April 7 rides

[makbike]

Let me start by simply saying today was a beautiful, fantastic, awesome day to be on my bike! What a great way to start my spring break. The sun is out in force, the temps are in the upper 60's, a slight breeze from the south - who could ask for a more perfect day to ride?

I decided to ride a route I want to share with my club so offer I went to check out some roads I discovered last year - a rediscovery of sorts. I was treated to some beautiful sights - fields are being plowed - oh the air smelled good! Pastures are an emerald green from all our recent rains - horses, cows, foals and calves dotted these fields of green. Magnolia are in full bloom, bradford pears are competing with the magnolias for the greatest show and some dogwoods are starting to bloom. It was absolutely beautiful as I pedaled along the rural roads of Shelby and Henry counties.

I logged 47 miles today and was feeling a bit sad when I pulled into my driveway - it was as if beautiful dream had come to an end. Hopefully tomorrow will be equally as nice and I'll see some equally beautiful scenery as I join my buddies in the club for a morning ride.

[chicago]

hey nice ride!! it's beauitful here too in Chicago... but I think the weather is taking a turn for the worst starting tomorrow

no riding for me, but I am running 8 miles as soon as I get home.

oh btw makbike... my boyfriend and I just signed up for the Horsey Hundred ... you familiar with that tour in KY?

[Melalvai]

I missed getting a nice ride in this weekend, because we drove down to SW Missouri to visit my niece in the hospital after a bad car wreck the previous Sunday. She is not ok, but she is going home today, and should eventually recover completely.

However, today the weather is just as beautiful, and I got a ride of sorts. That is, my regular commute to work, then I came home early because the carpets need cleaned. I rode to the grocery store with the trailer and my daughter, who cooperated because I begged, and promised her ice cream. We strapped the Rug Dr. to the trailer, and she rode behind me the whole way home to keep an eye on the trailer.

She said I did not go too fast or too slow for her.

It was quite a sight on the trailer. I meant to get a picture, and I hope I remember to take a picture when I load it back up. It was really much easier to get it on and off the trailer than it ever was to get it in and out of the car.

[Jolt]

Wow, Melavai, hope your niece gets better soon! As for today's ride report, it was the first one of the season, a standard errand run, about 6 miles total (pretty pathetic compared to the length of a lot of your rides--I'm definitely more of a utility cyclist) on busy streets. It was just under 50 degrees, sunny, but WINDY. I had a stiff headwind most of the way home, including while riding up the long, gradual incline at the end of the trip. How is it that on a trip that is not just a long straight shot, one can still be riding into the wind almost the whole way? I was surprised to see three other cyclists along the way, one of whom was at the same store I was; usually I don't see that many on a trip like that. Maybe it's getting more popular around here--that would be good. I also realized just how much work the road crews here have cut out for them--lots of potholes!!

[OakLeaf]

We'd planned to do the usual ride "weather permitting, call if questions." I looked out the window this morning and the roads were a little damp from last night's rain, no big deal. I checked the radar and the forecast, all looked clear. Got dressed, aired my tires, filled my water bottles, and set out. Before I got to the end of the block it was spitting rain, and the sky didn't look promising. I called the ride leader. "Nothing on the radar," says he. "Looks just like that one day I drove all the way up to the Saturday ride and we all got completely drenched," says I. "Well, why don't you drive to the meeting point and we'll play it by ear?" "I don't have a car this week." Well, I won't melt.

Naturally I hadn't gone a mile before it started raining in earnest, and I was soaked by the time I got to the meeting point. The ride leader pulled up just after me, another rider showed up in his truck. We discussed the situation, put all three bikes in the truck and went around the corner for breakfast. By the time we were done, the rain had let up. My bike was already dirty and gritty, so I didn't much care about the wet roads. We unpacked the bikes from Dave's truck, which is when he realized he'd forgotten his shoes.

Plan B: instead of doing the usual loop, Dave would drive to his house and get his shoes, Harris and I would ride over and meet him there and do the out-and-back on the beach road. So we do that, we take a little break where the road ends, and Dave mentions that Harris's rear wheel is out of true. Harris starts checking spokes, and one of them comes off in his hand, the hub-side nipple is missing or broken off.

Luckily it's an overbuilt wheel that he thinks will probably make the 13 miles back to Dave's house. Not so luckily, he doesn't feel completely confident in it, and he doesn't want to take anyone else out if another spoke breaks and he goes down - so he brings up the rear while Dave and I trade pulls into the 20 mph headwind

We all made it back with no more incidents, I washed the grit off my bike, then later on I hopped on the commuter bike to get a jug of water from the coin-op reverse osmosis machine. DH doesn't like me doing that, he says 3 gallons of water is too much to carry on a bicycle in a backpack that wasn't built for it. Well, tough, he's got the car and I needed water, and it's only a little over a mile to the store.

34.5 on the road bike, 5.8 on the commuter with another errand.

Melalvai, sending healing thoughts to your niece, but wishing for a picture of that Rug Doctor!

[DDH]

I went on a 16 mile loop this afternoon. The wind was 10-20 gusty and I bucked it going up my 1/4 mile hill. I don't know what the percentage of the incline is, but I know I'm tired when I get to the top.

It was a beautiful sunny day even though the wind was blowing more than I'd like. I start out to late though and it got pretty hot. I think it was in the upper 80's today. The weather here has been so crazy this past winter and spring. 2 days of hot, 2 days of cold. It's crazy!!!

Anyway, I had a great ride and the next 3 days are suppose to rain, so I guess it's back to the treadmill again.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Good for you Donna. Wow, temps in the 80's?!?
It's a gorgeous Spring day today (50's, sunny breezy).

I'm kind of frustrated because I've had my beautiful new custom bike for almost a whole week now and I've only been able to ride it once for 16 miles! Can't even really tell if it fits me well yet!
Everything has gotten in the way- weather, trip out of town all weekend for a family commitment, people dropping by....and WORK. Lots of work.

Tomorrow is another great Spring day forecast, but a girlfriend really wanted to do a 5 mile fitness walk with me and breakfast...and I just can't turn her down, we made a date for it last week.

I simply must be patient.

[makbike]

Melalvai my thoughts and prayers are with your niece and your family. I hope she heals quickly.

Chicago - the Horsey Hundred is a lot of fun. You guys will be treated to some beautiful scenery. I understand they have changed the century route so I can't tell you about it. However, if it is anything like last year's century bring your climbing legs! I wish I could join in the fun this year but it looks like I'll be riding with the LBC for they are hosting a century which is part of a contest I signed up for this year. Maybe, I'll venture to Georgetown for the ride on Sunday - all depends on how my legs feel.

[Melalvai]

Melalvai, sending healing thoughts to your niece, but wishing for a picture of that Rug Doctor!

Wrapped in plastic, because it was raining. I only wish I had been likewise! I was one wet soaked through puppy dog by the time I made it to work this morning. Good thing I had a **complete** change of clothes with me!

[OakLeaf]