August 22nd rides

[GLC1968]

Rode the morning commute this morning with migraine. That's the one disadvantage to driving in to work one day, riding home, riding back in the next morning and then driving home...I had no other way to get to work this morning because my car was at work. I HAD to ride.

I will say, that it turned out well. About 5 minutes into my ride, it started to rain. Rain, dark, lousy headlight (I need a new one), and a headache. I figured it couldn't get any worse. It didn't! It got better as the excedrin kicked in and the daylight improved. By the end, I was realizing how much I actually enjoy riding in adverse conditions. It really gives one a sense of accomplishment!

[Tater]

Nice ride in, 61 degrees and no wind. Caught up to another commuter and got to talk to him for a bit. He had misjudged the weather and tossed on a fleece top. He said he was dying. Saw some cows along the fence, mooed at them of course. Saw a county sheriff, didn't oink.

Way to kick butt on your ride, GLC!

[tulip]

Great post, GLC! I, too, find that when I'm feeling bad (no migraines, thankfully), a bike ride will usually make me feel much better.

Regular commute today, but I saw another woman commuter in NE DC. Normally I don't see any other commuters until I get to Downtown, and then lots on the MUP.

[light_sabe_r]

WEll I felt like some extra exercise on my way home... So I took the a trail from Stone's corner to MT Gravatt and added an extra 5km to my trip! O_O

Plus my average speed bumped up to 16.2! WOOHOO

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

This morning I rode down into town for breakfast and to my dental appt (for my "annual" crown as my dentist jokes). Picked up a fresh loaf of bread for my honey and rode back home. Only a 2 mile trip, but includes Killer Hill which ALWAYS ends my rides home.

DH and I worked all day at home while daydreaming about going for a bike ride before dark. At 5:00 I walked into his office and he simply smiled and said "Ready?" and we excitedly got on our bikes and took off. We did a very beautiful country road trip of about 13 miles with plenty of varied hills and beautiful scenery, with the golden sun slanting across the farm fields. It was GREAT.

We remembered how when I did that very same ride 6 weeks ago, it was very hard for me and I had walked up most of those hills, panting and gasping like mad.

This time, however, I enjoyed even the hills, and never got whupped at all. Wonderful!! At one really steep short hill, I hollered to DH: "Hey watch THIS!" and stood up in my pedals and powered up that hill in no time flat standing up all the way. I've only been able to do this recently, and DH was stunned and delighted. "Way to go SWEETIE!!" he yelled. I was so proud of myself today, and am so happy to be seeing real evidence of getting stronger and stronger.

I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to enjoy such gifts.

[makbike]

Raced home from my second job to get some miles in this evening. I grabbed a quick bite to eat, changed clothes, gathered my bike stuff and headed out the door. My legs felt very heavy and lifeless the first 8 miles or so but in a blink of an eye things started clicking and before I knew it I had settled into a nice groove and was feeling good on my little blue bike. I managed to get 24 miles in this evening, now it is time to grade papers

[KSH]

We remembered how when I did that very same ride 6 weeks ago, it was very hard for me and I had walked up most of those hills, panting and gasping like mad.

This time, however, I enjoyed even the hills, and never got whupped at all. Wonderful!! At one really steep short hill, I hollered to DH: "Hey watch THIS!" and stood up in my pedals and powered up that hill in no time flat standing up all the way. I've only been able to do this recently, and DH was stunned and delighted. "Way to go SWEETIE!!" he yelled. I was so proud of myself today, and am so happy to be seeing real evidence of getting stronger and stronger.

I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to enjoy such gifts.

That rocks! It's always nice when you see the results of all your hard work!!!

Congratulations on getting up those hills!

[KSH]

WEll I felt like some extra exercise on my way home... So I took the a trail from Stone's corner to MT Gravatt and added an extra 5km to my trip! O_O

Plus my average speed bumped up to 16.2! WOOHOO

Awesome on bumping up that average!!! It's always a good thing!

