Beaucoups de rides

Dudes,

I am working hard. I started late and I am super sucky at bike riding, but I am trying very hard to overcome my shortcomings. Since I started about two weeks ago, I have been doing 3-4 rides a week and am progressively increasing my mileage and climbing. I've been doing my long rides on Sunday mornings, which usually works pretty well. Every Sunday, I set a new bar for myself of longest ride ever. I try to do one or two evening rides and one or two morning rides during the week. Plus I have ballet twice a week, so I am getting at least five good workouts per week. I am trying to maintain 12 mph, which for me is hard. But dudes, I am getting it done.

There are lots of interesting things to see on each ride and they have all been scenic with tons of different places to go. I don't think I've done the same ride twice yet. I think my theme for the year will be livestock (I also considered cemeteries and old cars - I'll save those for another year).

Last Sunday, I saw lots of horses and cows, donkeys and goats. I got caught in some heavy rain for the last two miles. In some ways it was good because at least now I know what it's like to ride in the rain. Friday night I went for a really nice ride. It was kind of misting on & off the whole time, but it actually felt nice and the roads weren't too wet. I saw horses, cows, a peacock, a turtle looking up at me when I crossed a bridge and a couple of deer crossed the road in front of me toward the end of my ride.

Yesterday, I went for a long ride and surpassed my time/speed goal. I got a later start than I wanted, which meant I didn't finish until after noon and I was riding with a lot less shade than I hoped for. It was hot. I saw more horses and cows (one cow was wearing a pink bike helmet), I rescued a turtle from certain death, I saw a beaver, and around mile 16 or so, I came across a sign for what I really needed... Mt. Energy. Unfortunately, I wasn't going that way and headed for the valley of despair instead. It was really pretty hilly. One bad hill in the last half mile - it wasn't appreciated.

I see other kinds of creatures when I get home.

And guess who bought a bike yesterday. Progress on all fronts.

100 miles

Nancy and I hit our 100 mile mark in our training. We're still way behind last year and way behind Ned with his impressive 250 miles, but we picked up the pace a bit with today's ride, averaging 12.4 mph. It helps that this ride was all on nice open road surface, closed off to cars and the weather was just perfect for riding.

We did the Art Museum loop - well not really a loop - more like up and back - twice for a total of 25 miles. We took a quick pit stop at the beautifully restored Philadelphia Water Works and took in the view across the Schuylkill of the famous Boathouse Row.


Our training is still fairly hill deficient. Neither of us had the steam to make it up the super steep hill that almost all our rides entail unless we drive to the beginning. I swear this hill is really killer even though it looks pretty in this photo. Thing is there are two more hills after you get up this! Last year we were able to do it, but we haven't even attempted it so far.


Hope everyone is having fun and we can't wait to see you all!

Wait! Is that Ned Blogging? What the What?

Yes, yes it is I. Just wanted to dip my toes in the blog before I take my trip next month to Nova Scotia when I should have some actual pictures as well as tales of international cycling to share.

In the meantime, I will just point out that I have passed the 250 mile point in my training and that I am rockin' one leg! OK I am rockin' two legs but still... The showers at the new Food Bank have left me no excuse not to bike into work so I have been trying to do that as much as possible (although this week has been freakin' cold!). I am starting to grow weary of my customary 'round Boston loop and out rte. 109 to rte. 27 and back rte. 16 loops so I will need to seek out some new territory. I just got invited by a co-worker to do some Best Buddies ride to Hyannis with Tom Brady this weekend. I suspect it is a ruse of some sort. I will report back on Brady's knee if I end up doing it.

That's all fer now.

Sunday May 24, 2009

I rode my bike today. First time in over a year. Jim is still sans bicyclette.

San Frantastic Ride!!!

Wowzah!! Last Monday, after 2 unusually hot days in the beautiful city of San Francisco, Sarah and I decided to pick the 50-degree, windy and foggy day to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate bridge into Sausalito and up to Mill Valley... et je ne regret RIEN!!! It was sooo fun, but OH MY GAWD it was windy up on that bridge. Sarah got blown off her bike.

We stopped for hot chocolate in Sausalito and then rode up to Mill Valley where we hugged some Redwood trees. Then we biked back to Sausalito and caught the ferry back to Fisherman's wharf in San Fracisco. On the way we got to see Alcatraz up close and personal. Miles logged this trip: 20.

Mother's Day Minuteman Ride

On the subject of slacking, we have totally dropped the ball on the blogging front and as a result we have 3 biking adventures to report on. The first was a lovely 20-mile jaunt out the Minuteman path and back on May 10th (Mother's Day). I was joined by Ta and Ned for what was Ta and my first real bike ride of the season. Ned was on point with his rockin' new removable sleeve jacket (... beige socks slightly less awesome).

True confessions

Ok, we admit it - we're a couple of slackers. We haven't been on a ride in almost a month - not even a spin around the block or to the store. We're terrible, obviously.

But finally today, we made an attempt to reduce our terribleness. We got the bikes out of the shed, strapped 'em on the back of the car and took off for the Perkiomen Creek Trail. This is the same trail we did last year although last year we did the whole trail out and back - about 36 miles or so. This time, we weren't as far along in our training so we did 25 miles of it - up to the 12% grade and back (no, we did not go down the 12% grade because of not wanting to come back up it).

It was a lovely day but unfortunately, we didn't take any pictures this time. So, instead here is one from last year crossing over the creek.