Memorial Day ride!!

Well, we wen't camping and got back last night. Wow, with a 16 month old in a tent, THAT was fun!!!! Really it was....;)
A few of the wives here on base decided we'd go out this morning and ride our BUTTS off for those that cannot in this day of rememberance. So, we all took off this morning at 7AM and put in 40 miles, and it was the BEST ride I've had in a LONG time!! I think mostly because I've HAD to take it easy since the "wreck". I felt soooo strong!!! My average was 17 and my max was 27 so I was REALLY happy!!! Two of the women on the ride, their husbands are in Iraq and they led the ride and they were REALLY motivating. They both have little ones at home that hubbies haven't seen yet and they were TRUCKIN"!!!!
It felt SOO good to be back on my bike, even though I've been a little gun shy since the wreck and our LBS, bless their hearts, dropped my bike off at the gate for me last night, because they knew we were gone, not only did they fix EVERYTHING that was damaged, but they re-wrapped my handlebars....and left me a get well note!:eek: All at no cost....they are AWESOME!!!
Anyway, just wanted to post this, because I'm on that "after a good ride" high plus, just wanted to say maybe we can for a few seconds remember those brother and sisters of ours in arms!! Hope ya'll have a GREAT day!!!!
Jenn

It's great that you're recuperating and feeling strong!:)

That sounds great, Jenn. The ride I did Saturday had several soldiers from Ft. Campbell. I had a nice chat with a young man from S. Georgia.

Your ride sounds great, Jenn. Glad that your recovery is going well.

I guess I'll turn this into the "Memorial Day Rides" thread. I did a ride that, too, was fitting for the day. I rode into downtown DC and stopped to have breakfast on a bench by the World War II Memorial. Then I rode along the reflecting pool to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Lots of activity there getting ready for a program later in the morning.

I crossed Memorial Bridge toward Arlington Cemetery (again lots of activity in advance of the President's wreath laying ceremony later in the morning) and headed south on the Mount Vernon trail to, well, Mount Vernon. :p On the way back, I caught the metro at National Airport and headed home, as it was getting warmer and my saddle was getting the better of me. Rode the last 2 miles from the metro station home. I think I did about 45 miles total.

Here are a few pictures from the day. You can see how hazy it was in this pic of the Washington Monument.

Attachment 3371

The World War 2 memorial

Attachment 3372

The Vietnam War memorial

Attachment 3373

Three Rolling Thunder guys for CrazyCanuck. :)

Attachment 3374

I also did a fitting Memorial day ride. Hubby and I went out just to do a slow fun ride. We started out climbing up Strawberry Hill Rd. slowly, did some more climbing into Carlisle and then did a backwards version of one of our usual routes. It started getting really sunny and humid and I was getting hungry, so we stopped and sat on the porch at Ferns Country store in Carlisle. They serve sandwiches, but I just ate my Clif Bar. We were only about 6-7 miles from home when we remembered that Memorial Day Parade in Concord center started around 1-1:30, so we headed past our turn home, into the center. We timed it perfectly; the parade started about 10 minutes after we got there.
It was typical New England pagentry at its best. The Minutemen were followed by the parade leaders, lead by a marine and several other service people and vets. Right behind them was a group of military families that I could have been marching with! I wanted to introduce myself, but it would have interrupted the ceremony, so i will have to find out about this group.
After the ceremony, etc. we headed home. It got cloudy, thankfully and looked stormy, but nothing happened. Now I am waiting for son #1 to come for dinner.
21 miles at a slow pace...

Thanks for posting great pics and stories of memorial day rides. I went for a hike up the hill today as the wind is 30 with gusts higher:( . I made wholewheat rolls for supper tonight. YUMMY!

Well I haven't given my ride report yet. I headed out Hwy 70 which is a wide highway with wide shoulders. Then cut off to Hwy 109 to go to Old Laguardo Road. That's only about 5 miles long, but has some very old farms and an old log schoolhouse. Then waggled around out in the country.

At one point I heard a noise to my right and looked over to see a dog charging at me. I was ready to reach for my Halt, when I realized he was quite happy and just ran with me for about 1/2 mile.

