June 4 Weekend Rides

[Crankin]

Yesterday I rode 20 miles with a friend. She now has a second home on the Cape, so she isn't around as much to ride. It was good, but I felt guilty thinking that her new Ruby Elite is just gorgeous looking when my bike is perfectly good.
Today DH and I led a 15 mile ride for our club's bike rally. We rode there, did the ride, and rode home, so almost 42 miles. The ride starts out with a very challenging climb, and since riders choosing the 15 mile option are not always used to this, it's interesting. That was OK, since we regrouped at the top, but then one woman was on her first ride of the season and her bike could not shift out of the highest cog after she dropped her chain. I was a little miffed that she hadn't checked her bike's shifting before her first ride of the season. But it was my job to sweep, so I coached her through the whole ride, which was as tiring as riding fast. I was exhausted when we got home, and then we showered and went back for the dinner and speaker. It was probably the nicest day for riding that we've had this year.

[emily_in_nc]

Just a little 12.75 mile market ride this morning in gorgeous weather (70s and sunny, low humidity). I debated going back out for some more miles after dropping off our loot, but decided to take it easy as I'm planning for 50 miles tomorrow, and I wanted to rest a pretty bad saddle sore I developed recently from a few longer and sweaty rides. Fortunately, it started draining this afternoon (sorry TMI!), and is no longer angry, so I think tomorrow's ride is going to be much more comfortable!

[ctdancer]

17.2miles, 1hour 5min 34sec @ 15.4 overall average

Hoping for closer to 30 Sunday.

Still cutting my rides short due to extreme pain Left Sit Bone. Scheduling a full Bike Fit in the next month, and possibly moving up to a road bike from my Trek 7.3 FX(great bike-just not the greatest for 20+miles-for me)
I was going to have a bike fit for this bike(LBS did NOT offer), but I think because I'm averaging 100+ miles per week, it might well be time for a real road bike.
I've been strongly "eyeballing" the Specialized Ruby Elite Comp
BTW- Any one riding a SRAM Compact Double APEX ?? Any comments ??

[redrhodie]

I commuted, but had time to kill, so I did my long route. Then I rode to the store after work. So, around 35 miles for the day. It was really nice out, as it's been all week. Stopped by my lbs, where they threw stuff at me, since evidently people like to do that. I <3 my lbs.

[nscrbug]

Today was a hot & muggy 62 miles for me and DH. Probably about the same in store for tomorrow...only with cooler temps and lower humidity.

[Crankin]

Ct. Dancer, my friend just got the Ruby Elite with the SRAM compact double Apex. She's a newish rider, averages about 12 or 11 mph, after riding a Vita with a triple. We encouraged her to get a triple, but the Elite wasn't available with that option. Bottom line is, she loves it. She got the mountain gearing on the rear, so I think it's an 11-36. She said the regular Apex was OK for the test ride, but we live in a hilly area and she needed to have the same gears as a triple, so she bought the different cassette for the LBS to put on, and she sold the original one on E Bay. She's a very slow climber, but she does get up everything with these gears.
Her bike is gorgeous (see my above post).

[Bike Chick]

Rode a 10k time trial and 20k road race in the senior olympics yesterday. I placed second in my age group in the TT and first in the road race. It was the first road race I've ever done and it was a lot of fun. Each one takes a different strategy. It was brutally hot and there was a 15 mph wind to contend with but that same wind was to our backs on the sprint in. What a bonus!

The 5k TT and 40k road race are scheduled for today but there are thunderstorms moving through. I don't know if we will race or not. At least the storms cooled things off a bit.

[ridenread]

It was too nice not to ride yesterday. Spent the morning cleaning out the basement and having a yard sale. We tried an "Honor system" approach, put out a sign for people to pay whatever they thought an object was worth, and a large can to drop the money into. It was very interesting to watch. We were putting things out there throughout the morning so could get a sense of what was happening. Some people paid more than I would have expected and a few others just took things without paying anything. We were not looking to make a lot of money, so it was actually fun to watch what would happen.

Anyway, I digress I did manage to go for a 14 mile windy ride in the afternoon. I started out tired form hauling boxes all morning but felt great riding. HOpe to get at least a 30 miler in today as it is supposed to be sunny and 70.

