July Rides

[khg]

Did a bike trip last week that has to always be in the top three of my life. I was in Oslo for a couple days for a conference and then I spent 5 days of cycling, hiking and kayaking on Norway’s northern coast. Eye orgasms everywhere every day, friendly people, beautiful islands, mountains, fjords, small old fishing villages and good weather too. More bicycle tourists than I expected, this is the best weather time of the year to be traveling the coast or the islands though….on the second morning I met an Italian women who was doing the same route and I shared a great 4 days with her. We will definitely see each other again.

There are so many great adventures just waiting for us and our bicycles………

Wow! I want to go to Norway some day (my dad's side of the family is from there) but somehow I never connected it in my brain with cycling. I can only imagine how divine it must have been to be on a bike there--many thanks for the inspiration!

[emily_in_nc]

RebeccaC, that sounds like an amazing trip. Wow! Would love to do that someday.

Yesterday we did a metric century, kind of unintentionally as I'd planned on 45-50, but DH talked me into riding to a couple of small towns south of here with him. It ended up being a fun ride, albeit with a lot of climbing compared to our usual around here. We stopped at a fun little authentic Mexican restaurant along the way back, which gave me the extra calories and caffeine needed to finish the ride strong.

Today was supposed to be a recovery ride, and the first half was -- no wind, flat, easy pedaling, but on the way back it had gotten very hot, I couldn't even bear to drink the water I had left as it was steamy, and I forgot I was in the big chainring after a descent so worked way too hard in the last 10 miles or so wondering why in the heck it was so difficult going! Got home after 42 miles and felt awful, dripping with sweat and exhausted, but after two big glasses of water felt fine, so it had to have been dehydration. Funny since it was "only" 90F when we got back from this one, and yesterday's we ended at 95F, but today was harder in the last 10 miles due to lack of appropriate hydration.

I got spoiled with the cooler weather lately, but now it's back to HOT, and I need to take my Camelbak filled with ice water to make sure I have enough to drink if we don't run across a store or drinking fountain. Riding in rural areas, there's often not much available, so I need to plan better.

Lessons learned...you wouldn't think I'd still be making "rookie mistakes", but sometimes I still do.

[Crankin]

Today I went on a ride with a former colleague and her DH. She is the one person from my teaching career that I am still friends with. I bagged a very hilly group ride. They are about 10 years younger than me, and fit, they hike a lot. They both have hybrids; he had a crash a couple of years ago, and is just getting back into riding. I knew they would be slow, but they were enthused. I rode to meet them at the Acton library, about 4.7 miles, and we did a really pretty and mostly flat ride through Acton, Boxborough, and Stow. I had to do a lot of "teaching," for my friend, and she was definitely nervous when we got around more cars near the end. But, she managed OK, despite doing a couple of things that were not OK, like following me through a left turn, with oncoming cars. Fortunately the cars stopped and let her and her DH go, but really, I was the only one who had time to do it. We stopped for lunch at Idylwidle Farm and sat outside, where I ate a delicious caprese/eggplant salad. I ended up with 30 miles, they did about 20.
They were slow, but the difference was, they did pretty well on hills compared to other slower people I ride with. I did a lot of explaining and teaching about components, etc to her DH, so much, he paid for my lunch, he said he learned so much. It was a really nice day.

[emily_in_nc]

Took a much-needed day off today. Yesterday's ride was 45 HOT miles, but this time I brought plenty of water. We stopped the little Mennonite bakery we like and bought some goodies to eat at our "10 miles from home" stop. Good ride!

Crankin, glad he bought you lunch -- with all the education you were giving these folks, it was only appropriate!

[Catrin]

Crankin, sounds like a great day!

Emily - would that lovely hot ride have been on Toto or on Gloria? Just curious how the Jamis is standing up.

[Crankin]

I rode with Hirakukibou today, for the first time in a couple of months. She came to my house and we did a slightly different version of my club's rally ride. The weather is really nice, but you can feel the humidity building. I don't know is in the air today, but there was just a surplus of awful/distracted drivers at the beginning of our ride, as we were going through Concord center. Since it was the exact same time and route that I take while commuting, I was very surprised. Two people wouldn't let us move left to get in the lane (one because he was in the wrong lane!) and just a bunch of other small things. On the way home, 2 guys were walking on the sidewalk and about to step out in front of us, with heads down, not even looking. What the? I yelled out and scared the cr@p out of them, and I hope I gave them a headache. What if I had been a car? I mean I was going about 18, not much slower than a car.
But, all in all, a great ride. We ride really well together. Came back here, Hira got ready for work, and then we ate lunch. A nice day.

[emily_in_nc]

Just wrote a longish comment/response here, and the internet glitched, and it went bye bye. The DSL in the airbnb unit we're staying in is a DOG, slow and prone to glitches; the only negative of this lovely place, and the owner is disinclined to do anything about it. So frustrating.

Anywho, Catrin, we can only carry four bikes with us on our travels, so this time the MTBs stayed behind in NC. We brought the Bike Fridays instead since we knew we'd want the panniers for going to markets and groceries, and we have certainly made use of them for utility rides. The Treks are what we ride for our longer rides.

The Jamis is doing great, though! I rode it a lot in KC on the urban trails and crappy roads and on gravel roads in Arizona this early spring. There's definitely more MTBing in our future, but this summer we're concentrating on mileage, and we can get more for less time (in the HEAT) on our roadies.

Today's ride was 53 miles, giving me over 1000 for this month -- maybe my best month ever? It was a pretty ride up to Harris Park, ate berries on the side of the road, met some curious horses and a friendly dog, and enjoyed the screaming descent out of the park. Nice ride!

[Blueberry]

Emily - your mileage is such an inspiration!

