Saturday, 12/30 ride

[Veronica]

I may bring some cookies.

V.

[Popoki_Nui]

Cold, gray, but at least no rain. Just a short 35km ride to get the blood flowing after the Christmas excesses. Got home, lit the fire, and demolished several Belgian chocolate truffles and some 12 year old Jamaican rum.
A little more debauchery New Year's Eve, and then I really owe my pancreas and digestive system a vacation...

~S.

[Velobambina]

Rode in pea soup fog. Started right before dawn and had to take off my glasses in order to see (ironic--I'm near sighted--the mist from the fog was so intense that my glasses were coated). By the time I surrendered at 36 miles, I was soaked. Luckily, it was relatively mild outside (40 degrees). Came home, had a few Shot Bloks, and ran 3 miles w/the hubby, as I'm trying to do at least one brick workout a week.

[Maureen Valley]

My Saturday ride was solo....my husband isn't interested in bikes...just boats. In that regard, he goes his way...I go mine. It's worked for 45 years.

I did the West Orange Trail and logged 25 miles. Now....I'm in Florida, so I don't have the hills and the vistas you have in Marin (one of my favorite places on the planet, by the way) but I do have views of central Florida's lakes and tall pines. I live in an area relatively unknown by tourists.

I'm still using regular pedals and will go clipless when I master the 30 gears my Trek has handed me. Perhaps this week, I'll clamp in and see if I can stay upright.

My new Trek 2.1 performed like a champ. She is soooo smooth and after 25 miles with only one stop for hydration...I was feeling no pain. The saddle is perfect for me...and I'm so glad as I've heard horror stories about finding the right saddle. My stock saddle fits me like a kid glove.

I used to bike in Marin (occasionally) ...and my brother, Mike, was in on the ground floor of the re-pack days in the 70's when bombing the fire trails was the order of the day. He rode with the likes of Gary Fisher and Joe Breeze. He now has a Trek shop in Northfield, Minnesota.

I know I'm digressing...sorry about that...but all this talk of Marvelous Marin has me going down memory lane.

Ride on, girls. Happy New Year to all.
Maureen

[SalsaMTB]

For my Saturday ride, TrekJeni was in town so we met up for an offroad ride. It was a blast, we rode a 10 mile local trail. Glad she came out and hope she had a good time.

It was a little cool when we started, upper 30s, but the sun was shining and I think the temp got up to about 40. Great day for a ride, the trail was a little tacky with only a couple mud puddles.

[maillotpois]

just noticed all the talk about rides in my neck o' the woods (what does that mean, anyway??). well, jo I am surprised I didn't see you and lee but it must have been because I know where the bike path is through SPT!!

I did 50 mile loop from corte madera through SPT around the reservoir through nicasio and back. it WAS a great day - and the first time I have been out in that area on a bike since the ride I did with V right before the whole lung thing.

jo our ride next week will be much easier than what you did yesterday - though there are plenty of options to add (or subtract) miles, hills, etc.

[weathergal]

I'm jealous of all of you with nice weather. We had a bunch of freezing rain yesterday, so I rode almost 12 miles on my trainer. Ice is coating everything, and we had the electricity go out several times. Fortunately the power was back on this morning when I did another 9 miles on the trainer, since I think I would go insane if I didn't have a DVD to occupy my mind while on the darn thing.

Sun is starting to come out now and is making everthing outside sparkly. Temp is only 25 F though, and with winds at 25 gusting to 35, that's still to cold for me to ride outside.

[Crankin]

We had our first snow yesterday... only about an inch and a half, though. We did the Yoga-Spin interval dvd, probably one of the hardest workouts in the Cyclo-Core/Zen series. After 5 3 minute intervals in the big ring (where I can neither maintain 100 rpm or get to the gears he suggests) it's on to 12 minutes of Power Yoga... fun.

[mimitabby]

our ride was scheduled for 9am but the road and the beach was covered with ICE! we are in SEASIDE, or, and it is unseasonably cold and clear today.
we waited until 11 and started our ride. we rode to fort clatsop, where Lewis and clark built a log cabin/fort to protect themselves from the miserable winter weather of the pacific nw. the original fort lasted only 6 years, but they have rebuilt it twice now and the one now standing is identical in footprint to the original and is really new.

I rode with the big kids and did okay, really. i didn't hold them up terribly
and rode a total of over 32 miles. nice pictures will appear on monday.

[aicabsolut]

I had just come down with a headcold, but I joined up with a local group (most of them waay older than me ) for a 37 mile ride in Effingham Co., GA. Low 70s . I stayed with the B group, and we bumped our average pace up into the 18mph range or so, even though the usual B class is supposed to be 14-17. My HR was sky high because of the cold (just getting dressed that morning and strapping on the monitor put me over 100bpm).

Once during a hard pull it said I was at my max HR for my age . I felt like I had just crossed AT and then swung back. Turns out only the ride leader was behind me! So I didn't get much of a rest. I had been trying so hard to keep up the pace the guy had who pulled in front of me, not knowing he seems to like to break away up the one "hill" and then hang back. The ride leader was on my wheel so I had no idea we were losing everyone else, including the guy who set that pace (20-22 in a headwind). So the rest blamed me for the workout! But we regrouped, and on my next pull they all said I did a good job (18-19mph, better wind, some slight downhills).

I got some great paceline and group etiquette experience, and earned myself some invites on more rides with them and with other stuff some of them do. I also did some cadence drills and one-leg drills. Lots of good practice.

I was supposed to go out for another 38 mile ride today (31st), but the cold was much much worse this morning--up at 5:45 feeling like death. .... I didn't mention that I went and rode 2 horses after the bike ride did I? Yeah, probably not smart. But fun

Tomorrow there's a social ride around downtown Savannah near my house, so I might go hang out and spin a little. No more group opportunities while I'm still down here...stupid school starting next Monday .

My new bike fit plus a massage last week left me feeling great. If only I could breathe through my nose.

Maybe next year I can keep up with those A riders.

[momof4greatkids]

Saturday I rode w/my club, 40+ miles. It was in the low 30's at the start, we stopped for a late breakfast and the weather was in the 40's and sunny on the way back. Very lovely, despite a general feeling that the holiday goodies were weighing me down

It was my first club ride going clipless and I managed to stay upright the whole time! How about that? I did have a fall on my own last week though, just a skinned knee, nothing too serious.

Colleen

[IFjane]

KayTee, you are right - the day was beautiful for a ride. SO & I went out for 22 miles in the afternoon. Light headwind, about 52 degrees. This was his first time on the bike since he broke his hand - it's still in a cast but he couldn't stand it any longer & decided to go for it. He has a little trouble shifting but has managed to work it out. Road vibration hurts but not enough to stop riding.

[KayTee]

IFJane, sorry to hear about your DH's hand but glad y'all got out on such a gorgeous day - bet that helped him to feel better as much as anything would. If he hasn't tried it yet, double-taping (or padding and overtaping) his handlebar might help dampen some of the road vibration.

[IFjane]

Thanks Kay. He might try double-taping, though he won't be on the bike again until Saturday. Hopefully another week of healing under his belt will help with the pain. The cast is supposed to come off on the 18th.