Gentlepersons, Your ride report pls.!

[Too Tall]

The DIY pre-frontal lobotomy worked wonders and glad to be back on track. Thanks for you patience.

Saturday - Back to the Mtns. almost 80 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway bliss. The burnt out sodden legs of past are NO MO! Got in 3 solid threshold climbs of 20+ mins and at least 2 45 min. tempo climbs. Feeling most excellent. Whatever the "f" has been wrong with my body seems to have gone on leave.
Sunday - Woke up to rain and a sleepy wife...went back to bed ;)

And you?

[Madship]

The weather in upstate conspired against my planned brief ride on Friday. The day alternated between brilliant blue skies and evil looking thunder heads with brief but serious downpours. Turns out this was a good thing.

Saturday the guys started arriving at the house around 5 after seven, while i was eating my oatmeal. The best breakfast for me before a long ride. By 7:25 Kurt, another first timer, Mike, Anthony and Jim were all there. we headed out of the drive way at 7:30, at an easy pace. My normal 4 mile approach to Rt 32 took about 2 minutes longer than normal. We headed North through Victoy and into Schuylerville and arrived at Bacon hill feeling great.

We climbed the spike and turned onto West River. We had a slight breeze and set up a pace line. 5 guys of basically the same ability working together is an amazing thing. We flew up this road and made it to Ft Edward in record time. Landmarks that I am intimitely familiar with came and went with such rapidity it was breath taking. We turned West and headed over to Spier Falls.

Riding towards the falls, I felt like a Tour rider. We were riding a flat road but you could see the peak on the horizon looking very imposing. The approach passed quicly, we made the left turn and shifted to the little ring. The climb is only a bit over a mile, but it has some steep points. It was steep enoug to split us up a bit. Anthony and I approached the summti together and Anthony put in a little burst to grab the points at the top. That was until Mike came out of nowher and passeb both of us. The decent was anexilirating experience. A mile down hill with a beautiful run off and no stop sign at the end.

We regrouped in the the valley near the dam and headed towards the climb out. This hill is not as long as the first, but is straighter so you can see almost all of what is ahead of you. This time I made the summit in second position. Turning right towards Corinth we regrouped and turned back towards Saratoga and the Energy sapping Locust Grove road. A couple amsll climbs on this aweful road and we reached the high point of the ride. Turning righ on Strakos we started going back down and would have had another beautiful decent except for the stop signs. (Must arrange for Gendarmes to close the roads for my next century). We crossed back over route 9 and saw another cyclist (hard to believe this was the first on such a beautiful morning). He turned and joined us at Kurt's house. Our first rest stop. 42-44 miles around 2.5 hours and felt great.

After about 10 minutes, bottles and energy topped off we headed out again with Bob. He was out on a training ride for the Lake Placid Iron Man. We corssed the Northway and headed south to Saratoga lake. Finally started seeing other cyclist out on the road. We took 9P all the way around the lake and regrouped at the public house. A sixth member in the pace line changed the dynamic a bit and the hill away form the lake split us up a bit again. Bob went his own way at the Public House (good Luck this weekend, Bob). We continued on to Rt 67 and then to Lakeside Farms. Falling back into the smooth pace line. Stopped for a bottle topping. Everyone was feeling good and enjoying the route, weather and company. We were riding comfortably and enjoying the expression of man and machine.

We traveled through Jomesville to Clifton Park and crossed Rt 9 for the 4th and last time. Into the rolling area between Clifton Park and Mechaniville. Thes small hills made them self felt as we approached 80 miles. By the time we dropped down to rt 4 and the river though all that was forgotten and everyone was feling refreshed again. we turned North and headed into through mechanicville into Stillwater.

This is where we ran into our one problem on the ride. An A$$hole with a boat decides it's time to pull out. This is not a problem, except the treiler is not full hooked up, no lights. It looked like he was just going out and up the road, but he quickly turns into a driveway and starts backing up, with no warning. I shoot out a hand to let everyone know I am slowing and grab the rear brake. Mike nearly hits me and then the unmistakeble soound of metal and asphalt reaches me. Kurt was on the floor. Luckily he was not hurt. just road rash, but his helmet will need to be replaced. There was no apology from the driver, whose driveway we stopped in to make sure Kurt was ok. Just a grudging, are you ok?

After everything checked out, we continued up 4 & 32 with Kurt setting the pace. Passed Stillwater school and the Saratoga battlefield. Turned left onto Wilbur for the last climb of the day, passed the national cemetary and back onto Rt 32 and home.

