Did You Ride Today?

BTW Bob, the foreclosure next to me is an online auction at $325,000.00 a f**kin steal. The guy had around 600k invested 4000 sq feet. Nice place but bad neighbors(:

$325K on a $600K sounds pretty good to me. The bank is probably going to squeal on that one.

Our market is still in shambles. There's plenty of screaming deals and I almost wish I was in the market for something in the $300K build range. I watched one go at auction this Winter that 'should' have fetched a $200+K bid.

$110K was all it brought. The landscaping set someone back over $50K!

My left calf is a little tight, but you should have seen me screaming up those climbs...either chasing or being chased. It was a take no prisoners kind of ride. Just like I like 'em.

Oh...while the wife and I cruised towards the town where The Boy Wonder lives, I told her that he was definitely still out and pounding the pedals. Sure enough...as we were going down the main drag, here comes Boy flying up the road towards us. A solid 10-hour day for him.

I dropped the window and screamed at him to get a life. No wonder he kicks our asses. All he does is train.

I knocked out my first 200k today. Now, I'm an official randonneur. It was really 128 miles. There were 4 of us to start including one recumbent rider, who was just going to the town of Boykins with us just so he could chow down on a waffle. I also bought a waffle. I don't know if it helped me, but I was able to keep up with the other two, who were setting a blistering pace averaging 17 mph, which is mighty fast for that distance and terrain. I held on until the 82 mile mark where I started feeling really bad We only had 7 more miles to go to the next control, but I told them I had to stop, now. I did, ate a Cliff Bar and then gave chase to my pals, who had slowed down to wait for me to catch up. At the 107 mile point, I was totally wasted. We came up to a truck stop, and I asked them to stop. I bought a bag of honey roasted peanuts. As soon as we left the truck stop, I surged ahead and pulled for the next 8 miles, at speeds of 20 and 22. I think I have found the miracle food, peanuts. I noticed that after I hit 100 miles, the next miles started to go fast. I am pleased. I did the 200k in 9 hours 35 minutes. Not bad for somebody, who wasn't looking for a speed record since we did have 13 hours 40 minutes to finish the ride.

44 miles at 17.3 average today. Rode with a couple today, lady is totally cool but her hubby gets a bit to much arrogance. He rides a lot so I think he was in a cocky mood today. I shut him down last year but I think he forgot ha ha! He likes to suck wheel for miles then when we stop at a rest stop he tells us to go ahead, Oh I'll catch you!". He catches us then sucks wheel for another 20 miles.

Today he did it twice. Second time I lifted the pace when we left the rest stop. It was windy so I held 17 into a stiff headwind. My wife said she can tell all the mtb riding and climbing is showing in my riding. She said you were blowing by guys struggling into the wind like they were standing still. We did have a few that tried to latch on and couldn't.

I was feeling great but when Mr. Cocky caught us, I lifted the pace even more. Doing 17 into the headwind is tough but I was holding 20 mph. My wife asked if I was trying to kill her. I said no I was trying to kill Mr. Cocky. 😄

Sure enough he held on for about 2 miles then dropped off. He got kind of upset and asked why I was pushing so hard. I told him that it seemed he was looking for a challenge giving us a head start then saying, "oh , I'll catch you!" with the cocky voice. I let him latch back on then dropped him a couple more times. I think he got his reminder of what happened to him last year. :p

Today was certainly a busy day. I woke up at 5AM and rode for 30 miles today with only a break in between. I broke my previous record of 25 miles. Feeling happy and tired at the same time. Now I should get some sleep though.

Bicycleman said:

I knocked out my first 200k today. Now, I'm an official randonneur. It was really 128 miles. There were 4 of us to start including one recumbent rider, who was just going to the town of Boykins with us just so he could chow down on a waffle. I also bought a waffle. I don't know if it helped me, but I was able to keep up with the other two, who were setting a blistering pace averaging 17 mph, which is mighty fast for that distance and terrain. I held on until the 82 mile mark where I started feeling really bad We only had 7 more miles to go to the next control, but I told them I had to stop, now. I did, ate a Cliff Bar and then gave chase to my pals, who had slowed down to wait for me to catch up. At the 107 mile point, I was totally wasted. We came up to a truck stop, and I asked them to stop. I bought a bag of honey roasted peanuts. As soon as we left the truck stop, I surged ahead and pulled for the next 8 miles, at speeds of 20 and 22. I think I have found the miracle food, peanuts. I noticed that after I hit 100 miles, the next miles started to go fast. I am pleased. I did the 200k in 9 hours 35 minutes. Not bad for somebody, who wasn't looking for a speed record since we did have 13 hours 40 minutes to finish the ride.

