My first crash today!!!

I decided to experiment on the Mountain Corridor bike path (which thankfully is separate from the highway). There is one spot that has dried and muddy run off from the field next to it. Two semi dried batches in a row. As i came up on the first one I thought to myself 'i wonder how much control i will actually have on drying mud ruts' so i rode through the first patch, Almost losing control. It was tough to hang on, but i regained control - almost - but not conpletely. The second patch of muddy ruts was worse, and i lost it. went over my handle bars hard! The only saving part is i landed off the paved trail onto a small mound of soft silt, on the side of my head!

I was dazed, startled, confused, and covered with dirt as i slowly got up. Two drivers on the adjacent highway stopped and a sweet gentlemen about 70 - 75 and dressed in a suit hurried across the patch of weeds and dirt that separate the trail from the actual highway, and asked me if i was ok. He picked up my bike and asked if i needed a ride home. I kind of just stared at him, a bit in a daze and also starting to feel pain in my head and neck. I tried brushing myself off, and trying to settle my glasses back on my face but they had gotten tweaked out of shape. I told him i was ok and would walk home, in retrospect I realize we were kind of in the middle of nowhere that must have sounded ridiculous to him. The other driver was a middle aged woman with a hispanic accent, she also came and asked if i was ok, then asked a couple times if i wanted a ride home. I replied to them both, thank you for stopping, i just need to walk it off. 
Arghhh, i was in a daze, but i had my phone and called my son to come and pick me up.
Walking while waiting for him i experience blurred vision on the edge of my peripheral vision, my head started pounding, and my neck was getting increasingly stiffer and painful.

When he pulled up i handed him my bike and got in, feeling great relief at sitting down.
The first thing he said 'i knew this was going to eventually happen. I watch cycling videos and old people shouldn't ride bikes!!'
I replied, i knew it was going to happen sooner or later, and now it finally has.
I am typing this 10 hours later, i couldn't go to work because my neck was too painful to even walk or
move much. It is still quite painful, but my headache and dizziness are mostly gone.

It was a beautiful day, I am mostly disappointed i did not get to finish my ride as there are probably not too many nice days left before the cold weather arrives!

Yay!!! We finished the SOJO Bike Tour. An event with the SOJO Marathon, Half Marathon, Bike Tour and 5k.

Started off at a TRAX Station on Old Bingham Hwy in West Jordan Utah at 7:15am .

Temps were in the 30's, there were about 40 cyclists heading out with jackets, long riding tights, and lots of blinking lighting. I bought warmer gloves for this and wish i had worn them, my fingers were literally numb!

We headed west at an incline for 2 miles, a very short straight then a very steep short downhill and right back up again.

Another incline for about 2.5 miles then a very steep .5 mile hill, then the next 10 miles were watching the sunrise going down and mostly east and flat. 

My riding partner and I were at the tail end by this time, only one other rider in sight.

We caught up with the 1/2 marathoners and rode through lots of neighbors, one more hill - Temple Hill on 4000 west, and long busy streets that the organizers were able to cone off almost a complete lane for the runners and bikers, and the police were out in force to stop cross traffic at all intersections. This was extremely well appreciated! 

The city did a great job to support this event and we had a great time.

I will say though, for me, riding west into the rising sun is something i will have to prepare for with darker sunglasses in the future. Thank goodness for my riding partner Jenn, there were times when all i could see was her in front of me. If i did not have her to follow, i would have been blinded by the sun and definitely crashed, a lot of times!!!!

It was a great time for my first cycling event.

We did not finish last! Yay for that too! it was a fun and fulfilling morning!

Today i wanted to do a light ride, just miles, so i did a 10 mile spin. From where i live you have to either leave going up an incline, or return going up an incline, i just did not want to do any inclines, so the spin.

I am worried about being exhausted at my Bike Tour, and really lagging behind! I got lights, small ones to strap onto my front and rear reflectors. Found out lights are required.
It is going to be not quite 40 degrees at the start, and dark, so i am a bit worried i will freeze, run out of energy, run out of water, start starving, and worst of all - oversleep!!!!

Dressed warmer today and that made a world of difference. Legs a bit tired and i am worried about being a slug at my Bike Tour on Saturday.

