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View Full Version : riding through May....National Bike Month!!!



rebeccaC
04-30-2016, 11:24 PM
...and Bike to Work Week May 16-20 and Bike to Work Day May 20th (http://bikeleague.org/bikemonth)

Staying in Hawaii for a few days doing a retreat to plan out the work we need to do on a large contract and a grant the company got…and to just relax in the clear warm Hawaiian air. Went to Lanai this morning, got mountain bikes in Manele Bay to ride the Munro Trail and then back through Lanai City to Manele. A good 34 mile ride with some great island and ocean views. A good way for the group to spend some time together while getting some good exercise….oh yeah…and sunset yoga on the beach ftw :)

“I thought that spring must last forevermore;
For I was young and loved, and it was May.”
...Vera Brittain

north woods gal
05-01-2016, 09:38 AM
Sounds wonderful. Send some of that weather our way. We're going on almost two weeks of north winds and highs barely into the 50s. Hasn't stopped me from riding, of course. but would be nice to work on my tan. :)

rebeccaC
05-01-2016, 03:19 PM
i just tried sending some....don't know if it's going to work though :)

north woods gal
05-01-2016, 04:03 PM
I'll be watching for it. Thanks. :)

Minx
05-01-2016, 05:24 PM
Wow, that sounds incredible! Ftw, indeed.

Sky King
05-03-2016, 06:42 AM
Kicked off National Bike Month with a fun overnight trip with our Wandering Wheels group. Mix of pavement, dirt and gravel. We had permission to stay in a "closed" campground so was just our group and I swear a million birds - no need for alarm clocks. Fierce headwind on Saturday but we weren't in any hurry. Found ourselves in the midst of a bike race on Sunday that ended on the hill we happened to be climbing - was funny as we were all on wide tire bikes with our bike packing gear. Here are a couple of photos. 18015180161801718018

Crankin
05-04-2016, 10:02 AM
I forced myself, but I did do a 26 mile group ride today, despite it being 48 degrees and spritzing when I left to drive to the start. It's just a bit too far for me to ride to the starting place we had today (14 miles), when the weather is not great, but it didn't rain, the group was compatible, and it was on familiar roads in Bedford, Westford, and Carlisle. A couple of leaders from AMC, who don't usually come on this ride were there, so that was nice.
The lunch was at an Indian restaurant, which I passed on. I was starving, but eating that is an automatic 5 pounds for me. Had a nice lunch when I got home, and now, finally, after 2 phone calls, and other stuff, I am ready to shower.

ny biker
05-05-2016, 10:03 AM
What is that blue stuff in Sky King's photos? I have vague memories of something like that here, but it seems long ago. Now it's just gray, gray, more gray, drizzle, heavy rain, gray. In the 50s. Seriously is this what it's like in the Pacific northwest, and if so how are you sane??

My first May ride was in my living room last night. It was so humid, I had to force myself to do 45 minutes. It was my tapering ride before the Tour de Cure on Saturday, which is only 62 miles -- a distance I rode last weekend -- but is hillier than what I'm used to and definitely more ambitious than my usual riding for early May. So I just wanted to spin a bit without wearing myself out.

And now the indoor trainer goes into storage for the summer.

Sky King
05-06-2016, 05:57 AM
Enjoy your ride! Worry that our blue sky will turn to dry & hot with range land and forest fires by end of June ...

What is that blue stuff in Sky King's photos? I have vague memories of something like that here, but it seems long ago. Now it's just gray, gray, more gray, drizzle, heavy rain, gray. In the 50s. Seriously is this what it's like in the Pacific northwest, and if so how are you sane??

My first May ride was in my living room last night. It was so humid, I had to force myself to do 45 minutes. It was my tapering ride before the Tour de Cure on Saturday, which is only 62 miles -- a distance I rode last weekend -- but is hillier than what I'm used to and definitely more ambitious than my usual riding for early May. So I just wanted to spin a bit without wearing myself out.

And now the indoor trainer goes into storage for the summer.

Crankin
05-06-2016, 07:26 AM
Just went out with DH for a little 14.5 mile ride. He said short and slow. It was short, but not that slow.
Best thing was, I saw a glimpse of the sun, for about 5 seconds.
Tomorrow is an AMC leaders' ride and party. I did not volunteer to sweep, as last year I was behind with the woman known as the dreaded "red pannier lady." She should have been on the shorter ride, to put it nicely. Hoping it does not rain for this event.

ny biker
05-06-2016, 09:22 AM
Just went out with DH for a little 14.5 mile ride. He said short and slow. It was short, but not that slow.
Best thing was, I saw a glimpse of the sun, for about 5 seconds.
Tomorrow is an AMC leaders' ride and party. I did not volunteer to sweep, as last year I was behind with the woman known as the dreaded "red pannier lady." She should have been on the shorter ride, to put it nicely. Hoping it does not rain for this event.

Congrats on the glimpse of sun! It is pouring rain here.

There is a part of me that believes it's important to be the sweep, to help the people who are slower or having a bad day and need encouragement, as a cosmic thank you to those who rode sweep and helped and encouraged me when I needed it. But on the other hand, there's only so much you can take -- you can't do it all the time, not if you want to be patient and truly helpful.

Crankin
05-06-2016, 01:09 PM
Well, I am always the sweep when DH and I lead, and when I lead with my friend Jack on rides for members. However, this is a ride for other leaders. There is a 15 and a 25 mile ride, but Jack (he leads the 25 and his wife leads the 15) didn't post any average speeds, so it wasn't entirely her fault. The thing is, this woman has been leading a lot longer than me; I would ask! He didn't post speeds this year, either, so hence, I want a decent ride. I can be patient with people who are within the range for a group (this is why we screen people on weekend day rides and longer trips, but not for weekly series, which are at night and very well described in terms of average speed), but no joke, I think my average was <10 on this ride last year. Some of it was the constant stopping for her to take pictures... in the town I live in, I was not amused, since it's a very popular route and can't believe she needed to take a picture of a place she's probably been a million times. I actually like being the sweep with DH, because we have a good system going, but I guess my expectations were different for a group of peers. Our liability rules require we keep the group together, and if someone wants to go ahead, or fall behind the sweep, we have to tell them they are off the ride. It sucks, but it makes being the sweep easier and people tend to be more honest about their ability. The point is to have fun.

Crankin
05-08-2016, 03:22 AM
So, the weather forecast kept the group smaller yesterday. Perhaps they were smart. I wore my rain jacket and brought my helmet cover. The above woman in question came, was going to do the shorter ride, but didn't "hear" the insructions that the leader would be starting a few minutes later, so she came with us. We stopped and regrouped at turns for much of the ride, but after awhile, a couple of the others stayed back with her. It was misty and lightly raining, no biggie for most of the ride. When we were about 2/3 done, the sky opened up. We stopped, I put the helmet cover on, and we went forward. The cloudburst did not last too long, but by then my legs were wet from it all. We had one more cloudburst, shortly thereafter, but were on the home stretch. Hey, some of the others had shorts or knickers on, short gloves, no rain jacket. Some of these people have interesting get ups, to begin with.... after all, they are AMC leaders. At the end, we picked up the speed, and all of a sudden, I felt horrible, bonky, etc. But, I sprinted back to Jack's house, and got inside to change. I have been feeling somewhat off the past few days, sinuses, stomach, so I think it was just that and the fact I was a little hungry. A good 27 miles, despite the rain.
We had a great party, food and drinks, so it was worth it. I think i need to rest today, though.

azfiddle
05-08-2016, 06:13 AM
As always, I enjoy the ride reports from here and there.

