august rides

[Jolt]

40 miles today, average speed 13.4 mph, with a climb of Mt. Agamenticus (not really a mountain, but a good sized hill in the town of York). Elevation gain on the road up Mt. A is 896 feet, average 10% grade but up to 14%. Pretty small stuff compared to the climbs some of you do, but was a challenge for me. I was in my lowest gear most of the way, but didn't have to get off and walk. Need to remember the bug spray next time...there were lots of those annoying small bugs that like to fly right in one's face, and I couldn't go fast enough up the hill to drop them! On the way home a thunderstorm blew through so I ducked into a little farmstand store which had all kinds of good stuff; I had a raspberry-oatmeal square, an all-natural soda and tried some of their cheeses, jams and salsas that they had out for sampling. I will definitely have to go back there prepared to bring some things home. Once the storm had passed, the rest of the ride home was pretty uneventful although I have some tweaking to do on the bike since getting the thick-soled cycling shoes which required me to raise the saddle about an inch...my neck and upper back were getting uncomfortable either from a) having more weight on my hands because the saddle is now higher in relation to the bars, or b) having a little more reach because I did not move the saddle forward at all when I adjusted the height. I had no such discomfort before the shoe/resulting saddle height change, including on my 50-miler two months ago which I did in my very thin-soled Merrells, so I know that is the culprit. If tweaking saddle position doesn't solve the problem I guess the next step will be a stem with a little more rise, which will be annoying since I just changed the stem this spring (when I got the bike).

[emily_in_nc]

We've had a windy few days, and although the temperatures have been more reasonable, I think I prefer the heat and light winds to this. At least I haven't had a flat for the past few days.

Yesterday: 52.2 miles
Today 36.6 miles

Tomorrow -- utility ride to recycling place, farmer's market, and grocery. Short and sweet!

[Raindrop]

I must be a lightweight these days because you are all doing a whole lot more than me. I try and get out in the mornings before I have appointments, but even then, I only average about 26 miles a day.

My high point this week? My son is going through a divorce and I only get to see my grandkids for 1 1/2 days one week, and 3-4 days the next. Well, I often ride on the other side of our city and i was riding past a park where I knew the grandkids sometimes went with their babysitter. (no, I'm not a stalker). Anyway, I glanced down to the playground structure and saw several small children with some adults. As I rode closer I saw my grandson and his babysitter, (after seeing it wasn't "stranger-danger') yelled, "Hey! It's Bobbi! (My grandmother name)....Both kids (my grandson and my grand-daughter came running over. Hugging me they said, "yuck! you're really sweaty". The babysitter asked why I was so far from home and I just told her that the east side of town was more bike friendly in that there are a lot of bike lanes. My side of town has older roads with huge drop-offs and a lot of people that don't really like it if you take your lane,

Anyway, seeing my "angels" on an off day was sweet!!!

Adding that my picture is my grandson!

[shootingstar]

Sounds like your grandchildren really enjoy seeing you, Raindrop.

Perfect day today --bright, sunny and around 25 degree C with a slight cool light breeze. Cycled 45 km. Did some light grocery shopping midway, stopped off from bike path route to a local science centre for a huge cup of coffee and on way back, near home, stopped at street festival. I stopped the first time this year just to look around. Other years I passed this annual festival on bike. This year, it appears a much bigger event which is great to see since the area was damaged by the flood last year.

[Crankin]

I did a 37.5 mile ride from Acton to Bolton Farms for lunch, and back. My friend changed the first part of the ride from what DH and I usually do, and today it was 2 climbs I haven't done in ages (the first since last year and the second, I only remember doing it once, during my first year of riding). The weather was lovely, about 84, light breeze, and thankfully, becoming cloudier after lunch, when there's a moderate 3 mile climb that is not shaded. DH had worked on my bike a bit before I left and there were some shifting issues, but nothing bad happened. However, when I got home, he went to look at it and realized both of my bikes needed new chains. While he was "testing" to see what was wrong with the shifting, he got on my bike and rode it around the driveway; first ride since his crash. He felt good and may go out with me tomorrow. His 6 week check is Monday, and he knows the doctor will still say September, but he is getting antsy and frankly, we know people that have been back on the bike 3 weeks post surgery.
Anyway, my ride had just under 1,900 ft. of climbing and I am ready for the Mojitos DH is making.

[roo4]

About 24 miles of sharply rolling hills. Average speed was 13.7. I added a couple of miles by climbing the dreaded Bait Shop Hill, which I had never done before. Turns out it was steep, but short. Much shorter than the beast that loomed in my imagination. Take that, beast!

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, that's great that your DH got on your bike and rode around, even if just for a little driveway test. Sounds like he's healing up quickly! Know you're both glad of that.

Today was not what I expected because FINALLY we got a day without wind. We've been fighting it for days now, so today was a real gem. We did our usual errand ride in the morning: recycling, farmer's market, and grocery outlet on Bike Fridays, 10 miles total. Temps were in the 70s with sunshine and low humidity, so after unloading, we grabbed more water and snacks and headed out for a 40-miler on our Treks. That was supposed to be tomorrow's ride for me, but since we're leaving tomorrow afternoon for a several-day short side roadtrip, I was really happy to get it done today so tomorrow I can get up and pack and take a day off the bike. I haven't taken a day off since Tuesday so am ready!

