Htfu

like cheese, old goat cheese.

Personally I prefer riding behind the ladies.

Sorry, off topic,

Oilman, I'm racing in McDonald in the Fort Cherry Race on Sunday. Is that in your neck of the woods? The course description states it is "flattish with a few rollers and one short power climb". I'm from Western PA and don't recall any flattish land.

So Dnvr, are you saying you're cheesy?

tha's exactly what i'm sitting here thinking i'd MUCH rather FOLLOW the ladies

in a serious vein, i'm a soloist, in just about everything i do... i dislike groups and having to follow others schedules and paces... i'm just not part of the herd i suppose...

i've decided, on this average speed thing, that my 20 mile per day ride makes me as tired as my 2.5 hour karate workout, and those guys try to break us down so i must be doing something ok...

i'm coming in around 12 mph give or take a tenth or so either way depending on the route i choose...

i've still a couple of hills i just can't pull yet... they're a 700 - 900 foot climb in just a couple or three tenths of a mile, and i have to hoof a good portion of them.

i'm down here amongst the Amish who ride from the time they're walking and i don't know many of them that can pull it... and some of those fellows can RIDE! you should see their bikes! i saw the price tag on one of them in the shop, it was a $4K bike!

you'll ride by a house and there'll be a kid in the yard tinkering with his bicycle like we used to do cars...

i'm just gonna ride my speed, and not worry about it... if i'm getting a good sweat and coming in with a satisfactory feeling of tired and sore, i'm going to be happy... i'm not 15 anymore ... i can't remember ever getting tired back then... we were like the eveready rabbit... didn't stop for nothing, never...

If my maths skills are still valid, that's like a 56% grade! I probably go turtle then roll, roll, roll...

Those darn grade percentages again.

Wonder what the average speed is? 30 mph?

I'd rather be going down with a long flat at the bottom.

LOL. I don't think that grade is possible on a road.

As I recall you were a teacher - didn't you have to worry about grade inflation. I know it was in issue when I was teaching.

8500 miles in a season??
JP!!
Obvious you live in a slightly warmer climate than we here in western new york.
Tell you what I've learned.
#1 I am no longer in my 20s or even my 30s and doing 20+mph mile in and mile out and hitting the boston hills south of buffalo or the escarpment north of buffalo at 17mph is going to have someone dialing 911.
#2 I get myself to the very back of the pack.
That allows me to gauge everyones speed and compensate accordingly. As the miles roll by I can stay where I am or begin to move up thru the pack picking the pace I'm comfortable with.
The last 3 miles of the ride become the sprint. Given I haven't wasted these 66 yo legs and lungs by going out fast I often wind up with the lead group as we roll into the lot.
I tend to pick and chose my riding days.
85+degrees and high humidity..uh uh.
I'd be toast.

Our grade inflation kept up exactly with inflation as measured by the CPI, I'll have you know!

We wouldn't want to short-change the kiddos.

One problem is when the group gets split up by a red light. We obey traffic laws. It's frustrating to see people you think you can hang with disappear over the horizon.

ok, i guess i'm exaggerating but it sure as heck seems like it is... i know i have a difficult time pushing my bike up it, the grade is so steep that my hamstrings and heels burn terribly, the only way to get relief is to turn around and face down hill i'll dig up my old gps and see what the altitude change is...

i know on the other side of the hill, where i live, as a ham radio guy, i think i remember looking it up and i'm about 300' below the horizon in all directions... this hill appears to be larger... and much steeper grade...

going down hill, i hold my speed back until i get to the very last bit and then i hit somewhere around 35 mph and have to coast for long way 'cuz i can't pedal that fast...