Gentlepersons, Your ride reports pls.!

[Too Tall]

My racing slump continues :D Consistency is the name of the game eh?

Raced in the peaceful small town of Waynesboro, Va. on Saturday. An awesome .9 mile course with the finish on a steep uphill and a 40+mph backstretch. In practice I was real real happy with the course. 3 mins. before the start I notice I can't shift into the big ring and this is a big ring race so decide I have no chance unless I attack from the get go. Lead the race for three laps and opened up a 1/3 lap gap...could not pedal the downhills or the back stretch so I finally was caught. Ha ha. Had fun while it lasted. The best part of the deal was racing in a 22 man field. I AM FREAKIN sick of 100 man fields.

Sunday I had the sense to not race in the rain on a flat technical intown crit. It was a crash fest. It really is sickening to watch someone fly into a turn and you just know what's going to happen...OH buddy, that's a bad line...DOOOOOOd! Smack.

I am racing my good old refurbished Clark Kent. Real steel and lovin' it. A great race bike.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . ANYONE race in the rain unless they are getting paid a musette bag full ‘o cash??

Oh, well . . .

Last Sunday (start of my riding week) . . . River loop by my lonesome. 30.83 miles. 19.0 average.

Tuesday . . . 35.3 miles. 18.8 average . . . flat speed fest on a nice highway toward Amsterdam with big wide shoulders (the highway, not me).

Thursday . . . 50.14 miles up county route 160 and around Skyline, then down Crawford. 160 is a BIIIIIIIIIG long hill. 17.8 average. Longer than I shoulda done right before Owner’s Weekend.

Saturday . . . 55.16 miles of feeling pretty good with the Open House crew around Saratoga. Spier Falls hill--OUCH! But I did way better than last time I did it a couple of years ago. We averaged 18.2

Yesterday . . . 42 more at Open House. Don’t remember the details--I was delirious, and not with happiness. I have never been so glad to see the factory sign in my whole life! . . . . 17.8 average.

I think a couple of rest days are in order . . . uh, make that “mandatory.”

Tired BBDave

[Spectrum Bob]

Saturday I got in a quick early morning ride with Mark & Bob. We did around 33 miles and I made it back just as our weekend guests were getting rolling.
Sunday my wife and I got in a rainy 28 miler wile her dad and step mom took our daughter to breakfast. There is something nice about starting a ride in a light rain when you really don’t want to go but then the lushness of the green in the park is so beautiful that it makes it a wonderful ride.
I did not get a lot of miles in but on both rides I pushed it hard and can feel it in my legs this morning.

[PaulE]

in Bethel, CT. 103 miles with many more uphills than downhills, with much of it into headwinds. How can you start and finish in the same place and have more climbing than descending? :confused:

[Ken Lehner]

Friday evening: 30 minute solo swim with wetsuit (preparing for triathlon season) in lake
Saturday morning: 56.5 rolling solo miles on Cervelo TT bike, averaged 22.2mph (all time best for solo ride of any reasonable length), followed by a 2 mile run (triathletes call this a "brick", either because your legs feel like bricks or "bike, run, ick"; nobody knows for sure), followed by 75 minutes of lawn mowing
Sunday morning: thinking about doing my "weekend half ironman" by doing a half marathon, but common sense took hold and ran 7 miles

[Tom]

- Monday: Flatted at 10 miles. Fixed it, lost interest and rode home.
- Tuesday: Off.
- Wednesday: 42 up Rynex Corners to Mariaville and back before work. Fast.
- Thursday: 32 around the river. Faster.
- Friday: 32 around the river. Float pedaling, nearly as fast as Thursday. Strange.

Now, to the post title:

- Saturday: Sublime. The long ride at Open House. A blast. Thanks to everybody, it was a great, great time.
- Sunday: Ridiculous. The Diabetes Century ride. 102 miles, 5:11. Way faster than ever before. I hooked up with the CBRC people who were recovering from their Saturday races. By the end there were nine of us pounding into the south wind and I was desperate not to lose their wheels. I even managed to do my share up front. I'm well aware, though, that the only reason I stayed with them is that they weren't trying to get rid of me. The difference between a ride and a race, eh?

