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Your Weekend Ride Reports - EASTER!
The Easter holiday is about to begin!
Tell us about the cycling events you're planning to do ... and then what you actually do. :) Are you doing a short tour? Participating in an event? Doing several long solo rides? Post pics if you've got them! https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...61345703bb.jpg |
Lots of riding this long weekend.
Thurs: rode 25mi with a few friends from the bike shop that had the day off. Fri: rode mostly the same route with my GF but took a few different roads she likes better. I was on my CX with 28mm slicks (and only 46t big ring) and she was on her tri bike so she dusted me pretty bad on the downhills. bummer was she lost her saddlebag and we couldn't find it when we went back to look. (river ferry isn't running yet ;) ) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...5.png~original Sat: bike shop ride.. did 43mi with 3 other guys. we had a pretty steady pace and the temps warmed up quicker than I thought once the sun came out. |
62 km new loop this morning. Very challenging/rewarding with lots of climbs and descents. Some parts next to lakes and rivers.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...psu035d3c9.jpg |
After a week when I found it hard to ride—time constraints and fatigue—and every ride was interrupted with at least one mechanical failure, it was finally Saturday, my one day off. I ran some errands, dropped my car off at the shop, and headed out from the dealership on my bike.
As soon as I swung into that 20 mph headwind, I knew what I was in for. I had barely eaten all day, I hadn’t slept enough ... but if I didn’t ride at least some miles today, I would be facing a second week of too-short rides squeezed into too little time. To what I choose to call my credit, I didn’t quit—I didn’t take the first several cut-off back to my home. I only managed 20 miles—at 1.5 mph less than my monthly average. All in all it was a miserable time—except for the part about me riding my bicycle, which makes almost everything at least okay. I know most of you did 20-mile warm-ups before you centuries and averaged 21 mph because you decided to do the slow instead of the fast group ride. Good for you. Good for me too. I am exhausted and sore and borderline dehydrated and really glad I got out even for a miserable ride. If nothing else I have lowered the bar, so my next several rides are bound to be better. |
70 miles with 6800 meters of climbing, way too much of it in excess of 18%, with the local club. 260 miles for the week and my feeble, old legs are toast. Can't wait for tomorrow's fast 50 miler... seriously, I love this abuse. At 57, I laugh at all my friends who golf.
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Thursday: 60kms on dirt roads, MTB.
Friday: family meeting, 5kms errands, hybrid. Saturday: 211kms on paved roads, road bike. |
43.5 miles at 17.9mph. 25mph headwind for 15 miles made it rough, but it was nice and sunny.
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Quick summary ... more detailed report to come.
This weekend was a 5-part saga. Part 1 - Cycle a 300 km randonnee. Check! Completed on Good Friday. Rolled in at 11 pm - 17 hours of cycling. Part 2 - Support riders on 300 km randonnee. Check! Completed on Saturday. We saw them off at 6 am, napped, then headed out to find them on the road. Park 3 - Cycle a 200 km randonnee. Check! Completed today ... about an hour and a half ago - 12 hours and 11 min of cycling. Part 4 - Relax. Commenced now. Part 5 - Do some route checking for 400 km randonnee. We'll do that on Tuesday and it will be done by car. So ... 500 km of cycling in just over 60 hours ... with a day off in between. :) |
1.7 miles with the kids. We hit two parks and played some tag. Average about 5 miles an hour, my 4 year old's pace.
The weather was great today, and I did 20km to some park in the woods/less mountains, and saw all kinds of guys on bikes. My wife told me next time we go to that park to meet her friend I can ride my bike and meet them. It's a really fantastic looking ride. |
Sun: 22mi on the CX bikes with a friend from the shop. Nice easy recovery pace with some dirt road sections to mix it up.
