Birthday Ride is a "go" (finally)
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Birthday Ride is a "go" (finally)
The weather has cooperated and I'm off at about 0800 today. Starting temp will be about 45 deg; finishing temp might be as warm as 65 deg. There is always a bit of apprehension when attempting a hard ride; hopefully, I won't need a mulligan. The onset of our rainy season (I don't ride in the rain)requires a bit of flexibility and between modifying my schedule during retirement, shorter days and some rainy days I haven't been on the bike much this week.
I'll post some boring pictures following the ride; hopefully, one of these pictures will be taken at the top of the second, large climb. We shall see.
I'll post some boring pictures following the ride; hopefully, one of these pictures will be taken at the top of the second, large climb. We shall see.
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Have a great ride.
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Go for it, hope the ride is a great one, regardless a belated Happy Birthday to you and enjoy the miles today.
Bill
Bill
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I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
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I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
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My birthday is in January, so timing the B-Day ride is always a challenge. That plus the higher mileage every year. I'll be 60 this time
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My birthday ride is finally in the bank. Yippee! This was a tough ride, but at least I didn't start to cramp until I finished the large climb at about 49 miles. Final totals: 70.9 miles, 5300' of climbing and a very modest 12.1 mph average. I can carry over 2.9 miles into 2014.
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
Last edited by rdtompki; 11-22-13 at 11:16 PM.
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My birthday ride is finally in the bank. Yippee! This was a tough ride, but at least I didn't start to cramp until I finished the large climb at about 49 miles. Final totals: 70.9 miles, 5300' of climbing and a very modest 12.1 mph average. I can carry over 2.9 miles into 2014.
L]
L]
#10
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Great job, you didn't include that climbing in your "Did you Ride Today?" post, that makes the 12+ mph average more impressive, for my money.
Bill
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Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
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My birthday ride is finally in the bank. Yippee! This was a tough ride, but at least I didn't start to cramp until I finished the large climb at about 49 miles. Final totals: 70.9 miles, 5300' of climbing and a very modest 12.1 mph average. I can carry over 2.9 miles into 2014.
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3...D550/ry%3D400/
Maybe you should just keep banking those miles until you really need them.
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For Strava users: I'd say that's worth a few kudos.
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I remember earthquake cracked backroads.
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Congratulations rdtompki! That’s a good bit of climbing for just 71 miles. If the temperature only rose to 65°F for you on that day, then you at least had that to your benefit. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed the descents that came from all that climbing. I enjoy climbing for the subsequent gravity descents (makes climbing well worth all the effort).
My usual century ride involves 5,000+ feet of climbing, which isn’t bad in the cooler temps, but one of its unrelenting 1.35 mile climbs can be torturous during the sweltering heat and humidity of Pennsylvania summer especially under calm air conditions.
I’d rather fight a headwind up that ascent (and I have numerous times) than have the sun searing my back, neck, and head via still air conditions with my body overheating. At 101°F and 90+ humidity, it feels like a sauna and I can hardly breathe by the time I’m completing the first mile of that ascent. In the higher heat and humidity, I sometimes have to stop under one of the rare shady spots to cool off prior to continuing my climb or heat exhaustion would potentially claim this old body. The same ascent is tiring, but a relative no brainer in cooler temps.
Lastly, Happy Birthday rdtompki!
My usual century ride involves 5,000+ feet of climbing, which isn’t bad in the cooler temps, but one of its unrelenting 1.35 mile climbs can be torturous during the sweltering heat and humidity of Pennsylvania summer especially under calm air conditions.
I’d rather fight a headwind up that ascent (and I have numerous times) than have the sun searing my back, neck, and head via still air conditions with my body overheating. At 101°F and 90+ humidity, it feels like a sauna and I can hardly breathe by the time I’m completing the first mile of that ascent. In the higher heat and humidity, I sometimes have to stop under one of the rare shady spots to cool off prior to continuing my climb or heat exhaustion would potentially claim this old body. The same ascent is tiring, but a relative no brainer in cooler temps.
Lastly, Happy Birthday rdtompki!
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The small climb/loop had been recently repaved probably because there are county and state park entrances on that loop. The big climb terminates at a state part entrance and that road is ok, but looks like it's scheduled for some repair. OTOH, the dead-end ranch roads near my home, are in terrible shape and the descents are interesting to say the least.
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Gilroy Hot Springs and Henry Coe..sweet! Nicely done, and happy birthday, Rick!
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congratulations and happy birthday. Impressive climbs