Allegheny Jet

I think it was the same group and they were good company. We rode the opposite direction today. It was nice watching the sun come up instead of going down while I ride.

kr32

46 miles in beautiful weather,65° 50% humidity , light winds.

Last night I did 36 and had a car accident happen right next to me. I sorta think I may have been the reason it happened too.
Not my fault though. A car was about to pass me and crossed the solid yellow line so the approaching two cars had to slow way down.
The only problem was the second car approaching didn't slow down and plowed into the first. He totally smashed the front end too. Right corner fender, he said he tried to go around him before slamming on his brakes, was well more or less gone, it was so pusher back into the motor it looked gone.

I never saw the car trying to pass me so when the first car went by he was slowing and I thought" why is he slowing down so much" and as he passed me and the second one passed the next thing I heard was tires squealing and a huge bang. My theory was the second car, a young dude, was on his cell phone and didn't see the first slow down because there was no reason for him to slow at that point on the road. He looked up and there he was slowing way down and he was still going full bore, so to speak.
Funny thing is though I never saw the car trying to pass me. I only know because they told me that is what happened. I guess because it is a two lane road with no shoulders I was focusing in on stay as close to the white line on the right. As the car passed me I was looking down and the passing car must have gone by without me seeing or remembering seeing it go by.
No one was injured as far as I could tell but the older man who got rear ended seemed pretty dazed though. I know he will be sore tomorrow, today, though.

the car trying to pass was going the same direction, the two other cars were approaching. Hope this all makes sense.

Allegheny Jet

Nothing wrong with a banana split if you've earned it. You earned it right?

On my ride this AM I wanted more miles than the local group did so once finished I rode South along the coast for 17 miles then turned around. I quickly found out that I was not have a really big day by being able to ride in the 53/14 as the return trip was in the 53/18-19 and riding into 25 mph coastal winds was brutal.

DnvrFox

Are all your roads that flat?

10 Wheels

Yep, I live 19 miles from The Gulf of Mexico and 15 miles west of Galveston Bay.
My house is 18 feet above sea level.
Nearest hill is about 100 miles away.

https://www.bikeforums.net/texas/486957-dead-squirrel-ride.html

DnvrFox

Interesting the different and varied types of riding conditions we all encounter, which makes averages, etc. a bit meaningless. I go out on a fairly winding cement trail - for miles - but no real oppoortunity to ride something like you do and the speeds you can go ona surface like that.

This morning it was pitch black at 5:45, 46F, using my dual lights and two blinkers in the back. I had to shoo the deer out of the way. One does not go very fast in those conditions.

I also purposely aim for the steepest hills I canfind.

10 Wheels

We each (BF members) ride in different conditions.

Being all flat we try to return with a tail wind.
We route our rides according to wind direction for each ride.

DnvrFox

+1

I try that and never seem to figure it out correctly. Our winds vary a lot, even from hour to hour.

10 Wheels

Our first 40 miles today was with a tail wind. That was fun.

BikeWNC

NealH and I rode this morning from the Folk Art Center in Asheville up to Craggy Gardens Visitor Center. 18 miles up and 3460' elevation gain in 1:54 ride time on brand new pavement. It took 44 min to come back down with only 300' of climbing on the way. Beautiful day in the mid 50s to low 60s.



Neal rode my Parlee today. I think he wants one. lol

cervelo-van

Today was a fun ride. Normally Saturdays would be a long easy ride, though I don't know how to do easy very well. Instead, I rode with a small group led by a bike coach, and I really enjoyed it. My bike strength is hampered by weak bike handling skills so she was a big help. Did that put your arm on the other cyclist shoulder and vice versa for the first time. It was scary, but felt more comfortable after a bit. I intend to do more of this.

78K total. A few 3 minute intervals at 80-83% of Max HR. Felt pretty comfortable.

MinnMan

Went on a group ride out in the country to enjoy the fall colors, which are (already) at their height here in Minnesota. Twas to be a 70 mile ride, but 35 miles in (and therefore, at the farthest point from my car), my rare derailleur sheared off! Not sure exactly how it happened, but it may be that the chain jumped between the big cog and the chain guard and then pulled the derailleur around in a way that it just couldn't go. 35 miles out and the bike seemed to be dead..... One of the guys in the group had a chain tool and a lot of know-ow - he cut the chain, removed the derailleur, and set up the bike as a single speed. This was going to be a challenge because there were some good sized hills between me and my car, but at least it seemed workable. But, the chain tension was not quite right for any gear, so the chain kept skipping up gears as I was riding until it went taut, at which point pedalling was effectively impossible. This required stopping, removing the wheel from the dropouts, changing the gear to another cog, and then gingerly continuing on my way. Unfortunately, this happened about every half mile. By this time, the rest of the group was way ahead and I still had 30+ miles to go....so I backtracked to the nearest town, borrowed a yellow pages from a gas station, called a car service, and paid $40 for a ride back to my car. Kind of a disappointing end to what started as a great autumn day.

