May 29th Memorial Day Ride reports

[Trek420]

Bikeless just text messaged me, I don't think she'd mind my passing this on to the group and I'm sure she'll add to it later:

"Short ride today, it's like a sauna out there but I need groceries and up the way is the LBS that specialises in Specialized"

Says she's thinking of test riding a Sirius.

[snapdragen]

My rearend seems to be glued to my recliner.......this is not getting me ready for Healdsburg......

[jobob]

I have to go into work today - big meeting tomorrow that I'm no way no how prepared for.

and yet, here I sit *sigh*

'eeze OK, day after tomorrow I'm Outa Here !

[DebW]

I just got back from a 33 mile ride. Not much by the standards some of you set, but felt good to me.

[Duck on Wheels]

Bikeless just text messaged me, I don't think she'd mind my passing this on to the group and I'm sure she'll add to it later:

"Short ride today, it's like a sauna out there but I need groceries and up the way is the LBS that specialises in Specialized"

Says she's thinking of test riding a Sirius.

Don't mind a'tall. Now I'm back. Just a 4-miler or so. Got some groceries. Took a Sirrus Comp around the block and an Elite for a spin in the parking lot. Nice bike. Poor service at the shop. Guy just sort of eyed me up and down and put me on too small a frame, even though I said I was pretty sure I needed the next frame larger. I was right. He let me try the larger size after, but that one had cages on the pedals so that's the one I only took for a short spin in the lot. Kinda creepy with those cages scraping at every turn.

Anywayyyys ... they won't take the Giant as a trade-in since I didn't buy it from them. Also they only have '05s in stock, which have compact double chainrings. The guy grudgingly looked up options for switching to a triple or getting an 06 that already has the triple on it, but either way they'd have to order, it would cost extra, it would take time ... All in all, they couldn't put me on the bike set up the way I want it in time for the Janesville Pie Ride, so for now I'm still on the clunker. It's good exercize with all that extra weight, and I do know it will take me the distance.

Tomorrow or Wednesday, when I get the settlement offer, I might go back into town and try the Trek and the Sirrus alternately. There's another shop that sells Specialized. I haven't heard great things about their service either, but they're right around the corner from the place that gave me all that friendly help with the Trek. The Trek place also offered that I could try other flatbar road bikes/fitness bikes they had, like a Fuji.

I may still get a bike here and ship it if the fit and the deal are right, but if I do decide on a Sirrus I'll have to sell the "clunker" here via Craigs list and can just as well get the Sirrus in CA at my sister's lbs where they actually offer Service! Not to mention that it'd be fun to have her take me bike shopping. And it'd save me some shipping too.

[Trek420]

hmmm, thought the new bike would be going back to Norway with you and riding to H*** and back frequently?

If it's staying here is that a hint there could be another sabatical in the near future?

Thing about keeping "new bike" here is that on your visits once we really know your size there are good rental options on visits or at least many more than in Norway.

My thinking was: Bikeless arrives on the left coast Monday June 26th through July 10th.

So if you could let me know the make model and size you find you like whether you've bought or not by June, I'll contact Summit and or Velogirl here and see if they can have it at hand, we swing by, fit you with a rental. You just pack helmet, gloves, shoes, maybe saddle.

Then we either schedule a TE gals ride-eat and/or take you on the Velogirls and or Lunachix Club ride either the weekend of the 1st-2nd and/or the 8th-9th?

Or, subliminal hint get a Bike Friday and you always have a bike in the suitcase

Aren't too many TE gals who have to think about the logistics of bikes on different continents and coasts

BTW, no ride of my own today but...progress made on painting the hallway front and Mae (faithfull mutt) got to meet her dog walker.

[Duck on Wheels]

There's a thought. If I do buy a bike here, I can ship it to Norway with the rest of my stuff, then ride a rental out in CA next visit. That'll save me one leg of shipping. As for a ride ... isn't there one in, where was it, San Leandro? Something about lung disease? Big Breath? Bad Breath? something along those lines.

Now, what's a Bike Friday?

