Did much better today than yesterday when I failed miserably. :(
Today I planned on doing 35 miles but found out the Atlanta Chili Cook-off is today at Stone Mtn. Must have been a zillion people (pedestrians) there and two zillion cars blocking the road to the park and around the mtn. Gave up and rode home. Still managed 31 miles.

Yes!! Hubby and I went down to the Withlachochee at the Inverness trailhead and rode south. Was hoping to get to at least Floral City but didn't quite make it. Still managed 10.2 miles which is double last weekend. Just a little winded but knee felt pretty good. It wasn't as stiff and not as hot to the touch. I'm hoping I can double that next weekend. Ended up driving back to Floral City and having a great burger at the Shamrock. Nice day..kind of overcast and not too hot. I sure am ready for fall.

LindaN

GOOD JOB LINDA:thumb::thumb:

SATURDAY 9/25/2010
20.6 miles today 00.0 mi. this day LY
590.8 miles this month
5138 miles this year
164 ride days LY vs. 164 ride days TY
2361 miles needed to hit 2010 goal (7500 miles)
I am @ 68.5% of my goal.
89 miles ahead of last year at this date
34.7 miles average ride this month
31.3 miles average ride this yr.

Some times the best laid plans can get screwed up. I had planned for about a 40/45 mile ride today but it rained all night and was looking very much like rain when I got up this morning. So I put everything on hold until about noon. The weather map called for isolated thunder showers but the sky looked pretty good so I took off. Long story short it hasn't rained all day. I hope I can get the 40/45 miler in tomorrow.

Motivation meter today 9.5 on a scale of 1-10

Sunday 9/26/2010
38.7 miles today 57.0 mi. this day LY
629.5 miles this month
5177 miles this year
165 ride days LY vs. 165 ride days TY
2322 miles needed to hit 2010 goal (7500 miles)
I am @ 69% of my goal.
70 miles ahead of last year at this date
34.4 miles average ride this month
31.3 miles average ride this yr.

Great day for a ride today, stopped at Panera for breakfast then headed on to the north end of the trail.. About two miles from the end I took a little round e round that is in the center of the trail a little to fast. My front wheel caught the outer edge of the trail and you can guess what happened next.:eek: I have some serious road rash on both legs and left elbow. My head made pretty good contact with the trail and my helmet visor made a pretty good cut over the left eye. Other than that I think I am going to live but I don't think I will be riding tomorrow. I will consider myself lucky if I can walk.:lol:

Motivation meter today 10.0 on a scale of 1-10 going out and about a 1.5 on the return trip.

SloSpokes words of wisdom for the day: There are two kinds of bike riders, those who have fallen and those who are going to fall...

OMG! hope you heal quickly. Take it easy for a few days.

LindaN

I agree with Linda.... Maybe take it easy for a couple or few days... I know when I took a spill this past spring... I felt worse after sleeping, woke up all stiff and sore... HOPING that isn't the case with you!!

Looks like 60% chance of rain for most of the day here tomorrow.... just looked... ugggggg

I Just woke up and my brothers and my sisters I want to tell you I am stiff a and sore son of a gun. The side of my head still hurts but the headache is gone. That had me a little worried last night. I have been trying to recall my ride home yesterday and I could not tell you the route that I took if you were holding a gun to my head.**********

That sucks, but I'm glad your headache is gone.

Now realize I'm NOT laughing at you..... but the picture you put in your signature.... that is funny :D

Heal fast..... ride more... :)

Going to attempt a morning ride here inna bit.... I'M NOT a morning ride person..... LOL But its a ride with a destination & a purpose... to pay my moms electric bill. Soooo that's my motivation, save gas and help my mom......

Rode to work this morning, the weather has finally dropped out of the 80's! Was an awesome cool ride, it was in the 60's!!!! I almost felt chilly. The bike was fully loaded, and due to the cool weather, there was a stiff northern wind... it was a middle-chainring kind of morning.

Slo Spoke, ouch! heal up quick!

Well, That didn't quite work out as planned. Left here to go pay the electric bill around 9:30ish ... Got 5 miles away and got a flat..... So called for a ride & went on to town in the van.. .... Soooo I did ride.... but only 5.08 miles..... DOH!!

