Road Cycling - It wasn't pretty...

Well, today, I did 77 miles. Last week I did 70 miles in 3 hours and 35 minutes....today I did my 77 miles in 6 hours and 20 minutes! What a difference! I had decided to ride to Holdrege and back, and when I turned east on the highway, I found that I was riding straight into a brisk headwind. On the flat, I had to work hard to maintain 12 MPH, and when I hit the hills (of which there were a many!) I would frequently top the hill at only 6 MPH! Today I really wish my Roubaix had a third 'granny' chainring! I was pushing so hard on the pedals that the balls of my feet were burning like crazy. 25 miles into the trip, I must admit that I did think about turning back, but I hate to give up, so I kept grinding away. When I finally reached Holdrege, I stopped at a restaurant for a little body fuel, and to fill up all my water bottles. At this point, my legs were probably more tired than they were at end of my 70 mile ride, and I still had to get home! When I got back on my bike, the wind was still blowing, but it had moved so that is was now a cross wind. My feet were still burning, so I stopped on the side of the road, and made a little adjustment to my clips. Got back on, and the feet felt much better. I kept on grinding along, and got to where the wind would finally be at my back, but the wind had now died down to almost nothing. While I missed the push that it would have provided, at least it wasn't blowing in my face! I kept working the hills, now at least topping most of them at more than 8 MPH, and some at 11. When I got back to Arapahoe, 7 miles from home, I just didn't feel I could go any further, so I stopped in a church parking lot. I ate a fig bar, drank some more water, and just rested for a few minutes. When I got back on the bike, I was feeling much better! I finished the last 7 miles at 18 MPH.
I am glad that I did this ride, as it was another one of those goals I had set, but I will not do it again. About 2 years BF (Before Fuji:D ) they resurfaced the roads. They did this by milling about 3 inches off the road surface of traditional asphalt, and replacing it with some high tech water permiable asphalt. Cool idea, but when the water runs through the road surface, it needs to be drained away from the road. The contractor that did our county used a small milling machine to cut 18 inch wide drains, which were then filled with the high tech asphalt. Not bad, every once in a while, you have a bump, but not bad. Now, in the next county east (where most of my ride took place!) some genius came up with a different idea. They just milled a little trench about 3 inches wide and 3 inches deep, then left them open. These small trenches can't carry much water, so there is one about every 15 yards. Man, did I ever get tired of hitting those bumps! I rode in the traffic lane when ever I could to get some relief, but pretty soon I was back on the shoulder again!
Now I am home, all cleaned up, and really none the worse for the wear. I think when I dream about rides, this one will be reserved for a night mare!

Wow, Bill. 70 miles in 3.5 hours. That means you averaged 20 miles per hour for 3.5 continuous hours. THAT IS impressive, even if you had the wind to your back that day!

If I remember correctly from one of your other posts, you are 52 years old and just getting back into bicycling.

Tremendous, really. Congratulations. Keep up the good work.

I'm almost as proud of you as if I'd done it myself! (And as a bonus, my legs don't hurt!:D )

The little water troughs on the shoulder are a prime example of not giving thought to anything but motor vehicles. Sometimes I wonder if planners have any brains in their heads. I guess they do, but they just don't care about non-motor traffic.

Of course the super-prime example is the storm gratings that could just as easily have had either a grid, or bars running perpendicular to the road--but instead have "bike catchers."

There's a bridge in Kansas City that is virtually (now) the only way a bike can get across the Missouri River in the Metro area. Guess what kind of grates it has? You got it. :(

Yes, Jon, if tomorrow morning, I awoke to be Emperor of Nebraska, every Dept of Roads employee would get to ride from Oxford Junction to Holdrege on the shoulders! I bet then, on Monday morning, the engineers, whose butts would be too sore to sit at their desks, would be coming up with solutions to this dilema! There is one section about 2 miles long that is actually paved from one edge to the other, no seperate shoulder, and that was wonderful!

Thanks for the encouragement, Mike! Yeah, that first 70 mile trip was a blast, everything just worked out great, favorable breeze, good roads, nice temperatures. Made me feel like Superman...but yesterday sure brought me back to reality! But, I guess the only reality that counts is I made it, and me and the bike are still functioning!

Fuji dude, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that someone else had a bad cycling day. At 20 miles into Saturdays ride I too had considered taking the short route home. I hope you and I both have a better ride next time. Maybe I should consider taking a trip to Nebraska to ride with you. How close do you live from Ogallala? That is the only town in Nebraska that I'm familiar with.

AF, I am about 150 miles from Ogallala. On July 7, a bunch of bikers are going to ride all the way around the lake...about 56 miles or so. Sounds like it will be fun. If you go, I will!

Originally posted by nebill
I am about 150 miles from Ogallala. On July 7, a bunch of bikers are going to ride all the way around the lake...
In the late 60s when my parents were still alive, we made a couple of three- or four-day fishing trips to the lake. What a gorgeous place it was! I hope it's still as undeveloped as it was then. I remember the clean air and the bright clear morning sun.

Never mind, Nebill after a ride like that, you just appreciate the good ones that much more! Good for you for sticking it out!:thumbup:

Jon, the lake is still beautiful, with lots of clean air and the perfect sunrises...but it is growning! I have a lot of customers up there, people who live in Denver and build $200,000 houses to come and spend a weekend in!

Aerobat, thanks for the kind words...I am just a stubborn old coot...when I put my mind to something, I try my darndest to see it through! Now, 24 hours after the ride, I am really glad that I did it...but I also learned not to do it again!:D I think next weekend, another 'easy' 70 mile ride to McCook!

Bill,
I am going to have to get my MUCH younger (51-year-old) butt in gear. My longest ride so far was only 32 miles. Guess I'd better do at least 40 this weekend!
Regards,
Rainman

Rainman, sounds like you are doing okay to me! We all do what we can, and I've been lucky, so far. I don't think of my rides as total distance, I just set a bunch of small goals, kind of like when I climb a hill. When I was thinking about turning back, I knew I was low on water, and it was further to go home than it was to my destination, so I kept pushing on. Before long, I will be reading about your first century, and enjoying that! I guess I wouldn't worry about what others are doing, but do what feels right for you!

A very intense recital.