Machka 

Tell us about your cycling this weekend and in the week to come.

Machka 

Saturday -- Completed our April 1 Petite Year Round Randonneur ... 100 km. Actually 101.5 km.

After yesterday's bad news about Mike Hall's death, I struggled to get on the bicycle and do this ride. So many feelings, including fear and "why bother".

Yesterday I had taken a long walk at lunch, when I found out, and raged at the injustice of it all. I swung between giving up cycling and taking up body building or something that wouldn't have me out on the roads ... and defying it all to continue to cycle. Long distance cycling is my sport ... I love it. It just really hurts when one of the long distance community is taken. And I think this one hit me more than it might have otherwise done because this is the second time in less than a month this has happened.

This morning, it was hard to get on that bicycle and the ride wasn't easy ... mentally or physically. But long distance cycling is my sport ... I love it ... and while I can still cycle, I just can't give it up.

So we completed the 100 km ride.

It seems like winter has begun here. We never had much of a spring or summer and only had a glimmer of an autumn. But now the temperatures are dropping and the wind has come up again. The temp started at 12C and got up to 17C, and as you can see by the wind chart below, it was windy!!

However, the wind wasn't quite so bad as it looks like it might have been. Because of the way the route travelled and the direction of wind, we had tailwinds much of the way ... until near the end.

There were busy sections, but fortunately the traffic was good today.

I'm not sure I'd want to do that route too often, but it wasn't bad. The ride actually went really fast. It's one of those routes where you're doing different things every few km. Kept things interesting! And I especially enjoyed the Middle Tea Tree Road ... it was a lovely, fast descent with a tailwind.


Distance: 101.5 km
Elevation: 719 m
Moving Time: 5:28:18
Elapsed Time: 6:03:36

Speed: Avg: 18.6 km/h | Max: 53.3 km/h
Heart Rate: Avg: 141 bpm | Max: 165 bpm

zymphad

Cold, slush on the ground. I am not cycling.

Jakedatc

Fri: weekly TGIF zwift group ride.. 23mi.

Sat: packing for sunday's 40mi dirt/gravel whatever ride. It is a preview of a Fondo that is May. Might be a bit wet after the rain the last few days.. hopefully the dirt roads get dried out a little bit today and tonight. Have my 28 slicks and 32 file treads mounted on wheels so i have choices. wet lube and ass saver on the CX bike all ready to go. Also did 5km on Zwift to get a Bobblehead screenshot

Homer Cooper 

Friday 3/31
Bike: Trek Émonda ALR 5
Distance: 41.2 Miles
Avg Pace: 14.4 MPH
Moving time: 2:51:55
Mostly flat county roads. Some hills

Saturday 4/1
Bike: Trek Émonda ALR 5
Distance 13.0 Miles
Avg Pace:13.7 MPH
Moving Time: 57:13

Bike: 95 Schwinn Classic Cruiser
Distance: 3.7 miles
Avg Pace:12.5 MPH
Moving Time: 17:49

kbarch

Today I headed out for an easy prelude to a planned big ride tomorrow - hadn't been on the roads (aside from Citibike) all week and felt like I needed to sort of loosen up after a strenuous leg workout at the gym at the end of the week.
Took the TCX, and rode a rocky dirt trail for a few yards before thinking better of it. As it happens, the most strenuous part of the workout had been an attempt to do some situps on a decline bench. Abs were a little sore to begin with, and they were NOT ready. As I leaned back, I could swear my abdomen was ripped open. Seems I pulled something. The initial pain was excruciating, and I was dizzy for a moment. Now a couple of days later, recovery seems to be coming along, but jerky stabilization moves on that rocky bit of trail were NOT fun. The point of the ride was just a sort of warmup, anyhow, so I continued on my easy way to the Market.
It wasn't very busy, but I did run into a couple of friends who'd just sat down for lunch. We had a nice chat and left together. Now, these folks are strong riders, and although they were, in their own way, taking it easy on the way back, I found myself working a lot harder than I'd intended to. Especially since I went out in street clothes on the fat tired CX bike.



