Oct 26 rides (Sunday)

[TrekTheKaty]

Hubby loves to ride from the house, now that I ride the roads. And we've got a new trail! Normally, riding out of the house is our "hill" workout. But now the Missouri Research Park Connector is open--a 0.75 nature trail. It officially opened last weekend and connects to the Katy Trail (rail trail--ie FLAT). SO, now we can roll out of the driveway, get in a mini hill workout, cruise through a nice nature trail and hit the Katy for as long as we want to go! (runs across the state of Missouri--restaurant in every town).

And we got to share our discovery with a fellow biker! As we neared the park, I passed a gentleman on a mountain bike, moving at a good clip. I hated to pass him--however, I knew a big downhill was coming up and I wanted it to myself. As we rolled up to the trailhead, I noticed the mountain biker hovering off to the side--pondering the trail. But DH took off and we rode down to where a bridge crosses a stream. We stopped here and pondered the stream (I felt it had to be "dirty" because we passed the water treatment plant, so DH was pointing out how clear it looked--it had to be clean) The mountain biker caught us again and asked where the trail came out or if was a dead-end. He was delighted to find out he was on the Katy--he had ridden much of it to the north. I advised to the left was pretty, but nothing until St. Charles--he took off. We turned right towards Weldon Springs. Dog gone, if he didn't catch us again at a stop light heading back to the house! We have a new friend He said he followed us, "because we looked like we knew where we were going!" That's always a bad plan

Of course, coming back from the Katy is my new nemesis hill. I've crested it once before, and today DH was riding my flank yelling "go girl, you're still doing 8 mph" when I stopped just short of the top. The wind picked up as we hit the hills on the way home, but that didn't bother me as much as my sudden lack of energy. I figured it out on the third hill--I couldn't breath! DH has been sick and now suddenly my sinuses were stopped up--and him with the kleenex leaving me behind! He finally doubled-back and after a good nose-blowing (TMI) I made it to the house. (Kleenex is now in the Bento Box)

[Crankin]

We did 23.7 miles to Great Brook Farm, via Chelmsford and back. A clear, gorgeous day, but we had torrential rain and wind last night, so there was a lot of debris on the road; lots of leaves, but they were mostly dry ones.
I am sort of glad it is the end of the season. My never ending bike fit saga is well, never ending. Tuesday I rode to the shop where he put me on the trainer, did the whole laser thing, since all of a sudden I am having pain in my right knee. That is since I got my new frame. My lower back has been complaining, too, despite the fact I am stretching like crazy. So, he raised my seat 5 mm. Then he said,"Who moved your bars?" I had moved them because last time I was in, he pushed them down so far, I felt like I could barely squeeze the brakes. Not reach, but the position was hurting my hands. So Tuesday, he put them back, and I just said, OK, screw him, I'll just change it when I get home.
I rode home and went out again Friday, which was one of the worst rides of my life. I had an altercation with a car at the main intersection near my house and I felt like something was funny with my brakes. I kept going, but something was not right. Yesterday I didn't ride, so today when we were getting ready, voila! He had forgotten to put the front brake back in place when he had taken the wheel off. I know, stupid of me not to look, but I am just pissed over the whole thing. I mean, he gave me a new frame for free, after 2 years, but for some reason, he can fit racers fine, but I am an enigma to him. Some of my issues have to do with my Fibromyalgia, perhaps, but the knee thing wasn't. It's better, but still aching a bit today on my ride.
Well, I still enjoyed the beautiful fall day with 60 degree temperatures. We got back at 4:30 and I thought, next Sunday it will be dark at this time .

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Cunningham- wonderful ride description.

Crankin- I feel for you....it's really tough to be a woman with mysterious fit issues and have to rely on a man to try to de-mystify them....men don't have bodies like us!

My husband and I went on a GORGEOUS 24 mile ride through the countryside today- just beautiful autmn weather- 50's and sunny, breezy, dry leaves crunching, the smell of woodstoves in the air.... it was so good to be alive today and be lucky enough to ride our bikes together in such a beautiful place.

[7rider]

Ahhh, you can tell winter in nearly upon us. It's the time of year when chasing the shop ride guys for the first 5 miles without an adequate warm up ride comes home to roost...in my throat and lungs. For those miles, my throat fills up with what feels like wallpaper paste. Makes stops at red lights oh-so-ladylike as I hack, and gag, and try to clear the crap out. Blech.
After that, I'm fine.

