October Rides

[ny biker]

Forecast was much warmer today, although it's still windy. I am having a bad issue with watering eyes when riding in temperatures less than 60. First this was only when I skied. Then it has crept in to riding at increasingly higher temperatures. A couple of weeks ago, I had a really bad allergy attack and my left eye started tearing spontaneously, not while outside. I've been wearing my glasses more, but it doesn't seem to help. I cannot wear my glasses while doing sports. A friend had this issue and was told to stop wearing contacts or wear those old lady goggle things while she rides. Ah, no thank you. My eyes were fine in June, when I mentioned this, but I think I might have to see an ophthalmologist. It's annoying. Anyway, I went out with no particular agenda. Thought I might do the hilly ride I've been wanting to do for weeks, but my legs told me no right away. Not that any ride around here is flat. I ended up doing 27 miles into Boxborough and Stow. I knew I should avoid areas around apple farms, but I was not prepared for the the cars parked along side of the road near Shelburne Farm. It turns out the orchard is down the road from the farm, so when I thought I was avoiding the crowds, I was not. There were cars about a mile on either side of the orchard, and tons of clueless people walking along the narrow country road . Who goes apple picking in a dress and heels? OY. I was being very careful when a Stow cop who was there for crowd control started pulling out in front of me! He saw me (geez, with a flashing front light) and stopped, I said "thanks," in kind of a sarcastic way, and he started going again. This was intentional. I feel like reporting him, but it's not worth it. I knew he wouldn't hit me, but I sped up and he turned in the other direction.
I stopped at the café 3.5 miles from home and had lunch outside. Listening to some of the conversations amused me. This place is a mecca for cyclists, but today, it was only dressed up families and people on dates. As I was leaving 2 other women pulled up on bikes, and I knew one of them, so I gave them my table. A nice ride, the leaves are getting more colorful, but I am glad DH is coming home from Japan in a couple of hours.

Um yeah, apple picking. I was supposed to do that near Charlottesville VA this past Sunday (same day you rode). I was meeting up with cousins who go every year with their relatives who live in that area. I was running late so I was supposed to meet them there. But the line of traffic leading up to the orchard was so long -- estimated 1 hour wait -- that they called me and said we were switching to plan B, lunch on the mall downtown. I don't know that area at all so we stayed on the phone and they gave me directions as I drove, until I reached a certain intersection and they said "what car are you driving" followed by "we're passing you now in the black truck -- pull out behind us!" We had a lovely outdoor lunch, walked around and hung out, had dinner, a very nice day overall. I wore jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers, figuring that apple picking would involved walking on non-paved surfaces and possibly sweating a bit in the sun. Anyway.

I had been planning to do a metric century outside of Fredericksburg that day but changed my plans when I was invited to join the apple-picking excursion. Instead I went for a ride on Saturday. A friend said she would be doing a B/CC ride with a local club that I am currently not a member of. We typically ride a CC pace. The route was in an area that I'd heard about because it's very popular with cyclists, but I'd never ridden there before. It included a climb up a small mountain/big hill -- about a mile long, steep at first, then leveling off, then it kicks up again and is even steeper. The total ride was 53 miles with the big climb more than halfway into the route. It was pretty chilly before we started; temps on Friday had hit 80 but then a cold front came through overnight and dropped temps to the mid-50s. I was wearing my mid-weight tights, long sleeved wool base layer, short sleeved wool jersey, a wind vest and my wool Moxie shrug. Plus a wool cap and toe covers.

So we start the ride and immediately everyone leaves my friend and I in the dust. I don't know if my friend told the ride leader not to worry about us, I just know that we never saw anyone else from the group again until we came back to the parking lot and found a few of them sitting around chatting about how they'd all averaged a BB pace -- faster than what was advertised. Which is typical for that club.

Part of the route was nice but a fair amount of it was on roads with no shoulder, a 50 mph speed limit and lots of traffic, including big trucks. I was pretty freaked out by the traffic. On roads like that, drivers do not slow down and wait until it's safe to pass -- they figure you're taking a ridiculous risk so you must be okay with the possibility that they'll hit you. If I had been alone I would have turned around and cut the ride short.

When we stopped at the rest stop I took off the shrug, and when we reached the base of the big climb soon after I stopped to take off the wool cap, unzip my vest and roll up my sleeves. It was warm in the sun by that point, temps in the 60s. As I started on the first part of the climb, my legs felt like noodles. I just have not been riding enough lately and am not on good form. And though the paralyzed vocal cord from last spring is mostly recovered, I could feel some wheezing in my throat. When things leveled off I felt better, but when the road kicked up again I could just tell that I would have an asthma attack if I kept riding. So I got off my bike and walked to the top -- my first time walking up a hill in 15 years. But as Tony Curtis once said in a movie I saw many years ago -- he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. I would rather walk than stop breathing.

I will say that the view on the way down the hill was very nice. And the roads around it were nice too. But as we got closer to the park where we started we were back on the high-speed high-traffic roads again. I do not expect to do any rides in that area again.

BTW as I walked up the hill I watched my friend spin away ahead of me. So after we regrouped at the top we had a nice conversation about gearing. I expect to have to replace my cassette soon, and will look into getting something that will make the hills easier.

