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07-17-08, 05:00 PM
I guess I could call it a metric century but at 120km it isn't that either. I thought it would be tough but I had enough water/gatorade, sandwiches, pasta and powerbars it was a breeze.
I've always been a commuter or sprinter, but for some reason I'm really enjoying longer distance riding this year. Kind of new to it. Working up to a century next month.
12.5mph rolling pace, exactly six hours. I coulda stepped that up a bit, but I held back a lot in the beginning. My hands and butt were a bit sore, but no muscle issues. Just a bit of back pain. I felt I could have pressed on more, but was ready to stop when I got home. The next day I did my regular commute, the 6 miles each way seemed like an instant. I had plenty of energy and no residual pain, no problem pushing up to a 20mph cruise at will.
Found a great route - 75 miles around north of Chicago, 80% offroad trails. Took the Metra train north to Waukegan, rode the last 10 miles to the Wisconsin border (hadda say I did it) and then rode back through the Des Plaines River Trail all the way into the City.
I had the route all planned out in advance and loaded into my Garmin, but didn't realize until I got there that most of the trails were gravel! It was good compacted crushed stone, but a bit more rolling resistance than I anticipated.
At about mile 50 I hit the Lake / Cook county border. Suddenly the trail went from 12' wide compacted limestone to dirt nontechnical singletrack weaving through the trees. Oh crap!
I am on a cyclocross bike, a steel Jamis Nova, but with a rack, fenders, pannier and 23mm road tires, not exactly ready for that kind of offroad.
But the surface wasn't bad, and it just got really fun! Next thing I know I'm cruising at 18mph, working hard through the trees and just having a ball. It was awesome.
Biggest thing I learned on this ride, other than how fun and easy longer rides are, is how many offroad bikeways there are in Chicago. Can't wait to get back out there this weekend!
I've always been a commuter or sprinter, but for some reason I'm really enjoying longer distance riding this year. Kind of new to it. Working up to a century next month.
12.5mph rolling pace, exactly six hours. I coulda stepped that up a bit, but I held back a lot in the beginning. My hands and butt were a bit sore, but no muscle issues. Just a bit of back pain. I felt I could have pressed on more, but was ready to stop when I got home. The next day I did my regular commute, the 6 miles each way seemed like an instant. I had plenty of energy and no residual pain, no problem pushing up to a 20mph cruise at will.
Found a great route - 75 miles around north of Chicago, 80% offroad trails. Took the Metra train north to Waukegan, rode the last 10 miles to the Wisconsin border (hadda say I did it) and then rode back through the Des Plaines River Trail all the way into the City.
I had the route all planned out in advance and loaded into my Garmin, but didn't realize until I got there that most of the trails were gravel! It was good compacted crushed stone, but a bit more rolling resistance than I anticipated.
At about mile 50 I hit the Lake / Cook county border. Suddenly the trail went from 12' wide compacted limestone to dirt nontechnical singletrack weaving through the trees. Oh crap!
I am on a cyclocross bike, a steel Jamis Nova, but with a rack, fenders, pannier and 23mm road tires, not exactly ready for that kind of offroad.
But the surface wasn't bad, and it just got really fun! Next thing I know I'm cruising at 18mph, working hard through the trees and just having a ball. It was awesome.
Biggest thing I learned on this ride, other than how fun and easy longer rides are, is how many offroad bikeways there are in Chicago. Can't wait to get back out there this weekend!