July rides

[ny biker]

Dropping in for a quick catch-up -- did a 42 mile ride on July 4. It was hot but somehow felt better than the ride a few days earlier had been, despite similar conditions. It was sort of a club ride, but not really, since a friend and I decided to start earlier at a different place, ride to the official ride start to meet folks and go with them to the first rest stop, then take some shadier short cuts and finish on a shadier road than the posted route. Our ride start was closer to the last rest stop than the official one, so we finished earlier, too. All the changes were to avoid problems with the heat, and they worked.

Since then, no rides. Instead, I am in the middle of a string of four Foo Fighters concerts -- two last weekend (Maryland and Philadelphia), then one this weekend and another next Monday, both in NY. (It's a long story, but basically I looked at the tour schedule and decided what the hell, they're always fun and I need fun.) Anyway I will be staying in NY for a while for a family visit related to parent health issues. Not bringing the bike with me, because I expect to be busy with other things. My exercise will be walks around my home town, which is actually quite scenic. And dancing for 3 hours per concert, which is actually a good leg workout.

I do have time to squeeze in a bike ride tonight... in fact I am leaving now...

[rebeccaC]

ny....foo fighters/fun/dancing are all the same thing aren't they

Just a few years ago I did the one day Tour of the California Alps in the Eastern Sierra’s (fondly also called the Death Ride). Riding up both the east and west sides of Monitor Pass and Ebbetts Pass and the east side of Carson Pass made for one of the hardest one day rides of my life. I don’t have the time to train for something like that anymore and I don’t have the climbing strength of body/mind I did then. Since it was on my route this work trip I planned a 58 mile ride up both sides of just Ebberts Pass. I did do a good climbing ride before I left so my mind said I could do it. I planned for a whole day and started in/returned to Markleeville Ca. which is just east of Ebberts.

Leaving early this morning the temps started in the low 60’s ’s and then got into the 90’s. There were a few moments of questioning my sanity…on a long very hot, very steep section going up the already steep east side I actually thought of what I could throw away, my camera included, to lighten the climb...common sense quickly prevailed though. On the west side of the pass, when I came down into the Hermit Valley, I took time to stop at a river site that was very private. I left my shoes/socks, shorts and jersey on a rock and just sat in shallow rapids and let the cold water flow over me. Just relaxing/stretching and refueling on a large flat rock in the heat helped in drying me some and my still wet sports bra actually helped in the heat on the ascent of the shorter but still steep west side. The almost pedal free descent on the smoothly paved east side was welcomed. There were quite a few other riders….some doing training rides for this year’s Death Ride which is this weekend. Very few cars, which also made me a happy woman. I felt good when I got back to Markleeville, mostly from just the pure satisfaction of finishing the ride. Oh yeah…and then just a 30-minute drive to a really good recovery massage (a BIG ftw!!!) at the hotel in south Lake Tahoe.

Alex is flying to meet me in Missoula Mt and we are taking a few days to hike and explore the wonders of Glacier National Park before she goes home and I drive to Oregon for a couple of days work on two projects with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory regarding both wind and biomass energy. This trip will also give me a chance to ride a couple of short sections on the southern Oregon coast on my way home.

Didn’t do much photography on the ride….but here are a few









Btw we now know that this fall Alex and I are welcoming a daughter into this world…

nwg…..i left this for you at a wonderful Vietnamese Buddhist temple and meditation center in the desert just north of Adelanto Ca.

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, Rebecca, that looks like an epic ride. Kudos to you for completing it. I just can't imagine that kind of climbing after being in Florida for so long. I am not sure I have it in me to ride mountains any more -- not that I ever did too much of that anyway!

Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your daughter. I know you and Alex must be over the moon!

Enjoy Glacier! I know it is incredibly beautiful but hope there are no wildfires in the area. Smoky hiking = no muy bueno.

[north woods gal]

Again, just beautiful, rebecca. Question: do you find the altitude to be an issue? I suspect a flatlander like me would need some time to adjust.

