Ride Pictures

[Starfish]

Last week I started this thread http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...gest+solo+ride with a ride report, and below are some pics from the ride.

I always really enjoy seeing pics from different parts of the country where you all live, as well as any ride pics, so I thought I would post these. Hope you enjoy, and if you want to do this ride with me, just let me know! You just have to prepare for the fact that I go really, really slow!

The pics are the view from the spit, one Elwha river crossing, heading up to Hurricane Ridge, and Lake Crescent.

[mudmucker]

Those photos are fabulous. Thanks for sharing those. I was out in the pacific northwest around '91 and it is so beautiful there as you've just demonstrated. This country has so many gorgeous places.

[teigyr]

Those are beautiful. Once I get proficient on hills, I'd love to do that ride! What kind of gearing do you have?

[Starfish]

Those are beautiful. Once I get proficient on hills, I'd love to do that ride! What kind of gearing do you have?

LOL! I am not proficient on hills. I really, really mean it (not self-deprecating...just true) that I go really, really slow. That 80 mile ride took me 10 hours.

I have super granny gears. A triple with 30 on the small CR up front, and a 32 on the back.

I'm getting stronger, and this winter a big goal is to get some of this weight back off and get even stronger in the gym. I dream of getting a Ruby with a compact double someday.

PS: Teigyr, the loop with the Elwha and Lake Crescent is a great ride...about 40 miles with only about 2000 feet of climbing.

[Tri Girl]

Wow- those pics are soooo beautiful. If I'd taken pictures of my ride this morning they would've paled in comparison (still pretty, but cows and pastures just don't hold a candle to mountains for me ).
Congrats on a great ride!!!!

[teigyr]

Compact double here. 50/34, 13-29 in the rear. It was 12-25 and I wasn't strong enough for that! So you see what I'm up against. I can go semi-granny but not all the way. I'm ok with long gradual climbs or even longish not-so-gradual but steeper ones get me. MUST get stronger. Love the compact double but unfortunately I hadn't been riding hills for a while when I got it so I was more out of shape than I should've been.

[SadieKate]

Beautiful! Ever so much better than our miles and miles of tomato fields. OK, the sunflowers and orchards can be nice, but the tomato fields leave a lot to be desired, especially when harvest time hits.

I have super granny gears. A triple with 30 on the small CR up front, and a 32 on the back.

What super granny about that? Try my touring triple with a 26 front and 32 rear.

[Starfish]

Thanks for the great feedback, everyone!

Teigyr, I hear you about the gearing and gaining strength. Even with my gearing, I'm having to build a lot more muscle. It is coming, though. And, I am pleased to find that some hills on this route that used to drive my HR up into lactate threshold territory now just send me up to tempo. And, the length I can last at that tempo is getting longer. My legs are showing visible muscle growth. One nice thing about this route is that there are NO hills that spike up into the teens for % grade. Nothing above 10%, and then, only for very short times. The rest is more like 4-9%, with lots of 5-7%.

SK, believe me, I have wondered if I should get some touring CRs. Maybe we should start referring to granny gears and great-granny gears!