November 8th Rides (Sunday)

[7rider]

DH and I went to a nearby state park to watch some cyclocross races. Some friends of ours were racing. We were spectating. But, the park is one of my favorite places to mountainbike, so we brought the bikes. After watching our friends race, we did a loop around the park - 9 miles of twisty, rolling, singletrack. It was beautiful out.

[HillSlugger]

The weather in MD was also unseasonably warm, also bright blue skies with little wind. Got out for a great 30 mile ride on the tri bike. What a great day!

[redrhodie]

I decided to ride to the north and do my hills. When I got there, I could see from the top that the roads down (and conversely back up) were completely torn up and in the middle of being repaved. So, no hills for me. It was like an early Xmas present! No, I'm kidding...I was disappointed.

Then, on the way back, I saw a little girl, maybe 5 years old, learning to roller skate. She had ski poles to help her stay upright--totally cute. "Good job!" I said as I rode by. She said, "thanks, I'm still just learning," to which I laughed and said, "me too!"

I'll never stop "still learning" to ride a bike.

[pfunk12]

I did a 31 mile solo ride in the early afternoon. It was a gorgeous day - in the low 70s. And the leaves still look beautiful. I decided to do hills in the beginning and then have a flat second half. As I was riding, it hit me - why does a 60 mile ride with friends seem to take twice as less time as a 30-mile solo ride? No, this is not one of those tricky math questions that you find in school text books! When I'm riding by myself, it feels like the odometer barely moves.
It was an uneventful ride except for one "incident". At one point, a guy decided to draft off of me. It was on a road with a lot of traffic. Because he doesn't know me and doesn't know how I ride (and vice versa), it always makes me nervous when some stranger latches on to my rear wheel. I could see his shadow and I could almost feel his breath on my neck (okay, I'm exaggerating) But then he passed me...and I looked at him...and it was like looking at Adonis on a bike! He was tall and lean and gorgeous and beautiful and gorgeous and...(did I mention that he was gorgeous? ) Any kind of irritation I was feeling went poof! And then he said, "Hi! How are you?! Nice day for a ride. Have a great ride!" And he took off. And I couldn't keep up with him. But I do think that he had to be the most beautiful cyclist that I've ever seen in person.

[tctrek]

It was a gorgeous, mild weekend here in GA. We did 20 miles yesterday all around a beautiful hilly area known as Berkley Lakes. It was so pretty that I didn't even complain about the hills. Today we did 22 miles on the Silver Comet Trail. We had planned to go further, but a large portion of the trail is washed out and closed after the "Flood of '09".

[owlice]

Okay, pfunk, just where were you riding?!?! I may need to switch trails!!

~~

As others have mentioned, DC/Maryland had gorgeous weather today -- perfect riding weather. A beautiful, sunny day, with the magnificently clear light of early November.

You know how it feels to be in water, how weightless and supported you feel, how smoothly you glide through it? That's what the air was like today here. It was almost as if there was no line, no divide, between me and the air; I could not feel the air at all, except as softness, smoothness, support. That's the kind of riding weather we had today.

I have not been on a bike in two weeks, and oh, how much I needed today's ride! Twenty miles on trails through woods, along the Anacostia, past deer, and under what must have been hundreds if not thousands of grackles getting ready to settle down for the night. It felt wonderful. It was wonderful!

[pfunk12]

Sounds like you had a great ride, Owlice. Next time, come off the trail and onto the road with me and we'll go and look for Adonis . If I see him again, I'm going to whip out my cellphone to take a photo.

[Miranda]

15mi loop to my favorite farm house. Whew, felt like A LOT more. This is the first time I have been out really since my crash. Wow, I'm so weak. Sure more body parts will be protesting tomorrow. But, as I encountered another cyclists on route it felt great... I thought: "I think I have re-joined the cycling-human-race" lol. So, it was worth it. As posted, beautiful unseasonally warm weather here in the midwest.

[arielmoon]

Crazy windy here in central FL. I was sore from the day before so I picked some flatter roads and did an easy 22 miles. I am preparing for the Horrible Hundred next Sunday where I plan to do the 70 mile route.

[kimikaw]

Beautiful weather here in Wisconsin. Both days did 22 mile rides with my hubby, who just got his first road bike. He can now drop me on flats - versus barely keeping up on his mountain bike - but, I still pull way ahead on the upward hills.

Saturday's route was a combo of roads and paved trail (new Berlin Trail). trail primarily flat, but any road riding around my area is lots of rolling hills Windy day and was surprised by how much a strong headwind on flats suck. In fact was trying to decide what was worse the hills or the headwind. Then on the worst hill (biggest gain/slope and towards end of ride) discovered that the combination of hill and headwind esp. sucks. What was nice to note was that a couple of months ago I'd average 4.5 -5 mph once I got about half way up. And on Saturday was in the 7.5-8mph range. Showing me that while hills continue to be a struggle, I am at least improving.

Sunday we drove the bikes over to the start of the Glacial Drumlin trail in Waukesha, WI. Road out about 11 miles and back. Nice views, trail wasn't too crowded.

However, both days I really bonked out around 20 miles - lost energy, legs were tired, had to really force myself to finish. I think I'm going to have to start working on nutrition and hydration. Drank plenty of water (24 oz over the ride), but still felt wobbly and weak. Unsure if it is electrolytes or low blood sugar / need for actual fuel. Now I will need to figure it out if I am going to push to longer distances. Next ride will try taking two bottles - one with cytomax, one with water. And maybe a GU. Typically not a sports drink drinker - but it does seem to help when I drink a bit of both in the couple of half marathons I've done.

[owlice]

pfunk, for Adonis, I'll take to the roads with you!!

[7rider]

But then he passed me...and I looked at him...and it was like looking at Adonis on a bike! He was tall and lean and gorgeous and beautiful and gorgeous and...(did I mention that he was gorgeous? ) Any kind of irritation I was feeling went poof!

Team kit???? Track this man down!

[pfunk12]

No team kit. I didn't even notice what kind of bike he was riding. I was too flustered. Sigh... Now I have to re-focus on work and it's not going to be easy since you guys got me thinking about my "Adonis cyclist" again.

[Ana]

No team kit. I didn't even notice what kind of bike he was riding. I was too flustered. Sigh... Now I have to re-focus on work and it's not going to be easy since you guys got me thinking about my "Adonis cyclist" again.

LOL--its like when you meet someone amazingly gorgeous and all you can do it start opening your mouth but nothing comes out. Before you know it, the moment is over and the person is gone