Sunday April 19 rides

[alpinerabbit]

Today, I went out riding with a couple clubmates for the first time. There were 3 others, one about my level and two seasoned ironmen/women in training for this year's.
The guy pullled us all the way to the base of our mountain of the day, about 40k at least.

This is my favorite love/hate mountain, I call it the b!tch, and consists of about 200m elevation gain in the first 5K and then about 500 in the second 5-6k. I'd never done it so early in the season, the pastures up on the mtn still had snow.
I made it - maybe in the light red zone - of course my heart rate was probably about 30 beats higher than those iron people at roughly the same speed. How. do. they. do it??!

This was followed by a nice ride home because these guys knew exactly where to go so the ride home was almost all downhill. I'm a scaredycat but I had a blast.
We went so fast - once there was a deep dip followed by a really rather steep uphill of maybe 100m and we almost just rolled over it. There's such an advantage to speed :-)

came home and did the complete recovery program - protein, bath, hydrate, self-massage, stretching. phew. Now I think I get a nap.

[Grog]

Looks like a good ride!

My husband was working this morning so I went with him on his almost-25 km commute. At 6:30 it was a bit early for me but my ride is done for the day. I also found a shorter way to return home so I'll let him know that.

I was riding along the Skytrain line (Vancouver's metro transit system) and there were lots of people flocking to the stations (early on a Sunday morning) wearing their Sun Run t-shirts and carrying their race number. The Sun Run is a 55,000-people 10K race that happens every year in downtown Vancouver. Pretty impressive. For the first time this year I'm not in it. It just takes most of the day to get there, get started (one year it took me 45 minutes to cross the START line!!), run and find one's way home through the crowd. But it's a great event! I'm glad I could get a glimpse. I was too cold to go to the finish line and wait for the winners to come in around 9:30 a.m. so I just rolled home.

[hipmama]

I'm leading a new guy on a ride today- he just moved here from Hawaii and had posted in a local riding group that he needed a tour- we're both riding tour de cure this year too which is cool. He hasn't ridden his bike since last year so we're taking it easy, shooting for 20-25 miles with a few rolls- mostly on bike path. It's maiden voyage for my new bike as well though I'm fudging the footing- have clipless pedals and no shoes to lock in with, so I'm just wearing my running shoes, should be interesting?

[Fredwina]

I rode to church. We're having Santa Ana Winds, so going east was challenging. Then I turned around and headed west going about 25 mph Woo hoo!
Although once I got in shadow of the Mountains, I had another head wind:(
When I got to chruch, one of the parishioner wanted my advice on a bicycle his daughter had left with hie and told it was OK to get ride of. It's a Celo Europa from the late 80's early 90's he supposed to get back w/ Frame size and Gearing (All I could tell was shimano 105 and a double)
Coming home I took advantage of the tailwind, but stopped to take a pic:
http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq93/Janalingo/downsized_0419091034.jpg

[txred9876]

Today, I went out riding with a couple clubmates for the first time. There were 3 others, one about my level and two seasoned ironmen/women in training for this year's.
The guy pullled us all the way to the base of our mountain of the day, about 40k at least.

This is my favorite love/hate mountain, I call it the b!tch, and consists of about 200m elevation gain in the first 5K and then about 500 in the second 5-6k. I'd never done it so early in the season, the pastures up on the mtn still had snow.
I made it - maybe in the light red zone - of course my heart rate was probably about 30 beats higher than those iron people at roughly the same speed. How. do. they. do it??!

This was followed by a nice ride home because these guys knew exactly where to go so the ride home was almost all downhill. I'm a scaredycat but I had a blast.
We went so fast - once there was a deep dip followed by a really rather steep uphill of maybe 100m and we almost just rolled over it. There's such an advantage to speed :-)

came home and did the complete recovery program - protein, bath, hydrate, self-massage, stretching. phew. Now I think I get a nap.


You deserve one!!!! I think I might need one too...lol

[txred9876]

I fell really good this weekend.....energy is still doing well. I went to the Velaway (3.2 mile two lane paved - only bikes and roller blades).

