April 6th rides

[Kano]

a little over 13 mostly flat miles today. I'm pretty sure Tater would say absolutely flat, and I can understand that a little more this year than I did last year. This new bike flattens out the invisible hills very nicely! It's a beautiful day -- upper seventies, sunny, not much wind -- just can't ask for much better!

I've moved my Dolce saddle to my new bike, and that was an improvement, now to trash the old shorts that I started out last season with -- nice to know they're to blame for the pinchy, nasty feeling! Too much time wasted wiggling around trying to get comfy... New gloves were a nice change, and it was good to have the computer on my bike and not rely on DH's info! And to know it worked -- putting all the toys together is fun, but comes a time to test run 'em!

I even tried the drops a bit today for the first time on a real ride -- now I see why one doesn't want a visor on a road bike helmet! I'll leave it off for tomorrow's ride.

We were out for a little over an hour, too close to rush hour, which is a bad time of day to be out riding in the subdivisions!

Decision made today -- when I saw the baby goat-head plants, I decided it's probably time to learn to get off and carry my bike across those little grassy spots we sometimes cross on our way from one chunk of pavement to another. Good thing new bike is LIGHT! At least until I get a few flats, and get annoyed enough to replace the tires with armadillos! When I was doing that the second time through that area, DH chuckled and said, yeah, the glass chunks too, as he picked a piece out of his tire (it was on a big knobby bit, so he didn't have any real problem with it, fortunately!)

Things learned: gotta think hard about not locking elbows yet. Also not so sure I like the head-mounted rear view mirror yet, partly because hair is growing out and gets in the way of view. It's not quite long enough to tie back yet, darn it! Maybe by the end of the summer. Oh! also learned today: how to pump up my new presta tires! They needed more air than DH's tires did. Good thing I figured those valves out! Bike guy showed me, but I started out by not loosening that gizmo enough for air to go in.

Karen in Boise

[makbike]

I dreamed of riding today but that is as far as it got given the nasty weather we are experiencing. Temperatures today were in the 30's, wind blowing hard and yes we even had SNOW showers this afternoon! Where did our warm weather go? I hope it returns soon for I already miss it!

I was suppose to participate in the BF's club ride tomorrow morning but have pretty much decided to skip it given the temps will only be in the high 20's with strong winds. Wind chill is projected to be in the teens - way below my riding threshold. So I've decided if he wants to be a human popsicle all the power to him, I'm going to stay home in my warm cozy bed!

[pooks]

Six miles today is all, but they felt like a lot more. At first I thought it was because of the strong wind gusts, which may have been part of it, but also?

Thirteen miles yesterday probably took more out of me than I realized, so todays miles took more effort. Next time, I'll pop some Advil or Tylenol before I start riding!

[DarcyInOregon]

I don't normally post to the daily ride thread, but I have to brag.

A few months ago someone in one of the threads said to buy the tires that TE sells. They are racing tires, up to 165 PSI, with a color to match your bike. My bike is pink, so I ordered pink tires to match. My tires arrived yesterday. I took the bike and tires into the LBS because I needed a new air pump too and I had the LBS put in new tubes and install the tires.

Anyway, I did 42 miles yesterday so I was only going to do a few hills today, but there I was, with my pink bike with these awesome pink racing tires on it, and my bike looks just awesome. The LBS said I would be faster, because of the 165 PSI, versus the old tires were 110 PSI. I ended up doing 30 miles just from the joy of riding my bike on the new pink tires. Not only that the temp was in the mid-80s so I was wearing my pink Canari shorts and a sleeveless pink flower jersey. Oh yes, I was pimped out, because I was wearing my pink and white Oakley cycing glasses too, along with the pink and white helmet. The other roadies, their heads do swivel when I flash by on the other side of the road, and they all shout out, nod or wave.

