July 29th Weekend Rides

[Crankin]

We scouted out our 50-ish mile ride to the fruit farm in Hollis/Nashua, NH, in preparation of leading it on Oct. 1. Actually, the farm may be in Pepperell, MA, but, it's right on the border.
We have totally revamped much of this ride, including about 36 of the 48.8 miles. I had only done the route this way once, and I am trying to get it in my head, because DH will be up front with the GPS and I will have a cue sheet, being the sweep. It's fine if the group can stay close together, but it seems like i always get stuck with one person who really shouldn't be on the ride, despite my screening, or is having mechanicals. This is a gorgeous ride, but very hilly, with the street leading up to the farm, about a 4 mile climb that has about 6 separate hills, 2 of them being quite steep, but short. There's one steep climb after lunch, that is new, and near the end of the ride, we go through the Lost Lake area of Groton, another climb. After that, we headed back to the start point, a totally different way, which necessitates climbing over a freeway overpass, not too bad, but then another hill that is torturous, and ends right when we turn into the lot where our cars were. I used to ride up this all of the time before we moved to Concord, and it brought back memories of struggling up this hill when I first started riding.
It was hot. Like 90 degrees. A lot of this ride is shaded, but I drank almost 3 bottles of Nuun/water, and more water with lunch. The view where we eat at the farm is fantastic, and makes up for the climbing. I never feel like leaving the lunch spot!
Tired.

[Koronin]

No riding this weekend. Mostly due to heat and then rain. I won't complain though because we really need the rain. We are in a very bad drought. I did get to take the mountain bike out on our street long enough to determine we finally have the reach between seat and handlebars much better to where I feel a lot better on the bike. Also it was long enough to determine the main issue now is to find a saddle for the mountain bike. Hubby did the same with his road bike. Basically had to make my mountain bike feel more like my road bike and had to make his road bike feel more like his mountain bike. Those two things are now more accomplished. Now the issue is finding me a mountain bike saddle and him a road bike saddle. The sad part is I borrowed the saddle that came on his mountain bike (he has a different one on it right now) and it's better than any other saddle I've tried so far, but not right. He borrowed my road bike saddle (which is a men's saddle, but I love for my road bike) and it's better than what he had tried before. I think we may be making a trip to Raleigh to look for saddle at some point in the future (possibly the weekend we go to Bristol. Since the NASCAR races there are night races we'll be driving home Sunday and can stop by a couple of shops, specifically Performance and see what might work).

[7rider]

This weekend was all about multi-sport training.
Saturday: 1500 m swim, followed by a 23 mile bike ride. My first swim-bike brick.
Sunday: 4.75 mile run, 26 mile bike, 2.25 mile run (mini duathlon, on the course where I'll be doing my duathlon next Sunday.