June rides....hopefully a pleasant month of weather and rides for all

[rebeccaC]

A friend wanted to ride the San Gabriel River bike trail from Azusa at the base of the San Gabriel mountains to Seal Beach at the ocean starting at sunrise. 77 miles round trip. Kind of a boring ride visually (did see some ostriches and a zebra though) and mostly flat with a good headwind as we got nearer to the beach. There were also a couple of area’s where I was thinking it was good to have pepper spray in my handlebar bag. A well paved and maintained path though. Weather started in the high 60’s and got into the 80’s. We held speeds in the 20’s a lot of the ride which was fun. Might be a good ride for someone wanting to get some mileage and a speed workout but that’s not really what I prefer. I like at least a few good climbs and better nature views. I really enjoyed being with my friend though and that made up for any dislikes and overall for a good days ride.

[SheFly]

We had quite an adventure today. Decided that with it being the nicest day in quite a long time, we didn't want to head to the MTB race, but to stay local and enjoy the day. Our friend, PJ, joined DH and I, and the plan was to go out for a long MTB loop of about 50 miles of local trails (Estabrook Woods, Carlisle cons land, Great Brook State Park, Russell Mill and Greenough Land). We got out to Estabrook where another rider asked if he could tag along. He was new to the area and didn't know the trails. We were happy to oblige, though he rode quite a bit slower than we did, and we (meaning I) had to wait for him pretty often, especially since he followed us far enough to not know where he was AT ALL. The good news is that I have quite a lot of patience, the weather was beautiful, and I was happy to be out on my bike. However, at Great Brook, we found him a map, and he happily went on his way back home (he also let us know it was his 3rd time on the bike THIS YEAR, where we have been riding pretty close to every day all year). We felt good about sharing the trails with someone new, but did pick up the pace a bit after he left.

Soon thereafter, just as we were heading to Indian Hill at the Stone Row intersection, I heard a pretty good crash, followed by a loud yell and some pretty loud moaning. Next I heard DH and PJ asking, "Dude - are you ok?" (yes, they really did say dude), to which he loudly replied, "NO!". I came around the corner, took one look at the angle of his foot compared to his leg, was off my bike with phone in hand and dialing 911. It appeared, at first glance (with my years of medical training ;) ) to be a compound fracture of his ankle. I spoke to 911, PJ went off to direct the emergency responders to our location, and then I set about ensuring that Scott (as I learned), stayed conscious and alert until help arrived. I talked to him, learned what he thought had happened (tried to take a corner too sharply, front wheel washed out, and foot wouldn't release from his pedal). I called his wife and left messages, and then we waited for the EMTs.

When they arrived, they set about cutting the buckle off of his Sidis (the EMT recognized they were expensive shoes that he should try to save), and then cut off his sock. What we saw was heartening - a dislocation instead of a break! Scott stayed together through the air casting of his leg, transfer via board to the stretcher, and was grateful that we were all there to help him. Afterward, PJ commented about how I went directly into a mode - taking charge, and taking care of the downed rider. It's a good thing I'm not that squeamish - I also later learned that the Park Rangers wouldn't come over for fear of throwing up at seeing his ankle :D.

With Scott safely transported, we decided to cut our ride a bit shorter given what time it now was. I did stop later when Scott's wife called to thank me - a nice touch. I have asked her to call me in a couple of days just to see how he is doing.

We ended up with 3:20 moving time, and 35 miles of mostly trails. Not bad for an adventure-filled Sunday :).

I'm calling this one the Good Karma Ride.

SheFly

[Geonz]

You rock!!!
Hope the dislocation heals reasonably fast... definitely good Karma. Y'all were at the right place & time for all sorts of people...

[thekarens]

Must have been the weekend for MTB injuries. My partner was riding with some friends. I didn't go because I can't up with that group. Anyway, there's a spot where you have to pedal fast downhill, go over a small bridge, to make it uphill. Well the last girl only made it part way up and then flipped into the rocks on the right instead of the dirt on the left. She broke her lower leg and they had to bring the ATV to get her out to the ambulance.

The funny this was all the guys have to take pics and discuss it and what should and should not have been done. I don't think I've ever met a male MTBer who didn't want to discuss all his MTB injuries, and the more gruesome the better.

[rebeccaC]

I don't think I've ever met a male MTBer who didn't want to discuss all his MTB injuries, and the more gruesome the better. it's not like the women here never discuss injuries :)...but yeah i know what you mean....personally I'll learn the lessons from a mishap and then just gladly put it out of my mind.

good on you SheFly, good karma indeed!!!!!!! Scott was lucky to have you there!!

[thekarens]

it's not like the women here never discuss injuries :)...but yeah i know what you mean....personally I'll learn the lessons from a mishap and then just gladly put it out of my mind.

good on you SheFly, good karma indeed!!!!!!! Scott was lucky to have you there!!

Oh I completely agree. I've discussed all my injuries here and elsewhere. They just seem to relish it so much and if there's pics so much the better :)

And it is lucky that SheFly was there!

[SheFly]

HA! Before they casted Scott to get him out, he made sure I took pictures with his phone :).

SheFly

[Veronica]

Of course there must be pictures.

http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/Bicycles/Bike-Crash-2007/i-mftvnrB/0/M/P1000264-M.jpg

That's from 2007. I now have a nice scar.

My weekend riding was uneventful - ten miles at the local regional park, 1800 feet of climbing. Me chanting "breathe f@##$, breathe." I've had the lyrics to an Offspring song running through my head.

Veronica

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[AppleTree]

After a very hilly 42ish miles on Saturday, today was a nice easy meander through town running errands, just enjoying the fragrant air and beautiful sunshine. I love these slow meandering rides, so relaxing. Well, except for the jogger I almost hit rounding a curve. Really dude, you have to run with your dog on the wrong side of the trail??? Even that didn't bother me much today...171521715317154

[Sky King]

Happy to say no major crashes on our 1st day of June ride. We found an amazing "jeep" trail that bordered a wilderness area 23 miles (part out and back, part loop)
The first ride of the year with two of my best riding buddies. I have titled this shot the 3 amigos :0) Wildflowers were abundant

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[redrhodie]

Got out for my first June ride this morning. Lots of tour buses out. The must be a cruise ship in port. Luckily I didn't end up stuck behind one this time. They can go so slowly even I can pass them!