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Saturday - I took out two of the bikes. It was cool and windy all day though. First I took out the Greg LeMond Ventoux for a little over 40 miles. Pace was slow for me but to be expected with the winds. I do love how this bike handles the rough roads though, so comfortable.
http://www.pbase.com/jhuddle/image/165115078.jpg Then I jumped on the, new to me, 1987 Waterford built Paramount for it's first test ride. Took it a little over 10 miles. I managed a few fast miles in the beginning but then the legs were done from the earlier windy ride and the fact that I was riding back into a very strong headwind. I need to do some work on this one.... http://www.pbase.com/jhuddle/image/165285466.jpg |
Saturday I went to Picnic and Davis Is. for 40 miles. Still nice weather, but there are hints we are on the doorstep of FL Summer. Easter Sunday we host a big brunch for family and friends, so no riding today. My weeknight rides are on hold for a bit while I incorporate a rescue dog into my routine.
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82 miles yesterday and 47 miles today.
It was 89° here on Long Island.... That's nuts. |
Two good rides totaling 102 miles and 7700' for the weekend.
Yesterday was a run up Bear Mountain then the other long-ish climbs of the local Gran Fondo course before a bonus run up and down Bear again. Forgot to turn Strava on until getting to the top of Bear the first time, and bummed about not getting to see how what felt like a good pace compared to previous attempts. I'd joined two other guys for the ride, and even though we had rather different skills and strong suits and our paceline technique was crap, we managed to stay more or less together the whole way. We stopped for a huge breakfast before the final assault on Bear and all in all had a good time - mostly laid back, with just a couple of uphill attacks and downhill bombs thrown in for good measure. Today was a slightly more spirited ride up to Nyack for Pie. Totally different group - four others at the start, then along the way we invited someone new (whom none of us knew) to join us a few miles in. We'd gotten underway at a much more brisk pace than I normally would have been comfortable with, but fortunately I'd already warmed up with a few hundred feet of climbing and hurrying on my way to the start. Having 11 hours sleep last night helped as well, I think. :) The rest of the way up was kind of inconsistent, pace-wise - there was some hammering and some casual cruising, but no one seemed quite committed to either. However, since nobody promised or had much reason to expect either, I think a good time was had by all. We certainly all enjoyed the stop for pie. We stayed more or less together for most of the ride back, but fell apart about 5-7 miles from the end. I'd spent all my bullets attacking some of the longer ramps, including the last one of the route, so after everyone caught up when things leveled off, I couldn't keep up with the time-trial pace they wanted to make. The stranger who'd joined us cramped up shortly after that, too. Ironically, fly-bys indicate that the guy we'd kept dropping before managed to stay with the remaining three until the end, and did a bit of dropping the others himself before it was over. If we're throwing Friday in as well, it was a short work day, so I managed to have a bit of fun on a Citibike riding down to the West Village before work for a run up Perry-Roubaix (cobbled segment of Perry Street), and again in the afternoon for a loop around Washington Square before heading up to Port Authority. Couldn't have asked for a nicer day. Actually, couldn't have asked for a nicer weekend. |
Sunday - Took out two bikes again. Today was Paramount day. So first of was a 25 mile ride on the Waterford Paramount. Warmer than yesterday and the wind wasn't too bad for once. This was the first full ride on this one. It went very well. I fixed the minor RD problems from yesterday and flipped the stem over so that the bars were much lower and where I needed them.
http://www.pbase.com/jhuddle/image/165285466.jpg Then I went home and grabbed the PDG Paramount for another 25 mile ride. This one felt faster on the same route but much harsher. Winds were now a good bit stronger but I did manage to hold a better overall pace than I did on the other one. I think I'm going to put a new chain on this one. It's got a Sachs chain and it's noisy. Seems to have some resistance too. http://www.pbase.com/jhuddle/image/165104781.jpg |
Those belong in the "Hot or Not" thread. ... on the Hot side.
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Friday: Got in a short loop with one decent climb. Storms were predicted for late afternoon, but they missed us and did not arrive until late evening. There was a bit of rain, but nothing too crazy. Total: 21.5 miles, 838 feet.
