Hello there Band fans....I got banded March 28th-2007.

I told myself....Bycyling would be a very good choice. Fresh air, muscles working for the sake of "Cardio". After one week passed--in April. I purchased three new bikes for me and my two sons. I have defeated many things doing that. No more not riding with my children--we ride as a crew (family). We could not conquer the hill on my street. We used to stop 3 to 4 times before getting to the top ( I did). So now the wheels have turned. My kids ask me---"Daddy can we stop--our legs are burning". Thank God I am doing well now. Now with 21 pounds gone---but just riding bikes. I am ready for the next Journey...The 1st fill--I am looking forward to the next 4 to 6 weeks--maybe 12 or 20 pounds gone...who knows...:faint: this is how I feel on many days after my ride. Today--(8.5 miles) It was walking, riding around the fair in my town--but that is what my speedometer said when it was all over...

OMG...I LOVE the Patchwork one!! I've only seen it in the little "petite tote" size. Other than that, not too inspired either!

Oh well...have a great day everyone! I'm off to drink a protein shake now! Yummy.

~C

J I so have to try out the aerobars when I am down nexst week. I want some really bad me thinks.

It is sunny and 51 right now. How effing exciting is that? I am all dressed to go just waiting on some podcasts to download. House is clean, chores are done. I hope to get in a good 25 miles. And I am not going to lie I was a bit excited to find out that my church has podcasts from their weekend services. Si I looked up some relevnt ones to keep my mind busy while I am riding. Think anger management lol.

J - Your over thirty paragraph translation had me nearly spitting Activia yogurt all over the computer here at work! OMG! You are a riot!

C and HP - I heart purses too. As I posted a while back, I recently got a Coach off of eBay, it's a small one but I LOVE it. I bought another one too, but I haven't gotten it yet, I'm about to contact eBay and bitch about the seller! Ohhh, I also got a Maxx New York Croc embossed black leather purse. It should arrive on or near Monday. I love the Vera Bradley style, but yeah... it is just cloth. Lol. I am also eyeing a couple bags from Fossil, Guess, Fendi... I think I may have become a cute purse whore. Lol.

And, can I just say how freaking AWESOME it feels to be able to walk into a friggin WalMart and buy their stuff off the rack without trying it on... and having it FIT?!?! I hadn't been able to wear WalMart clothes in a few years, but now I gothrough their racks and always find something in my size. Oh, I know... I'm a cheap Wal Mart shopper... but really, why pay more than $10 for a pair of pants that I won't be able to wear more than a few months?!?

Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday!!

Okay, guys! I just got in from Tour Dallas, and WOW!

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

We got off to a rocky start. Start time was 8am...us 30 milers were set to head out first. No wait...safety issue. Give us 10 minutes. IT WAS COLD THIS MORNING and I wanted to get moving! 10 minutes passes...still have safety issue, which is the company with the cones and barricades is a no show! JEEZ it couldn't have been a worse scenario. Scrambling for tons more Dallas Police to cover most every intersection on the routes. There were 3 routes...8, 20 and 30. At 8:30 we take off! Those cops volunteered and showed up FAST and they were SO NICE at every intersection, cheering us on! Okay, this was my first organized event, and i almost chewed pavement at the starting line! It is SO DIFFERENT riding with THOUSANDS of people! Very slow getting going, as you might expect, but it was REALLY slow. Picked up quick, though.

It was a fantastic ride! Beautiful weather, nice people, great ride support. Went through downtown, through the historic district, around Lake Ray Hubbard. And Texas is flat, so where the hell did all those hills come from?!?!? My legs are SHOT. First time with my aerobars, too. I like them, though it was close quarters and so many twists and turns much of the time that I didn't settle into them very often.

At the end, there were cops and spectators yelling and cheering, bringing us in to the party area where they were handing out water, sodas, monster something-or-other drinks, pizza to all the riders. So I hung out for a bit visiting and drinking my monster and water before heading back to my truck to load up.

I'm exhausted and exhilerated (sp?) all at the same time! Exhausted wins, though...I'm off for a shower and a nap!

I'll make a slide show later with all the pics I took and post a link here! I should've taken more, but I was having so much fun that I would forget about the camera around my neck!

See y'all laterz!

TX: Sounds awesome!!!! I'm so glad you had a good time! What a chaotic beginning, but it sounds like that didn't take anything away from the ride. I heart cops! :tt1: I can't wait to see the pictures!!

~C

What a happy riding day! ZZ, I love the convo about $100+ purses and $10 pants. Ironic but I get it!

