April Rides

[Crankin]

I'll start.
As always, I have good intentions, but sometimes, life does get in the way (and cold wind). About an hour before I was going to go on a group ride, I realized that 1) today was the only day I had to do some advanced cooking prep for Passover 2), buy my son a present for his 30th birthday in time to get it to CA, and 3) although it was the same temperature as when I commuted yesterday, there were 20 mph wind gusts, with a steady breeze of about 10, so the real feel would be about 27 at 10:00. I was very industrious, doing laundry and various other work related tasks, as well as cooking, so at 2:00 DH and i set out for a ride. The wind is out of the north, which is a very cold wind at this time of year. We decided to head up Strawberry Hill first, to get warm, but fighting the wind going up a hill was demoralizing. Good thing was on the middle part of the loop, we had a tailwind, and I was cruising at 19-20. I slowed down a lot, going up my hill, as my knee was a bit angry when I got up this morning, after my commute yesterday. I think it's getting used to the new gearing combos.
Anyway, a very short ride, 11 miles, but I feel like worked really hard. It looks like there will be no riding until Sunday, though, as while tomorrow will be nice (and warmer), I have to work all day instead of half a day. Friday is going to be 70% chance of rain, and I have an appointment after work. Saturday, looks like rain, too.
We've subbed the rain for the snow.

[ny biker]

Really the weather is against us. I realize it's nowhere near as bad down here as it is for those of you who are farther north, but it's bad enough for someone who hates the cold more with each passing year. I have cancelled four rides that I had planned over the past couple of weeks, partially because I've been busy and tired, but in large part because I'm just sick of being outside in the cold north wind.

Tonight I had planned to go out for a ride after work. It's been in the 50s here today and the sun has been warm, but the breeze is from the NW and there's a chill to it and the sun will be gone by the time I get out to ride so it will be chilly. I'm thinking of postponing the ride until tomorrow when it will be warmer. Of course I've been eating all day as if I was going for a ride tonight rather than having a light lunch as I would on a non-workout day, but dammit I'm tired of wearing AmFib tights and Windstopper gloves and booties. It's just making me cranky.

[Crankin]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've been wearing my battery heated gloves! Yes, they are a new toy, but I needed them yesterday morning on the way to work, when it was 36. Today, I just wore regular mid weight fleece lined cycling gloves. My hands just can't tolerate the Amphibs, even when I got a bigger size, I just feel like my fingers are being strangled.
I know this too, will pass, in terms of the weather, but I won't ride in pouring rain. Cold, I am OK with at this time of year, but the wind today really added a dimension I didn't need. Trying to stay positive. I may be able to get a commute in on Friday, but it will require a mad dash home from the gym at 6:30 AM, shower, eat, and get on my bike, see 3 clients, and book out of there quickly to get home, change, and head off to an important hair appointment. I'd be willing to do this in a light rain, but we'll see. It's only 5.2 miles each way.

[ny biker]

I totally agree about riding in heavy rain, especially cold rain. It can actually be dangerous, if you're not able to keep warm enough.


I decided to delay my ride until tomorrow night, and instead I went shopping for a dress for my cousin's upcoming wedding. I found something nice. It cost a bit more than I wanted to spend but I already have shoes, a slip, everything else I need to go with it and it looks good on me so I felt like I'd had a successful evening. Then as I was driving through the mall parking lot toward the highway, someone drove up next to me and told me that both of my tail lights were out.

The car is due for an oil change and inspection, but I had planned to wait until next week for that. But nonworking tail lights are a safety hazard so I would have to bring the car in for service first thing tomorrow. Since both lights were out, I hoped it was just a blown fuse, but it could be something more serious. My car (a Prius) is full of computers that control everything including the lights, and I've had problems with them in the past. Since it's no longer under warranty it would be expensive to deal with that again. And if I have to take the car in for service tomorrow, it could easily mess up my whole day and prevent me from riding my bike after work. This is what I was thinking as I drove home.

Then when I got home I asked the internet was what going on, and it told me that I probably just needed to replace some light bulbs. And there were even videos to show me how to do it. So I will attempt this first thing tomorrow morning, and hopefully after that my day will be routine enough to allow some cycling. It will be breezy but the will winds from the SOUTH. So it should be sunny and warm and pleasant. No more AmFibs!!

[Crankin]

I commuted again today. The rain stayed south, or at least it didn't rain while I was riding! I got home from boot camp and DH was still home, so we rode out together, at 8 AM. There was a major back up of traffic on one of the more main roads, as they were street cleaning along the curb. DH went ahead and I guess he went to the left of the cars to see what the heck was going on (a bad move I would never do.) But, then, all of the cars stopped, and I could see the street cleaning stuff. There was no room in the small area where I usually ride, as that's where they were cleaning. But, I got in the lane, and it was just a minute of stopping, as they were letting vehicles go through on a one way basis. I caught up to DH quickly, as we were in a wide bike/parking lane over the Concord River and then we parted ways. All in all, a bit faster today and I wore a new tunic from Terry (made by a French brand) and my commuting capris that have a tri chamois, with my bolero, so I did not have to change, except for my shoes. Nice.

[ny biker]

I did go out for a ride last night after work. (I also successfully changed the tail light bulbs in the car. It was easy -- sometimes car manufacturers make it difficult to access the light housings, but in this case I was able to get at them with plenty of room to work even though the bike was in the back of the car.)

