august 23 rides

[fastdogs]

I rode the furthest I've ever gone. I met up with some people for an "AARP" ride at the st. charles trailhead of the Katy trail. There were three other riders, all men, probably all older than me since I just turned 50. I was the only one on a hybrid- one guy had a surly long haul trucker and the other two road bikes.
We went 26.14 miles- previously the longest I'd ridden was 16 miles. 2.5 of this was around the parking lot waiting for the others to get there. I felt like we were really going fast- they would have gone slower for me, but I never want to be the one slowing everyone down, so when they say "is this speed fine" I say yes. I'm sure they were going slower than normal anyway- my gps said the average speed was 10.7, max speed 27.9, but I didn't turn it off when we stopped at the turnaround, or when we rode slowly so one of the guys could get photos of us. There was one little downhill at a road crossing, maybe that's where the 27.9 came from, I'm not sure.
My saddle has got to go. I had bike "underwear" under some lycra jogging shorts, and had my period so had a small pad because this is a heavy day (TMI, I know, but not sure if that added to the discomfort). My saddle is an "avenir comfy road" with a cutout. Am I going to have to break down and get a brooks or an an-atomica?? Which version of brooks should I try? I am a very heavy person, but have no idea what my sit bone measurement is. I have a terry liberator men's version on my mountain bike, should I try that on the hybrid?
On top of being very tired and soaked with sweat (t-shirt, 92 degrees and very humid), I had a lot of pain right in the middle of my back, between my shoulder blades and a stiff neck. I had on a hydration pack and tried to remember to drink as we were riding, but think I probably didn't eat enough before and drink enough during.
I know 20 miles isn't a big milestone for some, but it's very big for me. It was a very friendly and helpful group, but I'd like to try the katy trail again sometime by myself so I can just meander along at my usual speed and enjoy the scenery, it was a very nice trail and I really enjoyed it.
vickie

[7rider]

It was a beautiful morning here in Maryland.
DH and I met up with the group for the N2 ride. DH had a mechanical - the front derailleur cable snapped off and he was stuck in the little chainring for the whole ride. He still whooped my butt, but...oh well.
At the rest stop at Travillah, Kay met a guy who had a pet wallaby in a baby carrier slung over his belly. Gads, that thing was cute, but what a strange pet! Definitely a "chick magnet" however, as all the women gravitated towards him, as the guys just hung back (well, a few came over to see).
Later, we went to the LBS and Al fixed up DH's front cable (yay!). But, an hour at the shop after 40 miles of hard riding, left us good and hungry. We were heading home, in the car at a light, and I was having visions of the leftover pizza at home in the fridge waiting for me. (mmmmm.....pizza!!!) I have the window down, enjoying the unseasonably pleasant August weather, when I hear "HEY!" Someone calling MY name!!! I look over and who's there, but the one and only DivingBiker! There! On her Glorius. Waiting at the light! In downtown Silver Spring!
Hey, DB!!! <<waves hello!>> Light turns green. We go left. She goes straight.
Pretty cool day overall.

[DebTX]

But did my usual Saturday AM 20 mile hill ride and had an easier time on the hills this week. Maybe I'm actually building a teeny bit of strength?

My average speed for the ride is still slow, but I'm working on keeping my cadence over 80 (everywhere but the hills). For this newbie, it's a lot of work. I can't wait until a cadence of 90 is simply the norm! Love that so many of you bring cameras and post photos!

[andtckrtoo]

It was a gorgeous day here in the Bay Area, too. It started off foggy (what's new?), so I had on a light jacket, but warmed up quickly enough (jacket got stuffed into jersey pocket). I did Hwy 9 up through the Santa Cruz mountains (11 miles basically straight UP!), then rode the rolling hills on Skyline Blvd, then went down PageMill and then to Moody and finally to Foothill (the flat section - YEAH!!!!). I have not be doing real climbs, and this one - 3000 feet in 37 miles, was tough on me, but I did it, and I'm so darned happy. Lovely ride through the redwoods.

