July 9th

Wow been a while since I popped in here.
Updates since last time:
Doubled my mileage almost, sitting at 499.8 miles
Lost more weight, now at 246.

I seem to have hit a wall at the 245-247 range not gaining not losing but fluxing in between. Still much better than when I started.

The miles are coming smoother and faster. Since my last report I rode to Hovland and back and made a trip into Grand Marais. G.M. is a 32 mile ride and I clocked it in at 2:47:00 not bad at all considering the headwind the entire ride. Hovland and back 12.5 miles in about an hour even both ways.

Picked up some new tires, Schwalbe Big Apples :

Kind of a big tire :)
Compared to the Michelin 700x32:


even the original :




Ordered some new bling for the bike, new handle bars and a Brooks B-17 saddle.

sexy sexy saddle.

http://www.brookssaddles.com/brooksengland.html

Hoping that the new swept back bars and the comfy seat will relieve the minor discomfort on a long ride. My wrists seem to handle the straight bars but my palms go numb so I end up riding switching hand positions into all sorts of funky contortions.

Over all the more I ride the more I notice how much better shape I'm getting in even if I'm not seeing stupendous weight loss. I can crank up hills without huffing and puffing, ride for two hours straight without setting a foot down etc...
I remember when we moved back up here that I "needed" to stop for a cig break then walk the bike up the hill on the way to work. This hill is probably the lowest lump of elevation out side of the regular undulations around here.

I'm now considering going to a 1x9 set up dropping the front derailleur as I can get away without the granny gear and the large ring is mostly useless other than trying to reach terminal velocity going down hills. I think the area would make a single speed hellish, perhaps when we move.
Dropping the front derailleur would lose weight (haha) and allow me to move the Big Apple in the rear forward a bit closing up my wheel base. Even tho its only back an extra inch or so I would rather keep the rear tucked in and not rely on the hangers to support my weight while extended.

hard to see in this pic, but when forward theres about a credit cards width of clearance!