June 8th Rides

[Crankin]

We got out on the road at about 7:30 AM, with no expectations, since it was already 72 degrees and 85% humidity. We headed south for once and rode through Concord Center, into Lincoln; one of the richest towns in MA, but somehow they don't believe in keeping their roads maintained. The pot holes are severe and dangerous! My husband has to ride some of these roads to commute to work and he constantly complains about it. They don't plow their roads much in the winter, either. We rode part of a route that we've done on club rides and then headed back to Concord Center. Again, there were millions (it seemed) of cyclists out. At 16 miles, we stopped and had breakfast... waffles, blueberries, and iced coffee. We sat on a bench and finished our coffees and talked to some other cyclists while we decided if we would go home (4 miles) or ride some more. I wanted to ride more, since I felt pretty good... two days in a row! So, we then went and did our usual after work loop. I ended up doing 29 miles, 15.1 average. When we got back, it had clouded over, but it's really oppressive out there. The air quality is supposed to be dangerous for the next two days. I'm taking tomorrow off, but will probably go out and ride at 5 AM on Tuesday.
It's supposed to be 95 for the next two days and I am not looking forward to being in my non-air conditioned classroom. I guess I spent too many years in a climate controlled environment in AZ.

[Mr. Bloom]

Silver and I did the Owensboro Tri course a couple times (30 miles), the came back and did the Evansville Tri Course 1.5 times. Total 60.78 miles.

The wind from the south was 17.8 mph according to weather.com. Ugh!

Near the end, Silver says: "we're too close to not make it a metric".

I said: "I'm not going to do it"

Once I saw the car/finish line, I was ready to go home!

[mimitabby]

I didn't feel well today headache, congestion; allergies?
didn't feel like doing anything but had a meeting this afternoon on capital hill. yes i said hill.
Rode there and back 14 miles up and down two good hills, capital hill and of course beacon hill.

Still feel crummy but had a great ride

[Kano]

It started out as a ride down to the nail salon and a coffee shop -- then home. Would have been 15-18 miles.

DH rode down with me. He was going to meet a buddy at the coffee shop and hang out waiting for me to join them for the ride back home.

Confusion about the "appointment" had me detouring to the coffee shop first, while younger daughter got her nails done, then back to the salon, where my older daughter did my nails -- they're VERY pretty! (salon owner prefers she does family on her off days)

While I was at the salon, DH stopped by with Mark, to see how long I would be yet (another half hour minimum, daughter told him, but she practices new techniques on me, so I knew it would be more like another hour) He and Mark left, heading home. Mark took DH on his "new" route, which stretched the ride for DH a bit.

Daughter and I talked about what other route could I take home than the reverse of my ride down into town. Picked out a fun one, that I was considering -- it was chilly this morning, and I kinda wanted to just get home, in out of the cold! (a little of the heat some of you are struggling with would be kinda welcome here!) DH called to see if I was headed home yet. He wasn't home himself, but he was concerned that I was going to be riding alone. For some reason, he's convinced I can't ride safely on my own in traffic. I'm going to crash, he says. You would think I was prone to tipping over or something! Or maybe idiotic maneuvers in traffic?

Daughter told him I was considering an alternate route -- and told him what we had talked about. (I was in a "can't touch anything state) He said oh no she CAN'T DO THAT! Which was, of course, a challenge to do it!

So, my ride was an extra twelve miles today, for a total of 32.6. From downtown, I rode out to the edge of town, and then under the freeway to the desert road that runs behind the airport. Less traffic than DH thought I'd have to deal with (the only scary part was passing by the freeway on-ramp area and under the bridge where the road was narrow) He was also pretty sure that I wasn't going to have any road shoulders, but they were close to an entire lane wide, making for PLENTY of room to ride! I think it's actually a pretty popular route.

It was pretty today, since it's still cool and wet here, so the desert plants are all still green. Not much wildlife -- a few birds, and a few chipmunks or chipmunk like critters. One of the chipmunks was standing on top of his little hillock looking like a meerkat. One dead jackrabbit. Poor guy got decapitated! Some cows and horses too --

DH said to call him if I wanted a ride. I did call at one point, to let him know where I was -- He answered the phone with "are you ready for me to come get you?" (Silly DH!)

Karen in Boise

[Susan126]

Joe and I did a 63.5 mile ride on Sunday! It was cloudy and cool, about 51 degrees when we started. But when we finished around 3:30 the sun was shining through and the clouds were breaking up! It was 61 when we finished. Actually it was a great ride! And to think we almost didn't go because we thought it would rain! The clouds yesterday were all talk and no action! Thank goodness!

[short cut sally]

I took Sunday off of work to do the Tour de Cure ride. The weather here has been horribly hot, mid 90's and the wind has been awful, not a breeze, wind! Once we got registered the staff encouraged everyone who was doing the 100 miler to get out before the official starting time. So we left at 715am. Rest stops were great, like every 10 miles or so. After mile 70 I started dragging hard, and I mean hard. I contemplated stopping and quitting at every rest stop and taking the air conditioned sweeper vehicle back. At the last stop, with only 7 more miles to go, I had had enough. I called it quits..I know..I just couldn't do it anymore. I fought wind all day, I had goosebumps and nausea from like mile 55. ( Kathy's temp on her bike read 98 all day long) I went to load my bike, and my bike rolled hard. Somewheres along the line, at one of the stops, I must have hit my brake calipers when I laid my bike down and I was riding with my front brake on. It was either at the 50 or 70 milestone that had to have happened. I got it fixed and the guys at the stop are like don't you want to finish now on your own?...uh...no!. So my 92 mile ride felt like 150 for me by the time I was done. And my riding partner finished at 4, and I came in on the sweeper vehicle at 4. They had closed down the meal tent and they were leaving as we went to go get our meal..no steak for us. In fact, all we got to eat, after eating candybars, bananas, apples, oranges all day were chocolate chip cookies. We were so dissappointed in not getting a meal. There was at least 10 other riders that finished the 100 at the same time. so they got cookies too.. I was looking forward to a real meal. Maybe next year I can finish in time for a real meal.

[HillSlugger]

Shelly,

I'm sorry that you were not able to finish your ride. Which TdC did you do? I did the one out of Stillwater, NY. We had similar weather but I managed to finish their metric century.

Thank you for riding for the ADA!

Nicole

[short cut sally]

Nicole, I did the ride out of Rochester. I think last year you and I did the tour at the same time but different locations if I remember right. I think we corresponded back and forth about it. It was brutal. The rest stops were great and it was so well run and organized. With the exception of not getting a meal when we finished. All the staff/volunteers were great..I can't say enough about how well it is run. Of course, it is for a good cause regardless. Good job on your metric century.