Patting ourselves on the back

[nuthatch]

WooHoo!!! I want yellow....

[Biking Chick]

Everybody..... gets..... a.......

Keep the snow ... hope I can find enough change under couch cushions to fill it up

Way to go on the miles ... that is such a great feeling!

Cindy

[spazzdog]

Fixed it.

Just wish I knew how it got "un-fixed"

Thanks!

spazz

[annerol]

Ok, so here is my moment of self-pride: last weekend I rode 180 miles from Sanata Monica to Santa Barbara on an AIDSlifecycle training ride. Had a blast!!! Previous longest ride was 73 on a Saturday and 35 on a Sunday. I think the trick was a team of masseuses (spelling?) and "stretchers" (professionals who contorted your body into great stretches) at each pitstop. I didn't think about the total anticipated mileage for the day, just rode from stop to stop. So I'd like to say to everyone out there that it really is true- once your body gets used to being in the saddle for 50-75 miles, you can go on forever- IT IS YOUR MIND THAT STOPS YOU, NOT YOUR BODY. I'm now going to walk around offering / asking for massages from ride- mates if professionals aren't available....

Let's all get out there and have some fun....
Anne

[spazzdog]

Way to go annerol! Good job grrl!



And to those of you who visited my site earlier this week, thank you for the sweet compliments. Sorry abt the technical difficulties.

a grateful spazzdog

[Dogmama]

Annerol - good on ya!! Yup, after 50-75 miles, we just get that half crazed look on our faces & keep on pedalin'

Last Sunday I went on a club ride. I rarely do club rides but decided to break out of my hermit state. It was about 30 men - the 2% body fat, whippet crowd and 2 other women - one really fast & one really slow. The ride was 50 miles and advertised at around 16 mph...mmm, would you believe 18 to 20? There were several regroupings, but generally I could hang for about 5 miles & then they'd slowly creep away.

Here's the fun part.

The end of the ride had several uphill components and the rabbits (the 2% body fat crowd) were spent. So, the tortoise (yours truly) started passing them. I'm really good at hills because that's what I ride during the week.

The moral of the story: Ride YOUR ride, no matter what others are doing. The majority of the ride was in beautiful, quiet desert areas where the flowers were blooming and the wildlife was roaming around. Who wants to grind out miles 2" behind somebody's wheel when you can enjoy this nature? At one of the regroupings, I remarked, "Isn't it beautiful out here?" and the guys looked at me like I had two heads.

Signed - She Who Has Two Heads

[nuthatch]

The moral of the story: Ride YOUR ride, no matter what others are doing. The majority of the ride was in beautiful, quiet desert areas where the flowers were blooming and the wildlife was roaming around. Who wants to grind out miles 2" behind somebody's wheel when you can enjoy this nature?

Now I like that story! It's so easy to slip over to the dark side. I resolve to slow down and smell the road kill, er, flowers this weekend!

[jobob]

Here's the fun part.
The end of the ride had several uphill components and the rabbits (the 2% body fat crowd) were spent. So, the tortoise (yours truly) started passing them. I'm really good at hills because that's what I ride during the week.

great story !!!

[annerol]

Dear She Who Has Two Heads
I LOVE IT!!!
Anne

[spazzdog]

spazz sez

"Aarf! Aarf!"

That's doggie yee-hah! for each of your heads.

[profàvélo]

I'm posting this because I need to focus on what I accomplished, not on what I didn't.

I rode in the 30th Assault on Mount Mitchell on Friday, 115 miles from Spartanburg, SC, to the top of Mt. Mitchell, NC, the highest point east of the Mississippi. We started at 6:30 a.m. in pouring rain. It rained steadily until about noon, I think. This year's route had 11,588 feet of climbing. The final 40 miles or so were nearly all climbing, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. One thousand of us started; 663 finished. Finishing times ranged from 6:11 to 12:42. While I cannot keep up with my husband, who finished in 7:41, or even my training partner, who finished 25 minutes ahead of me (hey, she has 8 years on me), at least I finished, bawling as I crossed the finish line, after 10 hours and 13 minutes. That was the hardest thing I have ever done.

By the way, I highly recommend riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway; it's gorgeous. I just don't recommend riding 70 miles in order to get there.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I rode in the 30th Assault on Mount Mitchell on Friday, 115 miles from Spartanburg, SC, to the top of Mt. Mitchell, NC, the highest point east of the Mississippi.

Hey - congratulations! 115 miles is a long, long way - and that's without climbing a mountain to finish, and without doing it in the lousy weather that you had. You should be more than happy with your accomplishment!

--- Denise

[skibum]

I have heard of this ride. It has a reputation of being very tough. It is a badge of honor just to finish it, regardless of your time. Throw in rain for the first couple of hours; that just makes it harder. You definitely need to focus on the positive here. That was a fantastic accomplishment!

[Jo-n-NY]

I add pats on your back and congratulations. profavilo. Something has to be said for riding in rain and hills.

I also rode my first organized ride yesterday other than the NYC 5 borough a couple of years ago. Yesterdays ride was the Bloomin Metric in CT. They described the ride I think as some rolling hills. Well, these were NOT rolling hills and for 40miles of the ride the downhill did not warrent the uphill. And yes, it also rained and I pretty much never ride in the rain. But I was with a girlfriend and that made it fun. We had 3 different rides to choose from and we went for the gusto of a metric which clocked us in at 62.15 miles.

I am now happy to ride the flat lands on the south shore of Long Island.

All in all, good for you, congratulations and yes, I also pat you on the back.

~JoAnn

[DeniseGoldberg]

...They described the ride I think as some rolling hills. Well, these were NOT rolling hills and for 40miles of the ride the downhill did not warrent the uphill.

Ah, another person surprised by the nasty hills in Connecticut! I had a similar experience many years ago - I went to a LAB (League of American Bicyclists) rally in CT, and was unpleasantly surprised by the rolling hills. I'm not a great hill climber, and those short steep hills in the northeast really get me good!

Congrats on completing your ride.

--- Denise