Spring has sprung

[Dino Sore]

Yeehaaah!!!! First road ride of the season today. Wet and sandy, but IT WAS ABOVE FREEZING.

Temps will drop into the teens tomorrow, so back on to the trails with the studded tires. But it sure was nice to see speeds north of 20 today.

[pk]

I was really looking forward to a weekend of road riding.... until the forecast descended into sleet and rain and crap..... Bummer.

http://www.cripplefight.com/smileys/blowup.gif

Last Saturday we did our first road ride of the season-- a nice 46-mile ride at a mellow 16.1 pace. It was super nice to roll silently and easily compared to the studded tires which sound like a tractor trailer on the road.

If anyone else is into road riding west of Boston either Saturdays or Sundays, let me know.

pk

[bdee]

Went for my first road ride of the year on Friday night. I figured it was over 32 degrees and I am tired of my trainer, so I took the 'cross bike out without really having done any maintenance on her in a year or so. Aside from a frozen front derailleur it wasn't all that bad. I guess riding in the woods in the single digits prepares you for a cold road ride. I won't divulge the distance or the average speed, suffice it to say it was slower than most and faster than none. My first "real" road bike in years should arrive early next week and I'm looking forward to some early season rides. :)

[pk]

Nice, Bdee! What kind of road bike you getting?

Four of us went out Sunday for a hill ride. 53 miles of hills through Littleton, Harvard, Ayer, Groton, Dunstable, Chelsmford, Westford, Carlisle and Acton. 16.2 average. You're welcome to join us anytime. Today was sort of a freebie since the forecasters (in all their wisdom) predicted a rainy day but it was great out there.

pk

[bdee]

I picked up a Schwinn Peleton (surprise - that makes 5 in my household now) on Roadbikereview. com. It was $600 shipped which is a good thing given my budget. It's a nice mix of Ultegra and Dura-ace. Should be fun. I went out today for about two hours. Roughly 30 miles witha few offroad miles in Attleboro by the Oak Hill water tower. I think I'm gonna have to hit the road for a while before I join you on any road rides. I'm thinking 50 + miles might kill me right about now :). I'll email or message you about a mtn bike ride soon, how are the trails up your way? Everything is pretty wet/slushy around here.

[splat]

Did my first road ride of the season today , did 40 miles, was planning on a Metric century , but wife called me and needed me to come home , so the good litte du-be that I am went home :-\

[If_Rider]

Me too. Did a short 17 miles yesterday on the road. I'm hoping to do some commuting this year (28 miles one way).

Anyone have a QR rack they want to part with???

[T Grimble]

I'm thinking 50 + miles might kill me right about now :).


Tell me about it. I did 53 miles of hills through Littleton, Harvard, Ayer, Groton, Dunstable, Chelsmford, Westford, Carlisle and Acton. My personal average was slightly below 16.2 but I had a good time despite the pain. I only got dropped 3 or 4 times but that which doesn't kill you...

[jaime]

I rode with the Big Moose, Stig man and pk yesterday. Here's what I learned:

1. When you patch a road tube, all you accomplish is to waste a patch. Spare yourself the aggravation of listening to your ride buddies heckle you; throw the danged thing out and go with a new one (Thanks for the tube, T.).
2. One of the most foolish things you can do at mile 51 of a 53 miler is to look ahead at the Stigman, who has a 200 foot gap on you, then turn over your shoulder to pk and tell him "Grab my wheel, I'll pull us up to him." By the time I got up to Stig, pk was 100 feet past him and looking back for me like I was abducted by aliens. I had black smoke pouring from both calf muscles by then.

Tale of the Tape:
53: miles ("some decent early season base miles"- pk)
44: cuss words muttered under my breath as I watched yet another climb unfold in front of me :'(
16.3: mph avg
14: lbs of road crud attached to me and/or my bike
3:14: ride time
3: patched road tubes jettisoned as soon as I got home
2: exploded calves on the last sprint
1: large slice 'o humble pie served to yours truly by the big man on the final sprint :o
0: things I would rather have done yesterday.

j.

