This weekend was a 150 miler. I did the Bike MS 2 day, 150 mile ride with my Fiancee (75 per day). Despite a chaotic morning start on Day 1, it ended well. We packed our overnight bag (between day 1 and 2 they put us up in the dorms at Michigan State University), but 5 miles from the event (which was an hour drive from our house) we realized we left the luggage at home. An impromptu stop at a Wal Mart at 6:15am meant that we had re-purchased the essentials. When we got there, it started raining, which turned into a downpour (with thunder and lightning and all). This delayed the start of the event by an hour and a half (8:30 rather than 7am). We left around 8:45, in the rain (thankfully the thunder/lightning had stopped), which let up about 10-12 miles in. Skipped the first rest stop, hit the second one, complete with soggy shoes/socks.

Day one was the hardest. I need to train next year. My longest ride to date, in one sitting had been about 25 miles. This was 75 per day. Big difference. The route was pretty hilly on the first day, and the last 15 miles were thru open farmland, with 30mph crosswinds. We finished, and the next morning realized that our tires were SERIOUSLY low on air (I'm not even going to state what the pressure was, as it's embarassing). I physically started to run out of gas at about mile 60, and the last 15 (in the wind) were a little difficult, I'm not going to lie.

After getting off the bike, my butt was quite a bit sore, and my Fiancee complained of serious knee pains. I raised her seat up, and magically, the pains went away. The first few miles of the 2nd day were pretty hard, but my butt became accustomed to the slight pain, and with correct air pressure, was going ALOT faster. The return ride was mostly downhill, rather than day 1. No winds, beautiful weather. Day 2 I knew what to expect, was in the zone mentally, and we just hammered out the miles. We didn't ride at a crazy pace, but I'd say on day 2 we averaged 15mph, which i was just fine with. It was humbling being passed by quite overweight people on Wal-mart/K-mart mountain bikes. I'll chalk that up to training and experience.

I'm really impressed with how the Fiancee did. She's more of a natural athlete than I am, and for one strech of about 15 miles, I had run out of steam, and had a hard time keeping up with her. Kudos to her for it!

At the end of the day, it was a great ride. The MS Society is a VERY proffessional/organized group, and put on a stellar event. The ride was for a Great cause, and it makes the thankful that I can actually get on a bike, and pedal...Fun times, and I'd definately do it again, knowing more of what to expect....

Here are some photos:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/10-2.jpg
^Fiancee at a rest stop

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/5-3.jpg
^The Fiancee's bike. I made decals for it, they said "I ride for Julie!" and one is a heart with the word MOM in it, since her mom has MS, and we were riding for her.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/6-1.jpg
^another rest stop

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/8-2.jpg
^I should have put sunblock on in the AM the first day :(

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/9-1.jpg
^^Free Massages at the end of day one.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/7-2.jpg
^^Home sweet home in the dorm at MSU for the night

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/3-4.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/4-3.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/gab.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/1-6.jpg
^me...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/msrugis/gab2.jpg
^her...

Overall, great event, and the Fiancee seriously impressed me, neither of us really trained, and she rode like a champ (in my opinion). Second day we finished in about 5 hours, with an avg of probably about 14mph...which I was happy with.

:-)

aw man. I really miss San Francisco. I've ridden over that bridge into Sausalito many a time.

Nice work, DOHC and company!! 14-15 mph average is respectable on such a long course.

Next year get the vintage steel out...

Thanks!!
I wanted to try it out on the more modern ride first, before I ventured out on something vintage so I had an idea of what to expect!!

I can't wait for next year!!!!

Well done!

I had a crazy thought today and decided to actually ride the ancient Bottecchia "Deluxe" I restified last year. The Bott is the one bike I never intended to ride. But something changed my mind today. As something of an honor for this years TDF, I decided to try riding the Bottecchia, so off I rolled, cotterd cranks, white cotton bar tape, steel Dolomiti wheels, Valentino derailleurs and all.

About a half a mile out of town, snap..clunk...skid... look down, chain is snapped in half. Crap, 1/2 mile walk back to town.

I faced the locals, Bottecchia in one hand, chain in the other, greeted by my younger brother. "Well, like the Spartans say, return with your shield, or on it"

Undaunted I repaired the chain, replaced two links and liberally re lubed it, then, I headed out again towards the farm, about ten miles away. Gradually increasing speed as I felt out any potential problems with the completely archaic gear train. Wondering at every groan what had possessed me to try and ride this wall hanger.

But in the end, I made it. Got a little much needed alone time, and a decent workout for such a short, slow ride.

In front of my barn.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...tuff/Bott2.jpg

The farm,
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...stuff/farm.jpg

Another beautiful Ohio sunset,
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...uff/sunset.jpg

Always carry a chain tool!

A smart person would, but I have never broken a chain until today!

I didn't even have my helmet on! :innocent:

I suppose I have a strange tendency to ride more when the summer heat sets in. Granted I can and do ride further in cooler weather, but I'm never as consistent as when the temperatures are 95+ degrees.

