Rev Rider

I woke up this morning not wanting to feel cold.  I’m not sure what it was that caused this constant thought.  It was 60° F, a transition point between longer sleeves and short ones.  There is no need for leggings at this temperature.  I dressed as if it were 50 and got my wish.  I was not cold.  I was overdressed.

We had a dozen out, but three of us opted to go slow.  Mike C is recovering from the 2 days of Ocean City, including a very fast ride back.  On Jennings he needed to re-inflate a tire, so we stopped and after a burst of CO2, it never gave him any trouble after that.  We held a conversational pace throughout, nothing much to write home about.

I added a little extra on at the end of the ride just because I knew I could.  I was feeling lazy, but I need to bank some miles if I’m going to meet my goals for the month.

One of the stats I keep on my riding log is a 30 day moving average for distance ridden.  This morning put me at 845 miles in the last 30 days.  That number is always fun to watch.

This Ride: 25.7 miles
Month: 292.9 miles
2012: 1890.7 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,744.4 miles

Typically, after the Ocean City Rides, Mosey Monday is sparsely attended, and today was no exception.  I met Scott at the Rusty Bridge, and with no lights in sight, we pushed off as a duo.  On Jennings Road, Chip pulled in on his fixie and we were three.  As we moved down the trail, we caught sight of a light gaining on our easy pace, and soon Brian had joined in making us four.  Brian opted to remain on Old County Road instead of going into Round Bay and we were three again.  He waited for us at the end of the trail and we were 4.  Bryan was waiting for us at Glen Oban and we were five.  It was hard keeping track of all this coming and going, but we managed.

It was really a relatively uneventful morning ride, just one of those where the miles are banked and the routine is maintained.  I did push it some on my “Little Sprint Hill” while holding the wheel of Bryan, and logged my fastest time this year.  Just a few more seconds faster and I can claim that I’m back in full strength compared to last fall.

This Ride: 23.1 miles
Month: 267.2 miles
2012: 1865 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,718.6 miles

The Severna Park Peloton held it’s 14th version of our twice annual Ocean City Bike Ride.  Day one has us riding from the Bay Bridge in Stevensville, MD to Ocean City, MD.  Day two is the return trip.  Once again this spring, I was able only to participate in day one’s ride.  These rides are our “premier rides”.  They have their own traditions, customs, and qualities.

Ready to ride!

My ride started as I left home at about 6:30 am to ride to the Jones Station Park and Ride where I would be meeting up with Mike, Clint, Sebastian, and    for a ride across the Bay Bridge.  My car is in the shop, and it just made sense to ride the easy 3.5 miles.  I carried with me a backpack with clothes to change into for the dinner and return trip, as well as my decorated bike.  Yes, the bike and my helmet were decorated.  This ride was on Cinqo de Mayo and part of our promo material suggested “costumes” or bike decorations.  My preparation was the most elaborate, as it turns out.  I supplemented my own grey mustache with a black stick on mustache.  I wore a miniature sombrero on my helmet and a serape around my headlight.  An “Ole” Sombrero printed card served as my spoke card on my rear wheel.  I bought Clint a matching mustache, and he wore his nearly the entire ride.  Not only did this get-up earn me the award for the best “costume”, but unfortunately other than Clint’s mustache, I was the only one who did anything special.  It made me the envy of all the other riders.

We arrived at the Stevensville Middle School on time for our 7:30 am meet up and 8:00 am planned departure.  By the start time, we had 16 riders ready to go.  I dashed ahead to get a video of our start.  I must say, we were a pretty impressive group heading out of town for this great ride.  The skies were mostly clear.  Temperatures were promising to hit 80° along the way.  The chance of rain was slight.  What a great time for a bike ride.

We soon discovered that Rick, one of the “newbies” to this ride was not going to be able to hold our pace.  He is a recumbent rider and fell off the pace early.  We remained mindful of him, slowing or stopping or sending riders back to him to help bring him forward.  Eventually he instructed us to move ahead at our pace and he would rely on the cue sheet.  That was actually quite gracious of him.  Our support van driver checked in visually with him often to make sure he was safe.