My ice melted away quick and it was like drinking bathwater. But I saw a couple of phone trucks. They always have those big coolers strapped to the side. So I stopped and asked for ice and got a nice bottle of cold water. Love the phone company today!

Got in 26.5 miles.

Happy Memorial Day! Seems very quiet around here today...not much traffic, downtown (which you might miss if you blink) was deserted. I had a great little ride through the countryside and noticed lots of folks remembered to put out their flags. I wished I had patriotic cycling gear, but I don't, so I just put red, white and blue rubber bands in my goofy Pippi Longstocking braids instead.

18 miles today, which brings my total for the 3-day weekend up to nearly 60 miles. That may not sound like much, but I've never ridden so many miles here locally without rest days in between.

All those great Washington D.C. pics make me wish there was something patriotic or celebratory going on around here!

I did 37 miles. Silver's tri-team was doing a swim/bike/run. So, I rode 9 miles to the lake, watched them swim. Then I rode 19 miles at 18.8mph avg (a personal best for a ride that length). I played SAG wagon briefly going back to one of the riders with a flat, then I pedaled the 9 miles home.

Felt good!

I did a quick 14 miles as a recovery ride this afternoon. My legs and back were a bit stiff after my long rides on Saturday and Sunday. I did stop at one point to help a little baby robin. It has evidently just left the nest and was sitting the middle of the road. I picked it up, its mouth flew open to say "feed me, please!" and father robin gave me an earful. I moved the little guy to high weeds on the side of road and can only hope it makes it to adulthood. I guess this counts as my good deed for the day.

Divingbiker-Thanks for the photos. I really want to go back to DC & see the memorials again. I was awed by the Wall, the Nurses Memorial & the reflecting pool..(ok well the reflecting pool was because of Forrest gump).
I missed the rolling thunder parade when i was there :( but i did get to visit Harpers Ferry instead.

C

Jenn- Thanks to your DH and all those you live with. I really wish we could bring my friends in Iraq and Afghanistan home.

DC Gals- Is there a Korean War Memorial? My dear Pawpaw was a Korean War vet (he got a medal and all). Just curious.

We didn't do anything particularly Memorial Day centric, but we did put in 31 miles. Days like today always make me think of my Pawpaw who passed in 2003. I know he would have been flying his American Flag proudly (well he did every day); I miss him dearly.

I would love to do a tour of the memorials in DC but I have no Metrorail pass to get my bike down there from Shady Grove, must look into getting a new one.

The only ride my bike took today was on the back of the jeep to the LBS, getting a tune up, handlebars raised, and some Kool-Stop pads! Yay!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

Is there a Korean War Memorial? My dear Pawpaw was a Korean War vet (he got a medal and all). Just curious.

---

Yes, there is! As you look at the Lincoln Memorial in my WW2 memorial picture above, the Vietnam Veterans memorial is on the right, and the Korean War memorial is to the left.

The Korean memorial is a field of statues of men in ponchos walking through a rice paddy. Here's a pic I found on the web:

Attachment 3376

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zencentury

I would love to do a tour of the memorials in DC but I have no Metrorail pass to get my bike down there from Shady Grove, must look into getting a new one.

---

Zencentury, you don't need a pass for your bike to take it on Metro any more. You can be on any car at the front or back doors (not the middle door), except at rush hour--no bikes on metro at rush hour.

Did 45 miles so I could go to the LBS and get a bolt for my front fender.

Had a picnic lunch (Lara Bar and a coke from the LBS) sitting on a dock looking at this view:
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...t/DSCN0468.jpg

On the way home stopped at another park for a while. This is the church across the street from the park. Much prettier than my picture, all the plants are blooming like crazy!
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...t/DSCN0472.jpg

This is Crow, resting at the park. Note the nicely attached fender. Thanks Recycled Cycles!
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...t/DSCN0473.jpg

All the flowers were blooming all along my route. Waves of roses (wild and cultivated) and wild iris and riotous gardens. At one point I rode through a huge patch of lavender, and the smell was glorious! The morning was a mix of clouds and sun, and the sunlight sparkling on the gray water was so pretty.