Speaking of passing, I was left in the dust by a very fast woman on a yellow bike. I was impressed and a little jealous of her speediness. Oh well. I think my days of trying to go fast are over. It just takes too much out of me. I think it's my Hashimoto's. It takes me so long to recover if I go into the red zone. It's not worth it.

But what a gorgeous day! Looks like rain on my next day off, so it may be a while until I ride again.

[Jolt]

Did a very easy 10 miles or so with a friend who was doing her first ride of the season, then later rode the 5 or 6 mile round trip to volunteer at the bike co-op and stopped for groceries on the way home. Ended up hauling almost 30 pounds of groceries, first time I have carried a real load on the Surly and it handles it great (I wished the trip home was longer than the less than 3/4 mile it is). The bucket panniers I made a while back are perfect for grocery runs, feel like I need a "Wide Load" sign on when using them though!

[Crankin]

I feel the same way, if I commute home on Tuesdays. I don't work on Wednesday, and on Thursday I do outreach at a high school, so I have 4-6 packed folders and 2 books that I need on Thursday. My pannier is just huge! Maybe I should get a different system, but it's making me think about what I really need to bring with me. I buy lunch on the days I ride and I leave my shoes and most of clothes at work until the next day i drive.

[lauraelmore1033]

After a very hilly 42ish miles on Saturday, today was a nice easy meander through town running errands, just enjoying the fragrant air and beautiful sunshine. I love these slow meandering rides, so relaxing. Well, except for the jogger I almost hit rounding a curve. Really dude, you have to run with your dog on the wrong side of the trail??? Even that didn't bother me much today...171521715317154
That was a beast of a ride on Saturday! Are those pretty pictures from the north end of the Centennial trail?

[AppleTree]

It WAS a beastly ride Laura, and you must have been in beast mode, you did so well! I was slllowwww going up those hills. 3000 feet of climbing, ugh. I'm surprised I wasn't more sore the day after but I felt pretty good! I was sad I missed seeing you though.

The pics are from the duck pond in Mill Creek. :- )

[azfiddle]

Today was a "training" ride, now that I am participating in a coaching program.

The schedule activity was this: Endurance Focus Ride: Medium
Once you are warmed up, keep your heart rate between 117 and 136 bpm. Make the total exercise time at least 1 hour 30 minutes but not more than 2 hours 45 minutes including warm up and cool down. If you get tired or have trouble keeping your heart rate up, finish out the time with your heart rate between 100 and 119 bpm. Spin a comfortable cadence while warming up and cooling down.

I picked pedal stroke as my focus from a list of 7 options:
Focus on one quarter of the pedal stroke at a time, doing 20 strokes for each quarter before moving to the next quarter. Thus, push down 20 times. Then pull back 20 times. Then pull up 20 times. Then push forward 20 times. When you have done all four quarters in this way, do halves: Down and back 20 time. Back and up 20 times. Up and over 20 times. Over and down 20 times. Repeat sets of quarters and then halves until you drop to your Recovery Zone or are ready to cool down.

You know that expression fast, good or cheap- you can pick 2? I feel like these training rides are like that. Follow the guideline for the activity, keep the right cadence, stay in the right heart rate zone. I can do the activity and keep up the cadence or manage my heart rate, but not all three. I picked a slightly hilly route so the HR was just out the window on most of the climbs. And I by chance, I ended up riding along with a 78 year old guy on a light mountain bike who told me about riding to the Grand Canyon and another ride from Flagstaff to Mexico, and we discovered we had mutual friends, so I didn't concentrate on counting pedal strokes the whole time, but it was still an interesting exercise. And I'm in awe of the 78 year old- wow- I hope I'm that fit in 20 years!

[ny biker]

I'm going to get rained out again tonight. I think this is the third or fourth time since the beginning of May that my Wednesday night ride has been rained out. The thing is that it might not rain until later, but if it does start earlier it will be a thunderstorm and I just don't want to be out in one of those. Several of the times I have cancelled recently, it turned out that the rain never materialized, but I'm being cautious because I hate trying to ride in heavy rain and I refuse to ride in gusty winds.

Now I have to decide -- cancel my appointment with my personal trainer tomorrow and ride then, or go out and ride after work on Friday, which might be difficult since I have a mid-day appointment so I might end up working late afterwards.

Meanwhile I keep gaining weight, and one big reason is that I'm not getting the mid-week exercise that I need. Boo.

[cosc]

I finally was able to ride my bike after a very windy day and several days of thunderstorms. The rain was wonderful but not great for training for Bran (Ride across Nebraska) coming up this weekend. I'm hoping for a calm weather week.
Today's 41 mile ride was great with low 70's and no wind. Everything looks lush green except for fields with crops just starting. I'm looking forward to the mature sunflower fields.

[Irulan]

Here is how my ride went to today. Let me preface this with last night we had to cancel due to massive regional t-storms. This morning it was gorgeous, and I was contacted about 7 am for a mountain bike ride.

Right off the bat I went over a pile of dog poo that was hiding and got it flung onto my new shoes.
Then we hit a little mud puddle about 1/2 mile into the ride. Being a good trail citizen I went through the puddle and not around it. Whatever that mud was... well, it was some sort of horrible sticky clay. It jammed up the jockey wheels in the derailler and before I even know what had happened I snapped the derailler off. I was hoping to pull the derailler off and single speed the rest of the ride but I was having problems with the chain tool. I could get the chain off via the master link, but I couldn't shorten it. I ended up taking the chain and derailler off and coasting back to the lot.

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[Veronica]

What a bummer! Hope the next ride is much better!

Veronica

[ny biker]

I'm going to get rained out again tonight. I think this is the third or fourth time since the beginning of May that my Wednesday night ride has been rained out. The thing is that it might not rain until later, but if it does start earlier it will be a thunderstorm and I just don't want to be out in one of those. Several of the times I have cancelled recently, it turned out that the rain never materialized, but I'm being cautious because I hate trying to ride in heavy rain and I refuse to ride in gusty winds.

Now I have to decide -- cancel my appointment with my personal trainer tomorrow and ride then, or go out and ride after work on Friday, which might be difficult since I have a mid-day appointment so I might end up working late afterwards.

Meanwhile I keep gaining weight, and one big reason is that I'm not getting the mid-week exercise that I need. Boo.

So the evening rain never materialized, despite the menacing clouds. Of course if I had taken a chance and gone for a ride, we would have had a deluge. Anyway I went for a walk after I got home from work, which is better than nothing.

