Gentlepersons, Your Ride Reports Please!

[dauwhe]

Sat: 7.6 miles on the bike path with my wife, towing my 1-year-old son in the trailer. After the ride we played on the swingset in the park.

Sun: 88.0 miles, riding the Great River Ride through the Berkshires of Massachusetts. I'm not sure if I've ever seen more perfect weather, although it was a bit chilly this morning! This is one of my favorite centuries, and the scenery is extraordinary. Luckily they added an 85-mile option this year; I don't think I was ready for 107 miles! My post-baby training program of little riding and no sleep didn't seem to help on the numerous 10%+ hills!

Saw dozens of Serottas and at least two Zancs!

Dave

[sjbraun]

Fall arrived in Tucson overnight. At 7:00, our temp rose to 47 degrees. That meant digging out the arm and knee warmers.
My wife, daughter and I planned an easy loop up to Starr Pass, maybe 18 miles. Today was my first ride after completing my sixth and (hopefully) final round of chemo ten days ago. Complicating matters was the phone call I received Friday evening from my doc. Post chemo, my labs had tanked. I would be riding with a less than optimal hemoglobin of 10.9.
So, bundled up and with appropriately low expectations, off we went.

Our ride started with a gradual decline, through the U of A campus and along the edge of downtown Tucson. From there, it was a gradual climb up to Starr Pass. When I say climb, I mean the road goes uphill, but not much. This is known as an easy ride, suitable for beginners.

Today though, it was a struggle. I was huffing and puffing as soon as the rode sloped upward. I carried on, but panting at 12 mph is no fun. Prior to the last uphill portion, I decided I'd had enough. My recovery is going to be slow and steady; no need to push too hard on my first ride.

Tomorrow is a day off for me, (Thanks Columbus.) I'll try something again, perhaps a bit flatter.

Steve

[A.L.Breguet]

I had a great coffee ride with Manet today. 3 1/2 hours actual ride time. a half hour yapping at the coffee shop with other cyclists.

[Jack Brunk]

60 miles post recovery ride from from last weeks Furnace Creek 508 bike race. I love my new Pegoretti Love #3 and I still had some spunk in my legs to put a good hurt on some Amgen riders who think their **** doesn't stink.

Today I had a great 7.5 mile trail run that work me good. Long live good hard efforts.

[myette10]

sat: 45 minutes around some park in Gloucester, MA
sun: ibid

[chuckroast]

My ride today was six minutes long and covered .8 miles.

Three minutes in I managed to catch a gap between two rocks and go right over the bars. Fortunately I broke my fall with my face (on more rocks thank you very much).

Thankfully, 3 minutes back to the car, load up and a five minute drive to the emergency room. 5 and a half hours later I'm released and at the moment, I look like I've done 10 rounds with Ali.

Here's a shot from the emergency room before the stiches and before the swelling started in.

I stink at mountain bike riding. I wish it wasn't such fun...

[Birddog]

You went to the emergency room for that? A good corner man could have fixed you up without all that expense.

PS Hope you recover quickly.

Birddog

[Dekonick]

Work... work.... work....

Two deaths of co-workers in a week...both from cancer. Both young. One was like a big brother to me.

I haven't seen my bikes except in the garage for the past 10+ days.

Been a blue week for me.


Hopefully I can get 30 +/- in tomorrow... as I need the therapy.

:(

[johnnymossville]

Sat. 40 miles north and west of Baltimore, kinda easy after a pretty hard week of work and riding. Weather was perfect.

Sun. 30 miles north of Baltimore into horse farm and steeple chase country. Nice traffic free rolling countryside. Again a nice easy ride. Just enjoying myself out there. I saw a lot of other riders too. Couldn't have asked for better weather.

[Michael Maddox]

Interesting Chuck! Good to see someone else out there doing the same thing I was doing...

