yer saturday ride....
 

me:

57 easy miles, i almost hit a fish; one of the most scenic rides i've had:

http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f..._P1010043q.jpg
http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f..._P1010051u.jpg
http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...P1010068ac.jpg

you -> hopefully it was good...

I posted this in the southern california C-A-M challenge thread too. Sorry for the formatting, I don't feel like editing it.

Date of Ride: July 12, 2008
Type of Ride: Mixed (about 65 miles in a group)
Name of organized ride or route: Sisquoc Road Race "Practice" (with transit)
Actual Mileage: 124.89
Ride Time: 7:00:48
Total Time: 9:34:50
Avg. Speed: 17.8
Altitude Climbed: 9,572 (Edge 305, reported by MotionBased)
Weather conditions: started foggy by my house, but once I climbed over the mountains it was warmer in the inland valley, and got very hot (near 100) by the end. Calm in the morning, windy (mostly head/cross) on the ride home.

Synopsis of Ride: Rode out 30 miles over San Marcos Pass to Los Olivos to meet an Echelon valley ride to preview next week's Sisquoc course. After leaving home, I decided I wanted to see the lowest effort I could do Old San Marcos in with a time under 20 minutes (8% average, 1,200 ft gain in 2.9 miles - note that many people can't even do this climb in under 20 minutes) so I hit the lower sections fairly easily. Maybe a little too easy, as I eventually realized I wouldn't make time unless I picked up the pace. I gauged the remaining effort nearly perfectly, and finished in 19:54 with an average HR of 152 and a max of 167 (my LT is 165). I wanted to average over 20mph on the rollers after descending Stagecoach, so I made sure to keep my effort at a mid-aerobic level (142 average) and hit my goal with 20.2. I had allowed myself plenty of time to get to Los Olivos, so I of course was quite a bit early. Everyone else was getting dressed & prepped, and I was already ready, so I went over to a coffee shop around the corner to get a bagel & lox sandwich.

We rode out to the course fairly uneventfully, although the pace was difficult for many of the riders, so we had to regroup many times. Once to Sisquoc, we did two laps, starting and ending at the Sisquoc store. Sprinted at the "real" s/f line both laps, but went too early the first time. The second time I stuck to Bill's wheel, and Sean jumped too early but I follwed him. He faded and I passed him. On the remainder of the lap, Bill attacked before the turn onto Orcutt-Garey, and I tried to bridge but I waited too long and let myself get swallowed back up by the group. I "attacked" on the whoop-de-doo and gave Bill another run but he was able to hold me off, and I fairly easily held off the rest of the group. We regrouped at the store and weren't sure if we were waiting for the women or not. It was not clear whether or not they were doing one lap or two. After maybe 20 minutes, we figured they had already left, so we started back at a fairly leisurely pace. Eventually there were some "attacks" but Bill and I held the pace steady and eventually reeled them back in. We regrouped at the top of Foxen and got a call from the women that they were back in Los Olivos.

Back in Los Olivos for lunch, I got a smoothie at the coffee shop from the morning, and then met everyone at Panino. We all hung out for a while, but eventually I had to leave for the ride back home. My legs took a while to get going again, and I could feel that I was a bit (ok a lot) dehydrated. The rollers were really hard on me, but the final climb was ok, despite the persistent strong headwind (it was actually somewhat of a refreshing breeze, since it was so fricken' hot). When I got home I weighed myself and had lost about 7 pounds :eek:

Edit: I knew it would be hot so I had pre-hydrated and started the day 3-4 pounds heavier than "normal"

38 miles after work. i almost ran over a squirrel but it moved at the last second.

96 miles with a bunch of cx racers doing base miles.

107 km, pavement/dirt roads.

Only put in 20 miles but got my fiance out for her first ride over 10 miles since she got her bike a month ago.

i'm going to start posting my mileage in KMs so my ewang looks bigger.

We were up at 6 am, and on the road about 7:15 am to drive to Siffleur Falls. The drive was uneventful except for the multitude of deer, and the coyote who dashed across the road.

We set up our bicycles at Siffleur Falls (my father brought his Catrike) and set off about 9:45 am. I was able to get a picture of him at the top of the first hill, but then I picked up my speed a bit and slogged off into the wind to Saskatchewan River Crossing.

I didn't stop at SRC, but turned and cycled northward toward Jasper. Along the way I took a lot of photos ... until my batteries died, and although I tried all the batteries I had with me, nothing worked ... until the next time I went to take a photo and one of the first sets I tried worked. Odd. But it kept working till near the end of the ride.

I passed the Weeping Wall (yep, I got a photo, see attached), and discovered that to cover the distance I needed on that leg of the ride, I would need to climb toward the Columbia Icefields!! The road approaching the Columbia Icefields consists of an approx. 3 km climb, then a drop into the valley, a curve around a horseshoe bend ... and then the real climb. I just went as far as the top of the first climb, then turned around and headed down.

And I discovered why the ~30 kms to the turn-around-point had seemed strangely difficult. The terrain gradually climbs toward the Icefield from SRC, and I had a headwind all that time. I flew back to SRC in no time at all!