[lauraelmore1033]

It WAS a beastly ride Laura, and you must have been in beast mode, you did so well! I was slllowwww going up those hills. 3000 feet of climbing, ugh. I'm surprised I wasn't more sore the day after but I felt pretty good! I was sad I missed seeing you though.

The pics are from the duck pond in Mill Creek. :- )
I suspect I just started a lot earlier than you did.

[Giulianna23]

110 miles for the month already. Been riding a lot (6 days a week) Averaging 155 miles per week. Variable terrain and intensity. I am enjoying every single mile of it. Especially since I got my new Carbon bike and lost about 20 pounds over the past 6 months or so (still have about 15 more to go ). My speed improved so much and my climbing as well. Now I am able to keep up with the group on a 32 miles hilly ride averaging almost 17 mph without the pace line help and about 18+ with the pace line. Last year on the same hilly ride I was averaging about 15 hardly 16mph with the paceline and about 14 on my own on that same ride but with a slower group. I am climbing those hills half time quicker than last year and the season just started...woohoo..I am so happy and I am sooo in love with my Girl (my bike) that last night I almost put her in my bed to sleep with me.

[Crankin]

Rode 21 miles with Hirakukibou. We were again sort of thwarted by what looked like rain, at our lunch stop, but even though we turned toward the end point, I do think it's raining a bit just west of here, where we were headed. At least our ride got us out of Concord/Carlisle and into Acton. I had my bike in the car at work, and changed there, and drove to meet Hirakukibou in Concord center, so we could start earlier. We had a bit of weird beginning... first my brakes were rubbing again, after I though they were all fixed. I addressed that. Then we went to clip in and my chain fell off. Fixed that. Started up again and Hira realized the screw had fallen out of her cleat and she couldn't unclip well on that foot. Rode to the LBS (just about half a mile) and got that fixed. Phew. Then we headed out. We went to west Acton a circuitous way, a bit too much on Rt 27, but it was flatter than what we normally do, and I am leading a ride tomorrow. Don't want sore legs. Rode back throughh west Concord, lots of traffic everywhere. Where are all of these people going at 2:00 in the afternoon?

[shootingstar]

Started off @6:30 am on my day off --which in the end, I wasted a lab visit because I forgot the doctor's forms... After detours due to yet more reconstruction of some damaged path sections (last summer's devastating river flood that evacuated 100,000 people), I cycled off to the north end where I went grocery shopping and shrimp dim sum. After dropping off stuff at home, went a different direction for milk, yogurt.

Must have packed in 56 km. today. Fine day, abit cool. But blazing bright sun.

[ny biker]

Due to fear of thunderstorms on Wednesday, I did my weekly post-work hill ride tonight instead. We had beautiful, near-perfect weather today -- sunny, low humidity, highs around 80. I started riding just before 7 pm and it was still light out when I finished at 8:30. It was my first ride with my new narrower handlebars, which I like very much. I also tested new insoles, which I did not like.

I modified my route a bit at the beginning to add a new, steep hill, the kind of hill you look up and think you're crazy for riding up it by choice. I kinda liked it.

[Jolt]

About a 12.5 mile ride today since I was short on time. I picked a route with some good hills since I am working on climbing...the total amount of climbing was only 674 feet according to MapMyRide but it is ALL in the first half of the loop, the second half is a long gradual downhill. The first climb starts about 1/2 mile in and goes on for about 2 miles with a couple of steep sections...that section was brutal since I was in no way, shape or form warmed up yet when I started the climb. The second big hill was better but still hard because it also had a really steep section. I do OK with the longer more gradual uphills (can sometimes even shift into a higher gear after a while), but throw a steep section in and it's painful! Seems to be much more of a leg strength issue than a cardio issue. On the second half of the ride, I happened to get mixed up in a group that was doing a training ride for the Trek Across Maine next weekend and was able to stay with them for a few miles...some impromptu speedwork of sorts. Today was also the first ride with my new cycle computer...it was interesting to see my speed on different sections (average 13 mph, hit 37.4 mph going down the other side of one of the big hills!).

[azfiddle]

Nice ride up Mt. Lemmon this morning- almost 37 miles total, starting from home, 10 miles to the base and up to about mile 11.5 at Middle Bear Canyon (cool, shady, 5500 feet). I always need to make a few stops and let my heart rate come down- I think I stopped 5 times once we started up the mountain. That's the furthest I've gone this season- the climb tops out at over 8000 feet and there's no water available at all right now, so that means carrying a LOT of water.

[emily_in_nc]

We've been visiting relatives in NC and Ohio but did manage to get quite a bit of riding in, and I summarized the Ohio rides in a blog post -- the rides described therein were mostly done in late May into early June. We were lucky to get some wonderful weather and found some excellent roads for riding.

http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com/traveling-twosome-blog/exploring-rural-ohio-by-bicycle-so-much-to-see-and-eat

Since leaving DH's parents' home in Dover, OH, we've been to Xenia, OH to ride part of the Little Miami Scenic Trail and to Richmond, IN to ride the Cardinal Greenway. In both cases I got my longest rides in of the year -- 71 and 75.8 miles. Blog posts on those will be coming soon!

[emily_in_nc]

Just got the Little Miami Scenic Trail blog post published. Definitely check out this great trail if you are in southwestern Ohio!

http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com/traveling-twosome-blog/xenia-ohio-and-the-little-miami-scenic-trail

[Crankin]

Led our bike club rally 30 mile ride today. It was hot! 80-85 degrees. We had the largest group, but we broke into 2 groups, with DH and I leading/sweeping the faster group. Unlike most AMC rides, we had some really fast people, and I spent my time at the back with 3-4 of them. I was pissed at DH for not slowing a bit, but after talking to the couple that were behind him, they kinda had an edge and I can see why he didn't. Everyone was happy, we had no mechanicals, but I had a couple of incidents where the group right in front of me just weren't taking the lane on some of the more difficult left turns. They were timid and i had to yell at them to get over. Near the end of the ride, they told me to get in front of them, and I did, leading them back to the start.
DH and I went home, showered, changed, and then went back to Verill Farm for happy hour, a speaker about the history of cycling in Boston, and dinner. Food was great, and the speaker was good. Afterwards, we went with our friends to get ice cream. A really nice day.
And a funny thing was we were talking to someone in the line for dinner, and he told me his name and that he was the president of another local bike club. I knew right away that he was the dad of one of my former students. This kid was 12 and had the same bike I did and always wrote in his journal about his average on rides! He ended up being a very successful scientist. It's always nice to hear this stuff, and it doesn't happen very often.