No rides last week- I took some students camping last Saturday and came home with a cold that just knocked me out of commission until about Weds. Then it was hot (high 90's) and super windy (like 40 mph gusts) on Thursday and Friday. So finally, Saturday arrived with a cold front and much cooler temps (yesterday). I got out the door at 9 and it was still in the 60's! I rode about 30 miles and managed to meet up with the group that had left at 7 am!

Today I'm doing a mom's day breakfast ride with my son - up to Sabino Canyon and hopefully my husband (who ran 20 miles up and down mountains yesterday and refused to do anything active today) will be up to meet us afterward. He's still asleep...

Crankin
05-10-2016, 04:11 PM
Commuted today, 3.1 miles there and 2.9 miles home. It was about 55 when I went in and 70 when I came home. Very nice, except my front light fell off the holder on the way there, and I had to stop to retrieve it. I use the same holder for both lights I have and there is never an issue with the bigger one.

Crankin
05-11-2016, 10:11 AM
Today was one of those group rides where I wanted to kill someone! It's really nice out, so hence there were about 30 people for the 30 mile ride and another 30 for the 40 mile ride. Things went badly right from the start, with starts/stops, waiting, the sweep having a flat, and several people in the 30 mile group I was in pulling out in front of me and then stopping. Finally, we split the group in 2 and it calmed some, but even staying up front didn't help so much. I really like this route, so I just kept going, got good exercise and fresh air. My average was low with all of the stopping/starting, but I am good with that.
Now to get ready for a haircut with my 3d new hairdresser in 6 months.... the one i had for years left and now the other 3 have left, too.

rebeccaC
05-11-2016, 08:10 PM
My favorite Oxnard climb is on a paved private road. It’s only a 4.6 mile climb from the ocean into the northern most part of the santa monica mountains but it’s a steady hard effort for 3 miles of it. Perfect for a ride before driving home and for refocusing my mind after a day of work. Today had a heavy overcast with temps in the mid 60’s which was perfect for some hard climbing. The road starts with a section of wild geraniums covering the side of the road and a lemon orchard. There are also some great high views of the Oxnard farming Plain on the climb

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/26358747483_9d973c4b89_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gaetiv)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/26358745173_cdaac84378_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GaesBF)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7216/26358791483_d27cd3cf9b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GaeGo8)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/26358750993_4119eb06ba_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gaeum2)

and back down to the pacific coast highway
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7631/26689687030_af238b899d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GEtC6L)

ny biker
05-12-2016, 11:22 AM
Ok so, the Tour de Cure. It was last Saturday. It didn't rain on us. Yay!! I was sufficiently prepared. Yay!! By the end we had sunshine and blue skies. Yay!!!!!

The website said that people riding the metric needed to average at least 11.5 mph and that the course closed at 3 pm. No problem, I have prepared for this.

It was a phased mass start. First the metric riders checked in and started, then the 30 milers, etc. The volunteer at check in hands me a cue sheet on blue paper and tells me to follow the orange arrows. I say what? The cue sheet is blue. She says they're all blue.

I started fast because it was 48F at that point so I needed to warm up. But riding 15-16 mph I was dropped by almost all of the other metric riders. I was actually okay with this, because the roads were wet from overnight rain and I was happy to avoid the spray from other people's rear wheels. It was very humid so I was more than ready to remove several layers by mile 10. There was still rain in the area so we had plenty of dark clouds but the precip stayed north of us.

I stopped at a rest stop at mile 19. Okay here is my first big gripe. They are celebrating 25 years of TdCs this year, so you'd think there would be a big book of How to Organize a Bike Ride that all the chapters can use. Apparently not. After 10 straight days of rain, they set up the registration table at the start so that the volunteers were on a paved sidewalk but all the riders had to walk and stand in mud. Wet, cold, squishy mud. In bike shoes WITH CLEATS. I am not a morning person, so I'm not good at dealing with annoyances at 6:30 am. To say I was peeved at having to walk through cold wet mud was an understatement. Fortunately as a person with freakishly cold feet I was wearing neoprene booties and had another pair of booties in my car, so after registration I changed into dry booties. Then tried very hard to turn my mood around (starting out fast was part of this -- pedal off the peevishness). So I reach the rest stop at mile 19 and find they have set up all the tables and the one portapotty in the mud. This was at a school with a large paved parking lot. But no, we had more walking through mud and standing in line in the mud. You know how hard it is to walk on your heels with your toes off the ground? It's even harder when your heels are sinking into mud.

Oh by the way. That volunteer at the start who told me to follow the orange arrows -- she was wrong. The metric was marked with blue arrows. Note that I checked in with the first group of the day and everyone checking in at that time was doing the blue arrow route. Who told that young lady to tell us to follow orange???

Okay so anyway put-it-behind-you-put-it-behind-you-put-it-behind-you-turn-that-frown-upside-down. I start riding again after the rest stop. And my leg muscles are aching -- that burning feeling in your quads when you've been riding too long or too fast and you're worn out. But I'm only at mile 20 out of 62!!! And the steepest hills are still in front of me!! I was worried. By now there were only a few riders anywhere near me on the road, so I tried to focus on pacing myself (I had long since slowed down from that fast start). Made to the next rest stop at mile 30 where once again EVERYTHING WAS SET UP IN THE MUD. Good lord what were these people thinking??? There is so much pavement around that could have been used. I got water and used the portapotty but skipped the food table because I'd had enough of sinking my heels into the mud.

Okay, back on the road. Legs still not feeling good. Trying to turn my mood around again. Think of a song, think of a song, think of a song. The rest stops were only 10 miles apart but it seemed like forever before I reached the next one. I was hungry. Happily we did not have to stand in the mud at this stop. Yay!! We were 40 miles into the ride and there were more volunteers than riders at this point. They had sandwiches that looked good but I didn't have one because the steepest hills were imminent and I didn't think my stomach would handle it well. So I stuck to simple high-carb snacks. I also filled my water bottle with iced tea and lemonade, which really hit the spot.

The last 23 miles actually went really well. The clouds were burning off, the steep hills were not that bad, my legs stopped hurting (which made me very happy but was perplexing -- I've never had that kind of burning tired feeling go away during a ride before). I was totally alone on the road so I could sing out loud on the downhills. We had one more rest stop -- again everything on pavement, yay!!! -- with very friendly volunteers. I was very happy as I finished the ride. Average speed was 13.2 mph, and it was a few minutes after 1:00 when I reached the finish. Two hours before the route closed and comfortably above the minimum speed.

But when I reached the finish line, with its big inflated red arch, I felt like I had missed the cutoff. Usually at this sort of charity ride they make a big deal when you ride under that arch. Often they have a photographer there and you're able to buy photos from them after the ride. But not this ride. No one noticed me as I crossed the line. Okay, that's anticlimactic.

