March 17 Wednesday RIDES

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok, I am embarrassed to admit today was my first ride of the new year! Haven't been on my bike since the beginning of December...it's been a very messy slushy/icy winter on the roads.
But hey, I've been doing lots of other stuff in the yard this month, plus fitness walking all through winter, so it's not like I'm just eating boxes of Milk Duds on the couch. I am substantially out of shape however, compared to my 'full biking mode'.

Anyway, we had a gorgeous day today, started out at 40F and it was 50F by the time we got home. I did a ride of about 12 miles, keeping it short because I know my sitbones will be KILLING me tomorrow- the first 2 or 3 rides every Spring are always like that....so sore the next day! After that i'm fine.
So I took it easy today and I could tell I was out of shape, but it all felt good, even the leg muscle complaints and the panting for air routine.

I'm also proud of myself because I knew from my past years of using my bike computer that this ride was about twelve miles...but I didn't even bother checking! What a sense of newfound freedom!

Yay! Back in the saddle!

[annielynn]

Welcome back in the saddle!! Sounds like it was the first of many great rides this season.

[rubywagon]

Spring riding is always so hard! I have a 25 mile ride this afternoon with my local club. I am loving this 60º weather.

[OakLeaf]

I don't even have the weather as an excuse - at least, not the way you gals have! There have been a number of days I've stayed in on account of rain and 30+ mph winds though.

Since the first of the year, I've run almost 75% as many miles as I've cycled. (289 to 393). I got out with the club for a quick 30 this morning, and it was so nice to be back on my bike. Lucky for me only some of the less-fit club members showed up, and one of them had to cut the ride short (it's usually 42 miles on Wednesdays), because I'm not in bike shape either.

[shootingstar]

Hey you got onto the bike. Nothing else matters when that happens.

I did only 20 kms. today and should have done more since it's warming up alot now. Last year at the same time, I was abit more motivated to do farther distances...so I gotta kick myself up a notch over time.

Oh well another day to do this.

[redrhodie]

It's Spring! For me, the turn of seasons is signified by a change of bikes. Today was my first ride of the year on Arrow.

I did a 32 mile ride. Since I've been riding my beloved steel bike Puddin' since Dec, Arrow felt sprightly, and I felt really good climbing (probably because she weighs 4 lbs less than Puddin ). I got a new cassette yesterday, and I also made some tweaks to the saddle while she was on the trainer over the winter, and was glad all the changes felt great outside.

Tomorrow I'll be back on Puddin'. It's still too sandy on the roads near work to commute on my "good" bike. Poor Puddin'. She gets no respect.

[Jiffer]

Yes, spring has sprung. I'm in So Cal, so I've been riding since January, but have enjoyed riding without arm warmers and vest the past two days. Today my friend and I did a lactaid threshold ride. We warmed up for 20 minutes, then pushed as hard as we could for 20, then cooled down for another 20. I did this type of ride with dh once, but this is the first time my friend and I did it together, hopefully the first of many. I'm really seeing a pay off from my interval rides, so starting to add LT rides.

[northstar]

It's 62 in Minneapolis today...got out for a ride to the library for story time with my almost 2 y.o. daughter. We just got an Ibert seat and we love it. She'll even keep her little ducky helmet on. Total of probably five miles. Not a big day, but a good one!

[roadie gal]

My SO and I were inspired by the rumor of 75 degree weather in Sacramento today. So we cajoled the dog walker into coming by around noon, lubed up the bikes and headed down the hill. Oooooooh, so lovely! We did 20 casual miles on the American River Trail, which is flat and well paved and beautiful.

It's my first ride off of the trainer this year. *sigh* There's still a few feet of snow on the ground here. I'm sure we'll be heading down again the next time we both have off (and an available dog walker).

[MartianDestiny]

Yay! A glimpse of spring.

My biking buddy and I started our "get fit" resolution today with a nice ~20 mile ride in the Boulder countryside. Felt much better than the last 2 rides I've done over the past month. I think I'm finally getting my biking legs back.

