riding through May....National Bike Month!!!

[azfiddle]

Thanks for all the ride reports.

NYbiker- I hope you'll send some feedback to the Tour de Cure organizers. You worked hard and deserved to have your efforts celebrated.

This was a much more utilitarian riding week for me! 3 (count 'em 3!) commutes in one week. The commute route I'm on now is about 9.5 miles, mostly on a newly finished section of paved path, and goes along a wash and through some relatively natural desert. So it's great having 7 miles without any cars to worry about- just a few pedestrians and other cyclists. The afternoons are getting warm but it still hasn't broken 100 degrees. The local saying here is that is when the ice breaks on the Santa Cruz River. The Santa Cruz River hasn't flowed year round for over 100 years! But it feels good to get on the bike after buckling down to grade student projects for two hours- helps clear the brain.

Saturday I took a shortish (21 mile) ride up to Saguaro NP. I lost our annual park pass, which was still good for about 9 months and had to buy a new one. It's $80, but we get our money's worth because it's $5 to get in otherwise- and between my husband and myself, we probably get in at least 30 or 40 visits or more. And it's good for use in national forest sites and other national parks when we travel.

Sunday- About 8 miles on the Surly because the road bike is sitting in the shop now. I went to look for a rare bird (a Least Tern) at a park about 3 miles away and then back to the grocery store - filled the panniers and tried out my new Brooks Saddle.

[indiana_jane]

I have a 4-day tour at the end of the month which should be wonderful and post-worthy, but for now I'm just trying to get my miles in. Besides one really nice ride through Ft. Harrison State Park, my rides have all been relatively boring mid-distance rides up and down the rail trail (convenient because I can drop my son off at the YMCA child care and get right on the trail for an hour or so).

Of note, though, is the fact that I have, for the first time, averaged 14 mph on a ride of any distance. It was only 11 miles, but I'm still proud! This may seem like a small accomplishment, but I am a slow rider -- I always think of myself as a 12-mph-rider. Looking back at mapmyride, my *fastest* ride in May of last year was 12.5 mph. So, I guess I actually am getting faster!

[north woods gal]

I've never done a group ride. Bicycling has always been mostly a solo thing in my life, now and then riding with a friend or two and, these days, my husband. He's very much the causal rider, though. It's not a lifestyle as it is with me.

Now at the mid-May point and I've managed to ride each and every day, anywhere from 10 to 25 miles each day. A little bit of it has been on backwoods trails and fire trails with the fat bike, but most of it has been pavement miles with the road bikes on county roads, which wind though our beautiful north woods. Now approaching 250 miles and, with luck, may finish out the month with 500.

The weather has been all over the place this month (even some light snow) but I still have my winter specific bike clothing from when I used to winter commute so I ride, no matter what the weather. Lots of wind, this time of year, of course, but that's all part of the game. One thing for sure, I don't want to fall back into the rut of being a fair weather, only, rider.

I have both gently rolling routes and some pretty heavy duty hill routes, so my average speed very much depends on which route I take. I can usually stay around 14 mph for an average speed on the gentle routes when I push myself, but the hilly routes cut me way back to 10 or 11 mph, even when giving it my best. I try to alternate these routes one day or two to the next.

My daily May riding has also given me a chance to compare my different bikes and even after a lifetime on a bicycle, it still amazes me how two very similar bikes as far as specs, can be so different. Each has its personality and that just adds to the fun. Here's one.



It's a Salsa Fargo, a very unique bike, somewhat the offspring of a 29er mountain bike and a touring road bike. Heaven forbid, if I had to go with just one bike, this would likely be it. Pretty much a go anywhere, any kind of surface, any kind of weather bike, a bike I would pick, first, for exploring unknown country or roads. Not fast, definitely not slow, but always steady and very comfy for long outings, thanks to the steel frame and those big wheels. Not usually a fan of red for a color, but this is a deep metallic hot red. I love it.

[rebeccaC]

I get the solo riding. The Fargo does look like a great option especially for your area. Nice design and nicely set up. Whose handlebar bag is that? How do you like it? I’m a paved road rider and hiker in this area and i do like that kind of exploring.....and now missing rural wooded roads

…..so many places a bike can take you....and moments of smooth and steady

[indiana_jane]

That's a fantastic looking bike, north woods gal!