We were able to cross Highways 50 and 301 safely, if not without some tension.  There is just no easy way to cross these highways, and the crossing of Highway 50 is especially challenging as drivers come up over a slight rise on a curving ramp at 60 mph with about 100-150 yards of visibility.  At least the sight lines are better for the crossing of Highway 301 just minutes later.  With those crossings behind us, it is a simple matter of turning the pedals, enjoying the day, and keeping the conversation going.  We had a surprise visit by Chip who joined our ride temporarily.  He had a schedule conflict and joined us from about the crossing at 301 to Dave’s place.  It was good to see him out, keeping his string alive on the route he designed.

Sombrero on the helmet

The miles flowed by, and by about 10:15 we had arrived at our breakfast stop at Dave’s Place.  Dave’s Place is a “biker bar” (motorcycles, not bicycles) just outside Ridgley, MD.  Clint and some others stumbled upon it years ago when they needed some respite from some very cold temperatures.  Mary Ann, the owner, has agreed to open the place early for us twice a year.  She makes us breakfast sandwiches to order, bakes brownies and cookies for us, runs a raffle give-a-way, has pitchers of water and pots of coffee waiting for us.  It is a perfect set up.  This year, she announced that the bar had no potable water because of a water main break, but we still had bottled water and nothing was lacking.  We descended on the food as if we were a hoard of locusts, eating and drinking everything in sight.  You see, by now it had warmed up to the upper 70’s to lower 80’s and we had exhausted our water supplies on the bikes.  Some had never ridden that fast before, and were ready for a good break.  Mary Ann is good-natured and it is good to see her.  She feels like a friend to many.  Photos of us hang in the bar, which I’m sure gives the regular patrons a real laugh.

As we prepared to push off for our lunch stop, we took the obligatory photo.  Newbies had their hugs (the pole for pole dancing was not up).  We slathered on sunscreen in deference to the bright and strong morning sunshine, and worked extra hard to push our bloated bellies out of the way of each pedal stroke.  Over the next few hours, we covered miles, found pee spots, had very fast pace lines going and slowed to get a breather.  Sebastian had a flat that was fixed in quick order.  Somewhere along the way to lunch, we crossed the stalled frontal boundary.  The clouds rolled in.  The winds picked up.  The temperatures dropped.  By 1:20 when we arrived in Milton for lunch, it was 63°.  Temps had dropped 20 degrees and as we looked at the weather forecast for the rest of the course, I got concerned.  I had neglected to consider the forecast for our whole route, and was woefully unprepared.  I spent lunch fretting and planning for what lie ahead.

Lunch was at Irish Eyes in Milton.  We sucked down pitchers of water.  Many of us had a very tasty “Grown Up Grilled Cheese Sandwich” complete with a cup of tomato bisque soup.  The lunch stop lasted longer than most of us wanted.  It was nearly 3:00 by the time we were ready for the shortest leg of the trip, less than one mile.  I changed socks and I added a spare jersey over my kit (complete with a piece of newspaper under my jersey as a wind breaker).  Next stop … The Dogfish Head Brewery, with at least half of us wearing Dogfish Head jerseys.

We were a hit in the tasting room.  We blew in, ready to try our 4 samples.  Customers and staff alike wanted to hear our story and were all amazed that we were riding to Ocean City … and that we had already come from the Bay Bridge … and that we do this often.  But, feeling the press of time, and the possibility of worsening conditions, we moved out and on our way.  Janet loaned me a pair of arm warmers that made all the difference in the world.  We had hoped for some tail winds as we moved in a more southerly direction, but as is usual on the Eastern Shore, we encountered at least a partial headwind.  It shortened pulls on the front of the pace line and kept everyone pretty tight in the group.  Somewhere on this leg, the moisture started falling out of the sky.  At first it was a barely perceptible mist.  Then it intensified into a fairly heavy fog so that the surface of the road was damp and the wind blew the moisture onto our eye wear.  Many riders removed glasses.  I kept trying to stay ahead of fogging lenses and beads of moisture by frequent wiping and steady hard pulls on the front of the pace line.  We just wanted to get to the hotel.  It was cold and wet and windy, not the conditions we anticipated.