DH & I host a small music camping gathering every year this weekend, so we didn't get to ride for 3 days. This morning it was wonderful to get a small 12 miler in. Felt so good!
I saved a 6" painted turtle today during my ride. Removed her from the middle of the road and put her in a huge pond with others of her ilk. :p

Divingbiker- that Korean War memorial is very moving and very haunting- thank you for posting the picture.

DIving BIker- I guess I could have googled that! Thank you so much; I agree with Lisa that is a very moving yet haunting memorial. I honestly thought there wasn't one, it is such a forgotten war. Back in school we spent about 20 minutes going over it.

my report:
I was going to check out a permanent route that I put together. A permanent is like a brevet, only except anyone any organize ,and you can ride anytime. But , it only count for RUSA credit, not ACP (got everyone confused?:rolleyes:) I decided to sleep and only do the part I was not familar with, which would give me 100K/62M for the day.. I rode down to Riverside, Crossed the Santa ana, and went by the Mission inn. I cam to a corner that I usually turn at. I decided to straight. I thought it would be flat , but I went down, and what goes down must come up. As in a mile of 10% grade. Such fun!:o I got to the top pf the hiil, and watched Riverside's own version of Rolling thunder. No pics:(
I went back down the hill and spent the next 10 miles on Victoria Street. IF you find yourself in Riverside with a bike, you should do this, It starts in a Victorian Neighborhood, and becomes a parkway line with Orange Groves and a Median filled with Palms and roses:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o.../victoria4.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o.../victoria3.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o.../victoria2.jpg
I wound through some neighborhoods and found one of my controls, a Circle K:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...oto/corona.jpg
I then crossed the Santa Ana again , and turned on a side road. My route goes up the main road, but The house grow faster than the roads do, si It hough may be i should see what this road was like. It had an unusual name:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o.../wineville.jpg
and with a name like that, what's across the road?
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...o/Gallenao.jpg
I didn't stop by for free samples. Oh Darn!
I made a loop around Ontario airport and cam back home for lunch at noon with 70 miles. I decided that I felt pretty good, so I got the bike back out and did another 30 miles (bascially the same route I did Friday) to get 100 miles in:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by divingbiker

Zencentury, you don't need a pass for your bike to take it on Metro any more. You can be on any car at the front or back doors (not the middle door), except at rush hour--no bikes on metro at rush hour.

---

Cool beans!
Except that with the Metro system it always seems to be rush hour:o

I worked in DC for 15 years, went to The Wall once, I don't know if I could stand to do it again.

I did a Memorial Day ride as well. My husband and I rode tandem with some friends of ours who also ride tandem, along with three other guys who rode singles. All from our church and one of them was our Pastor. It was pretty cool getting "social" time like that with our Pastor. We go to a pretty big church, so it's not often you get to hang with with him like that. His bike was a crack up, though, and we had to keep teasing him about it. It's from 1985 and he hasn't ridden it in a long time. It actually had cobwebs on it! He was the slowest in the bunch and kept telling us not to wait on him, but none of us were about to leave him behind. It was a fun and relaxing social ride down to the beach and back. 48 miles.

When it was over, we all prayed for the guys in Iraq and their families, especially the families of soldiers who have died.

What AWESOME pictures and rides ya'll had!!! I'm so glad everyone had a nice day!! As I was riding I thought about a book I read years ago on Iwo Jima. Above the soldiers bodies that were awaiting to be picked up by ships, a soldier posted this saying on a piece of drift wood:

Go home and tell them
Go home and say,
I gave up my tomorrow,
So you can have your today.

I thought about that the whole time we were riding, I think it put a little extra wind in my sails.

Although I have to say it was the longest ride I've done thus far, and I work up this morning and my upper middle back is killing me!! :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zencentury

I worked in DC for 15 years, went to The Wall once, I don't know if I could stand to do it again.

---

My brother's name is on the wall - it's very tough to visit, believe me.

On a happier note: SO and I went out for 50 hilly miles yesterday. Sunny, hot (about 90F) and VERY humid. I used as much water on my head as I drank! Fortunately our route took us by country stores where we could refill the bottles as needed. Great ride. SO rescued a turtle from the road as well, and just in the nick of time - a huge truck came along just after he got him to safety.