Confusing Documentation

It seems that the documentation on my Diamondback Trail Streak has some errors. As I noted in a previous post it gave a measurement of 26.6 mm for the seat post. So I purchased a seat post of that size and it was larger than the hole. So I measured the opening and it appears they where giving the outer dimension of the seat post and not the inner dimension of the seat post.  So I will take the 26.6 mm post back and pick up one that is 25mm.  Will let you know if that will fit in my next post.

missing saddle

For the very first time in a very long time I had time for a bicycle ride, so I went to get my bicycle out of the garage and quickly noticed that someone had stolen the saddle and seat post! Does anyone know where I can get a seat post that will fit a 1984 Diamond Back Trail Streak? My documentation says the seat post is 26.6 mm but when I purchased one of that size it did not fit, it was the same size as the hole it should slide into.

Have not been riding much of late

Sometimes it is hard when your parents get old and have medical problems. It is August 9th and I have only been out riding on three days. Dad has been having dizzy spells, he does not understand why, actually he just does not listen to what his doctors have told him. His doctor told him that he must drink at least 4 8oz glasses of water to prevent dehydration. He tells her he gets plenty of liquid, because he has a cup of Coffee and glass of orange juice at breakfast, an ensure at lunch and a glass of wine with dinner.  The doctor explains that this is not water and it is far less liquid in any case than he should be drinking. She also explained to him that dehydration can cause dizziness. He will not drink water no matter what you tell him.
Second he tells his doctor he is loosing weight, she asked him what he was eating, he told her and she was shocked as his average caloric intake is about 1100 calories where he should be getting about 2100 calories.
She told him to eat more and the people that are undernourished can become dizzy quite easily. He tells her he eats as much as he can or he eats until he is full.  The doctor suggested that we add two ensures to his daily food intake. Well guess what he will not drink the extra ensures always has a reason why not to drink it and there is no point in trying to convince him because that only causes stress. His heart doctor explained to him that worry will cause stress and stress will cause dizziness. He told her I do Not Worry about things and I Do Not Have Stress. He was so angry that he started to cry. His heart doctor told him that what was happening at that point was stress. He stood up grabbed his walker and stormed out of the room. Thanks for letting me rant and rave, it releases my stress :)

Triathlon Gear

I have always had a problem with the large pads in cycling shorts as it always makes me feel like I have a load in my pants.  Then I discovered Triathlon skin suits and shorts.  The padding is thinner and does not look so silly. Even with a thinner pad I have been out on my mountain bike over 5000 miles this year and my butt does not hurt even after a 100 mile ride.  So if you are looking for both style and comfort you should check out both Voler's triathlon gear and Zoot's Triathlon Gear -- I have posted links to their sites on the blog.  The sites are listed by which I think is the best.

Half Past July

Once again I have not been posting on a regular basis, I have been riding a good deal between days where I have been taking my parents to doctor appointments, grocery shopping and taking care of them when they are not feeling well.  So I never know from one day to the next exactly what I will be doing and most of the time by the time I get home at night I am to tired to do much of anything.

June

The weather has been strange some days hot and some days cold. Then there is the medical problems with my parents Dad's heart rate and his getting so dizzy he can not stand up several several times a week. Mom has problems with Parkinson's and forgetfulness. So I have only had time to ride on 12 days this month. The weather is quite beautiful and hot today, it is almost 77 degrees out and it is only 10 AM.  I hope and pray that dad will be well enough to allow me to get in a bicycle ride. I also hope my niece Heather will have a chance to visit them so that I can try a new route and not have to worry about Mom and Dad

It has been a while since I posted

Do to weather and family issues I have not had much time for the Internet and Cycling.  I will post more when time allows.

I think winter got here late

Well have not been out riding since Saturday as it has been raining since Sunday and the forecast is for more rain through the weekend! Where did Spring go?

It has been nice weather for riding.

Since I last posted anything I have been out riding the bay trail south of Redwood City.  I have discovered that the trail picks up again at the Palo Alto Airport and goes south to Moffett Field where there is a choice either farther south on bay trail which I have not done or taking the Stevens Creek Trail, which I have been doing.
Today it is raining so I decided not to go for a ride.

