May 29th Memorial Day Ride reports

[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!

[fatbottomedgurl]

Love the pictures everyone! Good job getting down and dirty, Running Mom! I posted my ride on the mtb forum, but may I add that on both my group rides I crashed. Friday on sand over hardpack- bike just slid out from under me at a slow speed -- and today I sort of lost control on a downhill and laid over into the grass-- not quite so slow speed. Just a few scrapes.

[mimitabby]

what a bunch of great rides!

[bcipam]

Adding to Brandy's note - a group of So Cal TE members got together today and did 42.5 miles, sortof a mountain to seas ride. We started out in the foothills and rode down to Newport Beach, attempted to take the ferry from Balboa Island to Newport Pennisula but turned back because of heavy holiday traffic. Stopped and had a nice lunch and then rode back to our start. The weather was So Cal California perfect. I got my first sunburn of the season. I met some wonderful ladies and their gentlemen friends and can't wait for the next organized ride.

Big thank yous to my friends Wayne and Connie for riding along and helping out. Couldn't have done it without you both. And thank you to Cathy, Nina (and her husband), Brandy, Judy (and her friend) and Tracey for showing up and riding along. It was sooooo cool to meet everyone!

PS, in case everyone anyone was interested, Wayne did go out and do a mountain bike ride after. He called me at 7 to report now he was really sore and after, thought it was foolish. But he had a great time meeting everyone as well. Now next time - let's try the mountain bikes!!!!

[Brandy]

I was wondering if "The Intimidator" made it to the MTB ride! Thanks for updating us Pam. I swear, cyclists are the friendliest people on earth. I was just telling my husband about Wayne offering to loan out mountain bikes and how I wanted to try it. It was such a diverse group today and I felt so comfy with all of you. It's like I've found my people!

[Quillfred]

Did a nice mid-afternoon 28 miler to Ray's Boathouse at Shilshole where my SO met me for a nice dinner on the patio. Had a tasty Vashon beer with the insignia of the bike-eating tree.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/...actionNo==1412

Actually caught some sun today.

Tinkered with my Brooks Team Pro for a spell, but just a scosh to balance between sliding off and mashing the bits. Think I'm going to like it.

Quillfred

[kimct]

I just got in a short 5 mile ride today, but all with my 9yr old daughter! We loaded up the car and headed out for a trail that I found but hadn't explored...wasn't too much of a trail, so we rode to the beach instead! Quality time with the middle child, and teaching her some rules about road riding! Lots of fun, even though it was short and very low speed.

Kim

[DeniseGoldberg]

It was a good riding weekend for me too - even though I overdid it by not taking a rest day before the weekend. I managed 44 miles on Saturday, 50 miles on Sunday, and 40 on Monday. The ride that was the real prize though was Sunday's. I drove to Salisbury, MA, and then rode along the coast to Portsmouth, NH and back again. Although I really prefer that road in the off season (there were a lot of people out, a lot of cars!), it's still a beautiful ride.

Of course I was accompanied by my camera - pictures from my ride can be seen at http://denise.smugmug.com/gallery/1503825. I particularly like the guy with the penny farthing (I think I stood and talked with him for about 20 minutes, an interesting break. And yes, I did suggest to him that he wear a helmet rather than the "period" hat that was perched on his head.). And I loved the mute swans. When I approached the swans, they were standing on the side of the road, but they made their way back into the water. Those are big birds - made more obvious when they were standing. (When I looked up info on mute swans, I found that they are listed with a length of 55-62 inches, 140-157 centimeters. I assume that means from their tail to their nose - whatever it is, it seemed that their heads were even with my shoulder!).

--- Denise

[Nanci]

Love the swans! I think the penny farthing guy deserves a break on the helmet, considering the rest of his oufit. Maybe there's a way to build one inside his hat!

[GLC1968]

DH and I did 42 miles yesterday. We took a chance on a new route in a county east of us and it was very pretty. It was a lot of hills, but nothing too terrible. My sit bones were still killing me from Saturday's ride and this ride had way too many roughly paved roads for my liking. (I think they call that seal and pebble?) The 95 degree heat also got to me...but SportBeans to the rescue and I was able to finish strong. Good to finally have a chance to start getting used to the heat!

[bcipam]

I just want to add my personal little blog about a great weekend of riding. It started Friday night with my friends "Mushroom" Mike and Richard. We all met at Limestone Canyon and did a beautiful MTB ride up to Bolero Springs and back. It was getting dark and on the way back we saw many deer and a great horned owl sweeping by. Earlier we also saw tarantulas (it's that time of year), a snake and Mike saw a bobcat. I came up the hill too late and missed it.

Saturday I met with other TNC docents Wayne and Della and we led a ride through Weir Canyon. Unfortunately I didn't do so well. Guess I was tired from Friday night but the ride was lovely. Weather was weird. It got hot, cold, hot, cold, arm warmers on, off, on off.... Anyway finished the ride tired, but it was beautiful and fun. We had lots of good guests and we met lots of interesting people.

Sunday evening (after spending the day cleaning house and the yard) My friend Richard and I met Wayne and a group of his friends back up at Limestone and had another fun ride. This ride was much slower paced than
the Friday or Saturday ride which I needed. I was tired and Monday had a long ride planned. We ended the evening all having dinner together at our favorite place and trading silly MTB stories.

Monday was the TE day. I had an interesting night. I was waken at 11:30p by the apartment manager talking to me through my bedroom window (that was scary!). He was telling everyone there was a sewage back-up and no one should use the toilet or shower. Of course, I now go into panic pee mode and have to go all night. Didn't get much sleep (PS I used the swimming pool restroom and shower). I got to the Park Monday morning where I am meeting the TE ladies early and was met by Tracey and Kathy. Got alittle nervous as Paramount Racing was also staging from the Park and at first I thought this was my group - I almost turned around as these folks looked fast and crazy. Thankfully the TE people I met were not crazy and the day turned out just wonderful.

This to me was the perfect weekend. Out every day riding. Each evening just totally exhausted and ready for bed. Meeting new people with a similar interest but with all different backgrounds. I know my friends Connie and Wayne also had a good time Monday. Connie didn't know about the website and since she is moving to Florida next year can't wait to get on and try to meet people in that area. Wayne was our "lassie" fixing two flats and doing sweep honors. He got nicknamed the "intimidater" as he has a very fancy, noisy rear hub that makes a large rachetting sound when he coasts and on this ride he had to coast alot. Hearing the "whirl, whirl, whirl..." constantly behind made one want to ride faster (get away, get away...!).

Anyway, I can't wait to ride up in everyone else's neck of the woods. Any Ventura gals out there? Would really like to try out some rides that way and I definitely want to ride in San Diego and of course out Tracey, Brandy, Judy or Nina's way!

[DeniseGoldberg]

Love the swans! I think the penny farthing guy deserves a break on the helmet, considering the rest of his oufit. Maybe there's a way to build one inside his hat!

You may be right, but he admitted to me that he had fallen on that bike and had dislocated a shoulder... He also said that he knew he should be wearing a bicycle helmet.

And the swans are just amazing.
--- Denise