Try bananas... 😉 Also sesame-honey-nuts bars. 😉

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Mr. Beanz said:

44 miles at 17.3 average today. Rode with a couple today, lady is totally cool but her hubby gets a bit to much arrogance. He rides a lot so I think he was in a cocky mood today. I shut him down last year but I think he forgot ha ha! He likes to suck wheel for miles then when we stop at a rest stop he tells us to go ahead, Oh I'll catch you!". He catches us then sucks wheel for another 20 miles.

Today he did it twice. Second time I lifted the pace when we left the rest stop. It was windy so I held 17 into a stiff headwind. My wife said she can tell all the mtb riding and climbing is showing in my riding. She said you were blowing by guys struggling into the wind like they were standing still. We did have a few that tried to latch on and couldn't.

I was feeling great but when Mr. Cocky caught us, I lifted the pace even more. Doing 17 into the headwind is tough but I was holding 20 mph. My wife asked if I was trying to kill her. I said no I was trying to kill Mr. Cocky. 😄

Sure enough he held on for about 2 miles then dropped off. He got kind of upset and asked why I was pushing so hard. I told him that it seemed he was looking for a challenge giving us a head start then saying, "oh , I'll catch you!" with the cocky voice. I let him latch back on then dropped him a couple more times. I think he got his reminder of what happened to him last year. :p

Your descriptions of your rides are always good reading. You have one adventure after another.

Volnix said:

Try bananas... 😉 Also sesame-honey-nuts bars. 😉

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I always get a banana before every ride. We have to check in at a nearby 7-11 at the start of the brevet, and bananas are always available, especially at 6:00 AM in a 24 hour store. I even went the route of Grandma's Chocolate Chip cookies. Anything for that sugar high. When I do a long ride like this solo, I never stop in stores. I carry all my snacks with me, and just pick a place at 25 or 30 mile intervals. Of course, I don't travel as fast as I did Saturday, but had I been able to do my own pace, yesterday, I probably would have finished faster because I never would have stopped for an hour at a restaurant to eat a waffle. That's something I just can't get used to doing. Maybe, that will be a factor when I do my first 300k. Not sure if I want to go any higher into the 400-600k distance, though.

Personablue said:

Today was certainly a busy day. I woke up at 5AM and rode for 30 miles today with only a break in between. I broke my previous record of 25 miles. Feeling happy and tired at the same time. Now I should get some sleep though.

It won't be long that you will be doing your first century and craving for more miles.

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Bicycleman said:

I always get a banana before every ride. We have to check in at a nearby 7-11 at the start of the brevet, and bananas are always available, especially at 6:00 AM in a 24 hour store. I even went the route of Grandma's Chocolate Chip cookies. Anything for that sugar high. When I do a long ride like this solo, I never stop in stores. I carry all my snacks with me, and just pick a place at 25 or 30 mile intervals. Of course, I don't travel as fast as I did Saturday, but had I been able to do my own pace, yesterday, I probably would have finished faster because I never would have stopped for an hour at a restaurant to eat a waffle. That's something I just can't get used to doing. Maybe, that will be a factor when I do my first 300k. Not sure if I want to go any higher into the 400-600k distance, though.

Some years ago I was coming down a mountain quite fast and at the bottom I was exhausted and had a crazy craving for Lukozade... Not anything else just Lukozade. It somehow was what my brain needed...

But at some other time I had a stop in a 150km ride and drank a Fanta...
Baaad idea... I was feeling painfully sick in my stomach for quite some time after...

Probably best to avoid sugar. Maybe just naturally sweet stuff.

CAMPYBOB said:

$325K on a $600K sounds pretty good to me. The bank is probably going to squeal on that one.

Our market is still in shambles. There's plenty of screaming deals and I almost wish I was in the market for something in the $300K build range. I watched one go at auction this Winter that 'should' have fetched a $200+K bid.

$110K was all it brought. The landscaping set someone back over $50K!

My left calf is a little tight, but you should have seen me screaming up those climbs...either chasing or being chased. It was a take no prisoners kind of ride. Just like I like 'em.

