DO IT!!!! :)

62.3mi/3:05hr this morning with the guys. :)

Good job Karen. Pretty hot pace too. I logged 58 miles with 3721' on the Wilderness ride out of Radford today. But the statistics don't tell the story, as its one of the nicest and most scenic rides I've done to date. The New River valley route which includes some of Daniel Boone's wilderness trail is absolutely gorgeous. Of course perfect weather always helps. And the organizational activity/support on this one was a model of excellence. You must put this one on the list for next year. I'll post some pictures after I get back.

No doubt tomorrow's MoM ride won't be as pleasant but, I plan on taking my time and enjoying what I can. Just wish they offered a metric version.

Well the rain has subsided some what here in Central FL so I got out this morning to try to get a good ride in. At about the 14 mile mark the storms rolled in and I did the last five and a half in a downpour. After being off for 5 days I must say I felt good and no knee problems today.

Todays ride 19.39 miles
Total this mo. 376.41 miles
Total this yr. 2354.59 miles

:cheers:

man I love to unexpectedly get caught in rain. I love the fact that people that see me think i am crazy and miserable... if they only knew. BUT, i do despise the subsequent bike maintenance! I don't envy you Jim for being in hot flat Florida. I moved here to the Smokies from Orlando about 15 years ago. My Father in law is a professor at Valencia west.

I am doing the English Mountain Challenge next Saturday http://www.englishmountainchallenge.com/
as i said before, my computer is gone so i am training on time. I went out yesterday for 4+hours. went hard for 2 and suffered nicely to reach the house. the route was hilly for the first half, a small mountain climb, followed by a hilly return. My body was fine strength wise but man i just felt achy, just wanted to get the heck of the bike( at about the 3/4 mark)
recovery ride today. my son donated his computer...fine time, would have liked to know yesterdays mileage!

I agree, I don't mind the rain but I sure hate the clean up afterwards. When I stopped at intersections today I could see people in their cages looking at me as if I were stupid for being out in this weather or looking at me with big sad eyes (oh look at that poor soul pity him).

Some days i wish I didn't have a computer on my bike It becomes a fixation with me and I am always scrolling through the features to check my progress. I am a numbers nut.

The English Mountain Challenge next Saturday sounds like a great ride. We will need a full ride report and pictures on or about next Monday:lol: Hope you have a good ride.

Do you get down this way to visit the father in law any?

:cheers:

30 miles today, not as fast as wolfpack... I must still be rocovering from that hillfest they call the Tour de Cure lol
Hi from the PNW by the way!

Reporters, para-normal investigators and ufoligists responded to a report this morning of a UFO over Clearwater, Fl. After intensive investigation, it was discovered that it was merely the sun!

YEAH!!! Sunshine!! We're gonna go ride our tandem! :thumb:

OMG when I started reading this I thought you had crashed and suffered brain damage. Glad to see the sun but I don't know how long it will hold here in Orlando. NASA has called off the shuttle landing due to rain off the coast. My daughter is driving over from St Pete and we are going to attempt to ride this afternoon.

Enjoy your ride.

:cheers:

As little as possible!( TOO FLAT teehee) The rest of my wife's family is in Tampa, so we only usually overnight in Orlando.
well either i jinxed myself or you did. I was in the rain for two hours this morning... and LOVING IT! Not so many on lookers here in the hills, at least no stops to receive actual gawks.
I did the English Mountain Challenge it's first year and have skipped it for the past couple to volunteer. It is pretty brutal to climb that thing after 85 miles of rolling. the side you ascend is actually tamer than the other side you descend (and i live on) but it's plenty steep.
If i am ever FORCED to stay longer than a night in Orlando i will let you know and maybe we can hook up

10 miles on my Diamondback Sorrento with my wife's cousin, Allen. Just eased it around town and checked out some of the annual Gullah Festival and visited my friend's grave at the National Cemetery.

The dog woke me up at 6:30am... I went back to sleep got up at 7:30am and seen something outside that made me wanna ride.... THE SUN... Got a 20 mile ride in on the G.ville Hawthorne trail. The 10 miles out was nice and cool, but as I was taking a break before the turn around I realized its REALLY muggy... lol First ride in 8 days.... And I could tell I had not ridden in 8 days too... GOOD ride though...

Two tandem rides in two days! Just 20 miles each, but it was nice to be out some each of the last 2 days!

Well it looks like the Florida folks are starting to get out again. My daughter came over yesterday from St Pete but she didn't feel up to riding even though it was a pretty good day here in central FL. She was feeling a little better today so got her out for a few miles. Bike is still dirty from last Fridays ride in the rain so I guess I should get off of this forum and go clean it up. I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day.

Todays ride 31.25 miles
Total this mo. 407.66 miles
Total this yr. 2385.84 miles

:cheers:

There are some good Rails to Trail in the Tampa area if you are ever in the area let me know and I will give you the info on where to go. We do have some hills out west of Clermont but nothing like the Smokies or the BRP. OMG I would love to do some riding in that area.

:cheers:

22 miles on my road bike through what we call the interior islands. Stopped and placed an old helmet on a friend's grave at the National Cemetery.

will do thanks

went out for a casual 20 today, nothing too hard this week in anticipation of Saturdays English Mountain Challenge. Felt really strong today after complete rest yesterday... but of course i got a flat half way out. well no, half way to half way. something cut the sidewall on front, so i headed back...easy, since the tube was peak-a-booing out the side. hey, anyone know if that can be rigged to ride with a patch, duct tape or some other material to prevent the tube from poking out. it is less than a half inch long and i really, REALLY hate the idea of trashing pretty new Michelin Pro Racers.

West Orange Trail today with my daughter. Just beat the rain home. Big line of showers on the way.

Todays ride 30.45 miles
Total this mo. 438.11 miles
Total this yr. 2416.29 miles

:cheers:

Took another morning ride today... 20.48 miles.. Good ride not much wind. Kind of a rough road, didn't notice it as much when I used to ride it with my mountain bike a few years back.

Rode tonight with the remnants of what used to be the Tuesday Night World's B group. They had my heart rate 140-150 most of the ride. Good for a FOG like me. 26 miles. I made it because I followed my 2 top rules of FOG riding:
1. Never, ever pull.
2. Expend as much energy as you have to not to be dropped.
I was still hanging on for dear life at the back most of the ride.

I've had really good luck with Park tire boots. I once patched a thumb-sized hole in the tread area for a guy using two of them, and he rode home on it. They are theoretically "emergency use" tire boots, but they are pretty strong.

You can also make your own out of a piece of another tire sidewall and glue it in place with tubular tire glue, 3M Fas-Tack, or whatever. It's really the pressure that keeps it in place. This is a more permanent repair, but in either case I'd swap that tire to the rear for the rest of it's life.

thanks onegun. i'm gonna try a piece of another tire first, i have a sh*tload of them, as i keep old ones, what for...actually i don't know why...for this i guess! i was thinking of sewing, or attempting to, this sounds much simpler. good call on putting it in back. may just use it on the trainer.

Forgot! Patch kit glue also works well, probably even better for a long term repair, and you've probably got that on hand!

only 17mi/55min yesterday...rain delayed ride, ran out of light...

Short ride today before my daughter left to go back to St. Pete

Todays ride 22.29 miles
Total this mo. 460.40 miles
Total this yr. 2438.58 miles
:cheers:

Well I got a 14.2 mile ride in today before a spoke busted on my back wheel. <sigh> Off to the bike shop tomorrow... On the bright side it started pouring down rain (with lightning) while I was waiting to get picked up. So I didnt' get wet or struck by lightning.... LOL