October 26th, 2009 - Study Time

So I have a winter to study up on 14er mountain climbing. Fortunately, this being Colorado, there are ample resources to prepare me for a summer of hiking in the Rockies. I also need to beef up my hiking equipment. I'll need a real backpack with camping gear and the works. Cheri's only requirement, aside from the obvious, is that I buy a "personal locator beacon." We were just listening to an NPR (National Public Radio) story about people abusing these GPS emergency locators, but I would only use it if one of us got so injured we absolutely could not continue. I'm not too concerned with training for the road bike tours because I ride a lot anyway, but I will need to take shorter hiking trips this winter to get used to the equipment, cold weather, and to train to go beyond my current limitations. The weather can be unpredictable at elevations higher than 14,000 feet. Prep for the worst.

Today I did make it to the gym, but I was kind of disappointed about how much my gimp wrist is going to hold me back. Basically, all I can do for now is the virtual bike (stationary). Today I rode for 45 minutes. Using the moderate incline mode, I rode 12.5 miles. I really wish you could glide for a little bit on the virtual bike, but nooo, you have to keep peddling or you stop. My car is in the shop tomorrow, so I can't make it to the gym. Hey, maybe I could ride my bike. LOL