Weekend Rides, April 25-27

[westtexas]

Didn't get a chance to ride yesterday - my dad came early in the morning and brought me new (to me) furniture (actually, it's my parents' furniture from when the first got married 36 years ago... still in beautiful condition and I love it!). So I figure for Saturday, my workout was hauling those huge heavy dressers and all the empty boxes for moving up the steep hill from the road to my house.

This morning I got out early before the wind sped up to 30mph again. Went on my ~16 mile route and loved every minute of this beautiful day. It was already in the 80s at 8 a.m. so it was quite warm, but overall an incredibly satisfying ride. The hills that use to kill me and make me think I was going to have a stroke going up them are easy for me now and I love love love the feeling of being so strong! All the wind we've had this spring may be annoying, but it sure has made me stronger. I'm on call today so the rest of the day will be spent in luxurious relaxation doing laundry and preparing food for the rest of the week in anticipation of being called in to place a pacemaker or pull worms from a doggy's heart.

I hope everyone enjoys their Easter and they have as beautiful a day as we are having (heat and wind and all)!!

[Crankin]

Today we had plans to see the glass exhibit at the MFA with our cycling friends. The weather forecast was for sun in the AM, with clouds and the possibility of showers in the afternoon. It was already 68 when we left at 10 AM to head to Boston. I was regretting our plans and actually felt a physical uncomfortableness about not riding (I am pretty sure this is what addiction feels like). The exhibit was great, we ate lunch, which made me sleepy, and headed off to see 2 floors of the new wing of the museum. I could see it was clouding up when we left. As we drove home, we were all discussing if we would ride later, as the raindrops started hitting the windshield. But, we decided to head out, it was just sprinkling.
First ride of the year in just shorts and a short sleeved jersey . We decided to stay within a few miles of home, so we headed up the other hill in town that is like our street, about 4 miles away. As we descended and headed out to do a loop around town, it started raining quite a bit more steadily. But, it was about 70 out, so we kept going, until finally, I decided it was enough and headed home. Of course, as we started ascending the hill up my street, it stopped.
A grand total of 11 miles, 2 big hills, and I went up the very steep side of my street for the first time this year.

[emily_in_nc]

I had a fantastic ride today! It was my longest so far in 2011 -- 35.5 miles. Weather was rather warm -- mid 70s starting out (at 9:30 am), and low 80s by the time I got home 3 hours later (I took a lot of breaks). Quite windy, sunny. Two things stood out:

1. Very light traffic due to it being Easter morning and so many in church. We aren't church-goers, so this was fine with me!

2. I tried my TENS unit on my lower back on the right for the first time on a ride. It really helped a lot with the pain I still get from my accident, which enabled me to ride much longer either pain-free or close to it. This time, my quads were the part of me that hurt the most at the end of the ride, not my hip.

This was a solo ride as DH was riding his Trek and just way too fast for me me -- he did 80. But that was fine as it gave me the freedom to stop and stretch, eat, adjust my TENS, etc. whenever I wanted. I even found a much-appreciated port-a-let along the way when I needed it most (there are no bathrooms on this route at all).

I'm still high from this ride!

[Tri Girl]

well I was planning to ride, but we had thunderstorms all weekend- but I'm so HAPPY to see the rain since we are in the most severe drought since the 1930's. The rain is glorious and welcome- I'll ride another day!

[Bike Writer]

Yesterday I did the Kensington Park Loop, it's not a long ride, just about 9 miles but it has some pretty good hills on it, variable terrain and it's a gorgeous ride around the lake.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/32466264

[owlice]

I spent most of yesterday afternoon test-riding bikes* so rode up and down more hills than I normally encounter in a month (I'm sooo not a hill rider). After dark, I took a nice 12-mile ride through woods, around a lake, and back... and I found my back tire flat today. I'm glad it was a slow leak, because I'd not have been thrilled at having to change a tire in the woods in the dark.

After changing the tire today, I took a 21-mile ride through the same woods and over to the lake, and then took a couple of the other trails which branch off from there. I knew the forecast was for storms this afternoon/evening, so kept one eye on the sky and when I saw clouds in the west, I headed home. Was home about 10 minutes when the thunder started, followed by a deluge. It was 88°F when I got home; I'd had to dump water on my head twice while on the trails.

I noticed my front tire was looking a little low on the way home. Bet it's flat now; I checked the tire when I got home and found a piece of glass embedded in it. That'll be my fourth (!) flat tire this year, more than I've had collectively since buying the bike eight years ago!


*Bianchi Imola, Jamis Coda (twice), Cannondale Quick 2 (twice), Marin Fairfax (twice), and a Kona Dew Plus. The Marin was unbelievably bad [for me], I'd kill myself on the Bianchi [lovely ride, though], the Jamis is still in the running, and the Cannondale felt as though it was made for me except for the width of the top tube, which is fat, as are my thighs, which hit it. Were it not for that, I doubt I'd have kept looking, as that bike felt that great.

[smittykitty]

We had wonderful weather on Sat. -- 70 degrees!!! We've barely been above 50 degrees this spring. It was heavenly. DH and I did 35 lovely miles on winding country roads around the neighborhood. Lots of wonderful scenery. Actually felt warm. First time out without full gloves and headband over ears, but kept the toe warmers on just in case. As a reward, we stopped at mile 32 for Mini Blizzards at the local DQ. We sat outside and enjoyed them in the sun.

Raining again today, but yesterday was perfect!