101.4 miles in 5:27:01. It was a great ride with one exception. We had a barbecue at my place, thank you Shannon for all you did. Took the risk of getting 3 cycling widows together. Everything was great. I passed out a few commerative bottles of First Century Scotch ale I had brewed the previous week. They are not quite ready to drink, but I am sure they will be great as well.

Sunday a light 50 minute spin, Monday I feel great.

This link should be active again this evening (7/19)

http://kurthiggins.com/century

[Tom]

- Saturday: It's surprising to think Madship and I could have crossed paths around Lakeside farms. That's where I nearly crossed paths with the genius in the Explorer. My impression of a ride over to Schuylerville is that it'd be a hike! I headed north, then west and south, though. Out Blue Barns to Outlet Road and up Middle Line to 29, thence to the top of Lake Desolation. Back down, yee-hah! then up to 29 again, down 147. Passed them sweeping all the glass off the road from an accident, thought I smelled brake pads but it turned out one of the cars coming up on the accident after it happened was on fire! How lucky is that, your car catches on fire and then not two seconds later you come upon the entire Galway fire department waiting for you out on the road! Anyway, negotiated the glass (State cop says "I'm sweeping as fast as I can, Lance!" as I pass) and headed down to Ridge Road, out to Swart Hill and back Rte 5, cross the river in Rotterdam Jct. and up over Rynex Corners and turn left for home. 80 miles. Reeaalll slow, I ain't admitting how slow.
- Sunday: Easy 42, up Rynex again, over and up 160. Wicked hot.
- Today: Slooowwww 32. No creaking!

[Spectrum Bob]

Saturday
Dusted off my cow bells and watched the Tour Stage with a big bunch of my closest cycling buddies and donated some money to a good cause at the Tyler Hamilton event. It was a blast!! (It was a drag to see Tyler abandon the race at his event)
Then managed a 29 mile ride with my wife and Sandy

Sunday
I too woke up to rain and went to Home Depot and Costco and spent some time on the trainer.

Too Tall – It looks like you have the making of a totem pole in your back yard.

[Too Tall]

That ain't no totem pole. Sniff sniff, it's the remains of my much loved S. Carolina Tulip poplar ravaged by drought a few yrs. back. At 100+ yrs. that tree knew a thing or two. I've left 13' of it to grow a magnificent chinese wisteria on. You are welcome to sit up there and contemplate the meaning of life anythime d##d....I had em' saw it flat ;)

[dirtdigger88]

Too Tall what did you do to "fix" your body.... mine needs it too. Sat. was a "pleasant" 60 miles with a friend. Lots of flat land power riding, not my cup of tea. I much prefer to go climb a hill that suffer with my riding partner who has upper thighs the size of my waist (really he does!) I would love to know what kind of watts this guy can put out. You know it is bad when you are praying for a hill so that the pain can stop. Sunday was a recovery/easy day, we just did 25 miles then relaxed. I gotta work on power I just get killed on the flats

Jason

[Spectrum Bob]

Too Tall
Sounds good to me, do you have a way to get up there?

[SteveE]

Wednesday - I went out for the weekly "Hills 'R Us" ride. There wasn't enough time to complete the entire thing, so I rode up Old La Honda, went north on Skyline, and descended King's Mtn. Had time to stop by Peet's for a mocha freddo before riding home.

Friday - A riding buddy called the night before, so we went out for a flatish ride from Los Altos, Portola Valley, Woodside, up to Crystal Springs Reservoir before heading back to Los Altos for Peet's coffee.

Saturday - I lead a regular Saturday ride for my club. Decided that the group had never climbed Page Mill Rd, only descended in the 2 years since I've been doing (not leading) the ride, so it was time for something different. Descended West Alpine, went back up 84, west Old La Honda, north on Skyline, down Hwy 84, and threw in a few more hills on the way home. The route was about 45 miles with 5,700 ft of climbing. A couple of folks called me a "bad man"! :)

Sunday - I planned on meeting some friends and starting out on the A-ride and cutting it short. Well, they never showed up, so, in spite of tired legs, I went off with the bunch. As soon as the road went up, the pack showed me their heels and I rode the 5 mile, 1600-ft climb up King's Mtn. at my own pace. I made it to the top within the 10 minute regroup period. The group then headed south on Skyline to Skylonda and a water stop. At first I thought I'd cut it short but decided to complete the ride, so we turned west out to La Honda for the climb back via West Alpine (7 miles, 2000-ft). Again, I rode at my own pace, vying for "lanterne rouge" with a couple of other guys. Finished off the ride with the final 5 mile, 1900-ft plunge down Page Mill Rd. and back to Peet's for more refreshment!