July 23 Rides

[bikerz]

Just back from a quick 24 mile ride up and back on the Bay Trail (again!) It was a lovely 75 degrees down there, compared to the 90+ degrees up at my house I'll have to check on BJ, but I think this might have been my fastest time yet on that route, even factoring in the bike path craziness - way too many people all over the road, wearing headphones, not paying attention (serves me right for going so late - I know better - but I had a flat tire this morning when I got up and that delayed me). I was run off the trail twice by oncoming cyclists 2 and 3-abreast - the good news is I'm getting better at uncliping quickly out of my Looks!

[salsabike]

Bikerz, how come the Bay Trail is so much cooler than where you live? Think you guys said much the same thing yesterday...

We went for a tandem ride at 7 am, 48 miles around the north half of Lake Washington. Even though the temps are heading for the mid 90s again today, going that early made for a really nice ride. Those little coolmax do-rag things we got for STP last week may look dorky, but they sure help keep your head cool when they're soaked in water. We are so glad we're done and back home smooching up to the room AC.

I'll be glad to see the last of this heat wave!

[makbike]

I decided to take my recumbent out for a spin this afternoon. Each ride builds my confidence and I find myself feeling very comfortable on this bike. Slowly by surely my speed is also creeping upwards though not as fast as I would like (guess that is the competitive side of me). Anyways, I left the house thinking the Tour de France coverage started at 4 so I knew I had to hustle if I was going to get a ride in. I decided to ride from my little town to the next little town (Eminence, Ky) which is really a straight shot up the road (has a nice wide shoulder so the traffic flying by at 55+mph is not so intimidating). Made it to Eminence, stopped at the BP station for a quick break, jumped on my bike and headed home thinking I was going to miss the first 15 minutes or so of the coverage (of course I already knew Landis had won but I wanted to see the show). Made it home, ran inside turned the TV on and discovered coverage did not start until 5 I could have gotten a few more miles in had I realized my mistake, oh well. I ended up riding 24 miles today and my average speed crept up to 14.5 (a fairly flat course). It was a great day to ride, low humidity, temps in upper 80's, clear skies = a simply beautiful day to be on a bike.

I had comtemplated riding a century today with the club but decided I really did not want to get up at 6 a.m., my legs felt really tired on the club ride last night and the two factors kept me in bed until 9:30 this morning. My little 24 mile ride today felt good so I guess the extra sleep was needed or maybe I'm just plain lazy!

[light_sabe_r]

23rd I did 40km from my house (south Side) to Nudgee beach (north side) in Brisbane. Then did an extra ten km to get to the nearest train station to get back home. :P I was to exhausted to make it into a century...

Really was a GREAT day. I mean it was the furtherst I'd ever cycled before, I got to see some amazing scenery which I didn't know existed on that side of the river and I ended up going home and just fell asleep as soon as I lay down on the bed. (Yup... I Sugar Crashed)

That being said This morning (24th for me here) I could BARELY make it up any hills at all on my way to work... I think I over did it yesturday.

[bikerz]

Bikerz, how come the Bay Trail is so much cooler than where you live? Think you guys said much the same thing yesterday...

I think it's just the effect of the breeze of the bay and the cooler air above the bay - water temps in the bay itself are generally pretty cold, I think.

I was just back down there at either end of my ride and it was definitely warmer then before, but still a good 15-20 degrees cooler than where I live.

Why was I back there?? Well, because I realized that my little Jimi wallet with my drivers license and some cash was NOT in my handlebar bag after my ride, and I simultaneously discovered a huge hole in my jersey pocket. So I probably, and uncharacteristically, put the wallet in my jersey pocket after buying some water at one end of the trail and lost it somewhere in the 12 miles back to the start. So I spent 2 hours going back to the place I bought the water, to the harbor master's office in case someone had turned it in, and walked about a mile back along the trail - no luck. But I didn't feel like walking the whole way back! What a drag - now I have to spend half a day at the DMV getting a new license.

Sorry - whine over!

[DebW]

I got in a 22 mile ride this afternoon, after the morning showers ended. I rode up Goodman Hill, turned around and rode up the back side and down it again, then once more up the front side. It's a fun hill, not horribly steep, and almost levels off a couple times during the climb. I have to curtail my rides to work this week because I'm on call to babysit when a friend goes into labor, and it may be pretty soon.

[dobielover1]

It was overcast and threatening rain, so I did a 12 mile loop that takes me by a lake that has about 30 pairs of swans...beautiful ride over nice rolling countryside

[winddance]

Why was I back there?? Well, because I realized that my little Jimi wallet with my drivers license and some cash was NOT in my handlebar bag after my ride, and I simultaneously discovered a huge hole in my jersey pocket.

Oh no! I was really questioning your sanity in riding today considering that the temperature in Oakland was already reading 104 at about 11 this morning.

Hope the DMV doesn't take forever. Make an appointment!

[EvilTwin]

Got up at 4:30 this morning so BF and I could drive 2 1/2 hours to Mt. St. Helens. Got on the bikes at 7:30. Weather at the time was a perfect 75. No traffic, no wind, and no wheezing! I felt pretty good on the bike today, took it easy after my ucky episode yesterday. I rode at my pace and BF took off and rode his. We agreed to meet "wherever" we happened to meet. I rode 30 miles, 20 of which were uphill....over 2000 ft elevation gain in 15 miles. The scenery was beautiful, and I had a great ride. I just took it easy, and finally turned around when I felt like I'd had enough. Flew back down to the car, took my solar shower, found some shade, and read my book till BF arrived.The temp. by then was a toasty 101!!!! Too hot!!!

