riding bikes
Tonight is the first time I've been infront of a computer at home since last Thursday. For some reason I've just sort of strayed away from my home computer. My piece of shit iPhone 2G also doesn't seem to like AT&T's 2G data coverage now-a-days so I can't even do much with that hunk of junk. Been procrastinating on getting a new phone.
So, what does this mean? Nothing really... Just a long post catching up on my rides since returning from the Breck Epic.
I have been riding a lot. Back on the weekly Wednesday rides and have been trying to get some hard and long rides in on the weekends. All in preparation for the Vermont 50 in less than two weeks.
A road ride we did (first ride back after returning from the Breck Epic). Humidity was through the roof and temps were in the 90s. It was a tad difficult adjusting having just spent almost a month in Colorado where it was 70s and very low humidity in the mountains.
This was from my friend Andy's GPS so ignore the heart rate. I don't use one of those things. Andy is a local fast bike racer. He just won (again) the 50+ Cat 1 field in the local series. While I was out in Breck he did the Mount Washington Hill Climb as he always does. Set a new PR and got 14th overall. I did the 'practice ride' back in 2004. Its one of two days they open the auto road up to cyclists. The second day is the race. I timed myself and it took me about an hour and a half.
Last week Andy sent me this article about Travis Pastrana setting a new record racing his Subaru up the Mount Washington auto road. Impressive time.
crazy shit!
Wish I had the ability to drive (or is it 'race'?) my Audi up Pike's Peak last month (that's where the last pic was taken..) but we settled on a 20mph scenic drive up that mountain. It is a shame to hear Pike's Peak auto road is becoming 100% paved due to lawsuits and stuff.
Agh... This is more like it. An Audi S2 Groupe B Quattro racing up the auto road.
Anyway. Back to riding bikes. Labor Day weekend I did two long rides. The first was on furlough Friday... My day to stay home and not get paid. I met Bruce, Glenn and Dave '4th Place' Cormier for a 3/3.5 hour ride on the Metacomet. We started just north of Tarifville and headed north up to Mass and then back. I wanted to ride this section of the trail again as I want to do an all-day ride from my house up to Mass and back on this trail later this fall.
Glenn snapped this picture of me doing what I do... eating bananas. We were at the Mass border contemplating whether or not to keep going and explore the Metacomet north into Mass (where I haven't ridden yet). The start was on private property and Bruce did not want to trespass so we had to turn around and head back.
Yeah, tan lines I got out in Colorado. Figured the sleeveless Dicky jersey would be appropriate given how hot and humid it was (temps finally dove and the humidity disappeared later that night). I think its a good look. right?
Once again I tried the Garmin 205 and it failed. Kept shutting off for some reason and somehow the data file got lumped with what I was recording on my next ride later that weekend. Technology fail. I am constantly developing new technology in the aerospace industry at work yet can't figure out a damn GPS on my bicycle? So much for trying to share data with you.
Sunday morning I met up with Charlie and James and a few of their friends for a nice 3-4hour [fast] ride through West Hartford Reservoir and into Penwood State Forest along the southern area of the Metacomet. These are trails within a few miles from my house. Charlie wrote a good story about it here. I just remember desperately trying to stay on their wheels through the first hour. Once my body got over the shock of riding quite fast quite early I settled into a good rhythm and felt great the remainder of the ride.
Upon returning from the Breck Epic I decided to ride a harder gear than I typically have. I typically ride a 34x20 around here but threw on the 19. That's 51.9 gear inches versus my traditional 49.3. I ran a 32x21 (44.2 gear inches) out in Colorado. Supposedly 52gear inches is what it takes to be up on top in Vermont so I'll see what I can do with it. So far it feels great and I'm liking it.
Somehow the GPS worked for me on last Wednesdays MTB ride. Go figure. It was a nice mellow ride through Meshomasic. I haven't ridden Mesh since I crashed there earlier this summer and sliced my face wide open. As a result I wanted to take it easy so no fast riding down the rocky trails and no fancy moves over giant boulders.
Yesterday I went out for a 2-2.5 hour mountain bike ride with Ginger at Case Mountain. After that I rushed home to switch bikes, eat a sandwich and then head down to Middletown to go for an intended 4hour road ride with Matt from Ghostship clothing.
We're all ready to go and he had to head over to Pedal Power, where he works, to get some food for the ride. All loaded up with food and we're off for the ride. A few miles down the road he snaps his Campy 10spd chain in half. Doh! Well, at least we're near the shop. I tow him back to the shop via pushing him up the hills and across Middletown so he can replace his chain. Almost an hour later (due to him f'ing with the chain) we're a go. Its dark and overcast so the ride was cut a bit shorter.
Basic route was down 17south into Durham and the 77south Great Hill Road to Long Hill Road to 80east to 79north to Cherry Hill road into some back roads through Middlefield and near the Wadsworth and back to his house. Caught rain in the last 30mins of the ride. I rode big gears and only dropped into the 39T chainring on the short climb up Great Hill Road. The lower cadences and high loads hurt but I needed the punishment.
Why? I don't know. Guess I think it'll keep me ready for the Vermont50. The downside was my legs felt really heavy and tired today. I actually want to podium and the best I've ever done is 10th place singlespeed (2007). Podium means I have to be around 30mins faster than my time in '07. I've never thought about a goal like that in a race before. I typically just show up and try to do well. I think its adding some unwanted stress but I keep forcing myself not to think about it. My fitness is really good from a few weeks at altitude. My nutrition on and off the bike seems to be working. So why worry? Exactly. Just ride your bike and we'll see what happens. That is the plan.
