Recovering from my non-ride and adventures in home ownership and repair I met Jim this Sunday for a casual cruise. We had planned a hilly route south and east… but the weather shaped our plans as much as the terrain and my legs. I felt strong from the go, but as our Sunday crew was down by 2 with Patrick kicking ass on the Westfield 400k and John sorting out the purchase of a home… Jim and I opted to keep it close to home. I was treated to a super secret bike path shortcut between 2 major roads before the
weather blew in and we dodged with cafe stops.
Bike path shortcut with a great view to the big mountain...
We logged about 25 for the day and I added another 15 getting to and from our start and finish. As we wrapped up at yet another local cafe the rain poured down in buckets and we sipped coffee as the front blew through. 10 minutes later I took off for home – clear blue sky with puffy white clouds and the fresh smell of green and growing and spring rain.
Crisp air after a fresh spring rain...... and the shimmering sun under blue skies.
I awoke at 2am to prep for a double century through the Adirondacks to Utica to visit family. Left the house by 3:30am and rolled slowly through town letting my body and senses adjust. Everything felt off – legs, core, mind. I pushed on to Charlotte and Vergennes knowing that there are always high and low points on long rides – and with an early morning start I shouldn’t put too much pressure on myself to be moving quickly. Usually things sort themselves out as soon as I warm up and the sun makes an appearance.
There was the slightest crossing headwind and a fog in the air as I moved through Shelburne and Charlotte. The flats all felt false and the rollers on Greenbush were beating me down. I tried not to look at my computer – but my speed was well below normal for the effort I was putting out. I rolled into Vergennes about 40 minutes off my schedule – just 30 miles into the ride. I took a seat on the front porch of a bank, put on all the clothes I had and ate one of my PB&J sandwiches. I was cold and clammy and wanted to sleep right there. Couldn’t focus and felt out of it. Began extrapolating my speed and the terrain ahead – also knowing that there was likely to be rain and wind most of the day. Unable to shake the chill and the soreness and the mental offness I opted to roll back home – which felt about as daunting as finishing the ride to Utica. I slogged back north, averaging about 8-10-12 miles an hour on fairly tame terrain. I’m pretty sure I could have rolled into a ditch and slept with the goats and the sheep. All I wanted to do was get warm and snuggled and sleep for a week. I stopped at the Red Brick store in Charlotte for some coffee and napped on the bench for 10 minutes. Despite the warming temperature and the spotty sunbeams that warmed my face my body still felt cold – chilled to the core. I was wearing a base layer, wool jersey and my rain jacket fully zipped. I struggled on to Shelburne and enjoyed the relatively low traffic on Rt. 7 into town. Zagged down to the bike path and spun home in the little ring. A stop at the bagel cafe for some breakfast and a short jaunt on NASCAR North Avenue and I made it home. I covered about 60 miles. It simultaneously feels like far less and far more.
The view from my napping spot at the Red Brick Store in Charlotte.Looking towards the ADKs from the waterfont. It was going to be a pretty day in the mountains.
I’ll have two or three other excuses to repeat this ride. I tweaked the route from last years successful attempt to explore some new roads and some slightly more remote terrain – so I’m looking forward to having a good day on the bike.
I spent three days in the Berkshires teaching at the Heartwood School. I managed two short rides to explore the local dirt. Lots of steep climbing on gravel and sand and loose dirt. I was wishing for wider tires as I was running the 28s with the Honjo’s. Wanted to get out more – but it was hard to cram a bit of catching up with friends, teaching, and riding into the time I had. I’d love to get back…
A fork in the road on the way up to Middlefield.Beaver!
I'm sold on the front bag... descending @ 30 mph, hands free, stable!
Flèche Teamate Patrick and I rode the Westfield 200k in the heat on Saturday. 126 miles, limited traffic, plenty of climbing, temps in the 90’s with a beautiful route from Westfield to Shelburne Falls, a side trip to southern Vermont and then back via Shelburne Falls and some lonely mountain roads. The ride took a bit longer than I had hoped – but climbing in the heat mid course was brutal. I opted to snag a few extra bottled waters from McCusker’s Market when leaving the lunch control – they were gone before I began the descent to Conway. I struggled with the heat, some soreness in my left quad, and numbness and pain in my right hand. New things – but pain is not unexpected when on the bike for so long. The hand pain should be remedied by adjusting the Ergo lever position and how the cable exits to wrap the Nitto Noodle bars. The muscle pain is most likely due to this being the longest ride of the year… Patrick played with the lead group for 2/3 of the ride. He rolled in about 2 hours ahead of me. I finished the last 20 stronger than I rode the first – so despite the heat and being off my better pace – I feel good about the ride.
Smartphone, checking email after a quick breakfast this morning. Nice recovery spin. Out to the bay and back around the Intervale. Up through Riverside and a tour along the lake. Cold, but the sun is rising earlier each morning. Blue sky, wind, and purple orange mountains across the lake. Wednesday I need to rise earlier. More miles on quiet roads, perhaps early enough for a sunrise view to Mt. Mansfield.
Spirited 36 mile ride with the boys this morning. Snow flakes and cold cold wind. New rain gear proved good at shedding the wind – we’ll see how it does when it gets wet – but so far the Shower’s Pass Elite 2.0 is a winner. The design for venting on the new jacket is fantastic – I stayed dry on the inside despite working hard to keep up with the boys on some climbing, and dry after a few long pulls on the front into the cold wind. Coffee at Viva and then I rolled another 10 to hang with the in-laws and family for Easter early dinner. Spent some quality time with the little one reading from the nephew’s vast collection of books and snuggling with an array of cozy warm stuffed animals (a few of them larger than daddy!).
Took off for what was hoped to be a century – but looking at the weather report this morning we knew it would be a stretch. Jim and I worked ourselves northbound to the Islands into an impressive howling wind with snow flurries mixed in to keep it fun. Temps started in the low 30s and barely climbed into the 40s. Cold toes, hands, and a chill building under the plastic jacket (better wet weather gear is on the way).
Jim waiting in the wind. We followed the Lake Champlain Bikeway for much of the ride.
I added another notch to my RCP award training with a stop @ Hero’s Welcome. No cinnamon bun this week – but a chocolate pastry that was wonderfully washed down with some much needed hot hot coffee. Text to the wife and another with words of encouragement to Patrick who was 100 miles into the Old Saybrook 300k… then off south to enjoy a bit of tailwind, and then crosswinds, all the way into town. Another ~80 mile day. It felt like much much more. The last 10 were a struggle, into the wind near the bay, with a respite along the lakefront MUP.
Out again for ride number two. After lunch the snow moved out for clear blue skies and a brisk breeze out of the north – northwest. I couldn’t resist a few more miles and did a short loop to enjoy the afternoon. I don’t think I combined enough to get in my metric… but it felt good to be riding in the sun. Deceptively cold for sure – and the breeze off the lake was brutal. I trudged home on North Ave. into a stiff breeze – totally cooked from fighting the wind this morning and afternoon. Climbing a short hill a ‘ding ding’ rang out and commuter man on a citified mountain bike dropped onto his aerobars, passed me, and gave a little wave.
Managed a wonderful early spring ride on Sunday morning. 32 miles all told, and I should have stayed out for more. The roads were wet from an all night rain – so the IF has been splattered with its first mud of 2009. I finally had time to set up my new Nitto Noodle bars, re-cable the controls, and wrap the bars with the old tape (a little short) from the Salsa bars. After I get some miles in and figure out if the stem length and lever position is correct (its close) I’ll have to re-up some cash and get some more Brooks tape.The IF @ The Cup and Cone
