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

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Met a guy today at a local park during a rest stop. He used to downhill race in Washington. Over 45mph was common. He once was a few hundred yards into the race and discovered his front brake had failed. Just pretended it wasn't there and went on. Crazy! He knows a guy who was barrelling down the hill, rounded a curve at over 40mph, and hit a moose broadside. He woke up in the hospital weeks later with no recollection of how he got there or what happened. No word on the moose.

Had to be at the plant until nearly 2pm, so the heat index was 105 deg.F by the time I left on two wheels. This weather is just not fun to ride in. Even in the shade the air is hot to breathe. Can't drink enough water. Amazing that only a few months ago we were complaining about the cold and rain. Now we have neither and I'm still complaining. Did 30 miles, but at a very leisurly pace (if you can call it that out in traffic). Temps s'posed to moderate and less than 90 deg. starting Tuesday. 2 days in August where temps didn't exceed 90 deg., and at least 48 days so far this year of 90 or better, FAR above average. Yeah, I know, "quitcherbichinanpedal."

BTW, I've seen maybe 3 posts here in several days. Time was when there were many every day. What's goin' on?

Dave

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I hear ya, Dave. Today was the Assenmacher100, which starts in Swartz Creek MI. It was cloudy and comfortable when we started, but we rode through a little bit of rain and then it cleared off and the humidity and temp both rose. At ride's end, it was 91F, felt like 115F, and not a cloud in the sky. And yes, I've been in 115F. This felt EXACTLY like it.

BTW, I finished the metric century route with a 20.2 average. Took a half hour to cool down afterward.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Dave its HOT...people's brains are not functioning right...typing is exertion and that makes one tired...

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

From time to time I wonder too when there are very few posts.

Our weather finally broke yesterday afternoon. Today was much better except for the wind. But I finally got out and did some decent work. Tearing down a building at one of our local cemetarys. I got maybe half done and will finish it yet this week. Probably won't get to ride much this week but maybe the time off will help this old body.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Took the Venom out for a real test tonight. 24 miles in 1 hour 39 minutes for an average of 15.9 mph. This is a solid 1.4 mph faster than my previous best on the Venom.

The icing on the cake. I stopped at the base of a long 3% hill to switch water bottles, two guys came by me, looking curiously at the trike. I clipped back in and picked it back up to 12 mph and went by them pretty easily. At the top of the hill, I clicked the Schlumph and was doing 32 mph down the other side. I didn't see them again.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

After my serious BONK last week, I am very cautious about riding this time of year. I was VERY LIGHTHEADED!!! Not a good sign. Thus, you won't see me ride much in this heat.

I am exercising on my treadmill daily in the cool air of my bonus room. Not as much fun, but I don't bonk either!!!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I bet you were basking in the glowing aftermath of recumbent trike glory right?

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I thought bonking was the result of not enough energy??? That along with the heat would definitely put me down for the count. Although I guess I am not one to talk...I cancelled my membership to my fitness place...no point when everything I do there I do here at home.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Hi Everybody,

I haven't posted here recently so I figured I'd let you know how I am adapting to 'bent cycling. I resurrected my old Polar watch and installed it on the 'bent to see if it would work. The cadence sensor and altimeter work fine but the speed sensor is being a little finicky. Even with only the cadence and altimeter working the attached graph tells the story of what I have been up to. Climbing. I do this route three times a week and slowly my climbing speed is improving. I was pretty happy to verify with the help of the Polar watch that my average cadence is just over 90 rpm so I've definitely assimilated some 'bent style climbing. On my DF my average climbing cadence was around 75-80rpm.

I was even happier two days ago when I actually passed a roadie on the third climb. I saw him going up my third climb as I was coming down before my turn-around. After the turn around I managed to close the gap and get to him. This was a roadie with a mirror and he discovered me just as I was upon him. He upshifted, stood and tried to get away from me but I would have nothing of it and stayed on his tail. I passed him just before the crest of the hill and whoosh I was gone.

By the way the three hills in the graph all have around 130-140 meters of elevation gain (~ 440+ feet) with the first one being the nastiest with an average grade of 8.4%, the second one 7.0% and the third and last one at 5.5%. On the the easiest climb I can do better than an early season DF time but on the other two I am still 7-10% slower than an early season DF time.

It is all a matter of perseverance.

 

Graph for previous post

Second attempt to attach graph.

 

Re: Graph for previous post

Freddy, it sounds like you've been having some fun! Good to hear from you again.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I was a bit tired after last night's ride, so I elected to do the local club ride instead of the hammer ride 25 miles away. The weather was almost perfect, except for a 10-13 mph wind out of the west. Our route was mostly E-W, with tailwind first. You know how everyone feels strong when they've got the wind at their backs? Tonight was no exception, and they held a fair pace on the way out. 'Fair' for them being 20-22 mph. I tried to keep in an easy gear and just spin, because every time I put it in a cruising gear, I ran up on them and had to coast.

Eventually one of the guys did a breakaway. I let him go at first, but once he was out a couple hundred yards, I sprinted up and rode with him for 4-5 miles. I kept dropping him, too, though. Finally, I stopped at a corner and waited for the others as he rode off ahead again.

About ten miles from the end, my feet decided they needed to get some air, so I excused myself from the group and took off after the breakaway again. By then he was just a dot that kept disappearing over the small hills on the route. Out across the bean fields and into the wind! I passed a couple of riders, doing 31.5 mph. The last they saw of me, I was topping the next hill at 25 mph. When I caught the breakaway, I was still doing 29 mph. He was tired from the headwind. I knew what that meant: SLOW! So I dropped him like a ciggie butt and spent the rest of the ride doing 24-30 mph on the flats, depending on whether I was in headwind or side wind at the moment. Man, I wish I'd had my video camera!

Anyway, that sure felt good! I was almost ready for another ride! But I chose dinner instead.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

It was SO pretty up there in the moutains of northern Sweden!!!!

I actually had quite a bit of trepidation as we left. After all, this year has been rough for cycling. My knees and the dog both meant I wasn't able to build us up for the trip... and mountains?? I generally dread every little hill.

But it turned out not to be so bad. The grades were MUCH less than I thought. I think the steepest one I tackled as a measly 7% and there was only one of those I came across. Average seemed to be around 4%. Ppft. I can even get up those at over 4 mph.

Our first full day there was spent driving around for me to evaluate the slopes and to find some fishing spots for my husband. 2nd day, was a ride, but only a very short one of 5 miles as a knee test. It would give me a chance to see how my knees would do and it wasn't terribly long that I would have to wait for hours for Jens to come get me if something went wrong since our cell phones weren't working up there.

No knee problem! Not a twinge, pull or even sense of tightness. They didn't even feel that good the last time I rode my trainer!

When it was all said and done, I'd only done 3 rides for a total of 25 miles as circumstances and a series of migraines kept me penned in for a couple days. I'll be blogging the rides (with photos) shortly, probably doing one post a day for each of the rides.

Oh, did I mention it was BEAUTIFUL???

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

First ride posted!!

http://terii.wordpress.com/

No rune stones. Only one small wooden chapel, but lots of scenery!! Enjoy!

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Terii,

Your commentary was great. I love the pictures, especially the one of the little Sami Church. The mountain pics were cool. I bet staying next to the lake must have been really nice and relaxing. Oh yeah, Loki looked cute too with his head hanging out the window.

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As for the guys who are blowing away the roadies...job well done!