Oct. 19 Rides

[Crankin]

We did our hilliest local ride. 32 miles with about 4500 feet of climbing. It was about 48-50 when we started and windy. But, I was dressed mostly right, although I did a lot of unzipping and zipping because of all of the climbing/descending.
Went from Acton to Littleton Depot, up Oak Hill to Harvard Center. Then we headed to Bolton on Bolton Rd, hang a right on Green Rd and cross Rt. 117. Then it's up, up, up to Old Bay Rd. This has always been a tough climb, but the last little stretch had me seeing 5.5 mph today . We briefly stopped at the top, ate our Luna Bars and started back down. The colors are still nice, but there were so many people out at all of the apple farms on the way back, I had to stop in the middle of Rt. 117 to let a huge group cross. I guess I forget how all of those "city people" like to come out here for a taste of the country. We decided to take the straight and flatter way back to Acton, which had us on 117 for awhile. A very busy road, but part of my old commute, so familiar. By then, my legs were toast. I don't know whether it was the climbing or the cooler weather, or both. Then my right knee started complaining. The wind picked up, too.
I was very happy to arrive back at our friend's house, where we had tea and sat around and chatted for about an hour.

[fastdogs]

I did 13 miles on the mountain bike, beautiful leaf-covered dirt singletrack. I started out to do the same route as last weekend, al foster to stinging nettle, then hike across to river scene and the love-grotpeter-rollercoaster-grotpeter and return route. But stinging nettle was so beautiful I just rode it. I did all the connectors. I repeated the connector called "gravel plant" a couple of times, it was so nice. I just didn't feel like getting beat up by the rocks on grotpeter. I was able to climb the one rooty hill that I've never made it all the way up before. There are two intersecting diagonal roots near the top that have defeated me every time, but today I made it all the way up. I did walk the little v shaped ditch that endo'd me last time, but I've found a way to detour on gravel plant connector to bypass that section anyway. The castlewood side of the park is so crowded on weekends, and it seems like there's hardly ever anyone on stinging nettle, so it was a nice quiet ride today, just enjoying the dirt and the leaves.
vickie

[chicagogal]

Rode to work today :-(
I don't usually bike commute. My co-workers actually make fun of me for not doing it. They say "you get up in the morning, bike 30mi, go home, get in the car and drive to work? Wouldn't it just make more sense to ride to work?" Well, it would, but I remembered today why I don't do it regularly.The roads are horrible (lots of traffic and pot-holes) and then a bike path that is narrow and congested with "stupid" people who don't know what "on your left" means! Ugh!
It was a good way to get in an easy ride (albeit with a few obstacles) and still get to work.
10mi to work,
10mi home

I did run into (not literally) a friend on the bike path near my apt whose amazing BF just bought her a new giant road bike - an absolutely gorgeous silver and black bike that she was taking out for its first spin. Hmm, maybe instead of thinking about getting a new bike, I should just get an amazing BF!

[DebTX]

Beautiful 30 mile ride today (normally do about 15-20 on the weekend).
The sky was blue and the weather was gorgeous in Austin. My legs felt great so we just kept going!

Hope everyone else had as lovely a day!

[makbike]

A very relaxed recovery ride (14 miles) today. My legs were super tired after yesterday's century so I took it slow and enjoyed the scenery.

[Biciclista]

28 miles today; we rode around lake sammamish, 9 miles of it was gravel. Gravel is hard to ride on. It was crispy cool, incredible fall colors, light bike traffic. a wonderful day, and a nice ride just the two of us, finished by dinner at my son's house and his wife is a great cook!

[Jiffer]

50 miles today with my two girlfriends. We did the beach ride from Yorba Linda, to Main Street in Huntington Beach and back. Ate at Subway (a 3 inch mini sub is perfect or a mid ride small meal!)

The best part is we got an 18.0 mph average pace!!! My dh pulled me, one of my friends and that friend's husband on the same ride, except 16 miles farther about 6 weeks ago. We had an 18 average that day with him doing all the pulling and we were SO excited. Today, we did the same pace without him, each taking turns pulling for a half mile. And we are beyond thrilled!