October 25th rides (Saturday)

[Biciclista]

Wow, no one rode yesterday?
Raleighdon and friends did about a 70 mile ride but i didn't want to ride THAT much. So when they got to Renton he called for me to join them. I charged down the hill and south to Renton until we crossed paths. Then I turned around and tried to keep up with them for 13 miles until we got to Pert's deli where they were planning on stopping for lunch. It was very frustrating, the only time I could catch up was on hills, but as soon as they got to the top, they would fly by me again.
After they ate lunch (I already had) we took the scenic route back home through some parks and up some hills. When it was just the two of us, even though we were hill climbing, it was more fun because I wasn't going all out and still dragging. 22 miles in beautiful autumn colors.
Oh, and we saw this really interesting car, and it's owner!!

[TrekTheKaty]

It finally got up to 60 degrees yesterday afternoon. A bit windy but we did our normal weekend Katy Trail (rail trail) to downtown St. Charles. However, we used to ride in the morning--but we went in the afternoon. Good result is the Trailhead Brewery was open, so we used our gift cards they gave us at the century. Nice 20 mile ride with our group back together after a several week layoff. DH is sick, and for the first I beat him to the top of the hill at the Page Bridge. It counts to ME!

[Tater]

I rode, but 49 miles into a 53 miler, I wrecked. Front tire slipped off the road into the soft dirt while I was squeezing over for traffic and huge mud clumps on the pavement. Both the bike and I hit pretty hard. My left knee and hand took the brunt, but X-rays were negative. As for my bike, I didn't get to look at her too good before my husband loaded it into the truck. From just a cursory glance, the left brifter is bent in, scraped, as is the bar tape. Also, the tire rubs against the fork, so something is going on there that will need to be looked into. I will take it to the LBS in the morning and see what they say. Hopefully, there won't be much to fix and I can get back on the road, we are having beautiful fall weather! My favorite time to ride.

[Veronica]

I saw your red X over at BJ and hoped you'd come on line and say what was up.

Hope you heal up quickly!

Veronica

[Tater]

I saw your red X over at BJ and hoped you'd come on line and say what was up.

Hope you heal up quickly!

Veronica

Thanks, V.

[salsabike]

Metric century yesterday around Lake Washington on the tandem. We are having a spectacular fall color season this year.

[xeney]

Oh, no, sorry about the crash, Tater!

We rode. J and I left the house together, me pulling the trailer. We split up when we got to the bike trail and he rode on ahead. Penny and I did 13 miles to the park where we all usually picnic; he turned back around 25-ish miles and three off-trail climbs. We ate lunch together, and then I had him switch the trailer hitch to his bike (he wasn't riding his trailer-hauler) because Penny had gotten a little too much sun and I thought we needed to get home a bit faster.

Which was a good thing, because although I felt great on the ride I had body aches and chills as soon as we got home. We thought maybe I had just overdone it, but no, I am sick, and so is Penny. That probably nixes riding for the rest of the week. Pfft.

[Biciclista]

cool pix Salsa!!

[Eden]

Hey Salsa - did you do Lake Washington last weekend too? We were taking some prospective members around again when a pair of tandems came by. We were on the east side of the lake, headed north.

[TrekTheKaty]

Tater! Xrays So sorry. Glad you're ok. Hope they can fix your bike quickly.

Xeney: Ditto. I thought I missed my husband's cough/congestion thing he had this last week. However, as I crested a hill I usually cruise up--I realize I was gasping and had to stop. Guess I'll take it easy this afternoon. Hope you're doing OK (Chicken soup, lot's of Vitamin C and fluids!)

[salsabike]

Hey Salsa - did you do Lake Washington last weekend too? We were taking some prospective members around again when a pair of tandems came by. We were on the east side of the lake, headed north.

No, last weekend we did a hike at Mt. Baker. The weekend before that, though, we did a Mercer Island/Bellevue/Yarrow Point/Kirkland/Finn Hill kind of loop on the tandem. I saw a bunch of Group Health team members both times and I keep thinking we're seeing you but never have enough time to be sure!

Tater, so sorry about your crash.

[Jiffer]

Did a group ride with a group from Anaheim to Oceanside. 60 miles. Everyone else went to San Diego, but I had a 1 year old's birthday party to get to. We picked up some more folks in San Clemente, including a 76 year old woman, who was the 2nd oldest woman to ever do the Iron Man. She has done it 18 times and completed it 12 times. Her name is Bobbie.

Anyways, I took the train back ALL BY MYSELF ... ... in Oceanside. I thought I just barely had time to catch my train as I left the group at a restaurant where everyone was eating. Turns out, my train was 10 minutes earlier than I thought it was supposed to be and I got there as it pulled away. So, I had to wait almost an hour for the next one. Right after I paid for my ticket I started looking around for my sunglasses. Not too many places to look. On top of my head, in my back pockets, which they don't really fit into ... and ... ummmm .... that's about it! Not on the counter. Not on the ground anywhere. I finally surmised that I must have never even had them on when I left the restaurant. I called my friend, was still at the restaurant. She looked around, but didn't find them. So, my great Oakley sunglasses .... gone.

I finally got on the train ... did I mention I was ALL BY MYSELF? (Never ridden the train by myself, much less with a bike!) Anyway, when I finally got back and rode to my car, I reached for my key fob to unlock my car ... and it's not there. WHAT?!!! And then it dawned on me that, whilst on the train, I was fishing in my back pocket for my lip stuff and pulled the fob out. I had set it "briefly" on the seat next to me .... but apparently, it was permanently. AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I so didn't have time for this. I was already supposed to be at my brother's house for my nephew's birthday party, I still had to drive there AND take a shower. My husband was running late as well from his MTB ride and was probably in the shower and 40 minutes away from me, so he wasn't going to be much help. But I took out my phone walked to the shady part of the car to call him for input on if I should wait for him or call AAA when I decided just to test my door.

It OPENED!!! No way!!!

So, I started my day by FORGETTING to lock my car (with purse and car key in it). Then I continued my day by FORGETTING my sunglasses at the restaurant. Then I ended my day by FORGETTING my key fob on the train.

But the first forgetfulness seriously helped the final forgetfulness not be so horribly frustrating. So, that part sort of balanced out, except I'm still without my key fob and I know from personal experience that those things are expensive to replace! As are the Oakley sunglasses. But I have a phone number for lost and found at Amtrak. Hopefully they'll find it and I send it back to me.

Oh, and the bike ride itself was pretty cool.

[redrhodie]

Tater, hope you and bike are okay.

I rode with my friend and her husband, my first ride with him. It's amazing how much faster you go with one more person pulling! We had a blast, riding before the big wind/rain storm that came last night. We even had some peaks of sun in places. I had to get back to run some errands, so just 25 miles for me.

[gingerale]

I drove in and visited my parents for the weekend with my kids. My dad and did a 25 mile ride around Whiterock Lake in Dallas. Nothing really beautiful, but at least I got some miles in and we enjoyed riding together. Makes me appreciate, though, my nice state park that is nearby that I ride in even though it's got lots of little unpleasant hills.

[Eden]

No, last weekend we did a hike at Mt. Baker. The weekend before that, though, we did a Mercer Island/Bellevue/Yarrow Point/Kirkland/Finn Hill kind of loop on the tandem. I saw a bunch of Group Health team members both times and I keep thinking we're seeing you but never have enough time to be sure!

Tater, so sorry about your crash.

could have been two weeks ago.... south end rides all run together after a while, and we were doing Sunday Women's rides for the last few weekends...