Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Really Nice Ride
Today was just a beautiful day. It was 60 degrees, sunny, and calm at 5:30 this afternoon when I started my bike ride. It was a really great 27 mile ride! Central Kentucky is such a beautiful area. The fields are full of calves this time of year. They are really fun to watch. They get wide eyed as they see me riding up the road toward them along the fence line. When I get close, they run away frightened for a short distance and then turn and look at me like I am some two wheeled monster. I laugh every time. I look forward to more days like today this spring! I need to take my camera with me next time and take a few pictures to post.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Mild Hypothermia?
I went for a planned 30 mile ride yesterday in a 40 degree rain. Needless to say that I was soaked fairly quickly. I was wearing a rain coat but you still get soaked, just from the inside. Anyway, I was really cold by the time the ride was over.
As a side note, I had to end the ride early due to the road being closed as a result of a fatal car accident. Rather than ride the additional 12 miles on the safe detour route, I called Annie and she came to pick me up in the truck.
I was unable to get warm last night and really didn't feel all that well. This morning I was out at 5:30 AM for my planned 10 mile run. It was 40 degrees, foggy and drizzling. By the time I reached the 5 mile mark, my legs felt like lead, I was soaked through and shivering. I ended the run and came home. After breakfast, I collapsed in the bed. I ended up missing church and sleeping for more than 3 hours. I am finally warm but still feel really weak. Lesson learned here is that when it is cold and wet, stay home! Either that or invest in some wool cycling wear and a better cycling jacket.
As a side note, I had to end the ride early due to the road being closed as a result of a fatal car accident. Rather than ride the additional 12 miles on the safe detour route, I called Annie and she came to pick me up in the truck.
I was unable to get warm last night and really didn't feel all that well. This morning I was out at 5:30 AM for my planned 10 mile run. It was 40 degrees, foggy and drizzling. By the time I reached the 5 mile mark, my legs felt like lead, I was soaked through and shivering. I ended the run and came home. After breakfast, I collapsed in the bed. I ended up missing church and sleeping for more than 3 hours. I am finally warm but still feel really weak. Lesson learned here is that when it is cold and wet, stay home! Either that or invest in some wool cycling wear and a better cycling jacket.
Monday, March 9, 2009
2nd Group Ride
I went out for the "C" ride this evening. The majority of the riders there were "B" riders and quickly left 4 of us behind. The other three riders could have easily left me as well as they were all strong riders. But they were nice enough to hang back with me and teach me about pace lines, drafting and riding fundamentals. Really nice people. I had a great 20+ mile ride with an average speed of 14.1 mph. The ride leader discussed scheduling a "C" ride for Thursday night. I hope he does... I will be there. I am getting hooked on this group riding.
First Group Ride
Well, this past Saturday I finally stepped out of my comfort zone and did a group ride with the Bluegrass Cycling Club. I joined the club back in December after lurking via their website most of last year. The club held their season opening ride on Saturday and I decided to join them for a group ride to see what it was all about.
I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by the number of really thin and fit cyclists with really nice road bikes. There I was with my steel touring bike and still 40 pounds overweight. Prior to the ride starting, I mingled and listened to various groups discussing the upcoming ride. Unfortunately, the ride sign up sheets indicated distances but not pace for each group so I had no way of knowing which group was going to ride which pace, "A", "B", or "C". While listening to a couple of ladies discuss how this was going to be their first ride of the season after not riding hardly at all over the winter, I gambled that their group would not be too fast paced.
So as the faster groups of predominately male cyclists departed I stood waiting for "the ladies" to roll out. As their group departed, I found that there was only one other male riding with the group. So be it. I am a realist, I am too old and still too fat to let my ego get in the way of my riding with the "girls". By the way the "girls" were all very strong riders and could have easily dropped me at will. The were riding the slow pace by choice not because it was the best they could do like me. Anyway, I had a great time! At the second turn, we stopped to let a couple of the ladies catch up and the ladies introduced themselves to me. Overall, they were very friendly and very welcoming. It was a very pleasant experience in spite of the stiff wind we faced on the return leg of the ride.
I enjoyed the group experience so much that I have decided to join a "C/B" group ride scheduled for this evening. The wind is supposed to be much calmer this evening so I hope to be able to keep up or at least not get dropped too early in the ride. It is posted on the calendar as a planned 21 mile ride. I have ridden more than twice this distance by myself, but probably at a much slower pace. I think I need the group experience to push me to push myself to work harder than I would on my own. You never know, maybe the ladies will be there again tonight for me to ride with...
I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by the number of really thin and fit cyclists with really nice road bikes. There I was with my steel touring bike and still 40 pounds overweight. Prior to the ride starting, I mingled and listened to various groups discussing the upcoming ride. Unfortunately, the ride sign up sheets indicated distances but not pace for each group so I had no way of knowing which group was going to ride which pace, "A", "B", or "C". While listening to a couple of ladies discuss how this was going to be their first ride of the season after not riding hardly at all over the winter, I gambled that their group would not be too fast paced.
So as the faster groups of predominately male cyclists departed I stood waiting for "the ladies" to roll out. As their group departed, I found that there was only one other male riding with the group. So be it. I am a realist, I am too old and still too fat to let my ego get in the way of my riding with the "girls". By the way the "girls" were all very strong riders and could have easily dropped me at will. The were riding the slow pace by choice not because it was the best they could do like me. Anyway, I had a great time! At the second turn, we stopped to let a couple of the ladies catch up and the ladies introduced themselves to me. Overall, they were very friendly and very welcoming. It was a very pleasant experience in spite of the stiff wind we faced on the return leg of the ride.
I enjoyed the group experience so much that I have decided to join a "C/B" group ride scheduled for this evening. The wind is supposed to be much calmer this evening so I hope to be able to keep up or at least not get dropped too early in the ride. It is posted on the calendar as a planned 21 mile ride. I have ridden more than twice this distance by myself, but probably at a much slower pace. I think I need the group experience to push me to push myself to work harder than I would on my own. You never know, maybe the ladies will be there again tonight for me to ride with...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