Saturday: I stayed away from the country roads due to more storms in the forecast; a few were popping up to the south. I ran errands on my bike, though: 5.7 miles. Sunday: I met up with a new (to me) group for an easy Spring ride. It was a fun group, and I'll probably ride with them again. The route was further north than I usually ride, through some farmland with very nice views of the bluffs. It was nice to see some different areas, and I'd probably get lost trying to get out there myself! The group ride was 38.4 miles, and I added another 19.4 riding to and from the ride for a total of 57.8 miles, 1,640 feet elevation. |
Friday I got in a 25 mile ride, little windy but it was a great ride. No riding Saturday it was a busy day with my sons soccer and I spent some time cleaning the bike and adjustments where needed. Easter was a great day. Nice and warm not really any wind to think of. Headed out and was shooting for a specific route and figured it would be pretty close to 50 miles, clocked out at 48.9 miles. Longest ride I have done in a long while, since my neck re injury. I felt really strong and my pace was up for all but the last 3-4 miles.
Seriously have not felt this good on the bike in a couple years anyway. Have some pain in neck and shoulders, been the norm for a long time despite what I do or don't do. The big lesson is I'm going to hurt and I'm going to be sore but I'm not giving up on life's pleasures like cycling. I have another ride I have not done in a while that I'm setting my sights on by the end of April. its close to 80 miles so if I can get back to my pre injury distances I will be very happy. |
Originally Posted by jamesdak
(Post 19515759)
Sunday - Took out two bikes again. Today was Paramount day. So first of was a 25 mile ride on the Waterford Paramount. Warmer than yesterday and the wind wasn't too bad for once. This was the first full ride on this one. It went very well. I fixed the minor RD problems from yesterday and flipped the stem over so that the bars were much lower and where I needed them.
http://www.pbase.com/jhuddle/image/165285466.jpg Then I went home and grabbed the PDG Paramount for another 25 mile ride. This one felt faster on the same route but much harsher. Winds were now a good bit stronger but I did manage to hold a better overall pace than I did on the other one. I think I'm going to put a new chain on this one. It's got a Sachs chain and it's noisy. Seems to have some resistance too. http://www.pbase.com/jhuddle/image/165104781.jpg |
Originally Posted by FeltF2Tarmac
(Post 19516055)
Two very beautiful bikes, I really like the yellow one. Great answer to a problem of owning two bikes like that. Ride them both and back to back no less.:thumb:
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Double post somehow reposted my previous comment.
I guess if you have two many it could be a long day going back to back. Lol. |
And today ... we walked!
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Just a couple rides out over the weekend for me. 16 miles after work on Friday. Saturday was a day with the kids (well, the youngest as the oldest is now "in love" so I don't get to see much of her anymore.) Sunday between church and dinner I snagged 12 miles.
Sunday was horrible and wonderful. Headed out into the wind, on my hybrid, and was held to about 10 mph pedaling like crazy on downhills. The pleasure was hitting the pretty flat state road on the way back cranking up my hybrid out at 24 mph with barely any effort. Pretty darn windy day. I didn't even feel any wind on the way back hitting me from the front until around 17-18 mph. |
60 Miles / 3,300 feet Saturday AM
18 miles / 1,000 feet on Saturday PM |
Originally Posted by Lrdchaos
(Post 19513936)
43.5 miles at 17.9mph. 25mph headwind for 15 miles made it rough, but it was nice and sunny.
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Campbell Town Canter – Easter Adventure Weekend
300K & 200K This weekend was a 5-part saga. Part 1 - Cycle a 300 km randonnee. Completed on Good Friday. Rolled in at 11 pm - 17 hours of cycling. So ... 500 km of cycling in just over 60 hours ... with a day off in between.Part 2 - Support riders on 300 km randonnee. Completed on Saturday. We saw them off at 6 am, napped, then headed out to find them on the road. Park 3 - Cycle a 200 km randonnee. Completed on Sunday. Rolled in at 12 hours and 11 min of cycling. Part 4 – Relax … plus a little walking. Part 5 – Route checking for the upcoming 400 km. ***** We rode the 300 km as a Vollies ride on Good Friday to check the route and so that we could support the riders on Saturday. We were fortunate to have a clear day with sunshine, and then later a near-full moon and lots of stars. We had a start temp of about 5C, a high of about 17C, and then a chilly night. And wind … we did, of course, have some wind. I’m not a morning person, but chose a 6 am start because I like starting just before sunrise. There’s something about starting in the dark and riding while the sky gets light which I enjoy. And a randonnee is pretty much the only time you’ll see me up at that hour! We