It was windy yesterday, but it was warm. I was overdressed! It was 70 degrees and right around sunset when I started. I didn't know how much it would cool down while I was out, but I thought there was a good chance it would get chilly. So I wore wool capris, a long sleeved lightweight wool shirt under a short sleeved jersey, and toe covers. But it was still in the high 60s when I finished with strong breezes from the south, so I didn't really need the capris or the toe covers. It was a pleasant change from all the "I wish I had an extra layer" rides I did this winter.

In all I rode 16 miles, a short version of my usual hilly route. My legs were pretty tired, but I averaged slightly faster than the last time I did the same ride, not bad considering I've been off the bike for several weeks.

[Jolt]

It got up into the 60s here today (!) so I made sure to get a ride in. However, it wasn't one of the best rides I've had...first I was bombing down a steep hill, and when I was going pretty fast I came around a curve to find that at the bottom of the hill there was a logging truck turning right onto the road I was on and taking up both lanes. Had to come to almost a complete stop (fairly quickly) to avoid either running into it or having to ditch at high speed, neither of which would have been good. Later, I had decided to explore a road I hadn't ridden before only to find out that it turned from pavement to dirt which would have been fine except it was wet, mushy and my tires were sinking into the surface making it hard to keep moving forward without falling over. So, I turned around and went back to the main road home, making the ride shorter than I had originally wanted it to be (13 miles instead of about 20). It appears that for D2R2 this summer I will want to use different tires, and I really hope it isn't wet that weekend!! And, my average speed was a craptastic 11 mph (but then again there was a LOT of climbing in the first half of the ride, with a slight headwind to boot).

[azfiddle]

We get Friday before Easter off.. and unlike Crankin, I didn't have to do any Passover cooking because we're going to a friend's house and I'm bringing the matzah and a bottle of wine.

Getting warm here in Tucson- up to the 90's for a few days, but today was cooler (85?) and I did a ride this morning with one of the local bike clubs. Adding 10 miles of travel to the ride start and end, I rode 42. One of the usual destinations: Saguaro National Park east, with lots of brittlebush still in bloom and the earliest cacti blooming: Hedgehog Cactus with a brilliant magenta flower. I also saw my first live rattlesnake of the year (Western Diamondback), but it was on the side of the road, not even on the pavement, as I rode up the steep hill on the back of the loop through the park. I averaged a respectable (for me) 15.4 mph. Added a few miles with a bike trip to the doctor and will be riding my bike to the Passover dinner as my husband needed the car.

Tomorrow I'm riding Mt. Lemmon again but I will not get to the summit as we are starting at 7 am and I have to be home by 11. I would say that a reasonable expectation might be to get to about mile post 10 at Seven Cataracts view point. That should take about 2 1/2 hours up at my snail's pace, with a couple of stops to rest, and includes the 5 miles from the start to "mile 0", and about an hour ride or more down. I'm not one of those fearless descenders- glad I have good brakes).

[Crankin]

OK, today we decided to "test ride" our new route for our club New Members Ride. Good thing we did..
We rode to the start, 6.2 miles, where our friends (3 of them) and other leaders met us. It was 48, but partly cloudy and extremely windy. Right away none of our GPSs were working right, and my friend went off another way. Her DH stopped to find her, but eventually, he caught up. The route is nice, and in the beginning felt like a lot of climbing, but on quiet roads, nothing horrible. As we were heading back, we turned off a main road into a neighborhood, where DH had added enough miles to get to 21. I had told him not to, as there are hills. Well, it had been many years since I had driven up these streets, and they were not just hills, but two with grades between 10-15%. I had to turn off onto a side street to get momentum to finish my way up the second hill! In fact, this is the first time I have heard my friend Brant yell a swear word at DH! We are usually yelling at him about planning routes with these kinds of climbs. Who knew that these hills existed in Acton? Then we missed a few turns,Brant got separated from us and my friend was gone, too. Our other co-leader stuck with us, as he lives in a different area. Got back to the start, and then my friend pulled up! We all agreed we will cut out the hills, even though it makes the ride just under 20 miles. We rode back to our friend's house, about 2 miles, to revive ourselves with tea and chocolate matzah and cheese. By this time, I was frozen, but, after socializing for an hour or so, we made it the last 4 miles home, where the real feel of the temperature is 34. Brrr, but a total of 35.5 miles.

[DebW]

I got in a 39 mile ride today. First ride of the season other than commuting to work (6 miles each way) which I've been doing most days now for about 3 weeks. Joined a ride with the Harvard University Gay and Lesbian group, which turned out to be only 2 of us. We met up in Arlington Center and took the bike path to Bedford, then Rt. 62 to Concord and West Concord where we had a picnic behind the Nashoba Valley Bakery by the Assabet River. Luckily this spot was out of the wind. Then we rode back to Concord, Old Bedford Rd. and Virginia Rd. to 2A, from which I headed down Rt 4/225 to Waltham. I'll probably be sore tomorrow. I start back wrenching at the bike shop this week.

[ny biker]

I did a club ride yesterday, 38 miles. I did not want to do the ride. It was windy, sustained winds 15-20 mph with gusts of 35+. I consider this borderline dangerous and completely not fun in any way. If it was up to me, I would have canceled the ride the night before and not bothered to set my alarm for the morning. Saturday morning rides are usually hard for me, because I don't get home from work on Friday until around 7 pm and I have plenty that needs to get done after that so by the time I'm finished getting ready for the next day's bike ride and get to bed it's usually after 1 am. On hot summer days it's worth getting up early for rides despite the lack of sleep, but in early April it's really not worth the exhaustion to ride early in the morning when the most comfortable temperatures are in the afternoon.

