Fun, Fit and 60!

a nice way to spend a hot day

Some people say “isn’t it too hot to be out riding a bike?”
But you know, it’s a pleasant way to be out on a hot day ’cause you bring your own breeze with you. Especially if you have got to a level where you can maintain some speed.
I got frustrated with work so I just shut the computer down and went out for a ride “so I would feel like I accomplished something today.”
I told my wife I was just going to do a short ride, under an hour, but it wound up being an hour and a half. I did twenty miles instead of ten plus I got stuck at a train crossing, waited awhile and then backtracked and did a detour on a stretch of road that I really don’t like but you can go under the train (a trestle). The road has a lot of fast traffic, it’s narrow and doesn’t have any shoulder in some places. Next time I’ll wait for the train. By the time I got to the trestle it had gone by anyway.
Some farmer tooted behind me cause he was towing a wide piece of equipment. I had to get off the pavement to let him go by without danger. This is how people get killed around here. Last year a local cyclist got killed because some meathead with a Winnebago tried to squeeze by him on a narrow road. What is the matter with people? At least this guy was good enough to warn me. Maybe he would have stopped until it was safe.
I’m glad I went out for the ride. My average speed was over 14 mph. Good for me considering a slow slog up Orchard Hill Road. And I love rollers!
Here’s the route including the double-back detour.

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25 mile afternoon ride

Today’s ride went out 10 miles to where riding buddy Charles lives (but he’s probably working today). He doesn’t have to ride to the glorious country, he lives there.
The ride out is Snyder’s Bridge Road (Rte 102). It’s all rollers and winding road but not much if any shoulder and some fast traffic until you get out aways. The trend is uphill.
The ride back is on Bushendorf Road and Jarvis, a favorite route. Even more winding rollers but the trend is downhill. Very quiet road with almost no traffic and pretty scenery. It’s an AHHHHHHHHH ride! Almost lost it one time on Jarvis. You can get going pretty fast and there’s no shoulder just a drop-off into the woods. I got a little too close to the edge at 30+mph. It wouldn’t have been pretty!
I intended this to be an easy recovery ride ’cause my right knee has been a little “tweaky”. Nothing serious but I want to keep it that way. I was mostly good.
Here’s today’s route:

Off topic, but here are some pics of me from the tour de cure that I got the other day:

This is before the start of the 100K.
That’s me on the right in the retro blue helmet and orange shirt. It turned out to be a hot day. Low 90s.

Start of the 100K

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“easy” recovery ride

probably should have taken it easier than I did.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 07/16/2008
• Time: 13:00:00
• Total Time: 1:50:32.00
• Average Heart rate: 123
• Calories: 765
• Distance: 25.14 miles
• Average Speed: 13.65 mph
• Max Speed: 36.7 mph
• Average Cadence: 71

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fun ride with sue

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 07/16/2008
• Time: 11:00:00
• Total Time: 00:32:48.00
• Distance: 4.97 miles
• Average Speed: 9.09 mph

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26 miler - lots of rollers

that’s nothing unusual for around here!

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 07/15/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 2:00:07.00
• Distance: 26.56 miles
• Average Speed: 13.27 mph
• Max Speed: 32.7 mph
• Average Cadence: 75

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Merciful!

Went for a Sunday 6AM ride before church with Charles. He usually takes me up some challenging climb but he had mercy on me today. Maybe it’s just cause we only had 2 hours.
We did a couple of pretty good hills but definitely not “killers”.
In fact, I had a treat. We went down the down side of Blodgett Hill. That would have been a killer going up it. But I broke my bike speed record going down, 45.0 mph. I feathered the brakes too. A little too thrilling. I have these thoughts “I hope I tightened that quick release on the front wheel right” or “I really should have replaced that other tire too.”
But everything worked fine.
It was a good workout. We pushed it. Beat the rain too!

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Sunday PM ride on mtn bikes

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 07/13/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 1:05:00.00
• Distance: 10.3 miles
• Average Speed: 9.51 mph

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Sunday AM ride

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 07/13/2008
• Time: 06:00:00
• Total Time: 1:47:56.00
• Average Heart rate: 122
• Max Heart rate: 165
• Calories: 796
• Distance: 25 miles
• Average Speed: 13.9 mph
• Max Speed: 45 mph
• Average Cadence: 73
• Max Cadence: 120

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Pitcher takin’ ride!

Today’s ride was 35 miles. One of my regulars. I decided to take some pictures this time. I like to have the pictures but I don’t like stopping for them.
Here’s my physical report for the ride:
back: excellent (i have occasional lower back problems)
shoulder: good except when I went to open the restroom door (i have a problem with my right shoulder, mostly on my mountain bike)
Knees: good (have a history of “tweaky knees”)
hand: good (my left hand is still recovering from my accident in the spring. I am going to see an orthopedic surgeon on monday)

Here’s the narrative in pics:

Starting out in the “neighborhood”

The bypass. Getting warmed up now. You can see a bit of the Helderbergs peeking through in the distance

You can see more of the Helderbergs here

My first hill, Van Dyke Road, the approach

The hill

Meads Lane, a nice 2 mile, mostly flat, mostly straight, no stop signs or cross streets, low traffic. Good for interval workouts and sprints.

More Meads. Farm country.

Farmhouse on Meads. There’s a family cemetery over on the left below the tree

Meads Lane. Hilly meadows.

Cow pasture

I always just miss getting through the train crossing. I heard this one coming but couldn’t beat it. I was there with three other cyclists.

You can just see the beginning of the “formerly dread” Orchard Hill Road

Other cyclists out on this beautiful day

From the top of Orchard Hill Road. I’m NOT going to stop in the middle of the hill to take a picture! At least, not yet.

The Helderberg Escarpment from Bullock Road. We’re not going up there today.

Koonz Road in Voorheesville (lots of Dutch names around here). A nice respite on a hot day!

Koonz Road

View from Hennesey Road. The cell and radio towers on the Helderbergs

The Escarpment

The halfway point. 17.5 miles. Corner of Hennesey and Rte. 201. The glorious Raleigh.

The country club. Mostly downhill from here. Hammer time.

Albany in the hazy distance! Then home!

Tomorrow: 6AM ride with Charles before church. I wonder what hellish climb he has planned?

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35 mile - pitcher takin’ ride

i stopped to take pictures.

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 07/12/2008
• Time: 10:00:00
• Total Time: 2:41:51.00
• Average Heart rate: 125
• Calories: 1301
• Distance: 35.5 miles
• Average Speed: 13.16 mph
• Max Speed: 33.1 mph
• Average Cadence: 72

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