Down, but NOT OUT!

Late this past Sunday afternoon I started having a sore throat.  I thought I was just allergies but I seem to have come down with a cold or some type of sinus infection.  It moved from my throat to my nose and ears and today, Tuesday, hit my chest.  I am trying to rest as must as possible and am taking a few over the counter medications to help kick it. There are a few bigger rides I had on my calendar this weekend and I am hoping to be back riding and running this weekend.  I am listening to my body and will take it easy as I want to bounce back from this as fast as possible.  Pounding the liquids to try and flush it from my system. When the weather is good, even though it is hot, it stinks to be sick.

Saturday Morning's Training Ride of Just Over 40 Miles

A quick overview of this morning's just over 40 mile ride. 

It was humid but not really any wind to fight. 

Terra-Ride’s R1 Racing Lubricant made by KAEPS Sports

Keeping your chain in great shape is very important, as your chain is constantly moving when you are riding (unless you are coasting). Regular maintenance of your chain and bike will make it last along longer. The Terra-Ride’s R1 Racing Lubricant made by KAEPS Sports is an eco-friendly bike lubricant not only for chains but for cables, derailleurs and shifters. After a good washing of your bike, protect its moving parts with an application of the Terra-Ride R1 Racing Lubricant. It was developed for extreme conditions. The lube creates a good bond with the chain after applied and does a great job of repelling water. It can be used on both mountain bikes and road bikes.  Not to mention it is great for cyclocross bikes, as those courses tend to get a little muddy. Simply apply to the chain as you run it backwards and wipe off the excess. 

MUNK Athletic Hand Strengthener

This adjustable resistance hand strengthener by MUNK Athletic is made of high quality plastic. The adjustment ranges from 22 to 70 pound of resistance. It says the handles are anti-slip but it would have been better designed with some type of rubber injected in both sides of the grip. It is very small and compact measuring only four by six inches. Very convenient to throw in a gym bag or backpack.  Mine travels with me in my car to use while sitting at red lights or in my desk drawer. The stainless steel spring is easily adjustable as well as the wheel on the top of the device. The strengthener is perfect for those wanting to increase their forearm and hand strength or use as a rehabilitation exercise. 

#MunkAthletic 

Kewl Systems Camtrek Pro DLSR 8CXi Camera Sling Bag

 This is my review of the Kewl System Camtrek Pro DSLR 8CXI sling bag. Photographers always have some type of bag or backpack with gear in it.  I set out to use the KewlSystems sling bag as a way to downsize the amount of equipment I carry with me. It can fit one DSLR comfortably in the main pocket of the pack. Besides the main zippered pocket, there are four other zippered pockets of various sizes.  An extra lens, really reaching the size of your typical 70 to 200 mm zoom fits very well.  The other zippered pockets sizes go down from that. A pocket for your memory cards, or cell phone, point-and-shoot camera or small flash units, microphones, etc. The sling strap tightness across the front of the body can be adjusted and the padding in shoulder area is very comfortable. There are a few convenient straps or attaching hooks or other gear to, while there is also an adjustable buckle which in a few other photos of the sling bag I have seen a mono-pod carried inside. Obviously the mono-pod I have an use is too heavy and doesn’t collapse down far enough without being awkward and wanting to fall out. There is a water bottle holder mesh pocket on the bottom of the sling bag which is a nice added feature. The Camtrek Pro DSLR 8CXI sling bag was designed by photographer for photographer.  Like anything new, it will take some adjusting to working out of the bag, but with its limited space, the bag will do what it was designed for, not wanting to carry an entire camera kit. 

For carrying a GoPro camera and a bunch of attachments, this sling bag will work great for mountain biking and hiking. 

*Note -- I received the product for free or a reduced price for my unbiased review and opinion. 

40 mile training ride from this past weekend.

A quick GPS video showing my training route this past weekend. The ride was great with a local group I have met up with the past month.  Aside from someone in the group having a flat with in three miles of the start, we all stopped to wait. The humidity was pretty high, but once moving through the air it was tolerable. The planned route was a little over 40 miles, so I packed three 23 ounce hydration bottles. 

Ultimate Fitness "Ultimate Roller"

The Ultimate Roller is very well constructed and measures 14 inches long and roughly four inches in diameter. Like numerous rollers on the market, the dense foam provides a deep tissue massage. Using properly the roller can release tension spots or knots. Each knob on the Ultimate Roller sticks out about one half inch, and is better at getting deep into muscle tissue as a flat foam roller would not do. The size of the roller makes it very well portable and the stiff knobs seem to be holding their shape and structure. It is backed by a one year warranty so buyers can relax on how well it will hold up. 

Ultimate Foam Roller