But I was not in charge of these decisions. It was an all-class club ride -- routes of different lengths for different ride categories that all start at the same location, to give people a chance to get to know folks they don't typically ride with. The coordinator asked me to lead one of the rides, and I agreed. So I was committed to ride a specific route at a time that was not chosen by me. On Friday night I contacted the coordinator and told him I was worried about the high winds. He agreed that it was a concern but decided not to cancel.

So I had to get up early to do a ride that I really really really did not want to do. And I did not have the option of choosing a shorter route, because I was the leader so I was obligated to ride sweep. I was extremely tired and cranky at the ride start. Oh I forgot to mention that I've been dealing with a nasty yeast infection all week long and though the medication had mostly gotten things under control by yesterday morning, it was causing some burning and irritation, and I was worried about it getting worse over the course of the ride.

The whole thing ended up pretty disorganized for some reason. Usually for these all-class rides someone says a few words of welcome to everyone at the start, then each group leaves a few minutes apart, from fastest to slowest, with the slower groups watching the faster ones leave. This did not happen yesterday. People were milling about, saying hello and getting ready for the ride, then someone announced that the nearby restrooms had just opened so I and a bunch of others went for a pre-ride pit stop. When I got back to my car a few minutes later, the fastest group had already left, the next group was on it's way out, and people who signed up with my group were riding past me telling me that they were going to start with a faster group and then maybe join me later. Then the remainder of my group and the next slower group all left at once. We had 13 miles of headwinds to start the ride, so we were slower than usual and I really had no idea who was in my group and who was in the other group. Since my average speed was well below the expected pace of my group, I decided that anyone who was behind me was with the slower group. After a few miles, it was me and two others riding together, with a few people out of sight ahead of us and everyone else way behind us.

For the most part, the ride was a long struggle against the wind. We had a few miles here and there with a tailwind or enough trees along the road to shelter us, but mostly it was fighting headwinds and trying to stay upright in crosswinds. The only good thing was that the sun was warm, which kept the wind from being too cold.

I think I need to do some solo rides over the next few weeks. I led a fair number of rides over the winter, and I think it's getting to me. Sometimes you just need to be on your own without having to worry about being ready to start at a specific time or being committed to a pre-planned route.

[khg]

It's been a fun week--Thursday I ran a bunch of errands by bike all over town, and only found out when I got home that there had been some major traffic snarl-ups all over the city. I had no idea, never sat fuming in traffic, and got to spend quite a bit of time outside on a nice spring day. Yay!

Then yesterday, my husband and I rode the Oregon Randonneurs Birkie 200k (http://www.orrandonneurs.org/rba/2015/Birkie_15/Birkie_15_info.html). It started out miserably cold and foggy, and we shivered our way to the first stop, 36 miles in, at Vernonia. Normally we try to keep stops quick, but we opted to sit down and eat at the cafe. It was a good choice, as a hearty breakfast of eggs, hashbrowns, and coffee later, the sun was starting to burn off the fog. The ride did a very scenic and enjoyable out-and-back from there, and after stopping at the same place in Vernonia for lunch, the last 30 miles were a delight. 20 of them were on a gorgeous rails-to-trails path that went through the woods--you'd have no idea that the highway was a short distance away. And the sun was shining (though still bundled up in all my stuff, I was at least finally warm!), the roads that we did ride on had little traffic, and it was an altogether lovely day with great company.

I'm getting close enough to my husband's riding ability that he occasionally is the one to complain about me riding too fast... His complaining aside, we're starting to have really complementary paces, which is making riding together a lot easier and more fun. He can still drop me on a prolonged hill, and I can still drop him on a prolonged downhill (especially if it has corners) but for the most part, we don't have to do much adjustment any more to ride together. As the weather improved after the chilly start, we had a great time. He's done this ride before, and raved about it, and now I see why--it was a great route that I would gladly do again. Part of the fun was that the ride started and ended at the McMenamin's in Forest Grove, where we stayed--it's a quirky fun place with good beer and cheap rooms. What more can a person ask for!?!

Alas, spring break at my Saturday teaching job is over, so the fun weekend getaways are at an end for a bit, but we tried to make the most of it while we could!

[rebeccaC]

azfiddle is still climbing, khg is still challengeing herself and more people are getting miles in :)....sounds good to me!!!



Then yesterday, my husband and I rode the Oregon Randonneurs Birkie 200k (http://www.orrandonneurs.org/rba/2015/Birkie_15/Birkie_15_info.html).

looked at a map of that route..that looks like a good ride!! i went south last weekend to just past independence or. on the willamette valley bikeway with friends from portland...keep riding like you are and you'll end up having to wait for your husband on your rides :)

rode to the farmers market first thing this morning and then rode into downtown LA’s industrial area to do some photography. beautiful day weather wise….low 70’s and no wind. 52 miles with no climbing so just a relaxing day of riding and creativity. on my way home i met a young latina girl when i stopped at a small corner market for some water. she wanted to know all about my bike and what color the celeste was so we talked about bicycling for a few minutes. she gave me a smile as i left that stayed with me the rest of the day. i talked to her mother for a few minutes, it’s just her and Gabriela and she rides to work each day on an old mountain bike. I got their address and told the mother i'm going to buy a bike and give it and a helmet to Gabriela next weekend when i’m home again. they live just two blocks from one of the bike paths i use to get downtown so that makes for a safe place for them to ride together....now thinking that was a good way of finishing a good days ride


now some here may not like two way bike lanes or any bicycle infrastructure but it sure makes for a safe and relaxing way for me to get downtown :)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8739/16426677734_70bce81446_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r2z1ZC)

[VeganBikeChick]

That's a beautiful bike path!