An interesting note - I'm a recoving runner, and former cyclist (DH runs, doesn't bike much, so we have been running and hiking mainly, but I got a new bike and rediscovered my true love). I burned more calories on this 37 mile ride than I did when I ran my 2 half marathons. And, I consider this a training ride!!!! I hope to do the 52 mile loop next weekend. Do y'all eat more on long ride days? How do you account for the calories burned on log ride days? (this also could be why I dropped 5 pounds without even really trying - I can only run so far, but put me on a bike and I like to go).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Rode a short 11 mile test ride on my Rivendell today, the first time I've ridden it since I got my custom Luna in April. Now it's really obvious to me that the Luna fits me better- my weight felt unbalanced today, and I suddenly had way too much weight again on my hands, just as I had remembered. No wonder I used to have elbow pain. But it was good to remind myself how to work my bar end shifters.

A funny thing happened. My ride went fine (except for yet another annoying dog scaring the life out of me), and I put my bike in the garage. As I was putting my helmet away I heard a PSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssss....... sound. It was coming from my front tire and the tire was now suddenly flat. All by itself just standing there! I hadn't done anything to the tire since pumping it up before my ride.
Turns out the tube rubber had begun to separate from the valve stem- but it waited until 30 seconds after I got home to suddenly just go flat. Now how considerate is that of it!?? I thanked the nice old tube when I changed it out for a new one. Oooooh...and I changed the tube just using my hands today- look Ma, no levers!

[Zen]

It was a beautiful morning here in Maryland.

Morning was cloudish here but cleared up nicely by the time I met up with Withm for a short ride on the Western Maryland Rail Trail
Only 30 minutes away from my house and a respite from her driving from Delaware to Michigan.
From Fort Frederick to C&O Cycles in Hancock, an easy twenty.


I liked this bike! It had a canopy, a basket, and the biggest bell I've ever seen.
Withm did not share my enthusiasm.


I saw a small unidentified snake and we encountered an old, limping overweight black lab. No tags but this was probably his usual route as there were houses nearby.

[divingbiker]

I have the window down, enjoying the unseasonably pleasant August weather, when I hear "HEY!" Someone calling MY name!!! I look over and who's there, but the one and only DivingBiker! There! On her Glorius. Waiting at the light! In downtown Silver Spring!
Hey, DB!!! <<waves hello!>> Light turns green. We go left. She goes straight.

Yeah, that was funny. But who could it have been in a black SUV with two kayak racks on the roof and two Sevens on the bike rack, but 7rider and her DH???

I rode a whopping 6 miles roundtrip, to the gym for water aerobics, swimming and weightlifting, then a stop at Whole Foods and on back home.

Zen, glad you and Withm got to do a ride.

[Jiffer]

Hey Fredwina! Cool pics! The front inch of my face is in the first group photo.

So, my friend and I did a mile and a half past Neely's Corner before the group ride. Musta not paced myself well enough because I was done for shortly into the group ride. But proud of myself that I did as well as I did. My fastest pace after a group ride yet and added Neely's first with 1000 feet of elevation for a total of 2,134 elevation and 48 miles. I have another 35 to go tomorrow for a combined "long" ride in training for Amtrak century in a couple of weeks.

[jaydee]

I just love looking at the photos from your rides - thankyou so much for posting them so frequently. I have just put my camera in my saddle bag for my next ride so that I can take some photos too.

[OakLeaf]

I did a "brick," sorta.

The local Y was having its annual bike tour and untimed 5K/one mile fun walk. Unfortunately it was very poorly publicized, and there were fewer than 40 cyclists and four (count 'em) runners, plus four or five walkers. This is the third year they've done this event, and each year it's gotten smaller. There was no publicity at all that I'm aware of besides a mailer sent to past participants. With all the corporate sponsors they collected, T-shirts, a barbecue lunch, they'd obviously planned originally for a much bigger crowd, but whoever was responsible for publicity really neglected the job.

