Newbie weekly achievement thread

[radacrider]

Today while riding on the flats in a bike lane with a strong headwind, and out of desperation, I began coasting and gently reached down to my water bottle on the down tube, pulled it out of it's cage, used my teeth to pull the spout open and drank! The best part was that I didn't crash! I gently put it back into the cage. I did it by feel and kept my eyes on the road. Whoohoo, I'm making progress. I really didn't even practice I just did it.

Awesome! Way to go.

[Catrin]

For the very first time I managed to pedal 22mph last night I was on my way home from my favorite park, and instead of taking the bike path down 56th I decided to play in traffic. I just put it in the big chain, shifted up and pedaled for all I was worth - talk about a sprint! There is a LOT of fast traffic on that street, and it is a narrow 2 lanes.

I have the most un-areo riding position possible, so am quite pleased with my .5 mile 22mph "sprint" Fine way to finish off a short, hot, and windy ride! We won't discuss how much the wind might have helped me reach that speed - but there had to be at least some tail-wind for part of that.

[pixiegloss]

Hi ladies! I found a link on my local bike shop website for a local riding group and I emailed the organizer. He in turn introduced me to a great website where you can join groups of other riders if you're interested in that kind of thing. Check out Meetup.com--being new to the Tampa area, it's been a great way to see what kinds of cycling events and casual meet-ups happen each week.
As a newbie also, I'm not ready to go out and take on a 30 mile ride at 20 mph, but I joined a couple local cycle groups on the site and found that one of them does a ride at my speed every other weekend or so near my house. So I think I'm going to try my first distance ride this weekend--wish me luck!

[Bethany1]

I did 23 miles today with DH. Normally I give out at 8-10 miles so this was a surprise. However; it wasn't 95 degrees out with grueling hills and trying not to get blown over by semi trucks down the highway. It was overcast, around 65 degrees and no wind.

the local bike trail opened up now that the flooding on the Missouri has stopped. No cars. No hills to crawl up and no stopping for traffic. Just a nice flat limestone trail through cornfields (literally) and then goes through the woods to the starting point. We started in the middle and headed north.

However; cycling on a limestone trail can be dangerous. We almost got ran over by a deer. We must have scared him coming down the path as he bounded right in front of us out of nowhere. I had visions of that guy that was hit by an antelope while racing his bike for a couple of seconds until he ran up into the hills.

We also saw a coyote further down running across the trail and a hawk flew over us through the trees. Wow. He was pretty.

So does all this hill climbing all summer equate to 23 miles of straight limestone trail each time I went out?

[Roadtrip]

Thanks for sharing everyone!!! I hadn't dropped by in awhile, but happy I did, I was a little discouraged at the ride yesterday. It included more hills then I'm normally used to and I have logged only 20 miles in the last month or so. Perhaps I was jumping the gun, but felt really bad during the ride-- lungs on fire and legs of lead... Felt like crying so turned around and limped back.

Thanks for giving me something to smile at
Shannon

[Catrin]

Thanks for sharing everyone!!! I hadn't dropped by in awhile, but happy I did, I was a little discouraged at the ride yesterday. It included more hills then I'm normally used to and I have logged only 20 miles in the last month or so. Perhaps I was jumping the gun, but felt really bad during the ride-- lungs on fire and legs of lead... Felt like crying so turned around and limped back.

Thanks for giving me something to smile at
Shannon

Glad you are smiling, even if it isn't from the ride. It is understandable that it seemed a bit harder than normal since you've not been able to ride like you would like since your injury. It is hard to come back after being off the bike for a while, but it WILL get better

As for me, I didn't ride yesterday since my neck was troubling me after checking out a couple of indoor trainers at my LBS. I am going to try a nice little MUT ride this afternoon, hopefully it will go well. I figure if it isn't on the actual road that I will be less likely to push too hard, I just want to have a nice gentle birthday ride - though if my neck flares will bail from the ride. Trying to balance out my desire to ride and allowing my neck/throat to heal.

