Zen & the Art of Bicycle Maintenance

A timely guide to preparing your cycle for the pending outdoor season

By Michaleen McGarry

Surrender.
The enveloping spring air lends the mind to drifting. Thoughts of new adventures begin to overwhelm my very essence at the inception of this vernal equinox. Self, cycle, and road are in desperate need of a holiday together. Now. Tend to the task at hand. As William Blake once said, "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is - infinite." This wisdom holds true for the spring cleaning of a bicycle as well. If the mechanics of a bike are maintained, the paths of travel are boundless.

Be.
Focus on your machine. What is reverberating back at you? Although not psychic, I can guess that your cycle is in need of a good cleaning, lubrication, and once-over for loose parts. To begin this process, give your bike a nice warm bath with a good liquid detergent. Get all the grease off, using small soft brushes to reach the intricate areas. Gently rinse with a garden hose while trying to avoid bearings. Lightly rub the bike down with a soft, dry towel to circumvent rusting. If you truly feel at one with your bicycle, consider a wax job. The sleek, smooth finish of buffing can be felt and heard as the air rushes by you. In that same vein, don't let unnecessary noise negatively influence the season's first trek. Close your eyes - and listen. For areas in need of a lubricant, use your old friend, WD-40.

Lastly, replace the tires. Yes, replace them. The piece of mind you receive far outweighs the cost. For the penny-pinching biker, I offer this alternative: examine the tire tread for damage and decay. If each tread is injury free, pump up the tires to meet the manufacturer's specifications and think good thoughts.Behold. Now that your bicycle is purified, it is time to consider any possible problems that could be alleviated with preventative maintenance.

• Check the brakes for sufficient pad thickness, replace if low.


• Check cables for rust or fraying, replace as needed.


• Check for loose parts. There shouldn't be any play in the cranks. Tighten the bottom bracket, if needed.


• Try to turn the handlebar while the front tire is fixed firmly between your knees. If the steering is loose, tighten the bolt that secures it.

Enjoy.
It is now time to take pleasure in the fruits of your labor. As you chart your course and start toward the final destination, consider the words of Ursula K. Le Guin, "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

Battling the Bulge

An In-the-Trenches Account of Fad Dieting

By Michaleen McGarry

It is 07:00.00 hours as five naïve dieters begin their mêlée with the enemy - fat. Secluded in the mountains outside of San Diego with the addition of a "Fad Diet Queen" neighbor, each has agreed to go on a Miracle Diet, which claims to take off ten pounds in three days. Perfect timing, as it is a three-day weekend. Here are the trials and tribulations of the Battalion Six.

Meet The Troops
I am a mother of three, with the tummy to prove it. I am moderately active, exercising three to four times weekly but have never attempted to diet.

Kate, my sister and active mother of two, considers herself a little less than toned and would like to drop a few pounds but has little willpower.

John, Kate's husband, travels frequently. Although exercising regularly, he is finding it difficult to lose those last 10 pounds and has begun looking down the back alleys of fad diets for a quick fix.

Perry is my teenage daughter. She would like to lose some weight - but considers surfing the net physical activity and is hoping for an easy out.

Meg is Perry's friend. She is active, but not at the weight she would like to be. She is willing to try a short-term diet (if it doesn't interfere with her weekend festivities).

The Neighbor is a mother of two, finding it hard to lose the weight she gained with her second child. She exercises regularly, but the pounds are not dropping fast enough.

Saturday, 07:30.00 :: Dieters: 6
We are drifting towards the kitchen. John, Kate, and I sit down to a breakfast of dry toast, two teaspoons of peanut butter, one-half grapefruit, and all the coffee or tea our stomachs desire. We are biding our time, drinking plenty of water, writing a grocery list, and trying not to think about what we are being deprived of. We go to the local coffee house to buy some java. Between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., approximately 24 ounces of extreme caffeine has been ingested into my body. I cannot sit still, am finding it impossible to stay focused, and must admit, want to throw in the towel already!

Upon our return, Kate makes breakfast for the little ones. She is gazing lovingly at each strawberry as she slices the fruit, pining for just one pancake as she serves the stacks, and salivating at the orange juice she is pouring. For a moment, I think she is going to break.

John seems to be doing just fine, although I do notice him squeezing every last drop of grapefruit juice from his half and eyeing toast crust about to be thrown to the dogs. He decides to make a family website to keep busy.

Perry and Meg join the regime. Perry has already faltered by eating some cereal before beginning the diet. It probably messes with the "miracle" chemical interaction, but she doesn't seem bothered. Meg has high hopes, but within an hour, she waves the white flag and begins enjoying her weekend. Looking back on everything, I wish I had seen the wisdom of her ways!