[snapdragen]

Now, what's a Bike Friday?

Cool little bikes

[Duck on Wheels]

Snap, every time I see one of your posts, I have to laugh. I envision that feisty kid punching out the message, and then the message is something like "cool little bikes"
Same with Betagirl, pounding the table. Such cool avatars!

[DirtDiva]

Went for a pootle around where I'm going to be doing some fun racing (if I don't chicken out). Saw enough of it that there shouldn't be any nasty surprises come Wednesday, but whether I can hack the pace remains to be seen. Went for a look-see last week; hardly any women racing, so I should do okay in my class by default.

[J-hawk biker]

Did a 20 mile ride on a different route. The elevation change was a bit more than I thought it would be, but I survived!

[Selkie]

Rode my Bianchi today which is always a pleasure and a treat. Started around 5:15 so I could see the sun rise---humid, warm (67 degrees), but nice. Unfortunately, I hit a bunny, as he darted out behind a bridge and I didn't see him til he was under my front wheel. I was hauling a## at the point, too so at least it was a quick hit. When I looped back around, I didn't see any blood or signs of the injured poops, so I hope he was OK. I kept thinking about whether I'd have the guts--like Nanci--to put him out of his misery if I had badly hurt him and the poor soul was suffering. I'm usually on the lookout for bunnies and slow down on the "bunny heavy" segments, but they usually don't hang out around the bridges on the trail. Got in 33 miles because the trail traffic started picking up. Back to my prison cell -- I mean work -- tomorrow, so I'll be riding in the heat/humidity of mid-afternoon after I serve my "sentence" for the day. haha.

[im4smiley]

I have felt like such a bum lately. I haven't ridden since May 18th, I had finals, we had lots of rain, I got a chest cold (still coughing a bit) and then we had company for my sons college graduation this weekend. But I went out today...oh my, did I feel out of shape! Went 15 miles, only 1 big hill, avg speed was 15.8, my legs were sooo tired and my heart rate was up there! Hopefully this week I will get to ride more and get back into shape!!

[salsabike]

nootka roses. They're native NW plants---pink shrub roses. You can get them, if you garden, in lots of 10 from the King Conservation District, for an incredibly low price. They smell wonderful!

Nice 27 mile ride on the trail today, but WOW! So crowded! Everyone who didn't want to ride in the rain yesterday came out to ride today, and their brothers, sisters, cousins, and kids. I love seeing little kids riding their tricked-up bikes on the trail.

[Running Mommy]

Really had no ride planned today since I rode yesterday. But I saw Tony getting the Santa Cruz ready and I asked him if he was going for a ride. Indeed he was, so SPencer and I decided to tag along. Poor guy, I know we ruined his ride, but he was just happy to see me on nobbys for once!
A couple of guys have done an AWESOME job building a trail system up here. It's like having a park in your backyard. And it's not easy, no sirree bob! I- being the weenie that I am- did a fair amount of hike a bike. They even named the trails and rated them and made signs and everything. You would never know it's a backyard organization. But sweet nonetheless.
Anyway, it was a good ride, but hard! You dirty girls sure have to concentrate when you ride huh? The trails are all singletrack with jagged granite rocks and cholla cactus on each side. I was happy that I was able to clean some things I didn't think I would. But MAN was it work! It's such a different sensation being on loose stuff. There was a deep sand wash that I surprising held on to. I could feel the wheels sucking into the sand but I was determined and I just told myself to keep spinning, and low and behold I made it! We also have alot of what I call deep v washes and ruts. I've always been afraid that when I hit the other side my wheel would plant and I would endo, but I've mastered those as well. Now if I can just get over my fear of going down steep hills on real loose rocky stuff...
Yeah, I'm a weenie! I do NOT like falling!!
But yeah, it was a good ride overall. Nice to step out of the box every once in awhile and challenge yourself.
Oh- and NO SNAKE sightings!! Even Tony mentioned that it was prime snake weather today so we needed to keep an eye out. But they stayed in their holes just for me I suppose...
I posted a couple of pics on my photobucket page..

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...denise69/?sc=1