Finally got back on the road bike today. Haven't been on it in months because we'd been using the mtn bikes. 20 + miles on the Withlachochee from Holder to Inverness and back. Got out early so it wasn't too hot. Was pretty windy though and no matter what direction we went, we always seemed to be riding into it. Felt great to get my speed up to 14-16 mph (don't laugh!, I'm old and before my knee surgery I was only averaging about 10) Now, if I just could maintain that it would be great. Hubby says just more practice. Not sure that will happen before the next knee surgery though. Hoping to get the other one done late in the summer.

Tomorrow I think we'll get back on the mtn bikes. I really enjoy riding the some of the preserve areas...as long as there's not sugar sand. ;-)

Yep, Got out for the longest Mountain bike ride in about 5 years (got road bike in early 2007) 40 miles. Rode the 29'er today with friend for 20 miles where he went the other way to a friends house and I turned back. We started in Keystone Heights at the trail head for the Palatka Lake Butler trail then rode up SR21 to SR16. I think SR21 going north from Keystone is the hilly'est (not a word) road that I have ever ridden on (as an adult anyway). And like you said Linda seemed like I was riding into the wind the whole way... DOH!! 40 miles was for sure my limit today.. I haven't been riding much lately and it sure showed today. At about mile 30 I started thinking what am I doing lol. But at mile 30 I took a good break at the entrance to Goldshead State Park. (first pic) And then with about 3 miles to go (all of which was going to be straight into the wind I found this nice lil gazebo in Keystone heights by the post office. (second pic). Feel really good now glad I got out for a ride.

Love the bike.. the fit just seem really good. Hands are a bit sore but thats to be expected when I haven't ridden a mountain bike that distance in a LONG time.

Linda .. I don't know how tall you are but if your shorter like me the stand over height on the Vertex I got Is about an inch shorter than on the Trek/Gary Fisher that I test rode. That was one of the main reasons I went with the Vertex. That and it had good components for the price. ( I KNOW not the best but good)....

UPDATE: Just before bed got up from messin on the PC... and OMG got the worst leg cramp I have ever had. Thigh cramps suck!!! I almost never get cramps and yep I drank a lot of water before during & after my ride too... I just over did it a bit.....



5 bikes are tooooo many... I'm running out of rooms to put them in hahah. Gonna have to sell a couple of them soon.....

Really liking the bike so far. Now I just need to get out on some trails for a longer ride.... Crossing my fingers for a ride tomorrow!!!

Did 30 miles on the Specialized (which is still killing me -- the bike not the 30 miles) then drove to Washington, GA to visit friends.

Nice ride today on the mtn bikes. Went out to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and did about 8 miles. Took a couple of side trails we'd not been on before. Had to end up turning around as it got way too sandy and we weren't sure how far the sand went. This is a nice place to ride but the trails could be better marked. At least we had a tailwind on the way back.

oThis last picture is an area where there are some huge trees and at least a place to take a break out of the sun.
Here's a trail map if anyone is interested. The trailhead is really hard to find. There is nothing on the road showing it but it's behind the Pruitt Trailhead on 484 near the Dunnellon airport.

oops..sorry that was so big...
Linda

05/01/2011

Solo ride today.
Miles today: 43+
Mileage this month May: 43+ (I hate it when these numbers are so small)
Mileage this year: 3013+
Percent of 2011 goal achieved: 43+%
Over/under riding days 2011 vs. 2010: -4 days
Over/under miles 2011 vs. 2010: +372 miles
Average miles per ride this year: 38+ (best ever)
Average miles per ride this month: 43+
Miles needed to hit my 2011 goal of 7,000: 3986, and an 8,000 mile year (best ever) is not out of reach.

Very quiet ride today, loads of people on the trail but once I got out to the horse farms it was just me and nature. Just me the birds and the wind no cars no people. As I got back into town I rode by the sports complex where a rugby tournament was being played with teams from all over the eastern U.S. I stopped and watched for a few minutes. It sure pays to be in good shape if you plan to play rugby.

Tomorrow I plan to clean a very dirty bike and do some maintenance on it.

Well I tried to go for a ride today... I did manage about 4 miles on the trails before I just gave up.... NOT FUN!!