[Crankin]

Maybe people in other places have better cycling manners? While part of me would love to have the kind of commuting paths I see posted here, my experience on 3 different paths here has been frightful. And that's just from the other riders. Let's not even talk about the runners, walkers, dogs, and kids. A few years ago, I occasionally would ditch my group ride and take the Minuteman into Arlington Center for coffee. It's an 8 mile ride to get to the start of the path for me, so doing that and riding to Arlington and back is 38 miles. Even at 10 AM on a Wednesday, I felt like I had to be hyper vigilant in a way that's different than when i am dealing with cars. Perhaps I am better at predicting what drivers will do.
Deb, that sounds like a nice ride for those who live closer to the city. I like reading about rides in my own backyard!

[Aromig]

I managed to do my first long ride of the season yesterday - country roads in a big loop. I had a terrible headwind for the first 20 miles so I felt awful and I think I started out dehydrated to boot. By the time I got to the first convenience store to refill my bottles I'd already emptied them. On the way back, I got lost and ended up doing 5 miles on a busier road than I'd wanted to be on, but it worked out OK. It was a bit chilly with the wind (I never know how to dress appropriately for 50s-60s, sun and wind make such a difference in this range!), but I survived.

[ny biker]

Seems like we're all dealing with wind lately.

For temps in the 50s-60s, I find that the key is multiple lightweight layers, so you can easily add or subtract as needed and won't have anything too bulky to try to fit in a pocket or bag if you decide you don't want to wear it.

[Crankin]

I rode my very short loop today, on a day when I didn't plan to ride. I had plans to meet my cousin for lunch, so I was just going to work out in my home gym. Then she canceled, and I was kind of pissed since i could have gone on a group ride. But, I had a lot of paperwork to do at home, plus dealing with various client crisis stuff, I figured I needed a short break before the rain. It was cold, even though the temperature said 45, so I was dressed for it being 35. I'm just slow and I don't like this. I know eventually, things will fall into place.
Glad I went, and now it is sleeting out. Lovely weather for April. Weekend looks good, though.

[ny biker]

We have a "back-door cold front" here, meaning weather coming from the northeast rather than the west or south. Which means cloudy, damp, cold, periods of rain, generally unpleasant. So I cancelled my post-work ride tonight. Tomorrow will be more of the same, weather-wise, so no rescheduling to tomorrow.

I just bought the Sonic Highways dvd that was released yesterday -- don't have HBO so I haven't seen any of it yet, though I've listened to the CD many times since it was released last year. So maybe I will put the bike on the indoor trainer tonight and pedal through an episode or two. (Or maybe not -- I'm going to run some errands first, and don't know what time I'll get home).

The weekend here looks good, too. Saturday morning is our club's annual Cherry Blossom ride. I won't be taking part, because I have things I need to do that morning, so I'm thinking about a solo afternoon ride instead.

[Helene2013]

finally should be nice next weekend for Montreal as well. We'll probably get our old hybrids out to test road conditions. Does not look that good (leftovers from snow, holes, sides are dirty), etc. So test-driving it before taking our good bikes out will be a good workout as they are much heavier too.

Right now it is very cold, waiting for some rain to fall any moment, which will transfort into snow during evening. Hard to believe we're almost mid-April with this kind of yacky weather. It was expected though with all the great lakes solidly frozen due to record freezeing temperatures of this past winter. So it will be a verrrrry slow spring to arrive in many areas as the lakes will take to time to get rid of their ice and cold water = pushing cold air east. bummer.

[Blueberry]

Tried to go for a group ride today - it didn't go well:(

We have a local Luna Chix ride, and they are awesome. This came out on their list serve, and it thought it was that. It wasn't - but it was billed as a no drop, no expectations womens' ride. One of the local Luna Chix was there, but the ride leader was an undergrad student (not that there's anything wrong with that - other than lack of experience). It was hot (86F) - and it hasn't been until now. A PT (not my usual one) lowered my seat by 1.5 cm (not a good idea - there went all my power and there came back all of my knee pain). I started out doing OK - I was sticking to the back of the group and (sort of) keeping my heart rate under control. Then a "helpful" person (couldn't tell is she was supposed to be assisting with the ride or not) started asking me questions - I was spinning up a hill (still having knee and hamstring issues and I cannot mash) - and she thought I was spinning too fast (about 80 rpm). I explained I was doing what I needed to do for me, thank you. Then she asked if I knew how to change gears - I told her that yes, in fact, I have many thousands of miles under my belt and know how to operate my shifters. When I explained I had been injured and had a different saddle position that was causing me to be a little slower than usual, she said I shouldn't be riding at all (ummm...my PT knows I ride and has said it's OK). Basically, she never would believe I had been on a bike before and actually knew what I was doing. I'm sure she thought she was trying to be helpful - but it really came across as condescending. I let the Luna Chix rider know I was splitting off and not to look for me, fixed the seat height, and did my own ride - but GRRRRR....There is such a things as too helpful!

I felt bad for another rider who showed up - it was her first group ride. She was with the front group, so I bet she did OK. But no one told her about hand signals, group etiquette, anything. I told her a few things (after asking what she already knew) - but I would think they should have covered that at the first ride of the season with someone who said it was her first ride.