Riding South and fining new trails

Over the past few weeks I have changed my riding direction because I was getting bored of the bay trail.  So I headed south on the Foothill express way and ended up in Los Altos (the Stops)  On one of those days riding home I turned east on San Antonio Road and discovered the Menlo Park to Mountain View Bicycle Blvd.  The following day I followed the Bike Blvd. south to what appeared the end at Central Ave. in Mountain View. but the trail continued on in two directions along Stevens Creek (the actual creek and not the road).  I followed it west to the Foothill expressway and today east to Moffett  Field at some point it must connect with the bay trail but I have not had enough time to verify that.
Here are some pictures.

Stevens Creek near Mountain View

Moffett  Field

Stevens Creek Trail near Moffett Field

Trail Head Near Shoreline Park Mountain View

What I said in the image above

Stevens Creek Trail east of HWY 101

Central Avenue Trail Head Stevens Creek Trail 

A hard to find connection on the Palo Alto to Mountain View Bike Blvd.

Great riding weather

The weather has been great and parents in good health so I have been riding a good deal this past week.  North to San Francisco, East to Niles, and South to San Jose. I have forgotten to take pictures because I start riding and keep going until I can go not a peddle stroke more.  Rest for a few minutes and the ride like a mad man home.

20 degrees colder today

On Thursday, February 9, 2012 it was 74 degrees Fahrenheit, today on February 11, 2012 it never got above 54 degrees Fahrenheit.  I still had a very nice bicycle ride of 44 miles, I had planned to travel all the way to the International Terminal of the San Francisco Airport which would have given me 52 miles but there was a 20 mile an hour wind from the north east which slowed me down just a bit. So I stopped at Coyote Point Park so that I would get home in time to go to work.

Photos from yesterday and today.

The weather was 72 degrees Fahrenheit today so I rode to the San Francisco Airport via the Bay Trail.  Here are a few photos.

Alameda Creek Trail near Lowery Ave.

Alameda Creek Trail near Hwy 880

East Side of Dumbarton Bridge

Alameda Creek Trail at underpass for Hwy 880

Near Milbrae Gate of San Francisco Airport

Desert plants growing on the edge of the bay?

More odd plants

Very interesting plant or is it a flower?

Have not been cycling for 3 days so today I...

I took a 61 miles (98 kilometers) at an average speed of 15 mph ( 24 kph ).  I took some pictures of the trip but it is late and I do not feel like uploading them.  The reason I did not ride on Sunday I watched the Superbowl with Dad and Mom.  Monday I helped my Dad replace his electric blanket (he always feels cold unless the weather is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or above).  I tend to perspire in weather that is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and rarely cycle in long pants when the temperature is above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.  Yesterday it was raining and my Mom slipped and fell, so I visited them to make sure they where okay and did four loads of laundry that I should have done a week and a half ago.  I pray that nothing goes wrong with family tomorrow as the weather forecast is for temperatures in the mid to high 70 degree Fahrenheit range and I must also pay my electric bill before the power is shut off.  Yes I tend to forget to do things if the weather allows my to ride my mountain bike.

The first three days of February have been very nice.

The weather has been in the mid 60 degree Fahrenheit range for the past week.  Guess I should say Fahrenheit when I give the temperature since I do have people in Europe and Japan who read this blog.  Have not really had much of a winter this year or summer for that matter since the temperature has not gone below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above 80 degrees Fahrenheit all year.  I finally stopped riding for a few minutes and took a picture or three.  The view is looking from the San Francisco Bay Trail in Foster City toward the bay.  The other direction is just town house after town house.  I will try to get a few more pictures tomorrow.

On one of the viewing platforms

One of the radio towers at the end of Radio Road

One of the levees protecting the low ground homes in Foster City. San Mateo Bridge in distance 

Winter has come and gone :)

The rain stopped on Tuesday and it has been getting warmer each day.  Today it was in the low 70s once the fog went away.  Tomorrow's forecast is for even warmer weather.  On Wednesday I took a ride across the Dumbarton Bridge to the Alameda Creek trail.  I discovered that the trail turns north toward Hayward, I will have to check it out and see where it goes the next time I get over that way. On Thursday I was back on the west side of the bay as I was today.  Hope I get a chance to go riding tomorrow, as there are some new areas south of Menlo Park I want to check out.

