Digital Gee

I realize that's not saying much compared with a lot of people on these forums, but I'm delighted. Having just returned to cycling a month ago (and could barely do five miles) I was thrilled to do my first twenty miler (in twenty years) today. Took advantage of the lack of traffic on the holiday to swoop downtown (San Diego), then over to Seaport Village, up the harbor past the Star of India to Harbor Island and out to Tom Ham's Lighthouse Inn, and then back again. The only tough part was coming back UP the hills from DOWNtown to UPtown.

Now I'm tired, not particularly sore, and amused with my new patches of sunburn on both hands from the gloves. I may take tomorrow off, and I may not. The ten milers I've been doing 3-4x a week are so much fun it's hard not to get out there and do them!

Just thought I'd celebrate my little mini-milestone.

DnvrFox

Congratulations!


I well remember my first 15 miler. Thought I had gone forever. Once you hit 20 miles, everything is easier.

glassman

Congrats, sounds like you had a scenic route.

michaelnel

Congrats... 20 miles is a good distance, and is what I usually do on my weekend day rides.

I stretched it a bit today with a kind of loop around SF... a little over 30 miles with what for me was a lot of climbing. From my place in the South of Market area out to Mission Rock, past the SF Giants' stadium, along the Embarcadero out to Fort Point, under the Golden Gate bridge and south past the Cliff House, along the shore and then inland to loop around Lake Merced, then a meandering path to the Daly City BART station where I bailed out and took BART back to the Mission. I wanted to get some Mexican food in the Mission, but my favorite places were closed for 4th of July, so ended up at a Mediterranean place for a falafel platter which was excellent!

Got my first saddle sore too. Gonna get some of that Chamois Butt'r tomorrow.

JavaMan

Congrats on the milestone! Sounds like you're proud of the glove tan, too!

Digital Gee

Okay, now it's six hours later and I can DEFINATELY feel it. I'm not exactly sore, but very, very sort of stiff or something. I do believe I'll go for a soak.

neilG

Never, NEVER let work interfere with your riding time. Good going on your ride, and keep it up!
Neil

jppe

Alright!! Welcome to the club!!!

p8rider

Way to GO!!
Like you I ride to excersize. I have just upped my morning ride from 6 miles to 9 1/2 miles. The 6 used to take me 32 minutes now it is 22 minutes so I had to lengthen the ride to get a good 35 minute excersize period. About 2 weeks ago I rode a 29 mile ride and felt it the next day, but it's a great feeling.
20 miles is a good ride. I am a solo rider and find the forums provide me with the encouragement I need to rider more and further.
Congrats and keep it going!!

MikeR

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Be sure to nonchalantly mention it to some of your non cycling friends and watch their eyes pop.
I remember my first milestones – that feeling is hard to beat.
Welcome back to cycling.

stapfam

I would not mind betting that some of your cycling Friends will be just as pleased about your first cycling milestone- Now whats the next challenge?

Litespeed

Great job! Pretty soon you will be in good enough shape to ride up Cannon Street from Shelter Island and then out to the Light House, which makes for a really nice ride and nice views of the bay and ocean. If you ever want to go on nice social rides with some nice people, look up Knickerbikers.com on the web. It will show you all the different rides they go on, usually 25-30 miles.

Digital Gee

I told a non-cyclist today who's a lifelong yoga instructor and he was pretty impressed. That was fun! As for my next challenge, I actually think my immediate next challenge is to repeat this performance and make sure it wasn't a fluke, and then build in 20-25 milers every weekend for a while until they are second nature.

The longest I've ever ridden in my life is a half-century, the Ensenada to Rosarito ride in Mexico, and that was over twenty years ago. Thirty five miles uphill with lots of switchbacks, five miles downhill, and then ten miles of flatland. It took me over five hours to do it.

Digital Gee

Funny you mention that, I almost chose that ride for the Fourth. I've done it before, and you're right, it's gorgeous! Nowadays, I think they charge you to get into the parking lot at the lighthouse, but I wouldn't have to do that.

And I will look up Knickerbikers!

Litespeed

Great -- hope to see you on one of the Knickerbiker rides, they are a lot of fun and we usually stop for a nice lunch along the way.