October Rides

[emily_in_nc]

Ugh, ny, sounds like you've had some challenging times! I broke the rear shifter cable on a very long (over 80-mile) ride last year and had to limp back in one gear, so I do feel your pain! It was mostly flat, thank the gods, except at the very end, where there was one long and steep climb that I had to walk.

I hope you feel better in time for your ride Saturday. Colds suck, and though I don't get them often, mine tend to linger and turn into a horrible cough at the end, so I pretty much know I'm going to be "out" for any athletic endeavors for about a month when I get one.

[Crankin]

Ugh, I broke my rear shifter cable going up my hill, on a commute home, several years ago. Thankfully, I was in the small ring up front. I did have to walk up the driveway. Also, broke a shifter cable, which tangled itself up in the derailleur, on a ride on Patriot's Day 2014. My friend jerry-rigged it and we got to a bike shop, where they said they couldn't fix it, but put it in a decent gear, for me to get home.
I did a little 12 mile ride this afternoon, as it's nice out. Still windy, though. Man, I was slow. I don't care, I was out there. Going to do 62 for 62 tomorrow .

[emily_in_nc]

Going to do 62 for 62 tomorrow .

A metric birthday? If so, Happy Birthday! Hope the weather cooperates and that you have a wonderful day. :-)

[Crankin]

My metric birthday is Wednesday... there's a chance of showers tomorrow. I gave DH the choice of doing it all today, or splitting the miles and being like "normal" people tomorrow.
Right now it's 28 degrees. Supposed to be 42 at 10, though. I know DH wants to wimp out, but I will strong arm him. I can't ride that long by myself; 40 miles is my solo limit, or I get bored and cranky.

[Catrin]

My metric birthday is Wednesday... there's a chance of showers tomorrow. I gave DH the choice of doing it all today, or splitting the miles and being like "normal" people tomorrow.
Right now it's 28 degrees. Supposed to be 42 at 10, though. I know DH wants to wimp out, but I will strong arm him. I can't ride that long by myself; 40 miles is my solo limit, or I get bored and cranky.

Hoping you're having fun right now on your birthday ride

[emily_in_nc]

My metric birthday is Wednesday... there's a chance of showers tomorrow. I gave DH the choice of doing it all today, or splitting the miles and being like "normal" people tomorrow.
Right now it's 28 degrees. Supposed to be 42 at 10, though. I know DH wants to wimp out, but I will strong arm him. I can't ride that long by myself; 40 miles is my solo limit, or I get bored and cranky.

Ditto...40 is the most I've ever ridden solo. 42 degrees sounds pretty darn chilly!

I did my little ride (very short, like 2.2 miles each way) to the dog rescue this morning, as usual (I go every Saturday, unless it's raining). It's a really pleasant way to start the day, and since I get to walk dogs once there, to get some activity without it being too much in the heat/humidity. Temp is still in the mid- to upper-80s with very high humidity (dewpoint of 79F). Supposed to be about the same tomorrow to ring in November. Hope it will start cooling off a bit soon.

[BikeDutchess]

Short 10 mile club ride this morning - our annual Halloween Ride. Daughter and I cut, glued and pinned our costumes together. First time on the bike in forever. My IT band is still not back to normal, started to twinge again even though it was a very short, flat ride. Great turn-out for the ride, looked like about 60 people. Some very elaborate costumes, too!


Happy Halloween by DutchRosie, on Flickr

[ny biker]

Ugh, ny, sounds like you've had some challenging times! I broke the rear shifter cable on a very long (over 80-mile) ride last year and had to limp back in one gear, so I do feel your pain! It was mostly flat, thank the gods, except at the very end, where there was one long and steep climb that I had to walk.

I hope you feel better in time for your ride Saturday. Colds suck, and though I don't get them often, mine tend to linger and turn into a horrible cough at the end, so I pretty much know I'm going to be "out" for any athletic endeavors for about a month when I get one.

Thanks Emily. Fortunately the thing with bike rides is that if you have a few bad ones, you just keep going out there and riding until they get good again. I worked from home all week so I could rest and by Friday the cold was almost completely gone -- with no bizarre complications or secondary infections like the last two times I was sick, so yay for that. Saturday we rode 49 miles and had a really nice time. My friend and I co-led it for our club. The route was a variation on one that we did in February on a day that was supposed to be spring-like but ended up cloudy and cold. I reversed it for a bit of variety and added a slight detour to pass a historic site in the area. We had a few minor incidents -- made a wrong turn due to a weird mistake from ridewithgps, had an unexpected gravel section that lasted more than a mile, then some confusion due to signs saying the road was closed for road work when it was really open. But the weather was nice, sunny and warm enough for late October, and we enjoyed the scenery along with good conversation.

The new shifter feels loose compared to the old one, but I spoke to the mechanic at the LBS today and he said that's the way SRAM is making them these days. It works well enough, just moves more when I shift than before. While I was there I picked up some new windshell hi-viz windshell gloves along with some knee warmers and compression socks that were on the clearance table. And the gloves were 20% off so all in all it was a good shopping trip.