Memorial Day Weekend Rides

[Catrin]

Headed out this morning before noon and put in 29 hot miles. If the weather had been more normal this spring it probably wouldn't have seemed so hot, I think this was only my 5th ride without vest, tights, or something similar.

Awesome ride though! I rode from my LBS and headed north into the country roads to check out some farms with reindeer and other exotic animals! I fully expect to be sore tomorrow after the trail maintenance activities yesterday and the ride this morning, but I do have riding plans if I am not sore.

Wind kicked my butt on the way back to my LBS though - AND I forgot to take food

[emily_in_nc]

I rode my age (50) today - first time I've ridden that many miles since summer 2009. It was a fairly hilly ride, some urban, mostly rural. DH was doing some extra loops to get more miles in (and b/c he's faster), so I took a break at a rural dairy and ice cream shop and got a pint of chocolate milk -- only $1. Whatta deal, and well worth it to use their rest room! Actually ran into someone else riding a Bike Friday there, a bit unusual!

I actually had my fastest average speed of the year today too (I won't say what it was b/c I am slow!) and felt pretty good even at the end of the ride, so I count that as a victory. The TENS unit I am wearing on my right ilium in back to counteract my post-accident pain has changed my (riding) life this spring -- before using it, I would often get pain just a few miles into a ride, and doing 50 miles was a thing of the past. I owe a lot to the doc who suggested it.

[Blueberry]

Yay Emily!! Ah yes - such a lovely place to stop Was the other Bike Friday purple? Just curious if it's who I'm thinking of....

(and I would BET you're not slower than I am....)

[Owlie]

I was going to ride my age (23) today, as I owed myself a birthday ride from October. I somehow added an extra mile. (So an early birthday ride for this year?)
Left the house at 7:10, left trail parking lot at 7:30. When my ride started, it was in the mid-sixties and humid. When I got back to the car, it was in the 80s...and humid. I took it slow, as my knees were bothering me the first half of the ride. There were twigs everywhere from last week's thunderstorms. I took a few pictures--I'll put them up later. I had a slightly unnerving encounter with a deer, and got whacked in the face a few times by plants or small branches that I didn't see in time to duck. A tiger swallowtail followed me for a little while. I had a bit of a headache by the time I got back to the car, but a little trip to Starbucks on the way home (and the sugar and caffeine) made it all better.
All in all, not a bad ride.

[MojoGrrl]

I did the Indian Valley Century (metric) on Saturday. Longest single ride I've been on, at an altitude WAY above what I'm used to, lots of small hills but I am totally new to hill climbing. And on the way back, for the last, oh, 20 miles, it was 40 degrees and raining - eventually sleeting/hailing, VERY painful - and I have never ridden in the rain. And did I mention I was wearing shorts and fingerless gloves? Thankfully I had 5 layers on top and a waterproof windbreaker. My boyfriend, who did the full century and got up to the elevation where it started snowing, did not have any wet weather gear on and came back soaked and almost hypothermic

I felt pretty bad-*** for completing the ride, especially under those conditions...and considering I have only bee riding for 3 months

[Grits]

Friday's ride got canceled due to weather. Got in 27 miles today with some friends during the hottest part of the day - upper 80's and HUMID, but it was the only time I could ride. This was officially my first really hot ride of the season, and it showed in my speed. Tomorrow morning we are leaving at 8:00 to beat the heat and planning on 50 miles.

[emily_in_nc]

I did the Indian Valley Century (metric) on Saturday. Longest single ride I've been on, at an altitude WAY above what I'm used to, lots of small hills but I am totally new to hill climbing. And on the way back, for the last, oh, 20 miles, it was 40 degrees and raining - eventually sleeting/hailing, VERY painful - and I have never ridden in the rain. And did I mention I was wearing shorts and fingerless gloves? Thankfully I had 5 layers on top and a waterproof windbreaker. My boyfriend, who did the full century and got up to the elevation where it started snowing, did not have any wet weather gear on and came back soaked and almost hypothermic

I felt pretty bad-*** for completing the ride, especially under those conditions...and considering I have only bee riding for 3 months

You are a bad-azz! Wow, riding in sleet/hail. Yet another reason to wear a helmet, right?

Hope your bf has recovered. We did the Seagull Century in MD years ago, and it absolutely poured a chilly rain. We were soon soaked to the skin and quite cold, even with it just being rain (not snow). DH's lips were turning blue and quivering with about 10 miles to go in the century, and I got pretty scared. We were riding a tandem, and the cold wasn't bothering me quite as much as it did him (probably b/c he was in front breaking the wind for me). We were not dressed warmly enough b/c it was not supposed to start raining until mid-afternoon (when we would have been done w/the ride), but instead it started at 11am and rained from then to the end.

This is one downside of events -- we feel compelled to finish no matter what the conditions. Glad you did, but doesn't sound like fun!

[Catrin]

I was going to ride my age (23) today, as I owed myself a birthday ride from October. I somehow added an extra mile. (So an early birthday ride for this year?)

Sounds very nice, especially being chased by non-biting wildlife

I really want to ride today, but my hip and sartorious is twinging a bit this morning - yeah - THAT leg, and the other quad is a little tender. I really have hit it much harder these past couple of days than the weather has allowed me to do so far this year so I need to take a rest day It is just so beautiful this morning & I want to RIDE. I COULD, it is pretty minor, but am trying to be better this year...

I rode Friday, hiked/mtn bike trail maintenance Saturday, 30 mile hot/windy ride yesterday...hmmmm, guess I can't complain. Will go for a gentle walk with a friend today and do my usual stretches. She can only go for easy hikes, and refuses to walk alone so we go when I need a recovery day. I've had some nice rides this year, but not more than 2 days in a row due to the weather - being so active for 3 days in a row was fantastic!

I had planned on taking the mountain bike to the Canal Towpath, it is a 5.5 mile crushed limestone trail that connects to the White River Parkway which would take me all the way downtown and back again and help to further break in the rear suspension. I suspect it is pretty flat and would have been an easy shortish ride but will do that next Saturday morning as I want to go in early AM to avoid foot traffic.

Rest today, ride tomorrow Part of me says that I am being overly cautious and I should just go for it - but of course that little voice is to blame for my assorted over-use injuries last year...