After I left them, I had a nice ride. Hoping to get back out soon - but there's a lot of rain in our forecast.

[Owlie]

Rode to work and back today. I'm enjoying the fact that I can leave at my usual time (before 7am) and it's light outside. I won't be enjoying it in another month.

Stopped to help someone out with a mechanical problem. Some guy who knew very little about bikes, with a 10-15 year old road bike with some major brake rub issues. Well, it wasn't the brake. Somehow he'd popped a spoke nipple off (probably very loose to begin with) or broke it, which caused a major wheel wobble. The wheels on this thing were the kind where the spoke nipple sits inside the rim itself. You could hear it rattling around inside if you turned the wheel. I made sure that he had a ride home before heading off. (This city just seems incredibly rude. I was the only one to stop and ask if he needed anything. No one announces that they're passing. It's weird.)

[Crankin]

Blueberry, that sounds awful. I am on the Luna Chix email list, too, but I have never gone to a ride because I suspected stuff like you described would happen. I am probably too slow for them now, anyway!
I hate that "helpful/condescending" attitude. Like when people yell, "good job," to someone who is struggling up a hill or just near the back of a ride. To me, it has always meant "Good job for a slow/fat/old person." There's a variety of reasons an experienced rider may be at the back, so now, if I am checking in on someone, I do it with a humorous comment. Of course, I have been on the receiving end of this many times and I want to scream F-U.

[Blueberry]

Blueberry, that sounds awful. I am on the Luna Chix email list, too, but I have never gone to a ride because I suspected stuff like you described would happen.

I'm SO glad someone understands this! I sort of felt like I was being super cranky yesterday. The "official" Luna Chix ride here struck the right balance the one time I attended. It is all inclusive (there were people doing 20+ and people doing under 10, and a lot in between). I'll probably try one of those again just to see - but if this happens again, I'm back to happily riding on my own. Unlike most of the local cyclists here (and some of the ride leaders yesterday), I don't feel the need to ride in a group "for safety."

[lauraelmore1033]

Boy, there is nothing I find more irritating on a group ride than a leader who takes it upon himself/herself to "instruct" me on how to shift/pedal/climb! Someone saying "good job!" when I'm climbing comfortably comes a close second. People make such insulting assumptions.

[maillotpois]

(stepping out from the lurking shadow...)

The unnecessary instructing thing reminds me of a great story. There's a woman who sometimes shows up at certain club rides who is a super know it all. She drives me bat sh!t crazy. Anyway, during a 200k brevet last year, she took it upon herself to lecture a friend of mine about group riding, shifting, etc. She commented she thought my friend had great potential for distance riding and maybe she should consider doing a double century sometime. She didn't know that my friend is a multiple 1200 and 1000k finisher and was the first woman EVER to start RAAM (she DNF'ed because her support van was totaled.) My friend is also of course in the triple crown hall of fame (having finished at least 50 double centuries). My friend is an elementary school teacher so she sort of indulgently let the know it all go on...

Sorry about the knee issues Blueberry. :(

[rebeccaC]

Great day of riding….took a young girl (Gabriela), who’s been riding a neighbors hand me down bike which is too small with a non working rear derailleur, just a rear brake and mismatched rims/tires to REI and she picked out a novara children’s bike, a pink and purple helmet and a purple jellibell!! I also ended up buying her mother a mixte with a front basket and added a rear rack, a topeak rear basket for more groceries etc. and a good lock and cable. She commutes and does errands on a very old and beat up mountain bike so this will help make that commute and her errands easier. We all went for an fourteen mile ride on the beach path and had lunch. Gabriela knows how to keep a line and rode really well. When we got back to REI we loaded the bikes on top and in my car and I drove them home. Hugs and smiles all around when I left and they made me promise I’d stop to ride with them every now and then. They live just off a bike path I take to get downtown LA so I’m sure I will.

One of the best rides I’ve been on for awhile :)

[salsabike]

Great day of riding….took a young girl (Gabriela), who’s been riding a neighbors hand me down bike which is too small with a non working rear derailleur, just a rear brake and mismatched rims/tires to REI and she picked out a novara children’s bike, a pink and purple helmet and a purple jellibell!! I also ended up buying her mother a mixte with a front basket and added a rear rack, a topeak rear basket for more groceries etc. and a good lock and cable. She commutes and does errands on a very old and beat up mountain bike so this will help make that commute and her errands easier. We all went for an fourteen mile ride on the beach path and had lunch. Gabriela knows how to keep a line and rode really well. When we got back to REI we loaded the bikes on top and in my car and I drove them home. Hugs and smiles all around when I left and they made me promise I’d stop to ride with them every now and then. They live just off a bike path I take to get downtown LA so I’m sure I will.

One of the best rides I’ve been on for awhile :)

:) Great to hear this follow-up to your first meeting with Gabriela.

[MarieV]

Rebecca, that's wonderful! You're like the bike fairy godmother!

I finally did my April 100K (SIR Seattle Lakes and Trails around Lake Washington) last weekend. We've been really lucky with unusually warm and sunny weekends here in Seattle, and last Saturday was no exception. It's not quite the 75-85° weather we had when I was visiting family in San Diego over Spring Break, but we definitely hit 70° at the end of March when I rode around Lake Sammamish with a friend and fellow teacher to celebrate the end of Winter quarter and the maiden voyage of her new Pinarello Marvel. Afterwards, we had drinks at Malt and Vine's outdoor patio in Redmond, and it definitely felt like summer. Unfortunately, this weekend feels more like our usual PNW spring with intermittent rain and sun bursts and even hail.