Oh...while the wife and I cruised towards the town where The Boy Wonder lives, I told her that he was definitely still out and pounding the pedals. Sure enough...as we were going down the main drag, here comes Boy flying up the road towards us. A solid 10-hour day for him.

I dropped the window and screamed at him to get a life. No wonder he kicks our asses. All he does is train.

CampyBob, what's the best camera against an Iranian Film Director™ ?

I did 45 mi yesterday with 5 minute "VO2 max" hill intervals.

I could barely throw the leg over the top tube today but managed 35 mi and 2100 feet of climbing on a lot of dirt and gravel. I have not felt strong on the bike for a while. Tree pollen kills me at this time of year or I'm just getting old. Both rides were nice.

Rain all day...until I climbed out of the basement after a killer 51 minutes on the trainer. NOW the sun comes out!

I felt pretty darned good after yesterday's sufferfest. After only a couple minute warmup spent trying to get the Garmin 520 to pair with my HR sensor I was off to the races. Tunes blasting, it was 47 minutes with the needle pegged.

For an indoor workout it was kind of a marker to see where my legs and lungs were after a good effort. Being able to go at it hard again...I feel good.

The 30 yesterday, 2 hours of cutting and dragging brush off a steep ,and I mean steep, incline cleaning, pressure washing... ok I am a puss I only did housework today. It rained all morning and I ain't no spring chicken anymore. Rain tomorrow so weight traning but Tuesday I will be back on the road.

CAMPYBOB said:

Excellent! Great job!

Thanks, those guys destroyed my legs... If the groups are the same next week, I'll try and keep up for as long as possible again.

So about changing my cassette.... No way! Besides really hilly routes, an 11-28 cassette is a must have during recovery rides, I needed them today, I felt every bit of yesterdays chase. 22.5/1550/13.3 mph pace. On one of the climbs, my legs felt like they were on fire. Now that daylight savings time is over, i'll shoot for 4-5 rides a week instead of 2 with 1-2 roller sessions.

Uawadall said:

those guys destroyed my legs...

Thank them for the opportunity to ride with them. This is how we get faster, stronger and go longer.

I feel blessed to have a few good riders in the area to train with. I miss the days of going out with the racing team and destroying each other.

the 11-28 or 11-27 (Campagnolo) is a good choice. It covers most terrain and still keeps the ratios pretty close. I'm still on an 11-25, but as soon as Campy offers a 12-speed group I'll age into an 11-27.

jhuskey said:

2 hours of cutting and dragging brush off a steep ,and I mean steep,

Chainsaw or lopping shears? And it ain't steep unless you were in a harness and roped off or fell at least twice into the ravine!

After the trainer session and with the damned sun finally out, I strapped on a pistol, grabbed the 22" U.S.G.I machete and went out on vine patrol and ended up picking up downed limbs and brush and added to the animal Habitat For Campy brush piles around the property perimeter. The woods animals have dozens of brush pile homes up to 10' tall and provide me and my friends with dogs stuff to hunt and eat.

That last 8" snow fall brought down a bunch of widow makers. There's a reason to stay out of the woods when it's windy or there's lots of wet snow on the limbs. Gravity kills.

Weatherby said:

I did 45 mi yesterday with 5 minute "VO2 max" hill intervals.

I could barely throw the leg over the top tube today but managed 35 mi and 2100 feet of climbing on a lot of dirt and gravel. I have not felt strong on the bike for a while. Tree pollen kills me at this time of year or I'm just getting old. Both rides were nice.

The only thing I did on the bike today was clean it and oil the chain. I went out and did some archery practice and had to give it up. I was too tired to pull the bow. That's the problem with me on this long distance stuff, I put maximum effort into it so that I'm toast the next day.

Bicycleman said:

The only thing I did on the bike today was clean it and oil the chain. I went out and did some archery practice and had to give it up. I was too tired to pull the bow. That's the problem with me on this long distance stuff, I put maximum effort into it so that I'm toast the next day.

On days when you just don't have it, do you find it more helpful to muddle through it or just shut it down for the day?

Another 44 with Gina today (16.3 average) and a bud Mike. Mike man'ed up today and did a 5 mile pull. Stiffer headwinds today and Gina suffered a bit at the beginning of the ride but she ended up doing OK.

I'm not sure if I have ever done a ride without some other dudes hopping on the back into the wind. Freakin' wheelsuckers! :p