Just as we had the end in sight and had a pace that kept us warm in the 55° temps with a full on headwind, Mike C hit a stone causing an immediate flat.  We had 5-6 miles to go.  Assured that he and a few others had matters completely under control, the rest of us pushed off and made our way quickly to the hotel.  We were about an hour later than we had hoped.  Sometimes on this trip we average 18-19 mph.  Today, it was just over 17.

The rest of the evening went quickly.  We had very quick showers.  We watched the Kentucky Derby.  We had the shortest Happy Hour on record.  We moved to our planned dinner at Lombardo’s.  And by a little after 9 the van back to Severna Park was pulling out for a before midnight arrival home.

What a good day.  We covered 113 miles.  There were no crashes.  There were two flats and no real mechanical issues.  We all avoided hypothermia.  Camaraderie was good.  I’m just sorry I wasn’t able to do the return leg Sunday.

I wish my video camera cooperated a bit more, but I’ve captured a couple of quick videos, including the start and our arrival at Dave’s Place.

[This just in: Day 2 riders arrived safely at the finish at around 4:00 pm]  Congrats!

This Ride: 116.6 miles
Month: 244.1 miles
2012: 1841.9 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,695.5 miles

Every day this month we’ve contended with rain or wet roads.  This morning was no different.  Overnight showers left the pavement wet and the newly washed fixie is now crudded up again.  A little rain or wet roads don’t stop us.

About 10 of us were out for a leisurely ride to Annapolis for breakfast.  We ate outside again, and enjoyed our time together.  There were no incidents but plenty of funny banter and gentle ribbing of one another.  I matched my previous speed record on the Fixie of 35.6 mph (166 rpm).  I’m not sure my legs can go much faster than that, although I don’t think I had any bounce.

On the ride back to Severna Park, I conspired with Chip about putting together a ride that would be a 200k from Stevensville to Salisbury to arrive in time for the Seagull Century then a 100k+ to return to Stevensville.  If done right, that could all be accomplished in about 24 hours.  I’ll shop that idea around on the ride tomorrow, affectionately known as OC-14.

This Ride: 31.2 miles
Month: 127.5 miles
2012: 1725.3 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,578.9 miles

When a ride is difficult, I find myself giving reasons why it was tough.  I think the desire to attribute a slower ride to some reason or combination of reasons is to say that there were external forces beyond my control and that is really not like me.  While there are a multitude of factors contributing to ride performance, at least some of the need to make excuses is to say, “It’s not my fault.  I’m usually not that slow.”

I had reasons galore this morning for a slow ride.

1. There were no bananas for me to eat this morning before the ride.
2. I had a late night and did not sleep well.
3. Yesterday’s fast pace wore me out.
4. I think I’m getting a tickle in my throat.  Am I coming down with something?
5. It was a long day at work yesterday.
6. I’m distracted by many things.

But in all honesty,

1. I’m the one who didn’t make sure there was a banana for me this morning.
2. Yes, I stayed up late to watch TV instead of going to bed.  I didn’t get closure on some stuff at work, so of course I didn’t sleep well.
3. But yesterday’s fast ride followed a fast ride Tuesday evening.  My first 5 miles this morning were quicker than usual.
4. There may be a tickle, it may be allergies.  We’ve been dealing with that around here for weeks.
5. When doesn’t it feel like a long day at work?
6. I’m in control of my thinking and my focus.

I just didn’t want to go fast this morning.

I rode 16 times in April not counting the Flèche.  Of those 16 rides, 13 of those rides were this speed or slower.  (That’s one advantage of a riding log.)  I guess the slow day was relative.

So, let me turn this around a little and say,

Wow.  This was a pretty good ride for not eating a banana before going out!

Well, that’s closer … how about,

That was a good ride this morning.