Linda I was out and about today on another errand and decided I would try the Orange Creek Restoration Area trails that you and your husband rode awhile back. They have messed up at least half of the trails (for riding a bike on)... Looks like they used one of those things that you tow behind a tractor with the circular discs (I think they are called a disc harrow). Picture 2 shows what they have done to a lot of the trails. In some of the areas I was able to ride along side the mess, but in others I had no choice but to try and ride through it. Anyway NOT much fun. Although the ride on the road back to the observation deck was pretty good.... After about 4 miles I just gave up and went home.

Pic 1 shows the lil guy checking out the map of the trails... LOL

I am so sorry to hear this! I did see some trails like that but we did manage to find others in that area that were rideable. We almost went up there today but decided to stick closer to home. Were you on the trails that were on the left or right of the observations tower? There were some in back of that area that led out to the river.

Linda

I went on some of the trails to the right of the tower. I was going to try to the left of the tower but went the other way first and got frustrated so didn't go back to try the other way. Some of the trails looked like they had used the harrow on awhile ago... so they were somewhat rideable but more work than fun. The trails that went through the plains with the tall grass they were ok... but not really anything to see and all out in the sun. It would have been MUCH better if they had just used a bush hog and cut all of the stuff on the trails, instead of doing what they did. I think (looking at the map) that I made it back to the start of the yellow trail but it was more of the same with the trail all plowed up so I just headed back to the parking area.

I wonder if the other half of the restoration area (the one you have to get to from the other road) is the same way? I might have to check that out one of these days.

On the plus side..... the 29'er does seem to go through the soft stuff a bit better than the 26'er.... Still a pain in the soft stuff..... but maybe just a bit less of a pain.. hahaha

I'm glad to see everybody out and riding!

Our local club did their annual charity ride Saturday. I decided to do the 42 mile route, as I was taking my new bike out an wasn't sure when I'd finish. So I get up early, ride 8 miles to the park where they're starting, and we're off by 7:30. I did 42 in about 3 hours and a few minues, eat some jumbalaya, and head back home. I don't have any pictures during the ride, I still need to get an on-bike camera or something, because I'm always having too much fun riding to stop and take a pic. Ended up getting 58 miles or so total for the day.

Hmmm I remember you mentioning that you were going to get a new bike because I think I mentioned I was getting one also. But I didn't know that you already got it... Pictures? Is that the new bike in your signature? ..... sigh.... im lost

I didn't feel tired today so did an extra lap around Stone Mountain.

Rode last six days in a row Upper Tampa Bay Trail finally able to access the 6th cog (smallest) in the rear cassette that came with the SuperSport after adjusting the placement of the front and rear derailleurs. It has been years riding with only the five largest rear gears and not getting to that biggest little one. No thanks to the LBS or the internet whose techs know nothing about manual gear shifters and derailleurs. Luckily I kept an old bicycle book written by Richard Ballantine (Richard's Bicycle Book)from the early '70s and he has been my salvation. His instructions for adjustment on just about any kind of derailleur circa the mid '70's before all of this indexing s*it came along has my SS running like a top. On this book--it's very nostalgic to hear him describe "upper end" bikes costing over seven hundred dollars (!!!!!) Each of my past 6 rides approximately 20 miles in 2 hours. Not my usual road speed which is closer to 14 mph but headwinds have been significant here in Tampa recently and there are some hills on this trail. Otherwise wonderful cycling weather, hot but very dry conditions....

05/03/2011

Solo ride today. One ride partner out of the country the other one had to work.
Miles today: 45+
Mileage this month May: 88+ (I hate it when these numbers are so small)
Mileage this year: 3059+
Percent of 2011 goal achieved: 43+%
Over/under riding days 2011 vs. 2010: -4 days
Over/under miles 2011 vs. 2010: +398 miles
Average miles per ride this year: 38+ (best ever)
Average miles per ride this month: 44+
Miles needed to hit my 2011 goal of 7,000: 3940, and an 8,000 mile year (best ever) is not out of reach.

Very quiet ride today, just did the Deer Path ride.
Tomorrow I plan to ride solo again.

Yep.. A wee small ride to the post office and CVS... About 7 miles I think.. On the new bike..

Yep... 14.85 miles 6 or so on the trails & the rest on the pavement. On the 29'er again. The last 6 miles to home on the pavement I had a bit of a headwind. Good ride though.... it said 79 at the hardware store when I was almost home.