I met up with a friend who has not been on her bike in 9 years!!! I followed her for the first two times and then she went home. I did the last 12.8 miles in just under an hour. I felt like I could have ridden more but my saddle sucks!

I stopped by the lbs and had them fit me with a new one!!!!

tina

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Good going, Tina!


DH and I did a very enjoyable and relaxing 25 mile ride today after breakfast.
I found another TINY newborn painted turtle on the road again- it's shell was exactly one inch diameter! Smallest I'd ever seen. There was a pond right near the road so I walked on down to it and put him in.

[7rider]

Did the shop ride. Had a few newbies and the C-ride was pretty crowded. I met a new TE'er....PFunk12. Unfortunately, DH and I arrived late at the start (per usual, sadly) and I didn't get to meet her at the start. I was asking for her at a light and a bunch of folks pointed her out behind me. We waved...and went with the green. The next light was the split point for the B- and C-rides. I went straight with the C's, but she went left with the larger group...the B's. :eek: I was a little nervous how she'd do on that ride, since it was her first time with the group. I talked to a bunch of folks at the end of the ride, and they all said she ROCKED. Smooth pedal style, no rocking in the saddle, held her line nicely. A real pro. So props to Pfunk12 and I hope to ride with you again soon!

Later in the day, DH and I went to the Carl Dolan races up in Columbia. We saw 3 friends race the men's Cat 4/5 race, and it was great. BUT....I lost my brand new Oakley Straight Jackets there. :mad: I am sick with anger over it. I take some consolation in knowing I got them for a relative song on Chainlove...but still.... Ugh.

[Triskeliongirl]

Today was our Fiesta Wildflower ride. The organizer did a great job, all turns marked so I never once had to look at my map, police to get us through intersections so we didn't have to stop, and a great lunch waiting for us upon our return. It was HARD, a lot of wind, but I pushed myself hard on my new bike and did a personal best time. Even got a lot of comments, even from a competing bike shop owner, about how well I was riding since I got my cervelo. Weather was great too, all in all just a great day. Sorry, no pics, I was in too much of a rush to make a good time!

[hipmama]

I'm in love with my new bike! Can't believe I rode it with my running shoes on the clipless pedals but couldn't get new shoes fast enough for me to pass up todays sun and not take her out to play. Went with a new neighborhood rider for 28 miles, couple of good climbs but mostly flat. My speed is much better on the new girl- averaged about 18mph and hit over 20 on some up hills- woohoo! My feet were cramping at the end from my foot set up though- getting shoes this week, have a couple rainy days coming so it won't be so torturous if it's not immediate.

[pfunk12]

Thanks for the kind words, 7Rider! Doing the club ride was a blast! I could kick myself for not coming out sooner to join you. Since it was my first group ride ever, it was a huge confidence booster for me. Not only was it fun but I met a lot of nice people. And I finally got that satisfying feeling that I used to get after my long marathon training runs. Try to show up early next time so we can ride together :p

[Crankin]

Did a 32 mile, 2,500 ft. climbing ride today and I am hurting! It was much nicer out than I expected, almost 60 and very sunny. But, oh those winds. Coming straight out of the east, so the whole second half of the ride was into a strong headwind, of course, after my legs were tired from climbing.
Did my second climb of Oak Hill, going at my usual speed of 8-10 for the 4.5 miles. There were lots of people training there today. One young woman and guy, sped ahead of us, when I came upon them, on the side of the road, with him lying prone in the grass :eek:. I was pretty nervous, approaching this scene, but when I asked if they needed help, she said, "Oh no, we're doing intervals." I didn't say anything in return, but I guess I didn't know that intervals include feeling so bad, you have to lie on the side of the road! Very strange.
We headed into Bolton, from Harvard center and then took a flatter route back, coming out of farm country, onto Rt. 117, which is busy. My DH and friend's DH got a bit ahead of me, because by this time the wind was vicious and my back was killing me, when I came upon them, by the side of the road. My DH had a flat on the day when he had no tools or tubes; yesterday he had his big bag on the bike for when we lead a ride and then he took it off, but left the little one in the car. So our friend went ahead, I gave DH the tools and a tube/CO2 and off we went. I got a little second wind, since by now we were riding on familiar roads I like. With about 2-3 miles left to go to our friend's house, where our car was, another young couple pulled out of a parking lot and tried to catch us. My friend saw them (she was a bit behind us) and said they were really trying, but despite their youth, couldn't do it. I just wanted to get back! At one point, when going over a highway overpass, my legs were cramping like crazy, but we made it.
Tomorrow I am marching in the Patriot's Day parade (3 miles) with the military family group and that will be my only exercise!

