April 3d rides

[Crankin]

OK, I know other people rode yesterday.
Did about 28 miles, first climb up Oak Hill this season, followed by more climbing into Bolton. Went really slowly up the climbs and lo and behold when we were about 8 miles from the end of the ride, I felt really strong and was able to go at some of my faster speeds. It was really hot for this time of year (about 78F), and I don't do well without a period of acclimatization. But, I stopped and bought an energy drink after the climb, which really helped. No aching quads or hamstrings, although one of my calves is a little cranky.
Got back and we visited our friend with the broken hip. My friend, his wife, rode with us. It's sad to see him sitting on the porch, waiting for us to return. He seems older and he's ten years younger than me!
Heading out for more summer like temperatures in a bit.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Brian and I got in a beautiful sunny cool breezy 16 mile ride. I'm pretty out of shape after not riding all winter. My usual hills seemed about 20% more difficult than last Fall, plus I've gained a few pounds.
So I have to get back into it little by little now that winter is over. Yesterday was good, because after the 16 mile ride, I also gardened for an hour and then last night I danced for 3 hours straight at our town's contra dance- tons of exercise yesterday! Today we'll be double digging the new blueberry and raspberry beds...so more exercise there.

[azfiddle]

My DH and I did about 44 miles (actually, he did nearly 50 because he went back to look for someone who disappeared and probably went home after getting his third flat of the day).

It was beautiful out but a little windy. I didn't work as hard at it as I did Friday, when I rode the tough hill at Saguaro National Park without going into into my 2 lowest gears :D I've always been in the very lowest one on that hill before.

BleekerSt_Girl- I play for a lot of contra dances, though I rarely go just to dance. Definitely a fun evening activity!

[Aggie_Ama]

Seven miles mountain biking, I have definitely lost my mojo! The wet winter and half marathon training means I have little confidence. I did have fun but my bike and I need to get to know each other again. :o

[OakLeaf]

That's funny Crankin, we did our regular Sunday ride to Oak Hill, FL. What passes for a hill - elevation around 25 feet. :p It was a good group, unfortunately my run yesterday took a lot out of me.

[featuretile]

I did a club ride through the hills to a farm that serves pie - about 21 miles. What was totally neat about this ride is that I found some one who rode exactly the same speed as me! I have found club rides to be frustrating some times because I am faster than the slow group and not as fast as long-time riders. So, many times I would end up riding alone on a group ride. It was really fun to be so well paced. We plan on meeting again.

[7rider]

A friend and I did a N2-late ride. A nice route that DH and others do -but we left a little later and rode at a more casual pace. We enjoyed it so much that we will likely do it most weeks. I rode to the start so I ended up with 48 miles for the day. My longest ride of the year so far.

[Selkie]

A nice 43-mile pre-dawn/sunrise rise. The perfect way to start the day --- one of the warmest rides of the year, too (55 degrees!). Peaceful, quiet, and a clear starry sky. Saw plenty of bunnies, which was appropriate, given the day. :-)

[roadie gal]

*sigh*

Snowing sideways here.

They say we're going to get another foot tonight.

*big tears rolling down my cheeks*

feh

[SheFly]

Crankin' - were you riding through Concord Center around 12:30 or 1:00 this afternoon (Sunday)? I'm pretty sure I saw you heading out towards West Concord. DH and I were heading home...

We had the start of our Spring Clinic yesterday and then I went out with the Elite Women. We ended up doing hill repeats on Oak Hill. I was BEAT by the time I got home - over 6 hours outside, 4 hours of riding, 55 miles and those darned hill repeats...

Was nice to be out in the sunshine though after all of the rain we have had!

SheFly

[HillSlugger]

I headed out on my tri bike and had a much better ride than last time!

I felt really good, zippy, and quick heading out; when I got to my turn around I realized I had had the benefit on a pretty good tail wind. Got in 30 miles and felt good doing it.

[Jiffer]

Did a 58 mile half century event ... Santa Clarita. It was AWESOME!!!!! I got to really test out my new bike, which I'm completely in love with, and I felt strong, kept up with my buddy on most of the hills and had a good over all pace at the end. (Well, my pace was better before they sent us through an "autopia" route through weird bike trails and a park sidewalk and narrow ramps up and over bridges and such ... it was a bad end to an otherwise great route.)

I want to ride again! I want to ride again!!! Oh, please don't rain tomorrow . :( Pleasey, pleasey!!!

[Zen]

While waiting for some help to arrive for household related stuff I just couldn't resist going for a quick spin up the road to test out the new 105 shifters.

MUCH better.

But i did discover my sit bones are bruised from friday's ride. Brooks needs a break -in :o

[Crankin]

SheFly, yes that was me, heading toward Nawshatuc Hill, where my DH was happy to find another climb to inflict pain on us, so close to home! His comment was that we "could do this as a quick ride before work ride, it's only 13 miles round trip; we can call it the 2 hill ride." :eek:.
On Saturday, we saw lots of NEBC riders doing hill repeats as we dawdled up Oak Hill. It's early enough in the season that they talked to us as they were going up the hill. When I asked one guy how he was doing, he said, "I'll be better when I get to the top!"
Which is exactly what I would say.

[kenyonchris]

Did the Tour Dallas. 30 miles in 1hr 25 minutes. I left my garmin on so it messed up the rest of my stats.
We rode past my childhood home in Lakewood...I was so busy navigating the very bumpy and potholed roads I didn't even look. I was also trying to hang on my DHs wheel...I stayed with him until we got to the lake, then he took off and dropped me (I don't mind, I know he has to stretch his legs). I rode with a friend who is a triathlete. She is probably faster and stronger than I am when she is fit, but neither of us are, so we pedaled along at our more human pace than DH and commented on the difficulty we all have when he pulls...he doesn't hold a very straight line and tends to go zipping off....it was fun!
NO WIND, perfect temps, and fun people made the ride great, but the roads were bad, and the 30 mile (which was the longest route offered) ride merged back into the 20 milers at a very difficult place, causing a bottleneck. We were at the front, so we had minimal difficulty, but I think later there were lots of accidents. Police support was very good in some places, confusing traffic direction in others....
Overall fun! But I need a new saddle. Ow.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

BleekerSt_Girl- I play for a lot of contra dances, though I rarely go just to dance. Definitely a fun evening activity!

Az- my husband (an excellent OT fiddler) and I play a lot of gigs, but rarely for any dances- we play more southern crooked tunes. But is definitely is novel for me to go to fiddle-ish events and 'not' be playing...only dancing! LOL!