June 15th rides

[makbike]

I decided to ride a new route I hope to use as a club ride next month. I had driven it last week but decided it was best to give it the bike test before putting it on the ride schedule. This route took me down new roads and tosses in several challenging climbs (my friends in the club are going to love me for this!). As I traveled these new roads today I was treated to some beautiful sights. The rolling fields look so green. The corn and tobacco crops look healthy as well. I shared the road with a large doe and saw several off in a field as I passed by - all scattered when I came up on them. I startled a barn cat who was visiting with the does in the field. The cat ran ahead of me for about a tenth of a mile before darting into an old barn. I also spied an Indigo Bunting - they are so beautiful. I also spied a handful of wood thrushes, sparrows, robins, etc. I watched a red winged blackbird chase a vulture across the sky, poor guy!

It was a beautiful day to ride, low humidity, lots of sun and reasonable temperatures (mid 70's to low 80's). Perfect by most accounts.

In the end I logged 56.5 miles and have decided to use this route. It was a great day to ride!

[Mr. Bloom]

Went to the tri-course with Silver. First 19.1 Mile loop, I bested my best at 19.2mph. Second loop, I swept and averaged 16mph.

Weather was mid-80's and full sun.

[7rider]

"I'm gonna do the C-ride today," said DH, thus announcing his intention of "taking the day off."
"Oh. Okay." B-riders who take the day off on the C-ride have this habit of leading the group, thus upping the C-ride pace. Hmmmmm....
So, DH even took the first short cut that C-riders do. Hmmmm. But lo and behold, he starts chatting with one of his buddies as we're riding along.
"Hey hon. The a bunch of guys are gonna do a slower paceline on Clara Barton. Do you want to come along?"
Ride with the B-group? Me?? Sure! Uh....but doesn't that mean climbing Mountaingate (a 1/2 mile, max 14% grade climb)? "I'll be with you," he said.
And so it was, that a day after beating myself up for 50 miles, I opted to to the B-ride (actually, a "B light")...climbing Mass Ave, Mountaingate, AND Old Anglers Hill, and pacelining along Clara Barton at about 23 (vs. 20 mph for the C-ride). Ugh. Two other guys and I vied for the honors of being the LAST up each climb!
All told, however, a fun -- but different -- ride...37 miles at 17.6.

[pll]

The weather was very uninspiring this morning (thunderstorm, rain), so, even though I did not feel up to it, I went on a bike ride. About 6 miles into it, I hear a loud pop... and it just became harder to pedal, but it was getting windy, so I persisted a bit longer. Eventually, I noticed that the rear wheel was not true and the rear brakes seemed to get jammed. I turned around and headed home, stopped by the LBS a block away to deal with the wheel. I had broken a spoke.

[makbike]

Mr. Silver we may have to change your name to "Speed Racer!" Sounds like you had a great day on your bike.

[Tuckervill]

I had a very pleasant 13 miles with husband and son. Son, who hasn't put on lycra for about 8 months, decided to come at the last minute when he saw his dad all decked out. We did a flat course because my knees were hurting, and we had a good tailwind all the way back. Still, I only tried to keep up to 12 mph.

I was really happy to ride with my family, to have someone to chat with and have fun with. My husband has been going to spin class 2x a week and man are his legs humming!

Karen

[berkeley]

Weather was pretty uninspiring today. Wet, drizzle, cold, all around blah.

I logged 24 miles on a new route up through farm country. The way out was fairly flat, the way back went up and over two hills, about 14% incline each at points.

I would have been a whole lot more motivated had the sun decided to make an appearance.

[Crankin]

This morning went for a great jazz brunch for Father's Day with son #1, girlfriend, and honorary son from Germany. It was raining, so it wasn't really great riding weather. When we got back, it was still very cool and damp, so finally at about 4:30 we hopped on the Jamis' (Jamii?) and rode to the natural food store to pick up some soy nut butter and a few other things I don't really need. It was still sort of misting out, but a very pleasant 12.07 miles.
I have about 41 miles to get to 1,000, which I know is nothing for some of you, but it's about 2 weeks earlier in the year than the past 2 years.