Weekend Ride Reports

[jesvetmed]

Hi all. Didn't see anyone posting their weekend rides. I know you are all out there!

I actually got in a great ride at the METHOW VALLE BIKE FEST... in Winthrop, WA. It is a beautiful time to be in the Methow Valley, although we did hit some of the rare heavy rain. But by Saturday am we were having the pancake breakfast in town, trying to decide wether we should just go back to bed, or go on the ride. We took the better choice -- went on the ride.

The event is all weekend -- Saturday is mostly road biking, but there were two guided mountain bike rides, also. Then on Sunday there were all levels of "Cross Country" racing -- beginners, all the way up. These took place around the Sun Mountain Lodge at the top of the mountain in the area.

A friend from bike club and I did a 35 mile road ride on Saturday -- rolling hills and some wind, but all in all a great ride along the river the entire way. Great fall color. Cold, wet toes (forgot the toe covers ), but still quite enjoyable. Felt like more than the 35 miles by the time we were done! Her hubby did a century up and back from a local pass (Loup-Loup) which is Hwy 20 heading to Omak.

We were all cold and tired by the time we were done. But what a gorgeous way to spend the weekend! Wish I could say I had photos, but forgot the camera as well. (I packed in quite a hurry!) So, I downloaded some of the photos on the website for you all to see. Anyone else there this weekend?

[Aggie_Ama]

Wow, gorgeous pictures.

I spent Saturday morning hoeing up the yard, building a retaining wall and spreading dirt with my husband. That afternoon we went to a Parks & Wildlife Expo where we found many things we wanted, mentally we spent $20k, physically none.

Yesterday I wanted to ride but I only had time for a run before heading to my friend's memorial service. Today more playing in the dirt planting shrubs. I was hoping to mountain bike tomorrow but we appear to be FINALLY getting some rain overnight so I doubt I will be able to. Maybe I can road ride instead.

[Jiffer]

I did a 52 mile Sunday club ride, which I have never done before because of church. This time I made an exception because I needed to get in a long ride before Inland Express in Riverside next weekend, of which I'm doing 50 miles. I also wanted to do something "different" than my usual rides. My two close friends went with me. We all wore pink and many comments were made about that by the guys ... in fun. There were two other women, who are both new to riding, so they were much slower. (Feels kind of nice to be one of the one's waiting for the slower people instead of the other way around!)

Of me and my three friends, if one of us is the weakest, it's usually me, though I can usually hold my own fairly well with them. They usually beat me up hills, while I excel at downhill and flat. Yesterday, I was doing hills right with them and, as it turned out, I was having more energy and strength than both of them. When we headed up our last leg of 9 miles a 1 to 3% grade, they took it easy with the "slow pack" and I ended up with five other guys in the front pack and surprised myself that I was able to hang with them to the end. We did 1750 climbing and I ended up with a 16.4 time, which just thrills me to no end. (My friends were around 14.2).

At the end of the ride, the guys I were with commented on what a good rider I was. I said, "Thank you! I can use all the ego boost I can get!" And they said, "We should call you Super Girl .... or Super Pink!"

[makbike]

I joined the club for back to back centuries this weekend. Saturday's century is now on my list of rides never to repeat. I'm not a big fan of urbane riding and a majority of this ride found us on busy roads in southern Indiana and the Louisville area. It was not a very scenic route and the traffic was awful. I was very happy to return to my car Saturday afternoon.

Sunday's century was far more challenging and very scenic. It started in Westport, Kentucky and took us to General Butler State Park in Carrollton, Kentucky before heading back to Westport. We vistied the towns of Pleasureville, New Castle, Sulphur and Carrollton. The scenery was awesome and the route was hilly (7200 feet of climbing).

I've now logged 28 centuries for the season and have two more to go to hit my new goal of 30. I'm almost there.

[wackyjacky1]

I went on another short (8 mi.) but thoroughly enjoyable ride on Sunday. Would have stayed out longer, but I got a late start and had to get home in time to watch my beloved Redskins BEAT THE EAGLES!!!

[salsabike]

Saturday we did one of our standard tandem rides, 48 miles around the north half of Lake Washington. The weather was absolutely WILD, gusts to 50 mph, we heard later, and we got totally hammered by wind and rain coming west across the very exposed I-90 bridge. It was around 60, though, so not really cold, and we had a blast!!

This is how it looked when we got back to our starting point:



And this is me, at about the midpoint of the ride:

[wildhawk]

Makbike: Wow! And I am still working my way up to a full century - 28 - incredible!!
Jiffer: you rock!! Super pink for the win!!
Aggie: DH and I should have been working in our yard this weekend, but we had a bike ride to do two hours north of here. Hurray for you - I know that your place must be gorgeous - post pics sometime!
Jesvetmed: The pics from Virginia were gorgeous - sure makes me homesick (I am originally from Lynchburg, Va. and fall is indeed my favorite time of year!)
And what did I do? DH and I rode the 14th Annual Rails to Trails run out of Inverness, Fl. I took pics and will be starting another thread about our ride, but we complete our first 50k on an awesome trail!!
Great going everyone!!