Gentlepersons, your ride reports pls.!

[Too Tall]

Thurs. Queen and I traveled to Trexlertown to meet with our track coach and nail final preparations for our regional track champs. It is so fine to have a track all to youself on a beautiful summer day...sigh.

Anyway, I'll cut to the chase.

Sat. I blew the bell lap of my flying 200...spaced out and only realized late that I had to "nail it" when the attentive and on this ocassion LOUD Tom Kellog screamed "better move it" or something to the effect. Ehh, I managed a 12.9 flying 200...or rather crawling 200 for 6th seed and as luck would have it I paired with the guy who won last yrs. match sprints...OY! In the sprint I took the high starting position and immed. went to the front to control this sprint happy monster and set a moderate pace. As soon as he half wheeled me I took him up the track, down and than faked him up and nailed it and immed. sat down to see how jumpy he was...he wasn't....soooo as he approached turn 3 (first lap) I made the same move and he was looking for another fake move but I really laid into it with all I had and got good separation and took it all the way to the line...photo finish...he won....durn...woulda been cool to beat last yr.s champ in my first ever sprint.

Kilo was dismal, took 6th feeling flat (more on that later).

Sunday - Pursuit and the rest of the story. Something was bugging me about my Russian Disk wheel used for sat. racing...it didn't feel right so I popped it off to discover a crack cone nut and the bearings were bound up super tight...I could barely move the axel with two fingers....ugg...that did not help eh? Changed wheels and laid down a decent pursuit for bronze. I took a few points in the points race and blew up before the finish!!! My legs were fried.

Queen took 4th in everything and bailed on the points race as she never race don the track in a pack and was having plenty of excitement.

Haha, jokes on me. I never should have used that disk wheel because I'd only used it once prior in practice and it was just purchaseded used....duh. However, it was an awesome weekend of racing and we got to play with all the cool kids from MD, DC, VA and DE at the track. Life is good. Hows bout you?

*Thought I'd add a pic of last weeks criterium. I'm fishing for primes:

[coylifut]

did my favorite cross race on Saturday. got 2nd in the single speed. wonderful course. cristened the new to me Sachs today and got 4th in a real small field of masters. ugly course. never raced on anything that bumpy before. the back gave out before the legs and lungs, but it was the same for everyone. took a few laps to start driving the bike well. haven't ridden geared cx bike in a while

[BumbleBeeDave]

. .. I wondered when we were going to start doing this again.

Last Sunday . . . 32 miles on the River Loop with a 19.6 average. On Riverview Road in Clifton Park a lady in a 10 year old Benzie Turbodiesel wagon eases past me, then pulls over, flags me down, and starts literally begging me not to ride on that road any more. “I have two sons who are into cycling and I won’t let them ride here!” she preaches. “It’s so narrow and there’s no shoulder!” While she preached, another guy pulls up and we listen to her for too long. Then we went on and it turned out he’s a Cat. 3 from the local college who had never done the Loop, so we did the rest together. Great ride.

Tuesday . . . 27.5 miles on my MTB with slicks and the light on the bike path. I was hyper stressed out from work and averaged 19.4 the first seven miles down to train station park. Grrrr! . . .

Thursday . . . 19.8 miles on the road with friends Steve and Mark. 19.9 average. Timed it perfectly to get back to Steve’s place just at dark.

Saturday . . . 60 Miles around Great Sacandaga Lake with the bike club. Averaged 18mph with three pretty huge hills--West Mountain, Hadley Hill, and Glasshouse Creek. I finished about mid-pack out of 30 riders, so I was real happy. My friend Robbie took a nasty spill coming into the parking lot at the end of the ride, though. It was painful to watch. D@MN that gravel!

Today . . . Showed up at the junior college for the weekly group ride and my friend Tom (also known as, uh, “TOM” here on the forum) was the only other one to show up, so we did 40 easy with a 17 average, as we were both fried . . . me from the ride yesterday and he mumbled something about too many strippers and too much beer Saturday night . . .

BBDave

[Dekonick]

Just been riding fixxie as it has been too dark to commute (no lighting system...still looking for one...) - mostly short 1-2 hour rides only. Rode with Bob on thursday - he has one sexy looking terraplane! Of course I got a flat with the supposedly bombproof armodillo tires...sheesh! we just rode his usual 3mile loop for an hour and a half - nice just to chat and chill. Worked 24 hours friday, taught at the hospital all weekend so what little time I had I spent with my wife and son. He is growing tooooooo fast Work tomorrow another 24 hour shift so I guess I'll go for a 2 hour fixxie ride tuesday.

