Thursday Group Ride

Yesterday was the usual group ride. Some of the guys were going to add a few more miles by taking a bit different route, but seeing as I hadn't ridden much in over the past week, I just decided to do the usual 35 mile route. I was doing good until I hit Elko Rd. There was a bit of a headwind going up Elko Rd, but I tried my best to push it. I managed to catch the ladies before Perry. On the last part of the ride my back started getting sore, but I still managed over 19.5 mph for the ride, not too bad considering. Let's hope for good weather this weekend to ride.

Time to catch up here

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post, but things have been busy. I managed to ride about 55 miles on June 17th with some friends. It was a nice ride, not too fast or hilly. I had to take a week off the bike due to other obligations. I'm going to try & not let that happen again. I managed to get a ride in yesterday. My legs actually felt pretty good during the ride. The climbing was about usual, but that's ok. I actually averaged a faster speed than I thought I would on the ride seeing as I had over a week off the bike. I'm hoping the Thursday ride isn't going to hurt that much, but we'll just have to see. Check back for details........

Today was a heck of a ride!!!!!!

Today was the usual Thursday group ride with CGC. We stayed together until the big hill on Larry Walker Parkway. I just kept a steady pace & was able to catch the lead goup on Grovania Road. I hung with them as long as I could, but had to let them get ahead of me. They slowed down & let everyone regroup on Elko Road. I tried hanging with them, but realized that if I stayed with them, I might not be able to finish. I just rode at my own pace & kept it as high as I comfortably could. I saw a few of the other riders who took the short route & did my best to catch them. I caught them just before the finish of the ride. I managed to beat my best average speed this week. I averaged 20.4 mph for 35 miles. I'm sure I'll be a bit sore tomorrow, but I'll go for an easy spin to loosen the legs up before a long ride on Saturday morning. I just hope the weather co-operates with me this weekend. Same bike time, same bike web address.........

Abandoned Husband Ride

Yesterday was the Monday ride starting in Perry. This was really set up for the ladies to get together & ride, but some of the guys decided to take advantage of it too. We just did a recovery ride pace for about 23 miles seeing as the weather was looking kind of nasty most of the ride. We tried to stay near the fairgrounds & did a couple of laps of about a 12 mile loop. It felt great to ride again, seeing as I hadn't ridden in 3 days. The new tires were great & we pushed it just a bit on the last part of the ride. We did manage to avoid the rain on our bikes, but ran into it on the way home. Later today is the usual Tuesday ride, let's hope the weather lets us to it. Stay tuned.....

Abandoned Husbands Ride

Yesterday was the Abandoned Husbands Ride starting in Perry. This really is for the ladies to get together & ride, but a few of the guys take advantage of it too. The weather wasn't looking that great so we kind of stayed around the fairgrounds. We did 2 laps of about a 12 mile loop at a recovery pace. It felt nice & easy after not riding for 3 days. We did kind of push it just a bit on the last part of the second lap, trying to make sure we got back before the rain started. We beat the rain, but ran into it on the way home. Later today is the usual Tuesday ride, we'll see if the weather lets us do it today. Stay tuned.......

A Ride That Was Not To Be

Yesterday I woke up ready for a long Saturday ride. The CGC guys were doing a metric century starting at the Perry Welcome Center. I got myself ready & as I was loading my bike I notice the rear wheel was flat. I just loaded the bike knowing that I would have time to change it once I got to the starting site. I was the first one there & proceeded to changed the tube. After changing the tube, I noticed that the tire didn't seat right, so I released the air pressure & tried to reseat the tire. This time while I was pumping up the tube, I noticed that I had a small hole in the tire. So much for any kind of ride today I said to myself. I told the assembled group that I wasn't going to be able to go with them, loaded my bike back up and headed home. I did things around the house to relieve my frustruations & bought 2 new tires and installed them on the bike. I'm hoping to ride to work in the morning, but we'll have to see how the weather goes. Stay tuned for more of my adventures.........

