Fifty Plus (50+) - 2nd ride part 1

Well I decided to ride again with faster group during our club ride today. I wasn’t going to but next week I will be on vacation with my wife and I knew I wouldn’t get to ride for a week. I will be on a ship so I can’t take the bike. This second ride was another learning experience.

The group was a bit smaller than it had been on Wednesday when I took my first ride and one of the more powerful riders wasn’t with us. When they were discussing the route we would take it sounded like somewhere I hadn’t been before and it sounded like it would be longer than average for a weekly ride. But I was game and decided to give it a try.

The memory of being dropped at the 8 mile mark the first time was fresh in my mind so I decided to stay as close to the front of the pack as I could. I thought I was doing pretty well by holding on as well as I did and by mile 7 it looked like I would finish with the group if nothing changed. I should have known it was too good to be true. About mile 10 the four or five faster men all got in line and started pulling away from me a bit. When I fell back about two bike lengths behind I noticed we had hit the bottom of a hill. I was too late to pick up my spin so I had to drop a gear and then another. They pulled at least 100 yards ahead of me. At first I was disappointed but then I noticed I wasn’t the last man over the top of that hill.

Once over the top I started pulling the group in on the down slope. The slope wasn’t long enough but I managed to catch them anyway. At first I thought I was wasted but while drafting I found myself spinning a bit faster and my legs started to feel a little better. I downed some electrolytes and stayed with the pack for the next three miles or so. I decided I felt good enough to go up and catch the lead dogs rear wheel. He had been a consistent 10 to 20 yards in front for most of the ride. At one point he pulled out and I realized he expected me to pull. We were already three miles faster than my best cruising speed but I fell into the drops, lowered my head and pulled the best I could for the next mile.

About the time when I felt like I had no more to give and pulled off the front the 4 or 5 passed me and I could see we were coming to the second hill in our morning ride. It was twice a high and twice as long as the first one and once again I began to fall back. Then at the very top of the hill they pulled over to regroup, PTL. As I pulled up I realized once again I wasn’t the last man up but I was feeling pretty tired.

Shortly after we were all reassembled we took off down the back side of the hill and rode around one or two small neighborhoods with one or two small grades before meeting up at our designated coffee shop. I was pooped.

On the ride home the one that pulled into the coffee shop last left first as the rest of us were still putting on our helmets. I thought the pace would be easier so I was in no hurry and I stayed back for a few blocks talking with the cruisers. Then I looked up the road and saw that big hill we had come down as we entered the town. It was much steeper on this side than it was on the other. The other group managed to catch the other rider by the top of the hill and I watched him crest the hill at least 700 yards in front of me. I didn’t think I would see him again because he was twice that far when I crested the hill. But somehow I managed to catch him and we took turns pulling each other the rest of the way home. I learned a lot today.

1. I can ride 41 miles and not fall over.
2. To get respect you have to pull sometime.
3. The attacks will come on the hills.
4. Attitude is very important.
5. Hydration and electrolyte drinks taste better when you ride.
6. I still need to lose 30 pounds.

Bob

WOW!

I think you are the fastest progressing rider I have ever followed on this forum in 7 years.

Good for you.

You wrote the following on May 29. Do you still agree with what you wrote?:lol:

I ride because I enjoy riding. I have been on a bike often in the last 25 years, but I have never been on a bike that was less than (now) 25 years old. Yes, the equipment/technology is much better. But I still ride to ride - not to race, or to make "personal bests," or to go higher/faster/longer. I like staying fit and weighing what I weighed in high school, more or less. I still wouldn't feel up to joining a group - I just don't like to have to keep up with others, nor do I like to compete with other riders (even in subtle ways), or get dropped by them. I just really like riding my bike, and do it as often as I can. I hope you keep riding, because it sounds like that is what you like to do too.

WOW!

I think you are the fastest progressing rider I have ever followed on this forum in 7 years.

Good for you.

You wrote the following on May 29. Do you still agree with what you wrote?:lol:

I ride because I enjoy riding. I have been on a bike often in the last 25 years, but I have never been on a bike that was less than (now) 25 years old. Yes, the equipment/technology is much better. But I still ride to ride - not to race, or to make "personal bests," or to go higher/faster/longer. I like staying fit and weighing what I weighed in high school, more or less. I still wouldn't feel up to joining a group - I just don't like to have to keep up with others, nor do I like to compete with other riders (even in subtle ways), or get dropped by them. I just really like riding my bike, and do it as often as I can. I hope you keep riding, because it sounds like that is what you like to do too.

Are you sure I wrote that? Maybe I did but I don't remember. One thing is for sure I am no way near weighing what I did in high school . I don't want to race but I might be getting dragged into personal bests. Group riding is an aquired taste I think but I might have said that as well. I used to like riding solo much more but getting a near full can of energy drink tossed at me by a passing xB gave me pause on some of my longer rides. I still enjoy riding but I haven't been on a bike often in the last 25 years and I haven't been on a bike that old in a long time. But yes my attitude is changing and I absolutly love much of the new technology. But I will say this much. After doing a 40 mile ride on the road bike the Revive feels like a easy chair. But then the seat and position on it is more like an easy chair.

