Weekend Rides?

[HillSlugger]

Did a tri bike ride today with 7Rider. Finally figured out how to keep up with her: have her run 8 miles before we ride

[Crankin]

31.5 miles on my Kuota, newly tuned up for the season. We didn't ride anywhere special, but it's gorgeous out, about 55 degrees the whole time I rode and sunny. The southwest wind brings warm temperatures, but wind. We were riding into it for about half of the ride and it was pretty brutal. Then by the time we had a tailwind, I had to pee really badly, so we stopped at a gas station and bought some fig newtons and used the bathroom.
I felt pretty good, although I am slow. I know that will change as the season goes on. Had one issue with my new rear cassette with the 28. I guess I will have to stop my habit of using the smallest cog when I'm in the middle ring. I know it's cross chained, but I tend to do it when I'm stopped on an incline and need to get going. It made my front automatically go to the granny gear and t felt like I had dropped the chain. I hadn't, but I had to scoot across 2 intersections, which was embarrassing.
It felt great to get out there for a longer ride. I haven't stopped riding during the winter, but they were not longer than 20 mile rides, on my other bike.

[Owlie]

It was close to 70 degrees here, and I needed to blow off some steam before finals. I was only planning a 25-mile ride, but that didn't seem like quite enough, so I rode up to the edge of Xenia for a 33.4 miler. I rode pretty fast, considering there were lots of other people on the trail (I'm used to having it to myself!) and I had to stop at some points to wait for people to go by so I could pass. I found myself using gears that I haven't used except on the trainer, so I think the ladders are paying off!

The bugs are out early. In addition to having to spit the things out and wipe them off my glasses, I felt something hit me and looked down to see a giant stink bug on my arm.

[Catrin]

Darn, neck hurting tonight...guess riding two days in a row is still a bit much...

But hey, I got in almost 40 miles between the two days and that is awesome considering what I have been doing

[rubysoho]

48.5 miles today. I could have pedaled an extra 1.5 mile but my left thigh had been (strangely) cramping starting after mile 37. No fun. But I still feel it was an excellent ride.

[Jo-n-NY]

Finally a weekend of outdoor rides despite both days temps began in the 30's. I am not one that likes cold temps but with bright sun shine the rides were really nice. I tested out a route that I am leading, National Womens Day ride next Sunday out the bike shop.

[azfiddle]

36.5 today- including 4 miles up Mt. Lemmon (I ran out of time or would have gone up further).

[MojoGrrl]

I've had some knee issues since last month so I've been trying to take it easy. Had a couple of rides where it started hurting about 20 miles in, then made it 26 miles last week without a problem. We did 27 miles on the tandem yesterday, pretty much all flat, average speed 16.6 mph; no knee pain. Today I did 34 miles, 3000 feet of climbing, average speed 15 mph (crazy headwinds the whole way, both directions, I'm not kidding); knee is still okay. Seems to be rehabbing okay, but I am still going to my sports medicine appointment this week to find out what is going on and hopefully keep this from happening again.

[Catrin]

Awesome 15 mile ride today! Wanted to ride further, but time wouldn't permit it, and am trying to nurse my neck along anyway.

I had a HARD time deciding what to wear! It was 57 when I started and I seem to stay colder longer than others I am around. I knew I would be cold - so tossed on toe covers, leg warmers, and also had on base wool layer and SS wool jersey with sleeveless wind breaker. 45 minutes later I took off the toe covers, leg warmers AND the SS wool jersey - thankfully all of this fit in my hydration pack

When I returned home I found the temps had jumped almost 10 degrees in less than 90 minutes - no wonder I got warm! I've just learned that my feet get cold at about 62...as well as my legs.

[Owlie]

Awesome 15 mile ride today! Wanted to ride further, but time wouldn't permit it, and am trying to nurse my neck along anyway.

I had a HARD time deciding what to wear! It was 57 when I started and I seem to stay colder longer than others I am around. I knew I would be cold - so tossed on toe covers, leg warmers, and also had on base wool layer and SS wool jersey with sleeveless wind breaker. 45 minutes later I took off the toe covers, leg warmers AND the SS wool jersey - thankfully all of this fit in my hydration pack

When I returned home I found the temps had jumped almost 10 degrees in less than 90 minutes - no wonder I got warm! I've just learned that my feet get cold at about 62...as well as my legs.

Catrin, at 62, I'm out in shorts and short sleeves (albeit with arm warmers)!

I went on an nice, relatively relaxing 26-mile ride...it was interesting. I got a face full of small flying insects on more than one occasion, my first confirmed "bug in mouth" experience (and it had to be a relatively big one too )...not all that long after something else relatively large bounced off my nose. I rescued a little snake from the trail;it decided to sunbathe, which was not good because it looked exactly like a stick. I nearly ran over the poor thing. I took a stick and picked it up (like one does with worms) and put it in the grass well away from the trail. Of course, now that I think about it, I think it may have been a baby copperhead! Luckily for me, copperheads aren't terribly aggressive.
And I got rained on, but not much. Good thing, considering I was wearing a sky-blue and white jersey!

[nscrbug]

Rode 68 miles today...longest of the season, so far. Slowly working up my mileage...would like to do our first 100-miler of the season sometime in May. Tomorrow, I'm shooting for 70-75 miles. Weather is ridiculously warm for this time of year...was 69 degrees at 7am start and 82 degrees when I pulled into my driveway just before noon. Unheard of for Chicago in March. We are on tap to hit a 7 day record-breaking streak with these temps. But I'm not complaining.

Linda

[Catrin]

We broke a record today that was set in something like 1892! Crazy weather...which is why I am being so careful with my bike clothes - but not complaining!

[Owlie]

We broke a record today that was set in something like 1892! Crazy weather...which is why I am being so careful with my bike clothes - but not complaining!

We were just shy of ours by something like 2 degrees. Crazy. Of course, it's also making the trees go crazy, which my eyes and sinuses do not appreciate.

[Catrin]

Catrin, at 62, I'm out in shorts and short sleeves (albeit with arm warmers)!

It was 58 when I started I do need to dress warmer for that - but it was 66 just a little over an hour later! I didn't know it would warm that quickly

[Crankin]

I'm about to start a ride where it will be 45 at the start and about 60-62 at the end. Since I'm not going to be on the bike with the rack and pannier, I have to plan carefully. These are my favorite riding temperatures (50-60), but definitely the hardest to dress for. I could not be wearing shorts and a ss jersey at 60. I would also have leg warmers or knickers, arm warmers and a vest. Probably toe covers and light weight wool socks, too.
Yesterday I did a 24 mile ride with Hirakukibou. We both arrived at our meeting place at the exact same time, which was a first, I think. It was cloudy and 51, a little raw, but we had a good ride. We spend too much time talking to worry about speed, and I had run in the AM. I was fine until about half way through my legs just went dead on a small climb.
This morning DH and I are going to ride about 15 miles to a breakfast place/diner in Wayland. It's a direction I never ride in, and the one time I rode near there, it was a beautiful ride. It's going to be about 70 this afternoon, but our son wanted us to come with him and his wife for the inspection on the house they bought. I told him this was a huge sacrifice, to give up a warm sunny day in March, but for him, I would do it!