Weekend Rides!

[redrhodie]

Nice report, clock. Glad you're back on the bike!

I did my Ocean Drive loop yesterday. Calm winds and sunny. I'm getting spoiled. Took a rest day today, and the wind and commute returns tomorrow. Possible rain. Not sure what bike to ride. Oh, to have my problems. Poor me.

[azfiddle]

Yesterday was a cold, windy and rainy day for April in Tucson- the high was in the 40's! So my only weekend ride was today. It was cool and windy- mid-50's with a steady breeze and gusts to 25 or so, but I planned the ride to take advantage of tailwinds on the way home. 33.5 by the end of the ride. I just did a ride along edge of the foothills.

It will be back into the 70's and 80's for the rest of the week, and just get warmer from there!

[7rider]

Did my first Sunday ride with the LBS in a loooong time. I met the owner early so he could swap cassettes from my old wheels to new wheels I was demo'ing - with the idea of buying - on my old Seven to turn it into my dedicated retro-race bike for du's and tri's (next up is re-doing the front end with new bars and stem). These wheels - Dura Ace hybrid carbon/alloy weigh in at just 1380g/pair and are da BOMB! They roll so smooth and nice and feel so great. I may end up putting them on my ID8.

After that, I met two friends of mine and we started with the main group with the intent of doing the "C-ride" - that is...hang with the group as long as we can, because we'd like to start building up intensity, but it's still early in the season for us, and don't sweat it when we get dropped and then do our own thing and have a good time while we're at it. So we stuck by that rule, and 6 of us ultimately did that kind of ride, having a grand-old time in the process.

I forgot my Garmin at home (D'oh!), and DH recommended I download "My Tracks" - a free Android App - to my phone and use that. So I did, and used my phone to track my ride and then emailed myself the TCX file, which I then uploaded to BikeJournal, Training Center, Garmin Connect, and all of the other mind-bending ways I track my rides and workouts! (Whew!). A very high-tech crash course this morning.

[Catrin]

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444 mile long National Park that starts (or ends) 30 mies west of Nashville. The Ride2Recovery Ride was to benefit fallen warriors. As I've previously posted, we had grueling conditions and I felt my age (and weight!). But, as I get older, I'm getting a little more inclined o stop and take some pictures!

Great report Mr. Bloom! Pity that I wasn't a cyclist when still living in Tennessee, and even spent close to a decade in Nashville. I think I was aware of the existence of the Trace, but no more than that, sadly. Perhaps someday I will go for a spring or fall tour of it

Your elevation gain was higher than I would have expected, doesn't the Trace head to the SW of Nashville? Of course, there are those bluffs to the west of Nashville that run about half the distance, or more, to Memphis. Thanks for sharing the details of your ride - on congratulations on surviving those winds! It's been a long time since I've been in that part of the state and it was nice to see the photos - and you riding with the turkeys

[indysteel]

Great report Mr. Bloom! Pity that I wasn't a cyclist when still living in Tennessee, and even spent close to a decade in Nashville. I think I was aware of the existence of the Trace, but no more than that, sadly. Perhaps someday I will go for a spring or fall tour of it

Your elevation gain was higher than I would have expected, doesn't the Trace head to the SW of Nashville? Of course, there are those bluffs to the west of Nashville that run about half the distance, or more, to Memphis. Thanks for sharing the details of your ride - on congratulations on surviving those winds! It's been a long time since I've been in that part of the state and it was nice to see the photos - and you riding with the turkeys

You should part of the Trace sometime, Catrin! I'm not sure I'd want to travel the entire distance of it, but I'm glad I did a stretch of it the last time I was in the Nashville area. In 2008, I went down for the Harpeth River Ride in June and then rode about 40 miles on the Trace the following day before heading back home. I stayed in Franklin, which is a lovely town. It was one of the my best riding weekends ever. The portion of the Trace that I rode was rolling. Early on a Sunday morning, there was some car traffic, but it wasn't particularly heavy. I saw more turkeys than people. DH and I would be heading down there this year for the River Ride but for the fact that it's the same weekend as the MTB clinic. Maybe next year.

[lawnchick22]

I will ride this evening for the first time in 10 days....after riding all through the winter, this has been painful (not to be able to ride).....am so looking forward to it!

[Mr. Bloom]

Your elevation gain was higher than I would have expected,

I'm highly suspicious of the number (we've debated Garmin reliability many times here in the past)...I expect it was less than half of the reading...but it felt like twice as much!

[kacie tri-ing]

Hello! After a big week of training leading into my next ironman up in Asheville, NC, I topped it off with a century on Sunday. I did the Cheaha Challenge Century in Alabama, and it was fantastic! Great support, excellent climb, beautiful weather! I would recommend that ride to anyone!

I too, stopped for a picture!

[Mr. Bloom]

Hello! After a big week of training leading into my next ironman up in Asheville, NC, I topped it off with a century on Sunday. I did the Cheaha Challenge Century in Alabama, and it was fantastic! Great support, excellent climb, beautiful weather! I would recommend that ride to anyone!

I too, stopped for a picture!

I drove up Cheaha a few times. Congrats if you rode it!

For others, Cheaha is the highest point in Alabama.

[ClockworkOrange]

Hello! After a big week of training leading into my next ironman up in Asheville, NC, I topped it off with a century on Sunday. I did the Cheaha Challenge Century in Alabama, and it was fantastic! Great support, excellent climb, beautiful weather! I would recommend that ride to anyone!

I too, stopped for a picture!

I have never been and never will, be an athlete of any description BUT I do love seeing photos of people like you, just to embarrass you, you look stunning and I love the bike too.

Phew, just looked at your blog and was wondering if you actually took any time out to breathe when you had your week in Asheville.

[kacie tri-ing]

I have never been and never will, be an athlete of any description BUT I do love seeing photos of people like you, just to embarrass you, you look stunning and I love the bike too.

Phew, just looked at your blog and was wondering if you actually took any time out to breathe when you had your week in Asheville.

***Blushes*****

Thanks so much!

I did take time in asheville. Before and after every session, I ate a lot of food. I might be the only person who can train that much on vacation and STILL gain a couple of pounds It was worth it though!



The cheaha challenge actually goes up one side of the mountain, and down the back side, then turns around and goes back up. It was great (in that twisted kind of way!).

Hope everyone has great weather to ride this week!

[Mr. Bloom]

The cheaha challenge actually goes up one side of the mountain, and down the back side, then turns around and goes back up.

Now I'm DOUBLE IMPRESSED!