Saturday July 12th Rides

[mudmucker]

Did a solo (as I mostly do) 38 miles. I divide this particular route up in my head sometimes, as the first 14 miles are not as hilly as the latter part. So I have deemed this 14 miles, out to Winchendon, as my personal time trial course. Well, today I did this part at 16.1 mph! Not that this number will mean anything to anybody which is why I never state avg speed but I wanna say it today because it is an absolute personal best for me! I am totally psyched. This is alone in a headwind, no drafting and no group. I'm tellin' ya, I honestly think it's my new carbon shoes and new pedals- my stroke is more efficient and more rounded. I really don't think I'm any better of a cyclist than I have been. In fact just the other day I was lamenting that I'm not at the same condition that I was last time this year. I was having fit issues and I think I've also finally dialed it in. But this average also includes going through Baldwinville where I literally have to stand in the pedals for about 1.5 miles. The pavement is so heaved and riddled with potholes that I sit in the saddle for 8 seconds and then stand and coast through the bad pavement. I end up going through this section at about 10-11 mph - it's brutal - I feel like my teeth are going to rattle out of my head and that bike parts are going to fly out all over the road. If I try to go fast then I get really thrown around and my wheels really take a pounding.

Anyway, after 15 miles or so come the hills on the rest of the ride so I slowly saw the average go down, down. So I kicked it down a notch and sat back for a joyride for the rest of the mileage, through some 1.5 lane country roads, all snug in wooded areas away from the wind. It was a beautiful day.

[HillSlugger]

I did a 20 mile ride as prelude to a 5k run (good ride, poor run). About 12 miles into my ride I was stopped at a traffic light when I heard a call for help. On the other side of the road was a guy with a flat and no tube or repair tools. Of course, I offered to help. Turns out that he's a priest at the church that backs to my house. He offered to replace the tube and CO2 but I told him that he should pay it forward. He didn't really want to accept that. It doesn't sound like a priest thing, so, is it a guy thing? A guy can't be "saved" by a gal? He did take my name and was still saying that he may want to contact me to replace the stuff. Also mentioned that maybe we could ride together so that I can show him some of the good roads for biking. He grew up around here but has been gone for a while. Anyhoo, I figure I banked some bike karma today.