My Most Recent Ride 2010 (Part III of the series)

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Buddy hit a large dog at speed once; he'll tell ya it wasn't a pretty sight for either one of 'em. A deer would be even worse.

I was startled this weekend on a quiet backroad ride. With only the wind in my ears, I upshifted. The clicks from the twist-grip flushed a covey of quail that was in the weeds only a couple of meters off the roadway. Guess they thought they were being shot at and I nearly peed my shorts.

Dave

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

My sister hit a dog three years ago: she was riding her fave. DF bike and was wearing all the recommended safety gear.

She is still struggling with minor short-term memory issues, is slowly regaining feeling in her upper jaw and is finally accustomed to the titanium bits holding her skull together.

I've hit a deer:
I swerved, and missed one deer, then hit the one behind it.
That one I did not see.
The result of that collision, luckily enough for me, was just a bunch of deer hair (here and there) on the bike.

And I too have hit a neighbour's dog at speed.
The big ring on my recumbent drew blood on the aggressive Weimeraner's ribcage, while I just had to put both the handlebars back into alignment and pound the mild-steel chainring back into shape with my ball peen hammer.

-My sister will only ride her DF... occasionally. With fear.
-I'm still confident on the road with my recumbent.


----

Last Friday, I crept around a blind downhill curve.
Good thing.
A BMW sedan crept out of his driveway into the road, right into my path.
Had I been exploiting the downhill speed potential of my bike...
!

Last Monday, while creeping around the very same blind downhill curve,
I met a DF rider pedalling uphill.
We were both going the same speed.
(I just thought this was funny!

---

Some interesting things always happen while riding the bike!

-Steve

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

You are right Steve, some interesting things happen while riding. And hey, I hit a dog once on a motorcycle. I figured on some serious road rash but surprisingly it was more like hitting a bump....a big bump and I continued straight. I was really surprised at that one. But going around that curve and facing a BMW would not be my cup of tea.

Another insteresting thing happened Sunday afternoon. I was on one of my favorite 34-35 mile routes and stopped at the half way point under the shade of a big hickory tree. As I sat there drinking water and eating a Cliff bar, a Sheriff's car passed me. He went out of sight for just a bit as he topped the little hill but then I saw him way down the road. He was turning around in the road. Soon a fast moving car passed me with the Sheriff right on his tail. He turned the lights on just before he got to me. They pulled off not far from me and I do believe he did write a ticket. Good. Maybe they will slow down from now on. Some folks really go fast on this road because it used to be the roughest road around. Then they tore it out and put new asphalt on it so now it is like a raceway.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Was in downtown Knoxville for past two days at an investment workshop.

Took bike both days but just too worn out yesterday to ride. 40 mile drive & home about 1930h.

Another action-packed workshop today. Weather radar for Knoxville was OK but storms north and east. Took a chance and was at Calhoun's restaurant parking lot by 1710h. On the Greenway about 1730h. Went through 3 bottles of water in only 17 miles. Temperature when I got on the trail was 96 deg. with heat index of 110 deg. When you inhale it's like re-breathing; just a hot, sticky lungful. A bit cooler along the river.

For those in Knoxville, construction on much of the trail east of UT makes it not fun and even dangerous (narrow corridors close to traffic, sharp entrances/exit, unsafe guardrails, etc.) Then there's the rude bikers, joggers, and mom with cell phone in one hand pushing baby buggy with other and neither eye on where they're going. On the west end tree roots are beginning to make that part of the route a washboard and thick grass has spread across many sections of pavement. Think I'll pass on the K Town Greenways for a year or two.

Dave

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I rode a short route yesterday and actually got caught in some rain. A short shower though and I stopped at an old friend's home and we chatted for a time while watching the rain. We see it so seldom around here this time of the year.

As I continued after the rain stopped I was only about 7.5 miles from home. When I got to about 2 miles from home, the pavement went from wet to dry. We got no rain at home once again.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

My most recent ride or should say my ALMOST recent ride. Willie G & I were going totake the tandem out this Saturday past and had eveyrthing loaded and ready to go. Tandem in the truck, water bottles, first aid kit, matching corona jerseys etc. I locked up the house and headed to the truck and head this horrid hissing noise. I wasn't sure if I was hearing a loud snake or what until I listened closer and heard it coming from out "pump-house". I groaned, 'cause I know what that meant. So we stopped, checked and then unloaded. The main fitting on the pump fixure had finally corroded through. So instead of riding we spent the morning doing plumbing. However, we did hop on the tandem and take off down the road a way. It was DIALED in let me tell you and with the Edge seats on them. It was a dream. We had that long baby in top gear and the wind was blowing my eyebrows back we were cruising so fast. It was the first time I had ridden since March maybe???Anyway, it was good to ride my legs felt pretty good afterward too. So I think I'll be ok now that I can get my "fix".

