Sat. December 16th Rides

We were lucky enough to have some good rideable weather forecast this weekend.
Today was about 40-45, cloudy, no wind, no rain.
After biking into town for breakfast, Brian and I headed out for a nice cool refreshing 2 hour ride through some little hamlets around here. My leg muscles got a good workout on some rolling hills. My cold is further retreating- only major runny nose and small cough left. :p I can certainly deal with that...it's so great to feel more normal again.
Brian is in 7th Heaven on his brand new bike! It's such a beauty, and fits him perfectly. Now we have a matching pair but in different colors. Too much fun, it must be illegal somehow.
Right now he's in the livingroom, changing toe clip straps on his new baby, happily tinkering....

We did a 34 mile club ride. It was 52 and sunny (a little creepy for dec. 16th). We started with the fast group, but I could not keep up. They said they were going a an average of 15-16, but I don't think so. We waited for the slower group, and that was fine, in fact quite zippy.
A nice day, even though i am still having problems with the remnants of a sinus issue, asthma, etc.
Tomorrow I have to ride 43 miles to get to 3,000...

I was supposed to meet some folks and do a double metric today(circumnavigation of the Salton Sea) I got to start and waited , and waited , after a half hour I took off. while I didn't have a cue sheet, this is the desert, so It's hard to get lost. Just remember which side you want the sea/lake on. Things went well at first. I maintain about 17mph and the border patrol waived me through a check point . I had a flat at mile 30 , but made to mile 50. I was getting close to the urban areas of Palm Springs/ Cochella valley, so I Decided to turn around. My average dropped to 13 band stayed there. I finally ran across My group at mile 54. By then I was wondering If i could do 120, I went by an abandoned hotel/Night club where I took the pictures.:

http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger.../saltonsea.jpg

http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger...onseahotel.jpg

I managed to get out the wind by the border patrol . but the the last 8 miles from Niland to Calipatria were something else. There was a 20mph crosswind. I had to stop get off the bike to drink for fear of being blown down! I also disciver that my Heart Rate Monitor Froze(as in stopped working) I decided to call it a day at 100. Calipartia was having a Christmas Festival when I got back. , So I browsed it for a while. I forgot to a photo the World's Tallest flagpole when I left town. Calipartia is 180 feet below sea level, and the flagpole is 181 feet tall. I guess that way they can find their town when the Gulf of California or the Colorado river floods town

FRedwina, I don't see any pictures!

Yup, it's consistently not going right... no pics...

I took it easy and rode with five others for a 22 mile ride; did a few errands but decided to take it easy and not run HOward into the ground :) He's 87 miles back...

Tomorrow's our first indoor time trial. I'm very curious - will these extra miles help? Most of 'em haven't been fast or hard, so I"m thinking not, but we'll see.

It was a sinfully beautiful day. I just wore a light weight base layer under my smartwool hoodie and my knickers and was very comfortable, even a little warm. At first my legs felt rather heavy, but after I stopped and had a clifbar, they felt pretty good. Went by the llama farm and was disappointed not to see my favorite llama in the first front pasture. But in the barnyard, about 2 houses down were 6 llamas. I stopped to visit, they all looked me over carefully, but none would come up to the fence.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

Fredwina, I don't see any pictures!

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I've got them on my screen. They're hosted on my blog. so if you click there they should show up.

This is worth noting: when I was cresting a hill, the most beautiful sunrise was in front of me. Couldn't believe it but I saw the rocket that launched from Wallops Island, VA. It was an amazing sight, as it's plume/trail was right in the sunrise colors and I could see the rocket itself, rising up in the sky. Who would have thought that it would be visible in Arlington?

Rode 40 miles--very pleasant because it was 40 degrees and not too windy. Also, I was on my Luna 'cross bike, which is always a special treat!

We had what we hope will become our annual Jingle Bell Ride on Saturday. Sunny, 60 degrees, no wind. Everyone had bells on their bikes. We rode 22 miles into town, down Main St. where we picked up the 9 year old daughter of one of the cyclists, then headed back to the start on Moonshine Mtn. Following the ride everyone, including non-riders, came to my house for brats, beer & holiday cheer. Attached pic was taken by my SO (who couldn't ride because of a hand in a cast) while we were waiting for everyone to get ready. I'm the one in the blue.