[Owlie]

Great day of riding….took a young girl (Gabriela), who’s been riding a neighbors hand me down bike which is too small with a non working rear derailleur, just a rear brake and mismatched rims/tires to REI and she picked out a novara children’s bike, a pink and purple helmet and a purple jellibell!! I also ended up buying her mother a mixte with a front basket and added a rear rack, a topeak rear basket for more groceries etc. and a good lock and cable. She commutes and does errands on a very old and beat up mountain bike so this will help make that commute and her errands easier. We all went for an fourteen mile ride on the beach path and had lunch. Gabriela knows how to keep a line and rode really well. When we got back to REI we loaded the bikes on top and in my car and I drove them home. Hugs and smiles all around when I left and they made me promise I’d stop to ride with them every now and then. They live just off a bike path I take to get downtown LA so I’m sure I will.

One of the best rides I’ve been on for awhile :)

This warmed my frozen heart. :)

[Crankin]

I didn't ride yesterday, but we did do our annual presentation at the AMC Bike Workshop. I felt as wiped out as if I had gone on a 50 mile ride, after 4 one hour presentations, as well as schmoozing during lunch and the beginning of the day. It was a beautiful day, albeit windy, so it helped that we were in a room in a church basement, so I couldn't see outside. The crowd was polite and somewhat more inexperienced than years past, but they asked good questions. There were 2 people in the last session (one male, one female), who burst out in amazement when I told them you don't wear underwear with cycling shorts. It was funny; all of the other participants laughed and supported my statements.

[khg]

Great day of riding….took a young girl (Gabriela), who’s been riding a neighbors hand me down bike which is too small with a non working rear derailleur, just a rear brake and mismatched rims/tires to REI and she picked out a novara children’s bike, a pink and purple helmet and a purple jellibell!! I also ended up buying her mother a mixte with a front basket and added a rear rack, a topeak rear basket for more groceries etc. and a good lock and cable. She commutes and does errands on a very old and beat up mountain bike so this will help make that commute and her errands easier. We all went for an fourteen mile ride on the beach path and had lunch. Gabriela knows how to keep a line and rode really well. When we got back to REI we loaded the bikes on top and in my car and I drove them home. Hugs and smiles all around when I left and they made me promise I’d stop to ride with them every now and then. They live just off a bike path I take to get downtown LA so I’m sure I will.

One of the best rides I’ve been on for awhile :)

Hooray! That sounds like a wonderful and fun day for all concerned--and hopefully just the beginning of many more such days!

It's kind of nice out here right now, though windy, but I think I may have a completely lazy day rather than another weekend of big bike adventures. I'll admit, as great as it is to get on the bike, sometimes it can feel just as nice to not get on the bike... After an intense week at work, resting my tired legs on the couch is pretty delicious!

[salsabike]

We did our April 100k yesterday--starts in Fremont, goes to Maple Valley and back. It was a crazy-wind sort of day, 15-20 knots and direction changing all the time, but for some reason, I thought that was just a hoot! Maybe it was because I was so grateful that I wasn't on one of the many overnight flêche teams that got utterly rained on, at 40 degree temperatures, the entire preceding night. Our ride was fun even if head-windy and we dodged almost all the roaming squalls. Boy! This city is gorgeous in the spring. Flowering trees everywhere, and rhodies and azaleas are starting to bloom.

[Crankin]

17596

Today was the first real warm day of the year. Rode in short sleeves with knickers and a vest. It was 69 when we finished, but there is a slight breeze. We rode into Sudbury, Lincoln, Wayland, to the border of Weston, and back, 37 miles. We went slowly on purpose, but kicked it up at the end. My average is still about 1-2 mph slower than it should be, but I am trying to be patient with myself. It was really nice out! Saw like hundreds of cyclists.
Going to commute tomorrow and maybe Tuesday if it's not rainy in the morning, and a 27 mile group ride on Wednesday, with lots of climbing. I want to do the 35 mile ride, but the hills are killers and I am not sure I can keep up with that group.

[Crankin]

I commuted yesterday, first this year with the pannier, as I had pre-planned a couple of weeks ago and brought my clothes in early. I really hate this. It changes the whole balance of everything when I am starting off from a stop. Especially not fun in traffic. I think I might try putting the Arkel trunk bag on, but the issue with that is that taking it on/off to bring into the office with me is a bit complicated, for me, someone who can't remember anything that has steps involving eye hand coordination/spatial stuff. DH has shown me before, I guess I should practice. But, the up side is, climbing my hill with a packed pannier certainly does make me stronger! Not particularly fun at 6:30 PM, but intense.
Raining this morning, I am going to rest today.

[rebeccaC]

I travel to Oxnard often for work. Sometimes I take a bike to ride the agriculture and/or the older small industry areas for photography. Flat paved rural roads with an interesting mix of the occasional farm worker riding to/from the fields and the shorts/jersey wearing people doing exercise rides on rural roads. Lots of dirt field roads leading to old, rusted and discarded farm machinery, old worn buildings and views of season/crop changing fields. Yesterdays ride was just 12 miles but a nice way to end my day there before heading home.