[BumbleBeeDave]

Now you know what I feel like when I ride with YOU! ;) ;) ;) ;) :banana:

BBDave

[Jack Brunk]

Saturday:

70 miles and 4000 ft of climbing. I rode a new Serotta concours I just picked up. Great feel on the road. It climbs well but I will be changing components
to my liking.
Sunday:

57 miles and 3700 ft of climbing.

Both days the weather was perfect and the Santa Monica mountains were beautiful as usual. Rode my Kirk on Sunday and I just love this bike beyond words.

Jack

[Dr. Doofus]

A Week With The Doc and I:

Tue -- 1.5 hrs, 3 x 10 min intervals at drool bucket intensity

Wed -- 3.5 hours steady

Thurs -- 2.0 with 1 hour of tempo...this sucks but its not too bad intensity

Fri -- 1.5 steady with weights after

Sat -- 3.5 steady

Sun -- 5.0 steady by ourselves, which was truly stoopid, and our nads are sore today


another week of this crap and then we can take it easy...actually take four days off completely as the Missus and He are going to San Fran to see The Cunning Little Vixen....

[Jay Torborg]

Last weekend, I headed down to Tahoe for "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride". I've been a cycling coach for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training this spring, and this was our big event. A loop around Lake Tahoe with an out-back to Truckee to extend the length to a full century. The big event was on Sunday (6/6), the weather was perfect and everyone on the team had a great time. The ride was followed by some heavy-duty partying (and gambling by many) at the victory party that evening.

On Wednesday, I headed up to the North Cascades Highway (Rt 20 in WA) and rode with some friends over Rainy Pass (4855 ft) and Washington Pass (5477 ft) to Mazama. The next day, we headed back (about 75 mi each way). This is one of the most beautiful rides in the northwest. The climbs are long, but not particularly difficult, making the descents in the other direction a dream. The only real challenge was the strong winds, but this was more than made up for by the stunning scenery.

Saturday and Sunday, I did a couple more training rides with the Team in Training group that is preparing for STP (Seattle to Portland) in July. My group did 100 miles on Saturday and 70 on Sunday.

I'm ramping up my training for my transcontinental ride this summer, so I'm hoping to get in about 2000 miles this month - 620 miles so far.

[SteveE]

Last Sunday - Sequoia Century. 102 miles.
Wednesday - Climbed Mt. Hamilton with my wife and another friend. 40 miles.
Friday - Up Old La Honda, down 84W, back up West Old La Honda, back down 84E. 55 miles.
Saturday - Woodside, Canada Rd.,Polhemous Loop, Portola Valley. 55 miles.
Sunday - Los Altos, Stevens Canyon, Mt. Eden, Pierce, Hwy 9, Los Gatos, flat route back to Los Altos. 55 miles, again.

Perfect weather every day!

[Madship]

I knew I couldn't ride Thursday evening, so I went out for a short spin for lunch. It was cold & overcast with intermittent rain drops hitting me, enough to make me think about taking the first turn back to the house, but not seriously. I decided on the logner battlefied route, which from my house can be divided neatly into 3 10.5 sections. I rode the first at 18.6, the battlefield at 18.4 (33:59 for the 10.5 mile loop) and home into the wind at 18.2 for a roundtrip at 18.4. This was after riding side by side with a freind for 40 miles at 18.2 on Tuesday.

Friay, decided to do 50 miles, Headed north from the house then backtracked to Saratoga lake and Stillwater to home passed the National Cemetary. This time without trying until the last 10 miles to maintain an average I came in with another average of 18.2.

Saturday had the destinct pleasure for riding a Legend Ti at the Open house, Rode the 30 with a friend. Don't know how long it took, since I was w/o a computer (I am not a slave (Grin)). This will have to tide me over until I can convince the wife it is essential tomy mental health to own one. Met Ginger, Climb, Smiley and saw Sandy. It was great to put faces, bike and voices to the names.