[T Grimble]

44: cuss words muttered under my breath as I watched yet another climb unfold in front of me :'(


Only 44 cuss words ??? Which climbs didn't you cuss on?

[Dino Sore]

Ya' know, I only started this thread because there had not been any posts in this forum since last October.

Now I find out all of you sick ba@#%rds are doing 50 mile hill rides in February. Damn; I was hoping to get a jump on everyone else.

[pk]

Another good road ride today. 47 miles, lots of hills with some good sprints at the end. Only downside is that we had to leave some comrades behind because I was running out of time to perform family duties. Three of us, including Bdee, marched on ahead and picked up the pace. Cruised back into Concord center doing close to 30, with legs screaming. Ahhhhh, yes.... early season pain and suffering. Gotta love it!

http://www.cripplefight.com/smileys/whip.gif

pk

[jaime]

Managed about 45 on the fixed yesterday with some 'sane' friends. Pace was for humans (not mutant 6+ footers channeling the spirit of 130lb Basque climbers, thank you very much), but miles+ no freewheel=tired jaime!

Little else was accomplished yesterday, other than a short ride w/ my daughter and subsequently sending 4 or 5 IPA's to meet their maker...

j.

[pk]

First road ride with no puddles! Whoo hooo!

Seven of us left for an extended loop. Five returned.

Some may have thought that the ride would be flattter than last week but evidently didn't notice my "maybe" caveat, i.e., "maybe not"!

After Acton we started climbing up through Boxborough and the Bolton hills up to Harvard. Despite some concern that we should break off into two groups, we kept most of the group together and cruised past Fruitlands and the expansive views of Wachusett to Monadnock.

In Ayer, we picked up the pace again into Groton, drank some espresso and went on to Dunstable, Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle and back to Acton.

55+ miles, 18.5 average. Not bad for a hilly ride.

No, there was no post-ride feast of gourmet chicken wings and lots of Harpoon. Nope. There was no fun to be had!

All in all, a glorious day.

pk

[C.P.]

First road ride with no puddles! Whoo hooo!

Seven of us left for an extended loop. Five returned.

Some may have thought that the ride would be flattter than last week but evidently didn't notice my "maybe" caveat, i.e., "maybe not"!

After Acton we started climbing up through Boxborough and the Bolton hills up to Harvard. Despite some concern that we should break off into two groups, we kept most of the group together and cruised past Fruitlands and the expansive views of Wachusett to Monadnock.

In Ayer, we picked up the pace again into Groton, drank some espresso and went on to Dunstable, Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle and back to Acton.

55+ miles, 18.5 average. Not bad for a hilly ride.

No, there was no post-ride feast of gourmet chicken wings and lots of Harpoon. Nope. There was no fun to be had!

All in all, a glorious day.

pk



Good deal PK!
'Got a 45 miler in Saturday, & a 30 miler Sunday - got REAL wet sat, but it felt good to be out for sure.
PK - sounds like you guys are in great shape for early season - I know that route you guys took, and if I went with you guys, your ride & write would have read "left with 8 left for extended loop, 5 returned" That's a great pace - 18.5 avg!

CP

[jaime]

That was as thorough of a beating as I've absorbed in a long time! I was in bed by 8 pm, and glad to be there.

Hospitality of the Keyes household was outstanding as usual, thanks pk.

Sunday AM road rides are awesome!

[bdee]

It sounds like it was an awesome ride, I'm bummed I missed it. I had some stuff to do in the afternoon so I went for a 56 mile ride early in the day, took about 3.5 hours with a stop to eat. It was not as much fun riding alone, but it warmed up nice and it was a great way to start the day. Rode some nice hills and wore myself out, so it was a success.

[pk]

Good deal, Bdee! But you gotta try Jaime's bourbon marinaded chicken wings! hmmmmmmm tasteeeee!

Hope you make it for the next one. It looks like Saturday is the pick of the litter.

pk

[SloMoJo]

Oh yea?
Anyone can ride a bike.

Well, I installed a pocket door in the bathroom and chopped some wood. So how doya like that?! :P

Oh...and I made it to the fat-boy fishing show in Providence on Saturday. Never got around to the expresso tho.