Did You Ride Today?

[Weatherby]

I can't ride today.
Today is too hot here 42' 'C

Yuck. That would kill me. What's that about 107F. I really do poorly in heat.

It was 52F (11C) and very light rain. I did 60 miles with 3400 feet of climbing in a little over 4 hours including a latte stop. I had planned to do a 400K today but life has been getting in the way of my cycling. This has to stop.

 

[Weatherby]

The kind of group rides that I don't like are ones where the strong riders sit in and the group crawls on the flats. Then a hill comes and the strong riders who were sitting in then go stroke their little egos by dropping the others. The stronger rider should be doing most of the pulling on the flats in a training ride. But STRAVA points are too important. Damn the newbie cyclist. I say pin a number.

 

[Uawadall]

The kind of group rides that I don't like are ones where the strong riders sit in and the group crawls on the flats. Then a hill comes and the strong riders who were sitting in then go stroke their little egos by dropping the others. The stronger rider should be doing most of the pulling on the flats in a training ride. But STRAVA points are too important. Damn the newbie cyclist. I say pin a number.

The thing about me is, I see no problem in getting dropped and therefore don't mind pulling for a group. At the same time, if I'm fighting to hang on to a fast bunch, I may not have that opportunity. If a rider pulls for me and I see them struggle later on, I will block the wind for them. Winning to me during group rides is getting a good workout and working the longs. Not some imaginary finish line.

 

[Uawadall]

An early morning ride, left at 7:00, decided to explore some new roads. I wanted hills and I've found them! I had no clue about some of these local towns near me, but they are very scenic and low traffic. The perfect kind of roads for cycling. I felt sore from yesterday, but cowardice wasn't an option. Was at a 3 way intersection and hills were in every direction! I climbed and climbed some more, was the first time in a while I've needed to use the lower gears(39/28). The way out was all up, but the way back had a good mix of hills and downhills.

I got lost a few times, but made it back home. Google maps is the worst in small towns, it guides you to roads that don't even exist anymore! I really need to invest in a garmin for better navigation. Not a straight uphill killer for some, but its the most climbing I've done in a while. 49.6 miles/3479 ft of climbing/16 mph. A tough effort and enjoyable ride.

 

[Bicycleman]

I have yet to do a 300k. I missed the chance at an ACP 300k with the wind gusts over 45 so I didn't do it. Then I was going to do a RUSA 300k with the 400k ACP riders, but it was during a storm so I bowed out of that one. Now, I have created several rides, and I'm working on another. I just have to get an information control installed before I release it.

When I started randonneuring, I was awed at the conditioning of these riders, at how fast they could go and the distances they could oover at speed. So needless to say, I concluded that anybody in randonneuring was in awesome shape. Well, that's not necessarily true. I have discovered that there are these types, who because of work constraints, seldom ride and if they ride, it's on a weekend 100k. They plod along at their pace and get the ride done, but then complain all week about how their knees hurt and how bad they feel. On my last 100k, I had this guy show up, and he just couldn't hang with me. I'm not especially fast, but I do try to maintain a 17 to 18 mph pace at a fairly high cadence. This guy was running at 11 and 12. I was worried he'd get lost so I had to wait for him at various intersections plus keep him company. We finished the ride in about an hour and a half off what I would routinely do it in.

Creating these rides is getting more and more like the rides I used to lead for my bike club. I would advertise B pace, and I always got one or two riders, who could barely hold a C pace. I then started advertising A pace only, must be able to ride a pace line and maintain at least a steady 18 mph. Then I got few riders. I got the idea that they were using my rides just to see a different part of the area, but everyone of them expected me to ride nurse maid for them. I eventually stopped leading rides. I probably will soon stop creating permanents and populaires. I know these rides aren't races but don't force me to do your pace how ever fast or slow it is. Your pace is not mine.

 

[Bicycleman]

The kind of group rides that I don't like are ones where the strong riders sit in and the group crawls on the flats. Then a hill comes and the strong riders who were sitting in then go stroke their little egos by dropping the others. The stronger rider should be doing most of the pulling on the flats in a training ride. But STRAVA points are too important. Damn the newbie cyclist. I say pin a number.