Sunday rode the Stillwater Tour de Cure 50, had computer problems, (really I am not a slave), but fixed them about half way. Combined with a friends info and the ride home did 63 for the day at 17.5 without pushing myself. My first metric of the year.

In one week I set a new PR for mileage in a season (2214 and climbing), had 3 rides w/o drafting over 18 mph and over 170 in 4 days and I feel great. It was either the Serotta beer or I have broken through to a new level of riding.

[ericmurphy]

Here's my ride report for Saturday:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=2914

For Sunday, I went on a little 14-miler with my brother. I gave him my Trek 2300 when I got my Serotta, because he really needs to get out of the house more. He's actually a pretty strong rider for someone who never rides, but I'm hoping I can get him up to doing longer rides over the next few months. Like me, he has a pretty sedentary job, so if he doesn't do something like ride his bike a few hundred miles a month, he's not really getting much exercise.

[MarinRider]

I spent the weekend riding alone around Lone Pine, CA.

Friday, rode up to Mt Whitney Portal under a setting sun. The temperature dropped very quickly at elevation (8500 feet) and in the shadows. Lack of oxygen and steepness of the climb were shocks to the system. The descent was blissful: I had to feather my brakes just to keep the speed under 60mph. Only 24 miles but 4800 feet of climbing.

Saturday, rode up Horseshoe Meadows at 10,200 feet followed by Whitney Portal. The climb to Horseshoe Meadows is as difficult and dramatic as any climb in Europe. It gains over 7000 feet in 22 miles, with a very shallow 2 miles at the beginning and a 1/2 mile descent towards the top. Topo software shows 10 miles at 12%. At just over 9000 feet there was a shear vertical drop just off the road, known to hang gliders and base jumpers for its 1 mile drop down to the valley floor. I carried 150 oz of water with me and still ran out half way up Whitney Portal. It was pretty difficult riding the last leg without water. Only 69 miles but nearing 12,000 feet of climbing.

Sunday, woke up early and got in another climb to Whitney Portal before the long drive back home. Started riding just before 6:00 a.m. and the entire wall of the Sierras was ablazed under orange glow of thr rising sun. Met my goal of climbing Whitney Portal in under 1:30 and was back in the hotel before 9:00 a.m.

On my way back I drove through the Sonora pass just north of Yosemite. As you turn onto the road sign read "26% grade 10 miles ahead". Well the sign was correct, and it was just not for a few feet and I was afraid that my car brakes would catch fire. I almost stopped to get my bike out... Better judgement won at the moment. can you say road trip next weekend?

[MadRocketSci]

You're my biking hero...

Did two days going up and down Old La Honda this weekend, doing interval stuff.

Last weekend, did the 200K route of the Sequoia Century. Left the VA hospital at 7:20, and didn't see many people after the split from the 100 mile and 200k routes. Heard someone crashed going down Hwy 9 on the 100 mile route, hope (s)he is ok. Was not happy about the ride through the woods...got a flat after the last steep descent, and was pretty paranoid about getting another right away. I hope they don't do that again. Otherwise, it was a fun ride.

[davids]

...and I'm barely standing. My lung capacity has been way down since Memorial Day weekend, as my seasonal allergies hit me full force.

I thought I was finally on the mend last Tuesday, when I did a quick 22 miles, feeling strong. But by Thursday afternoon I was out of breath climbing two flights of stairs - A combination of post-nasal drip and asthma. I felt like complete cr*p.

By Saturday, I was halfway recovered, and decided that a few hours riding off-road would be better for me than road riding (short burst of intense effort vs. long sustained exertion.) It went pretty well. And then Saturday night, my best riding buddy, just recovering from a sinus infection, called and suggested another couple hours off-road. So that's what I did Sunday, too.

All in all, low-key and moderate exertion, but fun. And as long as there's no storm tomorrow morning, I'll be back on the road around 6:15.

[larryp2]

also did the 102 mile Tour de Cure of the Diabetes Association on Sunday...

[pbbob]

100k on sat in southern md. nice day and nice ride close to the patuxent river. sun 27m around the neighborhood.