We've had a good period of rain here now, and the heat has finally broken (for the moment), so I got out for some light errand/utility riding this afternoon. I wish I could figure out how to keep inside of my pannier cool, for Peanut Buster Parfait transport! ;)

We had unusually cool weather the last 2 days; we did this today. First 30 miles were fast, smooth, windless. The rest was 3 old people riding easily, having great conversations, and not giving a fig about any Strava score. Very satisfying.

Rode Saturday evening. 25 miles on flat MUP, minimal stops and no hills avg 16.2 mph. Came back in the dark with an inadequate headlamp. Still what a great ride. This time I stopped clocking my speed 2 miles from home and slowly rode the streets as a cool down ride. This made all the difference of feeling better when I got home.

Woke up at 1:30AM and couldn't go back to sleep. Finally gave up trying and got up around 2:40--got started on the ride about 3:15AM and rode 39.4 miles. 90% of my ride was fighting a nasty 15mph crosswind or headwind so my avg speed suffered compared to what I've been doing for a while. Some sections of the ride I swear I was fighting 20mph gusts. One small downhill area where I typically get up to 23/24mph, I couldn't even get up to 16mph.

Saw a few deer and was very cautious as those rascals can jump right in front of you...made me a bit nervous but they never did try to cross in front of me--unlike about a week ago when several bolted across the road but were far enough ahead, and with my slowing down, it wasn't an issue.

26 miles over the weekend, 33 for the month .

Did my third Mountain Mama ride in Monterey VA:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/206661563

I was only planning to maybe do the 70 mile ride, but I ended up doing the 100. This is only my 4th century ride since being off the bike for 2 months because of surgery, and the other 3 were pretty flat, so I expected to suffer, and I did. Overall though I am pretty satisfied that I lived :)

70.2 on Saturday @ 15.3. It was a pretty warm ride. Followed with 57 yesterday, at about 15.7 I think

Just another hot and humid 30 miler at the MUP today. Other than a buck running across the road, in front of me, there was nothing out of the ordinary on this ride. I see plenty of doe but seldom get to see a buck. I think tomorrow will be a no ride day so I can try and finish working on getting the van modifications completed.

A 30+ mile cruise through the backroads for coffee and pastries at the Kolache Factory on the mountain bike with Apache began the day, then we did an 18 mile road ride on the FG to have a nice Mexican lunch at a local carniceria. Its just too nice a day to take anything serious today but its perfect to spend time with a friend doing nothing important......

Today's ride was 28ish miles around Great Moose Lake up in Maine. I'm visiting my friend Beth for a few days and she mapped out a route that took us on paved roads, dirt roads and atv trails. There was quite a bit of climbing, but thankfully it was mostly on the dirt roads and not on the atv trails. And, happily, a couple of the nice downhill stretches were on the atv trails so I was able to really see just how well my bike performs on the rough, more technical stuff. It just sucks those bumps up, yeehaw!
It was the longest mtb ride of this year, and I am tired, but not toasted.

Just a 10 mile jaunt around Newport Harbor back bay. Path on flat terrain, on road bike.

Rode a bit early today, had a good moderate effort workout. Mild temps, 81*F for the ride and cloudy so none of lod sol beating down, as usual the thunderstorms came in around 1200 and are threatening again. Rode to beat the second group's arrival.

Welcome Wallyhenry, hope you enjoy BF and especially the 50+ forum. Be sure to visit the stickie thread for 50+ cyclist and give us your information.

Bill

23 miles with a riding friend I haven't seen for two years. A nice ride and a good visit with a good guy.

250 miles MTD.

25 miles on what I call the river ride, all by myself. It's down to the KY river and back home. Took a side road I'd not been on before that took the ride to the next level. Hope to do it again tomorrow if the work gods are on my side.

12.2 @ 19.3 this morning before work.

20.5 mi @ 14.6 mph which is PB but off goal of 15 mph in first month of riding. Not likely to get the .4 more in just two days.

Commuted to work today...but my commuter bike is currently out of commission (having a new set of wheels built) so I rode my Cannondale. Between the much lighter/faster bike and the excellent tailwind, I cut 10 minutes off my one-way commute time!

22 miles no zing in the legs today, just spun the pedals, :(

Got in some time early this a.m. before work. Nice when the heat/sun/wind aren't conspiring to hurt the old body. 30/32.5 miles depending if the cyclocomputer or the GPS is the more accurate. Nice to get out just after the sun comes up.

Ride between thunderstorms again today, temp was 75 the entire time. Just barely beat the rain and the lightning.

Today's ride up in Maine was about 15 miles, starting on the road for about 5 miles to a local atv trail/bike trail - pretty smooth for the first mile, but then we turned off onto a true atv trail - rocks, roots, ruts. It was challenging but, oh so fun. I really got to see just how good the suspension is on this bike. We eventually had to start to climb, being Maine and all, and there were a couple of spots that were just too steep & rocky and I had to get off to push, and to catch my breath, but the reward was some nice long downhill stretches.
We did some exploring, and almost ran over a good sized snake, and eventually ended up on a logging road that brought us back to the paved road for a quick 1/4 mile back to the house.

Rode to work today. Then rode home. 20 miles.

41 miles today.

Loosing 35 lbs changes riding so much, it's suprising. Having a new 22 lb "rain" bike that is almost as fast as my best bike, instead of the old favorite rain bike that was 30 lbs is nice too. I guess it's fair to say on a rainy day ride I lost 35 lbs + 8 lbs = 43 lbs. The new salmon brake pads on the rain bike stop just as well in a downpour as on a dry ride. How could life be any better?

I did 40 miles (ish) on Sunday.

16 miles Sky Ride which is an organised ride run by British Cycling and Sky plus 10 miles each way to the venue and back.

Plus a few miles thrown in for getting lost on the way home, well not lost but taking a wrong turn and then trying to work out how to get back to the right path.

First time taking the Fallowfield Loop Line (http://www.sustrans.org.uk/sustrans-...field-loopline) on my own having done it in the company of someone who knew where he was going so next time it will be a smooth run home.


We were reliably informed by the ride leader that the route was fairly flat, flat? Umm more like nice rocky, steep slopes and hills to get us blowing and pushing our bikes up , shame yeah I know, so now I now how much work I have to do to make the hills the next time I go on the ride in September lol.

Oh and coming back completely plastered in mud and the gorgeous route by the river along great sandy paths, perfect mountain bike trails:)

But it was great fun and I cant wait till the next time, will try not to wear myself out the day before by going on a tough walk so am in top fettle to tackle the ride.


And the 32 miler I have booked soon as well. Plus the 8 miles each way to the venue lol.

39.4 miles this morning in 2 hours 9 min.