So I rode my normal ride into DC this morning along the Mt. Vernon Trail. It was raining pretty hard and I took the turn that runs along the wooden boardwalk right behind the power plant too fast and took a nice little spill. My water bottle went flying off the boardwalk and when I climbed down to grab it I found a couple of other water bottles (presumably others who had done the exact same maneuver?). Now I'm sitting at work; stiff, sore, and a little battered, and I can't wait to get home and lay down. Worst part is, that turn was still about 8 miles from work, so I had to ride the rest of the way in all busted up. Bike was fine though....

If you lost a water bottle, I may have yours.

I know the curve you're talking about. That's a tricky corner -- I almost wiped out there when the surface was dry. Glad you weren't seriously hurt.

Commuted in to work yesterday and today and will again tomorrow. I saw more commuters out yesterday and thought it was because I left late, but saw more again today. The cooler weather might be bringing more people out. Awesome! Of course, Tuesday I got passed by not one, but two dudes in their 20s on road bikes. No respect for the old lady on the commuter! I kid, sort of. I've been at this for almost two months and feel like I should be a little faster. I'm definitely more fit. Of course, I started from couch potato.

Thu, Sep 30, 2010 8:16 AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Activity Type: Cycling | Event Type: Training

Summary

Overall
Time: 01:55:08
Distance: 31.77 mi
Elevation Gain: 272 ft
Avg Temperature: 74.2 °F
Elapsed Time: 02:01:40

Avg Speed: 16.6 mph
Max Speed: 25.5 mph
Avg Pace: 03:37 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace: 03:36 min/mi
Best Pace: 02:21 min/mi

Elevation Gain: 272 ft
Elevation Loss: 272 ft
Min Elevation: 0 ft
Max Elevation: 115 ft

Avg HR: 119 bpm
Max HR: 172 bpm
Avg HR: 64 % of Max
Max HR: 93 % of Max

Avg Bike Cadence: 79 rpm
Max Bike Cadence: 110 rpm

Avg Temperature: 74.2 °F
Min Temperature: 73.4 °F
Max Temperature: 77.0 °F

After a week of bad weather, bad timing, and feeling bad, I FINALLY get out on the bike again. It's a gorgeous cool evening, I've got plenty of daylight, traffic is minimal... and nine miles into my 35 miler I flat. Same as the last couple - valve stem torn loose. Either I've just had a run of REALLY cheap tubes, or there's a sharp spur or something around the valve stem hole in my rear wheel. Garumph.

I see this quite often in the shop.

Most often, with schrader valves, the stem is torn out because the tire is riden at a low air pressure.
Less frequently, threaded presta valves are damaged during normal deflation because the nut is too tight.
Occasionally, there is some other cause like an unusually sharp edge at the valve hole etc.

Hope you figure it out.

My numbers above came from the usual am ride with no real time limit. There was alllways a litle threat of rain. Five of us started out. Before we were 5 miles into our loop around Drs Lake, one guy was already talking about turning back just because it looked like rain ahead. I talked to 2 others and asked if they wanted to go a little longer and one asked if we could hit the dirt road. I said sure. We went on while the boss and "da otder guy" went back to the shop.

The three of us headed down 17 and made our turn around and headed towards the "Old Hard Road," a .75 mile stretch of dirt road that was being graded when we got there. It was soft and deep and not even my 25s were wide enough to float across the top. The least experienced guy with us spun out and bogged down in front of me. Then he just kinda fell over. we all just sorta laughed and kept going.

Yep, got out for a short ride today after taking care of some business in town (Palatka). Ended up riding 14.37 miles into a slight cross to headwind. At one point while taking a side paved road to get back to SR20 a truck passed me going really slow then almost stopped in the middle of the road wanting me to pass on the right. I had NO clue what was up ... did I piss somebody off somehow? NOPE... Turns out it was a friend of my nephews from the old days... She looked at me while I was still riding and she was driving beside me and asked.... "Hey are you still riding your bike?"..... I kind of shook my head and looked at her looked down at my bike (that I was riding)... and said "yep.. I think so... ".... LOL She was blocking traffic so had to drive on.. I dunno... just thought that was funny...

Ohhhh and fixed my flat today... Took the tire off and tube out... found the hole but had NO CLUE what caused the leak... Didn't even see a spot on the tire.....