I promised DH I'd do the B-ride, having fresh legs from so little riding all week and with the N2 rained out yesterday. But, Pam (and my hacking) convinced me that maybe the C-ride was more my speed. And that was fine. Afterwards, Pam, her DH, my DH, and I rode down into Washington D.C. to see the D.C. 'cross races - the only cyclocross race in the District. We ran into some friends, got the scoop on others who had already raced, and watched a few laps of some race. Not sure who was racing, as we were no where near the start/finish line. It was fun nonetheless, and Pam and I made a pact - "Well, if you take up 'cross....I will, too." Ugh. And so it goes.

[TrekTheKaty]

Ahhh, you can tell winter in nearly upon us. It's the time of year when chasing the shop ride guys for the first 5 miles without an adequate warm up ride comes home to roost...in my throat and lungs. For those miles, my throat fills up with what feels like wallpaper paste. Makes stops at red lights oh-so-ladylike as I hack, and gag, and try to clear the crap out. Blech.
After that, I'm fine.

Yes! I was afraid it was TMI, but it started going up that nemesis hill. I cleared my throat and ended up with a mouth full of p@#$%! I spent the last 5 miles trying to get rid of it--DH says I need to learn to spit on the fly--but I didn't want to wear it

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I am sort of glad it is the end of the season.

My DH and I are really lucky to be self employed- enabling us to tailor our riding times somewhat around the weather- a huge advantage.
It's funny, but to us this is sort of the start of the season...we do more bike ridng in the Fall than any other season. We don't do as well riding in 90 degree heat. We ride more in the Spring than when it's hot in the Summer, but in the Spring we are slightly out of shape after the winter. Two years ago we rode all through the winter, even January and Feb- it was fairly mild that winter, and clear roads.
So when Autumn comes, we are in the best shape we'll be in all year, and we really LOVE riding in the brisk cool weather between 30 and 55 degrees most of all.

Yes! I was afraid it was TMI, but it started going up that nemesis hill. I cleared my throat and ended up with a mouth full of p@#$%! I spent the last 5 miles trying to get rid of it--DH says I need to learn to spit on the fly--but I didn't want to wear it

Ok, I feel for you, that must be awful....but I just can't imagine clearing my throat and winding up with a mouth full of puss... Or 'wallpaper paste'? AGGGHHH! Yikes, what's up with that, it doesn't seem normal! Is it because of sickness? I do however get a really runny nose while cold weather biking, but it's just watery runny and I just sniff it and it's ok. Happens sometimes when I hit a cold air conditioned place in the summer as well.

[7rider]

Yes! I was afraid it was TMI, but it started going up that nemesis hill. I cleared my throat and ended up with a mouth full of p@#$%! I spent the last 5 miles trying to get rid of it--DH says I need to learn to spit on the fly--but I didn't want to wear it

Ugh...don't I know THAT one!

[PamNY]

Mimi, I love your pictures. Everyone else, I enjoyed reading about your rides.

On Sunday I did my longest ride yet on Manhattan bike paths. I'm not sure of the miles -- probably 15-20. I rode from home (Wall Street) to the George Washington Bridge. The ride along the river was beautiful and I wish I'd had time to go farther.

This is the first time I've really wanted someone riding with me. When I talk about how lovely it is up there, everyone says "Oh, I know" having seen it from a train or sailboat or from across the river in NJ. No, they don't know what I saw -- wish someone had seen it with me, but riding partners will come later.

I am thrilled to find beautiful, new-to-me, and relatively safe places to ride. The bike path near my home is pleasant, but most of the area is newly turned into parkland and thus a bit sterile. The northern parts of Manhattan have older park areas, with bigger trees, and a greater variety of people. The scene reminds me of any number of movies about New York.

The bridge was an important goal for me because eventually I hope to ride across it and on to New Jersey. For this trip, I was happy to make it up there and home. It was my most tiring ride yet because I had to go fast to avoid being in unfamiliar areas after dark.

I saw four lyrically graceful kick bikers and a really adventurous Trikke rider. Wish I had space for those at home along with my bike and the four Xootrs we already have.

Pam