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Good for you :) The Skratch products have been the one that I really like because of the LACK of taste and how they "sit" with me. Everything else I've experimented with in the last two weeks or so eventually causes stomach pain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
Today we took out the MTBs and did a mostly utilitarian ride: bank, grocery, auto parts store, but also took in a long stretch of bike trail. It was a VERY windy day and super warm -- 80s during most of the ride and peaked out at 90 after we got home. This was the first ride this year when I've been literally coated with sweat and hair dripping from it. Ugh. We stopped at Sheridan's on the way back again (dangerous that we've found a back way to get there!) and negated our calories burned, but my weight's the lowest it's been in a decade courtesy of all the riding, so I figure I can use the calories! 36.8 miles total but lots of saddle time since we were on the slower, heavier MTBs.
Tomorrow is finally our day off -- supposed to be stormy, rainy, and get much cooler for awhile. Just as well -- 90 in early March is a bit too much!
Sounds like fun Emily - even if a bit warm and windy! We are hitting 85 today and I am NOT complaining about it! I hope to get a little ride in over the next two days - depending on how the storms develop that they are calling for over the next few days.
I got in a Wednesday-night-hill-ride after work yesterday. It rained at lunchtime but just about all the roads were dry by the time I started. It was cool but comfortable, right around 60 degrees.
The hot weather is here now. I'm looking forward to wearing something sleeveless for my weekend ride.
I will cross my fingers you all get a nice weekend of riding in!
It was so gross out today I didn't get any riding in by the time I could. I did go to the LBS to look for clothes for mom's mother's day gift but they didn't have ANYTHING in an XL. I call BS on that. I have the opposite problem with things like gloves - being too big because I'm so small - but my mom is 5'9'' and built like tennis player or swimmer with strong shoulders, so I ended up getting nothing. Got her something at Marshall's. No riding this weekend. Too busy with my little sister's grad.
I am taking a rest day today. It's showery, anyway. Tomorrow am supposed to lead our annual new members' ride, but it's going to have to be called very close to start time. I think the rain will clear out right around start time. It's going to be 75. Sunday, we are doing a pre-ride of our bike rally route with the other leaders; it's going to be 80. Sleeveless is in my future.
Same for us Crankin here. Very cloudy now, rain in forecast. I have my 1st ever 90km ride tomorrow - starting at 8:30am and not sure we'll get there. But rain is supposed to stop at around noon. It will be too late. And it is rain or shine. But the next day is full sun. There is another 65 or 100km ride. I may try to hop on that one if I feel like it. But it is another $40 each. For something I already paid (tomorrow). We'll see.
Yesterday the forecast was for morning and afternoon thunderstorms, with a high % chance of both. We had already decided ahead of time to take the day off from riding as we'd ridden many days in a row. We had an appointment at 1pm for a final walkthrough (we're leaving the house we've been renting in Kansas next week) and spent the morning cleaning house and getting ready for the property manager to come. He had to delay twice due to an eviction proceeding running over, so did not get here until 3:30. It was beautiful out and hadn't rained at all, so by 2:30 pm, DH finally couldn't take it any more and went out for a short ride while I waited for the property manager to arrive. He finally did and DH rolled up right as he was leaving. We then made cookies and pizza and ate outside -- it was sunny, breezy, and pleasant. Seems they got t-storms all around us (so no more 85F+ days for us) but not right where we were.
Still, I'm glad I took the day off as I'm sure my body needed the rest. We'll be riding today for sure. Costco run!
Helene, I once did a century ride in nor'easter because I had already paid the registration fee and I thought the worst of the storm would pass early in the day. It turned out to be miserable all day long, and in the end I decided that sometimes you're better off staying home, even if it means you lose the fee that you pre-paid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Helene2013
Be especially alert for dangerous weather, like lightning and winds. It's most important to be safe.
i wanna ride in a storm.....no lightning and just tailwinds though :)
taking the weekend off from riding and going skydiving with friends instead.
Wednesday I decided to go for my first ever ride with the local club. I was expecting a 13-15 mile ride (that was Monday apparently!) We wound up doing 20 miles, my longest ever. I was super nervous at the beginning but after a few miles I got into a groove and had a really good time. The leader was really nice and made me feel very comfortable. I was soooo tired afterwards but I definitely felt more like "I can't wait to do it again" than "boy, I'll never do that again." lol
Today's ride was mundane.
