Day Three of rain from Karl.
Rode the first two days.
Not today.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...eenShot021.jpg

The past two days I have been taking a few short rides around the local area on two borrowed bikes, making a comparison of SRAM and Shimano shifting systems while working my mending leg. After a total of about 16 miles each day swapping between bikes, I think I have a slight preference for SRAM shifting. But they both work well and I could be happy with either. Frankly, I find shifting to larger cogs or rings on either system kind of tedious compared to simply moving a bar end or downtube shifter in the opposite direction. But obviously, that couldn't work with combo brake/shift levers.
I plan to take another 10 mile ride on my Casseroll later to get back in tune with my friction shifters. It will be good to be on a bike that fits me well after the rides on two versions of 'close but no cigar'. The leg is coming along.

I was a little sore and tender from yesterday's low cadence 10 minute intervals. Today's ride was 2 hours of Z2 riding over hills and dale just working hard enough to keep the HR down and soreness in check. My wife and I went to a local sports bar to watch the Steeler game on Satellite then ran a few errands getting us home about 6. I rode from day into night and the temperature must have dropped 20 degrees during the ride and I was not dressed for the drop.:eek:

40 miles today. Went to Seal Beach. Warm where i was but i knew it would be cooler there so dressed accordingly. Went in search of pie and found it near the end of my ride after striking out at two other places.

How many days can one pass up a ride and not feel withdrawl.. Yesteray our water heater went out.. We can't get it replaced for at least 3 days.. And I have a club ride tommorrow afternoon.. I do have a portable shower for campgrounds.. But, those are pretty skimpy showers.. Will I pass up a ride I've committed to or take a lousy shower after a sweaty ride..

Seriously? Ride or change your handle. :)

I'll probably go with the group. But, cold showers feel lousy. OK. So you gave me incentive. I 've filled my sun shower and put it out in the sun..

Monday 9/20/2010
35.2 miles today 22.5 mi. this day LY
465.6 miles this month
5013 miles this year
162 ride days LY vs. 161 ride days TY
2486 miles needed to hit 2010 goal (7500 miles)
I am @ 66.85% of my goal.
22 miles ahead of last year at this date

Motivation meter today 10.0 on a scale of 1-10

Did a solo ride this morning. weather was perfect, temp range 73 to 86. Today has to rank right up there with the best riding days that I have had. The bagel at Panera tasted better, I came upon some deer feeding on some acorns and my computer turned over 5000 miles for this year. I got to meet Richard riding his Wind Cheetah, nice bike and a great guy, thanks Richard.

Photo 1,2,3, and 4
This gal loved the camera, she just hung around and let me take all the pictures that I wanted.
Photo 5 and 6
Momma deer daddy deer and baby deer, they moved off into the woods as I tried to get closer.
Photo 7
My computer hitting 5000 miles this year... WHOOPIE...
Photo 8
Richard and his Wind Cheetah. Take notice of the stick steering.

taking a shower after riding. not a bad idea. I shower every month whether I need it or not but the idea of showering after a sweaty ride certainly has merits. But seriously...this is a serious question? This weekend if the weather holds I'll ride (if I can) back to Wonder Lake. Big hills...will arrive very sweaty...and there will be no shower to great me. Never gave it a second thought. HTFU :)

50 miles yesterday
 

that's my third 50 miler since getting back to cycling a year ago. 10 years ago 50 was nothing. Now it's a big deal.

After 8 days off the bike I did a quick 10 miles. Pretty pleased with the speed, felt good.

No ride today, I had to go to a fund raiser golf outing. Hopefully the blisters on my hands heal up quickly.

The Chatfield Reservoir Loop - 2 hours, heavy winds, fun ride.

I only had time for 10 miles after work, so I hit it pretty hard. First time I've really worked up a good sweat and got my heart pumping in a month and a half. It felt great!

As for showers, I have gone for several days in a row on BRAG with only cold showers. This was years ago before they started having shower trucks. The fast riders would use all the hot water in the gyms and the rest of us took cold showers. We survived. :)

32 miles running some errands on the bike.

43 mostly flat miles yesterday morning, then added 9 more hilly miles commuting to work in the afternoon. Day off today so did 20 miles this afternoon, different route with MANY hills. Love to ride this time of the year; but for the past 10 years it's always been on my mtb. I've started hitting the roads on my vintage 90's schwinn frame that I just finished upgrading. Only downside this time of the year in central Maine is the freeking WIND; out on the open road, unlike on the mtb single tracks, you never get a break. Still I made the ride averaging 22mph, so I'm pleased with the bikes performance............

UPDATE: In my last post in this thread, 7/22/10, I proudly reported that I had managed to go to the Post Office in my neighborhood - I estimated the round trip at 10 miles but now I am pretty sure it's more like 5 or 6 - just SEEMED like 10 miles at the time (because of my inexperience).

Which is why I'm proud to say that today, just two months later, I DEFINITELY rode at LEAST a 20-mile round trip, from Reseda, CA to North Hollywood, CA - and back! It's the longest ride I've done since high school (back in the '70's, man!) so needless to say I'm a happy camper tonight (a happy camper with a sore butt, but still happy! :) )!

kudos!

(Achingly beautiful, huh? The Valley?)

41 miles on the Tuesday PM club hill climbing ride. Probably the last such outing of the season, though maybe there will be one more.

Stretch

31 miles around Cherry Creek Reservoir

Swim

Lunch with wife

Wednesday 9/22/2010
37.2 miles today 00.0 mi. this day LY
528.2 miles this month
5076 miles this year
162 ride days LY vs. 162 ride days TY
2423 miles needed to hit 2010 goal (7500 miles)
I am @ 67.68% of my goal.
85 miles ahead of last year at this date
35.2 miles average ride this month
31.3 miles average ride this yr.

Motivation meter today 10.0 on a scale of 1-10

Did a solo ride this morning. weather was perfect, temp range 73 to 87. Can I get in another 25 tonight? We shall see....we shall see...

13 miles tonight.

12 miles, commute home. Mon & Tue 22 miles each.

Another 10 mile ride around the block. (1 lap)

32 but it felt a little weird in that I went a different route and lost motivation halfway through. I will not do that route anymore.