They told us we would pick up our commemorative t-shirts after the ride. I find the tent, there's a table in the middle covered with t-shirts and a volunteer who is obviously tired. We're supposed to go through the piles and find our size. Seriously? I'm exhausted, I'm not thinking clearly, I just rode my bike for 5 hours. So the volunteer helps me find my size and it's way too big but they don't have anything smaller. I say never mind, keep it, I'll never wear it anyway. Moving on, I really need food. Have to pass in front of the DJ who is playing music way way way too loud on my way to the food tent. And I shouldn't have bothered. The tent is empty except for one volunteer who is cleaning up like the picnic is over. There are three long tables. One is empty except for a plate of sliced cheese. The second is empty except for a small pile of something -- potato chips maybe. The third is empty except for a bowl of lettuce ("salad") and a pile of things wrapped in foil labeled "veggie burgers." These are clearly the things that no one else wanted, so you know they're ice cold. The choices for drinks are water and pre-bottled sugar-free iced tea. I say to the volunteer, seriously, this is really all you have?? She looks surprised -- I really don't think she knew that people were still out on the course. She says she can get me more food. Well if there is more food then why are you hiding it?? I am way too tired and glycogen-depleated to deal with this. So I give up and go back to my car where I have an assortment of Clif bars and fig bars to eat. Then I clean off my bike, change my clothes, put the mud-covered booties into a plastic bag, pack up everything and drive to a convenience store up the road for more food. I bought a Klondike Bar and sat on the curb by my car and looked up at the blue sky while I enjoyed it.

I knew this would be an emotional day. I signed up for this ride because my friend had just died, in part due to complications from diabetes. But I also was remembering previous Tours de Cure that I rode years ago. I did the first one with my friend Lauren, who had led the first group ride I'd ever done. I did another with Reese and Scott. Scott could have ridden with a group of faster friends that day but he chose to stay with me and Reese to make sure we were okay. He even helped Reese with some saddle adjustments along the way. Both Lauren and Scott died a couple of years ago. So this year's ride was full of memories for me, and sadness. At the end I was glad that the cycling part had gone well.

I'm still just amazed at the lack of organization throughout the whole day, and am working on a list of lessons learned from it to share with people I know who organize cycling events every year. Mostly it's about communication, making sure volunteers know the things that the riders need to know and that the people at the rest stops and post-ride picnic know that just because the big crowd has gone home doesn't mean it's time to shut down. That the slow riders deserve as much respect as the fast ones. And for the love of all that's holy, don't set up the tables in the mud when you've got plenty of dry pavement available.

Crankin
05-12-2016, 12:14 PM
Well, it sounds like the riding part went well and the weather held out.
The last 2 charity metrics I did had about 3-4K feet of climbing, so I started at least an hour before the start. These were local things, though. Assuming everyone is averaging over 15 is not nice after you have ridden 62 miles and there's no food left!
ETA: I hate hogging this thread, so just adding in I rode to work today. Decided to take the long (5.6 miles instead of 3 miles) way home and then cursed myself, as it involves a climb that I never like, but... after that I am approaching home from a different direction, and while it some involves traffic, it's downhill, and I don't have turn left across Main St into my street. The great thing about my new commute from the condo, is that even at the height of rush hour, there's nothing particularly challenging, in terms of traffic. My office is moving July 1, and it will involve riding through the village, which can be horrible if it coincides with the commuter rail stopping and the traffic backing up, because when the train stops, the gates go down near the station, as the train actually extends into the road. There is a go around, which would mean riding as I do now, and then cutting across on the street my office is on, from a point past the station. There is a light here, and it's a steep downhill, so I would not want to be stopped in the middle of this downhill, but I guess it's better than sitting in traffic.

ny biker
05-14-2016, 10:03 AM
I put the bike and all my gear in the car on Wednesday in case we had enough of a break from the seemingly-endless rain to go for a post-work ride. It didn't rain, but I just could not motivate myself to get out there. Left all the stuff in the car, maybe Thursday will be better. Well again it wasn't raining but I'm just done with the damp gloomy chill. And besides I was neglecting my strength training in favor of getting in shape for the TdC so I decided to hit the gym instead. Left all the bike stuff in the car again, just in case Friday was better. Sure enough it rained in the morning but then OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT BLUE STUFF I SEE OUTSIDE MY WINDOW IS IT THE SKY YES IT IS THE SKY HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH. So when I finished work I changed into my bike clothes -- short sleeve jersey with NO BASE LAYER woo hoo!! and headed to the community center where I like to start my evening hill rides.

It was a 75 degrees when I started. It was also almost 8 pm and the sun was about to set. So I packed a vest and arm warmers in the handlebar bag and wore my lightweight tights. They were more than I needed but they're covered with reflective stuff and besides I expected the temps to drop into the 60s soon.

The crazy thing is that after only a few miles I felt like turning back. I just wasn't into it. It's early May and I'm already burned out. So lesson learned, don't plan any more ambitious rides in the early spring that require lots of training and forcing myself to ride in crap weather. Anyway I rode on and realized I just didn't want to ride the hills. There's really no way to avoid them in the area where I was riding but I was able to change the route to skip a few hills and take less-steep alternatives to others. As I neared the flatter part at the end, I felt much better. I ended up riding 17 miles.

This morning I cleaned my bike. It was a mess after the wet roads of the TdC. So I gave the frame a thorough cleaning, wiped down the wheels, cleaned the impractical white bottle cages, cleaned and lubed the chain. The endless rainy gloom has now been washed away and banished to the past!

Tomorrow will be a long flat ride with the bike club that includes a stop at a strawberry festival. It should be breezy and cool but SUNNY. I'm really glad it will be mostly flat.

p.s. This was the sky outside my office window as sunshiny joy washed over the land.

18026

18027

18028

Crankin
05-14-2016, 10:09 AM
So, we led the AMC New Members' ride today, our 8th year... if it's sunny, we usually have between 35 and 60 people, hence, we have 4 leaders and 2 groups. We changed the ride to a different location last year, much less traffic and pretty, too. So, today, we had only 15 people! It is gorgeous out, on the way to 80. We made the decsion to go out together, and keep the pace a bit below what the faster group does, and have one of the other leaders stay in the middle, and one be the sweep. There were people who were more in line with the back of the slower group speed, so this worked out well. DH and I rotated being on the front, and then one of us would stay at a corner until the sweep came by. We also regrouped a few times.
So 4 of these people are friends my friend who is a regular friend, that I helped start riding a few years ago. They are experienced cyclists, but are not good climbers. We have ridden with them once before. The 2 women would not shut up. Bragging about what they can do, etc. One (the one who is friends with my friend) kept going in front of DH at the beginning of a climb, so she "wouldn't fall back" and then generally passing us on downhills. We were moderating everything, so everyone would be happy. Finally, as we were going down a longer hill in Boxborough, she said to us, "I never put my brakes on, on a descent." :eek: I flat out told her that is not good strategy for a group ride, and generally dangerous. This woman had a very serious crash commuting to work a few years ago, and broke her neck. I know it was on a downhill in the city I grew up in, very close to Boston. A place where you have to be foolhardy to commute, as the drivers are terrible. She got it, and then, besides her constant yapping, it was better.
AMC is more safety oriented than traditional bike clubs, and it really irked me. But, everyone ended up happy. I think there were less people because it's a week later in the season than usual, and there are lots of things going on. Well, next year, it will definitely be the first Saturday in May, as DS#2 is graduating from Claremont McKenna College, after his 9 year detour from U of A, on the second Saturday.

ny biker
05-15-2016, 05:38 PM
Well it was wonderfully sunny today. A good 20 degrees warmer than average for May, barely 50 degrees when we started our ride today and never getting much into the 60s. But it was windy! The forecast I checked when I woke up said 10-15 mph but it seemed much worse than that, strong enough to feel in the car when I drove to the ride start.

