May 29th Memorial Day Ride reports

[DirtDiva]

Went for a pootle around where I'm going to be doing some fun racing (if I don't chicken out). Saw enough of it that there shouldn't be any nasty surprises come Wednesday, but whether I can hack the pace remains to be seen. Went for a look-see last week; hardly any women racing, so I should do okay in my class by default.

[J-hawk biker]

Did a 20 mile ride on a different route. The elevation change was a bit more than I thought it would be, but I survived!

[Selkie]

Rode my Bianchi today which is always a pleasure and a treat. Started around 5:15 so I could see the sun rise---humid, warm (67 degrees), but nice. Unfortunately, I hit a bunny, as he darted out behind a bridge and I didn't see him til he was under my front wheel. I was hauling a## at the point, too so at least it was a quick hit. When I looped back around, I didn't see any blood or signs of the injured poops, so I hope he was OK. I kept thinking about whether I'd have the guts--like Nanci--to put him out of his misery if I had badly hurt him and the poor soul was suffering. I'm usually on the lookout for bunnies and slow down on the "bunny heavy" segments, but they usually don't hang out around the bridges on the trail. Got in 33 miles because the trail traffic started picking up. Back to my prison cell -- I mean work -- tomorrow, so I'll be riding in the heat/humidity of mid-afternoon after I serve my "sentence" for the day. haha.

[im4smiley]

I have felt like such a bum lately. I haven't ridden since May 18th, I had finals, we had lots of rain, I got a chest cold (still coughing a bit) and then we had company for my sons college graduation this weekend. But I went out today...oh my, did I feel out of shape! Went 15 miles, only 1 big hill, avg speed was 15.8, my legs were sooo tired and my heart rate was up there! Hopefully this week I will get to ride more and get back into shape!!

[salsabike]

nootka roses. They're native NW plants---pink shrub roses. You can get them, if you garden, in lots of 10 from the King Conservation District, for an incredibly low price. They smell wonderful!

Nice 27 mile ride on the trail today, but WOW! So crowded! Everyone who didn't want to ride in the rain yesterday came out to ride today, and their brothers, sisters, cousins, and kids. I love seeing little kids riding their tricked-up bikes on the trail.

[Running Mommy]

Really had no ride planned today since I rode yesterday. But I saw Tony getting the Santa Cruz ready and I asked him if he was going for a ride. Indeed he was, so SPencer and I decided to tag along. Poor guy, I know we ruined his ride, but he was just happy to see me on nobbys for once!
A couple of guys have done an AWESOME job building a trail system up here. It's like having a park in your backyard. And it's not easy, no sirree bob! I- being the weenie that I am- did a fair amount of hike a bike. They even named the trails and rated them and made signs and everything. You would never know it's a backyard organization. But sweet nonetheless.
Anyway, it was a good ride, but hard! You dirty girls sure have to concentrate when you ride huh? The trails are all singletrack with jagged granite rocks and cholla cactus on each side. I was happy that I was able to clean some things I didn't think I would. But MAN was it work! It's such a different sensation being on loose stuff. There was a deep sand wash that I surprising held on to. I could feel the wheels sucking into the sand but I was determined and I just told myself to keep spinning, and low and behold I made it! We also have alot of what I call deep v washes and ruts. I've always been afraid that when I hit the other side my wheel would plant and I would endo, but I've mastered those as well. Now if I can just get over my fear of going down steep hills on real loose rocky stuff...
Yeah, I'm a weenie! I do NOT like falling!!
But yeah, it was a good ride overall. Nice to step out of the box every once in awhile and challenge yourself.
Oh- and NO SNAKE sightings!! Even Tony mentioned that it was prime snake weather today so we needed to keep an eye out. But they stayed in their holes just for me I suppose...
I posted a couple of pics on my photobucket page..

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...denise69/?sc=1

[mimitabby]

we did our longest ride of the year, 54 miles on our tandem. we left right before 9 in the morning and were met with nearly carless roads all the way around the lake. The lake, being lake washington. According to my husband our elevation gain; (how much we climbed) was 2665 feet.
The brooks b67 my new saddle is still not quite "dialed in" but my butt's not sore. hey, that's amazing.

HEre's a photo of my husband extolling the virtues of our bike to Oscar the grouch at mile 40; logboom park near Juanita washington.