cycled through a patch of fog at the bottom of small valley and then round a round-about and onto a lovely, scenic, somewhat hilly road heading south. It’s autumn and the leaves are turning, so we had the beautiful colours of the leaves and the orange of the sky at sunrise. When we topped the little hills, we caught views over the valley toward the mountains. And partway up one of the hills, a wallaby leapt out of the undergrowth and hopped up the road in front of me for a while. We sailed through the little town of Longford and onto roads which remind of me of some of the cycling I’ve done in the UK with hawthorn hedges on either side. There’s a little wooden bridge we needed to negotiate on foot, and then we were onto the long road down to Campbell Town. On the map, the road looks as though there are many intersections by the number of 90 degree turns along the way, but instead the road just follows property boundaries. Stay on the paved road, go straight through the few intersections there are, and you’ll be right. The road starts reasonably flat and gets hillier toward Campbell Town, but the really nice thing about that road is the lack of traffic. We had a quick stop in Campbell Town and travelled up the Midlands Hwy to the turn that would take us out to St Marys. The last time we cycled to St Marys, there was hardly any traffic on the road at all. This time it was really busy … just about bumper to bumper campers, large 4WDs, and SUVs pulling boats and caravans and all travelling between 80 and 100 km/h. We figured the whole of Launceston had headed out to the east coast. Fortunately there is something of a shoulder for much of the way, but nevertheless the constant traffic became somewhat annoying. We needed the break in St Marys! Traffic was a little lighter on the way back to the Midlands Hwy, especially as we went further along, but let’s just say there were all sorts of odd people behind the wheel on Good Friday! Another strange thing about that road are the signs. As you leave St Marys, the sign tells you that Fingal is 20 km away and Avoca is 48 km away. When you leave the dot-on-map town of Fingal, the sign says that Avoca is 20 km away. So there you are, at about 23 km from Fingal wondering where on earth Avoca has gotten to! The whole town couldn’t have gotten up and moved while you were eating ice cream in St Marys, could it? The sun was just going down when we reached the Midlands Hwy and fortunately the traffic there was not too bad. Everyone was up the road on the east coast! About 10 km later, we turned a corner and were back onto the very-quiet back roads. We had stopped just before we made that turn, and someone pulled up to see if we were all right. He said he was a cyclist too, and just wanted to check on us since we were out there after dark. That was nice. Onward into the quiet part of the night and this was when the wildlife started coming out. A pair of possums over here, wallabies over there, a white rabbit hopping across the road … was that the Easter Bunny or were we suddenly part of Alice in Wonderland … and a white owl standing in the middle of the road. And the twanging! The fields on either side are fenced and the sheep sometimes lean up against the fences so as we cycle past, they run away and their wool catches on the fence a bit which makes the wires twang. At times, it’s a wallaby coming through the fence then changing direction as we approach. At first it was startling, but after a while I got used to it and just readied myself in case a wallaby did suddenly appear on the road. Back to the wooden bridge, back through Longford, and back to the start via the slightly less hilly road … and we were done before 11 pm! I felt great! I felt like I could have kept going! Until about 5 minutes after we had stopped when all of a sudden, a massive wave of nausea took over. We figured we really hadn’t eaten enough. I hadn’t felt particularly well to start the ride and hadn’t been eating when I should have been, then didn’t eat much during the ride. I’ve discovered that on long rides, I’ve got a small window of opportunity when it comes to eating. If I feel hungry, I must eat at that moment. I’ve got about 10 minutes to work with. If I don’t eat in those 10 minutes, I’m really not hungry anymore and it’s a struggle to eat … and then it’s a downward spiral. We think this is what happened. We got into our cabin, showered, and I forced down a really tasty chicken soup … and went to bed. ***** 4.5 hours later, we were up again, gathering documents, and stumbling out into the cold darkness to meet the three brave riders who were about to tackle the 300 km and get them on their way. It was cold! One of the riders told us later that his thermometer read -2C at one point that morning. After seeing Paul, Holly, and Mike on their way, we headed back to bed to catch up on some sleep. Several hours later, we set off in the van to find the three. Fortunately Paul had a spot tracker so we had a pretty good idea where he was, and since we drove the route backward, we were pretty sure the others were behind him. We set up in a