Several years ago I learned the hard way, don't go for a bike ride on a windy spring day. It's like being sandblasted by pollen, and my eyes just can't take it. But with the promise of a sunny day after so much rain and gray skies, and a ride planned to go to a strawberry festival, I forgot that lesson until it was too late. Only a mile into the ride my eyes were already in agony. When we reached the first rest stop (18 miles in) I went into the restroom and tried to wash the pollen away from my eyes with a wet paper towel. But the wind had dried out my contact lenses so badly, even though my eyes were closed I managed to move the lens in my right up and away from where it needed to be. I tried putting eye drops in but the lens refused to move back where it belonged. So I had to take it out and put it back in my eye. After that I could see clearly but it still didn't feel right, and I knew that if I tried to do the full 58 miles that we'd planned to ride I faced a serious risk of the lens drying out again and coming out of my eye. So I changed my plan and rode back to the start by myself via the shortest route. Instead of 58 miles my total for the day was 28. On the one hand I was disappointed, but on the other hand I felt so unmotivated when I rode just two days ago that I think having today be a short, relatively easy ride will help me enjoy the rides I hope to do over the next few weeks.

Meanwhile there was still that strawberry festival. When I got back to my car I put more drops in my eyes. They didn't feel great but weren't bad enough to be concerned about being able to drive. So I packed up my gear and drove to the church where the festival was taking place. I got there just before it officially opened, and not long afterwards my fellow cyclists began to arrive. We had four different groups from our club, representing different classes (speeds) with some doing the long ride and others doing shorter versions, so I had a chance to visit with people that I don't often ride with. I had fresh berries with whipped cream, a slice of pie that was full of berries and two small tarts. After all the cyclists left I saw two other club members who had arrived by car, and I had more fresh berries with whipped cream (and cake this time) with them. Then I bought a quart of berries to take home. Strawberries are really not my favorite thing, but today they were just so good -- if they were always this good I would eat them much more often.

rebeccaC
05-15-2016, 08:05 PM
Had a late dinner and stayed with my friend Alexandra last night in Azusa. Today we rode to the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino to spend the day wandering through the beauty of the gardens and doing photography. Nice ride through some interesting and expensive neighborhoods with wide bike lanes (easy riding side by side) the entire ride and no hard climbs to speak of. Overcast all day with temps in the high 60’s low 70’s. A relaxing day with 42 miles of pleasant riding and a day of sharing the sights of some wonderful gardens with a good friend.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/26972953121_4a09f6d66c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H6vreT)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7798/26435844964_4fd1cb8c4a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gh3BGq)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/26972951251_0de470b405_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H6vqFD)

azfiddle
05-16-2016, 05:46 AM
Thanks for all the ride reports.

NYbiker- I hope you'll send some feedback to the Tour de Cure organizers. You worked hard and deserved to have your efforts celebrated.

This was a much more utilitarian riding week for me! 3 (count 'em 3!) commutes in one week. The commute route I'm on now is about 9.5 miles, mostly on a newly finished section of paved path, and goes along a wash and through some relatively natural desert. So it's great having 7 miles without any cars to worry about- just a few pedestrians and other cyclists. The afternoons are getting warm but it still hasn't broken 100 degrees. The local saying here is that is when the ice breaks on the Santa Cruz River. The Santa Cruz River hasn't flowed year round for over 100 years! But it feels good to get on the bike after buckling down to grade student projects for two hours- helps clear the brain.

Saturday I took a shortish (21 mile) ride up to Saguaro NP. I lost our annual park pass, which was still good for about 9 months and had to buy a new one. It's $80, but we get our money's worth because it's $5 to get in otherwise- and between my husband and myself, we probably get in at least 30 or 40 visits or more. And it's good for use in national forest sites and other national parks when we travel.

Sunday- About 8 miles on the Surly because the road bike is sitting in the shop now. I went to look for a rare bird (a Least Tern) at a park about 3 miles away and then back to the grocery store - filled the panniers and tried out my new Brooks Saddle.

indiana_jane
05-17-2016, 05:43 AM
I have a 4-day tour at the end of the month which should be wonderful and post-worthy, but for now I'm just trying to get my miles in. Besides one really nice ride through Ft. Harrison State Park, my rides have all been relatively boring mid-distance rides up and down the rail trail (convenient because I can drop my son off at the YMCA child care and get right on the trail for an hour or so).

Of note, though, is the fact that I have, for the first time, averaged 14 mph on a ride of any distance. It was only 11 miles, but I'm still proud! This may seem like a small accomplishment, but I am a slow rider -- I always think of myself as a 12-mph-rider. Looking back at mapmyride, my *fastest* ride in May of last year was 12.5 mph. So, I guess I actually am getting faster!

north woods gal
05-17-2016, 08:49 AM
I've never done a group ride. Bicycling has always been mostly a solo thing in my life, now and then riding with a friend or two and, these days, my husband. He's very much the causal rider, though. It's not a lifestyle as it is with me.

Now at the mid-May point and I've managed to ride each and every day, anywhere from 10 to 25 miles each day. A little bit of it has been on backwoods trails and fire trails with the fat bike, but most of it has been pavement miles with the road bikes on county roads, which wind though our beautiful north woods. Now approaching 250 miles and, with luck, may finish out the month with 500.

The weather has been all over the place this month (even some light snow) but I still have my winter specific bike clothing from when I used to winter commute so I ride, no matter what the weather. Lots of wind, this time of year, of course, but that's all part of the game. One thing for sure, I don't want to fall back into the rut of being a fair weather, only, rider.

I have both gently rolling routes and some pretty heavy duty hill routes, so my average speed very much depends on which route I take. I can usually stay around 14 mph for an average speed on the gentle routes when I push myself, but the hilly routes cut me way back to 10 or 11 mph, even when giving it my best. I try to alternate these routes one day or two to the next.

My daily May riding has also given me a chance to compare my different bikes and even after a lifetime on a bicycle, it still amazes me how two very similar bikes as far as specs, can be so different. Each has its personality and that just adds to the fun. Here's one.

http://i66.tinypic.com/2lbz2b.jpg

It's a Salsa Fargo, a very unique bike, somewhat the offspring of a 29er mountain bike and a touring road bike. Heaven forbid, if I had to go with just one bike, this would likely be it. Pretty much a go anywhere, any kind of surface, any kind of weather bike, a bike I would pick, first, for exploring unknown country or roads. Not fast, definitely not slow, but always steady and very comfy for long outings, thanks to the steel frame and those big wheels. Not usually a fan of red for a color, but this is a deep metallic hot red. I love it.

rebeccaC
05-17-2016, 10:43 AM
I get the solo riding. The Fargo does look like a great option especially for your area. Nice design and nicely set up. Whose handlebar bag is that? How do you like it? I’m a paved road rider and hiker in this area and i do like that kind of exploring.....and now missing rural wooded roads

…..so many places a bike can take you....and moments of smooth and steady

indiana_jane
05-17-2016, 11:10 AM
That's a fantastic looking bike, north woods gal!

north woods gal
05-17-2016, 04:45 PM
Thanks, folks.

