3 BIG rides 9 days apart.... possible?

[Pedal Wench]

AA- Riding in the rain- I'm so IMPRESSED! IF you can do that, anything in Colorado should be a snap! (Did you hear that Snapdragon? ) I've ridden heavy rain, but never STARTED OUT in rain. Maybe the Tiara should be passed on.....

From the Goddess? Now I'M impressed! I couldn't take your tiara (especially until we hear how the others did this weekend) but I WAS a princess - all my life, that's what everyone has told me! ("Was" because I think I might have lost it - between hiking and biking, my title has been questioned lately... )

[nuthatch]

Audio, any advice to pass on to other charity event riders who might be faced with rain? Is there any point to the rain gear when it's really coming down - do you wish you had bread sacks over your shoes - did you have head covering - did you wish you'd had goggles on?

Signed,
Nut - nervous charity rider - hatch

[Pedal Wench]

Nut-you'll be fine- hatch!

I saw both approaches - there were people at the start just wearing their jerseys, a few girls in sleeveless jerseys, and one in a strappy tank. It was raining so hard that I was soaked through by the time I got suited up and walked from my car to the start line, so I know they were soaked too. The two girls in sleeveless jerseys (matching, with matching PINK shorts, by the way, who both admired my PINK helmet and bike!) seemed fine later on. I would have been too cold. I found that if I stopped at the rest stops for too long, I started to get chilled, even though it wasn't very cold. I wasn't sure if I would have been better off without my wet (soaked through) water-resistant jacket. I was thinking that booties might have helped, but the amount of water dripping down my legs to my socks would have soaked everything through too. So, unless you have a way of securing things so that water can't get in at all, I think dealing with the squishiness in your shoes is inevitable.

Two observations - many, many people pinned their ride numbers to their jackets. Their 'formally' waterproof jackets. Now they've got four pinholes in their waterproof jackets. What were they thinking??? My jacket was water-resistant, and it didn't work at all, but it kept in a little bit of warmth. It would have been fine in a shower. I doubt anything would have kept all the water out - it would have dripped under a jacket from my head. Maybe a hooded jacket under my helmet. I saw some guy with a jacket that had a really long flap that might have kept his shorts and saddle dry - if anyone knows of a jacket like that, let me know. The water dripping down my shorts, between me and my chamois was not a pleasant feeling.

Other observation - my seatpost bag is NOT waterproof. (Jannd brand) Everything inside was very, very soggy. So, keep whatever must stay dry in a ziploc.

Edit: re: sunglasses. I just bought a pair of Cygnus style sunglasses from Performance. THey have a bit of a wrap around design, and I'm thrilled with them. The wrap design kept rain from blowing into my eyes when I had to turn my head to look behind me - I'm sure other glasses would have let the rain blow in (when i was going downhill) They fit pretty close to the edge of my helmet, so that wasn't an issue. I wish I had a bike cap under my helmet though - I think the brim might have helped a bit to keep the rain off my face, but with the helmet and glasses, it wasn't bad.

[caligurl]

i'm here! sorry i didn't post over the weekend! but we didn't get back from victorville until 7ish (i HAD to go to tommy's since it was only 33 miles further on in barstow! )

then it was up again at 3:00 yesterday to get to julian!

first victorville/old route 66: it was a small ride... i had specifically asked if it was a mass start and they said yes cuz they take pics and stuff... well.. just as i'm coming out of the bathroom shortly before 7... a group took off! ACK! so the church that was doing this as a fund raising ride didn't get their mass start pics and i started out at the back (and i'm already slow...).. sooooo it was basically a solo century for me with planned sag stops! i tried to go the wrong way right off the bat.. hubby came after me in the car and got me on the right street! phew! wonder how much further out of the way i woulda gone! found out after he chased down some guy too.. that did the same thing!

it was HOT HOT HOT! i wore sunscreen and still got burnt! owie! apparently this century is progressing through the years (and maybe with the cooperation of the local bike club)... cuz the original write ups talk about one truck being sag with just power bars.. well.. they had tables this time with oranges, bananas, trail mix.. and at stops 2 & 3 the BESTEST sandwiches.. donated from the school.. pb&j on graham crackers... OMG! talk about GOOD!

the only bad thing for me about doing it "alone" is i don't push myself hard enough (plus i knew i still had another ride the next day) so my final ride/on the bike time was 6 hrs 7 minutes.

sunday got up and headed to julian... instead of using the freeways we went the shorter distance via backroads... roads we had never been on.... OMG... HOW PRETTY! we made great time in the morning.. even though they were 2 lanes and at points very twisty (hubby has already determined that the initial climb out of palm desert is his newest climb...) but i digress! we got there and hour early and i debated starting early (cuz i'm slow ) but i didn't... so when we took off from the park... almost everyone passed me! you see... i didn't expect an IMMEDIATE climb.. i thought there would be some flat for warm up.. nope.. and my legs that until that point felt fine... decided to let me know they were fatigued.... oh well... i would just do my ride! i climbed.. i went downhill (WHEE!) i climbed... downhill... all the way to the first rest stop at the bottom of mount laguna (the "star" climb of the day).... i found out i hadn't done that bad... i only came in about 10 minutes after another person we knew (BC.. that would be WD lol!) then i headed out for the 11 mile climb to the top of mt laguna.. GORGEOUS! i just set my pass and climbed... i even passed a couple of people! woo hoo! the wild flowers were so pretty.. and going slowly.. i had time to admire them! i made it to the top.. which meant only 20 miles left! yay! and mostly downhill! the descent was even prettier! there were just carpets of multicolored wild flowers... hubby took some pics and i hope they came out! (didn't d/l them off the camera yet)! i passed a few more people on the way back in... and enjoyed apple pie and ice cream when i got back to the park..... the event coordinator's wife was asking how i felt after yesterday.. and i said fine.. and someone else asked "so what are you going to do tomorrow... a double?" hubby said after he decided not to mention i had just done breathless agony last weekend!