[msincredible]

Did a 63 mile, 7000' foot ride today. It was beautiful out! Although a bit hot on my second major climb, Page Mill, which is mostly unshaded.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Loma-Mar-Tunitas-Page-Mill-loop

Couple of pictures:

http://paularickert.net/albums/userpics/2009-04-19_stage2.JPG

http://paularickert.net/albums/userpics/2009-04-19_stage3.JPG

[jesvetmed]

Cool pics, mcincredible! What is that second one about?
TINA: Excellent for you! Way to keep going further and having fun!

As for me... SIGH....
I spent most of the day sitting at a booth begging for money for the Breast Cancer 3-Day (not a horrible day!), but finally got freed up to go for a ride.
At first, couldn't find my sunglasses (they were inside the lining of my purse where there is a hole they went thru :o ) Then, finally started out on my usual loop. Got chased by a dog that is NEVER there! it was ok, he respected me screaming at him. Continued to ride up the hill -- about 4 miles -- FLAT. Ugh. This same tire flatted on my last ride, and I had already changed out the tube and couldn't find any problems with the tire. I looked it over, and still couldn't find any problems, so I just pumped up the (new) tube and thought I'd ride back home. No more than 30 seconds later I was flat again.

Called hubby, and he came to get me.
FOUR MILES.... WOW. I can run longer than that now! :p

At home I inspected it further and found that the new tube actually had a fault in the seam right near the valve stem. Totally unrelated to the previous flat. I hope. I did also find a small piece of glass in a different area. Hopefully all is well now, and maybe TOMORROW I can get a ride in finally. That is AFTER I replace my tire at LBS.

Here's to tomorrow being a new day!

[msincredible]

Cool pics, mcincredible! What is that second one about?

It's right in front of a farmhouse, not sure what it is supposed to mean though.

Hope you get a nice ride in tomorrow!

[txred9876]

Cool pics, mcincredible! What is that second one about?
TINA: Excellent for you! Way to keep going further and having fun!

As for me... SIGH....
I spent most of the day sitting at a booth begging for money for the Breast Cancer 3-Day (not a horrible day!), but finally got freed up to go for a ride.
At first, couldn't find my sunglasses (they were inside the lining of my purse where there is a hole they went thru :o ) Then, finally started out on my usual loop. Got chased by a dog that is NEVER there! it was ok, he respected me screaming at him. Continued to ride up the hill -- about 4 miles -- FLAT. Ugh. This same tire flatted on my last ride, and I had already changed out the tube and couldn't find any problems with the tire. I looked it over, and still couldn't find any problems, so I just pumped up the (new) tube and thought I'd ride back home. No more than 30 seconds later I was flat again.

Called hubby, and he came to get me.
FOUR MILES.... WOW. I can run longer than that now! :p

At home I inspected it further and found that the new tube actually had a fault in the seam right near the valve stem. Totally unrelated to the previous flat. I hope. I did also find a small piece of glass in a different area. Hopefully all is well now, and maybe TOMORROW I can get a ride in finally. That is AFTER I replace my tire at LBS.

Here's to tomorrow being a new day!

What city are you doing the 3 day walk? I am a big supporter of the Komen foundation.

hopefully all your tire troubles are finished now!!!

Tina

[Biciclista]

9 miles in the "sun" it was gorgeous out, 68 degrees, the smell of flowers in the air. We rode down to Seward Park and back, 9 miles and 700 feet of climbing.
At the park, it was like scenes from my childhood. People in convertibles, (including a 1953 cadillac), mom, dad and the kids running around, i even saw children in swim suits! (that lake is COLD, what were they thinking?)
People of all ages and sizes were walking, biking and driving. The icecream man was there! Then we rode back up the hill to home.

