august 23 rides

[Fredwina]

Got started early and went to Sierra and summit in Fontana

I then did the club ride with Jiffer and took some photos at one of teh halfway points:


Then rode back to the coffee shop and blabbed
I did some extra riding on the way home. Unfortunately, I ran into another rider. let's call "Mr T" he really liked my rear wheel But, I needed to make a left turn and I didn't know what he was going to do. So I slowed to make him pass me. He wasn't happy.
But otherwise, why let a jerk spoil a good ride?

[Crankin]

It's probably one of the nicest days of the summer here in New England. I'm feeling a little burned out from my tour, but I always feel like this just when I am getting close to 2,000 miles.
We did one of our usual loops to Great Brook Farm, but with a little bit of a different twist in the middle, by heading into Chelmsford and back into Carlisle. It's really dead around here, everyone must be away. Although we saw several riders, no big groups. They must be out in the morning, but I had stuff to do. My legs felt great, but something is brewing in "other" parts. I think the combination of long sweaty rides and camping was not good!
24 miles, 15.09 average, with a few good hills.
Tomorrow I AM going to do a long ride.

[shootingstar]

42 kms. Started off warm but cloudy to now sun.

At least I got my tires pumped again. Was down to 60 psi

[ridenread]

What an absolutely gorgeous day for a ride. It was in the low 70's, sunny,with mild winds off of the water.. I decided to take a ride out to the beach and took a new route home. 28 miles of gently rolling hills at 15.49 mph. This was my longest ride this summer. I wanted to keep going but unfortunately I had to get back to take my son to a birthday party. I wish I had my camera with me becasue there were baby calves along the route that were soooo very cute. I stopped for several minutes just to watch them.

[berkeley]

Yeah, wicked nice day in NE!

We went out for a 25 mile ride, but decided to stay out longer since it was so nice. The 13 miles we added on ended up being way hilly-er than we expected.

[redrhodie]

I rode my regular 18 mile loop. Sometimes, I can feel the ocean spray.
Attachment 6903


Its always windy here, great for flying kites, and for headwind training.Attachment 6902


One of the pretty (but rutty) roads where people walk right out without looking all the time. Part of the charm of living here.Attachment 6904


Here's a car that cut me off. After I stopped short, I had time to get his picture. For some reason, that made me feel better.
Attachment 6901

[Southside Sally]

Lovely rides! I was SAG'ing for my group, for a 65 mile ride. Beautiful weather, I was just itching to be on the bike.

[fastdogs]

I rode the furthest I've ever gone. I met up with some people for an "AARP" ride at the st. charles trailhead of the Katy trail. There were three other riders, all men, probably all older than me since I just turned 50. I was the only one on a hybrid- one guy had a surly long haul trucker and the other two road bikes.
We went 26.14 miles- previously the longest I'd ridden was 16 miles. 2.5 of this was around the parking lot waiting for the others to get there. I felt like we were really going fast- they would have gone slower for me, but I never want to be the one slowing everyone down, so when they say "is this speed fine" I say yes. I'm sure they were going slower than normal anyway- my gps said the average speed was 10.7, max speed 27.9, but I didn't turn it off when we stopped at the turnaround, or when we rode slowly so one of the guys could get photos of us. There was one little downhill at a road crossing, maybe that's where the 27.9 came from, I'm not sure.
My saddle has got to go. I had bike "underwear" under some lycra jogging shorts, and had my period so had a small pad because this is a heavy day (TMI, I know, but not sure if that added to the discomfort). My saddle is an "avenir comfy road" with a cutout. Am I going to have to break down and get a brooks or an an-atomica?? Which version of brooks should I try? I am a very heavy person, but have no idea what my sit bone measurement is. I have a terry liberator men's version on my mountain bike, should I try that on the hybrid?
On top of being very tired and soaked with sweat (t-shirt, 92 degrees and very humid), I had a lot of pain right in the middle of my back, between my shoulder blades and a stiff neck. I had on a hydration pack and tried to remember to drink as we were riding, but think I probably didn't eat enough before and drink enough during.
I know 20 miles isn't a big milestone for some, but it's very big for me. It was a very friendly and helpful group, but I'd like to try the katy trail again sometime by myself so I can just meander along at my usual speed and enjoy the scenery, it was a very nice trail and I really enjoyed it.
vickie

[7rider]

It was a beautiful morning here in Maryland.
DH and I met up with the group for the N2 ride. DH had a mechanical - the front derailleur cable snapped off and he was stuck in the little chainring for the whole ride. He still whooped my butt, but...oh well.
At the rest stop at Travillah, Kay met a guy who had a pet wallaby in a baby carrier slung over his belly. Gads, that thing was cute, but what a strange pet! Definitely a "chick magnet" however, as all the women gravitated towards him, as the guys just hung back (well, a few came over to see).
Later, we went to the LBS and Al fixed up DH's front cable (yay!). But, an hour at the shop after 40 miles of hard riding, left us good and hungry. We were heading home, in the car at a light, and I was having visions of the leftover pizza at home in the fridge waiting for me. (mmmmm.....pizza!!!) I have the window down, enjoying the unseasonably pleasant August weather, when I hear "HEY!" Someone calling MY name!!! I look over and who's there, but the one and only DivingBiker! There! On her Glorius. Waiting at the light! In downtown Silver Spring!
Hey, DB!!! <<waves hello!>> Light turns green. We go left. She goes straight.
Pretty cool day overall.

