July 6th Rides

[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 .

[Blueberry]

Hee hee - I meant keep it from SKnot Yep - we're on the same page

I'm drooling at an Xtra one day, but we have 9 bikes in a very small house at the moment (one of which is a tandem...). Methinks there really isn't room for one more

[LBTC]

Wow, after sleeping in late, lounging on the couches to watch (and sleep through) TdF coverage, we finally got out for our ride at 3:00 or so.. It was fantastic! I didn't leave my big ring at all, even on the big hills! I'm so happy!! And I don't think it hurt any more than the

Here's the ride spec from today:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6182567

The same ride not long ago, using the small ring frequently:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6182568

I've spent more time socializing, relaxing and drinking in the last two weeks, than maybe ever before, and my riding, even though it is less frequent, is getting faster! yippeee!!

It's true! It doesn't hurt any less, you just get faster (because you're doing it in a bigger ring!!)

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Crankin]

Did a quick 15.5 mile ride before heading off to Fitchburg to see the criterium at Fitchburg. It was humid and I felt like crap for the first half. I stopped at Kimballs to refill my water bottle and the bubbler wasn't working. But luckily, they were already serving up ice cream at 11 AM, so I told the guy and he turned it on. I had already drank about 15 oz. of the 20 oz. bottle. Felt a bit better as I rounded the Carlisle rotary and passed 2 other riders. When I got back to my neighborhood, my average was 16.1, but after going up the hill, was 15.6.
The race was awesome. Richard didn't get on the podium this year, but it was so great having a real person to yell for (one that is like part of my family). He also had arranged for one of his friends from Germany to do the race with a local amateur team. He was out in front for a good part of the race, but he faded fast. After the race we said goodbye to him for another couple of weeks and then went to dinner at our friend's house.
A good day.

[Popoki_Nui]

Figured I better ride again today before I lose it completely, so I headed out for an easy ramble on the Lochside trail. It was packed with all sorts of creatures...cyclists, walkers, dogs, kids, horsies...the lot. Started feeling a little woozy around 20km in so I headed back to town. Stopped in at a farm market to top up on water and sat down next to a very fit nice old guy also topping up and having a rest.
Then he suddenly says; Ï don't feel very good". "He ws shaky, chilled, confused, and was having trouble focusing. Heat stroke? Dehydration? It was only 23C but very muggy.....can you get heat stroke in such moderate conditions?
He flatly refused me calling an ambulance, but I did get him to call some friends to come pick him up. Meanwhile I got some cold Gatorade and water into him, sat with him until they came, and got them to take him to a nearby regional hospital. Hope he's ok. I got his name, phone # and email, so maybe I'll check on him later today or tomorrow.
Funny thing is, 20km later back at my van, *I* started feeling the same way. I know I drank enough, but I swear I was on the cusp of heat exhaustion or heat stroke too. But it just wasn't that hot a day. Strange.

[Aggie_Ama]

Did about 3 miles of fire trail/single track. I am completely beginner at mountain but really want to do it. DH just picked up a new mountain bike today and I know he loves it more than road. If I ever get over my fear of broken bones I might just like it. We also went yesterday, I am learning but really timid. It will never be my first choice I fear.

[han-grrl]

Baby steps!

fire road is actually a great place to start...

Did about 3 miles of fire trail/single track. I am completely beginner at mountain but really want to do it. DH just picked up a new mountain bike today and I know he loves it more than road. If I ever get over my fear of broken bones I might just like it. We also went yesterday, I am learning but really timid. It will never be my first choice I fear.

[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!)