I rode the power lines in the picture for about a mile to where the Florida trail crosses them & then I road the FL trail back to the road (SR20).

wow, that looks like my kind of trail! One of these days we will have to get up that way. My ride today was in the gym again on the spinner. 16 miles today. At least I am hoping that I am building stamina. This weekend hubby and I will be rving at Paynes Prairie St Park so I plan on getting in lots of miles on some of the trails near there. We'll be close to the Gainesville/Hawthorne trail so we might get some riding in there.

When you guys get to the part of the trail where the old Cattle Ranch cabin is.... That's where I could not get un-clipped fast enough and fell 2 times in one day in the sugar sand (in the same spot) LOL ...

Yep, I think you guys would really would like some of the trails around there. If you start off at the Rice Creek Conservation area west of Palatka on SR100 you can get a pretty long ride in. https://www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguid...eek/index.html You can hook up to the Florida trail (not a designated bike trail) and ride all the way over to SR20 (and beyond if you want a longer ride). And right in the middle check out the over 1000ft boardwalk (have to walk your bike across it, resting bench right in the middle). I usually stand my bike up on the back wheel and walk it across that way.

Another place you guys might really like to ride is Etoniah Creek State forest. https://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/etoniah_creek.html .. Although technically they aren't bike trails either... I have ridden the trails from the entrance on SR100 (south side). And I have rode the trails from the northern entrance (the one you get to going north on Coral farms road. One of these days I want to ride from one entrance to the other, when I can con my friends into it.. Some single track that is pretty fun a bit of of sand and logging roads. But not really a whole lot of sugar sand. (the last time I was out there anyway).

Today’s ride was pretty uneventful, for the first 35 miles I rode by myself. Did my usual Panera stop for a coffee and Pecan Twist (needed a change from the usual bagel). Headed on out to Deer Path then back to the northern trail head. Ran into Phil who I ride with when he is not in Miami taking care of his aging mother. It was good to see him and spend some time with him.

05/05/2011
Solo ride today. One ride partner out of the country the other one had a Dr appointment.
Miles today: 50+
Mileage this month May: 139+ (I hate it when these numbers are so small)
Mileage this year: 3169+
Percent of 2011 goal achieved: 44+%
Over/under riding days 2011 vs. 2010: -4 days
Over/under miles 2011 vs. 2010: +423 miles
Average miles per ride this year: 38+ (best ever)
Average miles per ride this month: 46+
Miles needed to hit my 2011 goal of 7,000: 3890, and an 8,000 mile year (best ever) is not out of reach.

Tomorrow I plan to ride solo again.

From the looks of things around here I might have to get a mtn. bike. Looks like all of the rodies have left except me.(slospoke looks around for some help)

LOL..... My road bike is looking a bit neglected since I got the new bike. But you know how it is when you get a new toy...

Hmmm Just realized... I think I'm the only one that will post in both threads "why I didn't ride" & "did you ride today"..... ON THE SAME DAY... hahahah

Had to don a base layer undershirt for today's ride. It got down to 39 last night. It was only 55 when I left on the ride.
Did 30 miles. I must be getting a little stronger (but not faster ) because I was in a harder than usual gear for much of the ride and the big hill at Stone Mountain didn't seem as hard as usual.

Today’s sightings: Passed a female Seminole County Sheriffs officer riding on the trail today. First time I had seen this in all of the time I have spent on that trail. I had planned to ride more but the rain was on it’s way so I headed for home.

Statistics for: 05/06/2011
Solo ride today. One ride partner out of the country the other one was busy
Miles today: 39+
Mileage this month May: 178+
Mileage this year: 3149+
Percent of 2011 goal achieved: 45+%
Over/under riding days 2011 vs. 2010: -3 days
Over/under miles 2011 vs. 2010: +462 miles
Average miles per ride this year: 38+ (best ever)
Average miles per ride this month: 44+
Miles needed to hit my 2011 goal of 7,000: 3851, and an 8,000 mile year (best ever) is not out of reach.

Tomorrow I plan to ride, but I haven’t decided with who as of yet.

WOW.... I wish I had enough friends that rode that I could pick and choose which ones I want to ride with ... LOL ... Both friends that started riding with me awhile back are preoccupied right now. But.... The one friend did order his first pair of bike shorts the other day.. Soo maybe that's a sign he is going to ride more...

My choices are not that numerous. I was thinking of doing a social ride with the Freewheelers if my reglular riding friend could not meet up with me. Just getting a little bored riding by myself. Not really a fan of riding with a group, but thought I would give it a try.