My Most Recent Ride 2008 (Part I of series)

Re: My Most Recent Ride

I have days like that. Just a struggle to get up and go to work, much less play a few sets of tennis or pedal a few miles. Sometimes it feels better after a few games or miles. Other days it's just not there. Probably less a matter of conditioning than it is nutrition or attitude. Too much sugar and not enough protein. Or too many layers of clothes to fight the nasty weather. Then next time I might feel like I could play or pedal all day long.

Dave "The Breeze"

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Terri,

You also might want to check tire pressure and make sure your brakes are not dragging. Dave has a great story about having a terrible ride then discovered his tire pressure was way low. Since you have been on your trainer, it could happen.

Check them and let us know.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Buddy had trouble the last day on the Katy Trail due to brakes rubbing a warped rim.

I don't recall the story you mentioned, but then I don't remember lunch either. But I remember several others, myself included, struggling to keep up during group rides. Then discovered low pressure. Often due to a slow leak, sometimes just cuz pressure wasn't checked before leaving. I always check tire pressure long before leaving home for a ride; if it needs work I don't want to hold up the group. You never know what's gonna slow ya down. If you use narrow profile/low volume tires, even a tiny leak can shut you down in a hurry. The beginnings of low rear tire pressure is harder to detect than the front since steering is very sensitive.

I try to remember to reach back occasionally at stop signs, etc. and give the rear tire a squeeze. I've found a couple of in-ride leaks that way.

Dave "The Breeze"

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

I've had my share of dragging brakes. The Florida trip with AD, Bill, Rob,
Keila and Will. A 75 mile day and I got a mile behind before I stopped to
rest and realized the rear brake was badly dragging.

Disc brakes drag too. Had a new Catrike that wore me out one day.
Burned a finger adjusting that one.

And like Dave said, the extra 40 LBS on the Tour Easy 700c wheel
caused it to warp when the spokes came lose. That was the week
on the Katy Trail.

One more: Last year at the spring Sunrise Century a brake was
dragging at the first rest stop. The support team was there and
gave it a professional adjustment by bending the hold back spring.
That was another 700c wheel on a P-38.

Other than that, I like brakes good. But I don't trust them. I check
them often.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Thanks for the input all.

In all honesty, I did check the brakes and the tires when I hit about mile 3 and was having such problems. It really does seem that it was the extra layer just making that much harder for me to flex my knees.

Went out today and it was fine with only two layers (wool base and normal outer). It was even 'special' because it was the first time I actually 'went somewhere' with my trike.

Generally, I just ride my trike in loops around the country side. Today, it was me and dog going to our in-laws. My MIL visits every week so I can practice conversational Swedish to try and actually pick the language up. I feel kinda bad that it was always her coming here. Now the weather had improved and I thought it might be nice to get me and Loke over to her instead. Today was the first run.

I did get lost in a tangle of apartment buildings, ended mired in mud choking my derailleur, getting out and wading through ice melt and mud 3 inches or so deep while trying to drag the trike and hang on to a hyper dog. Then came the stairs. I ended up chaining Loke to a nearby tree until I got the trike down the steps.

Getting home went MUCH better and about a mile shorter.

But it still felt good (and wierd) to actually use the trike as transportation.

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Hello everbody at R.R.I..Finally got a chance to find a P.C.,so i thought I would give everyone a big "Hey Y'all'! Really miss reading all the latest rides and the post yer pics posts.I have been to busy to ride much;espeacially since the sand is so deep on the roads around here that it takes me 1/2 day to go around my block..Of course the blocks here are 1 mile by 1 mile but the 4 miles feels like 40 by the time i slough thru the sandGot kinda bored a couple weeks ago so i built a recumbent bicycle to go with my trike.Soon as my buddy comes back with his first load of stuff he is moving over here i will post a pic. I hope to find a place to get it blasted and powder coated soon.
Next time i make it back to town that is.Thats about 75 miles.
Glad to see you guys are getting to ride again and next trip i'll lookforward to more good reading.
If i can manage to get paroled from here,I will finish my trip to alaska and then i can log on more often..I may just have to make a break for it before the parole happens tho.Friend seems to me to be dragging his feet a little.
Love Ya ,See Ya in the funny papers.....

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Woah! Gene! Been wondering where you were hiding. Catch myself thinking from time to time, "Hmm. Haven't seen him post in a while. Wonder where he's off to?"
You'll have to let us know how the bike works out.

As for myself, I rode again today. The 8 miles or so round trip to my in-laws and back didn't really leave me with a feeling of having 'worked' my cycle muscles. So when this morning dawned clear and already around 38 degrees with a forcast of 46, I was determined to go out the door again.

