august rides

[emily_in_nc]

Congratulations azfiddle -- after driving up Mt. Lemmon, I know what a climb that is. Daunting! I wish I'd been a bit better trained when we were Tucson in Feb. so we could have tried it. After riding on coastal flat roads in Dec. and January, when weather permitted, I just wasn't ready to attempt something like Mt. Lemmon. We did ride the Sagauro NP East loop a couple of times towards the end of the month (fun except the one long climb midway in) and Pistol Hill a couple of times as well. But neither of them is a mountain.

[Crankin]

I also posted my last ride in the July thread. Duh.
I led a ride tonight. Actually, I was the sweep. I never have been on an AMC night time ride. The Tuesday series is the "slower" one, and usually I wouldn't do it, because 1) there can be some very inexperienced riders, especially early in the season, and 2) usually, I'm working until 6. But, my friend (the one who always gets lost) was leading, it started from his house, which is is in the next town, and I was done with work at 2:00.
Only 16 miles and not as slow as I thought. There was still a lot of traffic as we headed out from his house in Bedford, but we soon got into quieter country. Even a very tiny stretch of dirt in a neighborhood I've ridden through. It was really nice out, although solar glare in some spots, and other spots really shady and dark. At the end, the 2 people in front of me missed a turn, into an office park. I reeled them in, and then we got a bit lost. My GPS was telling me the right way, but these people weren't believing me. Finally, we got on the right track, I knew we were almost back, but it was getting dark and they did not have lights. Worst of all, these 2 are leaders, and they were so slow, I could have been back at Jack's in 2 minutes, but they were just like, socializing, and struggling up little inclines. But, I waited, they finally got it, that I was correct in my directions, and they thanked me. All I could think about is that the guy is someone my very close friend used to lead with in the early 90's and he was known for "naked hot tub parties," on weekend trips. I guessed he must have burned himself out! Had a glass of wine when I got back to Jack's and then went home and ate.

[Crankin]

Now I know why I don't ride at 6 PM... I had a lot of trouble falling asleep last night! I remember this from when i first started going to the gym in the 80s.
Anyway, I rode with Jack today and my body was telling me, "no." Good thing, his was, too, but for him, it just means less miles. He rides everyday, unless it rains and one day a week, he just rides to the senior center to play pool, 6 miles. Of course, when I just ride my 5.2 mile commute, I generally feel like I've ridden, although it varies. He met me at the bottom of my street (his comment is that my driveway is "hors category") and told me we were not doing the 35 mile ride we had discussed. All in all, just familiar streets through Carlisle and Chelmsford, although a couple of them, I've only been on with him or in a group. We actually got on the bike path for a bit, too. It started out partly sunny and humid, but near the end, it was cloudy and there was a nice breeze. We did stop at Ferns for coffee, sat on the porch, and gossiped about the people on the ride last night. We parted after the coffee and I rode the 7 miles home, rather speedily.
23 miles, exactly, I am glad I did it, but I've had a headache all day, I think from some neck and shoulder issues that started on Monday after I used a heavier bar to lift at boot camp.
Going to the gym tomorrow and I am resting on Friday, for sure. I haven't had a total rest day in about 10 days.

[ny biker]

So is "Bedford" pronounced "Bedfid"? I know someone whose family is from Medford ("Medfid"), MA, so I would expect that Bedford is similar.

I rode 20 miles last night. Due to rain in the forecast today, I moved my Wednesday night hill ride up a day. I made a slight route modification to add a big new hill at the very beginning, which kept my overall average down. It was a good workout, which I needed since I was out of town this past weekend so I didn't ride at all, and I've got some big rides coming up later this month.

[Crankin]

Ha, ha. Well, a townie (old timer, family been around for years) might pronounce it "Bedfid," but I can assure you that SheFly (who lives there) and my friend Jack, who also lives there, do not! And, my son lives in Medford and says, well, Medford. Some of the older people there actually say "Meffa,"
When i was a kid, I talked that way, but 23 years away, cured me quite quickly. Around where I live, very few people have a Boston accent. When I first moved back here, I lived a bit north of here, near Lowell, and the accents were very strong. I once had one of my kid's teacher write a note talking about the drawer, spelled "draw." That's how she said it, and I guess getting a master's degree didn't teach her any differently.
The only time my accent comes out is when I get angry; when I yelled at my kids they would make fun of me. It's still not natural for me to say "r's" but I don't ever slip up.

[ny biker]

My friend does not have an accent, he just pronounces it Medfid because that's how his older relatives pronounce it. I will tell him the times, they are a-changin'.

Last night on my way home after my bike ride I stopped to get gas for the car. I noticed that the car at the pump in front of me had a license plate frame with "Manhattan" on it. The driver of that car noticed the "NY" in my personalized plate and asked where I was from. He's from Manhattan, born in Chelsea, drives a limo back and forth from NY to DC. Jets/Yankees fan. Awesome NY accent, better than I've heard in a long time.

My accent has largely faded, but I will always pronounce "orange" and "Florida" the NY way.

[Crankin]

Yes, that's generally the northeast way. I say those words in Standard American Speech now; wow, the cycling thread has gone way off topic.
I say Arizona "Air-i-zona," as this is how natives and people from the midwest say it. People here look at me weirdly when they ask me where I moved here from, but, that one has stuck. Last night, on my ride, I heard two of the guys who were most assuredly not Arizona types, discussing the merits of living in the Valley, the heat, etc. I decided not to chime in. They sounded like tourists to me, and one ended up riding in the back, with me as the sweep, but I didn't say anything. It was funny for me to hear this discussion.
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