[Giantgirl]

Nessa, I am 52 and just started riding a few months ago. I keep wondering about the first fall. Hasn't happened yet. Maybe I am being to cautious. My husband and I rode 30 miles Sunday. Our longest ride to date. I too am loving it. Although not the view you have ridden. I live in low country SC. Might take on the new Arthur Ravennel bridge soon. Nice water views of the Charleston harbor.
We have a few good paved trails close by. I like practicing there rather than on the road. Sure wouldn't want my first fall to be in the middle of a busy road.
Can you or someone tell me what is a good average speed, and how many revolutions do you spin in half a minute? Just wondering if I am being a Grandma rider, which I am in real life. Proud Grammy of an 8 month old. Hope to be pulling her behind me soon.
Until

[Owlie]

Nessa, I am 52 and just started riding a few months ago. I keep wondering about the first fall. Hasn't happened yet. Maybe I am being to cautious. My husband and I rode 30 miles Sunday. Our longest ride to date. I too am loving it. Although not the view you have ridden. I live in low country SC. Might take on the new Arthur Ravennel bridge soon. Nice water views of the Charleston harbor.
We have a few good paved trails close by. I like practicing there rather than on the road. Sure wouldn't want my first fall to be in the middle of a busy road.
Can you or someone tell me what is a good average speed, and how many revolutions do you spin in half a minute? Just wondering if I am being a Grandma rider, which I am in real life. Proud Grammy of an 8 month old. Hope to be pulling her behind me soon.
Until

Congrats on 30 miles! That was a mental barrier that took me a while to break. (Like...a year. Then it took me another year to do it again and consistently.)
As for your second question, there's no right answer. Speed depends on so much--wind, terrain, road surface, your conditioning, and how you're feeling. Ride as fast or as slow as you want. As long as you get home, you're fine. Cadence...that depends on your physiology. Some of us are mashers, some of us are spinners. As long as your knees are happy.

[Crankin]

Titania, we still have a few weeks of good riding left! Get some tights to wear over your shorts, long fingered gloves, wool socks, and any kind of thermal/wool top to wear under your jacket.
I saw your comment in the other thread about the pasture near the hill in Groton. That is a beautiful spot!

[Giantgirl]

Thanks Owlie,
I will learn all the proper terms for what I am doing, or trying to do!! Well I think I am a Masher, Maybe a wanna be spinner. I love the speed, just a little scary when I get over 20 mph. 20 is a stretch for any length, flat roads, no little hills to help. I am going to Colorado Springs in 2 weeks. Visiting some bike shops. We want to rent road bikes. The thought of Colorado hills makes me have butterflies in my stomach. Never ridden on a hill, a mountain looks like Goliath at this point.
Thanks for any hill riding advice.

[PinkOnBlue]

First week using clip-ins and have only had one small hop and juggle at a red light yesterday but fortunately no full on falls!

[ToshaMack]

Accomplishment: I road 8.5 miles yesterday (2nd week riding). I went up a huge hill (DH called it barely an incline), but I'm sticking with my story

[Giulianna23]

Just came back from riding...I started last weekend... been out there about 5 times counting today. First time I managed to do 4 and a half miles with a constant 10-12MPH with a couple of sprints in between. It was a flat ride with a few small hills (they felt like the EVEREST ..lol )... it was pretty windy (I hate that). I was really impressed with myself though after about 20 years not touching a road bike. Today I managed to do 6 miles and my top speed was 18MPH with an average of 15 MPH with a lot of wind. I was planing on riding 2 more miles but my sinus started bothering.
I hope to improve every week and add 2 miles each week for the rest of the not too cold days we have left... Too bad its getting dark out there so early already..I might have to wait until weekends to ride my bike Unless I do it at soon as I get home from work .

[hebe]

Accomplishment: I road 8.5 miles yesterday (2nd week riding). I went up a huge hill (DH called it barely an incline), but I'm sticking with my story

Hurrah! Well done on your huge hill

[ToshaMack]

I had my first fall today in my clipless shoes. I was trying to avoid a dog a hundreds yards in front of me and end up stopping, but I didn't unclip....needless to say I went down! It wasn't too bad b/c I was in the grass, but I'm feeling the soreness now! My first war wound!!! I feel so bad azz!!!