Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Perfect Ride Today

It was an absolutely perfect day in Sacramento this morning. My ride began at 0830, temperatures were around 80*, and not even a hint of a breeze. Everything clicked today. Perfectly. I was disappointed that I only really had about an hour to ride.

The ride was along the south end of the American River Bike Trail (i.e., flatter than paper) ... went 19 miles ... but felt like I could have gone on forever. I considered blowing off my obligations for the day, but thought better of it. Saturday will be hill training in the Sierra-Nevada foothills, and I know that will kill me. Had to pull back the reigns today. Besides, this was only my 7th ride in the last 2.5 years ... all of which have come in just over a week. Don;t want to overdo it ... but today it was hard to get off the bike.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0043.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0045.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0044.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0048.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0046.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0047.jpg

Hope everyone else has a good ride today, too. Those under heat advisories today ... stay cool and be sure to be well-hydrated!

Beautiful trail,beautiful bike.

What a beautiful bike path. Looks under-used. Nineteen miles in "about an hour". I was thinking you were doing very well ... then saw you ride a Bianchi. That explains everything.

What a beautiful bike path. Looks under-used.
Oh, it's not under-used. I get passed by tons of roadies every time I take my recumbent out there.

I do a little better on my hybrid, speed-wise.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t74/snowdog650/IMG_0048.jpg

Is that a GoPro on your helmet?

Hope everyone else has a good ride today, too. Those under heat advisories today ... stay cool and be sure to be well-hydrated!

Well, temperatures in Binghamton were 99 degrees with a heat index of about 103. Couldn't really stay cool, but I was well-hydrated.

But it was a good ride except for the idiot who tried to use the shoulder I was on (waiting to cross the street) as her personal turn lane.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

http://vortex.accuweather.com/adc2010/images/icons-numbered/02-l.png at 5:31pm
99°

Mostly sunny
REALFEEL®:
103°F

HUMIDITY:
46°

CLOUD COVER:
28%

WINDS:
W 12 mph

PRESSURE:
29.73 in

VISIBILITY:
9 Mile

Oh, it's not under-used. I get passed by tons of roadies every time I take my recumbent out there.

I do a little better on my hybrid, speed-wise.

I feel bad, I couldn't even catch a person on their recumbent when I was only about a block behind them :mad:. In fact, by the time they made their turn I ended up being about 2 blocks behind them :eek:.

Is that a GoPro on your helmet?

Haha ... no. That's me holding up my iPhone to take the pic. I almost crashed doing it because right hand was taking picture while left hand was in the drops, and I was trying to pull my head up to make sure I could get the pic at 17MPH.

Maybe next time I will just stop to take the pic.

What a beautiful bike path. Looks under-used. Nineteen miles in "about an hour". I was thinking you were doing very well ... then saw you ride a Bianchi. That explains everything.

This portion of the path is very lightly traveled because it is only about 4 miles in length at the southern end of the trail. Fortunately for me, it is only about a mile from my house, so it affords me excellent opportunities for uninterrupted intervals. The main section of the ARBT -- about 35 miles in length -- is quite heavily used, as Freighttrain pointed out.

As far as the Bianchi being quick ... you may want to take those words back after my hill training on Saturday ...

I feel bad, I couldn't even catch a person on their recumbent when I was only about a block behind them :mad:. In fact, by the time they made their turn I ended up being about 2 blocks behind them :eek:.
Some recumbents are pretty fast. Unfortunately mine isn't one of them. I find myself riding it less and less these days. I like the greater speed, tighter turning radius, ease of locking, and easier access to water bottles that my DF bikes give me. I also get tired of getting dirt on the back of my neck from the rear tire. The fender that came with it started rubbing and there's no adjustment to fix that, so I took it off.

Haha ... no. That's me holding up my iPhone to take the pic. I almost crashed doing it because right hand was taking picture while left hand was in the drops, and I was trying to pull my head up to make sure I could get the pic at 17MPH.

Maybe next time I will just stop to take the pic.
Yeah, I don't do too well either trying to take still shots while riding a two-wheeler. Video is another story as I don't have to hold the camera still. Yours came out great though, and I'm glad you didn't crash. :)


As far as the Bianchi being quick ... you may want to take those words back after my hill training on Saturday ...
I'm not too impressed with my road bike on hills either. Maybe it's just me, but it feels more sluggish than my Sirrus, which is a flat-bar road bike.

Speaking of hill training, I'm going to climb a doozy this weekend too-Iowa Hill Road. Grimace!

Looks like a great place to ride, thanks for sharing.