Thurdsay Group Ride Report

Yesterday was the usual Thursday group ride with CGC. It started out as usual, everyone staying together until the big hill on Larry Walker Pkwy. I couldn't hang with them & kept a steady pace for myself. I did feel better climbing this week. I saw a rider ahead of me on Ellis Rd. & that was my incentive to catch. The wind this week was worse than last week making the catch even harder. I managed to catch him in Elko & rode his wheel for a bit. Once on Elko Rd. I decided it was my turn to pull him for a bit, but he must have been feeling worse than me because he couldn't stay with me. I didn't put in a big acceleration, just rode steady. As we went along Elko Rd. I noticed that he was falling further & further behind. I saw the group a ways up the road, but knew that there was no way I was going to be able to catch them. I just rode a steady pace that was just a bit of a push for me. I caught Kim & another girl riding together on Kings Chapel Rd. They did the shorter route. On days like yesterday with the wind, I think the shorter route is actually harder than the longer route, due to the fact that the short cut takes you into a head wind when the wind is out of the west as it was yesterday. I had to ride back home after the group ride so I did a total of about 43 miles with an average speed of 19.8 mph. It was a bit slower than last week, but with the conditions, I'm not complaining about it. I feel as if I'm getting stronger, just have to keep riding & watching what I eat. The weight will come down & I'll get better. I'm hoping to ride the metric century they are planning from Perry tomorrow, but we'll just have to wait & see. Stay tuned.....

Tuesday Group Ride

Yesterday was the usual group ride with CGC. The guys were feeling extra froggy because they started pushing the pace before the first climb. I was dropped on the climb ( as usual, but getting better). I managed to catch up with them at the stop light as they waited for it to turn green. Don & Bk took off on Bible Camp Rd. I tried bridging up to them but didn't have much success. They waited at the top of Bible Camp Rd. but I contined on with 2 other guys. I was hoping we could work together & give the hammerheads a good workout chasing us. It was not to be because as soon as I got to the front they waited for the group. I contintued on at my pace & was eventually caught. I tried staying with them but couldn't. After turning on 42 I caught one rider & he just sat on my wheel the whole way back to Byron. Each time I tried to get him to take a turn to pull, he just let up & I stayed in front. It kind of aggrivated me a bit because when we caught the others in Byron due to a train crossing, he left me & hammered the rest of the way with them. I think on Thursday's ride I'm just going to sit on someone's wheel & let them pull me around the route, but we'll just have to see.

Good start to a new week

I should have posted this yesterday, but things didn't go as planned. I decided to try riding to work yesterday via the hillier route I've used in the past. The plan was to test how my fitness level was coming along. Well, it's better than I thought. I never had to downshift going up any of the climbs on the way to work. That made me feel good & I still managed to average over 19 mph for the 17 miles. On the way home I had about a 10 mph tailwind so I decided to push it a bit, but not too much seeing as the group ride is the next day. I kept in one gear the whole time but did manage 20.7 mph for the trip home, the only time I had problems keeping it near or above 20 mph was the last stretch home into the headwind. All in all it was a good start to a new week. I rode to work this morning & took it easy. Looking forward to the group ride. I'll let everyone know how that goes later tonight so stay tuned........

Great Ride Today

Today was the CGC Thursday group ride. I got dropped as usual on the climb ( gotta get lighter). I rode most of the ride by myself, but noticed that someone was ahead of me. I decided to try to catch him. I was making up ground on the climbs (someone actually climbs worse than me), but would lose ground on the flat parts of the ride. I thought that he might wait up for me to catch him so we can ride together, but no such luck. I worked my tail off to catch him & finally did. It was a workout, but worth it. I managed to average 20.2 mph for 35 miles, best average speed this year. My back & hips felt great after finding out my seatpost on the Orbea was too low compared to the Raliegh. I'm hoping to ride to work & home tomorrow depending on the weather, so stay tuned.........