I'll be honest my cycling has changed a lot since May but I like pulling the Revive out to ride over to the grocery store. I also find heading for the dirt trail around the lake a good 22 mile Saturday morning ride. But the biggest surprise may be joing the group and the club to ride a road bike. Long story short, I have changed.

WOW!

I think you are the fastest progressing rider I have ever followed on this forum in 7 years.


I think he blew past me on his 3rd or 4th day back in the saddle.

Are you sure I wrote that? Maybe I did but I don't remember. One thing is for sure I am no way near weighing what I did in high school . I don't want to race but I might be getting dragged into personal bests. Group riding is an aquired taste I think but I might have said that as well. I used to like riding solo much more but getting a near full can of energy drink tossed at me by a passing xB gave me pause on some of my longer rides. I still enjoy riding but I haven't been on a bike often in the last 25 years and I haven't been on a bike that old in a long time. But yes my attitude is changing and I absolutly love much of the new technology. But I will say this much. After doing a 40 mile ride on the road bike the Revive feels like a easy chair. But then the seat and position on it is more like an easy chair.

I'll be honest my cycling has changed a lot since May but I like pulling the Revive out to ride over to the grocery store. I also find heading for the dirt trail around the lake a good 22 mile Saturday morning ride. But the biggest surprise may be joing the group and the club to ride a road bike. Long story short, I have changed.


OOPS!

My error - that quote was from ROBER, not Robert

Here is what you said - I think I have it right.


I just got back into riding this year and from reading some of these forums it can seem like nothing has changed much in 18 years. Yes the bikes are better and the equipment is better but are we enjoying riding any more? What happened to riding just because you like to ride? Let me be honest when I read the post about returning riders I did see a lot of good posts about what you should look for. I would like to add the expected “but” here however. Much of the advice is geared towards someone who will be riding a senior century before the years is out. Is that what motivated many of us to get back into riding bikes?

I think he blew past me on his 3rd or 4th day back in the saddle.

Not likely, remember I was pretty satisfied with my comfort cruising and utility running. It wasn’t till I had been back in the saddle for two months when my doctor said my cholesterol was the best it had been in 20 years that my eyes started to open. I bought the MTB a bit before I was ready to move into the dirt and I still have a lot to learn about that type of riding. The road bike is pushing it a bit as well I believe but each bike teaches me something about myself.

DnvrFox

Well maybe to a degree I have answered my own question. I just never thought getting back into cycling that I would be heading in that direction. I didn’t think this older set of sit bones would adapt to these new real narrow seats. I have tried to listen and learn and what I am taking away from these forums is pretty good advice for my age group. Now if someone can point me in the direction of hydration and electrolytes that taste good even when you aren’t riding. The best stuff I have found so far is Power Aid Zero.

Bob

I learned a lot today.

1. I can ride 41 miles and not fall over.
2. To get respect you have to pull sometime.
3. The attacks will come on the hills.
4. Attitude is very important.
5. Hydration and electrolyte drinks taste better when you ride.
6. I still need to lose 30 pounds.

BobIt took you a day to learn what took me years.
I might quibble about the order, but that was quite a day and a good report. Congrats.

For hydration, my favorite is home brew (plus I'm cheap).

I make old fashioned Kool-Aid (w/ sugar) and throw in lite salt for electrolytes.
You can vary the amounts of Kool-Aid, sugar & salt to suit your needs & taste,
but I like to add more water than per the Kool-Aid instructions.
I sweat a lot & need salt, and I use about 1-1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of sugar.
I've considered adding a little powdered protein, but I'm afraid that will spoil the taste.

Orange Kool-Aid is my favorite, but there are numerous flavors & brands you can try.

1. I can ride 41 miles and not fall over.
2. To get respect you have to pull sometime.
3. The attacks will come on the hills.
4. Attitude is very important.
5. Hydration and electrolyte drinks taste better when you ride.
6. I still need to lose 30 pounds.


Very, very true. Except the hills stuff, of which I have no knowledge.

:cheers: I cannot wait to see what is in part 2.:)

For hydration, my favorite is home brew (plus I'm cheap).

I make old fashioned Kool-Aid (w/ sugar) and throw in lite salt for electrolytes.
You can vary the amounts of Kool-Aid, sugar & salt to suit your needs & taste,
but I like to add more water than per the Kool-Aid instructions.
I sweat a lot & need salt, and I use about 1-1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of sugar.
I've considered adding a little powdered protein, but I'm afraid that will spoil the taste.

Orange Kool-Aid is my favorite, but there are numerous flavors & brands you can try.

Crystal Light makes a hydration and electrolyte drink that comes in the small packets you add to a water bottle. If you get it at Walmart or Fresh and Easy it is about 2 bucks for ten or twelve packets. To me it tastes about like Gator-aid. I don’t care for that much unless I am on a ride and for some reason then it goes down as smooth as milk.

Bob