My Most Recent Ride 2012 (Part V in a series)

Ugly too

 

Terii, he may surprise you. My nephew would take his snow white Samoyed everywhere he went. Dog got horribly grungee, so he would stop off at the coin operated car wash and use the pressure want on him. Blanco loved it and acted like he was getting a back scratch. The passerbys loved it as well.

 

Buddy, Buddy,

And here I thought you were the kind one in the group. Picking on poor, innocent Jon that way. He can't help it that after a cruise you can't recognize him from all the weight gain. After all, that is what cruises are for! That is what makes them so much fun!

Curtis

 

We went hiking today at Sunset Volcano National Monument near Flagstaff. It was 104, had each been thru 3 large water bottles, & still a mile walk thru the lava field to the car. Jon, don't be a wuss.

 

Dave,

The 104 was a dry heat, not like the heat you get in Tennessee! And when you're in a dry heat*, you often don't realize how much water you're losing as your perspiration drys so quickly. Stay hydrated.

Curtis

*I really don't care what they say about "dry heat", it's still really hot!!!!

 

OK after getting chastized from Dave, I went on a 15.1 mile ride today. 92 degrees. The difference is I took it easy. Made a world of difference.

I learned I can't hammer the peddles when it is hot! (Well I can but then I hurt myself!

 

Loke and I went out yesterday. Imagine that. At a rented cabin on a trip specific for cycling and Jens' fishing and we took the trike out yesterday!

But I digress. It was about 46 F when we started out which after the muggy heat the day before felt wonderful. I definitely needed that extra layer. To save Jens some driving, the ride I planned was meant to be a leisurely one where I started from the cabin, rode north with the west bank of the river we're near until I could cross it and then ride south along the other bank until coming to the small town not far from our cabin. If I felt good after that, maybe I'd go on south along the river still. If not, I could wait in town for a pick up.

Loke went like a fine tuned machine. The first 10 miles or so, the only time we did less than 8.5 mph was when my pokey butt slowed us on the hills, which were surprisingly gentle given the nearly mountainous nature of the terrain. I saw only 3 cars during that first 10 miles.

Once I made the turn, we slowed way down. First was 1 to 1.5 mile climb at grades between 7 to 10% followed by another couple or few miles at lesser grades. The altitude profile on my Garmin showed only up and up. Throw in a road bed in dire need of resurfacing since most of the bitumen was missing from between the rocks, even when it was only a 3-4% grade I was suffering. I'm sure some people would look at my Garmin's profile and call me a wimp, but to me that's mountainous. Growing up on the Gulf Coast and most of the hills around Uppsala might be as steep or steeper at times, but they're SHORT.

The good side was on the other part of that mean hill. Down and down and down. Loke got to run again. I got to coast for a while between additional SMALL hills. Each one still took a toll on my energy. By the time I'd crossed the bridge for the final stretch to the town, Jens called to see if I was finished. He wanted my company in his search for fishing places.

In spite of the climb, it was a good ride and I enjoyed the scenery and took pictures of the wood-shake sided church in Eksharad. Loke did wonderfully with no ill affects to feet. I was wiped, but with the longest ride of the year under my wheels at a bit less than 22 miles, I felt a glow of accomplishment.

I'll blog it with photos once we get back home!

Terii

 

And out again today!

Woke this morning to gray skies and scattered showers as the weather forecast had predicted. I felt surprisingly good even after the climbing challenges of the day before. No real body aches at all.

In spite of the rain, I was determined to ride any way. After a rocky start, I left Hogfors church in search of the Sverigeleden which runs along what I suspect is the old rail line. The on-again-off-again drizzle which made its presence known stopped though the clouds kept the threat of it over our heads.

After a few false turns, Loke and I were on our way. He was running amazingly strong given he'd covered 20+ miles the day before. A couple miles along a dirt road brought me to another town called Udda and there was the path with a nice big sign welcoming its travelers and another smaller sign with distances to towns further down the line.

It triggered something in Loke because he started running. The furball covered nearly 2 miles at a 12 mph lope. I tried to slow him a couple times, but he was having none of it. Threw his weight into the harness and gave me irritated looks.

The path is amazing. Nice pavement though it has a few large gaping cracks from the freeze/thaw cycles of winter. A few spots where it's gotten a little washboarded, amazing for asphalt. Here and there, lumps the size of a large water melon are pushing up, but they've been helpfully painted bright yellow to make them easier to avoid. It goes through forest and field, over streams and rivers. Long stretches were lined with bright purple and pink flowers called lupin. Bathrooms! There are bathrooms or clean outhouses every 10 km or so!

The only times I left the path were for quick side trips to get pictures of churches. After a bit more than 24 miles (the NEW officially longest trip of the year), we stopped at another church and I could tell Loke was done. He'd been running strong right up until I tethered him to a light pole in the shade of a tree before going to look at the church. Once I got back though, he was flat on his side. All he did was open his eyes and flop his tail up and down a few times.

Tomorrow, I'm starting from the same church Jens picked us up from though I think Loke will be staying with Jens. He probably needs a break though he might try to convince us otherwise when he sees the trike coming together.

I'll post on the blog once I get home of course.

Terii

 

Pleasure to meet Her

I met Serenity last week.

 

Aaah! Fred, you didn't have to post the picture with me in it. I am not a photogenic person...(sigh) alas...no more anonymity. Oh well...

However, it was great meeting you and seeing you and Ed at the shop. You'll have to come visit again. Oh and you'll definitely have to come back next fall for our rally. Glad you made it home safe.

 

What the...........

So THAT"S where my SUN glasses went!

In addition to riding with Fred in Indiana on the 7th, 8th & 9th for 45,13 & 100 miles respectfully, we rode Pigeon Forge 18 miles at night (18th), Townsend-Coulter Bridge 29 mile loop when this pic was taken (19th), Cades Cove loop twice (20th) for 22 miles*and Dandridge-White Pine loop (21st) 40 miles before he returned to TX on Friday *He did the Cades Cove 11 mile loop twice on the 13th & 16th as well. These rides are well below Fred's norm (at 70+/day yearly average), but my butt is dragging! Glad he made it home safely; actually glad he 'went' home!

Despite the fact that we spent a lot of our youth cycling I can't say we grew up on bikes, because .............we never grew up!

Fred's visit was complete having had a chance to see the TN wildlife, bear/deer/duck/geese/Paul/Gene/others............... and Serenity!

 

I'm still waiting to meet her...and Bill also of course.

Rode 11 miles this evening but I wasn't on a bent, my brother was. He rode the Venom and I think he is hooked. Betty rode her Eliptigo. We didn't go very fast but it was a nice ride on our flat shady rail trail.

 

I had the chance to do the NITE ride in Indy last night...and it was FANTASTIC. Estimates are about 4500 riders, and I was surprised at how many bents there were. Got to see all the fantastic night sites of Indy with the roads closed to all but bicycles. (most of them, anyway). It's certainly a MUST do for next year!

 

Very Pretty...Smart Too

"Aaah! Fred, you didn't have to post the picture with me in it. I am not a photogenic person...(sigh) alas...no more anonymity. Oh well..."

Keila


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Not Photogenic?! Sorry you have to live with an old man. He does need
an ego boost though. Well, I think you are very pretty.....smart too.

 

I am glad to see everyone is riding and in lots of different states. I need to gear it up.

Week after next I am completing my Erie Canal ride that I started last year. Looking forward to that.