That's me in the back in the April Fool's costume.

jamesdak 

Saturday - Another windy day....sigh..... Wanted to get some decent miles in today but waited pretty late for it to warm up and then realized how strong the winds were.

Took out the Maillot Jaune first. Did a little over 40 miles on it but the pace was down due to the wind. Beautiful sunny day though with really clear skies. The still snow covered mountains looked great against the deep blue skies.



Then I swapped out to the PDG Paramount and did another 25 miles. This bike can be brutal on the rough cracked chip seal roads. I need to take it into town one day and ride it on the smooth legacy path. Hard to hold speed on it since it's too busy beating you up.

GeneO 

35 mi on April 1 with an ave of 13.9 mph. It was sunny and a high of about 57. Road mostly paths along a river, which turned out to be a little unpleasant because of swarms of largish gnats. Felt like getting pelted by rain. But all and all pleasant.

Looks like a lot of rain this week and colder weather, so maybe I will just take my bike to work and ride 20-30 miles on-site after work, weather permitting.

smarkinson

Ex tropical cyclne Debbie dumped a crapton of rain so roads were blocked. They might be open now but I'll give it a few days to clear so Zwift it is for now.

JBerman

First ride out this morning after being off bikes for a few years. As I just got my used bike in the mail the other day I had to do a short test ride. Only 6 miles and an awful 15 mph (for me anyways). I haven't really done any cardio since I stopped cycling in 2014 so yea I'm out of shape. I planned on a group ride Monday and had to cancel as I quickly realized I need a few more days in the saddle to acclimate to a 28 mile ride at that same pace on C group. I used to hang with A on flats and always rode B with 19/20 mph avg. Baby steps I guess . Looking forward to tomorrow's ride

rgconner

Did the local bike trail for 30 miles. Felt really strong and did a 16.1 average despite the 9mph winds.

For once, I did the pulling on the paceline... @210 lbs I am like riding behind a bus!

Machka 

Sunday -- After a long sleep (end of DST ), we set off for a relatively short but hilly ride south of Hobart. Beautiful scenery, riding through the hills next to the coast.

It was, however, chilly! Temp started about 13C, crawled up to 14C and then dropped quickly to 11C. We had a bit of wind at first, but fortunately that died off toward the end. We did get some light rain as well, and I think the sun peeked out for all of about 5 minutes.

And the traffic ... good. Nothing to complain about.

The route also included a couple good sized hills and a multitude of smaller ones, so it was a challenge.


Distance: 68.8km
Elevation: 946m
Moving Time: 4:09:41
Elapsed Time: 4:55:13
Speed: Avg: 16.5km/h | Max: 46.4km/h
Heart Rate: Avg: 136bpm | Max: 162bpm

Machka 

Activity Breakdown
Walking Distance (km): 110.5
Walking Time (min): 1381.3
Cycling Distance (km): 1002.7
Cycling Time (min): 3231.8
Stairs Climbed Number: 116.0
Stairs Climbed Time (min): 92.8


Totals
Total Distance (km): 1113.2
Total Distance (miles): 691.7
Total Time (min): 4705.9
Total Time (hr): 78:25:54

JBerman

2nd ride today in years.. Same route as yesterday, except today I had a headwind ... Still managed to improve a little, 15.7 mpg avg. Plus it's 73 out right now vs yesterdays 55.

Doge

Son is home for spring break and mom and I got him to warm up with us. He road 10 min until be got our path blocked by an Ironman race. Junior wanted to go KOM hunting/local Strava house cleaning and left us.
My wife and I did a nice ~2hour hilly ride on a newly opened road that went through local hils with great ocean view. With all the SoCal rain we've been having, these traditionally brown and dusty hills are green with blooming wild flowers. The field my daughter used to play soccer on was being used for an equestrian event. It was a nice day and junior came home with his trophies. He is out for the ride today I started my wife riding on 3 years before we were married, then off to the airport and back to school.

