May 5 rides

[Aggie_Ama]

I did the 85.70 miles Great Austin to Shiner Pedal (Shiner GASP). In a little bit I will write a whole adventure story of it but let's just say it was awful. I didn't realize how little conditioning I had right now for a long ride. Their was never a flat section and almost constantly a headwind (the last 15-20 miles it was probably 15mph).

I hurt in places I didn't know I could hurt this morning, but I am proud I finished!

[HillSlugger]

I only did 17.5 miles today, but it was a great 17.5 miles. I rode the Iron Girl triathlon route and then did a 2.4 mile run (the Iron Girl route but without the challenging uphill section). Last time I did this brick I averaged 14.85 mph on the ride and then pretty much blew up on the run; I had to do the run with 3 walks because my knees were complaining too much (11.5 min/mile average). Today I rocked the ride at 16+mpg and did the run without walking, at just over a 10 min/mile average. I am so pleased with myself. Still, I can't help but wonder how much harder this will all be after a 1000m open water swim.

[chickwhorips]

i did the ride & roll for hope which the whole thing was 22 miles. i had a blast. it was my first event ride.

what was more important to me that my roommie and her boyfriend went and did 5 miles. first time on a bike in who knows how long. i am just so proud of them for getting out and doing it!

[Starfish]

Saturday was cold, gray and spitting a little rain, but the real rain held off until today, so yesterday I stayed dry!

Rode one of my favorite routes. It encompasses 3 river crossings (one on an old-fashioned one-lane bridge), one salt water beach, three lakes (one a huge glacial lake), and many mountain views. Lots of bald eagle sightings, and no cougars or bears! We have cougars around here, and when I am huffing up a hill through dense old growth forest at 4.5 mph sounding like a dying elk, I always wonder...

50 miles, 3430' climbing, and a stop at Granny's Cafe for a PB&J!

[Veronica]

That sounds like a great ride Starfish.

I saw such a sad thing yesterday - a smooshed bobcat. At least I think it was a bobcat. It seemed too big to be a housecat and the fur was spotted.

At one point in my ride, I looked over into a gully and saw a turkey.

V.

[annie]

My bike club hosted a Cinco de Mayo/Tailwind ride on May 5. We had an amazing ride this year. The wind was from the east at 20-30 mph with gusts up to 40. We headed west. A few hills at the start and then pretty darn flat roads. 21 riders and everyone made 100 miles. For some, it was their first century ever. Yay! For me, it was my second sub-5 hour century. And not even sore today. That wind was amazing! I was spinning out, out of gears, at over 30 miles mph at some points in the ride. That NEVER happens. What a day! Will probably never happen again, so we all savored this one time.

Annie

p.s. We had a bus to bring us home into that horrendous wind. I felt sorry for the bus! The gas mileage must have been horrendous.