July 6th Rides

[makbike]

Join five other club members for a challenging century today. The beginning and end both had some tough climbs and my legs were not very happy with me. I guess the fast century yesterday took a bit more out of me then I realized. We started slow and as the day progressed the pace did pick up some. I felt great on the flats and rollers but those darn steep climbs really zonked me. It was a beautiful route with plenty of shade which proved to be a very good thing on this hot, humid day. We had a very nice lunch in Carrollton and ate at the place that overlooked the Ohio River. In the end we logged 101 miles and I had a leisurely average speed of 15.5 mph.

Tomorrow is a recovery ride. I'll probably ride Tuesday and I must ride Thursday (I'm the ride captain). Then it is off to Indiana for RaIN. Legs don't fail me now!

[Mr. Bloom]

Then it is off to Indiana for RaIN. Legs don't fail me now!

Double AMEN to that. I had a terrible 13 miler today...hamstrings started hurting (never happened before this weekend).

[han-grrl]

I did an awesome technical trail ride today at camp fortune.

3 hours - sessioned a bunch of things. the trails were in good shape after all the rain, it was good to be back on the technical stuff...

[makbike]

Get those babies taken care of, Mr. Silver. Do you have a massage therapist you could see this week?

[Mr. Bloom]

Do you have a massage therapist you could see this week?

I think I see massage, chiropractics, and acupuncture in my week!

[KnottedYet]

Took SKnot's Kona Smoke (which I think is too small for him now, but fits me great!) for a 30 mile errand run to the LBS for assorted parts and tools and a sexy road rack for my Surly. (I'd borrowed the Smoke's rack for the last year or so, and it just doesn't fit right... but I was too cheap to buy a road bike rack until now!) Came home with a wide and unwieldy load, but the Smoke is such a workhorse that I really didn't have any trouble.

The Burke-Gilman MUT was an absolute madhouse. Bikes, walkers, dogs, kids, weekend warriors, the whole kit and kaboodle! Saw a dude with his helmet on backwards and tipped onto the very back of his skull. Saw a chickie with a beautiful shiny new Dutch bike. She was VERY upright on that critter and you could see her sticking up way above the crowd. She looked like a terrified giraffe.

Sunny and breezy and a great day for a ride.

(I think the Smoke is gonna be an Xtracycle someday. I was sorta testing her out for that today... fine and dandy!)

[Becky]

Rode at Middle Run with a couple of the boys from the shop. ~12 miles, and a bunch of wipe-outs ( I lost count , but I have awesome trail rash and briar scratches). It was sooooo humid, almost jungle-like, but the rain held off until we were on our way back to the cars.

Just when I think I'm doing really well with my mtbing, I go ride with the guys and get schooled! They're all really nice though, and wait for my slow, scaredy-cat self at the major junctions. I hope that I get better as I get used to this new bike...otherwise, I'm going to need new riding buddies

[7rider]

Did the shop ride today. It was sticky, very muggy, and threatening rain throughout much of it ("Is that rain?" "Nah. I think it's the trees sweating!").
I have to say, the C-ride is getting pretty darned fast.
Our paceline (such as it was) was cruising work side at about 22. Normally, we pace at about 19. And, I had my fastest pace up Old Angler's Hill - doubly surprising since I was sick last night - feeling pretty drained - and was the 3rd to the last up the hill. One of the guys in the group just got a new Trek Madone 5.2. He's still getting used to it - never rode a compact crank before - but good grief, he just sat and spun right up that hill!
And...a few of our C-regulars have made the jump to the B-group! If I'm feeling strong next week, I may try to make the jump myself. If the C-group is where B-riders go to "take the day off" - perhaps the B-group will be where C-riders go when they're feeling frisky!
31 miles at 17.8 mph.

[Blueberry]

She looked like a terrified giraffe.

Now *that* is a mental image that's worth a laugh Thanks

I think you should keep the Smoke - if SKnot isn't riding it, that is Bikes *like* to be ridden (least mine tell me they do...)

CA

[KnottedYet]

I think you should keep the Smoke - if SKnot isn't riding it, that is Bikes *like* to be ridden (least mine tell me they do...)

CA

Oh, I'm not letting go of this bike if he doesn't ride it anymore. Really a great utility bike, and with her gearing and sturdy steel frame, I just need to get her one of these some day www.xtracycle.com .

[han-grrl]

Burke - as in VT and mtb?

love it there!!

Took SKnot's Kona Smoke (which I think is too small for him now, but fits me great!) for a 30 mile errand run to the LBS for assorted parts and tools and a sexy road rack for my Surly. (I'd borrowed the Smoke's rack for the last year or so, and it just doesn't fit right... but I was too cheap to buy a road bike rack until now!) Came home with a wide and unwieldy load, but the Smoke is such a workhorse that I really didn't have any trouble.

The Burke-Gilman MUT was an absolute madhouse. Bikes, walkers, dogs, kids, weekend warriors, the whole kit and kaboodle! Saw a dude with his helmet on backwards and tipped onto the very back of his skull. Saw a chickie with a beautiful shiny new Dutch bike. She was VERY upright on that critter and you could see her sticking up way above the crowd. She looked like a terrified giraffe.

Sunny and breezy and a great day for a ride.

(I think the Smoke is gonna be an Xtracycle someday. I was sorta testing her out for that today... fine and dandy!)

[mudmucker]

I did one of my first real errands out my way on the bike today as opposed to a joy ride. I'm overhauling my mt bike and I needed a 14 mm socket with thin walls, to start taking the crank off. I have a 14, but the walls are too thick. I said I'll be darned if I'm gonna take the car out for an errand like that. So I biked over to Gardner to the nearest hardware store near me. I biked round-trip 28 miles to pick up one 14 mm socket. The socket did the trick though. The people in the store were totally amazed that I lived where I did and biked "as far" as I did to do this errand. They have no idea there is a whole biking world out there. I saved one gallon of gas.

I'm just recovery from a little tendonitis I had from pedals with too much float so I was a little hesitant going too far as I didn't want to re-injure. I couldn't bear not riding so I really babied myself. I just spun real easy and stayed in the small ring on any hills or inclines. My average was slow but I didn't care - protect those knees - I was rehab-ing. I have a new pedal setup. I just got some new first time road shoes - carbon. With Look Keo's. I love the platform pedal and I love the carbon shoes. It's all very comfortable and my feet feel very stable. Before they were slopping around too much. So far tonight ankles and knees feel good.

[LBTC]

PN - thanks for helping him out. I hope you're feeling better!

AA - You'll get it. A mountain biking guru once told me: you have to get smooth before your get fast.

MM - Congrats on your errand! What a great story!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Popoki_Nui]

PN - thanks for helping him out. I hope you're feeling better!......

Ya, I'm fine, thanks. I'm a tough old nut.

I just spoke to the man I "helped". He's home resting. The docs did an MRI and ECG, but couldn't really find an obvious cause. Heat and dehydration played a part, but they're also referring him to a neurologist because they think he may even have had a little TIA as well. Sure glad he went to the hospital.