Wednesday April 14 rides

Anyone else get to ride today?
I went on my club ride, 30 miles up in Newburyport, MA and the surrounding towns. It was a lovely day, about 53 when we started and 65 at the end. A little more of a drive to get there, but I love this area. Lots of inlets, inland ponds, marshes, and forests. The ride was flat to rolling, with the kind of little rollers I can power up and pass almost everyone in this group on. However, my goal was to avoid having to be a human arrow, as I always forget who the sweep is and what s/he looks like, so I can leave my "post" as the arrow. When the ride is in an area I am familiar with, I don't care, but today, no. So, I had to hang back, about 3-4 riders behind the leader, because if you are right behind him or her, you have to arrow.
A young guy introduced himself to me in the beginning. I've seen him on this ride many times, but it was weird. Maybe I look younger with my helmet on? He was bragging about doing hill repeats yesterday, so I laughed and told him I was too old for that **it.*
I didn't stay for the lunch at the end, because I have class tonight and have to do some reading and get into Cambridge soon. But, I am glad I went, this restored my confidence a little, after my horrible ride on Saturday. It's going to rain all weekend, so unless I can get out after work tomorrow, this is it for the week.

32 kms. and just fabulous today. Alot warmer today.

While speeding down a descent, a hippie-Santa Claus guy leaning on his cane while waiting at the bus stop, jokingly stuck out his thumb as if wanting hitchhike a ride with me.

We both laughed. He also wore a fun jester cap. :)

Construction at every turn today. I had a cop put his hand out to stop me as I was climbing a hill, to let a truck that had just passed me, back out in front of me. I was standing on the pedals at that point, in a hard gear, and he didn't give me enough warning to down shift so I'd be able to start again once I'd stopped (and there was a truck in the shoulder ahead of him so I had no room to pull over). At the same time, a construction worker was waiving me through. The truck hadn't begun to back out, so I wasn't in danger of being hit. Anyway, I ignored the officer :eek: and kept climbing, half expecting him to follow me and give me a ticket. Luckily, that didn't happen, but it set a paranoid tone for the rest of the ride. :D

I did about 29 miles. I was intending a longer ride, but I had too much water before I even left. Stopped at the Wildlife Sanctuary to use the bathroom, but it was closed. Then the road I wanted to turn up to make my route longer was closed, so I just headed home. Bah. Slightly frustrating, but still a good ride.

I squeezed in a quickly 14 miles after work and errands. It is simply beautiful here - blue skies, temps in the 80s, no wind, birds singing, redbuds in bloom. It was a great ride only wish I had more time - maybe tomorrow. Nonetheless I rode and enjoyed every minute of it.

I got 25 miles in after work around Rend Lake. It was a beautiful evening and the wind has FINALLY stopped. My second ride on my new Luna. It is such a sweet ride!

I got in about 12 miles -- bike computer stopped working after 9-something, which was annoying because night's approach was incentive for me to work hard and go fast (fast for me, that it. :D ). It felt GREAT to be out there! Cool and clear; 46F when I got home. I heard a lot of White-throated Sparrows, and saw deer and a beaver, too.

Did my usual 16 miles through the park. Saw a second biker loaded into an ambulance today (that's two in one week). No way to know how badly they were injured, but still discouraging. No baby hawks yet; we're keeping our fingers crossed for a successful nest this year.

So many beautiful trees in bloom and the wind was cool and fresh-smelling.

I did a 30 mile ride after work today. 62 degrees, high level clouds, sunny, and one horrific headwind.

I did 30.5 miles today through the countryside with many hills to a farm that makes pie from the fruit that they grow. What was interesting is that I went with some guys who had just finished the 'beginner' class with the local bike club (I did that last year). When I tried to come back and ride with this years' class, it was so slow that I spent most of my time waiting for others. Well, their class is over and none of the slow riders showed up for their group ride. Somehow, guys with long legs seem to be able to do what it took me a year to accomplish. Also, I usually ride with women. So, it was a pleasant surprise and a really nice ride.

26mi w/the club &my regular riding partner. Hillier than I've done since my crash. But, it went surprising well. The weather was the best it's been all seaon yet! Low 70s, sunny skies, and winds only 10mph (vs. 20mph of last weeks ride lol).:) Oh, two dogs charged, but the owners called them back before they reached the road-THX GAWD!

34 miles with the local crew using our Monday night route and adding a few extra miles. It was designated as a steady B group with no one getting dropped. A nice variation since my other group rides tend to be that the B group forms when they get dropped from the A group. LOL

It would have been a really nice ride but the wind gusts were unreal. I have never worked so hard to maintain 15mph on a flat road!!! Hopefully next week we can try again and not have to fight the wind. :)