November 11 Rides

[Kalidurga]

Nice freak warm day in the mid-Atlantic, sunny in the a.m. then turning overcast in the afternoon as a prelude to the rain that we're supposed to get tonight. Perfect day for me to take advantage of having a 'cross bike by doing a mixed suface loop on the C&O Canal towpath (dirt, gravel, mud, roots & rocks) and the Western Maryland Rail-Trail (butter-smooth pavement)

Hopped onto the towpath in Hancock, MD, and headed upstream along the Potomac River. Since all the leaves have fallen, the river and West Virginia on the other shore are continuously visible next to the towpath, making for some great scenery. A few miles in I noticed that something was funky with my cadence sensor, because I kept glancing down and seeing my cadence go from 83 to 167 to 90... My high cadence for the day was 195rpm (Top that, Lance!)! After some fiddling I got it working correctly, but unfortunately I know that my average for today isn't as good as the computer says it is.

12 miles up, at Pearree, is where I cut over to the WMRT to head back on pavement. Considering how full the parking lots were in Hancock, I expected crowds on the rail-trail and I was certainly not disappointed in that In spite of everyone and all their kids, I was able to go for 2-3 mile stretches pretty much by myself, so I made the trip back to Hancock a series of intervals by revving up to 95-110rpm/15-20mph and maintaining it until I caught up with the next group or road crossing. Only had to stop once, for a woman and her little girl who were taking a break and left their bikes standing perpendicularly across the trail. Again,

Rolled back into Hancock with a total of 24.25 miles and a totally satisfied feeling.

[Fredwina]

i was supposed to be a rolling ride Marshall for a 34 mile ride. The problem I had was that I'm supposed to do a century next Saturday, and didn't think 34 was enough prep. So rolled out of bed early and got an extra 30 in. Ironically the only flats I changed were on my own bike. At least I have new tube for the Tour De Tuscon It was a gorgeous day, and the Santa Anas were not that bad.

[paigette]

Sigh...only 4.99 on my MTB; before I got a flat. Co-workers & I could NOT get the tube to fill (which we felt ashamed of), so we hitched a ride with a nice man named T.BO.... But he had his kid with him & I figured most serial killers do not travel with kids.

Tire is now fixed(with SLIME) and hopefully I will go out with the local MBA tomorrow!