Friday rides 6/27

I rode to the dentist! ->:D<-

Just getting a permanent crown put on to replace the temporary I've had for a couple of weeks now - no drilling, no Novocaine. I don't think I'd want to ride after an actual dental procedure!

Pretty good for my first commute from this home. Even though the town where the dentist is, is a little bit farther than the town where my gym is, it's a MUCH nicer ride. There are even at least three different routes I could've taken, and almost all of it is on roads I'd ride for pleasure anyway, or at least roads I'd take in and out of town on the club rides. There was only about a mile on a busy highway with no shoulder, and that at least had a suicide lane so there was plenty of room for the cars to move over.

41 miles, 86 degrees F, 65% humidity. They're probably still mopping my sweat up at the dentist's office :p

15 mile neighborhood noodle

25 miles with lotsa wind!

Three times is a charm and it held true on this ride. I'm trying to put together a new 60 mile route which uses some roads seldom seen by club members. I've been out twice now following routes I mapped on Bikely.com only to discover the roads did not go through or they were gravel. Today's attempt was a success. I drove my bike out to the little town we would pass through and set off from there for I did not want to ride 60 miles and storms were moving in so I wanted to stay dry.

The new roads I explored were low traffic and went through some beautiful rural areas. I was treated to lots of horses in the fields and a small group of wild turkeys. I climbed on big hill as well. According to the clubs 100 steep ones this one has a 9.9% grade and it seemed to go on forever though the website says it is on 1/2 mile long! I hope my fellow club members don't hate me after they tackle this one on July 17.

It was a great day to ride even if the wind was strong and the storm clouds were racing in on me. I made it back to the car just as shower moved into the area.

26 miles on the levee. Morning ride, warm and muggy

Office team ride, with some of the better riders. So the way out I was able to hang with the big boys, average speed 20 mph. Even hung on when the oldest guy took the lead and bumped us to 21 - this is a man who had a spectacular crash involving avoiding an alligator on the levee and broke his shoulder and pelvis. Next leader brought us back to 20. I even managed to pull a short distance. But the effort did me in. And I dropped at mile 13, and started heading back, another rider turned around as well. The big boys continued out further

Return trip I lolly gagged until my lungs forgave me, Mike pulled us up to 18, but after a bit I had to ask him to slow down again. Lungs were still angry. About 1/2 way back to the office, I was recovered enough that we could ride in at 18.

But I was BEAT. Still I hung with the big boys for 1/2 the ride:D and got back before they returned.

I had the day off because it's the summer and I didn't book anything so Wednesday I psyched myself up, THursday I laid out shorts and Friday I was on the bike by 6:15.

It was windier than I thought and from the southWEST, not the South the radio guy said, and I didn't eat enough along the way so I came back after 80 miles, had a bagel and tea and went out for 20 more. I"d thought about doing 200K but I think that would require, oh, more food and a map 'cause I gotta go a little further out. Maybe in two weeks...

32 miles with lotsa wind. :D