Oct 26 rides (Sunday)

[7rider]

Ahhh, you can tell winter in nearly upon us. It's the time of year when chasing the shop ride guys for the first 5 miles without an adequate warm up ride comes home to roost...in my throat and lungs. For those miles, my throat fills up with what feels like wallpaper paste. Makes stops at red lights oh-so-ladylike as I hack, and gag, and try to clear the crap out. Blech.
After that, I'm fine.

I promised DH I'd do the B-ride, having fresh legs from so little riding all week and with the N2 rained out yesterday. But, Pam (and my hacking) convinced me that maybe the C-ride was more my speed. And that was fine. Afterwards, Pam, her DH, my DH, and I rode down into Washington D.C. to see the D.C. 'cross races - the only cyclocross race in the District. We ran into some friends, got the scoop on others who had already raced, and watched a few laps of some race. Not sure who was racing, as we were no where near the start/finish line. It was fun nonetheless, and Pam and I made a pact - "Well, if you take up 'cross....I will, too." Ugh. And so it goes.

[TrekTheKaty]

Ahhh, you can tell winter in nearly upon us. It's the time of year when chasing the shop ride guys for the first 5 miles without an adequate warm up ride comes home to roost...in my throat and lungs. For those miles, my throat fills up with what feels like wallpaper paste. Makes stops at red lights oh-so-ladylike as I hack, and gag, and try to clear the crap out. Blech.
After that, I'm fine.

Yes! I was afraid it was TMI, but it started going up that nemesis hill. I cleared my throat and ended up with a mouth full of p@#$%! I spent the last 5 miles trying to get rid of it--DH says I need to learn to spit on the fly--but I didn't want to wear it

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I am sort of glad it is the end of the season.

My DH and I are really lucky to be self employed- enabling us to tailor our riding times somewhat around the weather- a huge advantage.
It's funny, but to us this is sort of the start of the season...we do more bike ridng in the Fall than any other season. We don't do as well riding in 90 degree heat. We ride more in the Spring than when it's hot in the Summer, but in the Spring we are slightly out of shape after the winter. Two years ago we rode all through the winter, even January and Feb- it was fairly mild that winter, and clear roads.
So when Autumn comes, we are in the best shape we'll be in all year, and we really LOVE riding in the brisk cool weather between 30 and 55 degrees most of all.

Yes! I was afraid it was TMI, but it started going up that nemesis hill. I cleared my throat and ended up with a mouth full of p@#$%! I spent the last 5 miles trying to get rid of it--DH says I need to learn to spit on the fly--but I didn't want to wear it

Ok, I feel for you, that must be awful....but I just can't imagine clearing my throat and winding up with a mouth full of puss... Or 'wallpaper paste'? AGGGHHH! Yikes, what's up with that, it doesn't seem normal! Is it because of sickness? I do however get a really runny nose while cold weather biking, but it's just watery runny and I just sniff it and it's ok. Happens sometimes when I hit a cold air conditioned place in the summer as well.

[7rider]

Yes! I was afraid it was TMI, but it started going up that nemesis hill. I cleared my throat and ended up with a mouth full of p@#$%! I spent the last 5 miles trying to get rid of it--DH says I need to learn to spit on the fly--but I didn't want to wear it

Ugh...don't I know THAT one!

[Jolt]

As Crankin said, it was a gorgeous day around here today! I managed to get out for about a 45-minute ride and it felt great to get outside and get some exercise (between school craziness and work I have been cooped up inside TOO much lately especially with still not being able to run because of IT band problems). It's a bummer that it's getting to the end of the cycling season...before we know it we'll be having snow!! Then it will be snowshoeing time.

[TrekTheKaty]

Cute buns, by the way!

[Aggie_Ama]

Beautiful Texas fall day= 83 degrees. We went out to a trail west of town for some mountain biking before visiting the inlaws. I haven't been to a trail since the last time we ventured to this one almost a month ago. My tremors intensified astronomically once I got out on the trail which was unappreciated. Only 3 weeks until my neuro appointment and it couldn't feel further off.

DH tried a new side trail out there that is tight and twisty, with all the shaking I was not a happy camper. But we got off that little monster and onto the trail I had been on before. I did a few things that tripped me up last time, cross trained a lot but had a great time.

I got done and went back to face the little monster one more time while DH did a hammer lap. Still had a lot of trouble with it but made it through a few parts. Then I saw a road runner on the little monster and my day was suddenly awesome. Even living in Texas all my life I hadn't seen one until I was an adult. Everytime I see them I am still in awe. We even saw one driving into the trail as well. A beautiful day and 7.5 miles of singletrack.

[Biciclista]

well, Raleighdon had us leave home 2 hours earlier for our opera date. he wanted us to go through the Arboretum so we could feast our eyes on the incredible autumn colors of the trees there. We ate a picnic lunch in the park and took a bunch of photos. Look carefully in the pictures you will see lots of other people taking pictures too. I've never seen so many people out taking pictures. The last photo is me, 5 blocks from home. nice ride 28.5 miles, and we saw Elektra, the Strauss opera too. Oh I forgot. we went home via my normal commute route but Dear Old Raleighdon decided we needed more of a challenge. So instead of the wimpy 6% grade up, we took the 14% one instead. 2 blocks of 10-14% grade with me muttering cusswords under my breath. Not really, i was breathing too hard, i was just THINKING the cuss words.