As for me, had my four week progress check with the doctor, today. Was hoping for something a bit more definitive and conclusive, but all he did was take an X ray of my spine in the damaged area to see if it has been maintaining proper alignment while I heal. Also did all the reflexes, nerve and strength tests. Everything checked out, perfectly. I am grateful for the results, but I'm still to be in a brace for another few weeks, at least, and won't be released from the brace until that final check. Well, there goes my summer, as far as bicycling. I shouldn't be disappointed, but I am. Had hoped to be bicycling, sooner, but that's not going to happen. Oh, well.

Rain, today, but much needed rain, so no complaint, there. Probably won't go for a walk, then, but my heart just isn't in it, anyway. May do the trainer, later.

[north woods gal]

On a more upbeat note (don't mean to be such a grump), he liked my trainer setup. I'm good to go, there. More walking is good, too. Guess I'll just keep doing what I have been doing, for now.

[Crankin]

Glad you are trying to see the positive side, NWG.
Today we started our annual Berkshire trip. It’s a week earlier than normal, because a bike tour has the inn all booked next wkend. Got here around noon, ate on the patio of the inn after buying some sandwiches,and headed out on a warm up ride at 1:45. Did 20 miles, flat to rolling, mostly shady, through Great Barrington and Sheffield. Rural and farms, a bit of suburban state road. Tried a new road, beautiful, but lots of potholes.
This was my fastest ride in the Berkshires, ever. Well, the next 3 days are full of suffering and eating!

[emily_in_nc]

That sounds like a lovely trip, Crankin! Do enjoy.

NWG, sorry that you didn't get released to ride, but glad that your healing process is going so well. I completely understand how you feel; very frustrating. Especially with your short summer season there, I hate that you have to miss it all. But on the plus side, you don't mind riding year-round, so all is not lost. There's always fall...and (shiver...) winter!

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. You've been there, so your words are especially helpful, right now. Everyone's words are, in fact. The encouragement helps. Yes, have been thinking along those same lines, too. What's a few more weeks compared to a possible added injury that could put me out of bicycling for the rest of met life?

Funny you should mention the winter riding. Been on my mind a lot during this down time. No way am I going to beat myself up, again, trying to keep trails cleared all winter long like I did, last winter. That was just brutal. Great learning experience, but brutal. I'm hoping to confine my snow riding this next winter to riding out on our local paved roads after the snow plows have done their job. Yup, let the county do all the snow clearing for me. And, yeah, I'll probably do more indoor trainer riding, much as I hate it. Then, too, there's always my cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The trails won't go to waste.

[Crankin]

I’m a firm believer in doing other sports for a few weeks in the winter, NWG. I love x country skiing and snow shoeing.
So, our ride today was a new version of a ride we’ve done before. I wouldn’t call it epic, or even difficult, but for me, challenging because it had long, shallow climbs. This hurts my back and I feel like I can’t get in a rhythm. I need to go back to PT!
But it was so quiet and rural. We stopped at a general store around 11:15 and had popsicles, which revived me. Then, we rode to lunch at the food co op in Great Barrington. DH and I and the male half of our friend stayed on the route for the 6 miles back to the inn. Mostly climbing, but I did not want to be in the glaring sun on the main road.
I spent 30 min stretching when we got back, went in the pool and then had a little happy hr on the porch.
Mexican food tonight. The hordes from NYC have descended for the weekend. Bah.
Tomorrow’s ride is hard and 40 miles. It’s an official group ride, but we only have 2 others. Weather looks sketchy after 1, a bit concerned. Had one of the worst rain riding experiences of my life at the end of this ride.

[north woods gal]

Ha! Can't remember the last time I had a popsicle. Am I getting old or what?

One of the things I like about my solo riding is that I can relax and set my own pace. Not the it hurts to be pushed a bit by others, sometimes. When I ride with hubby, we adjust our riding to stay close. That's nice, too.

I am so in awe of you guys doing theses long rides, right now. Kind of hard in my present situation to believe I did those, too, back when. Gives me a goal to work for when I do get riding, again. Keep posting about them. It helps.

Hitting the trainer hard, now that I am beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Can go hours, now, walking and doing normal activities with the brace adjusted very loose - very little in the way of support, just there to keep me from twisting my neck in a bad way. My neck feels normal most of the time, now, especially when riding the trainer. I think the elevated heart rate while working the trainer is good for the healing. I suspect I'll be a bit nervous about not wearing the brace when the time comes, though. Going to have to regain some self-confidence.