cervelo-van

I think this is the way they used to change gears in the very early days

I was on a group ride last year where a rider in front of me had his rear derailleur blow up, scattering pieces of it across the road. Had to get him a lift back to the city, it was not fixable,

BluesDawg

Organized metric century. Great ride.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...9#post11560289

kr32

I think I see a "hill" ahead!

10 Wheels

No Hill, Bridge over Chocolate Bayou, It has No Shoulder.

Here is the same bridge from another ride.

berner

I'm a noob to cycling and have been surprised to have put in over 2000 miles this year. Yesterday was a fine, crisp fall day and had a good pleasant 30 mile ride on the MUP by Narragansett Bay. The weather here is getting cool in the morning requiring layers so I've reinstalled the rear rack and trunk to hold layers that come off as the the temps and I warm up.

The longest ride so far has been about 60 miles. The first limit to greater distance has been a saddle that becomes unbearable at 50 miles. I finally, after several tries, found a saddle for a long term relationship. Yesterday, after 30 miles, I wasn't thinking about the saddle but the ultimate goal is a century ride which will be a different order of comfort.

The second limit to greater distance is recovery time. Until 1500 to 2000 miles or so I was getting stronger and faster hitting 20 or 21 mph now and then. Diverting somewhat from the topic at hand, as a young man I spent a fair amount of time sailing with a passage across the Atlantic to England and return and many more voyages to Bermuda and the Caribbean. Joseph Conrad, a ship captain in the era of windjammers, had a character in a novel or essay, I forget which, speak of how a ship comes alive and is a living breathing thing when it comes on to blow. I also found this to be true for a sailing vessel and a similar transformation happens when a bike gets up to certain speeds. For me, it seems as if the bike wakes up and is very responsive.

I'm not yet strong enough to sustain higher speeds but the performance at those speeds is good incentive to put the work in. At least as much work as a 72 y.o. man can muster. Having reached a point where I was feeling fairly strong, sustaining higher speeds for longer and 'going after' what few hills we have in southern Rhode Island, my run for glory came to a halt fairly suddenly. The sore legs stayed sore and enthusiasm fell off until just a few days ago. I suppose this is not really a problem. It's just a matter of knowing where the boundaries are and not crossing the line. Over all, I'm really enjoying my second childhood.

DnvrFox

In training, rest is just as (or more) important as bicycling. We have a lot of over 50 training experts here, and you might check out Hermes or Allegheny Jet, among others. Also, Joe Friel has a book, - something like, "Bicycling After 50" - I have it somewhere, but it is most definitely not my cup of tea. But, it might be yours.

Congratulations on joining bicycling at 72. I'll only be turning 71 in November.

Allegheny Jet

32 coastal miles in wind and rain. My Steelers' #43 game day jersey didn't help much while riding into the wind. Door to door averaged 20.0 on the nose.

Hillbasher

Started out at 8 AM with Mr Beanz and his wife Gina. Did 34.5 miles with 3550 feet of climbing. Went up Glendora Mountain Road and out towards Baldy Village. Had a great time.

10 Wheels

Lost some of my Zip. 100.25 miles. Winds 4 - 15. Temps 63* - 81* still got sun tanned.

The Fed's have funded 80% of new bridges in the county.
Thanks Feds.

DnvrFox

Just a short ride this am, 6:00, temp 46F. about 1.25 hours

horatio 

25 miler today after church. Temps were nice - mid 70s - and the weather clear, but it was very breezy. I either had a cross wind or headwind for about 3/4s of the ride! Also explored a new section of road off one of my regular loops. It had the WORST half-mile of chipseal I have found locally, and it was downhill! I had to modulate the brakes for the whole section because it shook me so badly. Made me really appreciate what the pros must experience on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix. I'm surprised they don't have more crashes.

horatio 

Gorgeous view! I'm jealous.

The Weak Link

This time of year I really worry about getting nailed by a deer, either having one leap out in front of me, or confusing me with a doe and.....well, it would get weird in a hurry.