October 22/23,2011 rides!

[skywalkerbeth]

Hi everyone

Yesterday I was on the bike for the first time in two months! I didn't go very far because by the time I got my sorry *** moving, it was late afternoon and then I found out I had a severe flat (which I expected). BUT, I couldn't get it to pump. Had to load bike up and go to LBS.

Once they sorted me out, I rode around their parking lot for 20 minutes. Mostly to practice with my NEW CLIPS (first time out with them).

SPDs. LOVE THEM. All the fear I had from the speedplays - mostly gone. What fear I do have is because of my bad experiences with the others. But these are like buttah - so easy in and out. As I get used to that I'll be just fine.

They really do come out easily - clipping in too. In fact, I had unclipped my left foot while practicing for a stop (right foot down) and just rested my left foot back on the pedal. It clipped in without me knowing it which was a surprise BUT when I got off balance because I wasn't expecting that and started to think OH HELL, blip: out. Just like that. No stress.

[redrhodie]

In order for me to do the Sat morning lbs ride, I have to be in my car by 6:10. I was still in bed at 6. I don't know how I did it, but I got there on time! I had to forfeit my usual big breakfast, and settled for some cheese slapped on a couple of pieces of bread, too sloppy to be called a "sandwich". I also didn't have time for coffee, and by the end of the ride (around 27 miles), my head was pounding. By 11 am, I thought I was going to have to go home sick from work. Instead, I did a meditation technique I saw on Dr. Oz by Deepak Chopra, and within a few minutes, I was fine. Wow.

After yesterday's ride, we switched out my stem, lowered my bars, and moved my saddle forward, trying to get my position closer to my other bike. I tried it out around the block, and thought it felt way better. Today I did 28 miles with hills, and now I can say for sure, it is way better. The bike felt perfect; nothing hurt, it felt less twitchy, and I had more power standing. Quads felt like they were being used more, but that's to be expected. Everything else feels great.

What a perfect weekend for riding!

[nscrbug]

We did our usual routes and distances this weekend - 72 miles yesterday, and 71 today. With the sun rising later these days, we are getting a later start (7:15) but the upside to that is I get to sleep in a bit longer.

Linda

[Catrin]

Such a beautiful day for a bike ride, but due to neck issues I decided to postpone my planned birthday ride. I still rode, but just did a very easy 10 miles in a park. Nice park. I am getting very sick of that park. I was quite thankful for it today though. The muscles appear to be easing, and while there was/is some discomfort it is markedly less.

Beautiful ride though, if slow and easy. I may not have seen that beautiful young buck with antlers if I had been whizzing through there at my usual pace. There were very few cyclists out, or really few of anyone, so it almost felt like I had the park to myself to enjoy all of the fall colors and to chase lovely crunchy leaves

[zoom-zoom]

Yesterday DH and I explored some muddy seasonal roads on our CX bikes for about 21 miles, then today I took part in my 3rd ever CX race...I still need to work on my mounts and dismounts. I wasn't DFL, but there were only 3 people behind me in the C race. I'd love to have at least a half-dozen back there.

A friend shot a killer photo of me on his iPhone--I think this was only after the first lap or two, as I don't see much mud splatter on my legs:


I felt pretty good. Yesterday my legs felt like crap, since I hadn't been on my bike in a week (returned from Death Valley JDRF ride and a few days in Vegas late Tues, then the weather was garbage for a few days). Glad that yesterday's ride woke them up for today.

[azfiddle]

Today was another in the series of training rides for El Tour de Tucson, with the coaches from Carmichael Training. This was the first "endurance ride" - the others have been skills rides: buddy riding and bike handling, cornering, pacelines and hill repeats.

Today we rode 40 miles with about 1200 feet of climbing. The ride followed a portion of the El Tour course (maybe about 20-25 miles of it?). Although I always seem to be getting dropped no matter who I ride with, I managed to stay with my group for about 60% of the ride, and the well organized pacelines upped my average to 16.5 mph- when my solo rides are usually about 14.5-15, and on yesterday's 71 mile ride I was at about 15.1 But with 111 miles in two days, I'm ready for a day or two off, at least!

[owlice]

Wild Goose Chase; rode the 42.8 mile ride which turned out to be about 46 miles for us, so I rode another four miles for 50. Lovely lovely ride.

[Catrin]

Yesterday DH and I explored some muddy seasonal roads on our CX bikes for about 21 miles, then today I took part in my 3rd ever CX race...I still need to work on my mounts and dismounts. I wasn't DFL, but there were only 3 people behind me in the C race. I'd love to have at least a half-dozen back there.

A friend shot a killer photo of me on his iPhone--I think this was only after the first lap or two, as I don't see much mud splatter on my legs:

I felt pretty good. Yesterday my legs felt like crap, since I hadn't been on my bike in a week (returned from Death Valley JDRF ride and a few days in Vegas late Tues, then the weather was garbage for a few days). Glad that yesterday's ride woke them up for today.

Zoom-zoom, it is good to see you, and it looks like you had fun!

[rubysoho]

love the photo, zoom-zoom!