May 21 Daily Ride Thread

I rode from home today, with my brand new map I made with my color copier-showing every little tiny road that I could ever hope to reach in a reasonable time from home. So I could go out and go somewhere and be able to evaluate my options and make route changes. It was so cool! I rode seven miles west on my road, in the sun, in a headwind, then eight miles north, in a headwind, with no shade (fields) then five miles west, in the blazing sun, with a headwind, then six miles south, in the sun, through pines, past cactus that I should have been picking for the tort babies. Stopped for lunch under some pines on a hill on the east side of the street, then 12 miles back east on my road with patchy shade with a tailwind. I went by some dairy farms. It was pretty funny, and I should have stopped to get a picture. The pastures have giant live oaks in them, and all the Holstein ladies were crowded under the trees, laying in the shade in a big cow pile. Then across the street, same thing with calves. My ride was cut short due to an emergency call from a friend- have to go pet sit because, well, whatever. I have found two live love bugs buried in my clothing since I got home. I also had one fly into my mouth again, and it made me gag again, even after it was out! They taste so bad!!! No wonder nothing eats them. I listened to this podcast about riding in hot weather, and how you are supposed to ride in the heat of the day at least twice a week if you expect to be able to race in it. I feel pretty good in the mid-upper 80's as long as I don't stop- then I start sweating. But right now, riding 19 mph, at almost 90F, I don't feel like I'm sweating at all. Oh, the guy on the podcast also said we are genetically programmed to either do well in heat, or do well in cold. I for sure know which I am!! I am miserable when I am cold- I feel like I can't even move.

Nanci

Weekend rides are at sunrise for me, so I got out at 5:30. Just barely light enough to see but I've got streetlights on the roads and most of the trail. I LOVE that time of day---so peaceful. Today, it was downright chilly, but I had on my wool socks, bolero, vest, and gloveliners. The upside was that the chill kept blasted gnats in their evil nests, so I didn't have to deal with the swarms like I've had to endure every day this past week. I was finding one in my eye dirt every morning, yick. The highlights of today's ride---beautiful slow sunrise, had the trail almost to myself, and saw Mr. Coyote. Yes, there is a coyote who lives in Arlington, just a few miles from the Nation's Capitol! He is incredible. Keeps his distance but stands there and stares at me as I go by. I always talk to him. Lots of bunnies and their babies were breakfasting trailside, so I had to keep my speed down in the bunny zone. Had the hammer down the rest of the ride, which usually happens when I'm riding my Bianchi!

I love that time of day, too, but I apparently love coffee and e-mail more- so I've learned to love hot sunshine. :-)

Nanci

I must have lost my mind for after tackling the challenging 53 mile Tour de Cure ride yesterday I decided to partake in the evening club ride (27 miles) and then this morning I felt the need to do yet another club ride (50 miles). In reality I felt somewhat obligated to participate in this morning's ride given my BF was the ride captain and he is always supportive of my undertakings. So me and my very tired legs pushed on and on and on. His route was very beautiful and as always very challenging (lots of hills). I really felt good and strong the first 35 miles or so and then the bottom fell out at a rapid pace. I really struggled the last 15 miles and often found myself contemplating some shortcuts I knew of. Yet that little voice inside of me told me to keep pushing on to the end and so I did but boy are my legs tired. The good news is this I do feel like I am ready for the century I want to do on June 11. The 130 miles I covered since yesterday morning have taken me through some beautiful countryside. I've met some really nice people and got to enjoy some great weather. All in all it has been a fantastic weekend.

Marcie

WHew! 130 miels in two days... I'm over 100 for this weekend (and 168 for Fri-Sun) 'cause today was the Sangamon River Ride, 42 miles but the trip out & back added 46 more. Fortunately I had company on the way back 'cause we had a 14 mph cross/headwind (a 'bent fellow, though, so drafting didn't happen).
And... 130 miles on three separate rides means you were *not* riding with other people who had gone that far; they were tag-teaming you! Way to go (do you have your miles on bikejournal.com?)

Did 45 miles at the Arlington 500 with Fuji Girl. The weather was cool but it was sunny and a great day. A little windy going out but that just meant a good tail wind back. Fuji really enjoyed the hills we got to go up and down. Well, just the down bit. But she did great and got stronger and faster up them as the day went on. Had some Oberweis cookies n cream ice cream after. I'm ready for it to warm up again around here and stay that way for more than a few days at a time. :D

Alas, my bike has not made it back from its (mis)adventures in Peaslake yet. :o No point going to get it until my new helmet shows up. Was so bummed yesterday when the postie rang the doorbell and it was only a package of CDs for my flatmate. :(

Rode a very nice 32 mile course today by myself, as BF trashed his back yesterday. It was my first ride on my NEW SADDLE!!!! I love it!!! I can't believe that I rode 300+ miles on the stock WTB saddle that came with the bike... I'm convinced that WTB stands for" Weally, weally, tender bits" No more though. The weather was great, and the birds were all singing me on my merry way. Got home and the reward for dinner is crab louie and strawberry shortcake! yum!

