Sunday 3/22 rides

[Zen]

what a day for an epic (snort) ride.

It's now called "Super Mega Bike Ride".
One of these days I'll post the photo that verifies that

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Great ride today. I wasn't sure exactly where I was going to go when I started, but soon after I left my neighborhood I decided to ride out to Keystone Dam.

The weather stuff said partly cloudy to cloudy for this afternoon with strong enough winds to set of a weather alert for the area (20+). Didn't stop me after wimpin out yesterday. Well..it was windy alright - and down right scary when riding over the dam with some impatient drivers passing too close (grrr). Wind and wake... yikes. Anyway.. the cloudy thing wasn't right.. the sun came out and it got nice n warm. I also realized too late that I forgot sunscreen. Never too old to make a newbie mistake, ya know? LOL
Sunburned arms...farmer John arms, no less. Oh well. It'll make for fun Monday conversation!

50 miles.. 2800elevation gain (one hill was 14% - nice test for my new compact!)..22+mph sse winds with some real nasty gusts.
I love my new bike!!

[channlluv]

Wow, I love your pictures! I saw a real road runner bird and as I was passing it, I thought about grabbing a picture to post here, but it was flying away too fast. They really are quick.

It was a beautiful day for a ride here, too, and I went 25 miles! Five times around my favorite five-mile loop at Lake Miramar here in San Diego. Foot traffic was really light, and there were only a couple of vehicles driving through. I started a little after 3:30pm and it was sunny, clear, and warming up after a rainy morning. I think it was in the mid-60s. By 5pm, it was turning cool, and the wind off the ocean was f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g! I thought about doing 30 miles, but when I finished up the fifth lap, the sun was near setting and the marine layer was rolling in, and the wind was really turning cold, and I was starting to feel the ride in my left knee. Maybe next time.

D*H gave me a new seat post yesterday and adjusted my handlebar height and seat height to alleviate some of the pressure on my knees, and man, did it pay off. I cut three whole minutes off my most recent time, from 28 minutes for a five-mile loop to 24 minutes, 52 seconds...I did 25 miles in 2 hours, 12 minutes, 12 seconds. I think there's a numerology thing there somewhere, but I feel great right now. I really do.

My best speed before the wreck was 23 minutes. I'm almost there.

Woohooo!

Roxy

Getting in touch with my inner try-athlete.

[wackyjacky1]

Getting in touch with my inner try-athlete.

Love it!

[just1morebike]

Ohhh, I want to play!
I spent the weekend in Canyonlands National Park, about 3 hours south of my home. It was beautiful, not a bad place to go for the first ride of the year. Everyone goes to Moab to mountain bike, but there is so much do and see on the road. These pictures are from the Island in the Sky district, and the Needles district, further south.

[just1morebike]

OOps

[chicago]

just1morebike... gorgeous pictures... absolutely gorgeous!!!

[just1morebike]

just1morebike... gorgeous pictures... absolutely gorgeous!!!

Thanks, but they don't even come close to the real thing

[channlluv]

Love it!

Thanks. It came to me while I was riding today, imagining what it would feel like to actually do a real triathlon, and if they make tri-suits in my size, and if I'd be able to swim in the ocean without attracting a shark, and how long would it take me to train for a real marathon, and how the cycling part will be the easiest leg of the race....I'm thinking I might put it on a t-shirt.



Roxy

[channlluv]

just1morebike... gorgeous pictures... absolutely gorgeous!!!

+1 - that's downright inspiring.

[7rider]

I did something I normally don't do on the Sunday shop ride: I dropped the C-ride at the top of Great Falls Park and tried to hang with the hammerheads on the B-ride. For the most part, I succeeded...at least I, true to my title over here, hung on to last wheel...barely. At traffic lights, I'd pick my way to the front of the pack, and by the time we were down the road - perhaps at the next light, I'd be at the back. Unfortunately, by the time we got back into town, I was at the tail end at a light they all got through, but I got caught at the red. So that was the end of the B for me, and I ended up fininshing with just 2 or 3 others that also fell off the back.

My friend's ride was a shake down ride for her on her new bike. Her DH built her up a stunning Colnago C-50 with Edge composite wheels and SRAM red. The "red" of the SRAM he had custom changed to pink, so the bike is black, with all pink accents (CK headset, SP light action pedals, Terry saddle, bar tape, cables). I'm not much for pink, but the combination of pink and black was stunning. Unfortunately, the switch from Shimano to SRAM shifting left her fumbling at a few spots, so she spent most of her time (with him, thankfully) at the back of the C-ride.

[Aggie_Ama]

I also realized too late that I forgot sunscreen. Never too old to make a newbie mistake, ya know? LOL
Sunburned arms...farmer John arms, no less. Oh well. It'll make for fun Monday conversation!

I did this last year when we went to Red River and rode 87 miles- at altitude where I burn worse. Not like I haven't been fair skinned since birth. Not like I don't know I burn in 5 minutes. I had knickers on which made for interesting conversation the next day white water rafting in shorts since I was BLISTERING RED from just below the knee to my low sock line and farmer arm style plus only one side of my face complete with helmet strap. Oy!

Glad you are loving the new bike, does the sexy beast have a name yet?

[sundial]

Just1more, I would love to ride my road bike there. I love the colors of the mesa. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

[colleenbc]

I got in a lot of miles of amazing single track at Curt Gowdy State Park in Wyoming. It was all the better because it was about 70 degrees and almost all dry riding - only a few snowdrifts. This is uncommon in Wyoming in March. With a predicted blizzard for Sunday night (which did hit by the way - hard enough to cause school closures - snow days after sun days are fun!) I didn't see any members from Wyoming on the member map but if you're out there you should really check out the nice work they have done on the trails. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive for me to get there but I'll be back often!

[Geonz]

... well, it wasn't for me, but it was the first ride on the faster bike with somewhat faster people for their first ride of the season. I posted it and forgot to suggest sunscreen... so it was cloudy and cool enough that we were in long sleeves and tights (despite the forecast to the contrary).
It was a nice just-peppy-enough 28 miler, and since I rode hard the 6 miles to get there on time, it was a good workout and for the day I had 38 miles (not counting a few errands on the other bike). We just got out there and took turns into the wind, and chatted a little but mostly just enjoyed the ride. Averaged 14.5 and the muscles felt like they'd been used (yesterday's ride average was 10.9 - but on the Xtracycle still felt good).