[Reesha]

Yesterday I rode 20 miles with a friend. She now has a second home on the Cape, so she isn't around as much to ride. It was good, but I felt guilty thinking that her new Ruby Elite is just gorgeous looking when my bike is perfectly good.
Today DH and I led a 15 mile ride for our club's bike rally. We rode there, did the ride, and rode home, so almost 42 miles. The ride starts out with a very challenging climb, and since riders choosing the 15 mile option are not always used to this, it's interesting. That was OK, since we regrouped at the top, but then one woman was on her first ride of the season and her bike could not shift out of the highest cog after she dropped her chain. I was a little miffed that she hadn't checked her bike's shifting before her first ride of the season. But it was my job to sweep, so I coached her through the whole ride, which was as tiring as riding fast. I was exhausted when we got home, and then we showered and went back for the dinner and speaker. It was probably the nicest day for riding that we've had this year.

I'd be curious to hear what hill it is! That one hill in Westford that goes up from the railroad tracks and nursery in Nabnassett to Westford Center is fairly brutal. Spin spin spin for me.


Anywho... yesterday I did an easy 20. Today will be an easy 40-60. Depends on how I feel. Need more miles in my legs.

[Crankin]

OMG, Reesha, that is Depot Road. No, that was not it, but I used to live in Tyngsboro, right on the Westford line, and took that road every day, to get to work. I would hate to ride it, because of all of the traffic from people using it as a cut through from NH.
The road is Littleton County Rd., in Harvard, which starts out off of Taylor Rd. in Littleton, where it is called Whitcomb Rd. It ends up on Rt. 111, near the Harvard/Boxborough line. I am sure you have ridden in the area.

[m.eliza]

30 miles commuting yesterday. Today was supposed to be a very slow 50, but my new neighbors (I live in a two-family "stackable" home) woke me up at 1am by ringing my doorbell repeatedly (I think either their friends didn't understand which doorbell was which, or they locked themselves out and needed me to let them in, but that's not my problem at 1am!). Then they proceeded to blast music, bass shaking my bedroom floor, until 4:30am. I put my fan on high and my iPod in my ears but it didn't block out the noise. So today, instead of riding, I'm on the couch with a migraine.

However, I decided I'm no longer going to get upset when my rides don't go the way I planned. Instead I'll take a well-deserved rest day and say next weekend will be better

[Reesha]

I'm so proud of myself... did 50 miles alone at my own pace through West County. Saw a black squirrel, a very cute chipmunk, about 80 other bicyclists, met a fellow teacher from another school district and discovered that a locust invasion sounds eerily like light rail.

This ride, I was very careful about fueling throughout. Started the day with a 2 banana, 3 scoops of choco protein powder and PB smoothie. Also ate half a larabar, 1 24 oz bottle of orange sports drink, 1 naked green machine and a little lifeway mango lassi at the end. My legs weren't ready to be fast throughout the ride, but considering I finished feeling good after just 350 miles this year, I am glad

I'm going to do a search momentarily, but near the end, I felt like my muscles were tugging awkwardly on my tailbone area. Like my glutes are stressed and are pulling on a weird spot. Anyone familiar with this?

Also I think it's time to shop for new saddles.

[Catrin]

....
I'm going to do a search momentarily, but near the end, I felt like my muscles were tugging awkwardly on my tailbone area. Like my glutes are stressed and are pulling on a weird spot. Anyone familiar with this?

Also I think it's time to shop for new saddles.

Good job, and I like the sound of your smoothie! I need to find an inexpensive source of protein powder for such things.

When I injured myself last year, I had something that sounds similar to what you describe. While I am sure that different things can cause similar symptoms, for me it was my hamstring - it was tight at both ends and would cause that sensation before I actually pulled the thing (in multiple places). I am sure that you did, but did you stretch well after your sweet ride?

Also, welcome to the loads of fun to be had in saddle shopping

[Trek-chick]

I did 17.5 miles at the local park, which was three laps around. My average speed was 14.5 mph which is my personal best I feel so fast on the true road bike as compared to my touring bike....what fun it is to go fast!

I have decided that the stock saddle on my Bianchi is going to have to go. I plan to get a Terry Butterfly, if I can find a white one.

[Reesha]

Good job, and I like the sound of your smoothie! I need to find an inexpensive source of protein powder for such things.

When I injured myself last year, I had something that sounds similar to what you describe. While I am sure that different things can cause similar symptoms, for me it was my hamstring - it was tight at both ends and would cause that sensation before I actually pulled the thing (in multiple places). I am sure that you did, but did you stretch well after your sweet ride?

Also, welcome to the loads of fun to be had in saddle shopping

You know, I've only been home about 45 minutes. I'll stretch those hammies good and elevate my legs. Thanks for the tip!