Weekend Rides?

[OakLeaf]

I rode almost 14 flat miles! Yay!

Considering my last ride was two weeks ago and it sort of aggravated my neck and back ... and how little I'd been riding recently anyway for any number of reasons ... I figured to skip the club ride and take it easy today.

I have a choice of two farmers' markets on Saturdays that I don't do the club ride. One is farther away from me, much nicer, and near a 20-mile MUP. The other one is closer, adequate, and near a 2.75-mile MUP. I figured the shorter drive would also mean less temptation to ride farther than I was really ready for ... So, about two and a half laps. It felt really good to be back on the bike. My back felt okay too - we've really made progress this week, and the couple of twinges I had were easily corrected by changing the tilt of my pelvis. I'm probably going to try another bike path ride or two this week.

The bright side is that I found an ugly crack in the sidewall of my front tire. I've been riding so little that there's plenty of tread left on that front. I'll definitely have to replace it before I get on the road (and I already have a spare, figured I'd need it sooner than later). But it's okay for the bike path I think, and if I can get a couple more miles out of a tire that cost way too much, that's okay with me.

[BikeHN]

Did almost 30 miles today. Did some climbing in the Great Smoky Mountains then did a couple of (10+ miles) loops to add. Beautiful chilly morning.

[Catrin]

Did almost 30 miles today. Did some climbing in the Great Smoky Mountains then did a couple of (10+ miles) loops to add. Beautiful chilly morning.

You made me homesick - grew up in Knoxville, most of my family are in Maryville or Townsend. I didn't ride a bike in those days however. If I can get strong enough hill legs, would love to head down and ride the Foothills Parkway someday :-) Cades Cove, where you took the pictures, certainly, but I love the Parkway. Thankfully my Gunnar has a full mountain bike drivetrain, and this is one of the reasons I had it built that way

Thank you for the pictures!

[lovelygamer]

We did 10.8 today. My first over 10 in one ride.

[murielalex]

^ Congrats!

I did a slow 40 miles today, but was maybe a bit too slow as I got poured on about two miles away from home. I used the opportunity to stop at a cafe and have a happy pigout breakfast. Going to get together with three friends tomorrow morning for a short, social ride, where we'll probably spent most of the time at a local coffee shop making fun of each other.

[redrhodie]

No ride yesterday due to rain, but I got out today for 20 something miles. It was windy, but I was going pretty fast even into the headwind. Then I felt that old familiar thump, thump, thump of a back tire flat. I was riding sew ups, so I just rode home on it. I love that you can do that with tubulars. The rest of the ride was slow, but really enjoyable. It felt like the universe was telling me to chill out.

Thanks universe.

[murielalex]

Fun with friends! A nice, 25-mile ride before the heat kicked in. It's in the 90s today in South Florida and sticky, humid.



I'm in the green jersey.

[Cynedra]

We got in 1 mile yesterday in the neighborhood - letting older son ride his own bike. I nearly hit a black snake. Then did yard work the remainder of the day. Although it was hot, it wasn't miserable.

Planned to do about 20 today, but only made it to 17. We were pulling the boys behind - me pulling the trailer and DH pulling the Tug-A-Bug. Son #2 was just being very complainy/argumentative, etc, and I just wasn't feeling it anymore. Of course, he fell asleep for the last three miles and so we probably could have gone a little more.

[Roadtrip]

DH and I planned on riding today and doing a Birthday ride for my 37th. Was planning on riding the Little Miami trail north of town, but we found the new trail was open locally when we stopped yesterday to do a little recon. Decided to go there instead and check out the trail. Ended up doing just over 10 miles and felt great!!!

It's a start back as I've been struggling getting on the bike with health issues lately and I felt really good afterwards and could have gone further, but this was an EXCELLENT positive ride.

I realized half way out the reason I hated this trail... the traffic on the trail during the weekend is horrid unless you get out really early... so my avg speed was just on 10MPH. The human traffic-- obstructions if you will, it makes you works on handeling skills I guess

DH was stressed because of the pedestrian/dog/kids on the trail and just wanted to go. after we'd finished one "loop" and I wasn't really into fighting for my share of space on the trail either.

DH may have better fitness, but I'm a much better bike handeler, even tho I've only been riding for two years and he learned as as kid!

Shannon

[Crankin]

DH and I did 19.2 miles on our "flat route," which to some might not be so flat, given our start/finish. I am recovering from allergies/a fibro flare up, so I wasn't expecting much. However, we started off slowly until mile 6, which always benefits me, and we rode fairly fast until the last 2 miles up the hill. Taking a day off yesterday made my legs feel great, and I was surprised at how much endurance I had, considering.
The weather forecast looks horrible until the end of the week. I have 12 miles to go to get to 1K for the year, so I am on track for 3K again.

[indysteel]

DH and I did 46 relatively hilly miles in southern Indiana today. Gorgeous day but we dealt with a lot of traffic. Part of the route goes around a lake, so it wasn't unexpected. I'm happier with my climbing than I've been in a while. I'm still slower than DH, but given his strength to weight ratio, I doubt that's going to change anytime soon!

[Catrin]

I did 40 miles today, a mixed route that was quite windy going out, but for a change I got a tailwind most of the way back. Ok, not REALLY a true tail wind, more of an angled side wind that helped more than it hurt. I will take it I was trying to focus more on time in the saddle (3 hours was the target), but am happy with the mileage.

I think my neck has recovered as much as it is going to, and I am happy with how I did today. I've lost a bit of my hill climbing strength in my recovery period but that's not much of a surprise as it wouldn't allow me to climb at all for some time. Now my neck appears to be happy with longer distances it is time to start working on hill-climbing once I get home from the mtb clinic next weekend. THAT will be the real test of my neck, three days on the mountain bike

[ZenBiker]

Little Red Riding Hood (big all-woman ride in northern Utah) was yesterday, so my weekend ride was a long one for me. Ended up with just over 63 miles, a new personal best.

Most everyone else I knew there rode 100, but I have more training to do before I can accomplish that. To any Bonneville Cycling Club members on this forum: thanks for a great event!!

[Reesha]

Congrats Zen

This morning I went out for a ride with my coach and personal trainer and did 85 miles with around 4000 feet of climbing. I'd been sick W, Th, F, and Sat... so it was a miracle that I was able to do it, let alone hammer the last 20 miles or so. I learned a valuable lesson... eating 4 eggs and a cup of white rice for breakfast is like eating a BRICK before a long ride. I usually eat 3-4 eggs for breakfast on the weekend, just not an hour before working out. It took 3-4 hours for each of those eggs to settle/digest. Totally unpleasant. I did manage all 85 miles subsisting on 4 bottles of accelerade alone... I just couldn't stomach the thought of solid food after those eggs, even though I brought a few larabars with me.

Still, even though I'm really tuckered... it was a great ride. I do need to check with my doctor about renewing my inhaler prescription after 6 years-- some of those steep climbs had at the edge and racing this spring certainly underscored its necessity. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to get a new one.

That's me riding behind Zach.

[Catrin]

Reesha, you look great and Road Trip - congratulations on getting out there

ZenBiker, that just sounds awesome!