After 2 Weeks Off

Two weeks yesterday was Cecee's passing and I finally got back on the bike. Yeah, we butted heads sometimes but still shocked that she would go so quickly like that. Maybe still in disbelief but it has been really hard getting out on the bike. Pretty sure some of it was hosting Gina's out of state sisters, Gina having to deal with the mortuary, insurance, and such. Even when things are already planned out, it's still a big hassle. So Gina though grieving, still having to deal with arrangements and stuff.

But it sure has been rough trying to get back on the bike and out there. I would say 10 days out of the last 2 weeks, I had intentions of getting out there but didn't. Too many, ok tomorrow will do type thinking. So finally I did get out today and I will say it was really rough. Felt great on the first half thinking my legs must be fresh from the time off but the way back, gee! Felt like I crawled back. Not sure what it was, but it sucked ha ha ha! Not to mention that I was freaked out at one point, the turnaround point. I looked at the time on my device and not having ridden since before the time change, the time did not change on my device so I thought I was WAY behind schedule thinking Gina would get home from work before I finished. I picked, well tried to pick up the pace then a couple minutes later realized that I hadn't set the time back to standard time ha ha ha! So, got freaked out for nothing.

Even though I was well fueled, it was rough. Trying out the new Forumula369 products.  One bottle 60 carbs the first hour, stroopwafel and a Carb Dope gel the second hour, another bottle 60 carbs on the third hour, and still, it sucked ha ha ha! I might be thinking theF369 sucks but in all honesty, probably just me. Was thinking about 50 but good thing I turned around when I did, at the San Gabe Airport for 41. I'll have to try the F369 again on a good day and maybe a bigger breakfast. Not sure if the oatmeal isn't quite enough. We'll see before I can honestly and fairly say that it doesn't work for me. But tried the mix for the first time as well as the hard flask. Did order a soft flask on ebay thinking the hard flask might be hard to work with but the Carb Dope stuff is really more like a liquid than a gel. I took a good first sip and felt it fly into my mouth figuring about half of the flask shot down my throat ha ha ha! Surprised me a bit so I was ready on the next swig. Reading I should take it sip by sip over time and guzzle it down. But either way, need to give it another chance. Well I have to because I bought the starter pack that comes with  a 3 pound bag.

I guess a good portion of the ingredients is maltodextrin. I do remember a dude on cycling forums, a 5 time finisher of Race Across America telling me on the forums that I should use maltodextrin to fuel my rides. But today thinking about it, he was and that's probably why I kicked the sheot out of him on the timed event Ride Around the Bear (100 miles/ 10,000 ft of gain) by over an hour ha ha ha! If this is the same stuff he used to fuel on the ride, it's not a good sign so hopefully I just had a bad day or maybe I was just lacking the spirit ha ha ha!

But I had a chance to try out my new jersey. Too bad it didn't come before Halloween. But felt really good and love the colors. Pretty nice in reality vs net images and maybe even the pics. Not bad for $15 but too bad the pres has the tariffs thing going seeing the delivery was $10. Though not bad coming from China but free delivery would make the jersey even more impressive if I could get it for $15 flat. Guess I can't ask for too much seeing some other jerseys I've bought to support some local causes were $80 several years ago and not as nice as these that I get from China.

I got the jersey in the mail a few days ago but without riding, I had to try it on anyway ha ha ha! Oh yeah, I cut my hair earlier that morning when the jersey arrived. So that actually pays for the jersey in itself seeing the local shops want $40 for a basic haircut nowadays. And had an extra $10 left over ha ha ha!

Speaking of jerseys, how about the Mr. Beanz jersey?  I saw the ad for the custom jersey on the site where I get mine. $24 but a minimum of 3 so figuring not everybody would want to wear my jersey, I ordered all 3 for me. Heck, not sure if I will be able to wear these out before I get too old to ride ha ha ha! But TC saw it on my FB page and said he wanted one. Different size so I asked the people to swap one for his size but they said it was already too late as they were already being worked on in my size. So I just asked them to add one more onto my order in TC's size. Another $30 but not bad for a custom jersey.

I did send in the design templates asking if they could make them. Pretty much the same colors and design as the I'm Not Old, I'm a Classic jersey I bought from them. I like the colors as grey is supposed to be something that doesn't attract bees. Yeah, I have a history with bees ha ha ha!

I sent in these templates, back and front.

Then they responded saying this is what the designer came up with. Uhh, ok, but didn't I design it? Ha ha ha!

But it should be pretty cool having a Beanz jersey ha ha ha!

Like my little Magic Buller mixer but figured I'd get a Ninja too having one in storage somewhere. Probably easier just buying a new one at Costco for $119 vs digging through a storage unit ha ha ha! Really powerful and a little different from my previous Ninja. Technology is something else the way it has been developing.

The starter pack. Not bad though for $49 seeing one gets $100 worth of stuff.

Not much riding but still eating healthy. Even more important when one does not do the miles. So hopefully, I haven't lost too much and chalk up today to a bad day. Nice, get it out of the way. It happens that way sometimes. I remember one day riding up GMR with Hillbasher back in the day. I really struggled to the shack and wondered why, just didn't feel right so the very next day, went and did it again. Felt much better the second day. Heck, and not too many people I know would do it 2 days in a row.