Goals

I need to ride 108 more miles before the end of the month to get my mileage goal for March. Crummy weather and other commitments on the weekend have made it tough this month. If the weather holds I think I'll just make it.

Today I rode 37 miles in Livermore while my car was getting worked on. If you haven't ridden up to Del Valle it's a really pretty ride. It's a cheese hill in both directions so be prepared. :D

Then I headed down Tesla to Cross Road to Patterson Pass following the Cinderella route. I was doing a little over 15 MPH going down Patterson, there was a wicked head wind out there (hope it's gone before next Saturday for you all!) when I was passed by 4 guys in a paceline. None of them said anything. The last one did turn around. That got my goat! I accelerated (Thank you Coach Troy for your god awful acceration sets!) and drafted them until they went straight on Patterson and I wanted to turn left on Greenville. They were doing between 19 and 21. So it was fun while it lasted.

Happy riding!

V.

What's a cheese hill? I'm not sure that we have them in NJ :confused:

It's the kind of hill you whine all the up and careen like a drunk or a mad woman down. :D

Seriously, it's a hill that's long enough and has a steep enough grade that they put a warning sign of a triiangle (looks like a wedge of cheese) with a truck on top of it. Sometimes they will add the grade.

V.

http://www.sos.state.il.us/publicati.../downgrade.gif

Ahhhh..... We do have some here, but I try to avoid them. I do like cheese with my whine, though ;)

So, Miss Veronica- What was your goal for March??? Let's see how I stack up with yours. (I'll have to check my bike journal, but I sure did do a lot this month, come to think of it!) :D :D

It's a simple plan. Twice a month up Diablo - did that!

More mileage per month this year than last year.

March of 2004 I did 398.2. BTW I had been thinking 393, so I need 113 more miles.

V.

I just looked at my totals for this month and it's not the total mileage that blows me away. It's the elevation gain. I count trainer miles because I figure time on the bike is time on the bike and if I'm going dizzy from the anaerobic interval abuse, it counts. Anyway, only 307.81 miles so far but 9,670 ft of climbing! Wahoo!

I have many, many long rides right out my door that don't involve more climbing than a freeway bridge so this just blows me away! I had no idea how it was stacking up. I would guess that my normal total would be around the 3 to 4,000 ft gain because of the mtb rides. Let’s hope it pays off this weekend.

It's been raining off and on all morning here. Around 10 the sky seems to be clearing, so I decide I'll take our truck in for work and ride from there with a plan of doing somewhere between 30 - 50 miles, since I'm not sure how long the route is from the Nissan dealership.

Drive the truck over and it's beginning to cloud up. That's okay, but the wind is picking up too. Do all the paperwork and while I'm in the restroom, realize I left my water bottles on the counter. Okay, it's not that far I'll just ride home and get the bottles, it will give me more miles.

As soon as I get on my bike, I hear something rubbing. It's not too bad, I figure I'll look at it when I get home. It starts to sprinkle. Then it starts to full on rain. I continue until I get to what I feel is a safe part of town for stopping in. Check out my front tire since hey, I've stopped. It's not rubbing on the brakes, maybe on the fender, but I'm not sure. Put on my jacket, which I had thought about not bringing and continue home.

While I'm in the garage checking out my tires, the sun comes out! Arghh... but I'm home and it''s lunchtime. I had some real food instead of Red Bull and peanut butter granola bars. :D And it does look like my fender had shifted around.

I'll try for a few more miles this afternoon. Thom says we can go ride the flatlands on the tandem on Thursday before taking off for our "mini break" to get whatever miles I still need.

V.

I'm right there with ya V! My goal for the year is 3087 give or take. (it's the distance of the RAAM) which breaks down to only 60 miles a week. But since January I've been down twice with chest colds/bronchitis/sinus infection. I figure in the past 3 months I've ridden maybe 6 wks of which 3 wks I've had to use as "comback" rides meaning I didn't ride the whole week. I just keep telling myself - the weather Will get warmer, I Will get better, and the bike will Still be there once this is over and done with - but it sure don't help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

but 9,670 ft of climbing! Wahoo!

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Wow, very impressive, SadieKate! I guess I didn't realize there were trainers that kept track of your elevation gain - I'm calling my thing a trainer but it's just a resistance roller. No wonder I was huffing and puffing on those real hills the other day!! :D

I need to go out and ride 38 miles this morning. Sarah we need to trade houses. :D I've gotten over 20,000 feet of climb, because I can't go anywhere without climbing, but I'm down to the wire on my mileage goal.

V.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nuthatch

Wow, very impressive, SadieKate! I guess I didn't realize there were trainers that kept track of your elevation gain - I'm calling my thing a trainer but it's just a resistance roller. No wonder I was huffing and puffing on those real hills the other day!! :D

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I log the miles from my trainer but I only log elevation gain from outdoor rides. I should go back, subtract trainer miles and then look at the elevation gain from the miles I have left.

V, you can come up here any old time but I'll have to get my Dad to tune-up the harpsichord for Thom. 20,000 climing for March? I still remain impressed that flatlander me is pushing 10k. If only the Mt Tam ride had worked out . . .

Ok, got to get ready for work. Was defragging the old confuser last night so couldn't check up on everyone.

You have a harpsichord?! Thom wants a harpischord! Bach sounds SO much better on a harpisichord.

V.

I'll go one better on the harpsichord thing. My DH and his Dad built one (from a kit, but still...). It got sold to a good home when the in-laws moved from their big home to an elder-condo, and last I heard is still going strong.

None of us in this house plays keyboards well enough to justify the responsibility for it, or I could have had it. I was tempted...

Sorry, Mom, this is a spinet-style harspishord my dad built with the inside of the lid painted by my grandmother. She actually entered the thing in the county fair in Amarillo, TX. She said the judges weren't quite sure what to do with it, but I think she did win a ribbon.

My dad has the really nice 8 ft dble manual at his home. The universities in SoCal used to rent it from him when the big international names came in for concerts. When we moved it, the rule was if you fell, you had to fall under the harpsichord. :rolleyes:

I played Mozart in my 4th grade recital on one of the string of harpsichords that went through our house. Now, to get really weird. I actually had a few "pro" gigs (as in a college would hire me to play continuo or our group would play at a home party) back in my twenties when I was still playing the viola da gamba, recorder, krumhorn, you name it.

Ok, now you guys know more of the skeletons in my closet. :p