august 23 rides

[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