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7606/16960159990_49d0f0f9f5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rQHfFy)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7698/17146969001_2c61af9d3d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s8dGuz)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7682/17121642916_cae7467edf_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s5YTVW)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7657/16960113820_d0ce67e208_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rQH1Xw)

[Crankin]

Rode 30 miles with my friend, Jack ,this morning. Not the club ride, but more miles and almost as much climbing without having to drive to the ride. I told him I am slow, so he was kind in the beginning, but then we went up 2 hills in Carlisle. One I rarely go up and the other, well, I am usually going down this one! I was exhausted after that, but we took a short stop and then did a few flat miles, where we picked up the pace. When we parted ways (he was going to the Council on Aging to play pool), I headed home, about 8 miles. I had to stop and take my vest off, and eat my bar.
Faster than my last ride, but not fast enough!
My legs hurt.

[khg]

Thanks for the amazing photos, rebeccaC!

Perhaps my lazy time on the couch Sunday paid off--on my commute yesterday I felt like a superhero, and had close to a personal best on a couple sections. And this was on my bike that is all tricked out with fenders, a rack, a pannier, etc--not my bike that I ride for speed by any means.

The weather is looking really nice for the next few days, so I'm trying to figure out which of my responsibilities I can get away with procrastinating or giving short shrift to, and ride my bike instead...

[ny biker]

So I had reached a point where I really didn't want to ride my bike. Just due to overload -- lots of driving around the area on weekends to help out a relative who recently moved here while trying to plan and manage home renovations -- as well as being sick of cold weather. This past Sunday we had fantastic spring weather, so I decided to do a relatively short ride (30 miles) on an old familiar route that I hadn't ridden in a long time, and to go by myself so I wouldn't have to worry about keeping to a set schedule. In fact I didn't even decide on the route until a couple of hours after I woke up on Sunday. It ended up being a very nice ride, uneventful, seeing lots of flowers on trees and people doing gardening and yard work, but pollen counts not high enough to be bothersome. The route is mostly on residential suburban streets with lots of stop signs, so I typically have a low average speed, but I think I was faster than usual on Sunday. Afterwards I visited with my friend who broke her leg last month.

That seems to have done the trick, since today I've actually been looking forward to going for a ride after work. And in fact I am leaving for that right now...

[Crankin]

Today it reached 71 degrees a couple of hours ago... clouding up now. Normally, it would have been a 50 mile ride day, but poor DH has been so sick all week, and today is the first day he's been semi-human, so I wanted to keep him company. I went out this morning and rode 19 miles. Decent speed for me, I felt good, more like I am once the season gets going. I actually dropped 3 people, who weren't super slugs, either. I think my ride with my friend Wednesday put the hurt on and I kind of broke through my beginning of the season funk. This happens every year, so why does it surprise me? Plus, I've lost a couple of pounds in the past 2 weeks, so I just feel lighter.

[Jolt]

Just about 20 miles for me today...tried a new route that turned out to have an absolutely heinous climb followed shortly thereafter by the road turning into what was essentially a logging road--sketchy, loose, rutted dirt in places. I almost wiped out in one spot where it was slightly uphill with a loose surface, I lost momentum and the rear wheel slid to the left...fortunately I managed to get out of the Powergrips and land on my feet as the bike fell over. Oops. At least nobody was around to see my klutzy moment, and aside from that it was a good ride. Apparently I need some work on bike handling skills...earlier this week I was at a training class for presenting bike/pedestrian safety to schools etc. and it included some bike handling drills that can be set up in a parking lot for students to practice. I did not do so hot in the slalom course or the emergency right turn...just am not good at those quick maneuvers. Maybe once all the sand is cleaned up from the winter I can find a quiet place to practice some of those things.

[Crankin]

Jolt, I would have failed that test, too!
Today, I did a repeat of last Sunday's ride, but without the monster hills. The route is perfect now and it sure went faster than last weekend. It's only 20 miles, anyway. DH is still sick, so I went with one of the other leaders and his girlfriend. She's the one who bought my Kuota. It was weird to see someone else riding my bike. The ride was great, just have to remind myself not to eat an orange before a ride ...
On the way home, I stopped at the LBS and had them adjust the brake levers, so I can reach the brakes better in the drops. I didn't realize they were adjustable, thought I would need shims. I was told that's "old technology." Anyway, seem perfect now. I have tomorrow off, for Patriots day, so I may try to get a little ride in before the rain sets in. It will have to go west of here, cause let's just say things get a little busy with guys marching down the road with Brown Bess rifles and tri-corner hats here in Concord.

[Jolt]

Another approximately 20 mile ride today, this time without unexpected dirt sections! Lots of hills though, so I wasn't exactly burning up the road (not that I ever do). There is certainly no shortage of opportunities around here to practice climbing.

[rebeccaC]

Hooray! That sounds like a wonderful and fun day for all concerned--and hopefully just the beginning of many more such days!

It's kind of nice out here right now, though windy, but I think I may have a completely lazy day rather than another weekend of big bike adventures. I'll admit, as great as it is to get on the bike, sometimes it can feel just as nice to not get on the bike... After an intense week at work, resting my tired legs on the couch is pretty delicious!

It was a good day with lots of good feelings!!

Now…a couch, a good book and a bowl of chocolate gooey brownie ice cream and I’m happy :)


Rode into the Santa Rosa Mountains Saturday morning for just 36 miles while in the Palm Springs area for the Coachella music festival this past weekend. It felt good to get some hard climbing in, with a great descent coming back, before again starting the craziness of lots of people, so much good music and being with some of my best friends.