Did a 55km jaunt from Victoria out to the airport Via Sidney and back. Nothing special, except that I can now say 55km rides are "nothing special":D
Used to be I couldn't imaging going 55km, now I do it routinely and more. Time hot a warm soak in the tub and salmon steaks for dinner. Yum!
~S.

Went out and met a group of 6 to ride around a lake.

Well, we never really saw the lake... only when we parked.

We ended up doing 50 miles over 3 hours and 15 minutes. I kept an average of 15.2 overall.

Not bad considering it is 85F today and the wind is blowing 15 mph with gusts of up to 25 mph. We had about 20 miles of going into the headwind today... and 13 miles of that was on a straight away... with fields on either side of us.

The ride was a good time... then I went to another lake to meet my tri group for open water swimming. The lake was freezing and I suffered through about 300 yards of it. Then I hopped on my friends boat and we did some wakeboarding for a couple of hours. It was my first time. I got up, but it was hard!

Overall, great day!

Happy to hear that you other ladies had wonderful days too!

Did a 47 mile ride for a local Cancer Center. Was way hilly and challenging, and my longest ride of the season by about 15 miles (and all those hills to boot.... the last longish ride was 32 flat paved road). I should have sacked up and did the metric century, but I wasn't sure I could make it. I probably could have, but it would have been close. My thighs were screaming at the end! Was goooorgeous weather, cool verging on warm in the early afternoon, and past some really stellar scenery.

Nanci, glad I'm not the only one that refers to holsteins as 'ladies'. Every time I'd ride past a farm I'd call out, "Helloooooo ladies!" Referring to them as ladies is a habit I picked up from a friend of mine when we worked on a dairy farm. They are ladies, and they should be treated as such! :)

I did the beginners ride for my local club, even thought my only rider was someone whose legs were too tired after the 6700 foot ascent yesterday. we rode to the a Bagel shop near a local college and turned back. My return route went right by my church, so a I asked him if he was a big enough boy to find his way on his own. I was 30 minute early for the service, had about 30 miles.

My SO and I did about 15 miles this morning before I went to work. Lots of rolling hills - and very strong winds, but we had a great ride! Hills and wind are tough, but great training and strengthening.

Rode a little out and back this afternoon with DH. Took a fire road up a canyon, oak trees, gnats (!), three stream crossings--whee! It was overcast, cool, a few rain drops. Perfect. Bombed back down a little faster than last time. Getting braver and staying clipped in the whole time.

Rode about 32 miles today. I rode to the BART train station to meet a friend and jump on the train into the city. We biked a few miles to the Golden Gate Bridge, crossed the bridge, down into Sausalito and over and up through Paradise Loop into Tiburon. Pretty views with one hill that had me singing (to myself :p ) "I'm a hill slug! I don't care if I'm going 5 mph up this thing.. I'm not walking... I'm a hill slug!" Part of the road in Paradise Loop had collapsed and was a big gaping hole due to all the rain we received this past year, so it was incredible to see it and then ride on the tiny little bit that was structurally sound.... I think :rolleyes: .

The forecast was for rain today (we decided to push our luck cause that was the forecast for yesterday too and it turned out to be a beautiful day instead), so it was a bit breezy and humid. We rolled into Tiburon just as the rain started coming down... talk about perfect timing! We decided to bail on the rest of the ride and took the ferry back to the city, rode back to the train station to get to the East Bay, and I rode back home.

What great rides! I remain in awe of you hill riders. As I was packing up my stuff at the tri yesterday, the guy next to me in transition said something about the wind being a pain. We agreed that wind = hills for Illinoisans (Chicagoans--there really are hills elsewhere in Illinois). But you all ride up hills into the wind, too. Whew. :)

we rode 42 miles over some serious hills on saturday, but the first 15 miles of it was along waterfront with a stuff wind hitting us in the face. I'll take the hills anyday. You can see where it ends, and then you go downhill for a bit. When you are in a headwind, it might NEVER end, and if it does, there's no warning and it often starts right back up again.

so don't be so much in awe. If I lived where you do, i'd do a lot of 1 way rides (with the wind) and taking the bus home!
:p :p