Saturday, 12:30.00 :: Dieters: 4
We have lost two soldiers from the front line. Meg in the first hour and sometime before noon Perry has called it quits. As I look out into the backyard, I see her laughing, smiling, and eating - a beautifully layered sandwich fit for a general. As for the forces still remaining, our rations consist of plain tuna, dry toast, and again all the caffeine buzz we care for.

John is still doing well. He isn't complaining. I think his silence is for the morale of the unit. Kate and I are not so team-oriented. We have already started our descent into the philosophical depths of dieting…would Plato have tortured his body in this way, the inhumanity of it all, what is perfection, and related topics. No one really wants to hear this right now. Kate has started asking me if we should just stop and try again in a few days. Although I want to, I resist. After all, I need to continue this experiment for the sake of…what I am not sure. Lack of rations hinders clear thinking!

Kate and I take the three small ones to a birthday party. I am pumped so full of caffeine, I may just explode. There is a table full of delectable novelties, each one calling my name. The grapes are whispering sweet nothings in my ear, as I feed them to my daughter. Kate is making the rounds, but stops by to say that she has seen the fruited fork awfully close to my mouth. I deny the accusation, but know deep down inside, I want that fruit. Actually, I want to be covered in fruit, with whipped cream, in a mosaic tile design as I - curses, my daydream has been interrupted! The Neighbor introduces herself…we discuss the diet. She seems calmer than I, but she is also more serious about wanting to lose weight. As a clown entertains the children, I realize that I must make my escape now - before the cake - the cake with whipped cream frosting…

My caffeine high has said its goodbyes and I have freed myself from the "birthday party from dieter's hell" only to realize I am working on an incredibly painful headache and have the energy of a sloth. As it turns out, this weekend is going downhill faster than a sloth on a toboggan. Who thought of dieting this weekend, anyway? Oh, me. With no one to blame, I have come to this conclusion: Dieting sucks!

Saturday, 15:00.00 :: Dieters: 4 - barely
Kate is back from the festivities. We both assumed that if we could make it through the party, we were home free. You know what they say about assuming! Earlier, while buying presents for the party, we bought a carton of Little Debbie® Swiss Cakes out of sheer rebellion, not realizing this box would be our demise or savior - depending on your point of view. We debate breaking open the box one last time. I am not clear on the details of the next fifteen minutes, but all I do know is that by 15:15.00, Kate and I have finished the entire box of Swiss Cakes and two large glasses of milk. Yes, we are broken, but quite giddy and rather satisfied with our revolt.

Saturday, 15:30.00 :: Dieters: 2
John is impressively steadfast. That is, of course, until we get to him. Our mission - make him eat! It takes a good half-hour before he cracks. But once he does, Kate is on the scene creating a makeshift version of strawberry shortcake (pound cake, strawberry ice cream, and whipped cream). John takes one bite and knows he has made the right decision. He is even appreciative of our covert operation to break him. With each bite, I see a coolness come over him. We have a healthy, satisfying dinner, and enjoy the evening. No remorse.

Sunday :: Dieters: 1
Well we're now down to one unwavering dieter: The Neighbor. How ironic; the only person left standing, did it alone. So much for the group support method! We do not hear from The Neighbor, but she is in our thoughts.

Monday :: Dieters: 1
The Neighbor has done it. Not only has she survived the weekend, but she has seemingly defeated the enemy by losing five pounds. We have not lost any weight, but we have not gained any either. Call us the Switzerland of weight loss.

Tuesday & Beyond - Back to Reality
My thoughts: fad dieting is simply the wrong way to lose weight. Yes, The Neighbor lost five pounds, but it's only Wednesday and she has already regained two and a half of them. If you really want to do battle with the bulge, change your lifestyle, exercise a little more, and analyze your current eating habits. In the real world, the benefits of healthy living far outweigh the temporary weight loss you will obtain from any Miracle Diet.

G-Force

With talent, drive, and strength, Gea Johnson pushes her way towards the Gold in the 2002 Winter Olympics

By Michaleen McGarry

It could be said that Gea Johnson was born to be an athlete. Receiving accolades throughout her athletic career, this humble athlete has seen her share of success as a world-class heptathlete, as an Olympic weightlifter, as America’s first Ms. National Fitness champion, and most recently as a member of the 2002 U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team.

Johnson’s road to success has not been a smooth one. With multiple injuries throughout the years, Gea Johnson’s dreams have repeatedly been tested. Despite numerous injuries and surgeries that have endangered Johnson's ability to ever compete again, she has never given up. Amid an extremely triumphant athletic career, she has sustained what should have been a career-ending knee injury, endured five open knee surgeries, herniated two discs in her neck, had major foot surgery, and suffered severe nerve damage in her leg. Not exactly a walk in the park. And while most would have given up, Johnson found the strength and focus to continue…to endure.