You know, I don't even remember where I got that bag. Have had it for many, many years and it's been on a lot of different bikes. It's about as big a handlebar bag as I would care to use, but big enough to store a rain jacket, some tools and a cell phone and so on. Back when I was commuting, I mostly used a messenger bag and pannier bags for trips to the grocery store.

Like I said, the Fargo is no speed demon, but it's no dog, either. Very much a steady Eddy kind of bike on pavement, once I get it rolling along. The beauty of this bike is that I can use it off pavement, equally well, on all but the gnarliest single track. Those big 2.2" tires are also great for commuting over some of those horrible pothole and busted pavement city streets. At my age, I really appreciate a bike that doesn't jar my teeth loose every time I hit a crack in the pavement. :)

Most of my road miles, this month, though, are with more typical road bikes like my Domane. Our country roads are in pretty good shape.

rebeccaC
05-17-2016, 10:04 PM
I have a 4-day tour at the end of the month which should be wonderful and post-worthy, but for now I'm just trying to get my miles in. Besides one really nice ride through Ft. Harrison State Park, my rides have all been relatively boring mid-distance rides up and down the rail trail (convenient because I can drop my son off at the YMCA child care and get right on the trail for an hour or so).

Of note, though, is the fact that I have, for the first time, averaged 14 mph on a ride of any distance. It was only 11 miles, but I'm still proud! This may seem like a small accomplishment, but I am a slow rider -- I always think of myself as a 12-mph-rider. Looking back at mapmyride, my *fastest* ride in May of last year was 12.5 mph. So, I guess I actually am getting faster!

looking forward to a post on how the tour goes!!!! and BE proud! thinking you'll be getting faster and with more endurance the more you ride. I'm happy to get away for an hour's ride anytime :) Enjoy the rides, the miles and the tour!!!

Crankin
05-18-2016, 03:31 AM
Commuted yesterday; my fastest commute since I moved. Not that I actually try to go faster on a commute...
There's a couple of places on my commute that it seems like a truck dumped a bunch of gravel/pebbles in the shoulder. It looks like maybe from some kind of paving? I can go out in the lane, but, it's annoying. Hoping some rain washes it away.
It's still cool enough in the AM, that I haven't had to use my bath cloths, just a quick face wash and fix my hair, but not have to use the flat iron. Another 10 degrees and/or humidity will change that. I must say, with a 3 mile commute, I don't dread it anymore, and while sometimes I feel it would be easier to just drive there, I am always glad I rode when I arrive at work in the AM.
Got my Guru in shape for riding. I've been bringing my clothes in on Mondays and just riding with a little backpack for things on my Silque. Looking into getting a smaller pannier. Mine is huge and really affects my balance, as well as hurting my back, as I tend to pack it full! It's great for shopping, but I don't need something that big for my clothes.

north woods gal
05-18-2016, 05:49 AM
That's great, Crankin. When I had my 8 mile commute, I could always get home faster during rush hour on the bike, even in good weather. In bad weather, MUCH faster. Always waved at my fellow workers stuck in their cars, going nowhere, as I passed them. :)

I used a large messenger bag (goes over your back) for my clothes and it worked pretty well. You might also look at a frame bag. Those didn't hit the scene until after I was done commuting, but that might be a good option, too. I liked the messenger bag because I could take it with me, right into a store if I had errands to run. Leaving things in a pack on the bike while you go into a store was just not an option in my area.

Crankin
05-18-2016, 09:49 AM
I cannot do a messenger bag. Tried, and I am just too short, for the size I needed. My balance is weird with things like that, in that once I get used to riding on a specific bike a certain way, I don't do well with anything that changes the feel. I am going to make myself ride the Guru tomorrow, despite the fact I don't like the way it feels to get on the bike (like I have to really push myself up onto the saddle). I can't let a custom titanium bike sit. It feels like a dream once I am riding, but the geometry on my Silque is just so perfect, now the custom doesn't feel right.

north woods gal
05-18-2016, 12:02 PM
Gotcha. Oh, yeah, it's amazing how we adapt to certain bikes or may it's the bikes adapting to us. :) Switching bikes, often, like I do, it's always a bit of a jolt going to the next one when I've been riding another one for awhile.

I added a frame bag to my fat bike and like it because it doesn't change the balance of the bike. That may be a good option for you, but you'll probably want to take your bike into a shop that carries frame bags to make sure you get one with the proper fit. Best of luck. Hope you find something.

Crankin
05-18-2016, 01:45 PM
I am not sure what you mean by a frame bag. I know panniers and trunk bags and front bags.
Went on a little 14 mile ride late this afternoon with DH. Great weather, but the pollen is flying.

rebeccaC
05-18-2016, 04:24 PM
I see a lot more commuters out this year than last year during this national bike to work week…last year Bike to Work Day had a lot of people riding so it should be the same on Friday.

Had a conversation with friends last night over dinner about the many positive things about a city with a good bicycle culture. Our weather certainly helps!! When I first moved here CicLAvia had just started it’s Critical Mass rides here. Ellie used it as an example to my question during my job interview about the bike culture here. CicLAvia and Critical Mass are still strong here (we have the largest community rides in the U.S. now) and still opens LA streets every month to pedestrians and bicyclists, creating temporary linked public spaces for walking, biking, socializing and learning more about the cities neighborhoods. Just one of the many reasons I like this area’s bike culture and those working on the positivity of getting safer routes and creating larger areas to ride for all riders....weekend cyclists, families, messengers, those wanting exercise, novices, racers….and THIS week more bike commuters!....finding joy in urban riding....

....tour of california on nbc sports ftw

north woods gal
05-18-2016, 04:32 PM
Crankin, this is a frame bag on my Salsa fat bike. It fits in the frame triangle. This one is small, because the triangle this particular bike is quite a bit smaller than on a typical bike. Just big enough, though, for a few essentials like a tube, tools, cell phone and so on. You'll probably want something a bit bigger for your needs.

http://i66.tinypic.com/mkqjs.jpg

The custom made, model specific bags are mucho expensive, but this one is made by Bikase and is around $40. I got at a local shop, so check around if you think it might work for you. I'd probably take your bike in to make sure on the fit, though. Again, best of luck.

Rebecca, I lived in Portland, Or., for a time and I know what you are saying about a city that offers a positive bike culture. Not saying our little rural town isn't bike friendly, by any means, but I do miss the sense of community I had in Portland. I also enjoyed the bike culture in the Chicago area, but it was much more of mixed bag, what with so many aggressive, anti-bicycle Chicago drivers on the street. We tended to be part close-knit group, though, out of a sense of survival. :)

Crankin
05-18-2016, 04:41 PM
I don't think that would work on a 47 cm bike, with the size I need. I can get a smaller pannier for the commute.
Like that fat tire bike, though!