convenient spot, and within the space of about an hour and a half, all three came by. Then it was time for dinner … time for us to build up some strength for tomorrow’s ride! And back to the finish to await the arrival of the riders, all of whom finished the event in really good time. Congratulations! ***** For the third day in a row we were up before dawn, and on the road again at 6 am. This time we were riding 200 km with a rider visiting from Victoria, Helen. This was the warmest morning of the three, starting about 7C and warming to nearly 20C, but we had a fairly strong north wind. The route took us to Longford on a different road from the 300 km for some variety, but then the rest of the way to Campbell Town was the same as the 300 km. Across the wooden bridge, and down the long road that starts relatively flat and then gets hillier as we get closer to Campbell Town. That north wind pushed us all the way and we arrived in Campbell Town with a decent amount of time banked … and we needed it. The next part of the route headed north, on a different road, to Cressy … straight into the wind. That was a slog! I kept trying to push it a bit and keep my speed over 15 km/h so we wouldn’t lose any time, but there were places where it was difficult to pedal that quickly. Helen had gone on ahead of us after Longford, but we caught up with her in Cressy and more or less rode with her the rest of the way. After a quick, but much needed break in Cressy, we were back into the wind again. By the time we got to Bracknell, the flaw in my training plan had made itself evident. I needed to have done more core work. My back was so sore and cramping. At times I wondered if I were trying to pass another kidney stone. Other times it felt like my whole spine was trying to escape and go lie down somewhere. By the end of the ride, I hurt from my right shoulder all the way down to my right hip. Yep … before the next big ride, I need to start focusing on my core. Fortunately soon after Bracknell, the road turns and starts to make its way toward Westbury. I don’t know if the wind died a bit by then or if it was the trees, but despite the fact that the route became a little hillier, our progress felt easier. Maybe it also had something to do with the fact that, for reasons I don’t entirely understand, I really like that particular road. I enjoy riding it. When we reached Westbury, we all decided it was time for ice cream! That really hit the spot. :) On the main road, the distance between Westbury and Hadspen, the start/finish point, is about 20 km, but we were taking the back road … the scenic route! And we had about 40 km to go. The scenic route is also a little hillier just to provide a last challenge. However, accompanying the climbs were long, beautiful descents making it all worthwhile. We rolled into Hadspen after 12 hours and 11 minutes of cycling. Our 200 km was a little slower than others we’ve done recently, but not bad at all given the fact that we had ridden a 300 km two days before and given the wind we had to deal with. Congratulations to Helen who finished another 200 km in her quest to complete another Year Round Randonneur, and for whom this was her first interstate event. And then we rested! ***** A few additional comments … My usual randonneuring bicycle is undergoing some drivetrain issues and so I had to use my back-up randonneuring bicycle, the one I usually use for shorter climbing rides. We had adjusted the handlebars slightly to see if we could remedy a hand problem I was having, and it did help. I still want better gloves and will have to contemplate the handlebar area fit a bit more. In addition, I opted to use my winter cycling boots which have thicker soles and therefore at the 140 km point of the 300 km, we had to raise my saddle slightly because I started having knee issues. Raising the saddle seemed to solve the knee issue, but I wonder if the saddle and handlebar adjustments contributed to the back pain I was having. We will have to contemplate my whole fit on that bicycle. Core work is definitely something I’ll need to work on as we prepare for a 400 km in a few months’ time. And one other flaw in the plan … I was nauseated both morning and struggled to eat during the whole weekend. It didn’t dawn on me what the problem was until about mid-way through the 200 km. Before both rides, I had a milk-based protein shake. I’ve had them before but had them with lactaid tablets to neutralise the effect of the milk. This time I forgot to do that … oops! But setting those issues aside, I am thrilled to have completed 500 km in two rides in the space of 60 hours! |
I did my usual 25 mile route on Friday after work. I did a few hill repeats on Saturday morning, then took Mrs. Mag and new pup to one of her favorite spots for dinner, and stopped in at a new local brewery for a couple of pints.
Sunday I had nice 60 mile ride followed by pizza at the neighbors house cooked in his wood burning pizza oven. |
We've been walking since! But we're planning to get back on the bicycle again on the weekend. :)
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