Booring but thats life.

[zank]

Had a ball today at the Sucker Brook cross. Pretty fast start for the B race. Nice power course with a great layout. A lot of 180 corners, a cool sand pit, one set of fast hurdles. Settled into 11th on the first lap. Stayed there with a teammate until 2 to go, when he popped me. Got caught by 2 more. Ended up 14th out 30 or so starters. Not too bad for the beginning of the season.

Looking forward to BCA next Saturday.

Bruce, any racing yet?

[Lifelover]

Last Sunday - Rode 76 miles with 6500 plus feet of climbing at a great organized ride in NC. Bridge to Bridge. For the more daring (and the skinnier) it is a 102 mile ride that concludes with a two mile climb up to GRandfather Mountian. Crazy stuff

Monday - the last of the 20 mile ice cream social. Since it was the last we only did 10 miles and finished with brats and dogs to go along wiht homemade Ice cream. This ride will be greatly missed until it starts back up in the
spring.

Tuesady - 20 miles with the group. Normal leader was not there so the speeds quickly got out of hand. Amazes me how people are willing to go 20+ thru busy neighborhoods at night. I stayed back and pulled on older group of riders for the last 10 or so miles.

Friday - Rode 20 miles with some of the local racer wannabees on their weekly recovery ride. Max 23. Slow for them but about my limit.

Saturday - 20 miles with the big Saturday group followed by another 12 mile loop with a few other clydes. It's nice to follow behind a big guy instead of a stick.

This Sunday - 16 miles in the morning with my 12 y/o and 8 y/o. Including a stop to feed the ducks and another stop to swing on the tire swing. A 20 mile night bombing of the neighboorhood on my FS MTB. MTBs are the only way to ride in the dark.

[dauwhe]

Inspired by D2R2 (a 115 mile event with 70% dirt), I've been exploring the dirt roads in southern Vermont. Saturday I tried one that had been on my list for a while. The hard part is the 26 miles to the start of the dirt, as it's mostly uphill (Route 9 from Brattleboro past Wilmington)! The road itself is Forest Service Road 71, which is closed in winter, and heads north from Route 9 for 15 miles to the Arlington-West Wardsboro road, which is itself dirt.

Anyway, it was beautiful! Smooth for four miles, and then rather bumpy, but never really bad, and never too steep! No traffic, lovely views of meadows and streams, and the occasional glimpse of Stratton Mountain (not the side with the ski lifts!). It really felt like I was a long way from civilization! Looks like a good place to go for an ambitious S24O; lots of good places to camp along the road.

After I got to the other end of the road, I headed north on some paved back roads past the Stratton Ski area. The roads were beautiful, quiet, and hilly. But there's nothing uglier than ski area parking lots, winter or summer! Then it was back to Route 30 and about thirty more miles home. 93 miles total with more than 30 miles of new roads! If only I'd eaten more pastries! Felt a bit sluggish at the end

And of course, Saturday was the perfect crisp Fall day, with a deep-blue sky.

Somedays I feel lucky to be able to ride a bike!

[Keith A]

Well after being off the bike for about two weeks due to too much surfing followed by the hurricane cleanup trip, I finally started pedaling again. Additionally, my wife was not feeling well last week so I was staying home in the morning to get the kids off to school, so my riding was limited.

Tuesday - Rode the trainer using the Cyclops tape, that's a good short work out.

Friday - Finally back on the road and my second ride on the tubulars, 30 miles of tempo riding. BTW, what happened to the sun? It sure is sleeping in these days.

Saturday - Got up early all ready for the group hammerfest, even though I wasn't sure if I had the legs yet. After riding about half-way (15 minutes) to the starting location, I realized I didn't have my water bottles So I put it in time trial mode back to the house, grabbed the bottles and was giving it everything I had to get to the start on time. I arrived several minutes late and they were gone, but they do a slow warm up for a couple of miles so I thought I could catch them. I kept the pressure on and was getting close and then they turned onto the road were the ride really starts and the pace quickly picks up to 25+ and it was all over. So I took a shortcut to try and catch them -- which I finally did. By this time I had ridden all out for about an hour and I was spent and wasn't much use in the paceline, but I did make the split in the group that occured about halfway on the ride. I finished the ride with the front group and was happy to have survived and ended up with 60+ miles in less than three hours.