Sky King
05-20-2016, 06:24 AM
I don't think that would work on a 47 cm bike, with the size I need. I can get a smaller pannier for the commute.
Like that fat tire bike, though!
yep frame bag and small bikes don't go together :) While I like the idea of frame bags, when commuting a pannier or front bag that is easy on and easy off gets my vote. Lone Peak has some that make sense (well for me anyway)

Crankin
05-20-2016, 10:09 AM
I was the sweep for a 30 mile ride today... not the usual crowd, only a guy and his wife, plus his adult daughter (20-25?) who is a new rider, but a fit runner. While they are AMC members, they are better known for being fast riders in the other club I belong to. Jack made it clear we wouldn't be racing, but the ride got really fast at one point, which was fine until we got 2 hills, one steep and one long-ish where I was climbing much faster than normal, which did me in. We stopped for a break shortly after that, and I said I was going to ride back to my car the shorter, flatter way, but they said no, they would tone it down. So, except for a part in the middle, it was fine. It's about 75 out, which is my limit for not feeling the effects of heat. We've had a few days of this temperature where I've ridden, but not enough for me to acclimate.
DH and I are doing a hilly 40 miler tomorrow, but I won't worry about speed, just fun.

emily_in_nc
05-21-2016, 02:26 PM
Hi y'all! :-)

I've been away from the forum for awhile, thanks to flaky, slow, and sometimes non-existent internet access in the campgrounds we've been staying in for the past month. We've been in national forests, mostly, so cell signals are often pretty weak. I have revived our blog lately, though, and documented a few recent rides, so if you are interested, it's here:

http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com.

We are currently in Arkansas and are looking forward to our first bike ride here tomorrow. There aren't a lot of roads where we are, but we're hoping that on a Sunday morning, traffic on the (small, single-lane) highways won't be too bad. Weather is supposed to be nice, so that's a plus!

Crankin
05-21-2016, 04:58 PM
Welcome back, Emily. It is always good to hear about your adventures.
We did a 40 mile hilly ride, to Berlin, MA and back. All but the part in Berlin, where we stopped to eat was familiar, but the combination of roads was hilly right from the start. It was cloudy, a few spritzes of rain, but about 75. After lunch, we rode up a hill, by an orchard, that felt so rural, it was like i was in Vermont. Then, in about 2 miles, we were back on familiar roads, not far from the school I taught at. I really was feeling the pain from yesterday's ride, but, with the aid of Shot Blocks, I actually finished with a better average than I thought I would. I was suffering in parts, feeling great in others, and happy to get home. I rode a lot this week, in terms of mileage, so tomorrow, when the weather is iffy, I may actually take a rest day.

azfiddle
05-21-2016, 05:25 PM
Hi all

I've been riding the Surly for over a week because they are still sorting out the ridiculous tapping noise on the Ruby. In the meantime, I've been trying out a Brooks saddle on it.... the jury is still out, but I've only gone for four rides (between 10 and 24 miles each)- total of about 70 miles.

So that included a commute ride, a moonlight ride at Saguaro NP and two shorter rides that finished at the grocery store. (Hey, as long as I have the panniers on, I might as well fill them up.

ny biker
05-21-2016, 07:48 PM
Ok so there is warmer weather in Massachusetts than in DC. Oy. And we're going to shoot from 50s/60s to above 80 in a few days. No chance to acclimate.

I had a nice bike ride last night after work. It was sunny and in the 70s during the day, and still in the low 70s-high 60s for most of the ride. And I was able to get by with just a blinking headlight for about half of it thanks to the later sunsets. It was uneventful, which was good. I rode just over 17 miles.

I was feeling optimistic on Friday while the sun was shining so I posted a club ride for tomorrow. At the time they were predicting a break in the rain tomorrow morning. But now it looks like possible rain all day and probably in the 50s all day. Honestly I'm not sure why I haven't cancelled the ride already. But I will wait until the morning, just in case it turns out that there's a good chance for a few dry hours. I need the exercise.

Crankin
05-22-2016, 03:02 AM
I also am looking at those temperatures with trepidation. It's a bad combination for me, with no gradual ramp up. It was cloudy yesterday, and even felt cool when we were in the shade. But Friday's ride was sunny and hot, at the same temperature. I always say that 23 years living in hot climates where you are always inside, in AC, did me in for heat acclimation.
It was supposed to rain today, but it is mostly staying south of here. I need to rest, but a short walk/hike on the trail might be in order. A bit nervous about Thursday, when it is forecasted to be 85 and we lead a ride that starts at 6 PM. Obviously, the sun is going down by this time, but ugh! And, I hope Wednesday's group ride is in a shady spot, as I am planning to go.

north woods gal
05-22-2016, 07:39 AM
We've also been hit by that temperature surge, but nowhere near as bad as you folks seem to be getting it. It's staying in the 70s, here, after a long spell of 40sand 50s, so I am not complaining, at all. Doing my usual daily 20 mile ride on our beautiful rural country roads, with some commuting into town (5 miles), just for an excuse to do some more riding. Our little town of 8000, though, has horrible streets for bike riding as far as the pavement. Lots of construction underway to fix that and that's good, but right now, I'm almost tempted to use my fat bike for town runs. Ouch! :)

rebeccaC
05-22-2016, 07:08 PM
My friend Alexandra spent the weekend at my place. After a great dinner, some clubs, good music and dancing last night we did one of my favorite rides into the Santa Monica Mountains today. Rode the beach bike path to its end then PCH to Las Flores Canyon Rd to Piuma Rd to Malibu Canyon Rd and back down to PCH and then the last miles again on the beach bike path to home. The bike path keeps us away from some of the busier PCH traffic coming into Santa Monica. Ended with 54 miles, high 60’s most of the ride with some clouding towards the top of the Las Flores climb and part of Piuma.

Las Flores is one solid hard climb. The beginning is a 8+% climb and there is a one mile 13% section. The last 2.5 miles averages 11+% with a couple 20% sections that we were down to a barely moving mph on and had Alex questioning our sanity. Most of Piuma was a descent but the first section was a 7+% climb that seemed flat after Las Flores. Piuma has some incredible views towards the eastern part of the mountains, which makes it a beautiful descent. May wildflower blooms also made for a delicate counterpoint to the mountain landscape. Good climbing, great views and good company made for a great ride/day.

….…and more importantly on the way home after the great descent on PCH from Pepperdine University was a stop at the Sunday Malibu farmers market for peach green tea boba and chocolate croissants made with unicorn butter and rainbows and whatever's closest to the purist form of happiness one can find….when we got back and showered we spent time relaxing in the Jacuzzi on my buildings pool deck. Alex didn’t want to leave and I didn’t want her to.

I’ve known Alex for 8 months now (I’m not a u-haul type girl…for those who know what that is) and we have so much in common and what isn’t still compliments/improves our relationship….thinking I’ve fallen in love

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/27115632501_029d0729a3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Hj7GRc)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7523/27150950816_3780c11981_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/HneHKE)


The view from our stretching/fluid/nutrient break.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/26578125204_26f2597e42_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GuBQE1)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7691/26909476630_683faf806d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GZU6TC)

north woods gal
05-23-2016, 04:40 PM
Wow! Now that is some serious stretch of climbing. Makes what we call hills in northern Wisconsin look pretty tame. Thanks for the pics. Very nice.

emily_in_nc
05-23-2016, 05:50 PM
Well, our ride yesterday was not the best. Normally Sunday mornings are the best time to ride, with lighter traffic, but since we are in a recreation area, the road (highway) was busy with boaters, RVs, and general traffic. At times, the shoulder was very wide, so we were fine, but other times it got narrow. There was also one dog that chased us in both directions -- scary. We have to take this road, as it's the only way to get to the post office here, and we have some mail to pick up. Hoping that during the week, the traffic will be less AND that the dog will be inside. Ended up with 20 miles, including a couple of loops inside the campground itself.

