August 4 rides

[mimitabby]

Day number 2 on new bike.
Rode to Office Pro to exchange funky camera for better camera. downhill.
Next i had to get to the drugstore to pick up prescriptions, this is on the other side of Beacon Hill in the Rainier Valley where I DO NOT want to drive today because of Seafair; an annual festival of cars, beer and noise (hydroplane races and airshow)
So I went over beacon hill and down again, too intimidated to take the steepest and most direct route; but comfortably went up Lucille and 15th ave and Angeline (a little surprise, i didnt know it was steep before; i've only ever done it in a car!!) then I coasted down the hill into Columbia city; which used to be known as Garlic Gulch because it used to be an italian neighborhood!

from there I went back up the hill (where I live after all) and as I crossed the main intersection, a lady in her car pushed out into the crosswalk where i had been waiting and where a lady was walking. Someone yelled at me "BE CAREFUL"
of course, i was being careful..

then I zig zagged on side streets and then up my own hill, noting that the 14% grade (very short ) on our switchbacks was easier with the gearing on the new bike.

14 miles.
Then a phone call.
UPS dropped a package off at a lady's house. my address is 8018. Her address; 9018. It was my SIDI's.. so i hopped back onto the bike and picked up my package!
2 more miles
who knows what else is in store for me today!

[RolliePollie]

Excellent 50.6 mile ride today with a great friend of mine on the American River Bike Trail in Sacramento. We rode to Old Sacramento, got some super yummy fruit smoothies, and headed back up river. It was hot on the way back from Old Sac, but not unbearable. The trail wasn't overly crowded and it's so pretty to ride right next to the river. Too bad we didn't bring our bathing suits! I was especially enjoying the FLAT terrain. It's been a while since I did a nice flat ride. Then when we were done, we went to Costco for lunch...can't beat $1.50 for a giant hot dog & soda!

[makbike]

Woke up early this morning to join the club for a ride. However, I did not know which ride I would complete - the 52 mile route or the century. I will admit I was very scared of the century given the area of southern Indiana it was going to cover and the terrain profile http://www.kybikerides.org/ridemaps/4452.htm. The profile made it look very difficult, IMO. Given the route was a figure 8 I knew at about the 40 mile mark I would have to make up my mind - head back to the car or continue. The first part of the ride was great but the group was moving slow for everyone feared the worse and did not want to go out like gang busters. At the 40 mile mark, given the very flat terrain we had covered, I decided to finish the century. It was a beautiful route and for the most part very flat or nice rollers that carried you along. After the lunch stop the temps seemed to sky rocket and I really felt the heat. I rode with a friend and she kept asking me "where are the hills?" I concluded they must be at the end and guess what, the last 20 miles or so were just that - lots of climbing. Even with this nasty combination at the end I had a good time albeit a very slow ride (averaged 15.4 mph). I really think I could have posted a much faster speed but like most in the group I worried about what was ahead and played it rather conservatively. Oh well, nothing lost here.

[Mr. Bloom]

So, I had a 9AM haircut appointment at the Mall 9.5 miles from our house.

I rode!

Familiar roads half the distance, but then busy highways with rocky shoulders, not good!!

Anyway, I made good time on the trek...only to have the consternation of a couple of mall employees get uptight when I insisted on taking my bike into the mall (there are no racks...and also no "no bikes" signs). I was prepared for the debate about why I couldn't have a bike in the mall when I was standing right next to cars from a local dealership...but they didn't push the issue against my insistence)

On the return trek, on the highway, I only had one "bubba" who wouldn't get over into the clear other lane and clipped by kind of close at 60mph in his 1974 Chevy Pick-up (License # 915975), but otherwise a good ride on a HOT day.

So, I saved 1 gallon of gas AND got my exercise.

[BikeDutchess]

Did an 80 mile club ride today. Tried to pace myself so I have enough energy to do another long ride tomorrow. Luckily I found someone to ride with who for the most part rode at my pace, a little slower on some stretches which was good so I wasn't tempted to hammer. Other than this annoying ongoing lower back pain thingie that I've had for the past week or so (I only feel it when I'm off the bike but the biking does seem to aggravate it) I felt good at the end. We'll see how tomorrow goes!

[Blueberry]

14 miles.
Then a phone call.
UPS dropped a package off at a lady's house. my address is 8018. Her address; 9018. It was my SIDI's.. so i hopped back onto the bike and picked up my package!
2 more miles
who knows what else is in store for me today!

No riding for me yesterday (or today) - it really sucks working all week and the weekends too. But, my red sidis arrived yesterday too!! Haven't set them up yet, but I LOVE them!!

CA

[Duck on Wheels]

No ride for me today, but my hamstrings and back are really feeling what I did do -- 5 hours of berry picking yielded a gallon+ of wild blueberries and a half gallon of wild raspberries. Now I have to clean 'em, pick out leaves, twigs, little crawly things, pack some for the freezer and cook or stir up others with sugar. UK has requested waffles with fresh blueberry sauce for her birthday evening tea when she gets here at nearly midnight Tuesday.

[ShubieGA]

I got in a 31 mile ride yesterday - the body said no to going further. Starting at 10:30 on a 95 degree day in the south was not smart! We weren't fast, but we got there! Drank over 90 oz of fluids, before a rest break. Must have really been sweating the fluids out!

[Hub]

I got up at 5 to drive to Central Arkansas (190 miles) to meet Pscyclepath & ride the river trail & the big dam bridge. First serious ride since my husband's leukemia diagnosis- (he is officially in remission as of friday) starting at 10:30.
rode 20 miles in NLR with pscyclepath- saw Elvis- (Dead Elvis was calling me toward the light before we got back to the truck).
It was so hot that a cough drop in my jersey pocket melted.- I have created a new mentholated polyester.

Note to self- no more mid-day bicycle riding in months with U in them.

[short cut sally]

I got out a little later than planned. I had to adjust the tension on my new road pedals so it took a little longer than I planned. Went out and did my hills, and i thought, I really don't want to do about 3 miles of grindy, big, long graded hills. So I reached a point of half way, and back tracked to home. Not thinking how bad the hills were that I just came down.. I think I will take the 3 miles of gindy long hills anyday. Whew.