September 6 rides

[Brandy]

51 miles and 9,120 ft of climbing. That was two ascents of Baldy Rd, all the way to the ski lifts.

http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/mount_baldy_road.htm



This was my last big climbing ride before Everest Challenge. My first time up was great, I was actually able to maintain decent power and came in with a great time. At the beginning of the second climb I started chatting with a guy in a Triple Crown jersey and at some point he asks me "do you know George Vargas?"...I said, "yes, he's my boyfriend...lol." I swear I can be pretty much anywhere and run into someone who knows him. He gets around.

I stopped to talk to him (Bruce) and up rolls Jana (fredwina)!! It was nice to finally meet you after all this time on TE together.

They rolled on and I continued on my climb, which was by now, BLAZING HOT! I refilled bottles at the post office/fire station drinking fountain, and soaked myself with water for the climb up to the lifts. Four firemen stood watching me, so I had to explain that I was creating my own micro-climate...ala Floyd Landis...lol. The climb to the lifts went well again, though I came in nine minutes slower. I slowed to try to encourage a guy who was cramping and rode with him for a little bit. He was about to stop again and I told him to hang on until we hit the shade. I realized then that he had two small EMPTY bottles. I gave him one of mine and a few Accel Gels and told him I had to be on my way, but that I knew he could do it. He only had another 300ish ft of climbing to the top. As I was descending, he was on his final stretch (and had found his friend who was now climbing with him) and I cheered him on. Hopefully he was able to make it back okay as he had come across the ridge.

I was hoping to hit 50 mph on the descent, as I had hit 47 on the previous descent. The wind had other ideas though and slowed me down. Darn it!

[Susan126]

Just copied my report from my blog:

I went for a bike ride around 1:30 this afternoon. The day was beautiful. Clear skies, sunshine, and very windy. Rainer was out and he was looking mighty fine. I set a casual pace because tomorrow Joe and I are riding in the annual Headwater Century Bike Ride. Today I just wanted to get out and stretch my legs, get some fresh air, and enjoy the beautiful late summer early autumn day. It did not disappoint me.



I rode the Orting Trail. It's a beautiful trail with a lot of trees on either side of it. It was also very busy. I guess I wasn't the only one who was out enjoying the day. There were moms and dads with their kids. People on roller blades and skateboards. There were walkers and hikers and of course a ton of bicyclists.







There were also a lot of people fishing on this fine day. As I rode by the Carbon River I saw dozens of men, women, and kids with poles in their hands. The king salmon run had begun and people were out casting their lines in hope of catching the big one. The Carbon River is very silty from the glacier run off from Mt. Rainier. It is also very cold! I stopped and watched for a while and then continued on with my ride.



I got a good 29.77 miles in and finished around 4:00 PM. It was a good day and a good ride, I hope there will be more rides just like this one. I'm ready for tomorrow's ride. Check back for a report on it. Tomorrow is supposed to be as gorgeous as today.

[DebTX]

Aggie - thanks for the hangover cure. So far, so good. But DH woke up with a cold, so no ride this morning (I'm kinda grateful, I'm not sure I'd be doing much)

Brandy - OMG, when I read that you did that climb twice I was awed. I complain about being slow on my small climbs (a 6% incline is still hell for me.) You are my hero.

Susan - your photos are beautiful. I love to look at Mt Ranier and the only thing better than looking at it for me, is flying out of SEATAC and getting a view from the air. I lived there for 18 months and the pacific NW is one of my favorite places in the country. It was there that I discovered what real salmon is. The stuff we all eat in the rest of the country is a bad imitation. You guys get the real stuff -and once I tasted it, I was spoiled for life.

[Brandy]

Brandy - OMG, when I read that you did that climb twice I was awed. I complain about being slow on my small climbs (a 6% incline is still hell for me.) You are my hero.