I always double nut the valve stem because I don't like to tighten the nut on the rim too tight. And I cant stand the lil noise it makes when it starts to come loose... So the double nut thing helps in both regards. NO noise & I don't have to tighten the nut too tight.

Well, I haven't been posting much, but I'm still riding to work. My co-worker left, so now I have to work from 7:00 to 5:00, which means I'm riding to work in the dark. It's kinda nice, actually, not as much traffic out before sunrise. I've got plenty of wattage on the bike, so no worries about being seen.

I didn't ride yesterday and today, because I'm doing the MS 150 this weekend! Can't wait, I'm so excited. I've been waiting all year for it. I'll be sure to post pics when I get back.

And it's FRIDAY! :)

Are you really riding a chopper bike 115 miles ?? Good luck, have fun, take pics.

That was last year, actually, I was supposed to do 150, but there was severe storms that cut the ride short at 115. Click the pic to see the story. This year I'm riding the 150 on my commuter MTB, complete with lights, rack, fenders, and panniers. And I'll be wearing a Hawaiian shirt, cause hey, they're cool.

:D

Hey Jim, are you all right? Hope you didn't give yourself a concussion faceplanting like that!

I remember and awful lot of years ago riding that trail and getting a really healthy scare on that off-camber corner at the bottom of the steep hill just before you get to Mount Vernon. I was going pell-mell down the hill, locked both wheels, and did a fullblown Tokyo Drift around the curve, screaming up the hill at the wife to slow down! Fun fun fun! :)

Hadn't thought of overtightening the nut on the Presta. Couple of locals suggested too-low pressure might have something to do with it. Dunno though, I was riding 95PSI on tires rated for 105 max. I'm gonna pop the wheel off tonight and very gingerly take a reamer to that hole on the off chance that it's got a burr on it. And I'll be sure to stuff an extra tube in my jersey pocket for the club ride in the morning! :)

"No wonder I feel a draft! I thought I was in the car! :P"

I'll have to try that.

GONZO! You da MAN! :) My boss has decreed the last workday "Hawaiian Shirt Friday" and everyone is allowed to wear the most garish over-the-top shirts possible (with extra credit if they're orange and blue 'cause, well, Go Gators!).

Yep... got a ride in today and am posting on here before midnight... LOL Tried another "pay a bill for my mom ride".. No flat today and actually made it to the place and paid the bill. WOW temp was awesome today... 72 when I went by the hardware today on the way out.... and 77 on the way back.. Forgot the camera.. was kind of a spur of the moment ride. They were mowing the grass/weeds on the one cutoff road that I had to ride on... Yesterday the weeds were about 3feet high right up to the edge of the road.... Today there was soooooo much crap in the lane from the mowing that I about had to ride the center line to avoid it. Not much traffic on this road thank god. Took a different way home that involved about 2miles of sidewalk... Slow careful going.. but it was better than riding back down the grass cut road. Ended up riding 27.23 miles with a 1/3mile walk back to the house in the sand. GREAT RIDE... GREAT TEMP for a ride..

Slo Spoke ... Are healed up enough to make the ride this weekend on the trail? Hoping you are!!!

GONZO! You da MAN! :) My boss has decreed the last workday "Hawaiian Shirt Friday" and everyone is allowed to wear the most garish over-the-top shirts possible (with extra credit if they're orange and blue 'cause, well, Go Gators!).

I'm more partial to maize and blue myself.... :D

Good luck with figuring out the flat/rim situation.... Noticed my one bottle cage was cracked today, it started making a noise..... grrrrrrr

Yep.... Rode the Palatka Lake Butler trail from Grandin to Keystone Heights & up to Golds Head Start Park. Rode around in the park a bit too. Awesome weather... Cloud cover.... Light Breeze.... Wore some yellow for Livestrong Day.... Great ride.. 32.34 miles total.. Messed with my seat position and turned the bars up just a tad... the adjustments felt good. Took a few pics, forgot the camera in the van.... I'll post a few later.

On the down side the bottom bracket is starting to make a a slight ticking noise when I stand or ride into the wind (putting pressure on the pedals/crank)..... Does that mean the whole bottom bracket is going to need to be replaced or can the bearings just be changed?