Sunday, April 26th rides.

20-30 mph winds, hills, ominous clouds, and a bit of rain, made for a morning of fun.

One of those days I would have stayed in bed except I was ride starter, so had to at least show up with the maps. We nearly turned around on the way when it started raining, but I checked the weather at the ride start on my treo and it said it was clear so we pressed ahead. It was actually clear at the ride start, but wicked winds. Probably most folks turned around when it rained enroute (we have so many sunny days here that rain is enough to cancel a ride), so only the most hard core guys showed up. That meant my husband had his riding buddies, our club's fastest men, but I was alone.

We started in Comfort (texas hill country) and the rode up to Fredericksburg, up old highway 9. It started to rain as I approached the bat cave after a long climb, so I ducked into the covered observation area hoping it might pass while I hydrated. It got better so I pressed ahead, but at the 20 mile mark I couldn't justify riding further into a storm, so decided to make it an out and back. But, that meant riding right into a 20-30 mph headwind with rollers all the way back, with no one to draft with. What amazed me is how stable my new bike (cervelo RS) was in that wind. I would have been blown all over the road on my terry isis. I wonder if the same things that make the RS more stable on fast descents help me in those cross winds?

Wow, as wonderful as it was being outside, there was not more startling way to discover how out of shape I am! :p

While I think I have my headaches under control (caused by not enough hydration or food) but my feet were killing me! Plus, my lower back has been killing me lately (I was standing in at a gallery to see my friend's work and my back started to ache) :p

I scheduled a current bike fit on Wednesday so I'm excited. I have eliminated my saddle problems (except for having spent more time in the saddle before this ride) but still suffer neck pain, massive outer foot pain and now lower back pain.

I switched my pedals yesterday so I think some more adjustments are in order...

Extra special bonus: aikido on Saturday definitely didn't help my muscle strength for today's ride :p

My lower back was hurting me a little today, too, and I was kinda headachy, and a little whiney... BUT IT WAS HOT. 90 degrees. I was wishing it was 45 again. We had some headwind, too. But actually all in all it was a good ride - 40 miles down to Burlingame SP (RedRhodie knows this route) and we averaged 15 mph.

I'm finding it hard to ride with the Mister lately. I get psyched out too easy. Maybe because I've been commuting so much, and when I ride alone, I'm up in my head. When I ride with him I concentrate more on hanging on his wheel.

Today I rode with the big kids; we climbed 1600 feet to the top of Chumstick pass (12.5 miles), then over and across and then down down down. we started in Leavenworth, stopped in Plain to feed the donkey, and continued back to Hwy 2 where we descended for 15 miles.
The climb was very interesting because i had two "carrots" in front of me, my friends. I wanted to catch up to them in the worst way, so i pushed like mad. Finally at mile 8 with legs screaming, i stopped just for a breather and finished the rest of the climb with them out of sight, so it was not so hard because i went at my own pace. DH practically danced around me because my speed is much too easy for him. Then on the descent at one point i found myself in my highest gear for a couple miles, even though it was a 1-2% grade, i was still getting a tough workout.
1650 feet of climb in 40 miles (most of it in the first 13 miles)

Nothing says "welcome home" like a mandatory staff meeting at the gym. :rolleyes:

It was a destination for a one-way ride though (DH met me for dinner and grocery shopping after the meeting and threw the bike in the car). Yesterday's club ride was cancelled and I just couldn't motivate to ride by myself, so I hadn't been on the road bike in a week.

14.4 miles at 18 mph, not bad for not having seen a hill since early November. :cool: We're having hot weather too, so even after five months in Florida I wasn't ready for the heat. It was a beautiful day though and I'm really glad to be back in the hill country. :)

15 miles today, 15 yesterday...so-so on the speed, but I feel pretty good afterward. My knees are aching a bit. I think I need to granny-gear it a bit more. I'm going to try adding in some walking this week.

D*H has been on this diet and exercise kick and he's dropping pounds like crazy. He's eating nothing but protein and veggies, with an occasional banana or two before a long ride. He's down ten pounds in a month.

Me, not so much. It's so hard to give up the "white death," as he calls it.

Roxy

I rode over the hill to meet up with a friend new to road biking and took him on a beginner-friendly 25-mile loop with rolling hills (about 1000' total for him). Then I headed home.

My hill was a bit bigger. ;) Total for me was about 65.5 miles, ~8600'.
Beautiful day out. :)

Had company most of the weekend and was working a health expo sunday morning but got out in time for a 25 mile run with a few good hills in it! Planning my work schedule around weather and rides this week- hope to bang out some good rides between obligations!
Taking my LCI exam at the end of the month, lining up a few friends new to biking to practice teaching them tire changing and riding skills classes before I'm tested on my teaching skills ;)

First decent weather weekend in over a month! We are finally warm, after weeks of unseasonably cold/dreary/rainy/windy stuff.

My friend was recuperating from an injury so she couldn't do her Oly distance tri Saturday.

Instead, we took a leisurely ride to a local small Mennonite-run restaurant out in the country, ate lunch and rode back. It's a treat; those folks can really cook.

Next time we will wear empty packs to bring home some baked goods :)

24 miles, flat and easy.

Then I rode yesterday by myself, 18 rolling.

Our wildflowers are at their peak though the azaleas are almost over.

About 30 hilly miles as a 'recovery' ride from a 100 miler in the Scottish Borders the previous day.

Checked out a few bridleways to try and do on the Audax bike, they varied from okay to insanely rough, then happened upon a small brushfire at the side of the road. Fought it using a mudguard I found there (off a truck, probably - it was huge and very effective). After a minute or two, a SUV stopped and the driver joined in, he used a bit of driver's mat! We got it about 90% out but it was starting to really catch in dense grass, fanned by the wind and it was getting too hot for us. Luckily the fire brigade turned up then and dealt with it! Then had a decent pint at a local pub and ambled on home.