Friday April 24 rides

[Duck on Wheels]

Whoohoo! I did my 20-something-mile loop for the first time since the snow season. The reservoir is still iced over, but the coltsfoot flowers are on their last legs and the white forest anemones are taking over. It's definitely Spring! Also, I'm definitely faster than I was 7 months ago. I used to do this loop in 2 hours 20 minutes. Today it took me just 2 hours. Well, actually 1 hour 40 minutes, but then I have add on the 20 minutes I used on my morning commute since that's part of the same loop. Of course, I was still the slowest cyclist on the road, but I'm doing hills in higher gears and with less gritting of teeth and screaming of quads than last Fall, and only that one first nemesis hill still has me stopping to bring my HR down before I can finish it. Only 5 weeks to go til the ALC. I'll probably have to cross-train the biggest hills on that route, but maybe I can actually finish on my own steam nevertheless. :rolleyes:

[txred9876]

Wjoohoo! I did my 20-something-mile loop for the first time since the snow season. The reservoir is still iced over, but the coltsfoot flowers are on their last legs and the white forest anemones are taking over. It's definitely Spring! Also, I'm definitely faster than I was 7 months ago. I used to do this loop in 2 hours 20 minutes. Today it took me just 2 hours. Well, actually 1 hour 40 minutes, but then I have add on the 20 minutes I used on my morning commute since that's part of the same loop. Of course, I was still the slowest cyclist on the road, but I'm doing hills in higher gears and with less gritting of teeth and screaming of quads than last Fall, and only that one first nemesis hill still has me stopping to bring my HR down before I can finish it. Only 5 weeks to go til the ALC. I'll probably have to cross-train the biggest hills on that route, but maybe I can actually finish on my own steam nevertheless. :rolleyes:

I am finding for myself.... it does not matter how long it takes me or how many pass me on the road.....because I am out there DOING IT!

congrats on the first 20 of the season!

Tina

[Crankin]

I rode my short, 15.3 mile loop around Hanscom AFB around noon. It was 59 when I left and 65 when I got back. I stopped after 6 miles and took off the vest and then when I got back to my street, I slid down the arm warmers before climbing up the hill. I wanted to take them off during the ride, but I didn't put sunscreen on and I kept thinking about the pictures of Kfergos' sunburn!
It's spring vacation here this week, so lots of cyclists out. Part of this ride parallels the Battle Rd. trail, so I saw lots of people riding there and lots of roadies out, too. As I was heading home on Lowell Rd. I got passed by a woman, tri-athlete, going very fast. But... her friend came up behind me and then passed me, but I guess she ran out of speed because I got right behind her until I had to turn off.
My allergies have been awful, but I think the ride "burned it out" of me. It either goes this way, or I get really sick...

[Duck on Wheels]

Yeah, sometimes when my asthma is acting up, my first few miles I'll be wheezing and coughing, but then when I'm good and warm it seems to clear up. :o If you react to the Spring-flowering trees (birch, willow), this can be a bad time of year for you. Or maybe where you are it's already grass pollen season. Good luck with the allergies! And yeah, it ain't about speed, but about getting out and doing the miles. Except ... it does feel good to keep up ;)

[redrhodie]

I had a really fun day. I started by commuting to work, and my friend who I work for decided to meet me on the bike path. Then, as we rode, I said it's too nice to work! and she agreed, so we kept riding. Then, we took her dogs for a long walk in the woods. After that, we went to Markos, my favorite Middle Eastern place, for lunch. Then we walked down to the beach, and after that did a little shopping. Back to her house, where I got back on my bike for my commute home, right about normal quitting time!

I rode about 40 miles.

[reddDesign]

Just did an AWESOME ride :)

I went up my normal road...made it up the hills without going into the granny gear (though my knee is acting up some now) which is a big improvement in both strength and willpower. Came back into town at about 15 miles...then did a lap around downtown (good for quick sprinting) and as I was heading home looked at the computer...and saw that if I did another three miles I would hit 20 miles for the day and 700 on the speedometer (I have a lot more unaccounted miles on the bike :()

So...turned around towards downtown again...did a few more laps...felt great! Came home right before getting dark :)

This is MUCH better than the bonk I had on Weds...too much on my mind and not enough to eat then.

Stats:
20.87 mi
1:29:48
33.9 mph max
ODO: 700.7
13.9 mph avg

[Fredwina]

I needed to check out a trail and I needed to do some climbing so I did both:
we live the desert? no way! (The Santa ana river in San Bernardino)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIw9OuhydI/AAAAAAAABRc/RVYYQ-Npnd0/s640/100_0466.jpg
Approaching Mt Ruibidox in Riverside:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxAdAX-OI/AAAAAAAABR0/oB919Nhf6MQ/s640/100_0469.jpg
Anza Narrows park. The bathrooms were locked, so I had to find a bush:o
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxBk9j5RI/AAAAAAAABR8/we0lbtI-qks/s640/100_0470.jpg
A different reason why Califronia is the "golden state". and why such a problem in the fall with fires)
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxD0XJguI/AAAAAAAABSM/XlsZ8H4Armk/s640/100_0472.jpg
I noticed this trailside memorial on the way back:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxUJ1npzI/AAAAAAAABTY/D9gWY3RCRh0/s640/100_0481.jpg
anyone know what the blocks are for?
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxV2VVpqI/AAAAAAAABTg/qTNqnuChW_g/s640/100_0482.jpg

[Fredwina]

I decided to go up to Greenspot road
I went by Redlands airport:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxXe7qupI/AAAAAAAABTo/xhFdc3yUte8/s640/100_0483.jpg
Yucca! I hate avocados :rolleyes:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxY35EZKI/AAAAAAAABTw/hpi_y8IhPVg/s640/100_0484.jpg
The Store!
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxcGhZP9I/AAAAAAAABUA/hHQmpDIeLLU/s640/100_0486.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxivAA2BI/AAAAAAAABUg/aU8AHRseKdw/s640/100_0490.jpg
I always wanted to live in a house with a large plastic chicken on the roof
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxl_1zKvI/AAAAAAAABUw/en1NofSgNVg/s640/100_0492.jpg
I almost went the other way, you can't beat climbing through an orange grove
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxsko3heI/AAAAAAAABVM/bWdtWlMXeIE/s640/100_0495.jpg
and old bridge and the seven oaks dam:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxw8kxCwI/AAAAAAAABVc/T4bBsNRwc4U/s640/100_0497.jpg
finally, I went by San Bernardio International Aiport (former Norton Air Force base)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIx0EzPsGI/AAAAAAAABVs/PCZfTzGdMsY/s640/100_0499.jpg