55th birthday ride. Getting stronger.
 

I'm pedaling along today and yesterday whilst riding a 40-year-old road bicycle. Yesterday down by New Richmond Indiana there were times when there was no point of reference to place oneself in any particular decade. On those Warren County country roads with all that corn, zero traffic and the old farm houses and barns it could have been 1972 instead of 2012. I found my mind wandering to a time exactly 40 years ago when at age 15 I was a bicycling fanatic.

Today on my 55th birthday I broke into the 16mph average speed for the first time. Nine of us (three women, and six men, all of us are Clydes and/or boomers, no youngsters) started out on a 39 mile group ride that was scheduled as a "D" class ride with no more than 14~15 mph average speed. We all were doing good, favorable wind conditions and it escalated into a solid "C" ride and we came in at exactly 16.0mph. There were some climbs but some flat with tail wind and we were doing 20~21 at times. This is the third time that I have ridden above my 14~15 average. Did a couple in the past two weeks at 15.5mph average. (Yes, I know, I'm not fast. But for what I was, I'm fast and I'm getting a lot stronger. Today I actually rode in the front for a change as I usually bring up the rear)

On Saturday I rode 36 miles on a "E" ride which had a speed of 12.6mph and it was kind of a snooze. A big beautiful Golden Retriever came running out from some rural house and tried to eat my left foot. That is the meanest Golden I have ever seen. It got real mad and came out into the road and took us on. I was in mid-pack and had to un-clip and lift my leg clear of it's chomping jaws. Chloe started yelling at him in a very fierce voice and it backed-off. My first serious dog incident. Guess I need to get some pepper spray? None of us got bit, nobody crashed but it was intense. But also this ride was completely calm air. These are the first club rides this season without some kind of wicked prairie head wind.

So, total for the two days of 75 miles and no pain of any kind. Still riding my two vintage Schwinn Paramounts. Rode the 1973 P10-9 on Saturday and the 1972 Kool Orange P15-9 today.

I have this "fuel" thing figured out. Been taking the granola bars and Gatorade and this makes all the difference.

Equipment - Still loving the Selle An-Atomica Titanico X saddles. They rock! - Also, I'm preferring the Canari brand bike shorts from Dick's sporting goods. For me, the perfect combination.

Photo of my 1973 P10-9


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