July 8 rides

[Fredwina]

Thought some one would have already started it, but here's mine:
Did a bike path to the beach with the club (Santa Ana Trail). Turned in to a Hammer fest for the most part, so I rode at my own pace. Wound up with my best ever metric time. who hoo! The only downside: I wanted to a 4 hour ride. I wound with a bit less than that. Could go out and make up the time, but since my thermometer claims it's 100.2, I'll stay in.

[chartman64]

Rode solo, as usual -- one of these days my riding buddy will come home from vacation and maybe I'll have someone to ride with again! Then again maybe not -- at least not until the heat breaks. No one I know likes to get up at the crack of dawn and get started before the sun rises.

Started at 5:45 a.m. to beat the heat. Started at the parking lot for the pony rides in Griffith Park, up to the L.A. Zoo, over to the L.A. River Bike Path, up to Victory then back down all the way to Fletcher Drive, then back to the bike path entrance at the zoo. Instead of heading immediately back to the parking lot, I took a detour - turned right instead of left and followed Zoo drive for an additional couple of hills and an extra 3 miles. Back at the car by 7:15 a.m., just as it started to climb into the 80s. 18 miles instead of my usual 15, and a little faster than last weekend, so I feel pretty good about that, and the hills are getting a little easier.

[Duck on Wheels]

Hard to believe I'm the first one back on line. We were ... what? 15 TE gals and 1 husband who did the Alameda Creek Trail this morning? Most lived around the Bay Area. I prob'ly had the longest drive home, not to mention that I took the wrong exit off of 580 and wound up back in the Berkeley Hills for a slow drive down Ashby and north on San Pablo before I got back on the Freeway. Oh well. My theory: I don't really know a town until I've been lost there a few times and found my way back.

The ride was FUN, as of course any ride with TE gals is likely to be. It was good to meet you all! And the creek was a nice beginners route. Scenic, no major hills, no tricky traffic. Most of the gals + the guy added on some hills down by the Bay, but my rental bike, though a decent fit as far as rental bikes go, was starting to give me pains here and there. Too narrow a seat and a bit too long a stretch to the handlebars, so I headed straight back up the same 11 miles we'd come down, taking it slow and walking a bit every few miles to get my arms loosened, my neck straightened, and the circulation back in my girly bits. The fast crowd caught up with me just a mile from the top and the rest came along a few minutes after we got to the staging area. Group photos, then those of us who could stay a while went on to a cafe for lunch and pre-birthday cake. Thanks for the cake, Trek-sister Chooooooo-clate. And no candles (it's fire season).

[Nanci]

I rode 30 miles today, out in the country and on a paved trail. I had a very near-collision with a squirrel- it came out from the right- I screamed- he flipped around four inches from my wheel, and almost ran smack into the bike behind me to the right, but managed to stop in time...

Then there was a yellow rat snake stretched out from the right covering a thirs of the trail. I was in the lead and started screaming "Snake! Snake! Watch out for the snake!!" and gesturing to the right wildly. Not one hit him. I don't think he moved!!

We arrived back at Tim's Fast Nickel and got our chairs out of our cars and sat in the shade and waited for Tim to bring us country-style ribs and potato salad and green beans with sausage...It was delicious, and there was a lovely breeze and we just sat there for about two hours after the ride. I love it when I don't have to be anywhere, and no one else does, either.

I rode up some hills at 17mph. That's good for me. In the last half of the ride, a lot of us broke away and were riding about 20mph, (the group average is dictated by the leader who rides 13.5-14 mph) when suddenly there was an attack! One guy took off, and another guy chased, and another guy chased, leaving the three girls. I took off after them and picked off the trailing guy, and caught the leaders, and finished the last five miles at 24 mph. It was very nice for a change!

Our weather was a little cooler than normal- maybe 80 or 85, and then the usual 80% humidity, which burns off later in the day to near 50-60%. I like it like that.

[mimitabby]

Thought some one would have already started it, but here's mine:.

Yah, I did, problem is, i didn't remember what week it was!!!!

Sounds like your ride was a lot hotter than mine!

[hirakukibou]

I rode 54 miles with the club and then another 15 with a friend. It was a pretty day with sun. I need to figure out how to eat more if I am going to ride this much.

[mimitabby]

I It was a pretty day with sun. I need to figure out how to eat more if I am going to ride this much.

yeah, i know what you mean. We were going to go to a couple stores after the ride and then go home and cook dinner. There was NO WAY I was going to go home and cook dinner. I would have died of starvation by then. So we stopped at our favorite Italian restaurant and I had spaghetti and meatballs.