[ttaylor508]

Great ride yesterday with friends. There were 7 of us at varying riding levels. One was on his first ride with a new bike another came with his Cruiser and a heavy backpack and several others are training for their first century ride. We left from our house and headed out to Redmond. DH and I and one other guy would do sprints to get our heart rate up and then wait for the others to catch up. They all did great. We turned around after climbing Inglewood Hill. It was a little hairy on E. Lake Sammamish as they are doing road work and totally took out the shoulder. Stopped by Redhook Brewery on way home and did the brewery tour (fun tour if you ever have the opportunity to do it). 35 miles total.

[kathybiker]

25 miles on the Big Island, my cruiser, in light rain and drizzle, temperature felt like mid 40's. Hunting for a forest preserve trail that turned out to be mud and impassable.

Did lots of riding on city sidewalks because the streets had no room for me.

Passed middle class homes crowded close together and nicer homes in spacious yards. Passed hundreds of businesses, dozens of strip malls, one interstate highway and a couple of forest preserves.

Ramps on all the sidewalk curbs, there to accomodate handicapped vehicles, made my ride possible. Didn't see any wheelchairs or other handicapped vehicles -- just about never do. The ramps help bikers more.

In about four hours, encountered only a handful of pedestrians and always went in the street to avoid them. Saw one bicyclist, dressed like me in rain gear and a backpack, a grocery bag slung over one of his handlebars.

Probably passed over 5,000 cars, or I should say, they passed me.

I stopped at a Sicilian bakery and ate arancini, a rice ball with a fried breading exterior, spicy rice, ground beef, tomatoes and peas inside. Munched on some sprinkled and chocolate butter cookies for dessert. Bought apple slices and cannoli cake for later.

Stopped at a video store and bought a DVD for $3.99. Something about a teacher and how her students made her internationally famous.

A few hours later stopped at a Polish grocery store and bought Black Forest ham and rye bread.

Picked out a couple of soup packets that had Polish writing on them, asked another customer what they were. She leaned in close and told me one was broccoli soup, the other a cheese soup. I could smell cigarettes on her breath. I thanked her and bought the soups.

Also bought Coca Cola that was bottled in Mexico, and so made with sugar rather than the high fructose corn syrup American Coke has. Cokes with sugar taste better. This one is sitting on my refrigerator shelf waiting for the right time for that "pause that refreshes."

The Polish grocery also sold PC computer magazine, Forbes, Newsweek and National Geographic in Polish language versions, besides a bunch of other magazines probably popular in Poland.

This was a big ride for noticing smells. Early on I passed someone's ranch style bungalow where roasting meat and onions wafted on the air.

I thought about stopping and just breathing in that smell, and all the warmth and homeyness it conjured up. Probably there was a family gathering around a dining room table, eating mashed potatoes and gravy, hot buttered rolls, a little salad, the roast pork or whatever it was, coconut cake for dessert. Just my fantasy.

Ten miles or so later, the smell of barbecue sauce on an outdoor grill sent a tangy pleasant smell through the neighborhood. Might have been Open Pit. Might have been ho'made sauce.

Laundry detergent scents would float past houses, once smelling like Tide, mostly like cheap brands.

Once I smelled hairspray ( do they still make Just Wonderful hairspray?) for an entire block. How could that be?

Did it always smell that way there? Who had sprayed it? How could the people who lived there stand it?

Once, on the sidewalk of a busy commercial street, I was hit with the most disgusting odor of wet and dirty dog, which was strange because there were no dogs in sight.

I stopped and retraced the last 50 feet or so that I'd rode, past a dental implant office, and the smell disappeared, as if I'd never smelled it to begin with.

The rain got worse on the way home, soaking my shoes, socks, gloves and shirt sleeeves around the wrists. I grasped my rain poncho on the handlebars of my bike, draping it over my legs and feet, but eventually the rain won out.

I was grateful to reach home with the Big Island. Grateful to get inside my warm and cozy place.

Glad to take a hot shower and dress in sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt, another riding adventure over, a simple day with simple pleasures, so thankful to have these experiences.

