riding into the heat of july

[emily_in_nc]

Good job, Crankin! I did my longest ride of the year in the past week too, but not hilly like yours.

NWG, +1 on not wanting to sneak up on a bear. After what happened to the guy mountain biking in Glacier NP especially, although I am sure you are seeing Black Bears and not Grizzlies. Still...a bear's a bear. I have never seen one, actually. Just as soon keep it that way on a bike.

Here are a few photos of the tree damage here in the Chippewa Nat'l Forest in northern Minnesota from recent heavy storms. It was so sad to see so many beautiful trees down. Some had snapped off half-way up the trunks, others fell over at the root ball.

[north woods gal]

Nice pics, Emily. Those forest roads look similar to ours, as much sand as gravel. I do like riding them, however. Something about being back in the more remote areas on a bike that I like.

Downed trees are so common in our area that our power company finally went to underground power lines. We were averaging 4 to 6 outages a year, a lot of them in winter months, so hopefully not as many, now.

[ny biker]

I like remote areas but only as part of a group, for safety.

I got my bike back from the LBS yesterday and was all set to join a club ride today. As I went to bed last night I discovered a rash on my stomach. I'd had something similar on my arms a few weeks ago (clusters of pinpoint red spots ) and it had cleared up overnight. But when I woke up this morning it was still there, so I decided to stay home, get more sleep and not increase the itch by exercising in the heat and humidity. But I am not happy! I think it might be time to see the allergist, though I don't think there's much he can do. <sigh>

[Crankin]

Hope you feel better, NY.
We had the first good rain in probably a month or more today, so I didn't ride. Since I neglected to stretch after my long ride yesterday, I did some of that this morning and then took a 3 mile mile walk around 4 PM. My SI joint is hurting, but it started after work Tuesday, a long day of sitting for me. So, more stretching tonight and hope that it resolves by tomorrow's power class.

[north woods gal]

Finished July way down on my miles tally from June, but that was by design, so a good thing. Still managed 622 miles for the month, but that's a bit hard to interpret because nearly 200 of those miles were off pavement and a good portion of those miles were some really technical and nasty single track and primitive roads. One thing for sure, when doing the hard stuff on the MTB, I end up panting and stopping to catch my breath, at times, something I very rarely have to do when on pavement and then there are all the bumps and bruises with the heavy duty MTB work. Whew! Physically, the mountain biking is such a very different kind of biking than road biking. Love them both, though.

[ny biker]

It's been years since I've ridden real single track, but a couple of years ago I did some cold-weather riding with my mountain bike on the bridle path that runs next to a long rail-trail in this area. It was definitely more work than riding the paved path, and not just because the paved path is flatter. I would do more of it, but that bike needs some work and I don't want to spend that money right now. But it is a good workout for a relatively short ride. (Also more work afterwards -- the bike gets so dirty!)

Have I mentioned that I know someone who has already logged more than 10,000 miles in 2016? He's currently leading his home state in the National Bike Challenge. I also know the #3 person in the same state. They do spend a lot of time in the saddle.

[north woods gal]

Yes, that translates to a LOT of time in the saddle. I did 10,0052 miles in 2008, but it took me all year, riding in the cold and snow and after dark on many nights. I did it just to prove to myself that I could do it, but it meant putting a lot of my other activities on hold to get it done. Fortunately, it did not burn me out on biking, but really not interested in doing it, again, not with so many other activities I do. Also, I was single, at the time. Be pretty hard on a relationship unless your SO was with you.