[salsabike]

Hey, I bet I saw you today! Lots of tandems out. We did our tandem ride yesterday; today I was on a Bianchi Eros Donna, and Logboom is my start/end place. Nice day, if kind of jam-packed with folks. Congrats on your longest ride! I love the Lake WA ride.

[Lifesgreat]

26 mile ride with AuntieK! I had a terrific time. AK is great to wait up for me. There was a headwind and a couple of nasty hills, but the weather was sunny. Came home and ddaughter baked cookies and hubby is grilling burgers. Life is good.

[Crankin]

These rides are from my weekend in the White Mountains of NH (Saturday and Sunday). We arrived Friday night and checked into the B andd B. it was a trip with our club, but I did not know most of the people. We drove up with friends, so at least I knew there would be someone I like to ride with. Saturday was about 75 and cloudy, with rain threatening. Our ride was 48 miles of 2 big climbs. We soon found out that there were a large number of people there from another club that is more competetive. They were acting very un AMC-like! My husband and I swept and helped a woman who was struggling on the first climb. When we got to lunch, of course half of the super fast riders pooped out and took a shorter route back. We ended up leading the rest of the people back. We must have been flying, because my average was 14.3, even with all of the climbing. I was not happy at the end; the last five miles felt like h***.
Sunday it was 87 degrees out! We drove about 30 miles and rode over the border, to Vermont. We followed a great, flat to rolling route to a town just south of Quebec. I didn't care about the others, they were still acting like show-offs. The lunch spot was beautiful, saw lots of cows and horses, and most of the ride was along a river. My husband and I and a friend rode over the Canadian border, took some pictures and went back the same way. When I got back to the car, I had 49.2 miles on my computer, so I rode around, until i hit 50! I can tell it was flat, because usually my time for 50 miles is 3:35 and it was 3:16. Boy, it was hot, though. We decided not to ride today and left early to beat the traffic. I sat by the pond and relaxed.

[Duck on Wheels]

What be-a-yootiful places you can get to on a bike!!!
And here I just test spun around a parking lot today. But Saturday's ride was pretty. Now let's see if I can move a picture from the memory card and over here ...

hmmm. not. Somebody who knows how to do this, could you maybe post a "recipe"? 'Tis the season for gorgeous rides! (Well, I guess all seasons are.)

[Waverly]

I didn’t ride today but I rode Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I only rode about 8 miles and then I had some weird fall out, throw up, pass out thing? Who knows at least I was off the bike when it started. Anyway I called it a day after that. Sunday I went to a local (as in an hour away) bike path and rode about 30 miles. Last Sunday we did 20 on the same path. Today I gardened!

Jessica

[susiej]

Inaugural ride with the baby and my inaugural ride of the season (a 2 mi round trip commute is not a ride). Hubby had the baby on the old beater moutain bike with the nobby tires. Hubby is in much better shape even without any biking and needed the extra drag! We went from Valley Forge out to the Perkiomen trail, because it has a miniscule number of walkers and roller bladers. Bikers are also very clueful, with only one close call with one guy riding in the left lane with a group of four others -- but he reacted well to the screech of "in front of you!" and smiled at the baby.

Baby enjoyed it, until he fell asleep. Makes me wish a bit that we had a trailer, but the baby seat was a gift from a non-biker, and just so thoughtful I can't complain.

Lots of bikers, lots of women, lots of kids. Saw (presumably) a family of at least four on a three person tandem with a trailer. The people on the tandem had matching jerseys. Very cool!

Really pushed it the way out (that woman in the skort muttering about "cadence" and "challenge that hill!" was me) and stayed in a lower gear with a higher cadence on the way back. I was then passed effortlessly by another woman, and thought better of shouting "go baby go!" Sometimes people misinterpret statements like that.

Those 2 mile commutes are actually working. I was in much better shape "starting" the season than usual.

(And anyone who has ridden the Perkiomen Trail: there is a well-paved but very sunny detour at the end closest to Valley Forge. It's fairly yucky compared to the original shaded path.)

S

[Geonz]

My! I was ready to feel wimpy... I, too, was pretty stuck inside. 95 degrees and I don't get along. I did go a grand total of 3 miles piddling around... including half a mile with Stuff From Pete and Marge's House.

You can't see the 1.56 gal. jug of laundry detergent or the 3 cartons of punch and whatever else on the other side. It was too heavy to pick up - I had to have help to get it off the porch! But once it was moving... it got home safe.

[Brandy]

A little over 42 miles with the some of the southern California TE members. My longest ride to date!