July Rides

[Crankin]

I rode with one of the guys from both of my clubs today. We finally did the route we were going to do the day my shift lever broke in April! I was pissed that my Wednesday group had a ride I really wanted to do, and they are doing it tomorrow, because it will be cooler out. Anyway, I rode 7 miles to meet him, and off we went. Of course, he sent me a GPS file of the ride that started in a different place, my device was going nuts, trying to direct me back to the start so I shut it off. I did restart it just to record the miles, but by that point, I had gone about 10. DH will have to add them in for me. The ride went into Westford, some on roads I've never been on, which is unusual in a local ride. Some of them I recognized from when I used to live nearer to there, when I first moved back here. It seems like a lifetime ago, and I guess it is... 24 years. Others I've been on. It's a really nice and shady ride, which was good, because it's 88 out, with 38% humidity. Not as brutal as yesterday, and there is a breeze. There was one big climb, that I've done before, but I just slowed down to 6-9 mph and I made it without any issues. The only thing I didn't like about this ride was there were 2 uphill stops, one being quite steep and at a busy road. Jack got across, but I had to stop and I had to actually walk across the street, because I couldn't get going. The other one is just a hard to see left turn on a small rise. I don't know why these things bother me, but I go out of my way to avoid them, on my own rides. Once we got through the big climb, though there weren't any others, just some small ones. I felt better today than on Saturday, even though my riding was about the same speed and it's hotter out. I took my inhaler before I left, which I believe helped. I really hate riding in hot weather, but if I don't, I won't get the miles in.
We got back to Ferns, neither of us were hungry, so we sat on the porch and drank iced coffee for about an hour, and then I pedaled off to home. Very glad to get home and eat by that time.
About 42 miles.

[emily_in_nc]

The only thing I didn't like about this ride was there were 2 uphill stops, one being quite steep and at a busy road. Jack got across, but I had to stop and I had to actually walk across the street, because I couldn't get going. The other one is just a hard to see left turn on a small rise. I don't know why these things bother me, but I go out of my way to avoid them, on my own rides.

I would too! I hate uphill stops, and it seems like DH always gets right across as he is usually ahead of me and a bit braver, and I end up having to walk across or cut across the road I'm on to get going again (only if absolutely no cars are around) and then cross. If I know one of these is on a route, I'll go another way to avoid it too. So, I don't think you're strange...or else I am too.

[Crankin]

Yes, and it's even harder for me to negotiate these on my custom bike! The seatpost is higher relative to the pedals and i have to think, just to not catch my shorts on the nose of the saddle, let alone try to push off on a steep uphill. I am not weak in the legs by any means, but I just avoid these. I took my Kuota today, even though I would have appreciated the 2 lower gears on the other bike, on that climb, but I had looked at the route before hand and recognized that one spot which had caused me trouble on a group ride 2 years ago. My DH also thinks nothing of these things, but he's learned that I hate them.

[emily_in_nc]

Yes, and it's even harder for me to negotiate these on my custom bike! The seatpost is higher relative to the pedals and i have to think, just to not catch my shorts on the nose of the saddle

I am sure your shorts are not too large, right? The only times I've done this were with slightly too loose shorts. Normally, no matter what type of bike you have, the saddle height relative to the bottom bracket should be the same, shouldn't it?

[cosc]

I am a wimp when it comes to getting going on a ascent, even at stops with a headwind.
Last week I had the dumbest of accidents though. My foot slid off my spin bike and I skinned/bruised my shin.

Yesterday I rode a solo 53 mile overnighter to a small town and biked back today after picking up a tractor seal for DH. I'm was very tuckered out when I got home.
Where do some cyclist get energy to go super long miles a day? I'll guess I'll just blame it on my age.

[emily_in_nc]

Yesterday I rode a solo 53 mile overnighter to a small town and biked back today after picking up a tractor seal for DH. I'm was very tuckered out when I got home. Where do some cyclist get energy to go super long miles a day? I'll guess I'll just blame it on my age.

How old are you? Unless you are > 60, I am not sure you can blame it on age. My DH is 60 and is having the cycling year of his life...he's put in 7200 miles so far this year with multiple centuries (all unorganized, just on his own) and many more 60+ days.

I don't know how he does it either. I've done a few 70+ mile days this year, but most of my rides are in the 40-mile range. And I'm "only" 53. A lot of it is mental.

[ny biker]

How old are you? Unless you are > 60, I am not sure you can blame it on age. My DH is 60 and is having the cycling year of his life...he's put in 7200 miles so far this year with multiple centuries (all unorganized, just on his own) and many more 60+ days.