I've been doing a daily ride, it starts off with a moderate ascent to the city cemetery, some rolling at the tops of our hills and a small loop into a neighboring city using back roads. I would like to extend the ride into the 'canyon' pictured, but poor, 45mph, shoulder-less roads aren't much fun.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/DSC_7715.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/DSC_7716.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/DSC_7722.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/DSC_7737.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/DSC_7741.jpg

^ Sweet bike. I like your screen name too (Fugazi is a favorite of mine)

I went mountain biking for the first time yesterday with Guy from work and a friend of his from Connecticut. It was so much freaking fun. I haven't been so scared and also felt so alive at the same time in quite a while.
Edit: Alright, time for pics.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...0002Medium.jpg
^Me, this doesn't look like one place where I was literally skidding my back wheel because I was just too scared to let go.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...0003Medium.jpg
^Guy, going over a bridge that I flat out refused to do. There's like a 6 foot drop beneath it.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...0004Medium.jpg
^"Birdie" and I taking it kind of easy.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...0006Medium.jpg
^Guy, again, showing us how it's done.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...0008Medium.jpg
^And finally, myself, with the rig I was riding. It was Guys bike. It's a 2003 Iron Horse, 5 inches of fork travel, like 2 in the rear. Wouldn't have wanted anything less, really.
It was crazy. And yes, I know, none of us were on vintage MTB's, but I was freaking out enough one time when I went downhill and over a log with the fork still locked out. I can't imagine having done it on a fully rigid frame.
We rode the New Light Trails around Falls Lake.
-Gene-

I went on a short 10 mile ride in this cool, windy day in central Illinois.

Went back up to the pass this afternoon. Really no excuse not to: Fantastic mountain weather, lonely
roads, beautiful bike. So I went.
Besides, prettyshady's recent post of his fun and travails in the French Alps, all on a distinctly vintage
bike, got me very inspired.

60 some miles roundtrip, 4000' up, about 4 hrs in the saddle. Not TdF speed, but it always wipes me out
anyway.

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...pass0719_1.jpg
Liberty Bell, east face. Good rock climbing here, if one is so inclined (no pun..)

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...pass0719_2.jpg
The '78 AA-Frame. Now with tubulars, again thanks to prettyshady!

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...pass0719_4.jpg

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...pass0719_5.jpg
The last hairpin (in fact the only one) before the pass.

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...pass0719_6.jpg
The road comes up the long valley of Early Winter's Creek

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...pass0719_7.jpg
Back at the start. Saw one other biker all afternoon, and he didn't even greet back..

http://www.fivenineclimber.com/image...sfromabove.jpg
Looking down on the hairpin & pass from last weekends climb

Breathtaking, very impressive!

Thanks! Is that Jules?

Yeah, drinking up all of Brad's sprite. "that is a tasty burger"

I took my new to me '72 Fuji Finest on it's inaugural run this morning. After a few seat adjustments it performed flawlessly with the exception that the chain sometimes floates in between gears. Not sure what that is about. We did 20 miles together.

I love the bike, the ride is great. There is another thread on how I got it, basically from an old friend of my fathers. I was going to fix the bike up and give it back to my dads friend, but he declined and wants me to keep it. I then thought of selling it, but as I was riding it today I was thinking the history it has (my dad's friend was the original owner and him and my dad went on many adventures together over the years), how it rides, and how it fits me so well. There is no way I can sell it, and in fact some day maybe I'll give it to my son. I did after all receive it a week before he was born.

Until then, I'll keep riding it.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...48_1720867.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...49_7309497.jpg

Being a mountain biker I have never really owned a road bike........a couple of months ago I picked up this Raleigh Grand Prix at a garage sale. Frame is Reynolds 531, swapped out the wheelset with another garage sale find, new tubes and tires and my Brooks Swift and I've got myself a "new" road bike. I have been doing 60 minute rides close to home the last few weeks, which I did again this afternoon. It's not much to look at but it rides nice..............

interesting, but I dont think Grand Prix's ever came with 531 tubing. I guess it's either a different model or not 531?

Sheesh, I gotta move...

Well, I was on the Centurion for the usual Lake Michigan route this evening. Road construction led to a small detour-along which a car with four youths passes me. One of them hangs out and yells, "You gotta fat ass!"

Yeah, it was the donuts over the weekend.
Pull into the driveway at home and pull my foot out of the pedal/toe clip and hear a metallic klinking on the driveway. These are the 105 pedals I got from Dirk at Kiddles for $20. The klinking was the retaining plate. Somehow the three screws backed out. But at least I have the plate.

Think I'll have another donut.

I know that chain skating feeling that you are talking about. I was using a flat toothed atom freewheel that would do that every once in a while. It almost caused me to crash at one point which was really frustrating. I swapped it out for a Shimano Uniglide and haven't had the problem since. The Shimano freewheel shifts a zillion times smoother too.

Long Climb on my New Cannondale
 

Most of the climbs near my house are best described as short and steep. The mountains in my part of NH are not exceptionally tall. Ascents are usually 1/4-1 mile in length, at times pitching upwards of 10-15%.

But I do have one long gradual climb of 9 miles before it crests the ridge and the road heads towards the Connecticut River Valley. I took my new 2001 CAAD 4 that I built in June (under BigBossMan's patient guidance), there for a test climb last evening.

At the top sits a beautiful mountain pond where the moose like to stop for a cool drink. I decided to do the same. I only spotted their tracks. :(

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...720091939b.jpg

Is that on 25C between Warren and Piermont?

Nice bike

~kn