[Tom]

Good Lord.

Anyway, last week was short but I had a blast playing in the dark with my new headlight. This thing is the best money I have spent on a bike toy (other than the bikes themselves). My season's extended a <minimum> of three months. I even leave the thing on low beam once it gets daylight because I might as well, nobody's turning in front of me and cutting me off with that thing coming!

Saturday was spent pulling 160 or so fiber optic cables out of the patch panel. How is it I can ride the hell out of my bike but I can't tolerate getting down on the floor and back up again about 100 times without being sore as the ****ens the next day?

Also: if you ever build one of those things, whatever you do don't build a 90 degree corner into it. You wind up with a series of bundles the size of your thigh and they're too tight to see where your cable comes out the other side so you have to force your hand through it each time and sometimes the cables get all twisted up in there... then you have this big ol' head on the thing that has to come through and you really have to try not to wreck any of the other 1000 or so that are in there and actually doing something. Red lights are bad.

[spiderman]

monday: 20 mile noon ride: around big spirit lake
tuesday: 20 mile noon ride: east lake okoboji, upper/lower gar, west lake
wednesday: 25 miles with my wife
40 miles on my own the two rides above combined.
thursday: 20 the reverse of tuesday as an individual time trial.
friday: 20 the reverse of monday at a fairly slow steady spin.
saturday: 27 miles around the lakes with my kinship match (freshman)
a high school senior just getting into road riding
and my best riding friend who got me riding again.
between heavy rains, wet roads, loved my sks fenders!
sunday: rain all day, so i got reaquainted with the big yankee rollers...
...increasing gears every 2-3 minutes...5-10 on the top gear
and descending to the lowest gear...all in the big ring.

[Kevan]

Saturday was left to sleeping and moping, but mustered enough strength for a quick ride around the block. 45 minutes worth.

Sunday, Westchester Cycling club's Golden Apple opens to cool grey skies. Nope... didn't do the 100. Uh-uh... no 75. 50... you're kidding me! That's right... I did the 25 miler with son Tucker on his first organized ride.

Honestly, that boy needs some bike shorts, he was walking about the house afterwards like he was John Wayne after a cattle drive.

It great seeing him catch the cycling bug (His teeth too caught some bugs.). I spent most my time hanging off the back keeping an eye on him, and giggled from within to see him reel-in one rider at a time along our route. (Okay, he lost a few too.) He needs some seasoning, but next year we'll aim for a metric century and see how things go from there.

[Tom]

nobody started the thread and I didn't want to cause I'm too modest.

Right.

Anyway, did the club century a couple weekends ago, 103.7 in 5:02. Woulda made my 5 hour goal except I went about a mile extra because I'm a blithering idiot. I look over and there's the thoroughbred track and I said several things the forum software splats out. I turned back and pushed it a little but no dice.

I learned something in that and the other century this summer where I tried to keep up with the front group. I can go fairly quickly and hang for a long time but when it comes time to really open it up I'm not as fast as many people. It's not surprising, that's how I rode all year. This fall and winter I just ride for endurance, next spring I start doing a workout each week where I learn how to red line and then recover. I figure I either do intervals if I'm on a flat road or I go west of town and learn how to climb fast. Sometimes I can do these things but I blow up and need to gather myself. If I think I'm going to race next year I better be able to hold wheels when people decide to drop the hammer.

[Keith A]

Originally Posted by Tom

If I think I'm going to race next year I better be able to hold wheels when people decide to drop the hammer.

This really is a very important key element in competition or if you just want to hang with the fast boys. On our fast Saturday group ride, we have a number of very talented triathletes that would most likely beat many of the pure roadies from the group in a time trial. However, they struggle (and sometimes get dropped) with the rapid accelerations that take place in the group ride. It isn't easy to hang on sometimes and I would recommend you doing some interval work if you aren't already doing so to help improve your ability to handle the intense efforts.

Racing has a lot of hard accelerations -- especially if you are doing crits which often have a lot of corners that slows the group down and then you have to hammer to coming out of the corner to not get dropped. Best of luck in your entry into the racing world.

