30 day challenge: Getting Fat

In my last blog entry, I recalled the joy of having speakers strapped to my handle bars as a kid for long bike rides. That got me to thinking about what I could do to stay active this winter. I struggle with finding pleasure on a treadmill or elliptical so a new 30-day challenge began to take shape. I purchased a fat tire bike at the end of October and am now 35 days in to riding it every day. I am fortunate to have trails right near my house that are pretty amenable for riding. Having a goal to ride every day has led to some challenges; including riding late at night and during some interesting weather but having that variability has been a part of the fun.

I am still learning many things but here is a quick recap of a few things that I have learned so far:

• Eye protection is important for visibility, especially during heavy rain
• 4 inch tires are nice but do not provide as much traction as a 4×4 truck
• A good headlamp makes night trail rides more fun
• If downwind and carrying good speed, you can really scare the hell out of a deer (and yourself)
• The bike store sells chaffing balm for a reason, always wear good undergarments

Currently, I am enjoying improving my cardio and getting to see some wildlife in the process. Longer term, I hope to use the bike for some errands and thus have asked Santa for a bike lock and a few other essentials to make that possible.