March outdoor rides - let's drop the Lion!

[ny biker]

Here's a photo I took on my ride yesterday. This is the WOD trail (Washington & Old Dominion), a 45-mile rail-trail in northern Virginia. I took the photo at Clark's Gap, which is roughly around mile 40, west of Leesburg, VA. When riding west, you reach this trestle after a long, slightly upward incline, then the trail corkscrews up at a steeper grade to the intersection of Dry Mill Rd and Charlestown Pike. That intersection was my turnaround point yesterday, which of course meant I could enjoy a long, slightly downward-sloping section of trail.

Once or twice on past rides I have hung out under that trestle waiting for a rain storm to pass.

I

(It looks much more inviting with leaves on the trees.)

[emily_in_nc]

Today I did my longest ride in Patagonia (AZ) so far -- 40 miles. I'm finding I really enjoy riding frequent but shorter rides. My typical ride is 25-30 miles with just a few shorter or longer than that. But I'm riding five days a week so very consistent. My body seems to do well with this regime, though I am constantly hungry so think I've actually gained weight here! Have not had access to a scale for four months!

[Crankin]

Longest ride of the season, so far, just under 30 miles. I felt really good. First ride on the Kuota, too. I usually leave it on the trainer until April 1, but there's no snow in sight.
We didn't ride anywhere special, just into Boxborough, a bit of Harvard, and back through Stow, Acton, and into west Concord. It is supposed to start raining badly this afternoon, and at one point, I thought we should take the shortest route home as it was getting kinda dark out, but we didn't.
I love riding on the roads I first started riding on. And there's not so many yahoos from the city riding, like there are in Concord. We did see one large group, and lots of single/couple riders, too. One guy, on the way home was annoying me with bad etiquette, so I dropped him on a hill going into west Concord and then he proceeded to stay on my azz right up to the point where we turn off to go home.
All in all, a very good ride.

[shootingstar]

We've had snow off and on for past 2 wks. So didn't go far ...um 15 km. Around -10 degrees and there was a sharp wind. Tiny mileage before it snows again in about 12 hrs. from now.

[Catrin]

We've had snow off and on for past 2 wks. So didn't go far ...um 15 km. Around -10 degrees and there was a sharp wind. Tiny mileage before it snows again in about 12 hrs. from now.

Yikes! Sounds worse there than here, we had slushy rain this morning that became rain for much of the day, but the temps are above freezing (F). -10 = 14F? Brrrrr

[azfiddle]

About 50 miles today - over Gates Pass west of Tucson, around the back side of the Tucson Mountains and then west over Picture Rocks Road. The hill was misery- I've been trying to up my cadence the last week and although it didn't seem to be an issue, I think it really did make me a little sore and tired. Most of the rest of the group went ahead and I rode back the last 10 miles or so a little slower - fortunately my husband didn't mind riding slower with me and listening to me complain.

Still, the weather was great and there are still some wildflowers even at the lower elevations.

[emily_in_nc]

Had a really good month here in Patagonia, AZ. Ended today with a short 22-mile recovery ride after a difficult MTB ride yesterday (lots of climbing and 35.7 miles) Leaving tomorrow and will be on the road for three days, so I did my monthly totals today:

March total miles: 678.96, Year-to-date: 1414.03

I won't be able to keep up this torrid pace since we have a lot of traveling ahead, visits with family, and probably some chilly weather days back in KC, but it's been a really good first quarter of the year, my best ever by far. It pays to fly south for the winter, like the birds!