[SheFly]

I met Larry at the Harvard Road Race last week, and then again before and after the Pioneers Ride from Ride Studio Cafe yesterday. He is very entertaining, and quite nice to chat with!

My rides this week were eclectic! After being away on business with no bike from Mon through Weds, I was itching to get back out on Thurs, but the weather was miserable - rain, and cool temps. That didn't deter us from an MTB ride out the rail trail to Estabrook, despite the rain, and all of the mud it left in its wake. By the time we were done, the sun was shining, but I still had to stand in the shower with my bike clothes on to get the mud out BEFORE putting the kit in the laundry.

Friday I had planned to head out on the trails with local pro and friend, Mo Bruno Roy. What I neglected to take into account was the toll that 40 miles of MTB at a fairly fast pace was going to take on my legs. With my competitive side, I wasn't smart enough to go at an easier pace, plus I wanted to show Mo all of the good stuff. Lesson learned.

Yesterday was the launch of a new Ride Studio Cafe team - the Expedition team. This is a team of 6 women who will ride/ race together wherever the road/dirt takes us. Our kickoff ride was at the shop's Pioneer Ride, and was 111 miles with about 5700 feet of climbing on both paved and dirt roads. This normally wouldn't be an issue for me, but the two days of riding leading into it, the heat, and the frequent prolonged stops did me an, and had me suffering later in the ride. The route was spectacular, however, and the day ended up being a great amount of fun.

Today was about resting and recovery. My biggest accomplishment was vacuuming the house and walking to the supermarket for lemonade :)

SheFly

[Crankin]

Because we were busy all day yesterday, I spent the AM, grocery shopping and lounging around the house, while DH did yard work. We went for a shorter, 21 mile ride around Concord, mostly Carlisle, took pictures and enjoyed the day. It was humid, not quite as hot as yesterday, but still up there, around 80-82. There were clouds, so that saved me. However, I drank 2 bottles, which is odd for me, for a shorter ride.
I probably will ride to work tomorrow, after the gym, as Tuesday looks like a rain out, with thunder.

[emily_in_nc]

A beautiful day today after buckets of rain yesterday! We rode the Constitution Trail, plus some extra rural roads, in Bloomington-Normal, IL, as we continue our trek westward across the US. Got in 60 fun miles, mostly flat to slightly rolling. 70s with sunshine and a fairly stiff breeze from the north. Ate some amazing ice cream in downtown Normal...YUM!

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[Veronica]

We got a late start to our ride today - 8:30 AM and it was already 84 degrees. Thom and I split up on our ride today, since I didn't feel like doing the 25%+ grades to get to the ridge and was not feeling great in the heat. We rode to "Cow Corner" together and then he headed up to the ridge and I continued on to the Water Tower descent. I absolutely love descending this trail when there are no hikers on it. Initially it has sweeping turns with good sight lines, but right by the water tower it gets super steep with some switchbacks. It's a fire road, so the switchbacks aren't hard to navigate and you have to cut your speed as you head into it to be sure there aren't any hikers or equestrians that you couldn't see. Today it was totally open and I flew down it, hitting 28 mph! Once you can see into the second switchback, you can just let the bike go. That was enough to convince me that I had another lap in me despite the heat. On the second lap I did have a couple of hikers that I needed to slow for on the descent, but that's okay. There was plenty of room to pass them, but I think flying by is rude.

I also discovered that I can change my rear shock while riding. On the first lap Thom and I were talking about it. I routinely change the front one from climbing to cross county mode, occasionally put it into downhill, but not often. I had had difficulty finding the lever for the rear one. You really cant' see it, you have to go by feel. By following the top tube down to the shock, you just automatically hit the lever. Climbing mode is very stiff! When it is in climbing mode, it's easier to find it using your left hand to put it back into cross country. On some of the flattish sections I practiced just moving it back and forth. This is my first fully suspended bike, with a dropper saddle, so I'm still figuring out what I can do with it. It's a lot to coordinate sometimes as you start a descent - put the the bike in the middle ring. Change the shocks to descending mode, drop the saddle - all as the bike is moving and picking up speed. :D

It was 92 when we finished our ride at 9:45. Yeah, it was short, just 7.25 miles, but with 1050 feet of climbing.

Veronica

[ny biker]

I did a 57-mile club ride yesterday in Fauquier County, VA, which is a rural area southwest of DC. Joe Dombrowski (Team Sky racer) is from this area. It was warm and humid, strong sun in the beginning, but then clouds rolled in and it got windy as a front approached. We started to see rain clouds nearby during the last hour or so, but it was an isolated shower that stayed north of us.

I had major contact lens problems about halfway through the ride, caused by the headwinds. My eyes got really dry, I put drops in them, then the right lens shifted way up high inside my eye. I had to ride that way for about half an hour until we reached a rest stop with a bathroom so I could wash my hands, remove the lens and put it back in my eye. At first I couldn't get the lens out, and for a few seconds I thought maybe it had fallen out and I'd lost it, but I put more drops in and that helped the lens shift down to where I could remove it, put more drops on it and put it back in my eye. After that it was fine.

I've had similar problems a few times this spring, and once one of the lenses popped out of my eye and I had to stop, take it off my face with my finger, get my half-finger gloves off, get the drops out of my top tube bag and remove the cap, put drops on the lens and get it back into my eye, all while standing on a rail trail trying to keep the wind from blowing the lens away.

I think the Patanol antihistamine eye drops that get me through pollen season are having a drying effect on my eyes, especially when I'm in a area with certain trees that I'm allergic to. The problem only seems to happen in certain places, and it's happened twice in the same part of southern Maryland. Since we're a week into June and tree pollen levels are lower, I'm going to stop using the Patanol and hopefully that will help the dry eye problem. When it's not pollen season, I usually put Blink drops in my eyes when I first wake up if it's very early in the morning (which usually only happens if I'm heading out for a long bike ride) because my eyes tend to be dry on those days. Anyway I hope the problem goes away now.

[colorisnt]

Rode around the neighborhood when I got to my parent's house yesterday afternoon (and holy Chicago traffic and road construction on a Sunday, batman!). It was a long drive that I am glad is done for a day. I got here in good time because I know the roads but had I followed the I-DOT detour, I would have added an hour on!

