Longest ride and fastest average speed.....WHAT THE????

Ive been having a bit of knee trouble for the last couple of months and hills definitely make it worse, so my husband suggested I do a ride down at the Airforce Base (this wouldnt be ideal in Australia as our bases are small but American bases are big so no worries getting in the mileage).

I headed out early and parked my car near the Base Exchange (like a small department store) as they have toilets so I thought this would be a good place to take my rest stops (esky is full of yummy stuff and cold water in the car). I got there around 6.30 am and realize nothing opens on Sunday until 10am...oops here comes a lesson in bladder control.

My husband warned me that they had been seeing plenty of snakes around the base and lots out on the road so I kept scanning the road ahead. Sure enough about 30 mins into the ride I pass a baby rattle snake making his way across the road. Later in the ride I see another. Lucky for me they are already towards the middle of the road so I pass without upsetting them or me.:eek:

I dont see another cyclist until the 90 km mark and he passes me effortlessly on his Litespeed. I take comfort in the thought that perhaps he has just started his ride unlike me.

As I see the other rider disappear over the horizon I notice a strange looking animal running along the road up ahead. Its not a squirrel as it has no tail.
Its going hell for leather to get away from me but stays on the road. Im trying to speed up so maybe I can get a few more details and identify it when I get home. The race continues until it sees some long grass and off the road it goes. I still have no idea what it was but it was small, fury, fast and sort of solid looking.

On consulting my computer at the end of the ride Im shocked to see that my average speed is up by 2kms, my fastest ride to date and also my longest.
I completed 75 miles in 5:07:12 - not fast I know but a good confidence boost for me.

:)

Hey Trekhawk!

It took me 6 hours to do my 68 so in my book, you're my hero! :p Excellent job both in the ride as well as avoiding the critters ;)

See, ya should've escaped down my way... :p

Trac'

Excuse me? My math makes that out to be 15 mph for 75 miles - and your longest ride?? Hot dang! And you say "not fast?" :rolleyes:

Well done!

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Originally Posted by tprevost

Hey Trekhawk!

It took me 6 hours to do my 68 so in my book, you're my hero! :p Excellent job both in the ride as well as avoiding the critters ;)

See, ya should've escaped down my way... :p

Trac'

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Thanks Trac
The only reason it took 5 and a bit was because it was FLAT. If it had lots of hills mate I might still be out there.::D

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Originally Posted by bikerz

Excuse me? My math makes that out to be 15 mph for 75 miles - and your longest ride?? Hot dang! And you say "not fast?" :rolleyes:

Well done!

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Thanks bikerz - not sure what happened today perhaps the planets were all aligned. I was sure I would go slower today than at Bike around the Buttes when I had others to ride with. Maybe I can thank the Rattle Snakes for putting some zip in my cycling.:D

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Originally Posted by Trekhawk

Maybe I can thank the Rattle Snakes for putting some zip in my cycling.:D

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That would be all I would need! That is a great speed for your longest ride. :)

Ah, come on Trekhawk, just admit you did a great job and don't sell yourself short :p What a great ride! :D

Trac'

no rattlesnake excuses for you missy!!!

That's a great story Trekhawk. That must be a HUGE base. You're right. I'm thinking of the air bases at Richmond, Glenbrook and Orchard Hills(is that an airbase?), and they're all small in comparo.

Your story reminds me of the little bunny in front of the greyhounds! So when you were racing along, did you check your speedo? Did you know you were travelling that quickly when you were racing the little critter?

e

Hey there Trek
I'll just chime in too
Remember, that was a training ride (as opposed to a race-type situation), over a huge distance (qbout 120km?).
You rode it on your own, therefore no relief at all from the resisitance we meet with the air (regardless of wind or not.
An average of over 24kph shows good, sensible riding.
Unless you were aiming to beat a specific time, this type of ride you completed increases you aerobic fitness... well done...

BTW - have you worked out what animal you chased? A hare perhaps? They don't run at all like rabbits, and always make me think they are a small dog like a foxie, but they don't move quite right for that either...
But like a squirrel with no tail? Maybe a mutant guineapig???

*cigh*....well looks like I won't be riding with Trek anytime soon - 15mph=not fast than 12 mph must equal turtle speed! LOL

Well Done my friend!!!!

Thanks guys. Im still shaking my head and wondering just how I managed that time.
My time at Bike Around the Buttes was around 13 mph for 65 miles.

The roads at the AF base are in a lot better condition than the ones I rode on at BAB so perhaps this helped make the difference.

Anyway it sure was nice to see a faster average speed for a change but I must remind myself that this was a super flat course as was BAB (I think my computer said about 500 feet climbing - so pancake flat). If it had hills I wouldnt care about average speed because I would just be happy to get that far.

