Aug 2nd rides

[Kano]

Way to go, DDH! A hair's breadth short of 12 miles is a GREAT way to start your day! MY bike computer doesn't do hundredths, so on my computer, you would have seen it say 12 -- no shoulda's about it! On the other hand, I admit, if I pull in the driveway and look at that trip odometer and see that I'm close to something I'll go 'round the block once just to make a number that makes me smile!

Sometimes it's hard, I know, DDH, to see people write here that they feel like they're slogging along at a "mere" 13 mph or that their rides were a short one when they're 15 miles or so, but remember, we're beginners, and we're going to have a HUGE celebration when we have a ride that averages 13mph -- for now, we deserve to celebrate any ride we do that is fast enough that we don't tip over and long enough that we broke a sweat! Progress IS happening every time we push ourselves out the door and up into the saddle!

Yup, nothing quite so nice as a quiet hour on the bike for us SAHMs!

(oh, wait, my kids are grown, and I don't stay home as much anymore!)

Karen in Boise

[DDH]

Karen, You are such a great cheerleader!! I just want to say thanks.

Did you ride today?

[Fredwina]

DDH,
I also only did 12 miles. and at 10.6 average! I did some hillclimbing. Basically I spent the first half hour ascending about 1000 feet to the National Forest boundary. Saw several rabbits, and some "Left Behind" Orange Groves. Rode breifyly thourgh the clouds(They were low today , at about 2200 feet) and then flew down the hill, and did some flats in a vain effort to up my average speed.

[makbike]

Since today is officially my last day of summer vacation (teachers report to work tomorrow) I decided to ride some of my favorite roads. It was a tad bit warm when I left the house around 11:30 (90 or so, heat index in the upper 90's). I road 27 miles and found myself heading back towards my house but decided I wasn't ready to bring my ride to a close. I stopped at a mini-mart purchased more fluids, refilled bottles, took a short break in the shade and headed off to ride some more. At about the 40 mile mark I began to feel the heat - up to this point I did not feel hot or uncomfortable and decided to wind my ride down so I pointed my bike home, fought a head wind and pulled into my driveway with a big smile on my face. I rode 48.79 miles today and averaged 15.1 mph - not terribly fast I know. My legs have felt very tired the past couple of weeks and today was not exception. However, my legs kept plugging along and worked hard today so I guess I'll keep them a little longer All in all it was a great way to end my summer vacation and it gives me something to look forward to next summer.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I rode around town for about 45 minutes this morning at 9 or so, felt ok for most of it, but the sun and heat were rising fast (hit 100 today) and by the end at 10am I was wiped out. I came home POURING sweat and my husband looked so alarmed when he saw me he rushed me into the cool shower. My face was brilliant red though no sunburn at all. After a long cool shower I felt a bit weak and had to lie down with the fan and drink ice water for about a half hour. Then I was ok.

I did enjoy my ride though! I just love my new bike to death.
Thank God tomorrow is supposed to be "only" 90 degrees. Guess I have to get out there way earlier.

[Pascale]

Just got back from a 35 mile ride in town. Used some bike paths when they were convenient, but also tried bike LANES for the first time. It was a beautiful day, but I'm still not comfortable with intersections - it was nearing rush hour - I'm totally clueless on how to make a left turn on a bike when the road is 4 lanes in one direction (2 turning lanes, two straight lanes) - so that was highly stressful - luckily I managed through without too much risk (I think!). The hills were killers - I'm starting not to notice the smaller hills anymore, like I first did, but those looooooong steeep grades SUCK! I basically have to put 'er in the lowest gear - lay forward on my handlebars and move along at about 3mph (I have one of those upright comfort bikes). The knees are still killing me, but dang, still having a blast!

