April rides

[emily_in_nc]

20 miles in the neighborhoods + one rural road around my mom's place on a gorgeous spring day. Started out in the upper 50s, ended around 70 degrees. Sunshine, low humidity, and light winds that started picking up at the end of the ride. Gorgeous azaleas & flowering trees everywhere. Lots of green green green. Doesn't get much better!

Due to a large number of RV projects plus family time plus cooler than usual spring weather many days, we're only getting in around one ride per week while in NC, but I guess that's enough so we don't fall completely out of cycling shape. We're still hiking around the very hilly campground daily and doing some workouts inside a couple of times a week.

[pericat]

We went for a short ride with the dog this Sunday; he's getting on toward 11, so going at dog speed is not fast. But he's not bad, paces really well for short bursts. We were in the middle of the island, on some Crown lands, pretty rough in spots. It was lovely weather; almost summery. Stopped to listen to some wrens, and then to nibble chocolate while lying about on moss in the sun.

[azfiddle]

Pericat, that sounds lovely!

[ny biker]

Your dog looks like a nice riding companion.

[pericat]

Thank you! He's a good buddy; he makes me go slow enough to hear the birds.

[Pax]

Pretty pup, pericat!


I got to ride today!! Guess the gym and working for a living is helping (I have to walk some at work), my legs felt much stronger and I went a bit farther.

[ny biker]

Fantastic!!! Yay Pax.

Looks like I've gotten lucky with the weather -- the best day to ride this week is today, just in time for this week's post-work hill ride. A polar vortex is headed here this weekend so I need to get in some good miles tonight.

[rebeccaC]

I just had to go for a lunch ride in this perfect weather….an easy exploring ride through Venice and some shopping at the large Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market. It worked well to clear my mind and get a little exercise before continuing to work for too many more hours into tonight


Plus now I have a loaf of incredible tartine style sourdough kalamata olive bread, some beaufort cheese, avocados, small heirloom tomatoes and some medjool dates to share with those working with me tonight
.....and a guilty pleasure

[pericat]

It was! We like to go out that way on weekends once the drier weather starts. Take dog and bike into the middle, then flop onto moss and read, nap, eat a bit of lunch or apples. There's a dogwalking group that comes through pretty regularly while we're there, so we'll be invaded by the furry masses as they go and have to batten the lids on any edibles...

If I get this right, this is a pic from last year, high summer in the woods, that's my partner:

[rebeccaC]

We went for a short ride with the dog this Sunday; he's getting on toward 11, so going at dog speed is not fast. But he's not bad, paces really well for short bursts. We were in the middle of the island, on some Crown lands, pretty rough in spots. It was lovely weather; almost summery. Stopped to listen to some wrens, and then to nibble chocolate while lying about on moss in the sun.

that sounds like a wonderful use of a bicycle

Did a ride into downtown L.A. for a long work meeting yesterday. Low 70’s and 46 miles of easy gliding through the day mostly on bike paths and ending with a sunset at the beach and dinner with Ellie. Cooling down to the low to high 60’s the next few days. Looking forward to kayaking the sea caves in the Channel Islands National Park for a relaxing weekend.

[Catrin]

Pericat - that really sounds like fun!

Here? Meh...cold and miserable for April. If I had known spring was only going to last a couple days then I would have paid more attention to it.

[khg]

On Sunday my husband and I did the Emerald City Bike Ride here in Seattle--it was a sold-out event of 7,000 cyclists. We got to bike a newly-constructed highway bridge across Lake Washington that is not yet open, and then a section of I-5 that was closed to traffic for the event. We got to play on the freeway!

As one might expect with a ride of 7,000 people, there were some madhouse moments, but the whole thing was so much fun! Biking on the closed interstate was the best part--4 freeway lanes worth of space makes one heck of an awesome bike lane! It ranks up there with some of the coolest things I've done on a bike.

The new lake bridge:


Now THIS is what I call a bike lane!


Obligatory selfie to prove we were there:

[rebeccaC]

As one might expect with a ride of 7,000 people, there were some madhouse moments, but the whole thing was so much fun! Biking on the closed interstate was the best part--4 freeway lanes worth of space makes one heck of an awesome bike lane! It ranks up there with some of the coolest things I've done on a bike.

cool indeed

in the second photo is that a reversible lane like downtown seattle to the U of W area? When I drove that express lane I though how great it would be to be closed for a bike event. Gotta luv the cascade bike club for all they do for bicycling!!!!!!

[khg]

cool indeed

in the second photo is that a reversible lane like downtown seattle to the U of W area? When I drove that express lane I though how great it would be to be closed for a bike event. Gotta luv the cascade bike club for all they do for bicycling!!!!!!

Yes, we rode the reversible express lane section--we got on at the U District and exited at the south end of downtown. It really would make an amazing bike route--people have been clamoring for a bike path alongside it or something. But getting the whole road was way better than some silly little bike path!

The freeway hadn't been closed down for bikes to ride on since some road race event in the 90's I believe. Some of the post-ride emails that have gone out have had a tone like Cascade is thinking of making this an annual event--I hope I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, as I would do this every year. I had a blast.

[Pax]

... It ranks up there with some of the coolest things I've done on a bike.

That is so fun!! I got to do Bike The Drive in Chicago one time, not an interstate but they do shut down Lake Shore Drive (six lanes) and you get to pedal along the lake in that wonderful quiet!