[SOLO] Bicycling for Ladies by Maria E. Ward -jo

Post by **knotyouraveragejo** » July 9th, 2021, 9:56 pm

Really long wikipedia article on the subject -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » July 10th, 2021, 3:21 pm

knotyouraveragejo wrote: ↑July 9th, 2021, 9:56 pm Really long wikipedia article on the subject -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake

Thanks, Jo! This is utterly fascinating and chock-full of information!
And it answers what I was wondering -- This book was written in 1896, and coaster brakes were invented in 1898. Close - but not quite yet!

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » August 28th, 2021, 3:29 pm

Oof, what a long time I've been AWOL! So sorry. I've worked a lot of 7-day weeks this summer. The good news is that I will have THREE days off next week! And I hope to devote one or two of them to some Bicycling for LV! I actually have two chapters which I recorded a month ago, but have yet to edit. I plan to tackle them within the week!

Post by **TriciaG** » August 28th, 2021, 3:37 pm

Sounds good! I did worry about you, that you were unwell or otherwise away from LV, but then I saw you had been posting occasionally, so I stopped worrying.

How's that for a run-on sentence?

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » August 28th, 2021, 3:44 pm

Run-on sentences are excellent for developing our breathing techniques!

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » September 1st, 2021, 10:06 am

And here it is, after an unconscionable delay! Chapter 12 - (Watch & Cyclometer) - (length 20:28)
https://librivox.org/uploads/knotyouraveragejo/bicyclingforladies_12_ward_128kb.mp3

A few days ago, I came across this item on NPR:
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/22/1028084787/a-beautiful-feeling-refugee-women-in-germany-learn-the-joy-of-riding-bikes
It seemed apropos. Adult women learning to ride a bike for the first time, and discovering what a sense of freedom it gives, very like the women of the 1890's did.

Post by **TriciaG** » September 1st, 2021, 5:34 pm

PL OK!

I can't imagine riding bikes without freehubs/freewheels (i.e. can't put your feet on the pedals and coast with the pedals not turning)!

"It's disconcerting to find the hill is steeper than you expect. Don't panic, hold on, and you'll be okay - unless you run into something."

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » November 19th, 2021, 9:33 pm

I'm sorry it's been such a long delay since my last contribution here!
Real life has been a bit of a load these past few months, and LV has rather fallen by the wayside.
I'm hoping to get back into things here as we go into the winter season slowdown at work.

November 19th, 2021, 10:21 pm

Thanks for the update, Maria.

Post by **TriciaG** » November 20th, 2021, 8:17 am

No worries!

Post by **knotyouraveragejo** » March 13th, 2022, 12:23 pm

Hi Maria,

Just checking in here to confirm that you are still planning to get back to this project at some point. It's been several months since you last posted...

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » March 13th, 2022, 6:37 pm

I mean to - every day - but it's been one thing after another. Both of my jobs are short-staffed, so I've been pretty much working seven days a week for months, and when I do get a day off, maybe 2-3 times a month, it gets eaten up doing laundry, grocery shopping, errands, and all the other stuff that has to get squeezed in on those few days. And then Brian went into the hospital in early November, came out again in December, went back in again just after Christmas, and has been recovering at home since February. I keep saying, "Hmmm, looks like I have a few hours free tomorrow, guess I'll get back into my LV project" -- and then something happens and there goes that evening.

Anyway, things are looking up lately. For the last few months, we've been transitioning to new management for the department where I work at one of my jobs. In February, the manager of one of the few departments that was NOT involved in the transition suddenly asked me if I'd like to come work for her, and I jumped at the chance. So I've escaped from all that work chaos. Where I am now, she gives me reliable hours, I work exactly the days and times on the schedule, very nice and predictable, so I can make plans around that! And Brian just started being able to drive himself again, so he no longer needs me to chauffer him. All this means that at long last I can make actual plans for my own free time and not have it disrupted. So, yes, I plan on getting back to LVing again -- which I have very much missed!

Post by **knotyouraveragejo** » March 13th, 2022, 6:59 pm

Sounds like you have had a lot on your plate. Glad to hear, things are looking up. No worries here. As long as I know this is still on your agenda, it will be waiting here for when you have the time and energy for it.

Post by **knotyouraveragejo** » July 23rd, 2022, 10:29 am

Hi Maria, Just checking in to see how things are going (or not) with this project. Hope all is well.

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » July 23rd, 2022, 3:52 pm

knotyouraveragejo wrote: ↑July 23rd, 2022, 10:29 am Hi Maria, Just checking in to see how things are going (or not) with this project. Hope all is well.

I am SOOOO sorry, really I am, that I've seemed to have fallen right off the face of the LV planet this year. I didn't mean to disappear so completely. I kept thinking, this is temporary, I'll get back to normal in a month or so. What id basically boils down to is that I'm working nearly 7 days a week. I have two jobs, one on Mon/Tue/Wed, the other on Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun. When I get a rare day off, it gets eaten up with a backlog of appointments and chores. Right now, I'm in the middle of a 32-day work stretch. My last day off was July 6, my next day off will be Aug 8. (Also, I babysit a 2-year old 4 nights a week, which doesn't help.)

I do actually have a new chapter of the bicycling book recorded. I recorded it on my last day off, and started to edit it, but haven't gotten the editing finished yet. I'll see if I can get it done in little increments this week, instead of leaving it laying around until August. It will really feel so good to actually finish a chapter again!

Off to tonight's babysitting session, but I'll see what I can do with a bit of editing when I get home tonight!

Again, profound apologies for this defection.