It was a morning where I didn’t look at the radar before heading out.  The forecast was for 30% chance of rain.  I pulled the fender off the bike.  I left the house slightly under-dressed and returned to get a wind vest on.  When I arrived at the Rusty Bridge, our first topic of conversation was the thunder and lightning off to the north and everyone’s interpretation of the radar images they saw before they left the house.  The consensus was that the rain might pass just to our north, and we should be fine.

By mid-Jennings road, I could tell that some of the guys were feeling pretty frisky so I let them go, resigning myself to a solo morning ride at the pace I wanted to ride.  It was enjoyable.  I saw the group as they passed me on Old County Road, and again as they were heading south on the trail before I hit the turn around point.  Mike C was also feeling a little tight this morning.  He slowed for me to catch up and we rode the last 1/3 of the ride together.  When we got back to Severna Park near Dawsons, I noticed that the pavement was damp.  As we rode further north, the pavement became wet and there were standing puddles.  We caught only a few sprinkles all morning.  Once I got home, my suspicions were confirmed.  Severna Park had a brief downpour that we missed entirely.

Later today: Some much needed bike maintenance on both bikes, assuming the weather holds.

Tomorrow: Friendly, Fixie Friday!

This Ride: 22 miles
Month: 96.3 miles
2012: 1694.1 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,547.7 miles

I didn’t think I had it in me.

This morning’s ride started similar to yesterday morning.  The radar showed rain off to the west heading in our direction.  There were light sprinkles by the time we arrived at the Rusty Bridge for the start, in fact the pavement was mostly damp … not quite wet.  I didn’t put on the rain gear this time and as we shot out of the gate I resolved to ride fast.  This was after all, Wicked Wednesday.  We picked up Brian and Chip (on the fixie) along the way, and kept the pace up in the early damp darkness.  When we got 5 miles into the ride, I was pleased to see that we had averaged 19.5 mph!

I chose the shorter route again, remaining on Old County Road instead of hitting the hill in Round Bay.  I was surprised that three others also chose this easier route.  Brian and Mike C blew past me on the hill, and there was another rider on my wheel, but I couldn’t tell who it was in my quick glances in my rear view mirror.  By the time I hit the effective top of the hill on Old County, Mike was about 50 yards ahead of me and I resolved to close the gap.  I reeled him in, and noted that as I did so, the rider behind me fell further behind.  Mike and I finished out Old County and hit the trail again, where we both kicked up the pace once again.  I was amazed that I could do that, since my heart rate had spiked to the limit trying to catch him earlier.  Crossing Joyce Lane, we commented that a fast sprint would allow us to stay ahead of the rest, so we kicked it up again.  As Mike flagged, I passed him and drove the pace up above 25 mph for a time.  By the time we got to the southern end of the trail, the others were still not in sight.  I glanced at my Garmin and noted that for the morning to that point, I had 18.5 mph average.  Soon, Chip arrived saying he was trying to catch us, but on the fixie he couldn’t bridge the gap.  The others arrived a minute or two later.

We waited for the rest to catch up, then proceeded north on the trail.  I maintained a pretty quick pace (for me) in the lead, and then hung on as I was passed.  At Glen Oban, we ratcheted up the pace again.  I noted another 5 mile “lap” was 19.4 mph.  We hammered down B&A Blvd, and kept the pace pretty steady.  From Jones Station Road, Dave was in the lead and I was second.   I held his wheel through all the rollers, then when we got to my little hill, I passed him, discovering at the top that I had pulled all the rest up that hill, averaging 20.5 mph for that hill section.  I got a nice compliment from Chip on the pace I set.

When we arrived back on the trail, I noted that my average for the morning was now at 18.8 mph and soon enough, another 5 mile “lap” revealed another 19.5 mph pace.  That was 15 miles at 19.5 (ish) mph!  I kept pressing the pace all the way home and by the time I had climbed the hill back home, my average for the day was 18.4 mph, my fastest this year.

