July riding

[kernowcyclist]

I've decided to try to get out on the bike every day, upping the admittedly small distances (12 miles or so) I do so I can *maybe...* enter a sportif next year. But July weather here in Cornwall has been distinctly un-summery, heavy showers and strong winds. This coupled with the hilly moorland nature of where I live gave me cause to post my ride on strava as 'B***ard wind'! Whatever direction I cycled, and especially cycling uphill, there it was, blasting in my face, causing the most unladylike expletives and facial grimacing. At one point, I had to get off and walk.

And to cap it all, my phone lost the satellite connection half way round so the route, timings and mileage are all up the creek. Sigh......

The forecast is better today though, the showers will clear off this morning but the breeze remains at 19-20 mph; I might hit the road again this afternoon and try a more sheltered route.

On a brighter note, I had a medical check up Monday and the doc said her tests showed I have the lungs of a 30-year old (I'm 61) so the cycling's keeping me fit :-)

[Crankin]

Sounds like tough riding, Kernowcyclist.
I went out at 5:15 AM yesterday, as strong thunderstorms were predicted at the time I normally would leave work, so I didn't want to commute. DH rode out with me, for the first 3 miles, as he wanted to get to work early. I did a 15 mile ride, including the other hill in town. It's a very ritzy neighborhood, with a double hill, kind of a circle on top of the hill, with 3 houses and a monument on top. After that, I rode my regular early morning route, which is pretty flat, except for the return up my street. Funny, I hardly saw any other cyclists, while last Tuesday, I saw so many riders, it was like a Saturday morning.
My ride was nice, but I felt like I was sleeping through it!

[SheFly]

... including the other hill in town. It's a very ritzy neighborhood, with a double hill, kind of a circle on top of the hill, with 3 houses and a monument on top. After that, I rode my regular early morning route, which is pretty flat, except for the return up my street.

Crankin' - trying to picture where this is...

SheFly

[Crankin]

Nashawtuc Hill... if you go right at the light at Thoreau St off of Main.
It's also a loop hill, like my street, but I usually go down another hill on the back side of the loop, and ride around some of the other streets to add miles.
I am sure you've been up here!

[SheFly]

Oh - yup! Now I know where that is. Have definitely been up there, but don't ride up there much.

SheFly

[Crankin]

My commute to work is going to be messed up for the rest of the summer... sigh. They are doing major bridge work for the commuter rail and there are going to be lane closures on a curvy 2 lane road that is a major access to a highway. One or two weekends at the end of the month, the road is going to be totally closed all day. And, it will be totally closed the whole last week in August.
This is going to be a mess, in the car and on the bike. The lane closures will start at 7 AM, so my usual commute time of 9 on Mon. and Tues. and 7 on Thurs. won't matter. It will be OK for my way home. There are alternate routes, which will both add time to my commute. And, I imagine lots of other people taking the same alternative routes.

[marni]

yesterday's ride was a 4 H (heat, humidity, headwinds and hills) ride from Brenham to Chapel Hills. There is a reason that the town is named Chapel Hill and not just Chapel. In the 16 miles between Brenham and Chapel Hill on the route we followed there were a lot of rollers plus 8 hills. 3 were "oh gawd" hills ( where all you can do is pant those words with each pedal stroke0, 2 were "you have got to be kidding me", 2 were "I think I can hills" and 1 was a "this is not a real hill " gasped at the end of a continual long but not steep ascent. We started at 8:00 at 85 degrees with a feels like of 88 with the wind at about 10 mph, and finished at 11:00 at 90 with a feels like of 98 with the wind at about 15 gusting up to 20. And it's not even the dog days of August yet.

The indoor trainer is looking better and better.

[Blueberry]

yesterday's ride was a 4 H (heat, humidity, headwinds and hills) ride from Brenham to Chapel Hills. There is a reason that the town is named Chapel Hill and not just Chapel. In the 16 miles between Brenham and Chapel Hill on the route we followed there were a lot of rollers plus 8 hills. 3 were "oh gawd" hills ( where all you can do is pant those words with each pedal stroke0, 2 were "you have got to be kidding me", 2 were "I think I can hills" and 1 was a "this is not a real hill " gasped at the end of a continual long but not steep ascent. We started at 8:00 at 85 degrees with a feels like of 88 with the wind at about 10 mph, and finished at 11:00 at 90 with a feels like of 98 with the wind at about 15 gusting up to 20. And it's not even the dog days of August yet.

The indoor trainer is looking better and better.

Hah. I live in another Chapel Hill. And yes - there is a reason. Good training, but not really the ideal commute.

And agree 100% on the indoor trainer. We were over 90 by 10AM, with a 104 heat index this afternoon (and I'm pretty sure that was on the low end). Rode yesterday (a memorial ride for a friend who was killed 2 years ago), but not today. Tomorrow should be (a little) better.