With three hours "budgeted" between the mass start of the ride and the start of the run, I knew I wasn't going to be able to do the 60 mile loop. But even though I'd gotten a late start, 15 minutes behind the pack, the 32-mile loop (publicized as 37 miles and marked as 30, as in past years ) was too short. I wanted more miles, and definitely didn't want to be standing around too long between events. So I just rode for an hour and 20 minutes, which turned out to be 20 miles even, and turned around. Actually, without the warmup and water/restroom break, the return trip was quite a bit quicker. Plus I pushed the pace a little bit on the way back, just for fun.

I was back in plenty of time to change my shoes, scarf a gel and hang out at the start of the run. One of the other runners was an attorney whom I hadn't seen since I retired, so we chatted for a few minutes, and then we were off. It was a nice course around the community college campus - a mix of grass, gravel and asphalt, with just a little bit on the brand new sidewalk to inaugurate it. Unfortunately either we were supposed to do another lap of the parking lot, or the course was just short (I suspect the former), so I had only 2.71 miles, slow-slow (10:38 pace). But it was fun anyhow, especially since I rarely do a brick.

Then we all laid into lunch. I chatted some more with the other attorney, with a guy I used to know from way back when I was racing and hadn't seen since the Y event last year, with a woman who rides with my club on Saturdays and the friend she'd come with.

It was a beautiful day, we were back before it got too hot, and everyone had a good time. If they have this event next year, hopefully it will be better publicized... maybe I'll volunteer.

[Blueberry]

My saddle has got to go. I had bike "underwear" under some lycra jogging shorts, and had my period so had a small pad because this is a heavy day (TMI, I know, but not sure if that added to the discomfort). My saddle is an "avenir comfy road" with a cutout. Am I going to have to break down and get a brooks or an an-atomica?? Which version of brooks should I try? I am a very heavy person, but have no idea what my sit bone measurement is. I have a terry liberator men's version on my mountain bike, should I try that on the hybrid?\

Get thee to the Diva Cup thread. That will solve the "pad problem" and the associated discomfort. Seriously.

Does the liberator work well for you on the other bike? You could always try it - the geometry shouldn't be that different, so I would not be surprised if it works....

Good luck, and yes - that *is* quite an accomplishment!!

CA

[uforgot]

Congrats Fastdogs! You went over the 20 miles that was your original goal. Over 20 mph on the Katy Trail? Really? I don't think I've ever hit that. You guys were going pretty fast. As for the Terry Liberator, I found it really comfortable on the Katy, with padded shorts of course. I don't think I would ride a Brooks unless it was on paved roads. Maybe others have. Perhaps you could post the question on the Saddle/gear thread?

Hey, once again congrats. Now we can meet up on the ole Katy trail!

[fastdogs]

two of the guys I was riding with had brooks saddles.
as for the 27 mph, that HAD to be a downhill slope coming off one of the road crossings- my bike cannot go that fast without a downhill.
I'm ready to go back- but I'd like to start out a little closer to home (maybe washington trailhead) and take a more leisurely pace. I know, 10 mph is leisurely to some, but it was pushing it for me. I'd like to enjoy the scenery and maybe even stop to get a coffee or ice cream, or look at some shops.
vickie

[uforgot]

Every time I ride I think I'm going to stop at shops and there really isn't much. I did find a great bike shop in Defiance. He is one of the few bike shops on the Katy trail that has survived. It seems like everything is closed, but maybe they are open on Saturdays. Washington, (Dutzow) to Defiance is a good one. About 28 miles round trip. Wanna do it sometime?

[fastdogs]

definitely! That sounds perfect. Maybe one saturday, although I can't start out till my husband gets off work, like 10 or 11. Whenever you've got a day to try it (I could do it on a saturday too), let me know!
vickie