[north woods gal]

Thanks, folks.

You know, I don't even remember where I got that bag. Have had it for many, many years and it's been on a lot of different bikes. It's about as big a handlebar bag as I would care to use, but big enough to store a rain jacket, some tools and a cell phone and so on. Back when I was commuting, I mostly used a messenger bag and pannier bags for trips to the grocery store.

Like I said, the Fargo is no speed demon, but it's no dog, either. Very much a steady Eddy kind of bike on pavement, once I get it rolling along. The beauty of this bike is that I can use it off pavement, equally well, on all but the gnarliest single track. Those big 2.2" tires are also great for commuting over some of those horrible pothole and busted pavement city streets. At my age, I really appreciate a bike that doesn't jar my teeth loose every time I hit a crack in the pavement.

Most of my road miles, this month, though, are with more typical road bikes like my Domane. Our country roads are in pretty good shape.

[rebeccaC]

I have a 4-day tour at the end of the month which should be wonderful and post-worthy, but for now I'm just trying to get my miles in. Besides one really nice ride through Ft. Harrison State Park, my rides have all been relatively boring mid-distance rides up and down the rail trail (convenient because I can drop my son off at the YMCA child care and get right on the trail for an hour or so).

Of note, though, is the fact that I have, for the first time, averaged 14 mph on a ride of any distance. It was only 11 miles, but I'm still proud! This may seem like a small accomplishment, but I am a slow rider -- I always think of myself as a 12-mph-rider. Looking back at mapmyride, my *fastest* ride in May of last year was 12.5 mph. So, I guess I actually am getting faster!

looking forward to a post on how the tour goes!!!! and BE proud! thinking you'll be getting faster and with more endurance the more you ride. I'm happy to get away for an hour's ride anytime Enjoy the rides, the miles and the tour!!!

[Crankin]

Commuted yesterday; my fastest commute since I moved. Not that I actually try to go faster on a commute...
There's a couple of places on my commute that it seems like a truck dumped a bunch of gravel/pebbles in the shoulder. It looks like maybe from some kind of paving? I can go out in the lane, but, it's annoying. Hoping some rain washes it away.
It's still cool enough in the AM, that I haven't had to use my bath cloths, just a quick face wash and fix my hair, but not have to use the flat iron. Another 10 degrees and/or humidity will change that. I must say, with a 3 mile commute, I don't dread it anymore, and while sometimes I feel it would be easier to just drive there, I am always glad I rode when I arrive at work in the AM.
Got my Guru in shape for riding. I've been bringing my clothes in on Mondays and just riding with a little backpack for things on my Silque. Looking into getting a smaller pannier. Mine is huge and really affects my balance, as well as hurting my back, as I tend to pack it full! It's great for shopping, but I don't need something that big for my clothes.

[north woods gal]

That's great, Crankin. When I had my 8 mile commute, I could always get home faster during rush hour on the bike, even in good weather. In bad weather, MUCH faster. Always waved at my fellow workers stuck in their cars, going nowhere, as I passed them.

I used a large messenger bag (goes over your back) for my clothes and it worked pretty well. You might also look at a frame bag. Those didn't hit the scene until after I was done commuting, but that might be a good option, too. I liked the messenger bag because I could take it with me, right into a store if I had errands to run. Leaving things in a pack on the bike while you go into a store was just not an option in my area.

[Crankin]

I cannot do a messenger bag. Tried, and I am just too short, for the size I needed. My balance is weird with things like that, in that once I get used to riding on a specific bike a certain way, I don't do well with anything that changes the feel. I am going to make myself ride the Guru tomorrow, despite the fact I don't like the way it feels to get on the bike (like I have to really push myself up onto the saddle). I can't let a custom titanium bike sit. It feels like a dream once I am riding, but the geometry on my Silque is just so perfect, now the custom doesn't feel right.

[north woods gal]

Gotcha. Oh, yeah, it's amazing how we adapt to certain bikes or may it's the bikes adapting to us. Switching bikes, often, like I do, it's always a bit of a jolt going to the next one when I've been riding another one for awhile.

I added a frame bag to my fat bike and like it because it doesn't change the balance of the bike. That may be a good option for you, but you'll probably want to take your bike into a shop that carries frame bags to make sure you get one with the proper fit. Best of luck. Hope you find something.