I logged on to Strava, uploaded the information, and started looking at the stats for the segments I have tracked.  I was pretty pleased with the results.  On most of those segments, I’m gaining ground on my previous best times.  Most of those personal records were set last September – November when I was at my peak.

There were a couple of close calls.  Dennis had a shifting problem and I nearly clipped his rear wheel at one point.  I know I missed it by less than an inch.  The damp roads contributed to another, where my rear wheel locked up as I was braking hard and my front and rear threatened to replace one another.  Quick action saved that and still got me stopped.  I rely on the rear brakes way too much!

All in all, a surprising morning ride for me.  I didn’t think I would have the speed in my after a quick ride last evening.

Oh, yeah, the rain never got to more than a light occasional sprinkle, although I did see a flash of lightening off to the northeast just before we left the Rusty Bridge.

This Ride: 22.8 miles
Month: 74.3 miles
2012: 1672.1 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,525.7 miles

Six of us showed up for the pizza ride.  We started out slow, and gradually built up speed over the route.  By the time we were done, I had 18.0 mph average speed, my fastest for the year.  (One 5 mile split shows 19.3 mph.)

It was fun flying down the trail at 32 mph in a tight paceline, even if it was only 4 riders at that point.

Now, we will see what my legs do for the ride tomorrow morning.

This Ride: 28.0 miles
Month: 51.5 miles
2012: 1649.3 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,502.9 miles

Unless you’ve done it, the title “A Pleasant Ride in the Rain” seems to be reserved only for the certifiable lunatics.  Either I’m certifiable or it is entirely possible.  I’ll wager there were 7 guys out this morning who enjoyed the ride even in the rain.

It was dry when I pushed off at 5:20.  The radar had a band of rain close and moving our way, so when I went out the door the fender, a light rain jacket, and water-resistant shoes, & my SPP cap were part of the mix.  It was 60° F so the bib shorts were enough there.  I decided on short fingered gloves.  These decisions are all pretty important, especially in rain.  It is so much easier to lose body heat when it is raining.  My only trouble during the ride was how much heat and sweat the rain jacket holds inside.  I had opted for the light jacket that doesn’t ventilate as well as the better one.

There were sporadic sprinkles until the crew met up at the Rusty Bridge, then a light rain started that remained intermittent through the morning.  The trail was completely wet before we hit the ranger station, so I was careful on the painted surfaces and in the curves.  The rain was just like it was on the Flèche a couple of weeks ago.  All but Clint and I picked up the pace.  They didn’t race, but they had a much quicker pace than we chose to ride.  Clint was on his fixie so we just rode easy as I prompted him to describe his weekend and other parts of what was going on in his life.  We noticed by the bike tracks that the guys in front chose not to ride through Round Bay.  That hill can be pretty slick in the rain.  We met them on the trail as they were on the return leg and we were still headed south.

This was the first time I had ridden in the rain with a billed cap on.  It worked pretty well for me.  The bill of the cap kept a lot of the rain off my glasses (at least the top half) and increased my visibility from what I’m used to in the rain.

Soon I was home.  I thought about riding another 3 miles, but that would mean not seeing Lori before work, and since today is a long day for her I wanted to send her off well.  I’ll have a surprise for her this evening.  It is May Day, after all.

The transition back into the house after a ride in the rain is tricky.  I take as much of the wet gear off out on the front porch as I can without the neighbors calling the police, and then a broom to the front of my legs or a careful tiptoe to the shower is in order to wash off the grit and grime.  It’s not so much that it is wet as it is that all the road debris sticks to the wet legs that is the challenge.  I was surprised when I entered the house.  It felt cold, although the thermometer said it was nearly 10 degrees warmer.  I think the rain was actually warmer than the outside temperature.  Maybe that’s why the rain felt so good.

Yes, it was a pleasant ride in the rain.  It has set the day up right for a pleasant day.  It makes my fortune from last night’s fortune cookie true: “Your happiness is intertwined with your outlook on life.”

This Ride: 23.4 miles
Month: 23.4 miles
2012: 1621.2 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 15,474.9 miles