Around where I ride, we don't have the hills you guys have, but we do have wind in abundance. I tend to pull for others in the wind. I might do anywhere from 14 to 16, depending on the wind, then I will move over and some guy, who has been sitting in for the whole ride, takes off like a bat out of hell and drops everybody, including me, who has been gracious enough to pull everyone around for so long. Granted, I ride by myself a lot so am used to doing the pulling, but it really irks me at the attitude of some of these macho riders. I like it when they want to take off full bore with a tail wind on the out and back courses, because they are the ones that slow guys like me end up dropping in a head wind. I have seen these guys whip and around me and then get hit by a wall of wind, stopping them in their tracks. It's funny to watch. There was a reason I was riding so slow.

 

[Bicycleman]

An early morning ride, left at 7:00, decided to explore some new roads. I wanted hills and I've found them! I had no clue about some of these local towns near me, but they are very scenic and low traffic. The perfect kind of roads for cycling. I felt sore from yesterday, but cowardice wasn't an option. Was at a 3 way intersection and hills were in every direction! I climbed and climbed some more, was the first time in a while I've needed to use the lower gears(39/28). The way out was all up, but the way back had a good mix of hills and downhills.

I got lost a few times, but made it back home. Google maps is the worst in small towns, it guides you to roads that don't even exist anymore! I really need to invest in a garmin for better navigation. Not a straight uphill killer for some, but its the most climbing I've done in a while. 49.6 miles/3479 ft of climbing/16 mph. A tough effort and enjoyable ride.

When you create rides for RUSA, you must submit a cue sheet and a map so everyone uses Ride with GPS (www.ridewithgps.com). That's a great software app, but it is notoriously inaccurate. Don't depend on the Garmin being any more accurate than Ride With GPS. I used to use Microsoft Streets and Trips, and that app was as bad as Ride with GPS. You just can't beat ADC street map books for accuracy, not to mention the highway construction maps you can get from your local highway Department of Transportation.

 

[Uawadall]

Granted, I ride by myself a lot so am used to doing the pulling, but it really irks me at the attitude of some of these macho riders.

Its kind of strange to me as well, I ride alone maybe 75%-80% of the time. I think some of these riders are only use to riding with others and therefore have to rely on the strength of others. When I ride with faster people, it makes we want to improve to a point where I can stay up front for the group. On rides where I'm at the back, I end up playing a lot of catch up. I simply don't feel the same accomplishment when being at the back.

Yes, I just need to print out maps before hand. I've ran out of phone battery and leg strength a few times not knowing where I was. Always found my way back though. Planning a 300k? You are nuts, good luck!

 

[Bicycleman]

Its kind of strange to me as well, I ride alone maybe 75%-80% of the time. I think some of these riders are only use to riding with others and therefore have to rely on the strength of others. When I ride with faster people, it makes we want to improve to a point where I can stay up front for the group. On rides where I'm at the back, I end up playing a lot of catch up. I simply don't feel the same accomplishment when being at the back.

Yes, I just need to print out maps before hand. I've ran out of phone battery and leg strength a few times not knowing where I was. Always found my way back though. Planning a 300k? You are nuts, good luck!

That 300k already has cue sheets. I just don't like the thought of having to ride in the dark. Right now, it's getting dark around 8:30, and the sun is up by 5:30. Our RBA always starts the rides by 6 so it might just be possible for me to finish a 300k before dark. I must remember to eat regular food, not power bars the whole time. Power bars can sustain me for about 100 miles, but I really need to eat beyond that distance. As a result, I have started eating lunch on even the 100k's. I finish the rides always fresh.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

It rained most of the day yesterday and I spent 4-1/2 hours swinging a weed whacker in the drizzle through wet grass about 2' tall. A decent upper body workout, but I would have rather been out on the road...

42 miles today in alternating bright sunshine and drizzle. It would rain lightly for a few minutes and the sun would come out again. This happened over and over...and one time some ice spicules bounced off the road. Weird weather on a 70 degree day! The wind was anywhere from 8 MPH up to 17 MPH with gusts in the 20 to 24 MPH range. Not and easy day to be on the road, but enjoyable none the less.

I local club rider and I converged on a road...he was headed home and I was still in search of more miles at theat point. We swung into his gated resort lake community and I got to see the new house the fellow built on the lake front lot he had owned for years...<Borat> Very nice!

