Saturday, August 7 rides

[Blue_Fedora]

DH and I did a very hilly 27 miler from home today. Thru lots of canyons and along new bike paths that have just recently opened up. Unfortunately quite a few of them are not fully complete and just dead-end so we did a bit of turning around and backtracking. On many of the flatter sections he got me to practice drafting and riding his wheel. WOW - I'd heard you can use 30% less energy that way and now I understand the concept

[PamNY]

Fredwina, great photos and video. Love your music choice.

I did a few miles on a car-free avenue -- part of the Summer Streets program, where cars are banned for a few hours.

Alas, the Bamboo Bike Studio is out to seduce me; they had a booth with a beautiful bike and a helpful young woman who has no idea why sixty-year-old knees might want low gears.

[Grasshoppergirl]

Did the club ride today which was one of my favorites from Ione to Andrae's Bakery in Amador City for coffee and a fresh peach scone. Started out with about 20 guys and one other biker chick. Great biking weather here, unusually cool for August. DH and I did shorter route for 25 miles and 2900 ft. Had to climb for that scone.

[Becky]

DH and I did 23 pre-work miles with some of the shop crew and a couple of others. Good company, and great route.

Is it selfish of me to hope that this doesn't turn into a huge group ride? There were 7 of us, and it was just the right number for good conversation and a good pace, without getting totally stretched out or upsetting drivers.

[jenniferh]

The hubby and I went out with our club and did the best 35mi so far. We've been riding a few months and are in between catagories. The new rider groups is a little slow, spreads out too much to really take anvantage of the draft and takes a few too many breaks for me, but I'm not up to the 40mi 14-16mph group that I hear really rides about 18mph. Becuase of that we've stuck with the newbies.

Then yesterday a rider from one of the faster groups had a flat and once he changed it in the parking lot he decided to tag along with our group. We all stayed together the first 20mi or so, but after a long rest stop a smaller group of us took off with him and my hubby taking turns pulling and we were booking it. He was great and looked back constantly to make sure I was still on his wheel. We actually caught the faster group and once I was on the back wheel of that group he moved off to the back to take a break. It was the fastest I've gone in a group ride and was a fabulous workout out.

Now I can't wait to get back on the bike this week and really push myself to go faster so I can move up to the next group.

[azfiddle]

Fredwina- loved the photos and video. That's close to my hometown of Redlands- we just drove through Cajon Pass last month, but not on the old road. We did do a ride in Victorville, not too far from there.

As for my Saturday ride, it was 35 miles and ended at an upscale grocery store w/ a bakery and we shared a beautiful fruit tart at the end.

[badgercat]

As for my Saturday ride, it was 35 miles and ended at an upscale grocery store w/ a bakery and we shared a beautiful fruit tart at the end.

Yum! AJ's? That's the first/only upscale grocery store that pops into my mind in Tucson...

Anyway, I went for about 30 miles yesterday afternoon on a path here in Omaha. It was very sunny and the headwinds were slightly demoralizing. I was looking forward to the tailwinds when I turned around and headed back, but of course the wind shifted. But I'm getting more and more comfortable cruising faster on my Jamis. It was so nice to be able to get down in the drops and cut through that wind... I would have been parasailing on my Trek.

I spotted this cool metal artwork/memorial bench along the trail, too, and snapped a picture with my phone. "friend, athlete, role model, jokester" and then "In memory of Harry Jenkins Jr MD." If he was all that, I bet the world is a better place for this Dr. Jenkins having been in it!