I had my first mountain bike race today, Race #3 of the Florida Series here in Tallahassee. About 3-4 miles in, my front tire blew off on a downhill, and I ended up in the roots. A short ride, too, to say the least, with a couple of scrapes and a ding on the side of the head, but NOTHING like your face full of crunchy.

I suck SO badly at mountain biking. I have a nice, new Cinelli hardtail that I am probably just going to sell. I don't ride it, and truth be told, I don't think I really want to learn at all. I love the road, and I like the IDEA of mountain biking, but the technical skills the latter require just scare hell out of me.

I'll keep my Pugsley, but it's going to be used for fun, easy riding. My MTB career is DONE and all my hammering will be on the road.

BTW...I'll be posting the video of this crash soon. I happened to be wearing a helmet-cam.

[wrestlr]

Recovering from the long race season. Got 50 miles in yesterday at slow pace and today I went for a nice run. First time I ran in over a year and a half and I actually enjoyed myself.
-Mike

[Elefantino]

Bronchitis sucks...

[mgm777]

My bro and I rode from Boulder North along the rollers past Carter lake. Temp was 40 deg and misting. It was cold, wet, and miserable in a good kind of way. Total mileage was 57. The first sufferfest of the cold season.

[R2D2]

Not the best ride for me.
Was off the bike for some time.
Back on a month ago and have been packing on miles.
BUT wasn't really ready for a very hilly 200K.
Legs felt dead and tired from the start.
A few too many miles in three weeks and not enough rest.
Spent a lot of time just spinning against a 15 knot wind.
At ninety miles I called it a day.........................

[bumperjohn]

I did a 13 mile ride with my 9 year old daughter. It was the best hour and a half ride I have ever had.

John

[RABikes2]

Yikes :crap: ... sjbraun, chuckroast, Dekonick, Michael, and Mike ... hope you all feel better soon!
RA

[RABikes2]

Yesterday in Jacksonville, my son Andrew did his first race as a rower in a regatta. He's been a coxswain for three years, so this was a pretty big thing to us. Andrew's boat got third in their race and the team he belongs to did great. What a beautiful day to be outside all day.

Today, no ride again. Decided to sleep in, get some chores done, clean my house, did a massage on my chiropractor (next door neighbor, it was his birthday), played and brushed my dogs. No riding this weekend at all. :crap:

Last weekend, we did a 209k Permanent. Below is a report on the ride I wrote for the North Florida Randonneurs website. http://northfloridarandonneurs.blogspot.com/2008/10/octobers-north-florida-200k-ra-betsy.html
***********
Saturday, October 4, 2008

It was a beautiful day with cooler temps (high 50's) in the a.m., when (2008 new randonneur) Betsy Thorpe and I began our tenth 200k (actually 130 miles) for the R12 award. The wind picked up during the late morning hours, but the day warmed nicely into the low 80's and was only warm/hot when we'd stop, otherwise while riding, you could almost feel a coolness in the early October air.

At 90 miles, we stopped at the M&M General Store for water. I wrote last month about meeting a petite 76 yr. old lady at the M&M General Store who killed a rattlesnake and alligator with her hoe. Well, this time we were informed the 64th Annual Rodeo Day Parade had begun at 3:30 in downtown Bonifay and to watch for horse dung when we rode back into town (the last two miles of the ride is on the main road through town).

Our bike time was like our normal bike times for the course, but due to a few stomach issues during the day, our overall time was going to put us about 30-45 minutes later than when we normally would finish. It was a good thing we were delayed. About six miles out from the finish, we came across a huge field with huge signs saying it was the entrance for the "Rodeo Dance on Fri.& Sat. Night at 7:30" (it was Saturday). There were a few motor homes, trailers, huge pickup trucks, some w/ horse trailers, etc., pulling off and going up the hill to park at the surrounding pavilions. We kept going and rolled up to the light where we are now going to turn left onto the main street in downtown Bonifay. The next two miles to the finish was funny and unbelievable.