[mimitabby]

Well, this was a funny ride. My husband is leaving town tomorrow; he'll be gone for 2 weeks; so we really wanted to get a ride in today before he left. He called my two sons (Tom, 25, super buff, super in shape and Josiah/Jo 27, not as buff and hasn't ridden 25 miles on his bike in at least 3 years) and Told them we were going to do a 35 mile ride to Flaming Geyser St Park and back. He decided that Jo would ride the tandem with me on back, not very bright since Jo has never ridden the tandem; he usually rides a fixed gear bike.. So. there we were; husband, Tom, Tom' s girlfriend on singles and Jo and I on the tandem. Josiah has amazing legs, so for 20 miles he was just doing great; although he was quite shaky on starts and stops, having never handled a tandem before (and also having forgotten how to use gears!) at about mile 20 I already knew something was wrong, becuase we were CLEARLY NOT at the park yet, and we were barely to Auburn. Husband realized that we were not doing a 35 mile ride, but a 60!! mile ride!! We got to the park, gave Jo some powerbars and a good break, and rode the next 8 miles to where there is a fantastic BBQ / butcher shop with tables in the shade and good food.
Josiah and I limped back to the butcher shop okay, but I knew there was NO way we were going to go 60+ miles. We talked about contingency plans, and came up with a good one. 10 miles from that BBQ Butcher is where my mother lives. Tom, his girlfriend & my husband can ride back to the car and Josiah and I will stop at my mother's house and WAIT for them to get the car and come back.
That's what we did. we rode 53 miles. I had to work a lot harder because once my son got tired, he quit peddling with much force. But amazingly, without complaints, he did it.
He also didn't mind laying on the couch in my mother's cool livingroom for the hour it took the rest of the gang to ride to where the car was and drive it to my mother's house!


family from left to right; Donald, Josiah, Tom & Mimi

[Cindyloo]

I did 50 miles on the Silver Comet Trail today. It was such a nice morning! My average was 14 mph. I love that trail although I swear it goes uphill in both directions! Is that physically possible??

[Lifesgreat]

I love that trail although I swear it goes uphill in both directions! Is that physically possible??

Only if it is snowing and a school is one of the destinations

I rode 18 miles this morning. Pretty flat and a leisurely pace. I try to work hard during the week and go with a slower riding group on Saturday mornings.

[makbike]

Made the club ride this evening and unveiled my new recumbent. We rode 21 miles and though I was much slower than I'm accustome to I finished the ride and did not have to walk up any hills so I'm happy.

[Fredwina]

Yah, I did, problem is, i didn't remember what week it was!!!!

Sounds like your ride was a lot hotter than mine!

I was tempted to copy your ride report over, but decided not to

[Quillfred]

Mimitabby-

That's a nice photo. It is great you can get everyone together for a ride.

We did a brief but strenuous 5 1/2 mile stretch on hilly, hilly, Vashon Island. I look forward to being able to ride the whole thing.

We camped and went to the Strawberry Festival. I made the mistake of using my Albuterol inhaler mid-way and got a nasty headache.

What a stunningly beautiful day.

Quillfred

[mimitabby]

Mimitabby-

That's a nice photo. It is great you can get everyone together for a ride.

We did a brief but strenuous 5 1/2 mile stretch on hilly, hilly, Vashon Island. I look forward to being able to ride the whole thing.

We camped and went to the Strawberry Festival. I made the mistake of using my Albuterol inhaler mid-way and got a nasty headache.

What a stunningly beautiful day.

Quillfred

It really was a beautiful day. It never really got hot either. Days like yesterday remind us why we stay in Seattle.

That family outing is not something that happens with any frequency. THe last time was 3 years ago. That's why we were so thrilled.

[betagirl]

I'm a bit late with this

Did 58 miles with the club at quite a pace. We actually ended up riding out west to where I used to live, so I found myself on some familiar roads. Our average was around 20mph, so it was a good workout. I tried to bridge the gap between the 2 groups at 1 point to catch the faster guys, but failed. I was at 105rpms doing 26mph and really didn't feel like going into my big ring. It was a fun little sprint, but probably best I hung back with the "slower" group. I bonked about 5 miles later One of the guys was so nice to stay back with me and pull me back up to the group. I really like this new club I'm riding with.

Later in the day I met up with my friend who's new to cycling and is already hooked. His goal was to do 10 miles (most he'd done was 7), so we rode up to the Irish American festival being held on the north side. Must have been all the Magners but he wanted to ride back home, so he did a total of 18 miles! Quite impressive, especially since his bike shorts haven't come in yet

So total for the day with everything was 82.3 miles. Had eggs benedict after my club ride to refuel.... mmmmmmmmmmm hollandaise.