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

SWEET!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Good to hear you finally got that ride in with Bill. Sorry about the plumbing problem though.


Here in MI I am happy to say we finally got some rain. Just a tad over an inch and it was very welcome.

I do not know what is happening with my body but I am really struggling on the bike this summer. I thought it was just because I was off the bike for so long but it doesn't seem to be letting up. I rode 30 miles today and it was a real stuggle all the way and there was little or no wind. Maybe I need more Boost, or some kind of a boost. I have not been this low on mileage for a long time and I don't like it. I want to ride some long routes but simply can't do it right now. Oh well, there are many other things that need my attention too.

Just rambling.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Forgive me fellow recumbent riders, I have sinned. It has been 3 weeks since my last ride.

Well I broke my dry spell and took off at 11:00 am yesterday for a ride. It was 85 degrees. Rode the greenway 16 miles. Not bad.

Today I rode again. This time it was 94 degrees. Rode 20 miles. BONKED in the last 1/4 of mile. Had to walk back to work and felt light headed. I drank 20 oz of Cytomax but I was still getting dehydrated. I wore my heart rate monitor. The last 5 miles it never got below 150 bpm and usually was in the 160 - 175 range. That is high for me.

So though I rode today, I really should have modified it. Either shorter ride or earlier in the day when it wasn't so hot. Live and learn and realize I am not 20 anymore!!!

Boy my air conditioned office feels good right now.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Gracious! I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to ride in that kind of temperature! You need to be careful, ...without hydration your body could go into seizures... I had that happen to me once in on a Florida tour...both legs simultaneously locked and my arms were spastic. Imagine laying crumpled up in the fetal position in absolute pain all over. NOT PRETTY. Besides with you gone there would be chaos on the board here...AD might have trouble maintaining the civility and discussion topics...sort of a western bar brawl in electronic form.hahahaha

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Out here on the west coast, if its not in triple digits, then it's a ride day. However, when it gets towards 90 I tend to carry as much water as possible. On my RANS V2 I can currently carry 3 1 liter bottles, 2 of which I can reach without stopping. I am thinking about putting a 2 1/2 liter bladder into my handlebar bag.

Of course, out here, even the low 100s is much milder than 80s or 90s in Tennessee. Our humidity is usually less than 20% during the summertime. Which is why we tend to get so many fire storms going during the late summer and early fall.

I caught a bug in the beginning of June which kept me from doing much riding, then July was too hectic. So far I'm doing good in August, but both my speed and endurance are way down. It's amazing how quickly a body deteriorates!

Curtis

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Its been hot here too, I rode 50 miles Monday evening with an average of 19.0 even. So hot there wern't any rabbits to chase. Last night I went out on post and rode 36 miles with lots of good climbs. Both days I got so hot that I couldn't eat anything after the rides, just drank lot of chocolate milk.

Curtis, I really like the Camelbak Unbottle. It basically is a bag around either a 70oz or 100oz bladder and it has several plastic buckles which enables you to mount it many different ways.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Ward,

Thanks for the info, around here it looks like the 70 oz is about $35 and the 100 oz is about $40. I'll have to get by one of the local stores and check it out. looks like it would fit real nice to the chopper handlebars on my Rans.

Curtis

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I use a 100 oz bladder for water. I usually do not fill it full but do have lots of ice in it. I like cold water to drink.

It depends on which pack I have to determine how full to have the bladder and also on how long I expect to be riding. When I have the recurve seat on I can fill the 100 oz. if needed (like on a century ride).

No matter how full I have the bladder I wrap it in cloths to help insulate it and can have ice for many, many hours. Unlike Ward and John, it takes me well over that 4-5 hour mark to do a century.


Curtis, I have tried to imagine what it would be like to have those conditions where I could ride year around and would definitely like that a lot. However, there are other things in Michigan that we like too so it appears this is where we are staying. We'll just have to visit those sunny areas when we need a break.

Right now we are still living in a sauna. The forecasters say this weather should break by tomorrow. Good. I have much to do outdoors and I'm not doing it in this crazy air.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Called my relatives Friday night in KY..it was over 100 in my home town and over 112 in Owensboro. NOT a good time to be visting. Yehk...I try to go outside just a little bit every day just to get out...but I can't stay long. The heat is is life draining...so like the animals, I stay in doors during hot hours and go out early morning & late evening when its cooler. This heat is just incredible.