Some 30,000+ North Florida cowboy/agriculture good ol' folks, rodeo, horse, cow and pig loving, 4-H individuals were at the parade that had just finished 30 minutes earlier. Thousands of people were walking and driving around, saddle vendors, cowboy hat and accessories vendors, food vendors, all type of vendors ... you name it, they were everywhere! If we had finished at our normal finishing time, our Lycra butts would have been part of the parade.

Now ... there was horse doo everywhere, not in the middle of the road or to one side or to the other ... no, it was absolutely everywhere (hay thrown on top of it in most places). Folks looked at us and kids pointed, so we smiled, waved, and said "hey" like we were the tail end of the parade. We dodged horse doo, cars, trucks, horse trailers, cowboys, kids, vendors, red lights, ... got a visual yet? We were in sensory overload watching all the movement in every direction and trying to get to the finish safely. This is usually a very laid back, southern town with minimal traffic and congestion.

We finished at the McDonald's which on a normal Saturday evening has a regular number of customers in and out. However, not this Saturday night as cars, trucks, horses (with the owners), horse trailers, kids, mom's, dad's, people were everywhere flowing in and out of the parking lot and McDonald's; it was the "happening" place!

You gotta love rural North Florida ... what a fun ride and great finish to a 209k Permanent. :)

RA

[jbrainin]

Yesterday, I led a rolling 51 mile ride for my bike club which I expected to be lightly attended but was surprised to find 13 riders there. The weather was fine, and the route covered many of the prettiest roads in Keno's neck of the woods.

Today, I led another ride, this time a very hilly 40 miler. I found myself alone at the starting time so I went out and did the ride by myself. The route was painfully beautiful (or was that the hills?) and I was quite content doing the ride at my own pace without having to be concerned about the whereabouts and welfare of others on the ride.

[mikki]

Wow. Best wishes for a painless recovery to sjbraun, chuckroast, Dekonick, Michael, and Mike.

I have just had my third good day, so think I am on my way to wellness. Will be starting PT next week and am looking forward to getting the full use of my left arm back and being able to bend again.

Been a weird trip to be inactive for four weeks. UGH. How do couch potatoes do it?!?

[Peter B]

Tough weekend folks. Hope everyone recovers quickly.

I managed 110 fixed today. Beautiful ride down in the flats of Stanislaus County and up into the hils of Mariposa County a bit. Felt good to stretch the legs (and lungs) after 3 weeks off the bike. Long hours at work suck!

Congrats to Andrew and his team RA!



Peter

[soulspinner]

My ride today was six minutes long and covered .8 miles.

Three minutes in I managed to catch a gap between two rocks and go right over the bars. Fortunately I broke my fall with my face (on more rocks thank you very much).

Thankfully, 3 minutes back to the car, load up and a five minute drive to the emergency room. 5 and a half hours later I'm released and at the moment, I look like I've done 10 rounds with Ali.

Here's a shot from the emergency room before the stiches and before the swelling started in.

I stink at mountain bike riding. I wish it wasn't such fun...


You perfected "it only hurts when I smile"...heal fast.

[39cross]

Been a blue week for me.

Hopefully I can get 30 +/- in tomorrow... as I need the therapy.

:(My sympathies, I hope you get a few good spins in to help ease the pain.

Sat. I felt rather like crap, but Sunday got in a nice ride which encompassed the Gloucester cross races and got to hang with my favorite Girlie.

[paczki]

Saturday rode with my friend Igor and a Forumite. Igor likes to put the hammer down so it was fun. Only thing was he took us on some roads that had so many potholes that it felt like we were riding through a WWI battlefield. It was the maiden voyage of the new Merckx and it did a really good job of soaking up the road -- advantage carbon over steel -- but I nearly ejected a bottle and all of my fillings. Still once that stretch of bad road was over, beautiful ride. Sunday checked out the ANT route with another Forumite-- really beautiful ride. Hope some of y'all can come!