We did find an unpaved forest road today when we were hiking, and DH investigated how to get there on google maps. Should be fun to check out on the mountain bikes. Looks like we can access it after just a few miles on the icky highway, and then hopefully not have traffic or dogs to deal with!

rebeccaC
05-24-2016, 12:13 AM
Emily…you should be writing an article/book on the best places to stay in an RV for bicycling!!!!...with ride maps


Wow! Now that is some serious stretch of climbing. Makes what we call hills in northern Wisconsin look pretty tame. Thanks for the pics. Very nice.

I see it as the harder the climb the more nerve cells firing, helping my brain through the production of neurons and releasing neurotransmitters for better brain functioning in the dorsal region and a calming in the ventral region…. Any hard climb for a person whether it be a 3% gradient or 15% (I agree with Alex on the insanity of 20% :)) will help in doing it.

So…..just ride….for a better functioning brain!!

Crankin
05-24-2016, 04:50 AM
Hope you find some better roads, Emily.
I commuted yesterday. It was quite cloudy when I left the clinic at 5:45 PM, felt a drop or two of rain, but it was nice. Not looking forward to my office moving; it's actually just as close, but there's 2 places where traffic backs up, kind of merging back ups into each other. I have chosen an alternate, which might get my one way commute up to almost 3.5 miles!
Planned to ride at 5 AM, woke up to pouring rain. Bleh. I decided to go to spin class, since I was up and I live .99 mile from the gym. Worked up a good sweat, but I can barely stand to do spin at this time of year.
Doing a group ride along the north shore tomorrow. There's a 68 mile version at a moderate pace, but I am being good and only dong the 30 mile ride, since I need to be on point for leading on Thursday night.

Helene2013
05-24-2016, 05:27 AM
Nice warm sunny long weekend for us here.

Hubby got the ok without restrictions from surgeon to ride as much as he wants. I'm ok to cycle, as long as I don't abuse the knees. So we did 2 - 44km rides (Saturday and Monday). Sunday we did campground loops as they have many roads, nice grass/rock trails, etc.

So it is a late start to our bike season but happy to find out we have not lost so much on our cardio/musle. yeah

Crankin
05-25-2016, 01:03 PM
Did a pre-ride of what we are leading tomorrow night, as DH convinced me to wait and not go to the group ride. It was like 85 degrees out... rode to the start, 3 miles, did the ride, and I complained the whole way. I felt really anxious, not sure why. Anyway, got back to the start, at Verrill Farm, had a late lunch, and took the long way home. I was fine by then. Most of the ride is shady, but I was uncomfortable. I really hate heat. By the end, there was a stiff breeze (headwind, of course). A total of 26 miles.
I know it will be cooler and hopefully, a bit cloudy when we start at 6 PM tomorrow, but there are a couple of traffic things and rr tracks that are making me nervous about bringing people on this ride.

ny biker
05-27-2016, 08:41 AM
Crankin, do you create the cue sheet for the ride or does someone else do it? I always try to mark potential issues like rr tracks or high traffic areas and also mention them in the pre-ride discussion when I am leading a ride.

I rode on Wednesday after work. I didn't do it on purpose but with shortcuts and alterations for variety I ended up making it slightly easier/less hilly. Nonetheless it was my slowest average speed ever for my post-work rides. I was very preoccupied with work problems. Usually I stop once during the ride and have a quick snack, just standing up on the side of the road. This time I noticed some picnic tables next to a school and decided to sit there, but it was too muddy from recent rains so I sat on the curb next to them. And I sat there for long time. It was quiet. I have no guarantee of quiet when I go home thanks to the elephant neighbor upstairs and his lack of area rugs. So I just sat there in the dark and enjoyed the peace. Still was very preoccupied when I got back on the bike -- I need to find a way to get these problems out of my head. Cycling used to do it for me but it's not working anymore. Anyway the ride itself went well. It felt strange to just put on a short sleeved jersey and shorts and be able to go without needing to think about tights or arm warmers or jackets.

Tomorrow I'm leading a club ride. I don't know if anyone else will be there. Many folks will have holiday plans and others will do a different ride that is a tradition here on Memorial Day weekend. I used to do the the big traditional ride but it's grown too big -- hundreds of people -- and I have come up with my own routes in the same area that I like better, so I can go back any day and ride there on my own. In fact I do ride in that area quite often, so this Memorial Day tradition is not special for me. So I planned a different ride in a different county that I think will appeal more to the club members that I like to ride with. If no one shows up I'll be content to do it my myself.

rebeccaC
05-27-2016, 10:57 AM
leaving this afternoon for Calistoga in the Napa Ca. area to end May with a long weekend of riding in one of my favorite areas, my favorite spa for after the rides, great food and being with friends!!!! Hoping everyone has a good memorial day weekend full of whatever makes you happy!!!!!!!

Crankin
05-27-2016, 10:57 AM
DH and I plan the ride with Ride with GPS. It generates a cue sheet, but at this point, unless it's one of the 2 big rides we lead (one is already done and the other is next Saturday), we are at the point where for show and go rides like last night, we assume they either download the file to their gps or phone, or print out the cue sheet. For weekend rides where I screen people I bring a few. We have to keep our group fairly together, as in between me and DH, so in the pre-ride talk, we go over the issues like the tracks. Since it was only 17 miles, they can remember the name of the street it's on, or the area. We do put stuff like this on cue sheets for bigger rides where there are a higher proportion of people from outside the area.
It actually was pleasant out by the time the ride started. There were no incidents and everyone seemed happy, but I was annoyed the whole time. I felt great, as opposed to Wednesday, but there was a guy on DH's azz, which drove the pace up a bit. DH is good at controlling this, saying "it's a group ride," and re-iterating why we stay together, but, it puts pressure on me as the sweep in a couple of ways. Last night, the slower people weren't terribly slower, which was good, but I am the one who gets the line of cars behind me, afraid to pass 12 people. And the guy who was behind DH had a friend, who went out fast then ended up in front of me, after a bit of humble bragging. They both were jerks, but we just smile. Everyone else were people we knew, except the 2, who of course, came late.
Next one of these we do, will start from Acton, just 5 miles west, but far enough so people who live in the city won't attempt to get here by 5:45, in horrible traffic, for a 17 mile ride.

ny biker
05-27-2016, 12:14 PM
The kind of behavior from those two guys is similar to my reason for not doing the huge traditional Memorial Day ride. With that many people it's hard to avoid some sort of jerk behavior. And drivers will have their patience tested with so many cyclists on the roads, which can be an issue for slower folks like me.

I love Ride with GPS overall, I think their site is fantastic and has revolutionized ride planning. But I hate the format of their printed cue sheets. The layout wastes paper and you end up having to stop and turn it over at inconvenient times. Luckily someone in our bike club shared a scripting tool that makes it easy to copy and paste all the cues into a spreadsheet, which allows you to add notes and change the formatting, font, margins, etc. so that you can set it up to be flipped when you're stopped at a rest stop. (One thing that ticks me off with large organized rides, like centuries and charity rides, is that they all use the RWGPS cue sheets now. So I end up plotting the ride myself and creating my own cue sheet. I feel like this should not be necessary when I'm paying a registration fee.)

ny biker
05-27-2016, 12:16 PM
leaving this afternoon for Calistoga in the Napa Ca. area to end May with a long weekend of riding in one of my favorite areas, my favorite spa for after the rides, great food and being with friends!!!! Hoping everyone has a good memorial day weekend full of whatever makes you happy!!!!!!!


Thanks Rebecca!! Have a great weekend everyone!!