[Crankin]

I love my 11-32 and 11-34 cassettes. Ah, technology.
Did a very short 11 mile ride today. Considering how awful I felt when I got up, it was OK. Still warm, about 63 when I went out, but very windy. I was fighting a strong cross wind the whole way. But, at least my average wasn't frighteningly low, like yesterday morning. Came home, ate lunch, and then went on a 3.2 mile hike with my friend. She was tired from Cross Fit and I didn't mind at all. This hike has lots of climbing, an overlook, and a chasm, in the middle of a nearby town. It's fairly hard and I didn't care today, when my friend was slow.
Rest tomorrow.

[azfiddle]

Well, my vacation riding has pretty come come to the end. Tomorrow we leave for a non-cycling music weekend in Texas. But since the break started (last week of September) I've ridden about 450 miles. Following Saturday's 74 and Sunday's 24 miles, I rode 67 yesterday on Tucson's "loop" path, plus getting to and from the ride. Three miles from home, I ran into my son on his bike, heading back to his apartment after a study session at Starbucks. So I followed him home for some ice (it was well over 90 degrees!) and then went back to my house.

Today, I did a home visit with one of my 7th grade students and we went an easy 7 miles together. She did great, considering she was riding her mom's heavy cruiser bike.

[ny biker]

I rode 20 miles after work on Wednesday night. Same weather conditions as the previous Wednesday -- temps in the low 60s-high 50s -- but the prior week it was more humid and this week it was pretty dry. And it made a big difference. I was downright cold for the first few minutes until I reached the first hill and was cold again after I stopped for a snack. But while I was riding I was okay, zipping and unzipping my vest as I went up and down the hills.

Up next for me is a metric century on Sunday morning. The ride is being organized by the bike advocacy group in Anne Arundel County in Maryland, the county police and their parks and rec department. It starts way earlier than I would like given the cold weather we're expecting, but it's a chance to explore an area that I'd like to check out, including some trails as well as roads into Annapolis. I'm trying to figure out what to wear for temps ranging from 40 to the low 50s with late October sun, which is still fairly strong and warming. If it were December I'd wear my warmest tights and booties, but this weekend they might be too much. Decisions, decisions.

One thing is for sure -- this will be my last early morning ride of the year. I'm a big fan of starting rides later on cold days to give the sun a chance to warm things up as much as possible.

[emily_in_nc]

One thing is for sure -- this will be my last early morning ride of the year. I'm a big fan of starting rides later on cold days to give the sun a chance to warm things up as much as possible.

I totally hear you there and completely agree. Good luck with the metric!

[Crankin]

Usual start time for rides on days with the high in the 40s... 1:00 PM. Fifties, maybe at 11-11:30.

[shootingstar]

Last weekend we went out into the Rockies but on tame bike routes. Except I had not cycled that distance since last yr. Anyway in rain drizzle, here is what we saw:

And other activities that inspire me from scenes like these. https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com...light-dancing/

[rebeccaC]

Beautiful autumn scene shootingstar…
I should have been working the last hour but I kept needing to read more of your wordpress site….

[emily_in_nc]

Beautiful photo, shooting star!

No riding here today...we are having torrential rain and lots of wind. Here is a photo from my walk earlier, prior to the rain beginning again.

Attachment 17831

[rebeccaC]

lots of wind according to those palm trees....i'd be thinking about a great tail wind ride ...even with a good rain

Did a ride to the watts community action center in south central L.A. for a coordination meeting in preparation of the start of sex trafficking prevention and intervention programs at the center. A strong and positive interaction with community based people with hearts of understanding and compassion. 52 miles total and a happy soul the entire ride/day

Statue of the ‘Mother of Humanity’ at the center. Working to heal, promote peace, speak truth and having the heart and courage to take strong fearless action with reverence and respect.....a fitting symbol for the center

[salsabike]

rebeccaC, your ride, its purpose, and this picture all made my day. Thanks.

[rebeccaC]

....

[Crankin]

Today's ride truly felt like a November ride. High is 44 degrees. It was sunny when we left home to go to the condo to measure some closets. Sunny, with a breeze. Had on heated gloves, mid weight tights, winter Assos jacket with a thermal jersey, and a short sleeved base layer. Wore my winter shoes, too. It was just about right. My core was heating up, just as we arrived; since this is the first day in weeks my sinuses don't hurt (meds are working), I did not want to feel chilled. Did our work, and rode right home. Nice and flat, except for the climb up to my house. I swear, on the way back, the sky looked like snow is coming. We actually might have some flurries tonight, it's going to be 25. My legs felt good, but I didn't try too hard. Only 15.5 miles.

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, a Facebook friend of mine in Vermont posted snow photos this morning. It was so strange to this NC gal to see snow in the same photos with fall foliage. Normally in NC, the trees (other than pines) are bare by the time snow falls.

Rebecca, I know, I love a good tailwind too, but there were deep puddles everywhere (Mexican roads have terrible drainage), and we could see on the radar that it was about to pour again. About 30 mins. after I took these photos, it was coming down in sheets. If you would have ridden in those conditions, you are much tougher than I!

Here's an example of a street just down from us:

Attachment 17832

[Crankin]

Emily, that looks like the roads in Miami, during a rain. Maybe this is something particular to tropical locations?
Yes, I had a few pics from friends in VT, with a dusting of snow. One from SheFly! Also, a couple of pics from x country ski centers that had a funny juxtaposition of foliage and trails with a tiny bit of snow. I think what happened is the foliage season started very late, because of the drought, then rain. The cold air this weekend is a blip, supposed to be back in the 60s by mid week. I am supposed to do a metric next Sunday, so we will see.