[weisan]

I was a little bit under the weather for the past two weeks, coughing quite a bit, running a bit of fever and having some congestion in the chest....despite all these I am still caught with the biking bug and went out to ride....I know I shouldn't have done that but I really can't help it. So...here's a short week of riding...

Last Sat. - group ride. Rode the Legend. Saw a young kid riding with the bunch, if I were to guess, he's probably 12 or 13 but he's riding on a Trek bike that is at least two sizes too big for him. Anyhoo, it's inspiring to watch him do his best to stay with the group until we got past the warmup stretch (<5 miles) and the front guys started to turn the dial up and hit it past 25+mph...sorry kid, hope to see again.

Monday - 1-hr lunch ride. Took the carbon LOOK. Did some LT work.

No more riding in between until....

Fri - 1-hr lunch ride, easy spin. Took the lugged steel. Went out from the office, passed by Nick Crumpton shop, noticed a white infiniti SUV parked outside, thought he might have visitors from out-of-town evacuating to Austin, didn't want to intrude so didn't knock on his door. Later found out from Nick, it's a customer comin' in to place a deposit for his new custom carbon bike.

Sat. - late afternoon - 1hr 15mins - Took the lugged steel. coughing...coughing...I really shouldn't be riding....anyhoo...started from home, feeling really good legs after all the rest and non-riding during the week...so thought why waste it...hit the gas, ended up doing a 30mins+ time trial. At the end of it, had way too much fun on my lugged steel, gave it a pat and vowed NEVER to sell it...NEVER...EVER!

weisan

[davids]

...and my weekday morning rides have been replaced with drives to school, dropping my daughter off by 7:45 from Monday through Thursday (I get Fridays off!) The trainer is set up, and I've started tourturing myself on that. ...anyway:

Sunday, 9/11: Lots of friends ride the Flattest Century in the East. I ride 50 miles with another slacker, where we agree that we're definitely doing that century in 2006. A lovely ride through the western 'burbs on a late summer day. I climbed Mt. Monadnock on Saturday, and am feeling the effects of pounding down the trail late that afternoon. When I wake up Monday, my legs are as achey as I can remember. I finally take some Advil late in the afternoon, and by bedtime I feel fine!

Tuesday, 9/13: First morning on the trainer. It's stuffy and muggy in the basement, and I'm dripping with sweat after a very moderate workout.

Friday, 9/16: Out the door as the sun rises for 25 miles. A lovely morning, and so much better than the basement!

Sunday, 9/18: Time to start shopping for the next bike! Off to Wheelworks for the afternoon, where I ride six bikes over the course of the afternoon, repeatedly climbing past McLean and up Concord Ave. before turning around and flying back to Trapelo Square. I mostly ride 'complete' bikes - from Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, Lemond, and Orbea. Lots of carbon. The only one that grabs me at all is the Cannodale Synapse, despite my overly-tall position on the bike. I end the day on a Fierte Ti. The salesman thinks I'll hate it after riding all those high-tech carbon frames. Wrong! This is much more my cup of tea! The bike is alive underneath me, and the geometry is spot-on - comfortable and confidence-inspiring! A very good first day shopping, and a decent number of miles, 6 at a time.

Tuesday, 9/20: Trainer. Basement. Sweat.

Thursday, 9/22: ditto.

Saturday, 9/24: Back to Belmont. Time to ride some custom bikes. I start with the Parlee Z1. Responsive, light and smooth. Maybe too smooth. I miss the feedback I get with metal. So, next I ride a Nove. Much more to my taste! Solid and responsive at the bottom bracket. Quick and agile. But the carbon still damps out more of the road than I want! Back on the Fierte to confirm my tastes. Looks like I can save some money. Next up, more Ti bikes!

Before riding the candidates, I first ride my Seven on the same route. In a back-to-back comparison to these other bikes, I'm surprised to feel how quick the steering is! The salesperson makes some suggestions for slowing the steering, but I'm skeptical. (Follow the link if you'd like to read more!)

Sunday, 9/25: A "long", slow ride with my wife and a neighbor. She's feeling good when we make a quick stop after 12 miles, and I manage to keep her going for a solid 30 mile ride. It's the longest she's ridden in years. It's slow, but the company's good.