Crankin
05-27-2016, 01:41 PM
If you have the premium ride with gps membership, not the free one, there are all different things you can do to the cue sheets. I am not the tech person here, but for longer rides (like 50 miles), DH puts the cues into blocks, has all kinds of comments, uses shading, etc. So, the font is bigger, it's broken up into parts, and it only needs 2 sides of a page, not several pages.
We pay for the premium membership, because they provide excellent service, and feel like we want to support them. It's 80.00 a year.
Both clubs we belong to have semi-upgraded membership to ride with gps, that does most of the premium features, but not all of them. It's helped other leaders, though. I have found in the last 2 years even if people ask for a cue sheet, they don't have a proper holder, and it's kind of useless. Most people seem to be using their phones, which I will never do, since I have a great fear of draining the battery down and then not being able to make a call. The other club we belong to has more typical serious roadies, where most people have a gps.

Crankin
05-29-2016, 10:35 AM
Yesterday I did one of the hottest/humid rides I've ever done. It was about 11 when we went out and about 80, went up to 85 or so. It was breezy, a hot humid breeze that made it just feel horrible. But, out we went, to do a 20 mile shady loop, that used to be a go to after work short ride of 14 miles from the house. Now, we get in 6 extra miles, flat ones, too. It was the perfect ride for temperatures, but when I got home, I dumped my extra water bottle contents over my head!
Today, exact opposite. It was 61 when we left, with the intention of doing a 50 mile mystery, not far from home ride. Did the first 23 miles, and stopped for lunch at Idylwilde Farm in Acton. I had taken my arm warmers off, still had the vest on. Did i say it was cloudy, with a cool breeze? We were contemplating several routes we could do to get the next 30 miles, when DH started complaining, he was cold, and of course, the temperature was now 57 (it was predicted to go up to 75), and we felt rain drops. Home we went, with an average of over 16 for the last 7 miles.
So, I didn't get my 50 mile ride, but at least I had a ride.

north woods gal
05-29-2016, 04:02 PM
Part of my committment to get back into bike shape was to start logging my miles for each day this month. Wanted to work up, gradually, to my former monthly mileage, so went conservative and set my goal at 400 miles for the month. Pleased to say, though, that I broke the 500 mile level for the month, today, and still have a couple days to go for the month. Still not quite ready for a century, but have a long summer ahead and it is getting easier to go the miles, every day. Also using my daily rides to test out equipment and try new things, even at my age (66 in a week). Feels like going home every time I get on the bike. It has been a great month for me.

emily_in_nc
05-29-2016, 04:58 PM
Today, to avoid heavy recreational traffic near our current campground, we rode unpaved national forest roads, and the ride was gorgeous. Had to ride on pavement and deal with traffic there and back, but once we hit the gravel, we were able to ride for miles without any houses, loose dogs, and only a very few Jeeps that passed us. Beautiful forests, plenty of shade, just luscious! I am not a technical mountain biker, most single track is way too difficult for me, but I absolutely love this sort of thing. It was rocky in places, but well-packed. Perfect for the fullie! 18 miles total, and every one of those earned. :-)

(Tried to post a photo, but am getting an exclamation mark after the upload, so something isn't working quite right on the site....)

Catrin
05-30-2016, 09:05 AM
Oooooh, sounds like a nice ride! Did you take the Jamis?

I've found that there is a limit to the amount of space allowed for photos on TE, and as we reach that account limit things get weird with uploading images. It got much easier for me when I deleted a bunch - took some doing to figure out how to do that. Not saying that's your problem, but it could be related.

emily_in_nc
05-30-2016, 05:31 PM
Oooooh, sounds like a nice ride! Did you take the Jamis?

I've found that there is a limit to the amount of space allowed for photos on TE, and as we reach that account limit things get weird with uploading images. It got much easier for me when I deleted a bunch - took some doing to figure out how to do that. Not saying that's your problem, but it could be related.

Ah, it may be! I didn't think I'd uploaded all that many, but perhaps. I will try again here, and if it still doesn't work, I'll go into my usercp and see if I can figure out how to delete old ones.

And yes, I did indeed take the Jamis -- road were often very bumpy, and the full-suspension was a must. But unlike some of the loose gravel roads that are scary even on a MTB, these were nicely packed, just stony. Fun to ride on the Jamis!

emily_in_nc
05-30-2016, 05:40 PM
Okay, tried again, no joy, so I figured out how to delete a bunch of old attachments to posts. More than I realized! I deleted everything before 2016. So, let's try this again!

18038

Yep! That was it! Thanks, Catrin. :p

Catrin
05-31-2016, 04:12 AM
Look at you and Toto go!

Yeah, it took me far longer than I care to admit to figure that out myself :o When you've been on the forum for years as many of us have, the number of photos in our accounts build faster than we realize.

Sky King
05-31-2016, 05:14 AM
We too found a nice forest service road this weekend but it wasn't as long as we'd hoped so we backtracked and took the trail that went up the other side of the creek. As you can see from the photo we almost had a change of heart but the broken part of the bridge was resting on a large boulder so we crossed over. I was the sherpa and the DH carried the bikes up the steep incline at the broken side of the bridge. Some downed trees and areas of low hanging branches that required getting off and walking but it was pretty fun. 180391804018041

north woods gal
05-31-2016, 06:19 AM
Gorgeous country! Just being there would be a treat.

emily_in_nc
05-31-2016, 02:24 PM
Gorgeous, Sky King! Glad you were able to figure out a way to get across. :-)

We did a 35-miler out and back to a nearby (relatively, since we are in the boonies) small town today. There we found an amazing health food/local produce store, where we picked up some lovely veggies, etc. Continuing on, we visited the small town square and a donut shop, where we bought donuts, muffins, and scones to bring home (and a couple to eat on the ride). Yep, we eat kale and donuts on the same day. :D

I went over 1000 miles on the year today -- yay!

Helene2013
05-31-2016, 03:25 PM
Very nic pics. Thanks for sharing part of your little world.

As for me, did some cycling here and there but not as much as I would have liked as weekends were either very busy, or rainy. So I'm still on the trainer...indoor. Just did 45 minutes of it. Hubby is gone with his bike club for his first ride of the season as he got the ok from surgeon to cycle as much and fast as he wants. yippee. But with him gone that means I stay home with the pups. They're by themselves all day (10hrs) so it is just fair that I stay with them so they can burn off their own energy in the yard.

I have a 115km ride in 2 weekends. Not sure I'm ready at all but will do what I can. With my tibial plateau fracture and other related injuries because of this, in January and having the ok to cycling only beginning of May, so much I can prepare for. It is what it is.

But at least I was able to get some 45km ride and I suffered no pain, and it was fairly easy. At this point in my life, I'm just happy to do something like walking normally. I don't ask for more.

north woods gal
05-31-2016, 07:02 PM
My goal to get back in bike shape started on May 1 and, at that time, I figured 400 miles for the month would be a good start. Finished, strong, with 90 miles, just these last two days to give me a total of 591 miles for the month. I feel great! On to June.

rebeccaC
05-31-2016, 09:43 PM
beautiful road emily and sky that looks like an adventure!!!!
nwg...when you try to ride everyday and are into it...thinking more miles are just part of the feeling good about riding...congrats on the 191 more miles!!!

north woods gal
06-01-2016, 07:34 AM
You're right, of course. Just hate to stop riding on some days and, being retired, I have the time, so why not? :)