Temp did get up in the 80s and a slight breeze started up at the end of our ride, but nothing much. Since we didn't have wind and the route was a less hilly one, I ended up with a very rare over 15 mph average.

[Crankin]

DH went for his first post surgery ride today! We set out to do an out and back flat ride (except for our street, of course), but when we got to Fern's he decided he was OK to do a loop, where there is a hill (small one) involved. Everything was fine and it was a perfect recovery ride for me after all the climbing I did yesterday. I did get a bit annoyed as we were coming near the hill, and a guy was on my azz, as I was following DH. So, I dropped DH, and he felt compelled to drop the guy, too. I let DH get in the lead again, near the top of the hill, as I felt exhausted from that little sprint up a hill.
The ride was 15.3 miles; it was getting hot out and the humidity is rising. I really don't like riding in temperatures above 80, but, I do it.

[Irulan]

We just returned from a week in Revelstoke BC which has some of the finest alpine singletrack I have ever seen, in addition to the most spectacular alpine views... glaciers and the jagged peaks of the Canadian Rockies in all directions are just part of it.
We did the classics of Keystone Standard Basic and Frisby Ridge, plus some other local favotries.
Here's the reward when you get to the cabin at the turn around point at Keystone...

[Irulan]

Here are a few more:

my friend took this one

[thekarens]

So pretty Irulan!

[khg]

Great photos Irulan! They make me think I need to take up mountain biking, even though I'm terrified by the thought!

After a week of essentially no riding (a few miles for errands, but that's it), I finally got out on a decent ride today, and it felt really nice! I spent the week covering myself in paint (and in the process, painting the front and back porches)--it just took way more time and energy than I anticipated. At least I got a good leg work out--a couple hours a day, for several days, doing crabwalks in a squat... My legs were really feeling it by the end of the week! I meant to go for a good ride on Sunday, but ended up in bed finishing a library book that was due.

Today wasn't anything epic, but it was a lot of fun--I rode over to Mercer Island and then rode the perimeter of the island in both directions, for a total of 44 miles on the day. The road around the island is gentle rollers, and there's one section in particular that has a great series of winding turns. The road is nicely banked, and riding it feels like the road is giving my bike a friendly hug and effortlessly guiding me to where I need to go. It's a fun swoopy feeling leaning one way, then the other, then the other, etc... Anyway, the terrain is constantly interesting, and there are great views through the trees--and the shade those trees provide was very welcome, since it got into the (unusual for here) 90's today.

I was enjoying the sensation of speed on the bicycle, and it felt easy to put in extra bits of effort and bursts of speed--but I don't have my computer set to display my mph (too distracting and/or depressing) so I didn't know if I was actually faster, or just feeling happy. It was nice to get home and see that I actually was fast--I set a PR going around the island, and on a couple hills on my way home. So I guess the week of squats--and the reading in bed--combined for some sort of training effect!

[salsabike]

Today wasn't anything epic, but it was a lot of fun--I rode over to Mercer Island and then rode the perimeter of the island in both directions, for a total of 44 miles on the day. The road around the island is gentle rollers, and there's one section in particular that has a great series of winding turns. The road is nicely banked, and riding it feels like the road is giving my bike a friendly hug and effortlessly guiding me to where I need to go. It's a fun swoopy feeling leaning one way, then the other, then the other, etc... Anyway, the terrain is constantly interesting, and there are great views through the trees--and the shade those trees provide was very welcome, since it got into the (unusual for here) 90's today.

Love the MI loop!

[marni]

rain cooled air from last nights thunderstorms must have inspired me this AM. 40 miles in 2:23 for an average of 16.63 mph which for me is astounding. Still leaving sweat rings all over the garage floor at the end of the ride though- started at 78 and finished at 94 with a feels like of 102. I'm really really ready for foall.

[MarieV]

Last Saturday my husband and I did my favorite ride. I call it the Kitsap Loops, and it's based on the 2012 Kitsap Color Classic 63-mile route with three loops around Indianola, Hansville, and Poulsbo on the Kitsap Peninsula. The weather was perfect, mostly sunny and in the low-70s. I love the nice, smooth roads on this Kitsap route, and except for two stretches on busy highways, most of the ride consists of nice rollers, only a few short climbs, and a several long descents--my favorite!

Here's a photo of the funky house made from the bridge of the US naval tugboat, the M/V Jupiter Inlet, on Point No Point Road towards the Point No Point Lighthouse near Hansville:



Most people visiting the PNW like to go to the San Juans, but I always think riding on the Kitsap Peninsula is a lot more fun. I hate the rough chipseal roads on San Juan Island, not to mention the steep drops and climbs to get to and out of each of the harbors. Of course, that may have been because the only time I've tried to do a 100 km ride around San Juan Island, I'd only been riding for 6 months, and I was riding my heavy steel bike while my husband was a seasoned randonneur riding his light carbon bike. I'd probably enjoy the ride more now on a lighter bike, but I still don't think that rough chipseal will ever be any fun.