[KSH]

Nice ride in, 61 degrees and no wind. Caught up to another commuter and got to talk to him for a bit. He had misjudged the weather and tossed on a fleece top. He said he was dying. Saw some cows along the fence, mooed at them of course. Saw a county sheriff, didn't oink.

Way to kick butt on your ride, GLC!

OMG! It's really 61 in Idaho? WOW!

For this Texas girl... that's COLD. HA! Yea, I will take 100 degrees over anything under 60... anyday!


Well, my ride was basic tonight. I went to White Rock Lake and rode 24 miles. I didn't do the 30 miles as planned because the wind was gusting up to 25 mph. One time around was enough for me.

One guy did totally get on my nerves though. I let him go in front of me on the path... because I figured he would be going faster. So, he gets in front of me doing 14-15 mph. I hung back for awhile... figuring he knew I was there and would speed up. Nope. He kept that pace. Well, I wanted to do 17-19 to push myself some... so I passed.

I KNEW he wouldn't let a GIRL PASS HIM though. Sure enough... a few second later he comes flying by me... I was doing 19-20 mph at this point... and he was FLYING. Hhhhuuummm... he's going 15 mph and then 20+ after a girl passes. Guys really PISS ME OFF sometimes.

[im4smiley]

I did a ride with about four people that I usually ride with during the week. We started in Greenfield and headed for a ride into Vermont that has a "good" hill on the route. We came to a train crossing with lights flashing and had to wait for a train to pass, we could hear its whistle blowing, a car went right through, how stupid, we waited. It was a good little rest before starting up our big hill. As we were going up the hill the faster group that left probably 1/2 hour after us, came by us like we were standing still. I was going up at about 8 mph, my heart rate up to 170 and they fly by us. But the owner of my LBS who was riding with the fast group gathered us all together at the top of the hill and we had an exhilarating ride back to the shop. We were riding in a pace line doing 20-25 mph all the way back with Bike Bob yelling encouragement to us all the way. Our trip was 36 miles with an average speed of 17.9. So cool

[pyxichick]

I was in the mood for a group ride tonight, but hadn't the foresight to actually plan anything or look up any online. So I rode about 3 miles to a LBS where my BF knows the owner. I'd heard they have Tuesday night rides.

So I'm one of two women and about six guys. This was not a social ride. I learned about three peoples' names at about the 20 mile point. We started out by going up the "high bridge"-- and the name says it all. It's not steep, but it's long. I'm used to getting dropped, but it's so embarassing when it happens within the first five miles.

I managed to more or less stay with the group for the whole hilly 30 mile ride, but I did have to be pulled up a couple hills. I'm getting really good at drafting!

My biggest group ride fear came true tonight when I got a flat tire Of course it would happen on the group ride where I'm already the slowest rider AND I don't know a single person.

I've been waiting for a time when I can change my own damn tire on the side of the road, but this was not the time. The dude who pulled me up all those hills had my tire changed faster than I could eat a power gel. I must say, at that point I sort of appreciated the rest!

Basically, I was either trying to stay in the draft or trying to catch up with the group. The whole time I kept thinking "this is making me stronger."

My normal average speed is around 14-15 mph. This ride was 16.7 and I was pushing myself the whole way.

I'm happy now because I've earned a recovery ride tomorrow

[KSH]

I managed to more or less stay with the group for the whole hilly 30 mile ride, but I did have to be pulled up a couple hills. I'm getting really good at drafting!

My biggest group ride fear came true tonight when I got a flat tire Of course it would happen on the group ride where I'm already the slowest rider AND I don't know a single person.

I've been waiting for a time when I can change my own damn tire on the side of the road, but this was not the time. The dude who pulled me up all those hills had my tire changed faster than I could eat a power gel. I must say, at that point I sort of appreciated the rest!

My normal average speed is around 14-15 mph. This ride was 16.7 and I was pushing myself the whole way.

I'm happy now because I've earned a recovery ride tomorrow

Yea, that sucks when you get a flat... but thank goodness a kind soul pulled over and helped. A lot of times in a hammer ride, the people keep going!

Great job on staying up with the group and WOW on upping your average. Really awesome!

Maybe, you just needed a group to push you... to get you going faster?