I didn't ride today because I have Zoe and it was chilly this morning...so we walked at the zoo for 4 hours. But on the way home I saw many bikers or bikes on cars and I was droooling about wanting to ride. I'll make up for it next weekend.

I'm going to Ikea tomorrow to get some cheap blinds and other stuff for the house. My sister is meeting me there, so woo hoo!

XO you all,

Can't wait to see your pics TX! Very cool.

Okay, I have gotten brave today and decided to tell my story here on LBT. I just heart you guys, and it's one way for you all to know how I ended up here. It's kinda long, but here goes if your interested:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/lapband-found-my-cancer-57636/

~C

Well.....Tx...my day was not nearly as eventful as yours, but I did get my ride in today....with of course a story to go with it.......

We started at the outside of the State park and rode in.....went through the campground....things were going really nice. Until we ended up needing to go to the bathroom....So, I had unclipped from one pedal, and came to a stop, but before I could remmeber what I was doing, DOWN I WENT!!!! Loose gravel, hard concrete....and DAMN IT HURT!!!!!

There was some very nice people there with a boat, that got the bike off me, pretty banged up...but ok!!!

Than we realized our 14 year old was not with us......we ended up getting the security at the park to help us. She had ridden all the way back to the truck and was waiting for us at a resturant.

So, after an hour or so....she is safe and learned a good lesson.

Met some nice bikers from Michigan there, and they were super helpful....

It was a good ride...I am VERY SORE!!!! But.....I am learning.......

HP: You poor thing! What a day! I'm glad everyone is safe and sound. Nothing worse than losing your kid...OMG I would be panicked!

~C

we did, and everyone was a great help.......the one time she did not have her cell phone....

Taking some tylenol and going to bed!!!

What a happy riding day! ZZ, I love the convo about $100+ purses and $10 pants. Ironic but I get it!

Lol. Yeah, a purse will always FIT!

TX - CONGRATS on finishing your ride today. I know you can do 30 miles with your eyes closed, but still, it sounds awesome and I can't wait to see the pics!

Thanks C, J, ZZ! And I am SO glad to hear everything turned out okay for you today, HP! How scary! I would've been a basket case! I hope you get to feeling better from your fall very soon, too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, so I didn't get to my camera today...maybe tomorrow...for sure tomorrow.

Normally, I would agree that I've ridden enough distance that 30 miles should be pretty easy for me. However, now I know how "cake" my normal trails are! I have got to find some better training ground with some hills. This ride today really tested me with the hills. Of course, I was stubborn and refused to stand up to climb...insisting that my legs just pump them out. And these hills were nothing compared to what I will face on future rides, from what I heard.

(On those hills, I kept thinking about how Lance Armstrong lives near and trains on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Smokey Mountains. Anyone ever driven that? It is awe-inspiring! And tough for any motor vehicle's transmission to make it all the way through! Now imaging biking it! He's amazing! Of course, his legs put out the most wattage ever measured in any athlete, any sport, elite or not.)

So surely I can climb these little Texas hills, right? Yeah, right! I sucked wind! LOL My legs are so sore that I could cry!

And while I was whining about my legs tonight, I signed up for the Lancaster Country Ride, doing the 63 mile course.

GDB Rally-2005: Lancaster Country Ride

It is next Saturday, and will be the real test for the MS150, I think.

Edited April 6, 200818 yr by TexasFire67

Wow Stef, you are just a lil over acheiver. Lol. Nah, I think it's cool how you're doing organized rides!

Glad to see most had a decent day yesterday. My butt is on fire right now. I did get in my 25 miles in just under 2 hours. 1:56 to be exact. Not too bad considering I was riding at a solid 10mph last season lol. I am going to get back out some time this afternoon and put a few in. I am going with my partner for the week long ride and she has not spent much time if any on the bke this year or any year really. So I don't expect it to be much more than an hour if that.

TX this is the ride I am going on 27th Annual Pedal Across Lower Michigan (PALM) Bike Ride

TX.....Your ride soudns awesome, and yes hills are defiantly a major challenge. it is learning how to breathe when you are going up, learning how to make sure you are in the correct gear.....it is so tricky...I am doing better than last year.......and this year with the pedals.....its like I either keep going or I will proably be on my butt!!

I am so sore today from my fall. I tried so hard to not whine about it last night...but damn!!!!!

Anyways.......................I got to my first big goal........!!! I am sooooo happy!!! It has really inspired me to keep going this month.

Thanks for everyones support on here....you all are amazing