Just before I got there, I spotted a collection of vehicles stopped, and people wandering around in the road ... that can only mean one thing on the Icefield Parkway ... an animal. And it was a bear. I stopped and took a photo from a safe distance (I figured that if the bear got upset he could maul the people hanging over him rather than me), and then cycled into the SRC parking lot.

On the way to the toilet, I was amused by some tourists who seemed concerned about me being on my bicycle when there were bear around.

My father was at SRC with the van. He had cycled as far as SRC then back to where we were parked at Siffleur Falls (56 kms), then had driven the van to SRC to wait for me, and provide support if necessary.

I had a quick bite to eat and refilled my water bottles and headed off again ... south this time toward Banff. As the road leaves SRC, it goes downhill, then flat. That lasts for a total of 2 kms. Then it climbs and continues to climb for the next 16 kms. The first 8 kms is the steepest part, and then it goes into gradual climbs and false flats. After those 16 kms, it moves into flat punctuated with more climbs. And there was a headwind. Seems heading south, the terrain gradually climbs and the wind blows into SRC, just like when you head north. SRC is the hub!

My legs were TIRED when I got to the turn around spot, just past Waterfowl Lakes. Fortunately, I was headed downhill with a tailwind when I turned around, and cruised at 40 km/h for the last 10 kms or so ... trying to make up for the ages it took me to get up there.

Another quick bite to eat and I was off toward Siffleur Falls. My father drove the van there and waited for me. I had a blissful tailwind, and covered the 28 kms in just over an hour ... including a short stop to take photos of mountain goats. :)

And that was the ride! 162.3 kms in total.


(I will get the photos posted tomorrow.)

Almost hitting a squirrel I can understand, but almost tagging a fish is pretty awesome.

I only rode 12.6 miles because I forgot to take a Zyrtec and I could barely breathe by the end. My allergies feel like an asthma attack, it's great. After the antihistamine kicked in I did some hill repeats and a leg workout.

50 mile training ride. Felt strong, made the front group on both the out and the in legs. Did my share of work on the front. Didn't sprint for the inbound line; instead I tried to get off the front with a mile to go and see how far I could get before the bunch caught me.

On the way back, only a mile from my house I think, I got stung by a bee. I had to pull off and use my EpiPen. That hurt a hell of a lot more than the bee sting, but it saved me a trip to the ER.

... didn't happen, because it was rainy and stormy and very very unpleasant outside.
Still is (without the winds, now).
:(

....had a nice 35mile recovery ride up the coast....

After running errands all day I got in a 28 mile ride. But I fall down. Just a few scrapes and the brifters are scratched. That's what I get for being bothered by a minivan that would not pass me for 2 miles.

I rode the California Death Ride for the first time yesterday and finished all five mountain passes in 9 1/2 hours. The last pass, Carson, was interesting with the non stop hail that pelted all the riders for twenty minutes. It's listed at 129 miles but my Polar computer ended up with 121.5.

A friend and I got in 80 km (50 miles) yesterday. The first 45 km or so were brutal -- into a steady headwind of 35 km/h with gusts over 50 km/h. But the return leg of 35 km was sweet with that same wind behind us. We cruised quite easily at about 40 km/h and were making great time until the other guy got a flat. Luckily it was just on the edge of town, although it took our legs a few kms to get rolling again.

As we came into town the fuzz were sitting in their usual radar trap, so I dropped into my 50x12 and cranked it past them. But Cavendish I'm not, and my tired legs could only manage 57 km/h (35 mph) so I couldn't get them to bite. :p

Jason

30 Sat and 20 just now. Man, it sucks to get out of that warm bed on Sat and Sun at 6:30 but its well worth it after the fact.

I left at 6:30 am and it was already 85 and humid. We did 28 miles through the TN hills probably averaged 14 mph. The storms came in last night and it has cooled down but still raining here.

125 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing. AKA the triple bypass ride from evergreen co to avon co over Squaw Pass, Loveland Pass, and Vail Pass.
Other members of my club also added on a climb up mt evans for something like 150+ miles and 17,000 feet of climbing. Ack!

I am tired. Their ride makes me more tired thinking about it. However, these guys just rode the climb to kaiser so they are on a whole other level.

Saturday ride was 65 miles in IL. Flat to rolling terrain. 17mph average. 90 degrees and 95% humidity (never did get rained on, but rode several wet miles as it had clearly JUST stopped raining by the time we got there).

My Sat. ride was 32 miles at the Tour de Donut in Staunton, IL.

Triple ByPass was my ride also. Evergreen to Avon, CO. About 120 miles, over 10,000 feet of climbing. It is a great route, very hard cllimbs and lots of good riders. The Evergreen Cycling Club does a really good job of organizing and supporting this event. Their volunteers are just are very friendly and efficient.

Recovery ride today.

I rode 80 miles on Angeles Crest with Vertical Bob. Very little traffic, nice views, and about 8500 feet of gain.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...CF0895view.jpg

Did my 18 mile loop today, you guys make me feel like a wimp with all your centuries, etc., etc., I'm working up to higher mileage though and it is really hilly around here, very little flat. It was a good ride though, I felt good

~4000 feet of climbing, doing repeats of Mount Weather.

Here are the photos that go along with my century account above, in Post #8.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1430288...7606151284624/