It seems to be getting colder

I wonder if winter is finally here just in time for spring. I have been out riding my mountain bike in 50 degree weather.  It has been very nice on the trail, because the cold weather keeps most of the people inside.  The few people that were out where the people I see all the time, the die hard cyclists, joggers and dog walkers.  I did see a really cute jogger wearing a sleeveless shirt and short running shorts that I had never seen before, maybe I just did not recognize her because of the strange shade of blue her skin was.  I was wearing winter cycling tights and two jackets and felt cold. So I must assume she had grown up somewhere in far northern Canada or had a broken thermostat.  Weather forecast is for rain starting tomorrow night and going to at least Sunday.  That will wash out the cycling but might be an advantage for the 49ers in their play off game with the New York Giants.  Almost forgot, someone asked me why where the San Francisco Giants playing the San Francisco 49ers and was it a baseball game or a football game.  Also saw a car that said on it. "Japanese Otto Repair" maybe that is why I have never met anyone from Japan named Otto. Who knows its late and I need sleep

Friday the 13th

I decided that since my car required a smog check before I registered it that I should get it done this week.  The weather forecast suggested rain today through next Tuesday, so I made an appointment for today.  Should have known that because today was Friday the 13th that the weather forecast would be wrong.  It is currently 66 degrees and getting warmer. So the next day that looks as if I can go for a bicycle ride is Sunday, because tomorrow I will be watching the 49ers in their first playoff game in just ages.  Hope they win but I really do not think they stand a chance.  Will write again after the next ride.

Alameda Creek Trail Again

I thought it would be a good day to check out the Alameda Creek Trail again to see if it was finished being repaired.  It appears that it is because I was able to ride from Coyote Hills Regional Park to Decoto Road where I met my friend Shakespeare Cycling down from Niles.  We spoke for a while and we both where impressed with the paved trail on the south side and the dirt trail on the north side.  I also discovered several new ways to go through Coyote Hills on some trails that are almost totally unused.  Will attempt to go there again soon and see just how far north the new paved section actually goes.  Hope for a nice day tomorrow for riding as I will not have a chance to go riding on Friday (Car needs a Smog Check) and Saturday because of the 49er game.

A Sunday Ride

I very seldom get a chance to ride on Sunday but today was different.  There was no 49er football game that I would need to watch with my Dad. My parents where feeling well and it was 61 degrees at 10 AM.  So when I called my Dad to check on him, he suggested I take a bicycle ride.  I needed no more than that since my addiction is riding my mountain bike.  I was extremely surprised to discover that there where hundreds of people that had the same idea as me.  There where so many people on the bay trail that I spent most of my time avoiding families that where riding the whole width of the trail and could not figure out how to keep to the right. I normally average between 45 and 50 miles on weekdays, but today in the same amount of time I only covered 37 miles.  I really did not mind because I saw several people I know and met some nice people too.

Nice Days

I was able to go riding both yesterday and today, I did about 90 miles over the two days.  I may even get a ride in tomorrow since there are no football games that my Dad wants to watch.  It will all depend on how my parents are feeling.

As I expected.

The two hottest days of the week I was sitting about at Kaiser Hospital running my parents to their appointments.  I pray and also cross my fingers that my parents will be well enough for me to go on a bike ride on Friday It can be a real bitch when you get old they where both born in 1926 which makes them 86 years old and I am quickly approaching 61 myself.  Oh well life goes on as best as it can.

Great weather for a ride

It was in the high 60 degree range today but I never got out for a ride, Dad developed an eye infection and I spent most of the day at Kaiser with him.  Most likely will not get a ride tomorrow because Dad made an appointment for Mom with the eye doctor because he thinks her eyes are infected too.  She is pissed off at him because she does not think she needs to see a doctor.  Who knows what will happen.

First Ride of the New Year.

Today I took my first ride of the New Year.  I was prevented from riding over the holiday weekend by family obligations.  So I jumped on my mountain bike as soon as I had eaten breakfast.  It was so foggy out that I made sure to turn on my tail light so people coming up from behind would have so idea where I was.  As the day wore on the sun finally came out and temperatures where in the mid 60s so I was able to take off the leggings I was wearing and put on shorts.  It was a bit cool in some places but I would really hate to lose the tan I worked on all summer long.  Vane I know, but what can I say.  Hope things are good for a ride tomorrow as I would really like to have 150 miles in by the end of the week.