RoadRaven - no I did not figure out what it was I saw but it definitely was not a rabbit - no big ears that I could see. Actually its funny but from the back it sort of looked like a really small wombat but hey one that could move fast.

<reminder to eat my Wheaties if I ever do a ride with Trekhawk>

suh-weet! good job... that's a quick ride lady! You must be tickled... and I feel for ya on the knee pain thing... I went thru the same prob... hills killed me... IT Band Strain... I finally paid for a pro fit and no more probs... it was ugly before that...

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Originally Posted by bikerchick68

<reminder to eat my Wheaties if I ever do a ride with Trekhawk>

suh-weet! good job... that's a quick ride lady! You must be tickled... and I feel for ya on the knee pain thing... I went thru the same prob... hills killed me... IT Band Strain... I finally paid for a pro fit and no more probs... it was ugly before that...

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Thanks bikerchick - Im afraid mine is Chondromalacia. Ive been to the Doc and she scooted my off to a Sports Therapist. Knee pain seems to be getting better but Ill be staying off the steep hills for awhile.

Maybe a marmot?

The only way you'll know if your riding has gotten faster is if you do the BAB in the VERY same conditions you did it before. (Highly unlikely!!! Like .....NOT!)

So, with that said...... just pat yourself on the back and realize that you too can be a little speed demon! :p:p :p :p

This reminds me of a ride I did about a month ago- we have a train track that runs parallel to a road where we ride. There was a freight train going the same direction as we were- so I decided to figure out how fast it was going. Darned if I didn't clock the fastest time on that road yet! (Nothing like a little diversion!)

it took me 4 hours to do 23 i just got my first real bike a few weeks ago

Hey Trek,

I wondered if you had been out riding (check your PMs). Congratulations!!

Nina

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Originally Posted by Bike Goddess

Maybe a marmot?

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A Marmot hmmm I will have to google it and see if it looks the same (mind I only saw it from behind). I love all the little furry friends you guys have here in the States even the blasted Mole that is making my yard look like a mine field.

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Originally Posted by marapets

it took me 4 hours to do 23 i just got my first real bike a few weeks ago

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Great going. I could barely make it around the block when I first got my bike. 23 that rocks.:)

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Originally Posted by Nina R. Messina

Hey Trek,

I wondered if you had been out riding (check your PMs). Congratulations!!

Nina

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Nina thanks mate - I checked my PM's but the cupboard is bare.:confused:

I must be doing something wrong. Just wanted to know if you had had a chance to ride and how things were going with the bike.

Nina

marapets... 23 miles on your first ride :eek:

man, I did 10 miles my first ride and was pretty sure I saw the Grim Reaper waiting for me when I got home... I think he walked to my place faster than I rode! :D

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Originally Posted by Trekhawk

A Marmot hmmm I will have to google it and see if it looks the same (mind I only saw it from behind). I love all the little furry friends you guys have here in the States even the blasted Mole that is making my yard look like a mine field.

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CA is next to AZ, and if you were in AZ I'd say a Javalina.
http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desbiome/javelina.htm
While they are pigs, the AZ ones I've seen don't quite like that pig-ful.

Scary critters, can take your leg off if they get cornered.

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Originally Posted by TsPoet

CA is next to AZ, and if you were in AZ I'd say a Javalina.
http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desbiome/javelina.htm
While they are pigs, the AZ ones I've seen don't quite like that pig-ful.

Scary critters, can take your leg off if they get cornered.

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Yep dont think I would want to corner one of those. Thanks for posting that if Im in Arizona and see one now I will know what it actually is. Im afraid its not what I saw on my ride though way too big. I did google the Marmot and it did look close except the thing I saw Im sure had no tail and from the looks of the photos on google a Marmot does.

Hmm the search for the critter continues.:D

Bike Goddess beat me to it - my guess is a marmot too, but they have tails. Maybe he lost his?

Yesterday I came upon a 4' rattlesnake stretched across my path! Stopped me dead on the trail...er...fireroad. I threw a rock at him and he turned around and slithered off. When his tail end left the road I passed, but he curled up and rattled at me! :eek:

You did great on that ride! Keep it up!

That sounds like a great ride!

We could start a new thread with paranoid speculation about what experiments they're doing with animals down on the Air Force base...like when my friend saw a black squirrel for the first time, and thought it was a sign of the apocolypse! :o Not so much.

I love flat land. Go! Go! Go! :D Lise

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Originally Posted by Lise

That sounds like a great ride!

We could start a new thread with paranoid speculation about what experiments they're doing with animals down on the Air Force base...like when my friend saw a black squirrel for the first time, and thought it was a sign of the apocolypse! :o Not so much.

I love flat land. Go! Go! Go! :D Lise

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LOL - Ill let you know if I see anymore animals that look a tad bizarre close to the AFB and then we can start that thread.:D