When I was at the LBS, the UPS driver came in the door to deliver a bunch of Trek stuff, and he said, wow, those shorts look great on you. Well no, I am a middle-age over weight lady and spandex shorts only look good on the lean and trim, but still, it was nice to hear. Then he saw my pink bike with the pink tires leaning up against the counter and he really went wow, walked over to it, picked it up, and said it was one incredible bike. I said yep, best bike of my life. I swear, there is nothing better than someone saying what a great bike you have and they are totally envious. It isn't that they want my bike, but they wish they had the equivalent of my bike that suits them as perfectly as my bike suits me.

Darcy

[aicabsolut]

Friend took me on a tour of how to get around the construction splitting up some of the MPU trails here, so I can get out of the house during heavy traffic times without dealing with that.

A pedestrian, freaking out by my repeated "passing on your left!" jumped into my path, stopped, and stared, and forced me off the trail into the dirt/gravel. To avoid a tree, tried to get back on the trail, but asphalt up too high. Hit side of front wheel. Boom. At least I wasn't going very fast. But too fast to stop any more safely once I realized I was going to go off the trail.

Brifters are kind of destroyed, especially the left (???) one...don't know how it hit the ground!?! My right side is banged up. Good thing for this cold snap. The extra layers helped me a lot.

By the way, the pedestrians yelled at me and said it was my fault. They refused to help except for giving me a ride (which I declined because my bike wouldn't fit in their car and I called a friend). I was obeying the rules of the road. They did not.

Rant over.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

When people behind me shout "Passing on your LEFT!" all i ever hear is "mumble..mumble.. LEFT!" That's what pedestrians hear and so they obediently jump left. Me, I just shout out a cheery "Hello, coming through!" or "Behind you!" and they look back and quickly get out of my way.

Darcy that is so cool about your pink tires and whole PINKNESS and the UPS guy! You GO, girl. Pink ON....

[Tater]

a little over 13 mostly flat miles today. I'm pretty sure Tater would say absolutely flat, and I can understand that a little more this year than I did last year.

Karen in Boise

Hey, now! One gal's flat ride is another's rollers, or hills, it is all in the eyes of the rider! Ready to take on the hill to Emmet with me yet?!?!?

[aicabsolut]

True. This is a busy commuter trail getting towards commuter traffic time. Most others I passed waved or looked or moved right even when they didn't have to. Got a couple than yous. He had plenty of time to move after he turned around. Total deer in the headlights. Stupid situation. I've had plenty of close calls with pedestrians on the trails, but this was completely avoidable (usually, herds of them or lots of bikes or kids on bikes involved).

What really got me was when they started lying to me and making up stupid stories. Particularly the wife who hadn't turned around and had no idea what her husband actually did in the road. (Husband wouldn't talk, guilty bastard). If I have to follow the rules of the road on these trails, there should be no jaywalking. Made me want to call the park police on them. But I didn't seem to need emergency attention. I was just dizzy for a while from the nerve pain in my arm. I hate liars.

My friends tell me that the moral of this story is: Just run them over.

[sgtiger]

Aicabsolut, I hope your arm gets better soon. And I'm sorry to hear about your brifters. No matter whose fault it was, it's terrible that they would try to lay all the blame on you instead of trying to see if you were all right and coming to assist you.

Darcy, don't sell yourself short. Maybe UPS guy has a thing for bigger girls in spandex who have the self esteem to wear it. You never know. I've been approached a couple of times while on my bike by guys asking me out and I'm squat(short and fat with stumpy legs). Go figure. By the way, congrats on those tires. It sounds like they helped to make your rides more fun and look good doing it.

Anyhoo...we are having an amazing spring day. Temps as high as 80°. I rode my bike to my vibrations class this evening. The legs felt a little sluggish from me being off my bike for about a week and a half (My body was telling me I was doing too much all at once than I just felt lazy for a couple of days ). No matter, it was still fun to be out. I must have looked sexy when I arrived because I got a couple of stares from my fellow yoga studio members. I was in uniform(something in between a Tae Kwon Do outfit and nurse's scrubs), helmet, mini backpack, sunglasses in a style that do not fit my face shape(but hey they fit my wide head and don't slip down my very low profile bridge), and reflective harness-looking thingy. Oh yeah, my long hair was plastered to my head. Can't forget that since that's probably the sexiest part of all. The vibrations class helped me release a lot of stress and aggression. Then an easy downhill ride home. Wee... !