I'm just focusing on having fun on the bike. I needed to scout a few things for the upcoming school year (bike racks since *$&% University is under construction and has moved them) - and so I just rode around and explored. In light rain. So much fun!!

[khg]

So great to read about everyone's riding!

I finished off July by riding on Mt Rainier again, then volunteering at RAMROD (Ride Around Mt Rainier in One Day), one of the big events here. I wrote a way-too-long post about it on my blog (link in sig)--but at least there are photos like this too:




My last ride of July was 1.5 miles from my motel room to the volunteer gathering at the start of RAMROD--at 3:15 am, I was trying to figure out what side of the huge high school everybody was on. When I finally found them, I blithely cycled up to the gathering, completely not noticing the curb in my way, and... Splat, hiss, hiss, I pinch-flatted both of my tires right in front of everybody! Oh well... I never have been one of the cool kids, and just need to remind myself of that once in a while. I had to laugh at myself though--apparently I can ride 70+ miles up and down mountains with nary a problem, but can't bike into a parking lot unsupervised...

After my shift I walked my bike back to my room and changed tubes in peace there (and with access to a sink--will I ever learn to remove and re-install the rear wheel without getting grease all over myself?) I had been meaning to replace my tubes anyway, as the rear was patched and the front's valve stem was shorter than I like--so maybe my unconscious was just making sure I stopped procrastinating, at the expense of my pride!

But it was still a great month of riding, and whatever I do, August has got to start out better, right?!?

[Crankin]

I commuted today and someone else in a car blew their horn at me in the same exact spot as yesterday, when I was on a ride with Hirakukibou! This time, they did not cut me off; they were in the right turn lane and I had moved left to go straight. Apparently, I am supposed to hug the curb and get into the left lane like that? Eh, I gave her the finger, but I don't think she saw. It did raise my anxiety for the rest of the day.
I did not feel like riding with my packed pannier and I did not bring my clothes to work on Tuesday, because it was pouring out when I drove in. So, being that it's Friday, and i only had 2 clients, as well as being dead in the office, I rode my Kuota and wore my Terry city commuter shorts and a lycra t shirt, that's stylish. Unfortunately, I had to stuff a very light pair of shoes in my backpack, and that was kind of too much, but I made it. I left them at work and rode home with a much lighter pack. The few other colleagues thought I looked fine, but it was a bit too casual for me. I should have worn my cycling dress with a shrug, because it was hotter than hell and humid on the way home and that t shirt did not cut it!

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks, Blueberry! Glad you're having fun on the bike. That's most important!

Today's ride was HAWT, HOT, however you spell it, it was just simply muy caliente! Started out at 86 degrees at 8:30 am and ended up 95 degrees four hours later. Owie.

I flatted due to a $*&^%! goathead at a little over 17 miles in -- one reason I prefer to ride with DH most of the time -- he's a lot better than I am at changing 'em. We discovered that one of our two spare tubes was the wrong size, so we only had one good tube without patching. Used that one to fix my flat.

Finished the ride, and near the end, we split up since I was done and DH wanted to ride further. I ended up with 57 miles, which was more than enough. After lots of hydration, snacks, and a lovely shower, my phone rang. It was DH, out on the road with a flat he couldn't fix. Since I'd used the only right-sized tube, and taken the one that flatted with me (that he possibly could have patched), he only had the one he flatted with. Since he'd ridden on the rim for a bit trying to get to some shade (it was 98F by this time), in addition to the original puncture, he had two pinch flats! So no way he could fix it.

Thank the gods for cell phones and spouses, I was able to jump in the car and go pick him up. He was only around 3 miles from "home".

It was just one of those days, I guess! Tomorrow is our light day with just a quick ride to the Farmer's Market -- really looking forward to that. We are both read for a rest.

[rebeccaC]

I wrote a way-too-long post about it on my blog (link in sig)--but at least there are photos like this too:

Nice write up on your mt rainier ride! must be nice to have the cascades so close!!! I think I’d like riding the north cascades highway.....i should have that in my goal journal .....seems like good climbing in some isolated nature. Have you ridden over it ?

[cosc]

I've rode a few 43 mile rides this past week. Weather was great for this time of the year. Mostly upper 70's with little wind!
The past couple of days I've been packing for CANDISC ride in ND. Why it takes me so long to pack I don't know. It's not like I haven't prepared for rides like these before. Yes, I need to bring less so I have less to haul around at the campsite. I'm going by myself so I'll get an arm workout carrying 2 full bags. The ride makes a loop close to the Missouri River.
I put different tires on my bike last night so I'm looking forward to trying them out.
Gotta get movin so I make it to Garrison ND today. I'll tell you about my adventure when I get back.

[khg]

Nice write up on your mt rainier ride! must be nice to have the cascades so close!!! I think I’d like riding the north cascades highway.....i should have that in my goal journal .....seems like good climbing in some isolated nature. Have you ridden over it ?

Thanks, Rebecca

I haven't biked the N Cascades Hwy, but it's on my to-do list. I might try to get up there in the next week or two. It is pretty amazing the places you can get to with a couple hours drive from Seattle. One of the things I have really enjoyed about my biking this summer is that, in pursuing good training rides, I've done a ton of regional sight-seeing. I've been to a number of places--like Vashon Island, Sunrise on Mt Rainier, Hurricane Ridge, etc--that I had never been before, despite being born and raised in Seattle!

[emily_in_nc]

Today was bike cleaning and maintenance day, lube the chain, etc. My poor Trek was filthy! In the midst of it all, noticed that the end cap was missing off one of my old Candy SL pedals, so I ordered a rebuild kit for them. Since they're 10 years old, it's about time, no?

We did do our usual Saturday farmer's market and Grocery Outlet ride of 8+ miles on the Bike Fridays, but that's almost like a day off compared to usual mileages!