Magnificent or Mundane May Rides!

[colorisnt]

Hahaha, Skyking.

Got 20 miles in QUICK today averaged 15 mph on the way there, slightly higher on the way back. The BF and I were both just like, "Let's GO!". I got another 5 in on the commute so YAY for 25 miles.

[SheFly]

Went out on the MTB last night. Trails I can ride blind folded. Ended up crashing HARD not once, but TWICE! I NEVER crash. I was pretty embarrassed about it. Thankfully fine, just a banged up knee and a bruised ego . The best was trying to make it uphill into a feature we call the "gravity cavity", not quite making it, and falling over backwards like a turtle. I'm sure it was a sight.

SheFly

[Jolt]

Ouch, SheFly! Glad it wasn't too bad. I am about to go give blood (which pretty much rules out any real exercise the rest of the day) but managed to get out for a quick ride this morning. Trying to figure out the Cyclemeter app on the iPhone but not sure how accurate it is (top speed was supposedly 45.45 mph...I know there was one long descent where I got going pretty fast but not sure it was THAT fast). Total distance 9.85 miles, 313 ft elevation.

[Veronica]

Went out on the MTB last night. Trails I can ride blind folded. Ended up crashing HARD not once, but TWICE! I NEVER crash. I was pretty embarrassed about it. Thankfully fine, just a banged up knee and a bruised ego . The best was trying to make it uphill into a feature we call the "gravity cavity", not quite making it, and falling over backwards like a turtle. I'm sure it was a sight.

SheFly

Were you blindfolded? I want a picture of the gravity cavity. That's a great name.

Veronica

[SheFly]

I felt like I might have been given how I was riding! I'll have to go back and get a pick of the gravity cavity. It's a fun feature that can be ridden in either direction, though harder in the direction we did last night. I've fallen backwards there once before but MANY years ago! I was on the SS last night, and couldn't get my act together.

I say I can ride these trails blindfolded because DH and I built a lot of them, and I ride there A LOT. While not blindfolded, I have had to ride my way out in the dark with no light...

SheFly

[colorisnt]

Ouch, SheFly! I'm glad you're okay!

[Fredwina]

Rode out to the university and back before it got too hot.
A bike shop had a fire Sunday: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...ghland-street/

[emily_in_nc]

Great 55-mile road ride today, my longest of the year. Quite windy but very warm. We rode far enough to actually get out into the "country" (hard to do from KC!) and got to see the coolest pair of birds -- Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers. So beautiful! Unfortunately only had my tiny 3x zoom camera, but you can still get an idea:

Attachment 17084

Also out past very pretty Lake Olathe, and on the way back to Prairie Village stopped in a cool bike shop in historic downtown Lenexa as DH snapped his rear derailleur cable just a block from there (our guardian angel was definitely riding along as it couldn't have happened in a better place!) The owner also roasts and sells lovely coffee beans, so the shop smelled FINE. He offered us some fresh brew, but we were too warm (it was in the mid- to upper 80s today) to partake. The shop had a variety of very nice bikes, some of which the owner builds himself (steel). He also carries Surly, Kona, and a few others whose names I didn't recognize. Retro-looking jerseys, Brooks saddles, and such as well. Just a very high-caliber, interesting shop. Got to see my first Long Haul Trucker in the flesh! They fixed the cable for the price of parts only, perhaps since we also bought some Chain-L lube. Sweet!

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Finally, we stopped in at Sheridan's for a delicious concrete when almost home...thus negating all the calories we'd burned on the ride. So worth it, though!

Attachment 17088

[colorisnt]

Wow Fredwina. That's too bad.

Cool ride, Emily!