We had to cancel the ride we were leading because it was raining right up until start time. This is a show and go ride, no way to inform anyone who was planning to attend. The AMC rule is "steady rain cancels," and we have to change this, or find a way to post a cancellation. It was pouring at 9:45, which was good (the ride was suppsoed to start at 10), and we conferred with the other 2 leaders at 8:30. I responded to the few people who had emailed me and they thanked me, but I am sure someone was waiting at the Keyes Rd parking lot :(. If it was anyone here, I am sorry. We did not want to take a bunch of new people/beginners out on wet roads, either. I am going to the bike committee meeting Monday to discuss this.
After putting away my wool sweaters and pants (well, just moving to a different room), going to the nursery and buying some flowers and a tree, lunch,, etc, we went for a 12 mile hilly ride. It's humid and quite warm. No gradual warm up here.
Doing 40 miles or so tomorrow. My back is a little tweaked, from something I did in boot camp Thursday, so hope it's OK. Back to the stretching.
Congratulations, dragonfly5! Your 20 miles is more than probably 99.9% of adults in the US will ever ride at one time!
Yesterday, we did our Costco + extra ride -- clocked in 38.4 miles.
Today, we rode to the farmer's market in the morning (just under 5 miles) before breakfast. After eating, we did our long ride. 60.3 miles for me, my longest of the year. DH also got in his longest of the year, over 101 miles -- he continued on after I finished. Windy, warm, and hilly, it was a challenging but (I must admit) fun ride.
I'm trying to get in a bunch of miles this week as we travel to visit our parents (NC and Ohio) over the next two weeks, and riding miles will be curtailed signficantly. Gotta work on their yards and be social, you know! :D
For all of you getting rain, please send it here. We're getting parched here in KC...in the places that the thunderstorms missed (like where we're living at the moment)!
I rode 32 miles yesterday with a few friends. We had an unusually cold and icy winter for NC, and I feel like I am starting over fitness wise. It was a great day for a ride, though! We call this ride the Mini Critter Crawl because it takes us by an alpaca farm and another one with emu's and donkeys. I love alpacas!
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Got out for a nice ride today...didn't keep track of mileage but was out for about an hour and a half enjoying the gorgeous day. The black flies are out--need to start bringing bug spray on rides! They're not a problem when one is going at a decent speed, but stop or slow way down and, well, yuck! Aside from that and having to stop a couple of times to adjust my saddle when it somehow got tilted up (must not have tightened the clamp enough when I adjusted it before the ride) it was a great ride. We really have some nice road riding here in Maine, including unexpected dirt-road sections at times (hooray for non-skinny tires!!).
Had a great Mother's Day ride, 45 miles, in perfect weather. We rode to the start, about 7 miles, and then did our "test" ride for the AMC bike rally in June, with the other 2 leaders. So many people out riding today, including moms and kids, who all had their helmets on incorrectly. But, I was good, I didn't say anything, as I usually do.
There was a Mother's Day brunch going on at Verrill farm, the start, and it was mobbed when we got back. DH and I made ourselves ride back there with the others, instead of directly home, and I am glad. Best of all, when I got home, I opened my email and I had a gift card to Open Table from my son in California.
I've been having a little trouble with mild cramping in my calves/hamstrings. Not sure what is going on. My hydration was spot on today (Skratch Labs). I felt it a little on my group ride Wednesday, but not when I commute.
Grits, love the alpaca photo!
I just did a little 25-mile recovery ride today after yesterday's long effort. This is the first time in a long time I've had any hip (I say hip, but it's really more lower back on the right side) pain. I guess I did a little too much yesterday. It was very minor, but there. It's back to being incredibly windy here...not fun -- except when it's behind you!
Tusdays ride out around Sealy, Tx ( town of mattress fame) was 50 miles of country roads and rollers. It was basically pleasant for the first 30 miles as we had a tail and side wind. The return 20 miles were a misery 15 mph headwinds with gusts up to 40. Fortunately there were five of us and the paceline helped and the wind and low humidity (drought conditions already) kept the temperatures doable.
Yesterdays 50 miles on the local roads was much more doable, a good thing since I was riding on my own. Breezes were mostly side and quartering and only at about 10 mph. Glad I got off the road early though because they were back to 20-25 miles with heavier gusts.
