Uninspired, but not Disinterested start to 2017
- Thread starter Pearl
- Start date
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
Yup, most of "our area" goes to the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority treatment plant in Bridgewater at the end of Polhemus Ln
You can see a lot of the trunk sewers on this less than stellar map. It also shows the trunk line that goes through CR (you might have noticed the manholes near the gravel double track that goes along the lake) and the pump station on Gilbride. More than most people wanted to know about shit!
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Found some gravel Sunday.
These fields.
It was very sticky out here.
Gravel just like home. not as traveled as much by cyclists as the ones in Lambertville. Maybe they just don't get it out here?
Stanfield. Little main street with a really OG place to get bottles/snacks.
Keorsene pump.
Oh, and thats 3 weeks of 8 hours of cycling. Needless to say, I'm starting to feel normal again. It feels good to feel normal again.
These fields.
It was very sticky out here.
Gravel just like home. not as traveled as much by cyclists as the ones in Lambertville. Maybe they just don't get it out here?
Stanfield. Little main street with a really OG place to get bottles/snacks.
Keorsene pump.
Oh, and thats 3 weeks of 8 hours of cycling. Needless to say, I'm starting to feel normal again. It feels good to feel normal again.
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Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
Nice to read this. I'm too lazy to go back and find the answer (if it's there), did you just get burnt out? Was it trying to find a new balance after the baby was born? A little of both?
Sorry for the minor hijack, but you just went through it all so.....
I'm trying to look ahead and see how things are going to change for me. My wife is 31 weeks, and I'm just now getting back to some regular riding. I spent the winter dealing with unexpected household issues, plus the backlog of the other little house projects I wanted to complete before she's born. Fast forward to the life adjustment coming my way and I'm worried that biking will again take the back seat.
Also are you still WFH? Are you the only one home taking care of the baby during the day? I foresee doing this 2-3 days a week but I feel like could be a struggle at times. At minimum it's something else to throw into the balancing act.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
I would say it wasn't burnt out, a couple of things actually:
1) When we moved down here and in terms of cycling, I was kind of lost on where I would fit in. I didn't have the same crew vibe as I did back home. It's no secret that I love the community and social aspect of the cycling life. What was the new "must do' race? What was the shitty event? It was kind of starting over new. I was happy I was able to dip my feet in just about everything cycling wise around here last year, so I know the do's and don'ts for this year. I would say this accounted for a small amount of my ill feelings.
Sometimes I ponder, what if we were still in that 900 square foot house with no forced air and Jack. What would I be doing cycling wise? Would I be training, racing? Mandis family is close and would be able to watch him at times, allowing us to do things. I would be waking up and going into the office and spending more time away from home, which would suck. Would it be easier or harder than it is now? I'm thinking it's easier being down here.
2) Part of it was trying to find the balance of not training for something specifically and just riding. I still struggle with this. I actually did some made up intervals the past couple of weeks to just put some hurt in my legs. I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed some easy cruising solo rides. I need to do a better job on finding the balance with that. A friend of mine wrote something very close to this topic yesterday and it really struck home. It was about why this person stepping away from riding bikes. I feel a certain way about losing fitness or bummed if I didn't get a ride in. I have a hard time letting go of it and being as fit/fast as I could be. So whether it's just winging it and racing and being somewhat competitive or whatever, I'm not sure. I think this is the biggest hurdle for me right now, I'm not sure what side the coin lands on just yet.
3) The majority of it was the new balance of life with the clone is what threw a wrench into the system. Thankfully WFHing has been awesome and working out great. I drop him off at 9 and pick him up at 3, and work from 8-5 with an hour lunch. So I really only have him with me for an hour in the morning and an hour before I'm done working. It works well. You can imagine I'm not as productive at those times. I've had him all days at times when I cannot drop him off and at the age he is now (5 months, shit) He's pretty predictable and I can keep him happy. Thankfully, I'm able to squeeze in an hour road ride and have a sammich after while I'm working. It's been working out great. Mandi has been awesome and letting me ride in the mornings for a longer period of time which has been super helpful for me and my social crave.