Jakedatc

Sun: 44mi We did a preview ride of a partially dirt fondo that is later this summer. 38mi 2600' for the main ride (6 more seeing if i could go back and find my gf at the end) I started off too far back and had to weave through to get up to the front group.. didn't last long there and waited up for the 2nd group of 10 that stayed together the whole day. Rode my CX with 32mm filetreads.. Clement LAS. This was my first time on them and wow so smooth on the dirt and still felt good on the road. Probably could have dealt with my 28mm slicks but rain the last 2 days had me worried about mud but it ended up being dry. 50's most of the way... sunny and good to be outside.

pretty sure im going to want a very casual recovery ride tomorrow

zymphad

Made it out today, afternoon cleared up nicely. 36 mile ride. It was nice to affirm why I cycle, the scenery was great.

wipekitty

Friday and Saturday were nice...very nice.

Friday: Though my morning commute involved long underwear, the sun came out and temps rose to the mid-50s before my late afternoon ride. Yep, shorts. I did a favorite route heading over a hill and down to a village park, then back up the hill on a farm road. Total: 35.6 miles/1457 feet elevation, on the fixed gear.

Saturday: First ride in short sleeves since Fall! I headed out on the geared bike in search of some hills to take down. On my list: Sveum Ridge Road, a nice paved farm road with switchbacks and a section that's about an 18% grade. Fun!!! I got slightly lost out in the country, but an offline map app got me turned around. I don't get cell or data service out where I ride. Total: 55 miles/2829 ft elevation.

a1penguin

It was mid70s! After commuting to work three times last week wearing long pants and layers on top as well as toting the 10lb back pack, today was shorts, short sleeves and no back pack! Friday's 22 mile ride to work was 6-8 mph stead wind with lane changing gusts :-/ But I'll take as many 122 mile weeks as I can get.

Sunny CA was very wet this winter and cold, and when the weather was amenable, I was sick. Walking isn't the same as biking and that couch shaped home gym didn't help. Lots of work to get back into top condition.

kbarch

Yesterday was a mix of good and bad.
The ride to Bear Mt. and back was 76.8 miles, 4347' and the weather was quite nice - cool, but sunny in the morning, and scattered clouds and low 60's by the end. Saw LOTS of riding mates, but only briefly managed to get it together and ride with them. Didn't get up in time to ride to the planned start of the intended ride and failed to intercept them, and let a couple of riding mates pass as I (mistakenly) went slow thinking my group was behind (they were up the road already). About 2/3 of the way through the ride, a big group of the GFNY training rides came by with all my old teammates. I managed to hang with them for maybe four miles before getting a flat. Fortunately, I was just a few yards from a deli that had a perfect spot outside to sit and change the tube. When I finally made it to the top of Bear Mt, folks from the group I was supposed to have joined were waiting for the straggler who'd been with them from the start. The straggler was also very slow on the descent, I waited for him at a couple of spots, and eventually we rode together over Baby Bear and into the town where the group had stopped for a snack. We all left together, and managed to stay together (more or less) the rest of the way through the crappy segment of highway, but eventually broke up again. The couple of miles we managed to stay in a reasonable paceline were slightly nerve-racking (road was poor quality, and folks kept coasting), and then they got a little more aggressive than I wanted to, so I let them go. It didn't help that they leader kept choosing the crappiest highway route, too (they'd taken the back roads up). But the whole afternoon I was thinking "I've forgotten how to hold a wheel!"

bikecrate

Great weather again this weekend. Low 70's and very light winds. Saturday rode to Upper Tampa Bay trail for 40 miles. Sunday went to Picnic and Davis Is. for another 40 miles. The only notable event was a fellow cyclist who ran a stop sign almost causing a collision.