I have a gut feeling this summer is going to be a repeat of the summer two years ago, drought, high humidity, lots of wind. Sigh....
Managed to get in a 13.5 mile ride today before we took my mother in-law out to lunch today. The weather was perfect! Wind was a little gusty but I kept telling myself that it was "resistance training" lol. Emily, I have a four day weekend coming up and right now the extended forecast is calling for rain on every single one of them. I will GLADLY send that out to you!
I took the Salsa out yesterday to see how it would feel on a longer ride than just the commute. I did 34 miles and it felt great.
I did 40 miles on Saturday, but none yesterday.
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Glad to see you ladies had some cool rides.
We had a great weekend with family back home in Indiana, my sister and her BF graduated, my BF asked my parents for their blessing on our hopeful engagement in the near future to much success and we saw a whole lotta cyclists out but no riding on our parts. And it doesn't look like our long ride will happen this week either thanks to terrible weather. I want to get some quick miles in today on the commute but we have severe storms coming and I'm not sure. Blargh.
We determined the next time we are going back WITH the bikes and more time! I missed Brown County State Park something fierce.
Crankin, re: announcing canceled rides -- I have a tale of two clubs. One club posts ride news (cancellations and other important announcements) right on their website's main page, and again on the top of the page that shows the ride schedule for the month. Anyone who views the website can see the ride updates; you do not have to be a member and you do not have to be logged in. There is also a voluntary yahoo group for members only, and most ride updates are also sent there.
The other club has a forum section on their website, and ride updates are supposed to be posted there. You need to drill down a couple of links to find the page with the ride news. Also you have to be a club member and be logged into the website in order to see it. There is also an unofficial gmail listserv that was started by people who did not want anyone to moderate what they say. It is not publicized and you only know it exists if you overhear someone talking about it. Most ride leaders post their ride updates to the secret unofficial gmail list.
The first club is friendly and welcoming to new members. The second club is neither. I recommend taking an approach like the first club -- keep things simple and obvious to anyone who might show up for a ride.
(Okay yes I am ticked off at the second club and recently decided not to renew my membership with them, so that was a bit of a rant. I actually did a ride with them yesterday. I emailed the leader on Saturday with a question about the ride start location. It turned out that the actual start location was several blocks away from the address posted on the schedule. The ride leader said she would make sure to send an email to the secret gmail listserv to make sure everyone was aware of this. I pointed out that not everyone knew about the secret gmail listserv, but she didn't seem to care about that. Many people went to the wrong location as a result.)
I rode 46 miles yesterday. The weather was perfect. I guess I've been doing some pretty flat rides lately, because my pace was slow yesterday and I thought there was a lot of climbing, but when I plotted the route on ridewithgps.com, it was not really all that hilly. We were in an area of Virginia that I don't often visit. Some of the roads were very nice, quiet lanes with no traffic. Then there were the parts on roads with a speed limit of 55 mph, one lane in each direction and no shoulder. After the ride I visited a friend who is in the hospital, then went home, ate lots of food and called my mother.
I did blog post about our long ride on Saturday. It's here if anyone is interested:
http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com/1...to-kansas.html
Didn't ride today due to off and on rain, lots of wind, and way too much to do. We're moving out of the house we've been renting in Prairie Village, KS on Wednesday so are busy busy busy. We did get a LOT done today, though, so we think we'll have time to ride tomorrow and take our cable modem back to Time-Warner Cable when disconnecting our service. Since we'll be doing an errand we can justify a ride too!
I commuted yesterday and it was so warm, I had to stop at 9 AM and take off my bolero, which I was wearing over a sleeveless jersey! Actually had to use my hygiene supplies when I got there, because I was sweaty, even after my little 5.2 mile ride where I purposely go slowly.
I went to the Bike Committee meeting last night, and found out we can post a ride as cancelled on the on line trip listing site of the club. It would have been nice if someone had told us! This is only an issue for show and go rides, as the other ones I do, people have to call and register with me. Some of the other leaders make a google list or use the Yahoo group. I cannot start doing all that... usually the rides where i screen people and they register with me are smaller and I have no problem calling them about a cancellation. The whole thing is justa problem because we are part of an outdoor club, where the corporate office is just starting to realize that not everyone who belongs is there for hiking and backpacking.
