Sept.10/Wednesday rides

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, my husband and I saw the rainy weekend forecast coming up, so we decided to take today off to ride while we could, and then work during the weekend when it was raining.
We rode From our town (in NY) into Great Barrington MA for lunch and then back again- a 53 mile hilly round trip.
The weather was perfect!- high 60's and mostly sunny, light breeze.

Had crepes with apple filling and latte in Great Barrington for lunch, then headed home again to New York. Over lunch, I commented that the crepes reminded me of our trip to Quebec 3 years ago, and that we should pretend we were in Quebec today.
Strangely enough, 30 minutes later we met another cyclist on the road- he was packing huge bike bags and panniers....turns out he was biking from Montreal, Quebec (!!) to NYC and back, and we stopped to talk with him. He had a French accent, and had just come from VT and was going through MA headed to NY state as well. We felt rather humbled by his journey. I can't even imagine hauling that huge load of gear through the mountains of Vermont.

A bit later on our ride home, we were grinding our way up a very long hill in granny gear, when a friend from our home town passed us in his pickup truck and pulled over to tell us how much he admired our determination. We chatted there on the side of the road for a while, then he drove off. I had a heck of a time getting started up again on the steep incline, even after upshifting a couple of gears- had to try 3 times before I got a successful start going. Gotta love those mid-climb stops.
Didn't see many other bikers today, I guess it being a weekday.

It was a good and very happy day. I feel blessed.

[TrekTheKaty]

I have a few girlfriends that get together monthly for lunch. Somehow while trying to make plans for this month, a bicycle ride came up--and for the first time, we met at Grant's Trail and rode 16 miles before lunch! One friend couldn't get her bike ready in time, so she rode my spare and it was a leisurely pace--but a new trail for me! We made plans to meet again! We were so proud of ourselves, we stopped at Ben & Jerry's after lunch (oh, well)!

Then, as I pulled out of the restaurant parking lot--a sweet woman tapped on my car window and asked if I rode bikes (there were two on the trailer hitch rack?!)--she asked if we had ever rode taken our bikes on the Amtrak and recommended a paved path in Edwardsville, IL!

I love my new bicycle friends :-)

[Biciclista]

Lisa, sounds like a great ride. It's always fun to combine pleasure riding with eating!!

and I rode to work and back again yesterday, marvelling at the incredibly wonderful weather!

[chicago]

9/10 - 8 mile trail run

[Crankin]

Lisa, did you do the route you gave us, but backwards?
A great day!

[MrsB]

Thought all afternoon about where I wanted to ride last night and came up with my plan. So jumped on the bike got to the end of the road and was ready to take a left and looked up to the right and saw another woman riding. So I thought to myself, Ok, I'll take a right and do the loop the other way and maybe have someone to ride with. Well unfortunately it didnt take long and I had to pass her because she was actually slower than me. Imagine that? LOL. So anyways I did my loop the opposite way and rode by myself the whole way. Oh well. DH will be home tonight and I'll have someone to ride with all weekend. Even though he will push me the whole time. Theres nothing worse than someone riding on your butt coasting the whole time while your riding your butt off! Dont get me wrong though, I do enjoy riding with him for the most part. He always treats when we stop for seafood and drinks. LOL.

[Aggie_Ama]

We rode From our town (in NY) into Great Barrington MA for lunch and then back again- a 53 mile hilly round trip.

I am floored that you can ride out of state for lunch. Of course NY is not a small state so it is probably just your location in it but still leaving the state for lunch amuses me! If I left right now I don't think I could make it out of state in my car by sundown.

[indigoiis]

My ride yesterday, talk about coordination (or lack thereof...)

5:00-5:30 barn chores
5:50-6:20
I had to take my van to the dealership because the transmission was acting funny (note, it turns out that it's cooked and van is going to graveyard), so I packed van with bike and headed out. A friend wanted to ride in to work together so she picked me and bike up at Dealership and we drove to the park and ride.

6:50-7:50 15 mile ride into Providence.

4:30-5:39 15 mile ride back to park and ride.
Now, as evening rolls around, I need to pick up my daughter. She is supposed to get this one bus. So, my friend and I leave Providence and ride like mad to try to catch the bus at the same Park and Ride we parked at, in order to load me and bike on the bus, and then get off with my daughter (and her bike) closer to the house, where we would then ride home. We averaged 19/20 mph and beat the bus by three minutes. However, my daughter wasn't on that bus. She called. She was on another bus, going to a different (further away) park and ride. So, friend and I drive the bikes down to other park and ride.

6:20-7:10 p.m.
Friend drops me off.
Daughter and I ride 11 miles at an average 10 mph.

What a day!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I am floored that you can ride out of state for lunch. Of course NY is not a small state so it is probably just your location in it but still leaving the state for lunch amuses me! If I left right now I don't think I could make it out of state in my car by sundown.

It's not really that far- 26 miles there and 26 miles back. But yes, I'm always amused as well by the thought of cycling to another state for lunch.