[Zen]

That sounds like a fun ride. We'll call it the Guess That Smell ride :p
Can you actually discern the different types of laundry detergent?
Are you part canine?
i am not familiar with Just Wonderful hairspray but I'm sure it makes hair-do's look just wonderful.

[OakLeaf]

Our Sunday ride is turning into a crazy scene! It was a very amorphous ride.

We started out with five of us regulars and one friend-of-a-regular. Within the first five miles we picked up another rider, then another, who'd ridden out to meet us. Then the fast group from the next town caught up with us and just melded into our ride. I think there were like 25-some riders at one point. They just started hammering. :rolleyes: We got them settled down a little bit so we could all stay together. When we got to the convenient store where we all take a break, a few more from the fast group caught up with us. Some of them turned around to go back, most of them were going to go on and do our longer route.

At that point the six of us who'd started out together decided we'd just let the fast group go. But we all pulled out of the convenient store together and it wasn't entirely clear who was doing what. The peloton started picking up the pace while us geezers were still shaking the post-break stiffness out of our legs, only to about 23 mph at that point, but it got really strung out, and the weakest rider got dropped immediately. Another one of the regulars hung back to keep him company. I chased the peloton for a few hundred yards and finally decided to just drop back with the other two guys.

Seven or eight miles later, here comes the guy who'd brought his friend, and the friend, back to join us slugs. I don't know if they burned up before or after the sign sprint, but they were burned up. So then we were five for the next few miles.

Then we came up on 10 or 15 of the fast riders trying to change one person's flat. :p The last of the guys we'd started with, and a couple of others, decided that there were plenty of people changing the flat, and they joined us again. I think we were nine at that point, for five or six miles.

Then one of us had a flat - one went on while the rest waited. Over the last few miles we split off for home one by one. I had 55 miles in all, a pretty good ride.

[sundial]

Target practice? He's got a head full of bullet holes.

[Possegal]

My sister and brother-in-law and I rode in the Girls with Gears charity bike ride in Limerick, PA. We did the 40 mile ride, had a good bit of hills to climb (my Garmin told me about 3700 ft total climbing). I toyed a few times with the idea of - the next hill, I've got to just walk it. But I never did. Which for me is a great accomplishment. Now if I could find a way to challenge myself like that regularly, maybe I could start dropping some pounds.

It was a really nice ride though, and a lovely day, and it would have been our mother's 90th bday if she were still here - so we rode with her picture on our backs.

[sundial]

Your mother looks so sweet. I am really touched by your photo.

[Possegal]

Thank you, I'm missing her extra hard right now. That picture is known in our family as "biker Meem" (Meem being what the grandkids called her). She joked once about those "Glamour Shots" stores and my one sister in law thought she was serious and got her a gift certificate for Christmas. Mum did NOT want to go do it, she hated having her pic taken and nearly never took a good photo. The day it was to expire she was hoping they forgot, but my brother called her and off they went. In the end, she had a BALL, the people there had even more fun with her, and we got his amazing photo of her. She was a pistol and it was an honor to be her daughter.

Sorry, feeling a tad emotional. :) Added to the emotion, while we were at our ride out near Philly, back in our hometown of Pittsburgh there was a fire in one of the 5 apartments in the building she/we lived in for 20 yrs and a woman I've known my whole life died in it. http://kdka.com/video/?id=56307%40kdka.dayport.com It was shocking to see the video online.

Yesterday was a very very difficult day, but with a beautiful bike ride with 2 people I love in there too. I guess I'm still processing it all.

[OakLeaf]

Oh (((((Posse)))))

[kenyonchris]