Total miles = 7; Averaging 7 mph out and 21 mph back

Yeah, I know it's not much and I'm slow. But I'm cool like that. (Ha! Ha!)

[Kano]

Hey, now! One gal's flat ride is another's rollers, or hills, it is all in the eyes of the rider! Ready to take on the hill to Emmet with me yet?!?!?

Where's the hill to Emmet? I'll have a look and see if it's something I'm eager to torture myself with yet!

Sometimes, my eyes never DO see the hills my legs discover!

Karen in Boise

[aicabsolut]

Well my arm feels a lot better, but the rest of my body is a lot worse. And looks like the rear hub or axle is bent. Greeat. Bike in the shop for the foreseeable future. It is that busy time of year I guess. So much for my last race of the college season this weekend. That's what I get for trying to avoid rush hour traffic. Who thought pedestrians would be more dangerous than cars?

[Tater]

Where's the hill to Emmet? I'll have a look and see if it's something I'm eager to torture myself with yet!

Sometimes, my eyes never DO see the hills my legs discover!

Karen in Boise

Remember the SPIN Deep Canyon ride? Instead of turning off on Deep Canyon Dr., keep going on Hwy. 16. Lots of nice rollers!

[silver]

I don't normally post to the daily ride thread, but I have to brag.

A few months ago someone in one of the threads said to buy the tires that TE sells. They are racing tires, up to 165 PSI, with a color to match your bike. My bike is pink, so I ordered pink tires to match. My tires arrived yesterday. I took the bike and tires into the LBS because I needed a new air pump too and I had the LBS put in new tubes and install the tires.

Anyway, I did 42 miles yesterday so I was only going to do a few hills today, but there I was, with my pink bike with these awesome pink racing tires on it, and my bike looks just awesome. The LBS said I would be faster, because of the 165 PSI, versus the old tires were 110 PSI. I ended up doing 30 miles just from the joy of riding my bike on the new pink tires. Not only that the temp was in the mid-80s so I was wearing my pink Canari shorts and a sleeveless pink flower jersey. Oh yes, I was pimped out, because I was wearing my pink and white Oakley cycing glasses too, along with the pink and white helmet. The other roadies, their heads do swivel when I flash by on the other side of the road, and they all shout out, nod or wave.

When I was at the LBS, the UPS driver came in the door to deliver a bunch of Trek stuff, and he said, wow, those shorts look great on you. Well no, I am a middle-age over weight lady and spandex shorts only look good on the lean and trim, but still, it was nice to hear. Then he saw my pink bike with the pink tires leaning up against the counter and he really went wow, walked over to it, picked it up, and said it was one incredible bike. I said yep, best bike of my life. I swear, there is nothing better than someone saying what a great bike you have and they are totally envious. It isn't that they want my bike, but they wish they had the equivalent of my bike that suits them as perfectly as my bike suits me.

Darcy

this made me smile!!!!! I bet you looked great!!!!!!!! You have got to get a picture!!!!!



Aicabsolut *hugs* hope that you doing ok!

[Kano]

Remember the SPIN Deep Canyon ride? Instead of turning off on Deep Canyon Dr., keep going on Hwy. 16. Lots of nice rollers!

If I'm remembering the same road, and "toporouting" the same place you're talking about, I think I'm practicing a climb kind of like that -- except one mile long instead of four -- this year. Haven't tried "my" hill with the new bike yet, and I'm pretty sure I can't hope that it will make it possible for me to do it in one shot yet, but by the end of the summer I sure as heck will!

Or is 2-300 feet of gain easier over a longer distance?

Got another interesting climb to try again this year -- SPIN's "City Ride" at the end of June has a hill that I survived last year!

And, what's the deal with that Yellowstone ride in spring this year? And there's that Red Riding Hood thing too, to think about....

Karen in Boise