pEDaLing GoAdiEs monday Monday!!

podkey

This is your e-paceline, no drops and all are welcome. You bought it so ride it! Newbies, veterans, roadies, mtbers share your adventures, ask your questions and inspire the rest!
From one speed to a gazillion gears. From one mile to mucho more

QOTD: Have fun over the week-end??? Let's keep it goin'.

podkey

Sounds like Mark got in a nice ride. I rode a nice 50 miles yesterday with friends. Duplicated some of the same roads I biked on in the Gourmet Century a week ago. Not too hilly which is rare around here but one shortish steep climbing hill along the way with a 40+MPH descent. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee! I go up to go down go figure.
Great to get out with friends. They are the same couple that stopped by WW on a ride with me in 2007. I have stayed the course well enough to still be at goal weight. I did weigh in over goal at least once but ya get the idea.

Don't be shy folks. Don't care if ya rode around the block on a Huffy 10 speed or you are a Peter Sagan wannabe just have fun here. Thinkin' of posting this on Mon and Fri.

klmackey893

Fri/Sat no bike riding as I was helping to move DD to her new digs in a new town for her new teaching job. Now she is about 25 miles from the very first rail to trail in the country (Sparta Wisconsin). Will have to load up our bikes to check it out.

Sunday was a small group ride (my family DW/DS) and two others on any state trail from Denmark to the Devil River. Not a lot of miles as the rest wouldn't have been able to keep up but we got an hour in on the crushed limestone trail and then went for Ice Cream .

Swtdwy

Nice ride Bob! I think a regular Mon/Fri post is a good idea.

gadgetgirlIL

I'm always amazed at the climbing some of you do! Not much opportunity here in the suburbs of Chicago. And the hills that I do find either further west in the state or up in Wisconsin would be considered mere speed bumps by your standards!

But I did want to share my Saturday ride as it was so much more than just a bike ride:

It was a beautiful morning to get out and ride my bike. No time or mileage goals, just pointed my bike south and followed the bike paths and ended up in Joliet. 46.87 total miles. First bike ride since my cataract surgery (complication of surgery in 2014 to fix a hole in my macula). I haven't had good vision in my left eye in over 16 months so it was truly a delight to see everything so much more clearly! Also makes for safer riding as I can see clearly when I look over my left shoulder to check for traffic.

podkey

Nice Kevin(?) I have ridden on crushed limestone in the Minneapolis area that was awesome. It was very packed down and easy to ride on. I rode out to Lake

Swtdwy

Nice Regina! Any mile is a good mile, flat or no.

Where I am, even the "flat" bike paths have some tilt to them. But if you don't want to do the same 25 mile loop every time, you're going to do some climbing. That said, where we went Saturday is one of the premier spots for climbing in the country. Along Pacific Coast Highway there are about 6 or 7 canyon roads that lead up from the coast into the mountains. Cars tend to stick to one or two of the roads, so over the 1:30:00 it took me to climb Latigo Canyon's 7 miles & 2000' of elevation (told you I was slow!) I was passed by maybe only 10 cars. These aren't necessarily the most difficult climbs in the world (or even southern California), but just the number of excellent long climbs, with mostly very good paved roads, and the way the all kinda connect so there many different options, all that makes for a great area to ride.

Calvin2008Brian

I rode 23 miles on Sat morning. I plotted out an interesting 20 mile loop on both sides of the Minnesota River valley and then made it a bit longer with some exploring. Very nice ride. This is a long-ish ride for me.

I'm trying to decide whether to do the big, local organized ride this Saturday. Part of my problem is that I have no one to do it with as all my friends will be running that morning!

podkey

Very cool. Love biking in Minnesota. Yeah Portland is separated from the westside by the West Hills which reach just over 1000' high with many climbs. Also lots of rolling hills around. Flat areas are few and far between but exist out on Marine Drive by the airport and a couple of other places.
Nice Mark 10 cars in 90' isn't bad. I have some climbing hills on less traveled roads that sometimes only have 1 car per hour on a 3 mile climb. I choose time of day also to avoid more traffic when I can.

podkey

Regina I am glad your vision has improved. 46+ miles is a great ride indeed. Héck I enjoy the 7 mile rides w DW a lot too. I just want to ride as much as I reasonably can and enjoy it.

I do have tilted "double vision" low down in my vision range myself. On a bike with hands on the bars I do see well thank goodness. Don't know how much more my vision might improve. I spent 40 years doing eye research and also have a sister with macular degeneration.

I have tried using a mirror and it isn't working for me. I now have a Garmin rear radar unit that shows cars on my Garmin. I can now turn around and do some looking but really like my radar unit a lot. Biking helps me in so many ways I just do what I can.

Yeah I first use the radar unit to find traffic (range of 150 yards back) and then glance back if I need to especially when making lane changes and turns. I was never crazy about the mirrors and get lots of info from radar.

gadgetgirlIL

Bob - I was wondering if your double vision had resolved. Thank goodness you have enough improvement to still enjoy cycling.

So this radar unit is on your bike? I've never heard of that but it sure sounds interesting! I need to learn more!

Swtdwy

Oh I need to get one of those rear radar thingys!

HokieBrad

No climbing here in Va Beach. Just lots of riding on the boardwalk with my twins. Got in a 4 mile ride on the ol cruiser today

goldenfrisbee

Did my typical 11 miler ride Saturday and today. Probably the same path as gadget girl, just further north

0ysterboy

I rode 23 miles yesterday. Got out kinda late (10:00 am) for a Florida summer ride. Went through both of the water bottles I was carrying. Next, I take a camelback.

podkey

Yeah google rearview radar. Garmin makes it. Fits on my seatpost and can be used with a stand alone little small flat screen on the bars OR it will send the signal to many different models of Garmin computers and show up as bars on the side of the screen with little moving white dots for the cars. Will show several cars at once.
I have a Garmin edge 810 and it works fine with mine.

I started riding with around the block (1/2 mile) in middle of March and baby steps. Rode the almost 70 miles (69+) a week ago saturday and did fine with over 4100' of climbs. One step at a time but I feel biking has helped me heal as much as anything. I know I really need to stay upright for sure.

gadgetgirlIL

Bob - I've added this to my REI wishlist! And, yes, my friend, you need to stay upright!!!