......and some great dancing with Pax's spirit :)

[rebeccaC]

rode to one of my favorite gardens today...between my commute, the gardens and some shopping just 18 miles

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8750/17230860891_525a3b0001_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sfCECt)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8723/17229584312_84d4e5db8c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sfw89u)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7623/17045111109_bd3cff62e1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rYdDG2)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8726/16611096083_af70b9d8ee_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/riSd9k)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8691/17229617572_5db91f66aa_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sfwi2W)

[ny biker]

So I did ride after work last Wednesday. My weekly post-work route offers lots of chances to add or subtract miles and short, steep hills depending on how I'm feeling, and last week was my first time this year doing the segments with the steepest roads. My overall average speed was right where it usually is, so I was pleased even though my legs were feeling it. The weather was warm and I ended up over-dressing a bit, since I wrongly expected it to cool down by the end of the ride. But in general it was a good ride.

Over the weekend I was out of town of a wedding, so there was no time for cycling. Yesterday a cold front came through during the afternoon with some gusty winds and a little rain, but the skies cleared in time for me to get out for another ride. This time I needed the tights and extra layers, since I started after sunset and temps were in the high 50s.

My pace was slower than usual, which I attributed to the fact that I really haven't been riding many miles lately. I'd also been feeling the pollen allergies more than usual, and actually needed the albuterol for some mild asthma symptoms after taking a walk the night before. But in general it was a good ride, very peaceful (everyone was home eating dinner and doing homework so traffic was nearly non-existent).

After I got home I realized those weren't pollen allergies that I was feeling -- I was coming down with a cold. I had a sore throat all night long, my head is congested and I have that exhausted feeling that I always get at the start of a cold. I worked from home today, which allowed me to sleep a bit later this morning, and may do the same tomorrow. I'm planning to do a 48-mile charity ride on Saturday and really don't want to have to miss it -- at the very least I'd like to be able to do the 36-mile version.

[Jolt]

Today I decided to try the weekly "randonneur" ride put on by one of the Portland shops...it is advertised as a more relaxed but longer ride so I thought that sounded pretty good. Today's ride was supposed to be 32 miles...well, it ended up being just over 40! My longest rides so far this season had been 20 miles so I was pretty beat by the end, particularly since I had a hard time staying with the group on uphill stretches (I'm pretty sure I had the heaviest bike in the group, by quite a bit). After seeing our distance, I felt a little better about how wiped out I was! The ride included a couple of short off-road sections too, just to keep it interesting.

[Crankin]

I rode with my friend today, on a loop that I designed for my club 2 years ago, for our bike rally. Then, last year, we switched our venue for the start/dinner, so it's no longer the "new rally ride," but the "old new rally ride." With modifications for a start from her house, we did 30 miles, all local, well loved roads, but fun. Kind of partly cloudy and windy, a tough day to dress for, as it was 54 when I left, but when the sun is in, it feels colder, and when it's out, very warm. My friend is a slower rider than I, but I stayed with her the entire time, except for 2 stretches. I really wanted to test my speed and new bike on South Acton Rd., which is about as flat a stretch of 3 miles you can find around here. I've ridden this road for years, part of a loop from my old house, and part of my former commute when I was teaching. I was able to stay in the drops the whole time on that segment, and keep my speed 15-19. There are a few rises here and there, but I seriously, I know where they are, with my eyes closed. My Silque is just really comfortable! I was feeling a little hungry and tired at the end, but not now, as unfortunately, I have come to the sad realization that at my age, this all hurts less when you moderate your speed. Well, not ready to give it up yet, but we both really enjoyed the ride, and it's unusual for me to stay with her so much.
DH bought a new bike! He brought it home last night and went out for a shorter ride while I was gone. He's been sick for 2.5 weeks and he didn't want to ride as far as we did.

[ny biker]

I ended up not doing the charity ride today. I woke up at 5, felt ok but was coughing a little, plus it was going to be chilly and cloudy all day. I decided more sleep would be better than wearing myself out, prolonging the cold and possibly developing a bad cough. I've never missed this ride before, even in years when it was cold or raining.

[Crankin]

Sounds like you made the right decision. It's hard, but after learning the hard way, too many times, skipping a ride is sometimes the right thing.

[Crankin]

Did a short, 20 mile ride with DH today. Gray skies, cool, like yesterday, with rain threatening. We rode entirely in Concord, so to get 20 miles, we had to cross the highway twice, which we did in different spots than usual. After we crossed the second time, we rode through a weird little neighborhood, to avoid a light crossing i hate (it involves a train crossing, is long, and if you hit it wrong, you're on a little uphill with a long line of cars). I've only ridden through here once before, so it's always nice to see new streets 5 miles from your house. Stopped for a mocha latte on the way home, which gave me some energy to climb my hill.

[Crankin]

Another 20.5 miler today, but this time, it encompassed 4 towns instead of one. DH is working at home today, so we made the ride short, since he is supposed to be *working.*
This is one of my favorite rides and it was the first time I've done it this season. Part of it goes on a road that's designated a scenic bikeway, and it is. It also goes through an area that's closer to where I lived when I first moved back here, including the 4-H fairgrounds, where I took my kids to the fair about 2 months after we moved. They were 5 and 7, so it always makes me remember those good times. Of course, hardly any cars at 11:00 AM, and only one small group of guys passed us on Curve St. in Carlisle. They were polite, which still shocks me.
DH is still coughing and we went quite slow in the beginning (he let me me outpace him on the climbs), until the end, where it's flat before we get back to our neighborhood and he put the hurt on me. Glad we did that, though.