[rwsaunders]

One cross-country final (kids/running), three soccer matches, shuttling to art class and a charity golf event on Friday. In between that, we managed to get in two 40-milers, as the weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend. Now it's time to relax and hit the road for work for the week.

[Steelhead]

Saturday watched the Texas Longhorns whip up on those goofy Boomer Sooners ! Go Horns, TEXAS FIGHT ! :)

Sunday got in 51 hilly miles west of Austin at a strong 17.5 avg. which I was pleased with given this weekends approaching Round Rock 100 and the the LiveStrong the following weekend. :)

[toaster]

No ride for me on Saturday.

On Sunday there was the regular group ride and six of us optioned to go off on our own to Isla Vista (UCSB) so it was a 100 miler with great weather and good times.

[Karin Kirk]

Sjbraun, you're an inspiration, please keep us posted. Even if the riding felt like crap, it must've felt beautiful to just be out there again.

Chuckroast - ouch! Speedy recovery and I am amazed at your sense of humor. Good for you.

We had a wintery weekend that felt very January-esque. It snowed from Friday afternoon through Sunday night. The world is totally white and yesterday's high never got above freezing.

Saturday I spent the day volunteering at a 'cross race, doing the scoring with the official. I've worked with him at other events so despite the fact that we froze our butts off, we still had fun and I learned how to keep track of a complicated cross race. I was impressed by the 50 racers who showed up in a 20 degree snowstorm to ride around for an hour wearing woefully insufficient clothing!

Aside from that our primary activity was inventing jury-rigged methods to keep the greenhouse from freezing solid without bringing in a heater. Any minute now I will be brave enough to go out there and see what the damage was from last night.

I'm really looking forward to a thaw and some good rides this week!

[jghall]

80+ all weekend for us in Indy.

Saturday, a nice ride with the kids for a snow cone.

Sunday, just under 3 hours.

Sorry to hear of all the mtb wrecks. Best of luck with recovery.

[benb]

Saturday should have been a super pleasant ride but I'm not sure what happened.

It was in the high 40s when I left around 10:15AM. Within an hour it had warmed up to around 60. Stripped off the tights around 20 minutes in, after that first hour I finally gave in and took off my fleece. Problem being it is pretty goofy to ride around with a 100wt fleece jammed in your jersey pocket. On top of all this I was pretty wasted and I had just stuck a Fizik Arione on my bike and was super paranoid about the saddle. I probably had it right on the first try, but was worried it was too far back, moved it around a bit before putting it back right where it started. Stupid waste of time.

The ride was only 50 miles but it seemed like it took me forever. A hilly ride, but still, I've done it much faster. When I got home it seemed like I had a ridiculous amount of salt on my face for 50 miles in October. But it was a very pretty day, we are having a lot of nice foliage this fall.

Yesterday I went out with my fiance, we did 21 miles. Other then having a little trouble she did well.. longest she has done since starting riding this summer is 30 miles. But I felt much better and that new saddle really seemed to work. Only thing was before the ride I had to change my tire.. found it blown out & off the rim, which I mentioned in another thread.. that bothered me through yesterdays ride and is still on my mind. I'm hoping the LBS gets new tires in soon.

[spiderman]

which is 'walker friendly'.
in order to support her in her training
she walks around the lake...16 miles
and i meet her at each 4 mile mark
with food and water
using my cross bike as a support vehicle of sorts.
after i make the exchange with her
i ride a 5 to 8 mile gravel or off-road spur
and meet her at the next hydration station.
i figure i rode anywhere from 40 to 50 miles
and she improved her time by at least 20 minutes--
--fresh enough to now feel that the 26 miles
is a very attainable goal between now and january!