I don't know how he does it either. I've done a few 70+ mile days this year, but most of my rides are in the 40-mile range. And I'm "only" 53. A lot of it is mental.

A lot is just practice. I ride with people in their late 60s and early 70s. Some of them are still very fast. They ride 4 days a week, sometimes more, can ride 60 miles today and 100 tomorrow. They're able to ride a lot because they've worked up to it.

[Crankin]

Emily, my shorts are definitely not too small... they are x smalls and I've been about the same size since I started cycling, well, at least once i got a road bike. I can't explain it, except that even the most minute differences in geometry bother me and I just feel more comfortable and my skills are all much better on my Kuota. So much for custom. I think for me, if I'm used to it, that's it. So while the Kuota may be a bit scrunched for me, I *like* that feel because I am used to it. Once I am riding on the Guru, I'm fine, and I like the feel of the titanium.
As far as the age thing, I'm 60, but I have always needed more rest than others, it seems. I don't know how some of the people in my groups do it, except perhaps, that riding is all they do! On the other hand, when I've done tours, I can suck it up and do consecutive 40-60 mile days. I could not do 100 in the mix, at least not now, without a little more training. It is mental, to a large degree, and the amount of suffering you are willing to endure. All I know, is that I felt pretty good on my hot and fast for me 42 mile ride yesterday, because I did nothing on Tuesday.

[Jolt]

7-mile round trip this morning to get groceries...so much more fun to do it by bike than driving! Tried out my new Keen Commuter sandals (still with flat pedals)...I think the stiffer sole does help but they actually don't give me quite the same grip on the pedals as my sneakers (slid off a couple of times) so I will probably go order a set of Power Grips today. Tonight is a group ride that will probably be 15-20 miles.

[emily_in_nc]

As far as the age thing, I'm 60, but I have always needed more rest than others, it seems. I don't know how some of the people in my groups do it, except perhaps, that riding is all they do! On the other hand, when I've done tours, I can suck it up and do consecutive 40-60 mile days. I could not do 100 in the mix, at least not now, without a little more training. It is mental, to a large degree, and the amount of suffering you are willing to endure. All I know, is that I felt pretty good on my hot and fast for me 42 mile ride yesterday, because I did nothing on Tuesday.

Yes, my DH pretty much only does cycling; he's retired and rides 6-7 days a week. He also has a mental attitude that borders on OCD about mileage since he decided this was going to be his big cycling year.

I know I do better, like you, after a day of rest. I've been riding almost every day, but I took yesterday off and felt much more chipper on my 40-mile ride today. I really like 40 milers. They are long enough so you feel like you did something and burned enough calories that you can treat yourself to something yummy, but not so long that you're ruined for the rest of the day and possibly into the next.

[marni]

Woot! 15.2 mph for 36 miles today in 2:15 in the 80/80% heat and humidity. This at a 7:30 am start. Guess leg pressing 220 lb x 40 per week is starting to pay off. Either that or it is so ****miserable on the road so that all I want to do is get off!

[emily_in_nc]

That's awesome, Marni! I would be thrilled with that speed. I normally average 13.5 - 14.8 depending on route and whether I'm riding with DH or not. I have averaged 15+ just twice this year. Used to be much faster, but since my crash in '05, I've never been able to ride that fast since. I can do the miles, just not quickly!

[Crankin]

Did our Berkshire warm up ride late yesterday. 18 miles, with enough climbing to make me hurt. This was a slightly different version of a 15 mile ride I've done before. Woke up not feeling so great, definitely allergies, but my stomach and other parts not so great, either. Our ride is 40 miles today, a really beautiful ride, so I have to get myself in gear. My friend is really ow, so I can always ride with her, instead of trying to keep up with her DH.

[cosc]

Yesterday was a perfect (70's without much wind) day to ride. I rode 46 miles, but wasn't feeling up to snuff. About 12 miles in I started getting a stitch in my side which spread to other parts.
I saw a cute scene which I would of stopped and taken a picture if I wasn't looking forward to plopping on my bed at home. There was about 20 red cows cooling themselves in a creek, while their white calves were all in a group keeping flies on the bank of the creek. Amazing thing to me as none of their babies were red like their Mom and not 1 calf was in the cool water.

[ny biker]

I rode 19 miles last night, one of the longer versions of my standard post-work hill ride. Thanks to a derailleur/shifting problem, I had major issues shifting into my largest cog, which meant I couldn't use it like I usually do for the short but steep climbs. What better way to get back in shape after a sedentary vacation? My legs were tired by the end but it was a good kind of tired, as they say.

The weather was damn near perfect, and a found another small park with a restroom that's near my ride start, since the portolet has been removed from the park where I start.