Thank you Deb. I just love to climb. Scratch that. I love to suffer. Truly, it's an illness. I don't know why I do some of the things that I do. Okay, that's a lie. When you live with someone that does things that are out of your reach, you're always chasing them. I'll blame it on George.

Oh...and I couldn't do it without the help of DJ Tiesto. In Search of Sunrise 4 has been my climbing companion all summer. GREAT MUSIC!

[Kvixen23]

I did it!!!! I rode my first Century!!! It was the Oklahoma DAM J.A.M. the same one that BabyBlueNTulsa did (with the hill ). I had to walk up the last .20 miles .....It was at mile 81 and I just couldn't hold my bike up going less than 3 mph

It was a beautiful ride. Even though it rained on us for 40 miles it didn't deter us. Once the sun came out it was gorgeous. My friend and I finished in 9 hours (I know, impressive right ) with 7 h 36 m in the saddle. I had a flat at mile 50 but other than that it was a wonderful ride.

I'm so happy that I was able to do a century. As some of you know I was unable to do HHH due to ankle tendonitis. My ankle is fine today. A little swollen but nothing worth writing home about.

I can't wait to do my next century!!!!!

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Krista - don't beat yourself up at all for having to walk that. I saw men walking it who hadn't been on the century route. You did nearly DOUBLE the climbing that I did with "only" 30 extra miles. Awesome awesome job, girlie!! Glad your ankle had healed up! This certainly would have 'broken' an insufficiently-healed one.

You should be EXTRA proud of completing your first century right here in Oklahoma. Those Texans don't know what they're missing at Hotter-n-H*ll. Yeah, they have the heat...but I'm betting you did about 6,000 more feet of climbing...ANDDDD they don't have NEAR the views.

HUGS GF..and CONGRATULATIONS!!
Susan

P.S. Its your turn to tune ME into a century in YOUR neck of the woods. Okie dokie?

I did it!!!! I rode my first Century!!! It was the Oklahoma DAM J.A.M. the same one that BabyBlueNTulsa did (with the hill ). I had to walk up the last .20 miles .....It was at mile 81 and I just couldn't hold my bike up going less than 3 mph

It was a beautiful ride. Even though it rained on us for 40 miles it didn't deter us. Once the sun came out it was gorgeous. My friend and I finished in 9 hours (I know, impressive right ) with 7 h 36 m in the saddle. I had a flat at mile 50 but other than that it was a wonderful ride.

I'm so happy that I was able to do a century. As some of you know I was unable to do HHH due to ankle tendonitis. My ankle is fine today. A little swollen but nothing worth writing home about.

I can't wait to do my next century!!!!!

[ridenread]

KVIXEN Congratulations on your first century

Susan126 Beautiful pictures

[spindizzy]

I realized then that he had two small EMPTY bottles. I gave him one of mine and a few Accel Gels and told him I had to be on my way, but that I knew he could do it. He only had another 300ish ft of climbing to the top.

Woa!! Fantastic work on your ride.
You are a very thoughtful, observant and generous rider. And you put him on the path of positive thought, which is sometimes all one needs to reach a goal. I'm glad he wasn't too "put off" by your actions to not accept your generosity.

[Zen]

Susan, those are beautiful photos. I love hearing about those kind of rides where people are truly appreciating the day.

[Susan126]

Thanks Zen . . . I so appreciate and enjoy days and rides like the one I had yesterday . . . and TODAY. I feel those days are extra special! The memory of these days will bring a smile to my face when I am sitting at work on a rainy, gloomy, cloudy winter day all stressed and depressed. I save the memory of these wonderful days so that when I need them they are there to cheer me up!

And DebTX . . . how true! The salmon is delicious here! I just love it! I fell in love with this area when I moved here in 97. The mountain, the ocean, the hiking, and biking! There is one thing I haven’t gotten used to yet . . . the RAIN and cloudiness during the winter months. But I just take a trip over to the east side whenever I need a sunshine fix during winter.