Sunday, September 10th Rides

[Cassandra_Cain]

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Well who rode today?

I did 16 miles of easy spinning in the hills. For whatever reason my legs were a little sore from the rides on saturday.

Before I used to scoff at these types of recovery/spinning-type rides but no more. I can totally feel how this little ride loosened up my muscles and got some circulation going. Plus it was nice for a change to see my heart rate way way down around 120 rather than the more common 150+

It was a lovely, sunny, crystal-blue sky day. This summer, that is definitely not to be taken for granted in ABQ!

[7rider]

Did the shop ride and hooked up with a neighbor of ours who I had met recently on a ride. I told him about the Sunday rides and he started hangin' out at the shop and today he went. He's really strong and DH was glad to have another rabbit to chase!
I got a flat - at the bottom of a big hill...of course. Murphy's Law. DH and neighbor were already well ahead of me by that point, as they caught a green light for which I had to stop. Bummer. So I pull off the road and start hauling my stuff out of my saddle bag. One of the shop guys who runs sweep pulled up and actually fixed my flat for me! I told him I could do it, but he insisted. Who was I to argue???
28 miles at 17.7 mph. Not to shabby, overall, eh?

[GLC1968]

Nice pace, Regina!

We did 42 miles as day two of our MS Bike Tour. My DH and I took it VERY easy and rode with one of the rookie riders on our team. It was actually a lot of fun! By about mile 30, I could tell that my legs were spent. We did the century option yesterday and while I liked doing the recovery today...42 miles was more than I needed! But, of course it was for a good cause. Avg speed was 15.5, which is exactly what I was shooting for!

The weather was great, the company was awesome, the support excellent...all in all a great weekend!!

[Trek420]

Bike Against the Odds, I missed Velogirl who was doing the Century, met up with Lisa and Jan from Velo Girls so the group shot....pretty much just us.

It was foggy, nice climbing weather.

We rode out from the Lake to Lake Temescal, up Caledcott Ln to Tunnel Rd. Then it's Skyline - Redwood - Pinehurst .... Moraga Way (no shoulder, hate that).... At the Wildcat & Dam Rd rest stop I ran into Cindysue who crewed at the rest stop.

She asked me if I'd ever done Wildcat Canyon and Grizzly Peak. At this point I'm "you mean there's more climbing? "

Told me to eat up and gear down. I didn't have any more gears to down. Been chugging along steadily in my granniest of granny gears.....so I had some of those energy block things.

She was right the view is beautiful.

So now I've done Wildcat, Grizzly and Skyline. I noticed the people passing me were all saying things like "we're almost there...the steep stuff's past....levels out from here...." In other words...they train on it.

What an idea! Time for another slog up Diablo?

[Popoki_Nui]

Nice 56km ride from Victoria to Sidney and back of my newly-restored Falcon (I know I know...I'll stop talking about her soon. I promise. ). Cooler weather, and nice breeze made for a really pleasant ride.

~Sherry.

[Kalidurga]

Good ride of just over 20 miles on the C&O towpath after lunch in Shepherdstown, WV. The number of strolling families on the towpath made it clear that all the young'uns were beginning the new semester at Shepherd U. After a few miles, though, they all cleared out and I pretty much had the path to myself. One of the benefits of starting to ride at 3:30 in the afternoon

Pushed myself a bit and hit a new average speed of 13.1mph, which I think is not too shabby considering the gravel, and the puddles/tree roots/rocks that I had to navigate over and around. All that, and the number of times that I had to slow my pedaling to tug at my shorts. Still gotta get more spandex *sigh* Other than that, the ride felt really good.

I would have liked to have done another 5 miles or so, but I ended up cutting the ride short due to an unidentified creaking noise coming from my BB/cranks (On the downstroke of the right pedal and more pronounced when I was in the drops. And I couldn't replicate it when I lifted the bike and turned the crank. Anyone have any ideas?)

[Popoki_Nui]

I would have liked to have done another 5 miles or so, but I ended up cutting the ride short due to an unidentified creaking noise coming from my BB/cranks (On the downstroke of the right pedal and more pronounced when I was in the drops. And I couldn't replicate it when I lifted the bike and turned the crank. Anyone have any ideas?)

I have exactly the same thing in the BB of my Bianchi Limited, and it's driving me batty. I have switched cartridge BB's twice, dismantled the cranks and chainrings, cleaned the grunge out, lubed and reasembled them (twice), swapped pedals, and chains. It's still there. Like yours, I can't make the noise happen by hand on my bike stand at home, nor could they at the bike shop. After discussing it with three different shops, the concensus was that I may have to "live with it". Terrific. Sorry I can't help, but I know how you feel.
~Sherry.

[Kano]

No ride today, but related story -- We drove downtown and got on the greenbelt bike/walking path (walking today) to walk into the big park to see the art show that's going on this weekend. I mentioned to DH that I kept missing my rear view mirror, so I could be keeping an eye out for bikers behind. We laughed about this, then suddenly a biker-dude-sans-helmet came flying by just to the left of me, with, of course, no warning.

DH immediately rearranged us, so that he was on the "passing side" of us -- just to be sure no bikers ran me down!

Kinda cute, kinda silly -- gotta love him!

Karen in Boise

[uk elephant]

Just a quick ride on Sunday. 12.4 miles along a mostly flat route. Beautiful day and I managed to push myself to keep up the pace. Got home and saw that I had kept up a 15mph average! I was very proud of myself when I got in. I usually end up with an average around 11! I suppose it helps having no hills and very little wind.

[Haudlady]

DH, one of his co-workers and I went for a very short MTB ride on Sunday. the co-worker is very new to cycling, so we spent a LOT of time standing still while DH adjusted her seat, brakes, etc... and while he was waxing poetic about cycling theory. (Useful information, surely... but I wanted to ride!) Hopefully she will come ride with us again - it really is fun!

After his co-worker decided to go home, DH was taking off his helmet and shoes... and was VERY surprised when I said "let's go out again!" So, off we went. Did the same trail as before, but much more speed and fun!

I've been using my MTB (the only bike I have right now ) so much for commuting that I had forgotten how much fun it can be on the singletrack!

[CycleChic06]

I rode the NYC Century Bike Tour. I did 35 miles, just my dad and me...fun father/daughter bonding time. A very interesting ride starting in Central Park, wandering around the Upper West Side and then down 9th Ave through mid-town. There are only two moments in my life where I can say my life flashed before my eyes, and this ride down 9th Ave. was one of them. Between the thousands of other cyclists (many of whom have obviously never ridden on the street before) and the cabs, buses, pedestrians, potholes, lights....omg it was so scary. Calmed down once we got past the port authority. Over the Brooklyn bridge to Prospect Park, up to Queens and Astoria Park, then over the Tri-borough bridge where I lost a fight with a wall (it was in my way and it wouldn't move). The scars will provide a lifetime of memories. Then over Randalls Island to and back to Central Park.

Lots of fun, if anyone has the oppurtunity to do this ride next year I'd highly reccomend it!