May 31st Rides

[nolemom]

I finally made it on the group ride to Babson Park. It is a hilly ride for central Florida and I have always been too scared to attempt it. Today the guys were in an especially encouraging mood and convinced me I could make the ride. They waited for me at the end of the major hills section and one of them always stayed with me even at my incredibly slow pace at times. All and all it was a 69 mile adventure and I had a fantastic time. I am beginning to believe that I can take on the century ride through this area at Labor Day.

[ZooZoo]

A little over 23 miles, from Seward Park to the University of WA with friends who really 'pushed' me outside my comfort zone (which I wanted and needed). Had lunch in a little Vietnamese resturaunt, and had a glorious day.

[OnTerryOh]

The good thing about my ride today was

• Cindy -- just hanging out with her
• having a caramel frappachino
• Cindy found sunglasses and wouldn't let me touch them
• laughing about the sunglasses
• Cindy lost her orange tiger-striped gloves but found them again
• talking to that woman from Evanston on her green touring Trek
• we biked 52.5 miles and walked 2.5

The bad thing about my ride today was

• almost hitting a squirrel
• too many people on the bike path
• nothing
• getting sunburned
• maybe doing too much
• feeling tired now
• it was great -- none of it was bad

[smilingcat]

Its day shy of June; but, we have our June Gloom already. It started last week. After picking up our foster kitty from showing, I went for a ride. Light drizzle, cool 67F (19C) overcast and wind blowing from the ocean. Love this kind of days. The humidity and the rain brings up that wonderful sweet earthy smell. Yes coastal community of Los Angeles do get the foggy weather for the month of June. I love it. Really, I do. Sunny today, sunny tomorrow, sunny for next nine month is enough to drive me bonkers. I need variation.

Leisurly ride, and just enjoyed the view, the smell of trees, and flowers. didn't huff and puff really. just one easy 6% grade for about 800 feet up. And at two separate stop lights, I had to sprint. didn't have to wind it up, so got up to only 24MPH and took it really easy after the sprint. Its keeping me semi-honest. Okay the 6% grade may not be all that easy. It didn't kill me or wipe me out. kept an easy steady tempo up the hill.

[msincredible]

I had this great plan of a half on-road, half off-road loop so I took the Birdy (folding bike with full suspension and fat tires) today.

Sadly after lots of exploring I discovered that there is no way to get through...the trail goes through private property and is closed off. There was another trail that had an easement through private property and actually would end up pretty close to my place (after many miles), but it didn't allow bikes, just hikers and equestrians.

I ended up having to backtrack out of there and reversing my route. Did a lot more climbing than I intended to. I think my total for the day was about 66 miles, ~9000'. Not bad for an 8-speed bike.

Oh, and no more long rides on the Birdy until I get a better saddle for it. Been meaning to replace it for a while now.

[Kano]

Dead skunk, dead snakes, plenty of traffic. Chipmunks, horses, cows - one in particular that I loved the expression on his face! Also a fox, standing in someone's driveway, but the most interesting wildlife was one of the biker's who passed me on a relatively quiet residential stretch ------ on the back of his shorts was the text "Handmade in the Rockies." Not sure what was that was handmade in the rockies, but it was ALL good!

A bit of sun burn on me too -- couldn't find any sunscreen this morning. Time to buy more!

All in all, a lovely 30+ mile ride today despite a lot of wind, but naughty me: forgot the cell phone, and took a longer route than DH expected, which had him fretting! It was hills: they were calling me!

Karen in Boise

[Caroline]

160KM/100 miles randonee ride for me, a few hills... but I was on my Fixed gear bike ... 46-17 ... hills were shortish so it wasn't that bad going up them at all, going down them was a bit mad.

There was about 120 people doing the ride and myself, my BF decided to go mad and do it on the fixies. It was great fun but most people thought we were mad ( but we knew it already )

[kenyonchris]

An irritating MTB ride. I try to hit the MTB twice a week, it makes me so much stronger on the road. I met my ex husband to ride, he was 35 minutes late, and brought a chain smoking friend ( a male one ) with him. No problem, the more the merrier, but they parked a car 6 miles in and decided to make it a short one way trip. When I pressed my ex, who I know can do more than just 6 miles easy, to finish the 22 mile loop, including the technical stuff at the north end, he told me he wasn't going to leave his friend to go home on his own (in the car!!).
The trail itself was crowded with joggers and walkers, people going to wrong way on the loop, and my ex and I seriously outpaced the chain smoker, so I would grab a tree and wait, clipped in, till he puffed into view. For my efforts, I wound up with a tick.
All in all, it was 6.5 miles of semi-technical, semi hilly singletrack. I barely broke a sweat and was just getting warmed up. In the end, though, I had a zillion things to do today, including cleaning two bikes, which I got done thanks to cigarette man.
But not a good day on the bike. I lost my mojo after than.