October 13th Rides

[Fredwina]

8:30 and no posts?
120 miles (have to make up for you slackers )
Did a 200K brevet from San Diego to San Clemente and back. Aside from pouring rain all the way to Oceanside, it was a fun day!

[mimitabby]

Wetlands and PRairies permanent -newberg, oregon While Raleighdon and 3 other hard riding dudes did a 200k permanent, 4 others including myself did the "easy" ride; a 100k. After the hilly windy 100k of last week, i really didn't want to work too hard so i agreed to do this because it was flat. and it was more or less flat; 1700 feet of climb for the entire 100k.
We were supposed to start at 7am but because it was still dark; so instead we started at 7:15am. It was 42 degrees. BRR. We were happy because it was not foggy. we thought that for a couple miles anyway. Then the fog hit. or should i say; then we entered the fog. It was pretty thick, and there we were with our little red lights blinking, on narrow roads (most with shoulders) after about 10 miles, we found ourselves on quieter farm roads, so that felt like a relief. Unfortunately the only vehicles on these roads had either 10 tons of corn, onions, cauliflower or pumpkins on t hem. And there was enough corn on the side of the road (and cauliflower and onions and pumpkins) to make a good soup... with the roadkill deer we also passed.
What happens when you ride with a bunch of good riders in flat country... is... you guessed it; you go fast. So whether there be hills or wind or ... flats... good riders are going to challenge me. And they did. I was pumping out my best for 67 miles. We stopped at a little bakery called Mi familia; the lady said, you're just in time, the sticky buns will be out of the oven in 2 minutes. so we had our hot drinks (i was covered with frosty looking dew from head to foot) and shared sticky buns and then we got back on the road. At about the 1/2 way point, it was clear enough to just look like a normal grey day; and the temp eventually reached 50; so except for the first 10 miles, we weren't cold. at about mile 60 the 200km guys decided to leave us, and they disappeared over a slow rolling hill and were not seen again until 530pm when they showed up smiling at our motel. as we had finished our ride, the sun came out. so the last 50 miles of THEIR ride was in the sunshine, 60 degrees, through beautiful country..
67 miles; 14.4 mph average (i kid you not!) but my legs are sore today! (photos will follow when i get home)

[Crankin]

I did a 5 mile mtb ride in Estabrook Woods main trail, with one extra loop thrown in. It's only the second time I've been on my mtb this year, so I didn't want to do anything crazy. I managed to not fall or have to walk up any hills (there was only one bigger one), but i still always feel like I'm being jostled to death on the mtb, even with full suspension. It's just such a different feeling than being on the road. It was great to be out in the woods, though.

[xeney]

My ride was so minor that it would hardly count, except it was my first time on a bike since March 12. My mom watched the baby while my husband and I did some very easy single track and a little tooling around on gravel paths. I'm glad I remembered to put on a very supportive sports bra, because gravel paths + nursing mom = ow.

I did okay, I think. I had to walk some very easy hills because I am very out of shape, but I actually did better with balance and stuff than I did the last time I rode. Downhills were fine, and overall it was kind of like ... uh, riding a bike!

But seven months is a long time and my butt hurts.

[ibcycling]

I did 45 miles yesterday on the weekly club ride. Now that I have more endurance built up I'm able to ride to the ride instead of take my car. I always feel silly driving my bike somewhere so I can ride but I'm about 13 miles from where they start. We came back out my road for a pretty ride along the river. Then 3 of us split off and took on a hill that I've avoided so far. It's not long (less than a mile) but is very steep and mentally I've been terrified to try it. It wasn't pretty but I MADE IT! Yea! I also decided I need to ride that hill at least once a week. I'm such a hill weeny.

Lora

[mimitabby]

Xeney, of course it counts! first ride post-baby! this means you actually CAN ride again!!
congratulations.

And here's the promised photo from my foggy ride yesterday