I've about had it with cars already for the season though. Last ride I had someone honk and buzz me with 6 inches or less room on a perfectly empty country road with plenty of visibility (he could have, legally, crossed the yellow line and given me all the room in the world). Today a jerk tries to pull out of a driveway onto a 4 lane highway (with another lane on each side for bikes) about a foot in front of us. We both screamed (involuntary reaction) and slammed on our brakes. His reaction to almost killing us? "Sorry, I didn't see you". Why do drivers think that's a legitimate excuse? Do they think that will make us less dead when they smoosh us? Let's not mention the fact that it was broad daylight (and a perfect, blue sky, day) and we were both wearing reasonably bright/light colors (I was wearing my "she loves hills" jersey actually) and my bike/bars are bright red. The only way he "didn't see us" is if he didn't even bother to look *eye roll*. Anyway there was some cursing and calling him an idiot on my part (which he heard, his window was down). Afterwards the ride was quite wonderful, but I really hope the "cagers" get used to our re-emergence from hibernation very quickly because this is getting ridiculous.

[DebW]

My 2nd 16 mile commute to the bike shop job (as opposed to the 2 mile commute to my other job). Can't do the 13 mile route because of all the flooding. Today a driver gave me the finger for absolutely no reason, as he was on the other side of the road going in the opposite direction. And yesterday I almost got doored in Concord Center - a woman started opening her door while I was next to her, but she wasn't fast enough to hit me. Other than those 2 incidents in 2 day, great commutes and I've ridden 69 miles total yesterday and today. Finally riding the Mooney again instead of the Bridgestone MTB (which I took the studded tires off of last week).

[ny biker]

I did a 12 mile "easy" ride today after work. Except it was not easy; my legs are really tired right now.

This was my second ride of the year. Ten days ago I did 23 miles on a route with one big hill. That hill was okay, but for the rest of the ride the smallest incline was a huge effort. Just no strength in the legs at all.

But in a month or so, I will look back on this and laugh.

p.s. The weather is so great here right now. Sunny and in the 60s with no wind.

[jesvetmed]

Nice to hear everyone is getting out there! It's time for me to get on the bike again! I've been on a major hiatus due to home purchase / remodel projects that had to get done YESTERDAY, so hopefully by next week I can start partaking in the spring weather! ENJOY everyone!

[Librarygirl]

So funny to hear all of you talking about getting back out there now Spring has sprung!

Here on the other side of the world (Australia) we're in Autumn (Fall) mode now, the mornings and evenings are getting a little chillier, and the long pants and jumpers are starting to get an airing.

I guess we're pretty lucky though - it very very rarely snows here in Canberra in Winter, although we do get a good frost and fog in the depths of it.

My ride today for Thursday will be around Lake Burley Griffin - it's becoming my regular riding route. About 30km right round (not sure what that is in miles), with enough hills to challenge me and pretty, entertaining scenery. On Tues there were a few school groups out riding - very cute!

The bonus is it's pretty much all bike/ped paths rather than roads - I feel quite nervous riding on the road lately Hope this will pass!

Linda

[chicagogal]

I have been working really hard this off-season. 2 days/week of core exercises and sprints on the bike on a trainer. 2 days/week of low cadence "hill climbs" (on a trainer), one day/week of HIIT, and one day/week of a long computrainer ride. So 6 days per week of riding/working out in the basement of the bike shop. . . . my non-cycling friends thing I am absolutely insane. They will never understand.

In addition, thanks to a week-long trip to warmer weather, I have almost more than 500 road miles since the new year. This morning a couple of friends and I paid a visit to the chicago lakefront path. It is the usual early spring morning training ground, and was the first time we rode it this year. Thanks to all the work I have done in the basement of the shop, most of my outdoor rides have been great, and today was no exception. I am feeling very strong out there, probably even better than I was at my peak last season, and night and day compared to where I was last spring.

I am getting more and more excited about the cycling season, and fully expect it to be a great one!!!!!