[Crankin]

Today I went on my first group ride with the "other" club I belong to. Not the one I lead for. The ride started in a hilly area I ride in frequently, and I really wanted to do the longer ride (42 miles), but it was also the fast group, and on this type of ride, I'd be dying with them. Overall, this group is social and not super fast, but I made a good decision. I rode 31 miles through Bolton, Harvard, Boxborough, Stow, and back to the leader's condo clubhouse, where we had a catered lunch in exchange for donations to the PMC. This was serious suffering for me, about 2500- 3K feet of climbing in my estimation and every big hill around. I stayed up front with the big boys, who actually were pushing it for the "moderate" group. They slowed a lot on the hills and I actually did my best here.
Glad I did this, because I need to get my azz in gear. It's gorgeous out. I rode in short sleeves and shorts, although I did have a sleeveless base layer on. Also, it was my first ride trying out Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix. It's a +1 for me. No aftertaste and no stomach pain. Very light and fresh. I had decided to go with the Nuun R Naturals for an electrolyte only product, since it is so much cheaper than the Skratch electrolytes. I hate the flavors of the Nuun r Naturals... just don't like Chai and Acai, but I'll use them, since I use those more than the Hydration mix.

[colorisnt]

Today I went on my first group ride with the "other" club I belong to. Not the one I lead for. The ride started in a hilly area I ride in frequently, and I really wanted to do the longer ride (42 miles), but it was also the fast group, and on this type of ride, I'd be dying with them. Overall, this group is social and not super fast, but I made a good decision. I rode 31 miles through Bolton, Harvard, Boxborough, Stow, and back to the leader's condo clubhouse, where we had a catered lunch in exchange for donations to the PMC. This was serious suffering for me, about 2500- 3K feet of climbing in my estimation and every big hill around. I stayed up front with the big boys, who actually were pushing it for the "moderate" group. They slowed a lot on the hills and I actually did my best here.
Glad I did this, because I need to get my azz in gear. It's gorgeous out. I rode in short sleeves and shorts, although I did have a sleeveless base layer on. Also, it was my first ride trying out Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix. It's a +1 for me. No aftertaste and no stomach pain. Very light and fresh. I had decided to go with the Nuun R Naturals for an electrolyte only product, since it is so much cheaper than the Skratch electrolytes. I hate the flavors of the Nuun r Naturals... just don't like Chai and Acai, but I'll use them, since I use those more than the Hydration mix.

Good for you The Skratch products have been the one that I really like because of the LACK of taste and how they "sit" with me. Everything else I've experimented with in the last two weeks or so eventually causes stomach pain.

[emily_in_nc]

Today we took out the MTBs and did a mostly utilitarian ride: bank, grocery, auto parts store, but also took in a long stretch of bike trail. It was a VERY windy day and super warm -- 80s during most of the ride and peaked out at 90 after we got home. This was the first ride this year when I've been literally coated with sweat and hair dripping from it. Ugh. We stopped at Sheridan's on the way back again (dangerous that we've found a back way to get there!) and negated our calories burned, but my weight's the lowest it's been in a decade courtesy of all the riding, so I figure I can use the calories! 36.8 miles total but lots of saddle time since we were on the slower, heavier MTBs.

Tomorrow is finally our day off -- supposed to be stormy, rainy, and get much cooler for awhile. Just as well -- 90 in early March is a bit too much!

[Catrin]

Sounds like fun Emily - even if a bit warm and windy! We are hitting 85 today and I am NOT complaining about it! I hope to get a little ride in over the next two days - depending on how the storms develop that they are calling for over the next few days.

[ny biker]

I got in a Wednesday-night-hill-ride after work yesterday. It rained at lunchtime but just about all the roads were dry by the time I started. It was cool but comfortable, right around 60 degrees.

The hot weather is here now. I'm looking forward to wearing something sleeveless for my weekend ride.

[colorisnt]

I will cross my fingers you all get a nice weekend of riding in!

It was so gross out today I didn't get any riding in by the time I could. I did go to the LBS to look for clothes for mom's mother's day gift but they didn't have ANYTHING in an XL. I call BS on that. I have the opposite problem with things like gloves - being too big because I'm so small - but my mom is 5'9'' and built like tennis player or swimmer with strong shoulders, so I ended up getting nothing. Got her something at Marshall's. No riding this weekend. Too busy with my little sister's grad.