Life lesson learned today.
Cycling in 48 degree weather, with strong cool winds from the south, requires more clothing coverage than running in 48 degree weather!

Yesterday was my birthday and i did not get a 'birthday celebration cycle' in, so i went out today.
Planned out a route that was about 20 miles, not too much climbing so i would be ready for my 'event' next Saturday.
48 degrees on the phone, so i wore shorts and a light short sleeved t-shirt under a Nike running 1/4 zip warm fuzzy running outer layer.
All was just fine until i got clear of my neighborhood and there were not any more houses for wind protection. When you can see snow on the mountain tops of the closest mountains, not a good sign if you are wearing shorts.
My fingers went a bit numb and my legs were quite chilled, but i was heading north and east for a few miles and did not realize, until i turned south, that a very chilly wind was blowing in strongly from the south.
I had planned this direction as my longest stretch because it is relatively flat down this street,
4800 S., but with this head wind, all of me got chilled and i had to keep my head down so my eyes would not water so bad i couldn't see!
Turning west away from the headwind and proceeding up an incline, my whole body warmed up some, but that windy ride for 5 miles took a lot out of me. When i finally got home I had only gone 15.72 miles. Still glad i got my ride in, and still loving it!
Now shopping for cycling capris!!!

Another beautiful morning in West Jordan, UT. The sky was clear and the air was crisp with very warm sunshine and pretty healthy wind.
I wore my favorite cycling clothes - a running skirt with cycling 'under' shorts underneath, and a light weight long sleeved 1/2 zip running layer top.
I realized that it is expensive to buy new cycling clothes, so, of course, i wear my running stuff, adding padded undershorts, gel gloves, and a helmet.
I started out a bit late today, after 9:00. but i wanted to ride out to Daybreak Lake. A small manmade lake in the middle of a very unique community. The houses are all adorable. Many like beach bungalows, some like pillared colonials, some like New England cottages, all very well kept and neat and tidy. This community is very refreshing to ride through.
I took a highway to the area, and then residential routes back home.
Total mileage was 16 miles, time 1:36.
Great way to start the day!

After finishing the St George Marathon, what was left of the cartilage in my right knee, slowly disappeared to nothing. This occurrence has terminated my running. 
I have run since i was a teenager, i have always identified myself as 'a runner',  and having that taken away from me was a very difficult thing to deal with. I cried for months, then just teared up and pouted for a few months. I eventually gave myself a mental wake up and picked my sorry self up and decided to do something else. 
So i got on my mountain bike - Blue Bessie - and started cycling around. 5 or 6 miles a couple times a week and then maybe 8 - 10 on the weekend. I really enjoyed the biking, but just could not add very much mileage.
So, one day, a friend of mine (who forgot i could not run anymore) sent me a link to a 1/2 marathon. Inviting me to run with her.
I longingly clicked on the link to the SOJO Marathon. Much to my surprise, it was officially called - SOJO Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, 5k, and..... BIKE TOUR!!!
The bike tour was 25 miles, traveling mostly along the marathon route, starting a short time before the marathon.
I got in touch of a friend of mine who rides..  we decided to do this event, especially since her husband was running the 1/2. We had 4 weeks to train.
The first time out training on the route, i was on Blue Bessie, and my friend - Jenn - was on a very nice looking road bike.
Needless to say, I STRUGGLED. I had just spent 6 months pouting and only riding a very little. I was not in shape for 25 miles.
The first 6 miles are - up slope - up hill - up slope - up hill. Then flats for 10 miles before one more last uphill.
Jenn had to wait for me a number of times, and i actually lost site of her - a lot!!
When i got home that day after 19 miles, i decided if cycling was going to be my main sport, i needed a new bike.
The sales person i went to at the Bicycle Center in Salt Lake City was very helpful. 
After looking at bikes in my original price range, we settle up a couple steps in both bike performance and pricing. I purchased a Specialized Dolce Sport - and am LOVING it.
The freedom i and confidence i feel is amazing. And today, training on the route with Jenn again, and actually more of the route today, I felt just plain Joy!
I feel this bike was definitely worth the cost. 
I am scheduled to have a total knee replacement in January and hoping for success and continuing my cycling journey far into the future!