Columbus Day Weekend rides

[redrhodie]

Anyone ride this weekend? I really needed to rest today, but since the weather is perfect, and tomorrow's supposed to rain, I just did an easy 18 mile ride. I've ridden 5 days in a row now. That's a lot for me.

Yesterday I did the East Bay bike path from Bristol almost to Prov. The last section is over a bridge, and the bike lane is only one bike wide, with concrete barriers on either side. I actually got a little claustrophobic, which got even worse when I saw other cyclists heading toward me. I knew passing would be hinky, so I decided to turn around and head back. It was my first time ever on that path, and it was really crowded and dead flat. I found it pretty but kind of boring, but it was an easy 30 miles.

Sat I did my hilly ride, and it was windy. That's it for me. Where'd you go?

[Becky]

DH and I took my sister mountain biking. There's a local loop that's about 3.5 miles long and, although single track, not terribly technical, so it was perfect for her first time out. She rode my full-squish with flat pedals, and I took my rigid SS 29er. (It's nice to be the same size and have multiple bikes!)

She did great! Sure, she walked a bunch of stuff, fell a bunch, skidded the brakes too much, and steered like a drunk But she toughed it out, never complained no matter how many times she fell, and cleared plenty of rocks and roots

I'm really proud of her!

[tulip]

49 miles on Saturday, took yesterday off. Today is not a holiday in these parts, so I'm at work.

[Crankin]

It's a holiday here, but I am "working." Well, none of my clients have shown up, so..
Friday did about 34 miles with Hirakukibou, around Acton and Stow and back to Concord. We had a lovely stop for coffee and banana bread at the airport cafe in Stow. Saturday, just a short ride to Acton and back, about 21 miles. Yesterday DH and I rode into Sudbury (not sure why we rarely ride in this direction), where it was just beautiful going through Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The goal was to avoid riding in Concord and carlisle, because with the holiday weekend, the tourists and looky-loos are out in full force. We were going to ride to Longfellow's Wayside Inn and the Grist Mill, but decided against that for the same reasons. Took DH through a "private" neighborhood path that I had been on, on a group ride and headed into Hudson and back to Stow, Boxborough, and Acton, finally back to Concord We did 38 miles, with quite a bit of apple pickers and congestion around the farm stands. Ack, too many drivers who don't know where they are going.
This morning I decided to ride before work. First, I realized I was was overdressed, so I stopped to take off my wool glove liners. Then I realized my back light wasn't working. Back up the hill to my house . DH fixed it, and I attached another blinky to my back in case. By this time, I had wasted a half hour. I rode 10.5 miles and I think i must have been going super slowly, as it was later than I thought when I got back. But, I still love riding through Concord center before the town wakes up.
I am tired and glad it will be raining tomorrow.