July 29 rides

[Kano]

Yesterday made my 40th ride of the season -- last year, I had 43 rides for the whole year. This is a good thing! Shorter rides, though -- I'm not up to the mileage I did last year in 43 rides by a long shot! Oh well, riding is riding, even when it's short!

We did some new-to-us stretches along a favorite route yesterday, lengthening it by about ten miles, and a few more wicked hills. We have a hill on this loop that challenges us big time - it's about 275 foot climb in a mile. seems little compared to what I read about some of our "big kids" doing here, but for us... I slogged my way up in the granny gear, doing the "I know I can I know I can" all the way, while DH went up and came back to find me and up again (the show off!).

That's followed by a down-up on a nice straight stretch that's an absolute blast to fly down and then struggle back up -- about 200ft down, then back up same all in about a quarter mile. The next one, we usually turn off half way down, and take a nice mostly a tad-bit downhill three and a half miles. At the top of it, I managed to get DH to stop. What's the matter? Nothing, I want to ask you a question, and you won't hear me.... Wanna go farther out? He had to think long and hard. (dunno why!) Finally, he agreed that yes, we should go out to the next "real" road.

When we got there, he wondered, should we go see how far this road goes? Sure, why not? We went on, enjoying having a nice, paved two lane to ourselves on a lovely sunny morning. Came to a train track with a train coming from the west, so we scurried across (the one I saw was coming from the east!) and found less lovely pavement, so the ride wasn't quite so smooth, but not intolerable. Anyway, I'm riding along, picking out the smoothest parts, and enjoying the desert scenery, when suddenly I realize: NO MORE PAVEMENT!

Oh crap! I thought. (it was a stronger word in my head) Next thought: Hey feet! out of the pedals! as I braked to a not quite screeching halt just before hitting the gravel and stopping less glamourously. I was a little bit disappointed, since the road had looked like it would just take us straight into the distance maybe all the way to Nevada, and I was feeling really good! Turning around and retracing our path took us into head winds, darn it...

Lots more practice in the drops yesterday, and lots more hill practice, pushing myself in a bit higher gears too. I found some new muscles last night, where I hadn't noticed them in a LONG time. Mentioned this to DH, and he said, well you DID ride differently today...

It was a GOOD 33 miles!

Karen in Boise

[teigyr]

We slept in - it was my birthday and I wanted to sleep in more than anything in this world. By the time we got out on our bikes, it was close to noon

We ended up just riding on a bike trail; DH was unfamiliar with one of the local trails near work and I had to go there to pick up my car anyway. It started out nice and cool and pleasant until we discovered wind. This was a semi-headwind that appeared to go against us no matter what direction we turned. My legs didn't hurt at all but the rest of my body sure did! We ended up doing 36 miles and really felt it at the end.

We then went home, got ready, and went to DH's parents house for a BBQ. The great thing was we were late and it was expected. I rush so much every other day of my life, it seems like, it was perfect when I said "I know, I have to hurry" when getting ready and DH said to take my time.

What I don't get is how wind so heinous can be a semi-headwind no matter what direction we go. And how this wind, that was beyond obnoxious on our bikes, didn't appear to exist when we were standing still after our ride. It makes no sense!

[mudmucker]

YAY! Now we mostly rest before our PMC weekend. Maybe a short midweek flat ride or some swimming...

Good luck and have a great event ride ! So far looks like the weather will behave.

I used to live in Shirley in the mid-90's when I worked in Boston. At that time I didn't have my road bike with me because I just moved from a town that didn't really have paved roads where I was (Shutesbury) so I had the mtn bike. I used to mtn bike with the super knobby tires through Ayer and around Harvard, Lancaster, and back to Shirley. That road by Fruitlands is very pretty. The whole town of Harvard is certainly one of the prettier towns in that area, and was the only town around that reminded me of Western Mass where I'm from.