Normally I would be getting ready for a bike ride right now. And I would really like to go for a ride this evening, but I'm sick. I started coming down with a cold on Monday night. The thing is that right now I'm alternating between feeling fine for a while and then feeling not so good for a while, and during the feeling-fine parts it's driving me crazy to think I should just stay home and rest.
I'm not sneezing much, I can breathe fine, and the sore throat phase didn't last long. My legs feel like they're up to the challenge. It's just that my brain feels a bit fuzzy at times. For example I just typed "store throat" instead of "sore throat" and almost didn't notice it. :D
I guess I really need to stay home and rest. Grrrr.
p.s. to Crankin -- one good thing that the second (bad) bike club does is post in the original ride listing if there are weather conditions that will cause the ride to be cancelled, such as temps colder than 40 or hotter than 95, or if the chance of rain is greater than a certain % or the roads are wet at the start time. Something like that might help for your show and go rides.
NY, we will just post in the original listing something like "look at trip listing for cancellation by 8:30 AM." Our stock statement is "steady rain cancels." It just would have been nice if someone had told me this! I've been a leader for 9 years. My own personal limit is above 30% chance of rain, or if the radar really shows something moving in.
I rode with my friend this afternoon, only 15 miles. It was beautiful, but she is exceedingly slow. I sprinted ahead on 2 roads, so I did get a workout. I had to see a client this morning, so no group ride. And, the ride was listed as 47 miles at a spirited pace, or 23 miles at a relaxed pace. I wanted neither, though 47 miles at a moderate pace would have done well. My issue is, I can do the faster pace, but not for that long. They would encourage me to come, and then I'd hold them back.
Very mundane, short ride today--just a quick run to the LBS to pick up a bottle of degreaser and get my new Lambda pedals put on (which I am quite happy with...they work nicely with the flexible/thin soled shoes I tend to wear). Then came home and cleaned the drivetrain...it appeared that the person from whom I bought the bike hadn't done that in a while. It looks much better now! I need to do the same to the Trek but didn't get to it today.
It turned out to be a gorgeous day, after torrential rain that ended around 8:30 AM. I didn't think I'd get any riding in this weekend, because the forecast was so sketchy. Just got back from 23 miles, nothing special, but we did do most of the route sort of backwards from the usual way, so that's always different. The biggest event of the ride was we were sitting at Great Brook Farm, eating a snack when I looked up and saw the crazy father of my very first client when I became a therapist. Thank God I had my helmet on. I jumped up, told DH "I gotta go," and got on my bike, really fast. That man was so threatening my boss had to call the police to have him stop harrassing our receptionist!
I should not have had gazpacho before riding....
Did about 20 Sunday afternoon. We set out with no idea where we were going, except to ride slowly. Ha, that's often a recipe for disaster. After climbing up Strawberry Hill first, we headed out to do our "flat ride," which is really pretty flat until we get back to the house. Of course, being flat, the speed ratcheted up, until by the time we got back to the neighborhood, I had my fastest ride of the year. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to ride in a flat place all of the time, which is why I don't pay much attention to my speed, given the terrain around here. Yes, not mountains, but lots of very short, steep hills and rollers. Anyway, the weather was cooler that Saturday, which I appreciated. I have discovered I really feel it once it goes over 70 degrees. If there was a gradual increase, it would be OK, but this being New England, of course not!
So many riders out today, and it was already about 2 when we left. There was a Brain Tumor Society ride that went through my neighborhood earlier, so that was why we waited.
Got together yesterday with some ladies that I met through a facebook cycling group (see? FB is good for something!) Went for a 22 mile ride - my longest so far. (i'm looking forward to the days when I can be like some of you and say "Oh just went for a short spin - about 20 miles." lol One pedal stroke at a time ;) ) The weather was nice, not too hot or too cool. The sun peeked out here and there. I'm really loving meeting new people that enjoy cycling as much as I do.