Rode about 15 miles this afternoon and have forgotten how to deal with flat roads! I was faster on the section with the mile long incline and serious climb for about a quarter of a mile than I was on the downhill and flat sections. Rode out on country roads and enjoyed the beautiful day. May go out with my Dad again later or may go out again on my own - depends on how he feels.

Up to Toronto tomorrow! Will be landing around 3 PM EST.

ETA: rode around downtown and saw my good friend from HS whose shop made me this custom:
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[Veronica]

Took my road bike out this morning for a short two hour ride with a friend. My road bike is so light! Road descents are easier than trail and mountain biking has given me a nice bit of acceleration both on the flats and the hills. She had a meeting starting at 8:30 so we met at 5:45. Sunrise was at 5:44. It was really nice to get out so early - 67 degrees when I started. We had a good time chatting and riding.

Veronica

[Irulan]

Our ladies' group MTB rides are a huge success. Twice monthly, response is overwhelming.

[colorisnt]

Our ladies' group MTB rides are a huge success. Twice monthly, response is overwhelming.

That's awesome! Great picture.

I rode around Toronto a bit and have been out 2-3 times/day here in Ottawa. Got 20 miles in today and it was like I didn't even know it. Went down to the best bike shop for women (per the cyclists I am staying with) and bought a new kit (first pair of bibs on sale) and another pair of LG shorts that I haven't seen anywhere in the US yet - also on sale. I got twice as much as I could get at the LBS at home for the price. Went to West Fest for a bit in Westboro and then the nut free bakery before I picked up some glass and watched my tire slowly deflate on the way home. Limped home okay, so not a blow out.

Was going to do an organized ride tomorrow but I don't think it's going to be as much mileage as I will feel like, so I think I will opt to go solo and ride a route myself.

[Crankin]

I hadn't been on my bike since last Sunday; a little because of weather, and a lot because I've been sick with my twice yearly sinus infection. I have been taking it really easy, since I am flying out to San Diego next Saturday, to see my dad and help my brother deal with all the stuff with my dad. Anyway, I was good and took a walk yesterday, even though it ended up being a pretty nice day. Today was perfect. We hung around and read the paper, ate bagels, etc., in honor of Father's Day. I knew I wasn't up to the metric I wanted to do, but I did want to ride. The medication I'm taking is making my stomach very upset, but it's working, so I've been plowing on, because the sinus stuff is gone. As soon as I got on the bike, I knew this was not a good idea. Not only did I just feel "off," my speed was really low, and I just felt like i was struggling. We rode on some roads that we don't do that often, in Sudbury, mostly in the opposite direction that we usually do. DH was really far ahead, which is not usually the case. At one point, I thought I would puke, but I think drinking Skratch helped that, a lot.
OK, we finally got back to our street and I told DH I seriously didn't think I could do the climb. He checked my bike, and guess what? Brakes f*cked up again. He's been working on them for a month. We got them good enough to ride, I kept my speed low on the climb, and I did feel not so bad. We came to the conclusion that the new "fancy" housing for the cables is not working on my bike. It's too stiff, and is pushing the cable, which causes the pads to stick, because of the position of where the cable enters the brake mechanism. Anyway, DH just replaced them with the old fashioned kind, and once again, I am glad we have an inventory of just about everything at home.
I have another 1.5 days of taking the meds and I don't want to, but I don't want to be sick, either. I will make my mileage goal of 1K by July 1, but it will be close with me going away.
23 miserable miles, in very nice weather. Going to meet DS and DIL for dinner now, for Father's Day.

[Jolt]

Well, if it makes you feel any better I had a yucky ride today too despite the nice weather. I didn't ride last week either, between weather, work and then being a bit sick Thursday from what I suspect was some bad fish (ugh). It has taken a couple of days to get feeling more or less back to normal. Today I decided to do a fairly hilly 25-mile loop that I have done before, and I was just not firing on all cylinders...started out feeling not so great, hoped that would improve after the first 15-20 minutes or so (as often happens) but it didn't really. Used the little ring (which always feels like giving up) way more than I normally would have and still struggled to finish the ride...before the halfway point I considered turning around but decided that if I did that I'd be totally disgusted with myself so I kept going. I'm not sure whether to chalk this one up to 1) not having done much for a few days, 2) the weather being warmer than I am used to so far this season, or 3) something else, but it was definitely an "off" day.

[colorisnt]

Sorry you guys had some rough bit of rides.

I got lost (didn't quite make it up to Meech lake as planned) but still got about 25 miles in. Had about 75 miles in the previous week despite about 19 hours of driving!

Here are some pics from the ride:
17195
17196
17198
17197
Rode around Parliament and the like today and then rode into QC quite a bit. FORCED myself to speak French for a second day in a week. Went to an all-french immersion dinner right after getting here and it was rough. I think my ear is either getting better or my brain has just had plenty of sleep, either way, it's easier.

Loving Ottawa so much!

Gonna blog about it later.

[ny biker]

So I had a great bike ride on Saturday. And I'm not going to be humble here -- I designed a seriously awesome route. I lead a club ride in northern Maryland, with a few miles in Pennsylvania for good measure. I used some roads I knew from the Civil War Century, a few that I picked up on a Baltimore Bike Club ride a couple of years ago, and some that I had never seen in person before but was able to scout out virtually using Google Street View. The result of 50 miles, with many quiet country lanes, lots of creek crossings, two covered bridges, an Oreo cow sighting (http://beltie.org), and just a whole day of fun rural cycling with friends. The weather was near perfect; after several days of rain and humidity, the skies cleared and it was actually cooler than normal for mid-June, with a just a bit of a breeze at times.

Every day should be this good!!

[Crankin]

I commuted for the first time in a week or two? I can't remember. Anyway, I went to boot camp this morning, came home, showered, got ready, got in my bike clothes, ate, and went to work. It was cooler this morning, around 64, and perfect. Tonight, I left the latest I've ever left, probably was 7:20 before I actually clipped in. Still nice, about 74, but you can feel the humidity rolling in. Thinking about commuting tomorrow, but I do need a rest day, because I have stuff planned for the rest of the week. Even though it's still light out at 7:30, I had my headlight flashing; it gets very shadowy and dark around the big trees.