He turned down his driveway and I continued on for the 9-mile lap of the lake. I used to train around this lake when I was a mere lad of 18 years on the custom built Schwinn Paramount with Campy bar-end shifters...because...the lap of the lake is constantly climbing or descending! There must be somewhere around 30 climbs or more going around the lake perimeter road.

Some steep...some long...some short...with constant turning on the twisting roads so hands on the bars pretty much all the time! And over-cooking these bumpy tight turns is all too easy to do.! Back in 1974 bar-end shifters were a Godsend on this course and today we all take for granted the shifting we have at out fingertips.

I saw a couple of 14% climbs and one that topped out at 16% so there was work to be done! Right around 2400' of vertical stuff and my legs were dead from all the walking and standing while doing all that weed whacking the day before.

I came home dry and with a clean bike, so a good day!

 

[jhuskey]

Yes I rode today. I also wish to whine and ***** about how bad my upper back has hurt since Thursday. Sorry but that is the most interesting factor of my ride. Same route just more pain and slower speed. The only good thing is I think I have found a workout motion to reduce the muscle spasm with weights. Hoping to sleep all night tonight.

 

[zipp2001]

Got out for 33 miles today, with 13 of those miles being with my old middle school running partner. He's done two rides with me over the last two years (using his mtb.), with both rides finding him lose his breakfast early in each ride. I wanted him to try a road bike so I delivered the Giant Defy3 that has 32 miles since buying new several years ago. It's been hanging in my cellar waiting for any takers. The good thing is he didn't lose breakfast and he enjoyed the road bike, so it looks like I'll have him out on the road again soon.

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[CAMPYBOB]

I also wish to whine and ***** about how bad my upper back has hurt since Thursday.

As an officially certified Old Fart...you certainly may.

Quiet, everyone! JH has the floor!...right after my imitation of an old Jewish guy...

Bouncing around on the tractor ain't much work, but it beats the **** right out of me and it isn't easy on anyone's back to bounce over a hoofed up pasture(s) for five hours.

But, that damned weed whacker is the Devil's device! My neighbor would rather start grass fires than use a weed whacker and I figured out 'why' years ago...they HURT a man!

Everything from the fingers to the shoulder gets sore and what it does to the spine with all the lifting it, twisting with it and dropping it down grades...there ought to be a law! I shook most of that off after a couple miles this afternoon, but all that walking and climbing up and down those steep banks pretty much ruined my legs for the day. No power, very little leg speed and a sluggishness I just couldn't rise above. Tomorrow will be a faster day!

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Nice tunes, Zipp!

I saw Heart in 1976 at this show. All that music for $9! I rode my 1947 to the show and camped. No camping? No bottles? Rrrriiiiiggghhttt! Party on, Wayne!

 

[Weatherby]

i did a short 24 miler today with lots of hills and a flat TT stretch along the river. Some hard efforts to test my fitness. FTP is up 4 lousy watts. 6 minute power up 6 watts. It is amazing how hard it is to get stronger and yet still be darned average. I cut back miles a bit because I'm going cross country soon....won't have much time to rest then. I guess the way to look at fitness as we age is that any improvement is a big plus and it was a nice day and the alternative is worse.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

31 miles with 1350' of climbing on a beautiful 75 degree afternoon! The wind was light a 6-9 MPH and even with legs still not firing on all 8 from Saturday's weed whacking idiocy, I had some fun spinning lighter gears and looking at all the hay going into forage wagons.

 

[Bicycleman]

What has happened to the Bean Man? He started this thread and is missing in action. Anybody heard from him, lately?

 

[Shark425]

I haven't had the chance to ride for a while. Arkansas stinks. If it hasn't been raining, it's been threatening to rain. When it is sunny, I have to catch up doing all the things I needed to do when it was raining. I hate this place.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Anybody heard from him, lately?

He's got a new job and still riding the bike path after the Kung Fu Panda challenged him to a black belt standoff over wheel-sucking and who was the fastest in all Kaleeefornya.

His adventures are on his blog site.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

I haven't had the chance to ride for a while. Arkansas stinks. If it hasn't been raining, it's been threatening to rain. When it is sunny, I have to catch up doing all the things I needed to do when it was raining. I hate this place.

So...Arkyland is very much like Ohio except we have more snow. Yeah, Ohio sucks donkey ballz, too.

The sun is out today and I have to jump on the tractor before I can ride.