Blog / Random thoughts and musings.

New bikes, iPhone tracking

Kat and I have traded in our bikes for better models, only a couple weeks after buying them. We both got really good deals from Performance Bike in Reston on the upgrades. The new bikes are 21- and 24- speed instead of 7-speed, have front shock absorbers, and higher quality shifters, gears, brakes, and other parts. The additional gears are essential for dealing with the long and steep hills on the Fairfax Parkway trail.

I also have a new iPhone, and downloaded a great free application that uses the GPS to record your bike rides and map them on Google Maps. Below shows the route that was recorded yesterday when Kat and I rode over 21 miles (round trip) to Leesburg and back on the W&OD trail. We kept our pace brisk, and it was a really good workout — almost 1,800 calories for me according to the bike computer. I’ve now ridden around 100 miles total, and Kat’s gone further since she’s done some biking trips while I’ve been at work. She’s been logging our efforts in an online document here.

W&OD from Rt. 28 to Leesburg and back

I also rode to work last Monday, which was a lot of fun, but logistically complicated (backpack full of clothes, shower at work, etc.). It took me about 40 minutes to get to work, vs. the usual 15-20 when driving. But adding in all the prep time and shower time at work makes it more like 60, so 3-4 times as long. I’ll probably do it occasionally, but I don’t think it’ll become my primary way of getting to work.

I’m really enjoying biking, and am glad that we decided to get bikes this year. There are a lot of bike trails in Virginia, so we’ll probably find a way to start exploring more of them.