Longest ride so far for me too (at least recently)...about 25 rolling miles or so with a total of 972 feet of climbing (need to get a bike computer, MapMyRide is a PITA to try to get the route entered right). It got interesting when one road first turned into a dirt road (no problem there), then into what appeared to be an ATV trail--this was NOT shown on my map, it just appeared that the road continued. So, I started down the trail thinking it would hook back up with the road. I must say, the LHT did pretty well off-road except for coming to a dead stop in the middle of a puddle with squishy mud at the bottom (which really had more to do with my having slowed down too much before hitting it) resulting in me having to dismount in the middle of said muck and finish the ride with soaked shoes. Shortly after crossing that mess, the trail became a pretty steep uphill at which point I said "screw this, I'm turning around" and went back the way I came, then found another road that led to the rest of the loop I had planned. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful, and BTW I did find the other end of the road that seemed to turn into a trail, maybe next time I will follow it and see where it actually goes. I won't even say how long the ride took me, because it's embarrassing. Suffice it to say, it was enough saddle time for me to realize there are a couple more adjustments I need to make to the bike before my 50-mile ride that's coming up.
I rode on Saturday. It was a 58-mile club ride with a stop at a strawberry festival after 45 miles. The terrain was flat for most of the ride and the group I was with rides fast. My average speed halfway through the ride was 16 mph, which is very high for me. Fortunately at that point someone else cried uncle, and four of us ended up riding together at a more manageable pace for the rest of the ride. My average was 15.1 at the end, still higher than average for me, and I'm still feeling it in my legs. Also I've had a bit of a cold for a week now, and I felt worse yesterday than I did the day before the ride. I spend most of yesterday on the couch but I'm still feeling a bit weak today.
I had strawberry shortcake at the festival and brought home four chocolate-covered strawberries, which I enjoyed for lunch yesterday.
It's so nice reading about everyone's rides! Except for local errands, I haven't been out yet at all. When I finally had some time last weekend, I came down with a cold, then some allergy attack (new to me in the past two years) that kept me home from work for a day, cold weather, hot weather. Now I'm working midnight shifts. So I hope it's okay to ride vicariously through this thread, and hopefully get out soon! But I did get the bikes out of the basement, wiped down and adjusted.
I've been riding like once a week of late. I took my white bike out today for her first ride of the year. It was really windy and that bike is much better in the wind than my others.
It was a pretty day with white caps on the water and gold finches flying. I had California Stars playing in my head on a loop. Doesn't get much better than that! I once had Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen stuck in my head on every bike ride for weeks. It was ominous, so this was pleasant in comparison.
Glad you're all still riding!
Glad you are too! I've missed "seeing" you as much around here!Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie
I did not have the motivation to drive 40 miles for a group ride along the north shore, so I rode with a friend who does a lot of work for both of the clubs I belong to. The one that was with me when my shift lever broke. It is absolutely gorgeous out. We didn't ride anywhere special, just around Carlisle, Westford, Chelmsford, and then we stopped at Ferns for lunch. Just as we were rolling in, another leader from one of the groups was there, just finishing up arrowing for a ride. We ate together, and then I took off to go home. About 27 miles.
Anyway, we are heading to NYC for Fri.-Sunday, so no riding until Memorial Day. I kind of am looking forward to the rest. Lots of walking, though.
I did a recap of the last couple of weeks on my blog. Not a lot of riding but keeping up with our long ride goals. We did a ride that combined wine and beer tasting on Monday.
http://elleonwheelsblog.wordpress.co...autiful-bikes/
I got in 15 miles this morning after sitting at my kitchen table fully dressed for a half hour while the little voice in my head tried to talk me out of going. "I don't want to ride alone" it said but of course it was really too late to call anyone go with me. I sucked it up and went b/c I knew I have to work all weekend and if I didn't go I'd kick myself in the *** later. Despite all that, it was a pleasant ride.
Tried out the weekly women's ride from one of the Portland shops this evening...20 miles and I got my butt kicked. It wasn't that the distance or terrain was any problem, or that I felt bad afterward (I didn't), just that almost everyone else was way faster (meaning, all but one person out of the probably 10-12 who were there). Not surprising, given that 1) I am not a fast rider by any stretch and 2) everyone else was on significantly lighter/faster bikes. It's a no-drop ride, but there were still a couple of points where I lost sight of the group and that made me really nervous since I didn't know the route. I may try to ride with this group some weeks, in order to push myself, but would like to find a group that I might fit in better with and not be the annoying straggler. The one woman who was riding slower than me said she leads a weekly ride in a neighboring town so I may try that one out.