and the answer to what i'm doing today? just a recovery ride.. unfortunately.. if the weather chick is correct.. it will be in strong winds that are expected this afternoon (it's gorgeous and still right now.. but alas.. i have to be at work!)

thanx for all the encouragement! heck... i'm gonna be disappointed if hubby is up to the big bear ride in a few weeks... i was kinda hoping to get to do it! lol!

p.s. bikegoddess: saturday was my fourth century this year too! actually.. my fourth ever.... in the 10.5 months i've been riding!

[caligurl]

[QUOTE=Audio-A]Was it wrong to let him go back alone? I feel a bit bad. His car was still at the parking lot, so I think he continued on the century route instead of taking the shorter 50 route home. (I feel GUILTY! HELP!!!) My organized 'group' ride ended up being me and some guy for 60 miles, and me, all by my lonesome for 44 miles.
QUOTE]

don't feel guilty! since it was an organized ride.. if he needed it.. SAG should have been available! and if he rode it.. i'm sure he's ridden alone before!

at my century saturday... i saw a few guys on the side and would just ask if they were ok.. they said yes.. and i peddled on... (the first one even caught up at the first rest stop!)

i've gotten used to riding centuries "by myself" even if they are organized! but it definitely is more fun with people!!!!!

[Pedal Wench]

Cali! Congrats on completing all your planned rides! And, very impressive times on that century! Mine was just at 7 hours (and 104 miles since I got lost quite a few times!) You did good!!!

Everyone is right - I had made no agreements to stick with that guy, so no problem. He had a spoke problem, so we had stopped earlier, but that was just for a minute. There was weather moving in, and I probably would have been rained on quite a bit more if I had gone back with him. Thanks y'all for making me feel better about it!

There were lots of people on the second ride with flats and other problems and everyone was always asking if they needed help - it was great to see. Thankfully, I didn't have a problem, because I left my frame pump on the bike I rode on Saturday, so I wasn't as prepared as I should have been on Sunday! (Ah, the problems of having too many bikes!!!!)

[Bike Goddess]

Audio A- The Bike Goddess doesn't have the tiara. You'll have to ask Sadie Kate who the current recipient of that award is! However, the Bike Goddess does wave her magic wand and send you many magic hugs for the next organized rides you do!


Caligurl- Great job! I'll be doing the same kind of riding next weekend, except the century I'm doing is flat and the next day is with TE!!!!

AND I haven't done Breathless Agony like you have! Are you on the Bike Journal? Lots of miles to put in for our team!!

[SadieKate]

Audio A- The Bike Goddess doesn't have the tiara. You'll have to ask Sadie Kate who the current recipient of that award is!

What did I do? I personally think no one needs to hand on their tiara. Once it is earned you get to keep it. There are more than enough for everyone to have one because a personal goal is a goal is a goal. For instance, V is now "Princess Zippy."

[Veronica]

I need to get that on a t-shirt. I sure wish my average climbing time was as easy to increase as my average descending time on Diablo.

V.

[caligurl]

Are you on the Bike Journal? Lots of miles to put in for our team!!

i am... but i was already affilitated with another club when i saw that TE had on i was going to join and just have my miles go to both clubs.. but they don't let you do that.. you have to chose one or the other

otherwise.... ya..... i'm .2 short of 2800 for the year! i think i will surpass my goal of 5000 for the year!

[CorsairMac]

what a sense of accomplishment you both should have now!

Audio: to ride in not just rain but Nasty rain....good on you! and all those other riders out there! Job well done!

Cali: wooooohooooo you did it! I know you were worried about it but now that's it done, oh man what a relief eh? Job well done hun....and you had fun doing it! So, why not just do the Big Bear anyway?? You and DH?

[caligurl]

unfortunately registration is sold out for big bear.... they limit it to 400 riders..... and it fills up rather quickly....

if he does ride it.. i'll do SAG like he's been doing for me.. taking a ton of pics and cheering him on.. otherwise.. he'll SAG me!

[Bike Goddess]

Ah...Multiple tiaras, eh? In that case 2 tiaras for our latest "did it all" ladies- (drumroll here.....) Miss Caligurl and...Miss Audio-A! . AND NOW a word from our sponsor...... TEAM ESTROGEN!...........

[wabisabi]

My bike helmet is off to you, sisters, what great accomplishments! In my opinion, there can never be too many tiaras.

Responding to the rainwear question--here in the land of rain--I have had success with the REI jacket; I forget the name, it is the yellow and grey one. The "tail" in the back actually is attached by velcro to the inside when not in use. It does a good job redirecting the water. There are also waterproof (well, supposedly) shoe covers. I haven't tried them, but hear they help, although water can splash up through your shoe clips.

[Pedal Wench]

I think I'll like being the Audio Princess - always knew I was, just waiting for the rest of the world to recognize it!

Off to REI to look at rain jackets - my biggest fear was that the water would really get between me and my shorts. I was completing expecting and accepting that I would get saddle sores, but not a one. But, that seems to be the biggest danger, and one to be prevented at all costs. (logging off to go to REI...)