[AppleTree]

So I had a great bike ride on Saturday. And I'm not going to be humble here -- I designed a seriously awesome route. I lead a club ride in northern Maryland, with a few miles in Pennsylvania for good measure. I used some roads I knew from the Civil War Century, a few that I picked up on a Baltimore Bike Club ride a couple of years ago, and some that I had never seen in person before but was able to scout out virtually using Google Street View. The result of 50 miles, with many quiet country lanes, lots of creek crossings, two covered bridges, an Oreo cow sighting (http://beltie.org), and just a whole day of fun rural cycling with friends. The weather was near perfect; after several days of rain and humidity, the skies cleared and it was actually cooler than normal for mid-June, with a just a bit of a breeze at times.

Every day should be this good!!

Oreo cows!! Who knew?! I thought maybe they would be just black and white cows, but no they really look like an Oreo cookie! What an awesome ride report. Now I'm hungry though... :p

[Crankin]

We might be going on another "tour" in Vermont over 4th of July. It's a trip run by the other bike club we belong to, not AMC, although the leader is also an AMC leader. It's really not a tour, we stay in one place, and do the rides out of there. It's in the same area we rode in, in central Vermont last September (big climbs), but it would allow us to do the ferry ride over to NY, across Lake Champlain, that we missed because of bad weather. Waiting to hear if there's space open still, and if we can get GPS files for the rides, as we will most definitely be riding on our own.

[Jolt]

We might be going on another "tour" in Vermont over 4th of July. It's a trip run by the other bike club we belong to, not AMC, although the leader is also an AMC leader. It's really not a tour, we stay in one place, and do the rides out of there. It's in the same area we rode in, in central Vermont last September (big climbs), but it would allow us to do the ferry ride over to NY, across Lake Champlain, that we missed because of bad weather. Waiting to hear if there's space open still, and if we can get GPS files for the rides, as we will most definitely be riding on our own.

Sounds a lot like an AMC trip I am doing at the end of this month...it's advertised as a "food tour" where we ride to different places each day of the weekend (and go to farmers markets etc.) but are based out of someone's home. As for the ferry ride, is that the Ticonderoga ferry? If so, I've taken that several times to meet up with my family and a big group of other people for an annual camping get-together at Lake George. Back on the topic of this thread, I had about a 12-mile day today but it was just utilitarian riding...grocery run in the morning and riding to/from the community bike shop to volunteer in the afternoon. Very hot and humid today so probably just as well that I didn't do a long ride.

[Crankin]

Yes, the Ticonderoga Ferry. It was 48 degrees and raining when we were supposed to do it last September, and since it was the last day, we just wanted to get done. It was a wise decision, as the rain got heavier, and the hills got harder. Much harder.
ETA: We are definitely going on the trip!

[Crankin]

Went on a club ride today. It was a really pretty, flattish route (2-3 hills), in northern MA, starting at a park in North Reading. I've been on a lot of these roads, but not in a long time. I was somewhat concerned, as it's HOT and humid, but there's a stiff breeze, the route had shade on the majority of roads, and the clouds are rolling in, despite the fact it was between 80 and 88 during the ride. I kept feeding myself Shot Blocks and drank 2 bottles of Skratch Lab stuff. Ate a Lara Bar at the rest stop. 37.8 miles. I didn't get my average, as when I have my GPS set on a course, I am not sure where it is. But, I rode up front most of the time, so I know this was a very fast ride for me. I also didn't stay for the lunch, as I have a haircut/color appointment soon.
There was one new woman who just moved here from PA. I had to get away from her, or I was going to throw up from listening to her tell another new person about all of her tours, trips, fast rides, sports, etc. Her voice was getting on my nerves. Eh, I dropped her on the hills, but other than that, it was fun.

[colorisnt]

Did a ride with a local group. It was fun but WAY faster and longer than advertised. Advertised it was 22-24km/hr and 40 km for the slow group. We averaged almost 28 and ended up doing closed to 50km on the "short" route. One of the anchors of the "slow" group wasn't there but a ride leader who wasn't in a hurry did the loop with me. I feel like people here are a lot more intense than back home but generally just as nice :) I ended up doing the fastest miles of my life for that long of a time! Who knew? I've done about 90 miles so far this week.

[ny biker]

I had to take a vacation day today (I'm a government contractor and there's a delay in getting funding for our work due to a paperwork problem), so I got a few friends together for a 32-mile ride this morning. We're having our first heat wave of the year, yesterday the high temp of 97 broke a record and today was only a few degrees lower. I tried to plan a shady route, but ended up with lots of shade in the first half and some long sunny stretches in the second part of the ride. Luckily there were large white clouds in the sky that kept the sun from blazing down on us without mercy. Despite the heat, it was a nice ride overall.

[Crankin]

It's awesome out today, so both DH and i came home around 11:30. After dealing with some computer stuff, eating lunch, we decided just to do a short loop.
11.2 miles, hilly, and fast. I will ride tomorrow before I leave for the airport, hopefully at least 30, which will put me within 60 miles of my July 1 goal. I can easily make that, if the weather cooperates next weekend, since we have a 50 mile ride scheduled a week from tomorrow.

[colorisnt]

Nybiker, that sounds like an awesome excuse to ride. Glad you got out! And crankin, Congrats!

My goal was 120 miles. I am now at 142, so I kicked butt this week. Did the club ride with the ladies last night and it was awesome. If you can believe it, I am struggling more with pace on the flat than hills. There's just no goal. I feel great at first and then get lost. During the climbs last night, I led the entire group (including two very, very experienced cyclists). I just passed everyone. I am really starting to miss hills. If I do the ride I want to do soon (to Meech Lake and back with a new acquaintance) I should be on target for some good climbs. I really need to figure out a strategy for pushing it on the flat. It seems like the best approach is to ride with some people who really push the pace.

Met some really cool women to ride with, so I cannot complain. Loving Ottawa. For 20 straight days, I have ridden my bike. That's dang impressive. Loving every minute and really enjoying my time here.

[Crankin]

Colorisnt, I am the same way. It's harder for me to maintain speed on the flats. This is why I was surprised I could stay up front on my ride Wednesday. I did pass almost everyone on the 3 hills, but as usual, I start feeling better, near the end of a ride, and that had a lot to do with my ability to stay with the faster group. I need a long time to "settle in."

[colorisnt]

Yeah. I need some hills to get my legs responding, I think. It's weird. Most people look at me like I have two heads. The group leader was like, "You hung back and seemed rather timid until you passed us all on EVERY HILL. Where the f*ck did you learned to climb like that?" And I was like, "I'm living in a VERY hilly place currently and my commute has some serious grading to it". They all were dumbfounded but the leader says next time she's going to force me to stay in front and pace with her. I'll take it. It will be good for me, Ithink.

