never say sorry for enthusiasm, fuggin' A!!!
It wasn't meant as a "gee this is easy", kinda dig... it's a hard ride no matter how you slice it.

cools man! its definitely a lot to like about the ride!
sometimes i just want to ductape roman candles to my chainstays and extend the wick up by my downtube shifters.

You got schooled by a bunch of old men.

I am an old man and I still take it to the hoop all the time.

Realizing that the DVP ride could be brutal on fixed (75KM, halfway uphill and if there's a headwind on that uphill half...) I've started training a bit to get in shape for it. You can totally forget you're going steadily uphill on the Don Valley rec trail until you turn around and start flying all the way back

And on that note, I'm not quite Donut material just yet. You guys have fun

It's not brutal at all. I've done it 2 years on fixed. Easily blow away geared bikes on the uphill sections. Especially the weekend warriors.

i've only done the 50k, but even with a strong wind the hills aren't bad

+1 agreed, I've done the ride once fixed (downhills sucked a bit, rest is fine) and once geared on platforms - that wasn't so bad, but I wasn't in nearly anywhere near the same shape as the fixed ride. The hills seem daunting, but they're not so bad - if there's a few of us doing it, we'll group-up and help each other up. I don't mind just pulling on that ride.

That being said, I'm going to assume the donut ride is a bit of a different league and I'll have my ass handed to me on a silver platter, but that's OK - I want the challenge and will do what I can.

Riding east across town today going TO work made all that "I hate headwinds" effort worth it... the tailwind coming home was insane.

From Whitby (Mary/Brock) to Queen/Roncesvalles (Hwy2/Kingston/Danforth/Parliament/College/Lansdowne then some sidestreets):

Top speed: 34.9mph
Average: 18.8mph
Time: 1:43:43
Total distance: 32.6 miles.

Fastest I've ever got home before, man that tailwind was incredible. It got a little shaky on Kingston Rd in Scarborough (around the Guild) when it was gusting crosswinds rather than behind me, but sheesh... fast as hell.

After moaning about the Rouge Hill so much, I decided to just stick it out and ride Hwy2 all the way to Kingston Rd/Danforth split, the hill isn't terrible, but I much prefer the scenic route - was getting a lot darker by the time I hit Pickering so I stayed on the main drag.

It's not that bad, except for the long decents like the one down to Don Mills. I've done the 75 twice fixed and last year on a geared bike. This year is the 25km for me as it will be a family event with the little one in the trailer.

Oh yeah, got accepted to Queens for the Technical Education Teaching Degree today.

Wooohooo!!!!

Right on. In all honesty I have no idea what the DVP is like since I haven't driven a car in about 5 years now so I have no idea how steep the DVP is or isn't. I'm stoked for it at any rate and I've been wanting to get on some 50km rides a couple times a week anyway so it all comes out roses.

Pyze - That's awesome, congrats.

I'm often in the Greenwood/Sammon area, if you ever want to hook up for a ride in the evening. Let me know. It's a fun ride, and it's not a race - just enjoy yourself. Are you doing the 75k route?

And yep - congrats Pyze, sweet news.

Thanks, very excited. Still hoping to get in to U of T.

I moving May 1st to Milverton and Linsmore, right around the corner from Greenwood and Salmon. We should hook up for some rides.

the Weakerthans were good tonight. I got a tshirt.

Yeah I'm planning on the 75 with you and whoever else is coming out. I've got no plans to hammer it I just got stupendously out of shape over the winter from slowly cruising around on studded tires and I'm trying to get it back. 10 kilometers a day at slow snow speeds does absolutely nothing for your endurance...

And definately we should get together for a ride in the evening. When I'm not at my girlfriend's I live at Danforth just past Linsmore so that's within a minute bike ride from Sammon.

no, I got schooled by a bunch of old men, in tights.

ps. either roadies do early morning training rides along the waterfront or a lot of people drive their business attire to work on mondays and ride light-weight the rest of the week. also, the road beside ontario place is already ripped up! it was weird to take the twisty sidewalk path detour - first time i did that in years. wonder how long until someone ends up in the drink due to overshooting a corner?

So it looks like I will be in Kingston for 6 weeks this summer at Queens.

You will love it! So sleepy in the summer and the road rides are second to none. Congrats on that program. I was on the Queens triathlon team when I was there.

I just saw Keith's new bike - it's ****ing RIDICULOUS. Absolute top shelf bike pr0n.

details....

2009 Major Jake. Took off a bunch of stock stuff for some upgrades. Ultegra shifters, OCCTO carbon bar, Thomson Elite X2 Stem, Specialized Toupe saddle and DT Mon Chasseral wheels. Putting on a Thomson post when I figure out my position a bit better..not sure if I need a setback or not. I just came in from her shakedown cruise and I am verry happy. 19.2 POUNDS OF CROSS RACING, CAR CRUSHING FURY!!!

All my other bikes are Single Speed...I swear!

Are those Paul brakes? Is the 19.2 with or without pedals? That's a really nice build, BTW...but no Campy?!?

I like the KORE brakes that came stock so I kept em. 19.2 with my 1st gen ATAC's and cross tires. For what I paid, to change everything to Campy, didn't make sense. But owing to my superstitious nature, and belief that all bikes should have at least one Campy bit, I pulled out an reaaaly vintage set of Campy water bottle cage bolts I had saved and installed em in place of the alloy ones. I could have saved 5 grams!

It's a beautiful bike. Have a blast on it.