[DebTX]

But did my usual Saturday AM 20 mile hill ride and had an easier time on the hills this week. Maybe I'm actually building a teeny bit of strength?

My average speed for the ride is still slow, but I'm working on keeping my cadence over 80 (everywhere but the hills). For this newbie, it's a lot of work. I can't wait until a cadence of 90 is simply the norm! Love that so many of you bring cameras and post photos!

[andtckrtoo]

It was a gorgeous day here in the Bay Area, too. It started off foggy (what's new?), so I had on a light jacket, but warmed up quickly enough (jacket got stuffed into jersey pocket). I did Hwy 9 up through the Santa Cruz mountains (11 miles basically straight UP!), then rode the rolling hills on Skyline Blvd, then went down PageMill and then to Moody and finally to Foothill (the flat section - YEAH!!!!). I have not be doing real climbs, and this one - 3000 feet in 37 miles, was tough on me, but I did it, and I'm so darned happy. Lovely ride through the redwoods.

An interesting note - I'm a recoving runner, and former cyclist (DH runs, doesn't bike much, so we have been running and hiking mainly, but I got a new bike and rediscovered my true love). I burned more calories on this 37 mile ride than I did when I ran my 2 half marathons. And, I consider this a training ride!!!! I hope to do the 52 mile loop next weekend. Do y'all eat more on long ride days? How do you account for the calories burned on log ride days? (this also could be why I dropped 5 pounds without even really trying - I can only run so far, but put me on a bike and I like to go).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Rode a short 11 mile test ride on my Rivendell today, the first time I've ridden it since I got my custom Luna in April. Now it's really obvious to me that the Luna fits me better- my weight felt unbalanced today, and I suddenly had way too much weight again on my hands, just as I had remembered. No wonder I used to have elbow pain. But it was good to remind myself how to work my bar end shifters.

A funny thing happened. My ride went fine (except for yet another annoying dog scaring the life out of me), and I put my bike in the garage. As I was putting my helmet away I heard a PSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssss....... sound. It was coming from my front tire and the tire was now suddenly flat. All by itself just standing there! I hadn't done anything to the tire since pumping it up before my ride.
Turns out the tube rubber had begun to separate from the valve stem- but it waited until 30 seconds after I got home to suddenly just go flat. Now how considerate is that of it!?? I thanked the nice old tube when I changed it out for a new one. Oooooh...and I changed the tube just using my hands today- look Ma, no levers!

[Zen]

It was a beautiful morning here in Maryland.

Morning was cloudish here but cleared up nicely by the time I met up with Withm for a short ride on the Western Maryland Rail Trail
Only 30 minutes away from my house and a respite from her driving from Delaware to Michigan.
From Fort Frederick to C&O Cycles in Hancock, an easy twenty.


I liked this bike! It had a canopy, a basket, and the biggest bell I've ever seen.
Withm did not share my enthusiasm.


I saw a small unidentified snake and we encountered an old, limping overweight black lab. No tags but this was probably his usual route as there were houses nearby.

[divingbiker]

I have the window down, enjoying the unseasonably pleasant August weather, when I hear "HEY!" Someone calling MY name!!! I look over and who's there, but the one and only DivingBiker! There! On her Glorius. Waiting at the light! In downtown Silver Spring!
Hey, DB!!! <<waves hello!>> Light turns green. We go left. She goes straight.

Yeah, that was funny. But who could it have been in a black SUV with two kayak racks on the roof and two Sevens on the bike rack, but 7rider and her DH???

I rode a whopping 6 miles roundtrip, to the gym for water aerobics, swimming and weightlifting, then a stop at Whole Foods and on back home.

Zen, glad you and Withm got to do a ride.

[Jiffer]

Hey Fredwina! Cool pics! The front inch of my face is in the first group photo.

So, my friend and I did a mile and a half past Neely's Corner before the group ride. Musta not paced myself well enough because I was done for shortly into the group ride. But proud of myself that I did as well as I did. My fastest pace after a group ride yet and added Neely's first with 1000 feet of elevation for a total of 2,134 elevation and 48 miles. I have another 35 to go tomorrow for a combined "long" ride in training for Amtrak century in a couple of weeks.