I rode 40 miles on patrol last night/this morning...we work 12s...start and end at 7. As it was Sunday night, which is always quiet, I decided to try to get 75 miles in....since I have to stop and talk to people, check in at the station, and because I am riding the monster patrol bike in Kevlar with belt (spray, cuffs, gun, radio, knife, flashlight), that was a lofty goal. I generally average 18mph on the road bike....and on patrol I usually don't pay attention to how far/fast I go, because I am flitting about on bike trails and sidewalks.
I hit it hard, riding my road bike course. I can't believe how much slower I was. That bike, fully loaded, with me, fully loaded, is HEAVY. I don't think I got above 15 mph unless I was going downhill. And, when sitting continuously, the generic bontrager saddle is VERY uncomfortable. BLECH.
Around 2am, I was coming up our main road, a 45 mph (or 70, as most people go) and saw two cars stopped in the empty road. I did a U-turn and got behind the first, and, using my headlamp, stopped it. I detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on or about the driver, so I actually did a DWI investigation...when my backup got there he thought it was a funny sight...my little bike parked there all proud to be making a traffic stop. I was nervous though...she stopped right in the median. Another officer took the other vehicle. Anyhow, all that took over an hour.
Another thing I found was that riding for a distance goal rather than tooling around on patrol is much more difficult at 4am than it is at 4pm when the sun is shining. I am used to riding long hours around the city, but at 4am I totally ran out of steam. Totally! Not bonking...my muscles were fine and dandy, and I am fit cardio wise, I was just soooo tired. At 48 miles I finally gave up and went in and sat around the station, the bike parked outside.
I am riding 50 tomorrow on my personal bike, its my day off so I get to do it during normal people hours. I know I will FLY it will seem so much easier!

[jesvetmed]

Posse: My heart goes out to you. Some of those events can be VERY emotional and bring everything to the surface. It's so nice that you rode for your mom. Great story about her.


What city are you doing the 3 day walk? I am a big supporter of the Komen foundation.

hopefully all your tire troubles are finished now!!!

I'm walking in the Seattle 3-Day. My fourth in a row! THANKS for being a Komen supporter. It is SO important. If you have never done the walk, it is an amazing experience. You should do it at least once.

My tires were good today and I had a GREAT ride (the sunshine really helps :D). None-the-less, I went and bought new tires, the next size down (:eek:) to add a little speed, and got all new tubes. We'll see how it goes.

[kathybiker]

@Zen,

"The Guess That Smell Ride" sounds good to me!

No canine blood... good question, though.

Cheap laundry detergent smells a little like grape juice.

[Biciclista]

@Zen,

"The Guess That Smell Ride" sounds good to me!

No canine blood... good question, though.

Cheap laundry detergent smells a little like grape juice.

Kathy, quite the ride report, i want to know where you buy Arancini!

[txred9876]

[QUOTE=jesvetmed;420983]Posse: My heart goes out to you. Some of those events can be VERY emotional and bring everything to the surface. It's so nice that you rode for your mom. Great story about her.



I'm walking in the Seattle 3-Day. My fourth in a row! THANKS for being a Komen supporter. It is SO important. If you have never done the walk, it is an amazing experience. You should do it at least once.

I am a survivor and I have walked in the Austin one the last three years and a special "team" out of Houston last year. It was a group of doctors and support staff from the MD anderson Inflamatory breast cancer clinic. I am an inflammatory breast cancer survivor. I will reach 4 years over 4th of July weekend. Out of about 50 walkers in Houston I was the only survivor of IBC that was able to walk that weekend. We lost one of our "sisters" that sunday morning so it had even more meaning and was very emotional. I had forgot my husbands tennis shoes......so he was my support.... walking in his steel toed boots! Support is a wonderful thing.
Tina

[jesvetmed]

Congratulations on FOUR YEARS SURVIVORSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!
:D
That's really truly great, and it's really cool that you have such a team of supporters!

I lost my longtime friend to breast cancer just about 1.5 years ago. I still miss her so much. Glad to know there are so many great people out there fighting this fight. Some day, it will all be not necessary. Until then... we keep walking, I guess!

Good luck on this year's walk. There are a few of us on this forum.... Always great to meet another! I look forward to hearing about your 10th year of survivorship down the road! Meanwhile, I'll raise a glass to you on the 4th of July and celebrate with you from afar.

Cheers

[kathybiker]

Kathy, quite the ride report, i want to know where you buy Arancini!

Hi Mimi,

Thank you.

The place I bought Arancini was really nothing special; I'm probably being overly careful but am not comfortable saying where I live on a public forum. Maybe this will change as I visit TE more often.

You probably can find Arancini at an eatery near you by searching yelp.com.

I like your watercolors, especially il Gabinetto, the Jive Cats and your self-portrait. http://mimitabby.blogspot.com/