[Gray Gato]

Drove 2 hours to the Blue Ridge Parkway to do some climbing.
Husband and I rode for 1 1/2 hours until the rain came. Saw
a family of wild turkeys and a nice couple from NJ. Nice couple took our picture and emailed it. Wild turkeys just looked at us as if we were nuts.

[Crankin]

I was in the Berkshires this past weekend. Friday, I did the "easier" ride, where I felt horrible the whole time. It was about 90 and 98% humidity. I've been riding in the heat/humidity all summer, but I'm pretty sure if I had been home, i would not have ridden Friday. Even though I was eating, drinking, Accelerade, Shot Blocks, etc at the lunch stop I feared i would not make the climb up Lenox Mountain. So hubby and I headed back on the main road; still a climb, but gentler. However, our shortcut to the B and B turned out to be a steeper hill than the one we were trying to avoid.

Yesterday (it rained on Sat.) we did an abbreviated route, 34 miles instead of 46. It was cool, but humid. We rode up the "Tyringham Wall," a 10-15% grade of about 3/4 a mile. Once that was done, it was mostly downhill or flat (the regular route has a lot more climbing after the "wall"). Other than the 90 year old tourists from New York who obviously have never seen a cyclist on the road, it was a great ride.

Deb, where is Goodman Hill? It sounds like someting I would like.

Robyn

[DebW]

I was in the Berkshires this past weekend. ... We rode up the "Tyringham Wall," a 10-15% grade of about 3/4 a mile. Once that was done, it was mostly downhill or flat (the regular route has a lot more climbing after the "wall"). Other than the 90 year old tourists from New York who obviously have never seen a cyclist on the road, it was a great ride.

Deb, where is Goodman Hill? It sounds like someting I would like.

Robyn

Robyn, Goodman Hill Rd. is off of Rt. 20 (north side) near the Wayland/Sudbury line. It's actually in Sudbury and the Best Friends Kennel is on the corner. The other hill I ride alot because it's on my way to work is Bedford Rd. in Lincoln center, just north of Trapelo Rd. The northbound side is steep and doesn't let up. The southbound side is more gentle.

I was in the Berkshires Saturday leading a work project on the Appalachian Trail in October Mountain State Forest. I supervise trail maintenance on the central 30 miles of Mass. AT from Beartown SF to Oct. Mtn. SF. I should really take my bike out there sometime and ride. I love the Tyringham area (the AT crosses Main Rd. and Jerusalem Rd. and Fernside Rd.). Where is the "Tyringham Wall"? Since Tyringham is in a valley, guess any direction is up. From there, I either take the paved road to Monterrey or the gravel Meadow Rd. to Fernside Rd. with my car full of trail tools.

[Fredwina]

I did a littel recievry ride after the century. Plus, it was the usual July boiling hot. It rained for 15 minutes prior, which dropped the temp to 92, but raised the humidity to 40%

[bcipam]

Since I'm training for a century, thought I better get out and about on my road bike and do some miles. I decided to join my road club and to do the long plus (58 miles) but by the time I got there to sign out for the ride, I was just dripping wet. Plus I have a cold so I opted for the short - 40 miler to Huntington Beach and back. OK ride is very flat which means everyone went very fast.

The ride start was 8am. Just after starting, the thunder and lightning also started. Riding down to the beach we stayed just ahead of the rain and lightning. I felt really good in the beginning and allowed two friends to pace me down PCH. Our average speed was just over 22 mph. Just a mile before the coffee stop I cracked, cracked bad. I was sweating so bad, I started getting headachy and realized I was very dehydrated. Problem with moving fast you forget to drink water. I let the friends go and I mosied over to the coffee shop.

After getting an ice tea and sitting down to eat a Balance bar, the thunder and rain caught up with us. I didn't have the sense to get out of it but frankly it felt good. After the rain passed we felt it safe to start riding. My friends took off quickly and I knew, right then and there I was done and I have 20 miles to go back. One friend thankfully fell back and paced me in. It was a real struggle. I had allowed myself to get dehydrated and now felt dizzy, nauseated and headachy. Thankfully up until now it was overcast but just as we started to climb back inland the sun broke and I felt my brains being scrambled. I had only one speed at this point, very slow.

It's amazing how fast the first 20 was I rode and how slow was the last. I bet I averaged around 10 mph coming back. I was never so glad to see the finish. I could barely dismount my bike and had to just find shade, lay down and relax, trying to get rid of the headache. A friend offered up some Gatorade which helped alot.

After sitting 2 hours I finally left for home with drams of taking a shower, hitting the couch with the air ona dn watching the Tour. Not foiled again. The lightning took out a transformer and I was sans electricity. Boy was that a bummer!!!!! It didn't come back on until 5:30p. By then I started to smell like fried chicken!

[AuntieK]

This morning I rode my bike to the library to drop off my overdue Chris Carmichael book, then I rode to the fitness center where I had planned to do a dance/aerobics class (coach is out of town for the week, so I'm goofing off ).
Got to the fitness center and found it closed for the holiday (Utah's birthday today). So I rode back home, dropped off my backpack, asked my boys if they wanted to go for a ride with me (they wanted to keep sleeping ), and I headed back out. I rode up the canyon on the bike trail. It was too late in the morning to be on the bike trail, too many strollers, skateboarders, etc., but the other option was to ride into town and it was getting hot. So I opted to dodge people on the cooler bike path in the canyon. I think my average speed would have been a bit higher if I didn't have to keep slowing down to avoid collisions. But it felt good to get out and do an easy 20 miles.

Edited to say that this was my July 24th ride, not the 23rd! Oops!