That means the simple act of raising the seat gave me about five minutes! That may not seem like much, but for a cyclist, it's huge. Imagine how much time you could shave off a record or how much farther ahead you could get in a race with that five minutes. 
Wild Wheels
a page for all things bike
When a person has no car, no money, and no idea how to get from point A to point B, what does she do?
If it's me, I get a bike....and not just any bike. I go straight to town and pick up a $21 Goodwill special; a 1980's Free Spirit White Mountain 10-speed All-Terrain bike with 26" wheels and genuine vinyl seat.
Okay, so it's not a Trek.
Okay, so the paint and stickers are peeling.
Okay, so the rubber in the tires is beginning to crack.
Okay, so one pedal has a big chunk out of it.
But hey, the brakes, derailleurs, and frame are all in good repair, and I don't know how many miles I've gone on the thing. It's actually not much for a couple years, but the old girl had a few problems. The gears stuck, the chain was rusty, and it needed new inner tubes. Then I got into a crash and broke a front spoke (better that than my neck). But now I think she's finally running at peak efficiency. She still won't shift to the lowest gear and the tires need to be replaced, but she's gotten me around town and beyond...and given me a sense of freedom I've never gotten from anything else. I'm not paying hundreds of dollars a month for gas, registration, insurance, repairs,or even a few dosen a month for a bus pass...and yet I can go just about anywhere I want. There are few things more exhilerating than coasting down a hill with the wind in my face and the road smooth beneath the tires. To date I've gotten into only two spills, neither of them serious, and the worst injury has been a sprained wrist.
And now I've got something big in mind. Something crazy. Something totally insane.
I want to ride my bicycle from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast; 3000 miles cross-country.
A lot of guys have done it. Lots of groups have done it. But how many girls, I wonder? Has there ever been a solo female bicyclist riding cross-country...or even an all -female team?
I intend to find out. If not, I'd like to be the first.
Say what you like about my sanity. I won't be totally alone. I'm taking my dog with me and I've got a best friend who can do anything. If the weather, my muscles, and God allow me, I'm planning on making the trip next year.
My training begins now.
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5-14-09': DIY Bike Gear
FREE HANDLEBAR BAG
I made this because I was sick and tired of using my fanny pack as a handlebar bag; partly because it took forever to get on and off, partly I had to use my fanny pack for what it was intended for, and partly because the fanny pack was just too small to hold everything I might need; energy bars, tools, windbreaker, gloves, first-aid kit, wallet, and patch kit. Plus if I wanted to take along a camera or cell phone I’d be out of luck.
I had a smallish, zippered bag I’d gotten for free from a friend. I also had a plethora of nylon straps and a TON of clips, buckles, sliders, you-name-it. (I liked collecting them for my costuming; all these had been rescued from the trash) 
Construction was pretty easy. Since the back was vinyl, all I had to do was poke two holes per strap in the back, tie on a pair of D-rings with some of the leather cord I never seem to run out of, sew a couple of sliders to some nylon webbing, and attach them. Viola’!
This bag has about twice the space of my fanny pack, and after stuffing in tool kit, patch kit, first-aid kit, windbreaker, and gloves, there’s still enough room for a small camera and a couple of energy bars. If I need even more room I can just put the fanny pack around my waist so I can get to some stuff (like energy bars) in a hurry. In warm weather the gloves and windbreaker can stay home, leaving even more room. With just the essentials (repair and first-aid) I could carry a picnic lunch- complete with ice pack. Not to mention there’s potential for sunblock, a small video camera, almost anything I could possibly want to take along on a short trip. I can even stuff a change of clothes in there! Sure, messenger bags or backpacks could do the trick just as well, but in hot weather who wants another place for sweat to build up?
This bag is great. The inside is coated with some kind of vinyl material, so it’s probably at least water-resistant. I can’t wait to see how it does in the rain. 
Before I go anyplace that could get dark or leave it on the bike permanently, I want to add another small D-ring so I can lock it, and put on some reflective tape.
NOTE: The knots popped out of the heat-softened vinyl on one side during my ’oven ride’ on the 11th, so I had to do a quick-fix and poke to smaller, additional holes. Soon I’m going to sew the D-rings on so it won’t happen again. The straps also have a tendency to slip, so I’ll probably add some Velcro for a tighter, more secure fit.
5-18-09. After the knots popped through the holes twice, I decided to take a different approach. I untied both knots and then tied the loose ends together in a square knot. Time (and bumpy roads) will tell if this new approach will hold.
FANNY PACK CONVERSION
Hee-hee! I finally found a way to take my fanny pack along without getting a stomachache. I converted it into an under-seat bag!
My bicycle seat is pretty old, and does not have those funny curvy thick wire-things that my brothers' and sisters' bikes do. Instead it has a couple box-shaped holes in the end to clip things to. So, what I did was sew a couple tiny spring-type clips to the back (front?) pocket, clip those to the seat, wrap the strap around the post, and...ta-da! It can hold my entire tool kit, patch kit, and first-aid kit. That takes the heavy stuff off my handlebar bag and makes the bike more aerodynamic. I'll try and put up pictures ASAP. 
5-19-09: PICTURES!
The fanny pack/saddlebag on the bike.
Closeup of the clips
The strap put to good use.
5-25-09: You Know You're a Cyclist When...
These are pretty funny. I imagine they're even funnier to experienced cyclists who put in 3000+ miles a month (which raises he question; how in Heaven's name do they DO that and still have jobs?!?)
You Know You're a Cyclist When...
Geesh. And Dad calls ME hard-core! 
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