June Riding

[Crankin]

Rode to the gym at 5:25 and it was already 70 degrees, but felt delightful.
Of course, now I am getting ready to leave to ride to work, and it should be in the high 70s in 45 minutes, and OK (the route I take there is shady), but probably still 90 when I leave at 6 PM. I take a more direct route home, which is less shaded and more heat from cars. Of course, I can stand anything for 2.3 miles.
Best thing, my Terry cycling dress fits perfectly and looks very stylish. I hope they make this in other colors/patterns. Perfectly acceptable for a hot day at work and for going out at night on my trip to Spain.

[north woods gal]

Severe storms rolled through the area on Sunday with wind gusts of 70 mph, plus and almost 4 inches of rain. Trees down all over the place. We lost power on noon Sunday and just got it back, last night, so 30 plus hours of roughing it with no electricity.

My trails got off fairy easy. Had one tree top that fell on the trail, but I was able to cut it up and move it. Huge old spruce, though, toppled across another section of trail. Too big to cut, so just re-routed the trail around it. Some parts of the trail remain under water, but plenty of dry trail to work, so got in decent rides. Fat bikes, only, of course when the trails are so soft - deer leave a much deeper footprint in the soft stuff than the fatties.

Good workout, but missed not having a shower to finish with (well pump is electric), so just doused myself with a couple of buckets of cold lake water.

Did NOT miss the daily dose of sickening political news without the internet or TV, but did miss posting and seeing what my friends, here, have been doing. Nice to be back.

[ny biker]

I am not able to acclimate to the heat because I spend 5 days/week wearing a sweater and wool wrap in an over-air-conditioned office. It's even worse this year since I can't go outside for a walk at lunch or after work. Soon I'll be heading out to a sedentary vacation that includes a week in Massachusetts. When I get back in early July I will definitely struggle with the heat.

But for now... we had a great bike ride on Saturday. It was one of the two big rides that my club organizes every year, with routes ranging from 22 to 63 miles. Last year it was very hot but this year it was pleasant, though just after finishing when I was out in the sun putting the bike in the car it did seem very hot. So I guess I finished just in time. I had planned to ride 45 miles but got a late start (too much pre-ride chit chat) and after about 8 miles stopped to help the SAG driver. Yes you read that right, the SAG driver needed assistance. When I rode up and found him parked on the side of the road, he had just finished helping a rider with a flat tire (and a brand new bike with no supplies or know-how to fix a flat), and had cut his forearm in the process. He had a first-aid kit (because SAG driver) but needed another set of hands to put adhesive bandages on the cuts (because forearm). So I assisted. When I reached the first rest stop I saw some friends who had helped with registration and then started late, so were doing the 35-mile route. I decided to finish the ride with them, and ended up with 39 miles in all. Then I hung out at the picnic (more chit-chat -- the best thing about these rides is the chance to see people who normally ride in other categories). All in all, a good day.

One of the people I rode with after the rest stop had just come back from the Wisconsin bike trip that I asked about a week or so ago. She said they had fun. It was a great area for cycling, with very small towns and almost no car traffic, plenty of steep hills and an occasional unpaved section.

The saddle problem I had earlier -- a lump on the right side -- has come back. It had come back after the previous weekend's ride and receded over the course of the week, but it hurt as soon as I started riding on Saturday and bothered me for the first 20 miles. After that it didn't hurt but the lump is definitely back. I've been icing it and it's going away again, for now. I've spent a fair amount of time reading old saddle threads -- thanks to Muirenn, Knotted Yet and everyone else for such a treasure trove of excellent information. My conclusion is that the saddle I've been using for years has always been a tad too pear-shaped, as I've always had minor issues with chafing, and for some reason now the problem is worse and is causing something under the skin (probably a tendon) to become bruised and inflamed. I am very close to trying a leather saddle, probably a Rivet Independence. In the meantime I will ride the recumbent stationary bike instead of my weekly post-work hill ride (the ankle can't handle the hills, anyway) and will sit on an ice pack as needed to get through the ride I have planned this coming weekend.

[emily_in_nc]

NY, so sorry about the saddle sore... no matter the cause, those are no fun. Definitely sounds like a saddle change is in order. I have heard that wearing two pairs of shorts helps. Also, you might try lidocaine cream (from any drug store) to numb the area. It has to be applied every hour or so but really helped me when I was having a bad saddle issue. I bought Gold Bond brand at Walmart. Good luck!

NWG, I saw on the news about the storms in Wisconsin and hoped you weren't getting hit too hard. Sounds like it was bad but could have been worse. Glad you're okay! Out cutting up trees and everything...you are one fierce woman!

[Crankin]

Yesterday I had a car free day and it was the hottest day of the year. Rode to the gym, did my class, rode home (2 miles). I woke up with my sinus/cold thing back in full vengeance. I know I *never* get just a cold, so the 10 days of being sick and ruining Memorial Day weekend should have been a hint. This is why I felt so horrible on the rides I led last weekend. I had no choice but to ride to work, though, and it was still cool-ish out. On the way there, a woman yelled at me that my flashing tail light was blinding her! Good, she saw me.
My car was finished, and was sitting at the place, about 3/4 of a mile from my office. It was already 6:15, usually getting quieter in terms of traffic, but going to the car place forced me to go right through West Concord village. It was complicated by the fact an ambulance came through and the traffic was backed up, and a train had just come through, so people were exiting the commuter lot. I was in the lane, which I prefer, as there was no room to ride along the cars. First, another cyclist came up on me and got on the sidewalk. The traffic started moving and Icaught up to him. Then another rider, a woman said "coming through," and passed me, in the narrowest of space between the traffic and parked cars. I had to make a left to get into the car lot and the traffic was just stopped. I rode up on the sidewalk, which I abhor, but there were no pedestrians. Then I crossed at a crosswalk and rode on the sidewalk on the other side, until I got to my car. I gladly drove the 1.5 miles home.
This all made me thankful for normally taking a left where I had to go right to get my car... or, I actually go up a hill and around the business district to get to Main St and on to my street.
Since I am leaving for my trip in 10 days, I am going to the doctor tomorrow. My sinuses are pounding. I may do my group ride, which leaves from Concord Center, but I will have to drive there, and skip the lunch overlooking the river at one of the member's home, to get home, clean up, and get to my appointment. If I feel really awful, I won't ride.
Thursday night DH and I are leading a ride and I am not really looking forward to it. Only 17 miles, though.

[north woods gal]

... NWG, I saw on the news about the storms in Wisconsin and hoped you weren't getting hit too hard. Sounds like it was bad but could have been worse. Glad you're okay! Out cutting up trees and everything...you are one fierce woman!

Thanks. Yeah, definitely some of that pioneer woman spirit helps if a gal wants to live, up here. I think it's just part of the program for any woman who lives in a rural area where the outdoor life style prevails. I do miss some of the girlie stuff, though. Just not many opportunities to dress up and go out on the town. Standard wardrobe is jeans and a sweatshirt, most of the year. On the other hand, it is kind of nice to go without makeup and go bra-less when out in the woods. The deer and bears don't care.