Training & Nutrition - What Do You Stop Your Training Ride For?

I see a lot of cyclists who are gung-ho riding along (most of the time passing me) and I was wondering if any of you actually stop for anything?

For instance, on Friday morning, I was zipping along and saw what I thought was a large worm on the bike path. I swerved and saw that it was a baby garter snake. I stopped and, after much struggling (herding cats is probably easier!), shepherded it over to the grass where it quickly slithered off. :D

So, what do you stop for?

What do I stop for?


kittens
llamas
buffalo
elk
mountain sheep
fascinating clouds
beautiful scenery
waterfalls
historic signs/cairns/buildings, etc.
ice cream
stop signs/traffic lights


....... just to name a few!!


It's a wonder I get any riding in at all!! :D

I brake for Unicorns!

Az

I slow down for Brunettes, stop for Blondes, and back up for Red Heads.:D Actually there are a cluple of farm stands that I will stop for in the right season.

I stopped for a snapping turtle almost as big as my front wheel a couple of days ago. I kind of lifted/guided/pushed him off the pavement. He did not appreciate my help. It was amazing just to look at him.

I usually stop when the ride goes by the beach and volleyball courts... Hot blondes jumping around in bikinis... and sometimes they lose their tops too! :)

Baskin Robbins..

Cramps

Long rides:
Coffee shop on Sundays
Gas Station/Building with Restroom
Stretching
Cramps
Lack of Energy Source (Cliff bars are so expensive!)

Commutes:
Fallen trees
Snakes
Squirrels
Diet Pepsi
Beautiful scenery

Hill Climbing:
Shade
Commercials when listening to radio
Recoop

Ah, so much stopping.... traffic lights are quite involved too.
:)

Stop signs/red lights, bonks, food/water refills (longer rides). Most everything else can be dodged or appreciated while still rolling.

Helped a turtle cross the road on my Saturday distance ride.

I stopped for a nice pair of Rainbow Flip Flops at the beach Friday. Now, they were in a yard and side by side really nice HOWEVER they were also on the shoulder (in the dirt part) of the road. Im sure someone left them there but I got them anyhow. $50 flippers!

I Paid dearly tho. I think god saw me and thought it was wrong because in the next 30 minutes, I had TWO flats and had to ride 11 miles back on my Mavics with a rear flat.

Still got the flops tho ;)

Must be all the rain bringing out the turtles. I stopped Saturday morning to set one off the road.

I would have liked to have stopped for a squirrel the other weekend when it darted out of the ditch and about 5cm in front of my front wheel, but at almost 40kph, that wasn't going to happen.

My only hard-and-fast rule is to stop for the end of the ride :).

-stretching my back or hamstrings
-duck families crossing the road
-interesting wildlife (including baby ducks or geese)

Starbucks and peeing. Sometimes both together. Later.

I stop for my chest, so I don't cough up my lung.

For no apparent reason at all.

For no apparent reason at all.

hahahahah I do that too!

Most of the time I make an excuse to stop because Im beat and cant breathe lol

I usually don't stop for nuthin'. However, this last weekend, on a stretch along the beach...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i92/Mothra99/ButterflyBeachEastS.jpg

I saw a set of THESE and I just HAD to stop...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i92/Mothra99/Legs2.jpg

What do I stop for?


kittens
llamas
buffalo
elk
mountain sheep
fascinating clouds
beautiful scenery
waterfalls
historic signs/cairns/buildings, etc.
ice cream
stop signs/traffic lights


....... just to name a few!!


It's a wonder I get any riding in at all!! :D


puppies ! everyone stops for puppies. :D

CARS! cause they sure as hell don't stop for you!
I also break for walking trees, wizards, and really nasty looking skunks. We can all guess why!

Not much. I refuel, re-arm and go. I loathe these club rides with lunch stops in the middle.

I stopped for what I thought was a big roll of plastic sheeting...you know, the sort that you could cut up to use for a tent's groundsheet. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a big roll of plastic wrapping (the fuzzy textured kind) which may have been a good thing because I have no idea how I would have lugged a roll of plastic that was about four feet long and a foot thick back home! :eek:

I stopped for a turkey that didn't want to move off the path a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't sure what it would have done had I kept barreling at it but I didn't want to find out. Although it could have been a good story.

geese and their families... and they have attitudes! They see you coming, run out into the path... poop on the path, then watch you ride by.. haha..:)... they like to stop traffic too when crossing in herds

I stop for these:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i92/Mothra99/Legs2.jpg
Unicorns
Poor bastards with flats and no equipment to fix it.

Helped a turtle cross the road on my Saturday distance ride.

Me two, always. I feel slow travelers should help each other. If there's a hazard in the road--a tree branch, a bottle or an odd scrap of metal, I'll often stop and toss it clear of the roadway.

Jordbær.

Here in Denmark, there are road side stands everywhere, where fresh fruits and vegetables are bought on the honor system. I went for a ride with a group, and when I realized we were going a lot farther than I thought (I don't speak Danish), I realized I needed some sustanance. I saw a sign for 'jordbær', stopped, dropped in 20 kroner, and stuffed as many strawberries into my jersey as possible.

Spent the next 5 miles giving out free fruit to make up for making everyone stop (to my credit, though, it allowed everyone to take a piss).

I have a different take on training. When something is no longer fun, you eventually loose interest. I know my expectation is not racing. But, still I like to become stronger.
Becoming stronger just means taking on that difficult climb day after day. So why not take time to enjoy the ride and take in the scenery.. Being too serious takes the fun out of it.