July 29 rides

[Crankin]

Hi Tygab,

What other towns did you ride in, besides Harvard? Can you believe that I did the ride up to the Fruitlands on one of my very first road bike rides? I used to live very close to there and I have lots of good routes in Harvard and Bolton which in some places make you feel like you are in Vermont.
Good luck next weekend and maybe then we can ride!
Robyn

[Alex]

40-something miles in Park City. Lots of nice climbing and some screaming downhills. Our reward for climbing up to the Utah Olympic Park was being able to watch the aerialists practice. It's quite something to see them land in a pool instead of on the snow!

Alex

[enzed]

Yesterday, was a sunny winters day & I had a group ride planned.
Leaving the house at around 6.15am, I enjoyed a quiet ride into the city, using all the main roads (since there was hardly any traffic). I even had time for a drink at a bakery.
- total 18Km.

Starting at 8am, I joined a group ride , exploring the shared pathways, bays & quiet roads around Sydney. There were only 3 of us. Me, Geoff (the ride leader) & a newbie. She had just got a roadbike & hadn't ridden since she was a kid. Along the ride, Geoff taught her the tricks of riding a roadbike (a Trek 1400) & she only fell once. with a bit of practise, I think she will become a proper "roadie". We must have rode approx. 60Km together.

The ride finished reasonably early, so I decided to ride back home.
I detoured via Manly beach. There's a little bit of a hill climb there, which takes you to North Head. Up there, are some of the best views of Sydney harbour. There were heaps of people at the lookouts, enjoying the blue skies.

I reckon, I rode approx. 105Km on Sunday. If I continue riding with geoff's Sunday ride, I might try for another 100Km next Sunday.

Happy riding

[cosc]

My DH and I got out for a 23 mile ride. I planned on going south so we wouldn't be facing the sun coming back, but I was horrified to find the road had fresh chip and seal. That effectively just leaves me 2 ways to ride with one being only 12 miles. There isn't many road in the area and most of them have a fresh coat of chip and seal. The sunflowers were in full bloom and gorgeous. My last ride on this road I saw a badger meandering across the road. Sightings of badgers are uncommon. DH said his Dad had run over a badger with a tractor and the animal just crawled away. Wish I as that tough.

[Kano]

Yesterday made my 40th ride of the season -- last year, I had 43 rides for the whole year. This is a good thing! Shorter rides, though -- I'm not up to the mileage I did last year in 43 rides by a long shot! Oh well, riding is riding, even when it's short!

We did some new-to-us stretches along a favorite route yesterday, lengthening it by about ten miles, and a few more wicked hills. We have a hill on this loop that challenges us big time - it's about 275 foot climb in a mile. seems little compared to what I read about some of our "big kids" doing here, but for us... I slogged my way up in the granny gear, doing the "I know I can I know I can" all the way, while DH went up and came back to find me and up again (the show off!).

That's followed by a down-up on a nice straight stretch that's an absolute blast to fly down and then struggle back up -- about 200ft down, then back up same all in about a quarter mile. The next one, we usually turn off half way down, and take a nice mostly a tad-bit downhill three and a half miles. At the top of it, I managed to get DH to stop. What's the matter? Nothing, I want to ask you a question, and you won't hear me.... Wanna go farther out? He had to think long and hard. (dunno why!) Finally, he agreed that yes, we should go out to the next "real" road.

When we got there, he wondered, should we go see how far this road goes? Sure, why not? We went on, enjoying having a nice, paved two lane to ourselves on a lovely sunny morning. Came to a train track with a train coming from the west, so we scurried across (the one I saw was coming from the east!) and found less lovely pavement, so the ride wasn't quite so smooth, but not intolerable. Anyway, I'm riding along, picking out the smoothest parts, and enjoying the desert scenery, when suddenly I realize: NO MORE PAVEMENT!

Oh crap! I thought. (it was a stronger word in my head) Next thought: Hey feet! out of the pedals! as I braked to a not quite screeching halt just before hitting the gravel and stopping less glamourously. I was a little bit disappointed, since the road had looked like it would just take us straight into the distance maybe all the way to Nevada, and I was feeling really good! Turning around and retracing our path took us into head winds, darn it...

Lots more practice in the drops yesterday, and lots more hill practice, pushing myself in a bit higher gears too. I found some new muscles last night, where I hadn't noticed them in a LONG time. Mentioned this to DH, and he said, well you DID ride differently today...

It was a GOOD 33 miles!

Karen in Boise

[teigyr]

We slept in - it was my birthday and I wanted to sleep in more than anything in this world. By the time we got out on our bikes, it was close to noon

We ended up just riding on a bike trail; DH was unfamiliar with one of the local trails near work and I had to go there to pick up my car anyway. It started out nice and cool and pleasant until we discovered wind. This was a semi-headwind that appeared to go against us no matter what direction we turned. My legs didn't hurt at all but the rest of my body sure did! We ended up doing 36 miles and really felt it at the end.

We then went home, got ready, and went to DH's parents house for a BBQ. The great thing was we were late and it was expected. I rush so much every other day of my life, it seems like, it was perfect when I said "I know, I have to hurry" when getting ready and DH said to take my time.

What I don't get is how wind so heinous can be a semi-headwind no matter what direction we go. And how this wind, that was beyond obnoxious on our bikes, didn't appear to exist when we were standing still after our ride. It makes no sense!

[tygab]

Hi Tygab,

What other towns did you ride in, besides Harvard? Can you believe that I did the ride up to the Fruitlands on one of my very first road bike rides? I used to live very close to there and I have lots of good routes in Harvard and Bolton which in some places make you feel like you are in Vermont.
Good luck next weekend and maybe then we can ride!
Robyn

I read that, and man you are one tough cookie to tackle these hills so early and on a hybrid!

Other towns were the usual suspects for us: Ayer, Groton, Dunstable, Pepperell, Hollis, less familiar ones: Boxboro, Acton, Littleton, Harvard...

definitely will be riding with you after we get over to the new house.