A very small part of me could be totally fine not riding everyday and being fit. I'm sure you will experience this, but being a Dad is freaking awesome. It's easy to ride at lunch because I'm alone, but waking up in the morning and your clone is smiling with a huge grin and kicking his feet because he's super stoked to see you, why would you want to leave? What does 3 hours on the road bike really mean? Is it really worth spending all day away from your family? I agree a balance can be achieved, but I could easily see not giving a shit and only riding when the opportunity really arose.
I will never fully quit on cycling, I will always have at least a road bike and a mountain bike. It may take more of a back seat as the time goes on, but seeing many other successful old people with families makes me realize it's possible, it just matters how much YOU personally want to sacrifice. Or maybe as he gets older/family grows, it will be easier to sneak out? I really have no idea. Taking it a week at a time currently.
Was that a long enough response? 😉
We have gone over this in the past and you say you aren't a morning person, but the part about taking away from family time is part of the reason my alarm is set for 4:15am. I get my rides in with basically no impact on family time. I sell my soul for handful of days on the bikes on the weekends. I think maybe you can understand that now. If there is anytime to start adjusting you schedule, it is now. I didn't use lights starting at 5:40 this morning (late start due to TWINAGE tampering with my alarm clock). In another month it will be light around 5am. When it is light it is easy. Word of advice though, darken shade in kids room and once they can look at a clock, no coming out of room before the first number is 7 (you are 3? years off from this though).
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
A+, good read. Sounds like you're finally getting it all ironed out. Just a case of getting back to the new "normal", whatever that is!
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
+1 on the dawn patrol rides... As you know, I've racked up some serious hours and miles as of late adopting the STB model. Looking at it from the outside, seemed rediculous. As as I applied it, at first it was tough, and as it unfolded it resulted in to some of the best times on a bike I ever had with minimal impact to family or work time.... with great fitness dividends.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
while i agree it's a solution that works and shows the dividends, i'm not sure i could do it on a regular weekly basis. i think i would not ride before i woke up at 415am. maybe that will change, but right now, i think it wouldn't make the cut. in the middle of the summer it's probably the best time to ride since its 80 degrees at 7am and shit
Actually having a kid is what got me on that schedule, the waking up at 5am for a bottle and then just stay up. 4:15 is rough, not going to lie, but after 3 weeks, it normal.
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
I do 5am.. I tried 4:30... can pull it off for a week, maybe two but then I can't function anymore.. with a 5am wake up, out of the house at 5:30... can ride out of my driveway and be back by 7:30 to be logged in to work by 8am... or drive to a trail head and be in the woods by 6am and at my desk at work by 8am ish. The key is prepping everything the night before. One thing I tell myself which helps step out of bed... "when the alarm goes off, just pop up"... "just pop up".
If i hit snooze or lay there and think about it, the struggle to get out there greatly increases by the minute.
Snooze bar sucks the motivation right out of you. 4:45am during CX preseason/season was ok as long as I never hit snooze. That was a workout killer.
Magic
Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
The bag is out of the cat.
You don't.
It really isn't bad, but on my second set, had twins and it took 40 min for ONE to eat a bottle and they ate every 2 hours and the 2 hour mark started when they STARTED to feed. So by the time I fed both, it was almost an hour before getting up to do it again. That was kinda rough. But it didn't last long doing that, 3-4 months and then it got better. I always took the night shift because lack of sleep affected my wife much more than it did me.
rick81721
Lothar
I pop up at the crack of 8:30!
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
I've done the morning rides before, I need to get back into it. Like everyone has said, prep and motivation are 99% of the battle. I can foresee becoming a pre-dawn warrior once the baby arrives.
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
My buddy at work had twins last June and he was telling me all about this. It sounds like a nightmare, particularly the 2 hour feed/change cycle x2. Pretty much leaves you about 1 minute to pee in between.
Based on this all of the other guys in our "group" think I'm walking into a life sentence, but I keep telling myself that one is only going to be half as hard as he's described it.