It is put best by the victor herself, "A champion doesn't always win with ease. A true champion has faced adversity, tasted failure, seen disappointment, and yet still rises to the challenge on every front, emerging victorious with a bold determination to share the process with others."

Johnson’s abilities go beyond the norm – even for star athletes – with her uncanny ability to envelop a sport with such ease. Gea's climb to the top echelon of bobsledding is the fastest the sport has ever seen. Johnson took up the sport in August 2001 after rehabbing from nerve damage in her leg and is now the fastest female brakeman in the United States.

In 1997, after just five months of training, Gea Johnson's commanding performances within the weightlifting world earned her several weightlifting titles. The subsequent year, she developed into the top ranked lifter in her weight class. Johnson's accomplishments in the track and field area are just as noteworthy with top rankings in heptathlon and track and field events worldwide, in addition to four uninterrupted years of 2nd place standing in the U.S. Heptathlon – second only to the celebrated Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

With her remarkable athletic triumphs, Gea Johnson can certainly be considered one of the world's greatest female athletes. Yet, just as important as all of these accomplishments, is how she got to where she is today. Gea Johnson gives much credit to her achievements to her loving family, especially her mother.

"My mom taught me when I was little that you can accomplish anything you want to, and I think that is what drives me," states Gea.

Like the true athletic adventurer that she is, when asked what her future holds, Gea is quick to comment on her love of training and competing, her new found love of bobsledding, and her hopes to compete in another heptathlon someday.

Whatever Gea Johnson’s future holds, whether she wins the Gold or not, with her natural talent and determination – she will be successful. After all, you can’t stop the forces of nature.

Oh, Baby!

A post-pregnancy workout routine to help shed pounds while bonding with the fruit of your labor.

By Michaleen McGarry

The most wonderful and blessed event has come and gone. Well, more has actually come than gone. Now you have the addition of stubborn, bouncing, undeniable pounds…and we don't mean that precious bundle of joy. Don't worry; it's just time to bring those sagging, over-stretched muscles back to Mama. There are many ways to regain your shape, but none as rewarding as working out with Baby!

“Shear” Strength
Don't throw away those pre-pregnancy jeans; just try this upper-thigh and lower-abdomen strengthening exercise for slimming down to your previous size. Lay on your back with both legs extended up while holding Baby. Now open your legs, extending arms while lifting Baby, saying something cute like "goochie goo." Close your legs like a pair of scissors; lower Baby to your chest and hug. Perform three sets of eight reps.

Belly Blower
How is it that the round belly of Baby is so cute while ours is…well…not? In standard sit-up position, rest Baby, unclothed (a diaper is fine, but not as adventurous) against your thighs. Begin a shoulder to knee crunch while at the same time pulling Baby toward you. Once you are in contact with Baby's tummy, blow on that belly! Lower and return Baby to start position. Perform three sets of ten reps.

Lambin’ It Up
To regain that spry derrière of yesteryear, use a nursery rhyme of yore. With your back on the floor, your knees bent, and Baby on board, lift your buttocks from the floor to a comfortable level. With your head tipped toward your knees, hold position while singing, "Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb." Lower slowly until your bum is resting on the floor, and perform one Kegel exercise while singing, "Mary had a little lamb, with fleece as white as snow." Three sets of three reps (a rep for each verse).

Searching Thigh & Low
Finding a way to hide your upper arms and thighs may seem less challenging than trying to reduce them, but you can't conceal that jiggle from the mirror or escape swimsuit season forever. Standing with Baby at chest level, begin lowering to a squat while at the same time lifting your gift from above over your shoulders, toward the sky. Hold for five seconds. Be sure to keep a chair behind you for spotting. Perform two sets of eight reps.

Teaching Trek
Taking a brisk walk is a great mental exercise for Baby and a physical one for Mom. As you feel more comfortable, increase the length, speed, and intensity of your daily journey. Use interval training to get your heart pumping - speed walking two blocks, pointing out the sights and sounds of the world around you every third. The fresh air and vivid stimulation will leave the wee one content, satisfied, and napward bound once back at home, presenting the perfect opportunity to indulge yourself; take a long bath, read a short story, or call up an old friend. Be sure to perform daily.Remember, bonding with Mom is an important part of your baby's first year of life and your health is important to your family. Exercising together can help achieve both. And who knows? Soon you might even hear Daddy say, "Oh, Baby!"

*The intensity of these exercises can be increased by adding reps, while Baby’s increasing weight will add resistance! Remember, before beginning any workout program, consult your physician.