[Ti Designs]

Saturday's plan was to ride into Harvard square, pick up the Harvard team and ride out to Dublin NH where John Allis has a house. It's a fall tradition which includes some rain, lots of fog, good food and lots of wine. The plan got derailed when I got sick on Friday, my clothing and a case of wine were stranded at my house. Early Saturday morning I was feeling much better, so I packed the car and drove out to John's house to join him in riding back and meeting the team about half way along. On the way out there I hit a section of grooved pavement that was over 2 miles long. I thought to myself "glad I'm not riding from Cambridge!". I got to John's place and we were joined by a young friend of John's on the ride back to meet the team. You can tell the local kids that John has pulled into the sport 'cause they're wearing 30 year old Raleigh team stuff and think nothing of the hills of NH. John hasn't changed in the 20 years I've known him, nobody is that smooth on the pedals. Unlike the past 6 times I've done this trip there was no rain, no fog, no snow... The sun was out, you could see Mt Monadnock from the top of every climb and the fall color was beyond what you see on those New England calendars. The only problem was that we were riding a little too well. We got to the point where we would always meet John and we kept going. I knew at that point we would be riding across the grooved pavement section, meet the team, then turn around and ride back over it. That's just what we did... The ride back to John's house has some uphill sections to it - and by some I would guess it to be about 10 miles. I took the state line crossing into Mason NH, then remembered that it's October and promptly got dropped from the front group. We were joined by another two who rode back from John's house and we kept the group of 9 together the whole way back. It was one of the best rides of the season and I have the helmet tan to show for it.

[Bruce K]

Saturday:

Erdinger GP of Gloucester - Day 1 - Masters 55+ race. I washed out my rear wheel on a sharp corner early in the first lap and went down briefly. Rode like a maniac for 2 laps and made up about 4 or 5 spots. Gave most of them back on the last lap as I faded from energy mismanagement (well it sounds good anyway). I ended up 16th out of 21.

Erdinger GP of Gloucester - Day 2 - Masters 55+ race. I had a good start and was feeling good until about 3/4 through the first lap. I got too close too the course tape going down a steep, short hill. Caught the tape and endoed. I think it gave the crowd a thrill. Boy was I sore this morning. :crap:

Better luck next week in Canton, MA.

BK

[1centaur]

Friday took off work to de-stress about the markets. 83 miles up to Fremont and Sandown, NH. 18.5 mph average. Look 585 on Zipp 404s.

Saturday took the AXM with Cosmic Carbones to Hamilton and on a whim took Winthrop from Highland to Ipswich Road (dirt/gravel/potholes). Hoped my skinny tires would make it and they did, though I dawdled down the road at 10 mph to be careful. Dragged my average for 39 miles down to 17.7; short ride so I could get to Gloucester 'cross to see Lance :(

Sunday took the SuperSix with 303s up to Newburyport then back through West Newbury/Groveland/North Andover and was just starting to get a smooth groove on in the last five miles of 46 at 18.3.

Fantastic fall weather, the last of the good stuff, will be over 70 the next two days (Indian summer, not that I'll get to ride) and then into the 50s and the inevitable slide to grim November winds. Leaves turned pretty early and fast, seems to me. That means bare trees early. December 5 is the average first snow in Boston - I'm guessing it will come early this year.

[uno-speedo]

Mountain biking fun on Noble Canyon and Indian Creek trail in the Laguna Mountains just outside of San Diego. 35 miles and 4000' of climbing.

[Lifelover]

I coach Middle school football so that is my focus this time of year. I still try to ride when I can, but I spend allot more free time recovering from football than riding.

Capped on that, I've been having back problems since the end of August and I don't want to re aggravate that prior to the "between the Waters" century in two weeks.

Saturday got out with Local, Big, group ride. Took my touring bike and went with a B group. Talked with some folks I have not seen in a while and generally had a good time. One of the guys on the local race team is taking a real stab at becoming a CF frame manufacture for a small frame company, so it was interesting hearing about that back at the shop.

Just got back from a 20 mile waterfront neighborhood tour. Took the new FS mtb with knobbies and worked my a$$ off trying to maintain 12-15 MPH along the sidewalks. The weather was great and the MILFs were out in force.

It's nice to be back on the bike.