[ny biker]

Re: hills vs flats -- is it that your legs get tired on the flats, or could it be that you don't have a gear that works well for you?

[colorisnt]

I have a perfect gear for the flats. I don't think I get tired as much as distracted/bored. I can't focus well. It's really not my body being tired or sore just not really being told what to do by my brain more than anything. I myself forget I am capable of a faster pace on the flat.

[Jolt]

Yeah. I need some hills to get my legs responding, I think. It's weird. Most people look at me like I have two heads. The group leader was like, "You hung back and seemed rather timid until you passed us all on EVERY HILL. Where the f*ck did you learned to climb like that?" And I was like, "I'm living in a VERY hilly place currently and my commute has some serious grading to it". They all were dumbfounded but the leader says next time she's going to force me to stay in front and pace with her. I'll take it. It will be good for me, Ithink.

I think I am the opposite...I can get into a rhythm and cruise along pretty well on the flat but when I hit a hill (unless it is a very gradual incline without any steeper segments) I just can't seem to maintain any speed. It's frustrating.

[ny biker]

I slow down a lot on hills but it doesn't bother me. Though in my case, it's because I have to shift down and slow my cadence to prevent the asthma from kicking in.

I had a great ride today. I led a 47-mile club ride in rural southern Maryland, in the area between the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay. The day started cloudy and cool with light rain early in the morning, but the clouds thinned out and the roads dried and we ended up with a nice day.

[colorisnt]

Ny biker,

That sounds lovely. Yeah, I have to also be careful of breathing - very mindful of that. My asthma isn't technically "exercised induced" but rather "allergy induced" these days. However, allergens are all over the place here right now and I have been steadily battling allergies since I am outdoors at least a few hours a day right now every day. So, I have to realize my allergies have lowered my lung capacity as it already stands.

It's a miracle to some that I can do this with my lungs. They used to be in terrible, terrible shape and I had a peds allergist who never thought I would be able to exercise normally but I found one my jr. year of HS who was really receptive to my need to be outside and we slowly built up my lung capacity so that by the time I got to college, I was rather "normal". I also had sinus surgery that year which has helped A LOT in my life. I hated to believe that asthma was a death sentence. And, while meds have never been a silver bullet and it can still knock me back when I'm sick for quite a bit, I just pace a little slower when I need it and focus on the good.

[Crankin]

I'm the same way. Allergies can knock me down in a flash.
I am a decent climber, but not fast. I can get up just about anything.

[colorisnt]

Getting up is the point. That's what makes me feel awesome.

I gained on EVERY climb last night on the Monday fast ride. Averaged about 15.5 mph for over 30 miles. Take that, lungs. Of course, today not only am I suffering pollen, I am also suffering chills and wetness because of the torrential downpour today. I'm in my 3rd change of clothes. I gave up on getting to the uni once I had to climb through standing water and made it about halfway there and was SOAKING despite my rain jacket and rainproofed footwear. Nothing could keep up with the standing water. Had to walk to get lunch and came back soaked AGAIN. Everything is now in the washer. GRRR. Bad time to be in need of laundry.

[Crankin]

So, I went on a group ride today, led by someone who often co-leads with us and vice versa. Today, i was just a participant. I went with my friends, as DH is at home awaiting his clavicle surgery. The ride went from Newburyport, MA to Portsmouth, NH and back. Now, I have actually done quite a few rides in this area, but I generally avoid beach rides in the summer. And today is the start of the "two weeks," when many people here traditionally take their vacations. A very weird group of attendees, 3 bridges (with steel plates, one over a highway), where we had to walk. One was the bridge where the women were killed in the century last September. This ride is flat, except for a couple of rises in the middle.
It was not fun riding through Hampton Beach, although there is a bike lane. But, typical beach traffic, pedestrians, and various honky tonk stuff. Ugh. They should call it "Live Free AND Die," not "or die." Tons of motorcyclists without helmets. Once you get past Hampton Beach, the rest of the coastline is lovely. The speed was high and I stayed up front. We ate at a parrk in Portsmouth, but my measly sandwich was not enough. I had appropriate snacks, Shot Blocks, hydration, but the heat was starting to get to me. I took off with my 2 friends before the group left, as we just wanted to get back. There was a detour, which we figured out, and thankfully, it got shady and cooler. But, coming back through the honky tonk was awful.
55.8 miles and I will meet my July 1 goal tomorrow, if I ride 23 miles. I am tired and a bit sunburned in weird spots. I was very careful to apply lots of lotion, but... finally feel full after eating dinner.

[shootingstar]

Am in Vancouver and enjoying it despite light showers here and there. Yesterday just 43 km. about town. And today less, visiting my favourite haunts and lovely food stops. :) I sleep a lot better for whatever reason even though it's tame cycling. :)

[Crankin]

24.4 mile ride recovery ride, with my friend. I stayed behind her for half the ride, to make myself go slowly. It's hot, so we stuck to familiar, shady spots in Acton and Stow. I did go ahead near the end. Then, we figured out I would be about 3/4 of a mile short of my 1K mile goal when we got back to her house, so she led me through some streets that connect back to hers. It ended up being about 1.5 miles more than I needed. My friend was fading, so I told her she got the friend of the year award! We came back a different way than normally, and there is a very short and steep hill right before her street. She was so hot and tired, she had to walk. I made my goal, and later she and her DH came over to bring DH ice cream, to aid in his clavicle recovery.

[Jolt]

I had a nice weekend of riding and local food on an AMC trip based out of the leaders' house near Auburn, ME. Friday night we did a short 13-mile ride followed by lobster, corn on the cob and potatoes, with gelato and fresh berries for dessert and a bonfire after. Yesterday was almost 30 miles, starting at the Brunswick farmers' market (where we picked out mussels, fresh pasta, bread and salad fixings for that night's dinner) and stopping for lunch in Freeport. We also had to stop at the LL Bean bike shop because I managed to lose a screw from my front fender just as we got into town...we were riding along and I started hearing something rattling, tried adjusting my front shifter thinking the drivetrain was the source of the noise, then figured out at a stop that it was the fender stay not being attached to the eyelet. I wrapped one of my velcro pant straps around it to semi-attach it to the fork and keep it from getting into the spokes and then got a screw when we stopped. Nobody else had any mechanicals fortunately. Today we rode to an organic farm for brunch and then back to the house, getting in another almost 30 miles...it was HOT today and it felt great to jump in the pool when we got back. I was by far the youngest person in the group; the oldest was 77 (!) and she still leads hikes etc.--now that's what I call aging gracefully!

