july cycling recap

My knee was taking a long time to heal. I kept up the slow and easy biking. My dad went to Michigan for a couple of weeks and I rode everyday. I loved being able to ride on Sundays when the traffic is light. Icontinued to ice my knee after I rode in the morning. I started to ride a little harder, a little farther.

The scale seemed to be stuck in the beginning of the month. I tried to only eat the calories I needed for the day and not the ones I earned by exercising. Perhaps the weight is being shifted to muscle. I got a couple of new cycling skorts since the one I had was just too large.  

A second pair of padded gloves.

I got a bike mount for my iPhone. I looked at so many options but decided on an inexpensive one from Target. It is a simple mount but keeps the iPhone from getting wet. I like that I can see notifications at a glance. I can see who is texting or calling and decide if I need to stop and answer. I keep the display off most of the time.

I kept thinking about getting a heart rate monitor. I had one when I biked in the 1990s. I still had it but it was an old model and needed new batteries. The monitor and watch need to be sent in for battery change since the units are waterproof. I figured it would be about the same price to get a new unit. And the new units can work with the iPhone or other cycle computers. I ordered a Wahoo Tickr from rei. It arrived July 30 so I took it for the first time July 31. I decided to try using my iPhone with the display on to test the bike mount and battery drain. I set the iPhone display to 50% brightness. The iPhone did not get hot and only drained about 8% in 40 minutes. I learned that I was riding too hard for the best fat burning which is my primary objective.

The Sand Hill Cranes don't move off the path. But they don't mind of you ride around them at a reasonable pace.

I rode 212 miles in July and lost 8.8 pounds.