We'll do an easy MTB ride on Wednesday. Then hoping to meet back up with Charlie and do another 3-4hr ride in Penwood this weekend. Then an easy mtb next Wednesday and then the Vermont50.
So, what does this mean? Nothing really... Just a long post catching up on my rides since returning from the Breck Epic.
I have been riding a lot. Back on the weekly Wednesday rides and have been trying to get some hard and long rides in on the weekends. All in preparation for the Vermont 50 in less than two weeks.
A road ride we did (first ride back after returning from the Breck Epic). Humidity was through the roof and temps were in the 90s. It was a tad difficult adjusting having just spent almost a month in Colorado where it was 70s and very low humidity in the mountains.
This was from my friend Andy's GPS so ignore the heart rate. I don't use one of those things. Andy is a local fast bike racer. He just won (again) the 50+ Cat 1 field in the local series. While I was out in Breck he did the Mount Washington Hill Climb as he always does. Set a new PR and got 14th overall. I did the 'practice ride' back in 2004. Its one of two days they open the auto road up to cyclists. The second day is the race. I timed myself and it took me about an hour and a half.
Last week Andy sent me this article about Travis Pastrana setting a new record racing his Subaru up the Mount Washington auto road. Impressive time.
crazy shit!
similar? I think not and don't plan on having this car on two wheels... ever.
Wish I had the ability to drive (or is it 'race'?) my Audi up Pike's Peak last month (that's where the last pic was taken..) but we settled on a 20mph scenic drive up that mountain. It is a shame to hear Pike's Peak auto road is becoming 100% paved due to lawsuits and stuff.
Agh... This is more like it. An Audi S2 Groupe B Quattro racing up the auto road.
Anyway. Back to riding bikes. Labor Day weekend I did two long rides. The first was on furlough Friday... My day to stay home and not get paid. I met Bruce, Glenn and Dave '4th Place' Cormier for a 3/3.5 hour ride on the Metacomet. We started just north of Tarifville and headed north up to Mass and then back. I wanted to ride this section of the trail again as I want to do an all-day ride from my house up to Mass and back on this trail later this fall.
Glenn snapped this picture of me doing what I do... eating bananas. We were at the Mass border contemplating whether or not to keep going and explore the Metacomet north into Mass (where I haven't ridden yet). The start was on private property and Bruce did not want to trespass so we had to turn around and head back.
Once again I tried the Garmin 205 and it failed. Kept shutting off for some reason and somehow the data file got lumped with what I was recording on my next ride later that weekend. Technology fail. I am constantly developing new technology in the aerospace industry at work yet can't figure out a damn GPS on my bicycle? So much for trying to share data with you.
Sunday morning I met up with Charlie and James and a few of their friends for a nice 3-4hour [fast] ride through West Hartford Reservoir and into Penwood State Forest along the southern area of the Metacomet. These are trails within a few miles from my house. Charlie wrote a good story about it here. I just remember desperately trying to stay on their wheels through the first hour. Once my body got over the shock of riding quite fast quite early I settled into a good rhythm and felt great the remainder of the ride.
Upon returning from the Breck Epic I decided to ride a harder gear than I typically have. I typically ride a 34x20 around here but threw on the 19. That's 51.9 gear inches versus my traditional 49.3. I ran a 32x21 (44.2 gear inches) out in Colorado. Supposedly 52gear inches is what it takes to be up on top in Vermont so I'll see what I can do with it. So far it feels great and I'm liking it.
Somehow the GPS worked for me on last Wednesdays MTB ride. Go figure. It was a nice mellow ride through Meshomasic. I haven't ridden Mesh since I crashed there earlier this summer and sliced my face wide open. As a result I wanted to take it easy so no fast riding down the rocky trails and no fancy moves over giant boulders.
Yesterday I went out for a 2-2.5 hour mountain bike ride with Ginger at Case Mountain. After that I rushed home to switch bikes, eat a sandwich and then head down to Middletown to go for an intended 4hour road ride with Matt from Ghostship clothing.
We're all ready to go and he had to head over to Pedal Power, where he works, to get some food for the ride. All loaded up with food and we're off for the ride. A few miles down the road he snaps his Campy 10spd chain in half. Doh! Well, at least we're near the shop. I tow him back to the shop via pushing him up the hills and across Middletown so he can replace his chain. Almost an hour later (due to him f'ing with the chain) we're a go. Its dark and overcast so the ride was cut a bit shorter.
Basic route was down 17south into Durham and the 77south Great Hill Road to Long Hill Road to 80east to 79north to Cherry Hill road into some back roads through Middlefield and near the Wadsworth and back to his house. Caught rain in the last 30mins of the ride. I rode big gears and only dropped into the 39T chainring on the short climb up Great Hill Road. The lower cadences and high loads hurt but I needed the punishment.
Why? I don't know. Guess I think it'll keep me ready for the Vermont50. The downside was my legs felt really heavy and tired today. I actually want to podium and the best I've ever done is 10th place singlespeed (2007). Podium means I have to be around 30mins faster than my time in '07. I've never thought about a goal like that in a race before. I typically just show up and try to do well. I think its adding some unwanted stress but I keep forcing myself not to think about it. My fitness is really good from a few weeks at altitude. My nutrition on and off the bike seems to be working. So why worry? Exactly. Just ride your bike and we'll see what happens. That is the plan.
We'll do an easy MTB ride on Wednesday. Then hoping to meet back up with Charlie and do another 3-4hr ride in Penwood this weekend. Then an easy mtb next Wednesday and then the Vermont50.
posted by dougyfresh at 10:53 PM
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