[Kano]

DDH,
I also only did 12 miles. and at 10.6 average! I did some hillclimbing. Basically I spent the first half hour ascending about 1000 feet to the National Forest boundary. Saw several rabbits, and some "Left Behind" Orange Groves. Rode breifyly thourgh the clouds(They were low today , at about 2200 feet) and then flew down the hill, and did some flats in a vain effort to up my average speed.

HOLY MOLY! I wanna grow up to be you! a thousand vertical feet in only half an hour? Wow! All at once? On a really good day, I can do about 250 with a couple of rests. I've not checked to see how long it takes, but it sure feels like an eternity. Please tell: granny gear? breathing breaks? shaky legs breaks? I've done more climbing, but y'know, there are downs in between, does that count? How much practice does it take to be able to do that kind of an up?????

And I LOVE your "vain effort to up your average speed" -- I tell DH that those ups wreak havoc on my average all the time!

Karen in Boise

[salsabike]

I did 44 miles on a mostly flat trail but did a significant hill at mile 5---and then decided I could do it again at mile 40! Yeeha! The weather here is beautiful, low 70s, early morning clouds and afternoon sun. Bald eagles. Herons. Goldfinches all over the thistle that lines part of the trail. Did not eat any recognizable bugs today--hurray!

[Pascale]

Did not eat any recognizable bugs today--hurray!

So, is that to infer that you did, indeed, eat unrecognizable ones?

[Dr. Liz]

40.5 miles today, on a local 'circuit' that DH and I do pretty regularly. DH was all psyched after his bike re-fitting (which included him putting down the deposit on the new Seven), and I was outfitted with my new Camelbak (I'm having issues with water bottles at the moment), so we managed to crank out a 17.6 mph avg, including a total ascent of 1800 feet. The ascent is fairly normal, but the speed was my highest average speed ever.

It was a good way to go into my bike fitting (I'm getting DH's old bike, as the budget can only handle one custom bike at the moment). I felt like a 'real' rider, and so I wasn't so intimidated by the 'serious rider' bike shop.

Oh yeah. And the hit of the day? 3 red-tailed hawks riding the thermals and talking to each other. They sounded like they were 3 feet away, they were so distinct! So totally cool!

And for the record, most of the bugs I eat are unidentifiable....

[salsabike]

So, is that to infer that you did, indeed, eat unrecognizable ones?

Of course. Tiny ones, like gnats, get regularly ingested without clear ID. It's the bigger ones, whose wings I can feel in my throat, that get recognition from me.

[Fredwina]

HOLY MOLY! I wanna grow up to be you! a thousand vertical feet in only half an hour? Wow! All at once?
Karen in Boise

The first 4-5 miles cover about 750-800 feet. I can do this without resorting to becoming a "granny." it's about 3-4%, according to Toporoute.com . The next half mile is pretty flat. Then you do some stairstepping up a 8% grade to get the other 200. BY stairstepping, you ride up the hill for block, jog over(It's what I call a tilted plain, east-west is pretty flat, north-south is defintely not!) a block and go agian.
I used to have break out the granny earlier. I think the only way to get good at 'em is to do 'em.
Breaks, Yes I do that if it gets too tough. I managed to do Ride around the Bear (104 miles, 8000+ feet) in 10 hours "real" time when My bike computer was showing 9 hours "bike" time.... I may be slow, but I get there
"Don't buy upgrades, Ride up grades" - E. Merckx

[Kano]

Some day, Fredwina, I'm gonna do it! Maybe not for fifty pounds or so, and maybe not on my comfort beast, but someday, I'm gonna go up hills as blazing fast as it sounds to me like you're doing it!

Karen in Boise
(I will not hate hills, I will not hate hills, I will not hate hills)

[Kano]

Karen, You are such a great cheerleader!! I just want to say thanks.

Did you ride today?

You're welcome, DDH!

Unfortunately, no, I didn't and won't get in a ride today. I thought about riding to work this noon, but had too much stuff to carry with me. I have to go back for the evening soon, and again, will have too much stuff. Came home for supper in between!

Karen in Boise