It was a good ride inspite of the gale force winds. Even Loke was looking a bit irritated with it, jogging along with his head down, ears flat and eyes half closed. It was warm enough that I even just my summer leggings though I pulled on two layers for my top which was definitely a wise thing. I had hoped to do the 20 mile loop, but with that wind, I just added a 2 mile extention to my 13 mile loop. It seemed to be just right for Loke at least. He was running out of steam the last couple miles. Me? I'm thinking about setting up the trainer and getting another hour in while I watch TV.

Tomorrow is supposed to be as nice as today. I might go out the door again for a short trip to finally try the trailer out.

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Because of rain we postponed this ride to Friday, April 17th, 2009. Anybody is welcomed to come along on this new day. We will be riding the Knoxville Greenways.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Sorry to hear the group ride got postponed, Jon. I'd send some of this gorgeous weather your way if I could.

Today and yesterday have been clear and nearly 60 F with minimal winds.

I didn't cycle yesterday. Too many other things to do, but I did get out today. Took the dog on a 13 mile loop that I will use to extend the ride to my in-laws. Then when the doggie was done in, I went out on my other 13 mile loop since the day was just too gorgeous to stay in.

I actually toyed with the idea of going on my 20 mile loop, or even considered one of the two 35 mile loops I have mapped out. My knees decided not to cooperate though. Ah well.

I was still out of the house for a good chunk of the day and feel good.

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Oooh, I hope I'm not the only one making it out the door for rides right now!

Again, pretty day, nice temps, little wind. The usual birds and various other critters as I pedalled along past fields and Woods.

I took the 19 mile loop today and Loke went with me the whole way. Apparently when I took him for a 13 mile loop and then went out for another 13 mile loop, my husband said that Loke was in no way worn out. He was annoying, pushy and demanding. So, I figured if he had enough energy to harass my hubby after 13 miles, he should be able to make 19.

He was dragging a bit (as usual) on the last couple miles. I have to admit though I'm starting to wonder if he drags like that as much because he doesn't want to go home as he does from being tired. He does, however, look amazingly flat at the moment.

As for me, I feel fine. I even toyed with the idea of going out for another 13 mile loop or something, but I've decided I'd rather save up my strength and go out again tomorrow.

And since my first trip of the year on March 21, I've put in 129 miles.

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Terri, keep it up. You have me beaten on the road miles as I only have 84 or 85. Our weather has really been the pits. More snow, cold and windy. One of these days I hope this weather breaks so we can get out and ride.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Well, I've slowed down a bit. Just 22 miles or so since I last posted here. Part of it is we had a chill wet day that I just couldn't talk myself out the door and now I'm battling a rather nasty tooth ache. I still went out today though. The dog and I went on my 20 mile loop. My husband's family is coming today so I wanted an exhausted husky.

It was a pretty day. Almost 60, sunny. More flowers are coming up and the hedges and brush sort of growth are starting to bud.

My tooth was killing me as I left and I almost did just a 13 mile loop, but decided I'd probably feel a bit better if I just kept pedaling rather going home and whimpering with my tooth ache. I still whimpered, but it didn't hurt any more with me cycling so might as well just keep going.

Everyone else still suffering with bad weather?

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Living in Southern California, the weather never really gets bad. Our cold spells are most others warm weather. The weather conditions that tend to keep me from riding are simply rain, just don’t like riding in it. We get windy, but that isn’t as uncomfortable as dealing with wet.

Terii, keep up the good work, it sounds like you’re making really good progress on your rides! I try to get my sons dogs out with me occasionally, but they tend to slow down and want to rest after about 3 miles. Sounds like Loke has a lot more stamina than the two at my house.

Curtis

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

Curtis, you indeed usually have good weather for riding. When we wintered a few years near Yuma, but west of there by the sand dunes, the only thing we did not like was the wind. Seems we could count of at least one day per week of terrible wind. Fortunately we found a spot where the wind didn't bother us much.

Terii, here in Michigan, we're still waiting. No warm up in sight yet so probably once it warms we'll get really warm fast. It would be nice if it quit freezing every night. And flowers? Not yet here. I was outdoors working this morning and still have to cover my ears and still wearing gloves. Nope. I don't ride in this weather.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride

In the southeast US, we're having alternating beautiful, sunny days and wet, ugly, violent days. I rode to work yesterday and it was lovely.

Today was violent. Coy already wrote about baseball sized hail in Alabama. We drove from Oak Ridge in Tennessee to Hiram, Georgia today in preparation for riding on the Silver Comet trail tomorrow. We ran into rain around Chattanooga with strong winds, Lightning, and some episodes of marble sized hail.

We had a tarp to put over the bikes in the back of the pickup, but the wind shredded it. I guess it gave the bikes some protection, but I think for the long term we really need a bed cover to protect the bikes from wind and weather.