Weekend Rides!

[Catrin]

Wind kept me from riding Thursday, by the time I finally had time to ride Friday we had a downpour....today was beautiful though a little cooler. Rode a glorious 25 miles I felt strong and wanted to ride further much further, but I do not want to do that until the weather calms/settles and I can ride more consistently. Build it up steady and slow this year

Though it wasn't all that warm, the winds were low and the sun was bright - my wind jacket wound up in my trunk bag which I had brought for that very reason - it felt fabulous!

The only problem was the reminder of what happens if I do not put on enough chamois cream... There is NO doubt what the discomfort was from - I won't make THAT mistake again!

[emily_in_nc]

My longest ride of 2011 clocked in at just a few ticks over 30 miles. Since this was nearly all urban or suburban, that's 2.5 hours of riding time, a really good ride for me.

We first went to two different markets (farmer's and food co-op) for all sorts of yummies, brought everything home for the fridge, then headed back out for more fun miles.

Weather was perfect, though there was a stiff wind - gusts to 25 mph this morning, they say, but calming throughout the day. Temps were mid-60s at the start to low 70s. Sunny. Absolutely gorgeous flowering trees, daffs, tulips, forsythia, and various flowering bushes. A highlight was riding under a HUGE weeping willow that was all that shade of light spring green of new leaves that I just LOVE.

A wonderful ride and wonderful day!

[Mr. Bloom]

I hammered the first 15% grade at 8mph...then, with the wind I wasn't recovered five miles later when I got to the 2nd, much longer, 15% grade...My first time to walk the bike in four years!

Oh well, I take solace knowing it's not my abilities, but rather my brain. I can deal with my brain...but I still should have known better this time...shame on me.

[indysteel]

DH and I got in 20 miles this morning before the in laws' arrival. We had a brisk cross wind to deal with that I struggled a bit with. But it was nice to get out, and the sun was shining for a change!

[Becky]

25 miles on Friday...home to work to the bike shop and back home again...in a very stiff breeze. I felt strong though....

Today was ~13 miles to the shop and then home on another windy day. DH and I keep reminding ourselves that there's no escaping the wind here....

I'm so glad to be back outside on my bike!

[HillSlugger]

Only 16 miles today: 1st 8 into the wind, 12.8mph; 2nd 8 with tailwind, 18mph Tailwinds are much more fun

[marni]

catrin, butt btr chamois cream in a purple and yellow tube, makes small packets that you can carry in your jersey pocket for a mid ride relube. One packet fits easily into a snap pack size sip lock and for me is good for two relubes or 100 miles. If you keep it in the snack pack, you can open it, use half, squeeze the rest down to the bottom of the packet, fold the top over and throw it back in the snack pack for the next time or ride.

[crazycanuck]

I participated in the Petit Oppy version of the Oppy all day trial http://audax.org.au/public/index.php...=88&Itemid=310. The Oppy is 24hrs and is a minimum of 360k but I'm not up to that quite yet..That and do you know how hard it it to find people to ride that distance?? Especially in Perth

So, I decided to enter a team for the petit oppy with the minimum distance of 180k..Since i don't like the idea of only 180k, 200k+ was the word. (Eventually had a team of 3 & won't be inviting the dude we rode with again!!!) We did 200k in 12hrs yest then 35k this morning to the end then home...So 235k in just under 14hrs. We had to shorten our route by 25km as we misjudged the speed we could reach along one section due to the crap road surface.

I'll explain a bit later as i'm off to snooze for a bit.

I really wish more women would do Audax/Randonneuring stuff..There are only two of us in Perth that do Audax rides but obviously people think it's touring...NOT!!! I certainly don't stop & look at the roses when i'm wondering if my current speed will get me back before the cut off time...

The guys that were out to beat the record (rode from Kalgoorlie to Perth then needed to get to the end at freo) didn't quite due to some nasty headwinds. THe record i believe is 664k but the gents did just under 600k. . Tis not a huge deal for them as they've qualified for the PBP anyways..for the second and third time.

Off to sleep.

