May 11 Rides

[Kalidurga]

Ouch, Janice! I would not want to ride on any stretch of E-W Highway.

I actually rode yesterday but I didn't see a thread for May 10th, so... I had an excess of spring fever yesterday, so I headed out towards Shepherdstown, WV, and got on the C&O Canal towpatch on the MD side of the river with the intention to ride as fast and long as I could. Headed downstream pedaling between 13-16mph, but soon realized that I didn't have the stamina to maintain that, especially since that stretch of the C&O has a lot of rocks and tree roots. So, I ended up pedaling hard but taking lots of "coasting breaks". When I got to Harper's Ferry, I hauled the bike up the steps and across the train bridge for a short "noodle" ride through the historic part of town. The view of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers from the train bridge was really fantastic. Ended up doing 25 miles with an average speed of 13.5mph. Not as fast or long as I would have liked but, overall, a good sweaty, dusty ride in freaking gorgeous spring weather

[RolliePollie]

I rode for about an hour tonight after work, but it was on a mower tractor, not the bike

I am a single woman living on 11 acres (long story)...WAY too much freaking yard/farm work! It frustrates me because I want to ride more often, but this property takes so much time...

Anyway, over the next two days, my goal is to ride 65 miles. I'm planning 20 miles tomorrow and 45 on Sunday. This will be a lot of mileage for me!

[teigyr]

Sara, I would love to hear your story sometime! Sounds fascinating and wow, a LOT of work for you!

[Crankin]

I did a 20 mile recovery ride, with my friend Janine. My legs and back felt shot from commuting 2 days this week in 85 degree temperatures on the way home. In fact, they were screaming on Wednesday when I rode about 6 round trip miles up to the North Bridge to introduce myself to SheFly at the time trial. I don't know why all my body parts are hurting so much this season, but today I am resting. Going out for Mother's day lunch with my son a day early (so we can do a long ride tomorrow) and then perhaps a canoe trip up the Concord River or to Walden Pond in the late PM. Anyway, my ride yesterday was very pleasant. Janine rides quite a bit slower than me, but we have a system of staying with each other that works (she zooms downhill and I pass her going up). I made myself stay behind her for the first 10 miles. Then we did a bigger climb where I passed her and waited at the top. We rode together until we got to a smaller 2 part hill about half a mile from my old house. This is a hill I know every curve on (Old Harvard Rd) and the last time I was there a couple of weeks ago, I felt really slow. So I decided to see if I was back to my regular speed here and I ended up pushing it up the hill at 11-12. I was thinking about that the first time my husband got me out riding on what is now my commuter bike, he had to actually put his hand on my back and push me up this hill! And I thought I was in shape from aerobics! Then I felt a pain in my right hip/back. I slowed and stopped a bit and then pushed it up on a flat section for about 2 miles. Janine and I rode together through some rush hour traffic in West Acton and then I took off and booked it back to her house, arriving about 5 minutes before she got back.
Going to go do my stretch and strengthen DVD... big hills tomorrow.

[Deja Vu]

Wow, Karen, congrats!

I, too, am working on a specific hill. I do a part of it every night I am out riding. I am easily up 3/4 of it now. I have actually been starting at the top, descending and turning back around, so I am going up the hill (without a great deal of momentum). I am just realizing this may not be the easiest way to do this; however, it is the order in which the hill appears in my ride. I am at the top of the hill when I first encounter it.

Congrats to all hill-conquering riders!

My DH and I we both out working on mostly skills on the 11th. I was on my road bike and on the pavement. He was taking advantage of all of the hilly trailed landscape in this area and was "fine tuning" various adjustments on his new MTB. We could do both of these things in the same area of our town. (We would be this diverse in our training, while still within one another's sight, if either of us needed assistance.)

So..mostly a skills night. A recovery ride and "skills" for me!

Sara, Sorry you were stuck mowing. That is a lot of mowing! Hopefully, that will also pay off somehow!

~Inner Peace~

[CycleChic06]

Rode my first longish ride of the year (not counting the 42 mile 5 boro tour from last weekend). Did 32 miles up to Concord. Felt great heading out there, got a bit tired coming back.

Saw some weird things:

1. Got sprayed with pesticide (yum)
2. Saw a guy on the bike path riding his bike with his dog in his backpack
3. Noticed for the first time that Buttricks Road is immediately followed by Balls Road. Coincidence? I think not.