[ny biker]

So, I went on a group ride today, led by someone who often co-leads with us and vice versa. Today, i was just a participant. I went with my friends, as DH is at home awaiting his clavicle surgery. The ride went from Newburyport, MA to Portsmouth, NH and back. Now, I have actually done quite a few rides in this area, but I generally avoid beach rides in the summer. And today is the start of the "two weeks," when many people here traditionally take their vacations. A very weird group of attendees, 3 bridges (with steel plates, one over a highway), where we had to walk. One was the bridge where the women were killed in the century last September. This ride is flat, except for a couple of rises in the middle.
It was not fun riding through Hampton Beach, although there is a bike lane. But, typical beach traffic, pedestrians, and various honky tonk stuff. Ugh. They should call it "Live Free AND Die," not "or die." Tons of motorcyclists without helmets. Once you get past Hampton Beach, the rest of the coastline is lovely. The speed was high and I stayed up front. We ate at a parrk in Portsmouth, but my measly sandwich was not enough. I had appropriate snacks, Shot Blocks, hydration, but the heat was starting to get to me. I took off with my 2 friends before the group left, as we just wanted to get back. There was a detour, which we figured out, and thankfully, it got shady and cooler. But, coming back through the honky tonk was awful.
55.8 miles and I will meet my July 1 goal tomorrow, if I ride 23 miles. I am tired and a bit sunburned in weird spots. I was very careful to apply lots of lotion, but... finally feel full after eating dinner.

Did you go through Seabrook? I know someone whose family has a beach house there. In fact he'll be going up for a visit this weekend.

I rode twice last week. On Thursday I took a vacation day for my birthday. The club I belong to has a ride every Thursday that always starts at the same location but uses a different route each week. I came up with a 39-mile route on the roads I like best in that area and led the ride. It was fun. There were 17 people at the ride. Most were faster than me, a couple rode more slowly and took short cuts, and we all managed to meet up at the rest stops. The weather was great. On the way home I stopped at a deli to pick up a sandwich and a slice of carrot (birthday) cake.

Yesterday I did a 63-mile ride that started in northern Maryland and went up to Gettysburg. It was a huge group, because it was posted on the ride schedule for two local clubs. The route was beautiful and we had another day of beautiful summer weather.

[Crankin]

Yes, we went through Seabrook. Twice.
I will withhold my comments about Seabrook. The beach itself is beautiful, but...

[Jolt]

Yes, we went through Seabrook. Twice.
I will withhold my comments about Seabrook. The beach itself is beautiful, but...

When I hear Seabrook mentioned, all I can think of is the nuclear power plant!

[Crankin]

It's not the power plant that I was talking about.
It's just a skanky beach town, as is Hampton Beach. Whe I first moved back here, I did take my kids to Hampton for day trips, as I lived in the Merrimack Valley. But, after a couple of years, I discovered North Hampton and Rye, which was more like the Cape and no honkey tonk. I know this sounds terrible, but Seabrook and Hampton have terrible drug and crime issues, along with Salisbury Beach, MA (the next town south).

[Crankin]

I decided to get in a ride before the rain from Arthur started. Got out a bit later than I wanted to, and spent the first half of the ride convincing myself not to just do the 11, 13, or 15 mile loop. while keeping an eye on the sky. While I've always done these short loops alone, I do find it hard to motivate myself without DH. Plus, these often end up being my faster rides. Decided to do what we humorously call the "flat route," and today I realized the one part that sort of seems really flat, isn't, it's a false flat. The humidity was 99%, which made breathing a bit hard, even though it was not that hot out, at 73 degrees. I've had an average as high as 18 on this route (OK, 6-7 years ago), and most of the time, even when I'm alone, it's usually about 15.5-16.5. On this route, I can pretend I'm fast. Not today. It took me until I was turning into my neighborhood to get to an average of 15, and that was with sprinting for the last few hundred yards. I totally slowed down after that, and climbed the steep side of my hill for the first time this year, as I wanted the momentum to get up the driveway.
I don't know how people in the south can ride in humidity. When I came inside, DH said he has rarely seen me that sweaty and with my jersey unzipped almost down to my navel!
It started raining even before I went up to take a shower.

[Crankin]

Today I rode with my neighbors. He's a triathlete and she is a boot camp and spin instructor. Both are very fast runners. Needless to say, they are also 15 years younger than me.
I rode with them once before, when they both had hybrids and it was fine. I had a bad feeling about today, as we were heading into Harvard and Bolton (hills) and they now have road bikes. They don't know their way around that well, so of course, they needed to keep me in sight. I managed to stay with them until we were about a mile and a half from the base of the first big climb, and told them where to turn and where to wait for me. They waited at the top. There was one more bigger climb and one smaller one, before we got to the climb on our street! I also went my usual speed on those, but they waited. It's a beautiful day out, with little traffic. At one point, the woman was fading, and got behind me. Then, about 3 miles from home, I just felt awful; not sure why, we stopped and I ate a Shot Block and poured water over my head. It's actually warmer out than I thought it would be.
I am glad I went, but I was stressed. Just a teeny bit too fast for me to have fun, but I am glad I pushed myself. The ride was 36.8 miles, with about 2,000 feet of climbing.

[emily_in_nc]

Been away for awhile, traveling the US and doing lots of riding! Here are a couple of recent blog posts on some of the great rides we've done across the US:

Billings, Montana (beautiful, challenging road loop): http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com/traveling-twosome-blog/a-beautiful-bicycle-ride-around-billings-montana

Spearfish, South Dakota (riding the canyon): http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com/traveling-twosome-blog/our-prettiest-stop-so-far-spearfish-south-dakota-part-2

Now that we're settled down for awhile, I'll be around more. Have missed my TE family!

Emily

[rebeccaC]

emily, that spearfish canyon road ride is in one incredibly beautiful area, it's on my want to ride list now...thanks for the write up and photos.

someone needs to start a july ride thread!!!!

[emily_in_nc]

emily, that spearfish canyon road ride is in one incredibly beautiful area, it's on my want to ride list now...thanks for the write up and photos.

someone needs to start a july ride thread!!!!

Yes, I highly recommend Spearfish Canyon -- one of the best rides I've ever done!

Both of the rides I posted above were done in June, so I didn't post a July thread. I am way behind on my blogging!