[Bike Chick]

We got a 35 mile ride in yesterday on our TT bikes. The longest ride for 2011 and the longest ride on my TT bike. It wasn't as warm as we'd hoped and there was a brutal cross wind but it was still great to be on the bike. That bike's made for speed (the sprints were so fun), not comfort and I'm a little sore this morning in (AHEM) "certain places".

[azfiddle]

Does Friday count as weekend? I'm on vacation and have the new bike. I rode the 8 mile loop road at Saguaro National Park so my DH (still on the disabled list after his commuter accident) could take some photos. He took several nice action pics and "portraits" at the end. Beautiful Arizona spring weather- so I rode home from the park- total just 16 miles.

Saturday I got out a little earlier, and rode about 5 miles up the Mount Lemmon Road. The base is at about 2700 feet and where I turned around was about 4000 feet elevation (maybe a little more). It's not that hard- just a steady climb of about 5-6%. The constant uphill is a zen experience- coming down is just exhilarating. Total about 30 miles.

[kfergos]

It was a gorgeous day, somewhat cool to start with but sunny with some clouds, a perfect spring day in the Northwest. I did possibly the hardest hill ride I've tried yet -- between 5900 and 6300 feet of climbing (depending on which GPS reading website you trust) in 37 miles, with another fairly flat, fast 13 miles after that to loosen the legs up. We rode around the Issaquah Alps, for you Seattle ladies. We rode down Montreaux; I cannot believe people ride up it. The view from some of those neighborhoods on Squak and Cougar Mountain was *spectacular* -- could see downtown Seattle and Puget Sound plus north for miles.

Before starting, I was really intimidated and not at all sure I'd finish the ride. 20 people left the parking lot to start with, and by the time we got back to the parking lot, 7 of us remained. I hung on the entire time! Just refused to quit, regardless of how slowly I was riding. And I wasn't the last one up most of the hills, either.

...I've vowed to swap out my 12-26 cassette with something a little more conducive to hill climbing before the next ride like that!

[Catrin]

catrin, butt btr chamois cream in a purple and yellow tube, makes small packets that you can carry in your jersey pocket for a mid ride relube. One packet fits easily into a snap pack size sip lock and for me is good for two relubes or 100 miles. If you keep it in the snack pack, you can open it, use half, squeeze the rest down to the bottom of the packet, fold the top over and throw it back in the snack pack for the next time or ride.

Thanks for the reminder, I may actually have a couple left over from last year. I like "That Bu*T Stuff" (TBS) which comes in a large 6 oz tube, I am checking with them to see if I can purchase smaller tubes for on the bike use.

I've also wondered if good old coco butter would make a great chamois cream - it is certainly more affordable... Of course shea butter would be good as well though the price is closer to what I am paying for the TBS.

[Crankin]

Did 25.5 miles through Acton, Carlisle, Westford, Chelmsford, and back. We then headed to Concord center, rode around some residential streets and then headed home. When we got to our street, I realized we'd be about half a mile short of 25, so we rode up a cross street a bit and then turned back.
It is gloriously sunny out, but it felt quite cool for the first 10-12 miles or so. DH decided to go slowly. I mean really slow for him, so I just sat back and enjoyed not having to feel like a rabbit. There were a few times I wanted to get ahead, but I restrained myself, as this year I am trying to be nice to my body.
The last time I did this ride, I was with Hirakukibou and it was a very nice and warm late summer day. It made me think of all the good riding to come.
And getting quite worried about how I am going to find enough time to ride and work!

[Catrin]

Got out for a 17 mile this afternoon, shorter than yesterday but that was the plan. Resisted the urge to try and hammer it up hills, and tried to keep my heart rate a little lower than usual - am trying to develop the habit of considering the day after my longest ride of the week to be a recovery ride...if I develop the habit now then it will come naturally once my mileage starts increasing.

Had a couple of shifting issues, unsure what happened. The front chain didn't seem to want to shift a time or two, I wasn't cross-chaining and wasn't trying to shift under a load...beautiful ride though!

[nscrbug]

I got in a 50-miler with my cycling buddy this morning. Was only 2 miles from home (on the way back) when it started to rain. Needless to say, by the time I got home 2 miles later, I was soaked and chilled to the bone (temp was in the 40's, so not a warm rain). I went straight into a HOT shower...which felt glorious.