayas out.

When I got home I told Mrs. Rootchopper that that was the best bike ride I’d had in months. After my struggles on the ride to and from Baltimore, I was having some doubts about my biking competence. It’s a wonder what some warm air and an asthma-free day will do for your legs.