July 9-10 rides

[Owlie]

My DH and I rode with a group today- they had a choice of long (55) or short (34) mile rides. It was overcast, and therefore really pleasant for a July desert morning, and although we planned to do the short ride, when we got to the turn-around point, we decided to go further. We ended up going about 42, and the clouds didn't dissipate until the last 2 1/2 miles so it was pretty nice. Although the first half of the ride was suburban, the second half goes through upper Sonoran desert, which is greening up a bit since our summer monsoons have started.

We must have passed 25 or 30 dead giant Sonoran Toads, 5 tarantulas and sadly, a roadrunner that had been hit by a car as well. The toads and tarantulas both come out with the rains.

Happily, my leg/hip issues were almost completely absent today.

I'm a little jealous. (Apart from the fact I don't handle heat at all well... ) And yay for no hip or leg issues!

[7rider]

I had planned to ride an easy N2-modified route with my friend, Trevor, while DH did the group ride all the way to Poolesville. My legs were (are) aching from doing a Nike Training Club i-Pod workout on Friday morning. I do them too infrequently for them to not hurt each time I do them!
But a little miscommunication on our part had Trevor turning back early after getting dropped off the back, and me hammering on trying to hang with the group to the first rest stop at a store. Got there...No Trevor. Voice mail from him that he was turning back.
Welp. Looks like I'm goin' to P'ville with DH and the Hammerheads. So I did. Got dropped, picked off those who blew up later. I can cruise for hours on end, but lack power for sprints and jumps. Gotta work on that. DH waited for me at a turn. Saw a bluebird on a wire (adding it to my life list, as it's the first one I've ever seen in the flesh! ).
All in all, although getting dropped is par for the course, it was a good ride.
55 miles at 17.1 mph.
We went out for ice cream after. Mmmmmmmm....

[redrhodie]

I did the lbs slow ride again today. We averaged just over 18 mph for 30 miles. I really like this ride. It's nice and flat, easy pace, fun people. All we need to make it perfect is pie at the end. I may have to fix that myself.

It had been raining overnight, so I rode Puddin'. He got so muddy (as did I; I looked like I rode the Hell of the North). I left him at the lbs for new bar tape after the ride, and they totally cleaned him up, too. He's all shiny and new looking, with bright white tape. I'm not sure I made a good decision with that. I like white tape, even dirty white tape, but I'm not sure about white tape with a brown saddle on a red bike. I think I could have done something more fun. Well, white it is.

I commuted yesterday, 30 miles. After work, I brought some ice cream to my friends. I've decided if I ever TT, I should carry ice cream. I rode like the wind. It was still hard when I got there.

[7rider]

I did the lbs slow ride again today. We averaged just over 18 mph for 30 miles.

18 mph over 30 miles is your SLOW ride? Yikes.

[Biciclista]

we rode from our house to the bike shop (to get my new brakes adjusted properly) and then to Alki beach and then back home. It was a mob scene at the beach. There was a pole vaulting competition, both men's and women's, i'd never seen this in person. They were AWESOME.
lots of people who are already tanned, walking, biking, rollerskating, you name it, up and down the waterfront. A perfect day.
22 miles .. in 5 hours. :-) I'm not as fast as Red Rhodie on my fast days and today was DEFINITELY not one of them

[redrhodie]

18 mph over 30 miles is your SLOW ride? Yikes.

Not my slow ride, the lbs slow ride. I hear their Sunday ride will kill you.

Thinking about it, I'm going to back off that 18 mph claim. I got the speed info from one of the guys on the ride, but I forgot he had to backtrack to pick up a tubular that someone dropped. He did have to catch back up, and the rest of us slowed down for him. His speed was therefore faster than mine.

I need to remind myself why I don't have a computer.

[Bike Chick]

18 mph over 30 miles is your SLOW ride? Yikes.

I agree! Holy cow!

It was a great day at our house. No races, no group rides, nothing planned! DH and I got a 1700 yd swim in at the pool, had lunch and a short rest break watching the tour, then went on a 40 mile ride by ourselves. We came home and grilled out and had a couple beers. It's been a long time since we had a day like this and it was very, very nice.