May 31st Rides

[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 )

[Aggie_Ama]

I went mountain biking with DH at a harder trail. We were having a little clinic on ledges at the nice stair step ledge part. Made it down number 1, number 2. Did that three times. On the last time I was feeling confident and went down number three. But instead I flew over the bars on my chest. My shoulder is scraped, my torso bruised and my legs bruised. I am still determined I can be a mountain biker! I am sore but not too bad today.

[Tri Girl]

I went mountain biking with DH at a harder trail. We were having a little clinic on ledges at the nice stair step ledge part. Made it down number 1, number 2. Did that three times. On the last time I was feeling confident and went down number three. But instead I flew over the bars on my chest. My shoulder is scraped, my torso bruised and my legs bruised. I am still determined I can be a mountain biker! I am sore but not too bad today.

YEOUCH!!! I stopped mtn biking because I got tired of crashing. Now I'm just afraid to go on the trails...
Hope you heal quickly, you poor thing.

[jesvetmed]

Wow... that sounds bad. I crashed a couple times today riding around my favorite lake trail, but my minor cuts and bruises don't compare to yours! Heal quickly -- usually a fancy beer will make you feel MUCH better. I'm trying that as we cyberspeak!