great riding this weekend...

[AngryScientist]

first off, i just bought the $250 "chromebook", and i'm feeling out how to use this thing, so far, so good. it's not quite a laptop, or tablet, but its a pretty functional internet surfing device for the couch. hey, speaking of which i'm on the couch right now with my new internet toy and a cold beer; just had a great dinner with my family and a great ride today.

life. is. good.

the ride: i mapped out a ride on mapmyride, loaded it to my garmin 800 and took off.

up one of my favorite local climbs:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ptK0GZHXXyM/UcdvDMmQDQI/AAAAAAAABTg/dfhCxJk6InM/s640/100_0232.JPG

and my favorite ride snack at the top:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uVTmyhCQdpQ/Ucdu57rzGHI/AAAAAAAABTY/RZiBQthKh8E/s400/100_0233.JPG

then, the surprises came. a challenge to my longstanding assumption that if a north jersey road is on the map, it should be passible on road tires, good grief.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FyX0WpbvwJo/UcdvET6q-xI/AAAAAAAABTo/2BJnp4aeR4M/s640/100_0235.JPG

so of course i battled through some rough terrain on road tires, with the occasional dirt bike weezing by.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RlNYTMy3Kq8/UcdvdPf056I/AAAAAAAABUA/CAxSHK7qUeM/s640/100_0236.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0pmnQGtYp-I/UcdvcjkHWNI/AAAAAAAABT4/EC3Ld-23Nng/s640/100_0238.JPG

and of course, the result:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ftxYB7meLRE/UcdvflwLjlI/AAAAAAAABUI/44U5TTlbQqc/s640/100_0240.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J2xyjdNgDD0/UcdvlpyCqXI/AAAAAAAABUQ/NogbKdblEyU/s640/100_0241.JPG

great ride overall though!

[Cat3roadracer]

28's at least?

[spiderman]

What a blast...no flats on the tubulars.
Great way to get from our lodge
To a gorgeous waterfall...
With my wife and the dobegirl!

[spiderman]

Did the same trip with my daughter
Who is spending the summer working
In northern Minnesota

[slidey]

Looks like a sweet ride, Nick.

My ride today wasn't as phenomenal really...only me to blame for that. I haven't been doing much riding bar commuting for a while now, more than a year I'd guess, but having just taken care of some deadlines and seeing some light at the end of the tunnel as regards graduation I decided to throw caution to the wind, and go for my fave climb in town - Gibraltar Rd in Santa Brabra. Found myself in uncharacteristically so-so shape in the 1.5 miles climb leading up to Gib Rd, so thought I might as well carry on. And so I did, and things were fine...it was hard, beautiful, and everything I had expected it to be.

But, less than half a mile from the summit I detonated spectacularly. Refueling and massaging numb butt ensued. Finally found an ounce of energy to suck it and go for the remnant half-mile...boy, was it painful! In any case, I peaked and decided in the interest of shortest path, I'd descend the same way (there's an alternative ridge line to descend as well). Oh, and did I mention that the road up the hill is atrociously bad :cool: Being a seated climber, with an aching butt, and then descending the wonderful roads dotted for pleasure, I honestly believe I've ruined my chances of carrying forth the family name. It was kinda fun though, but slightly devoid of the jubiliation of completing the climb without stopping :help: Oh well, 4000+ft climbing is at least a start...now to only find the will to go back there next weekend, the weekend after that, and so on.

[ptourkin]

CicLAvia was a good time. I Bromptomed up on the train from San Diego.
The Wolfpack Hustle Civic Center Crit was also fun. Seeing track bikes make right turns on the streets of LA was a blast.

[soulspinner]

Great riding, warm. Blew two 25 ounce bottles in 2.25 hours..Maybe Keuka lake today

[Tandem Rider]

Got out MTBing with my oldest, it's his new love. He wanted to try it for Father's Day but the local trails were closed due to monsoons in the midwest. We got out a week late and then work imploded, got that ship righted again, more MTBing in my future too. I will willingly write the rest of the race season off to keep this spark going.
1697863109

[christian]

Somebody rescue that turtle!

[rpettet]

Watkins Glen to Bath to Hammondsport to Branchport to Penn Yan back to Watkins. 100 miles on tandem and plenty hot.

[Nooch]

don't usually take pictures while riding, so here's one from after the ride:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2841/9117591026_6828904910_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54300653@N02/9117591026/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54300653@N02/9117591026/) by TrickImaging (http://www.flickr.com/people/54300653@N02/), on Flickr

Testing out some Zipp 404 firecrests... man, they feel good.

Sunday: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/332015711 My friend calls this ride the 'tour of the three mountains,' except we only hit two. Plan was to do this, then get into Nyack for the 'Rocket Ride,' and we were on schedule until my other friend got a flat. and then another 250 feet down the road (bad tube, pinhole on the seam). 45.84 miles, good few feet of gian.

Saturday, just a nice 30 miles with a coffee stop at the turnaround.

[EDS]

Great riding, warm. Blew two 25 ounce bottles in 2.25 hours..Maybe Keuka lake today

The climb up the bluff past the church is brutal!

[soulspinner]

The climb up the bluff past the church is brutal!

fer sure.......ive cursed on that one:butt:

[choke]

I put a few miles in on some gravel (if you could call it that) as well. I was a bit better prepared tire wise though. :)

Sorry for the poor pic, I forgot my real camera.

[gavingould]

Low miles out in eastern Iowa over the weekend - visiting the in-laws, they run a b&b with some great hilly gravel riding right out the front door. Got rained on Friday morning, skipped Saturday for father-in-law's 70th bday party, rode again Sunday briefly. It was hot and humid, around 90F and I was cooked from a few days of solid beer drinkin' but still explored for a few miles.