[north woods gal]

Much prefer Shimano on that style of rim brake and that is my favorite style of rim brake on MTBs, by the way. My bike shop guy also prefers Shimano for brakes, in general, but especially on those brakes. Shimanos are easier to adjust and hold their adjustments the best. Well worth the upgrade.

[rebeccaC]

Enjoy Glacier! I know it is incredibly beautiful but hope there are no wildfires in the area. Smoky hiking = no muy bueno.

no wildfires or smoke from any far away fire.....just some clouds this morning and amazing visuals

Question: do you find the altitude to be an issue? I suspect a flatlander like me would need some time to adjust.

Since I live and mostly ride at sea level, for a ride like Ebbetts I’ll adjust my diet (with some vitamin and iron supplements too) to help increase my red blood cell count which helps in getting more oxygen to my muscles. I scheduled some vo2 max intervals into my commutes home for a couple of weeks to help build the capacity of my lungs to more efficiently absorb oxygen. I also get into a deep breathing style on climbs that not only gets more oxygen into my lungs but helps in relaxing my body and mind. The moments of irrationality on the initial east side Ebbetts climb, that I wrote about, were eliminated by focusing on my breathing technique. I’ve usually used the lower elevation of the Santa Monica mountains to help build my climbing muscles, efficiency, and endurance. Those four things, for me, do help in dealing with the lower levels of oxygen at higher elevations.

Good to hear that your healing is going well…and like the Pema quote below I’m a big fan of focusing on and feeding the positives!!!! I think I’ve written before that….patience is a virtue.

[north woods gal]

Sheila, as a rule of thumb, with Shimano components, going higher in price is going lighter in weight, plus it gets you more durability and performance, to boot. You'll especially notice it on ease of adjustments and staying in adjustment. If she can get up to the Deore/XT level on the brakes, she won't regret it. Had those on some older bikes and they were as good as it gets with rim brakes. Not just a matter of status. The cheapo rim brakes used to drive me nuts keeping them in adjustment. Just can't see the point of trying to save a few bucks on something as essential as brakes. That's me, though.

[north woods gal]

Thanks, rebecca. That pic just floored me when it came up. Almost surreal. Hard to believe a place that beautiful actually exists.

I'm not going to be riding the high country anytime, soon, but good tips to store away if I ever do get back to that country. Thanks. Funny how after all these years in the north woods, I still get that closed in feeling. I really do miss those great wide open spaces. Lived there so long, it'll always be in my blood. Enjoy your high country ride. Send more pics if you can. Wow!

[Crankin]

Well, I made it through the big ride of our trip. There were 2 other AMC riders with us, one who I have met, and one who lives around here. The one I know rides about like me and the new guy was super strong! He dropped our friend who was leading on the 2 mile climb. Anyway, it started out cool and a little cloudy; then it got really hot and partly sunny, but cloudy again by the end of the ride. This ride has 4 parts. The first is flat and rolling for 6 miles. Very rural. Then we climb and descend for 10 miles. I have a love hate relationship with this road. It is gorgeous, but the ups felt very hard. I was getting nervous about the 2 mile climb up Lenox Mountain. We took a rest stop at the park in West Stockbridge, where we ran into a parade. I started up the climb and just kept a slow and steady pace. It does flatten out for awhile, after a bit of hard stuff and then is rolling, and then tips up at the end. We stopped for a group pic and then I was the last one down the descent, which ends at Kripalu Center. After this it’s a slog up the road by Tanglewood. Need I say more. Lots of tourist cars going to a concert, as well as the hoards of second home owners. This road finally descends into Stockbridge, where we ate lunch. Since the rain held off, we headed out for the last part of the ride. It’s about 15 miles and part of it was new to us. It’s really pretty, along a river, and then farms, but we made a wrong turn (we went ahead for a bit), and ended up doing a super steep climb. DH realized it, but decided to make me get up this. It wasn’t too long, but at least 10%. We got back about 5 miles after this.
I felt pretty good, but I need to do more big climbs! The ride was 40 miles, with 2,700 ft of climbing. It did rain tonight, and I don’t think we will be riding tomorrow, with 50% chance of thunderstorms.