Spring Forward Ride

[KarenG]

Anyone want to do a "special" ride to celebrate the time change on March 11?

I'm proposing something in the Clayton area, maybe the afternoon or before lunch (depending on the # of church goers) ride. Distance 40-50 miles.

We can get more definite plans a little closer to the date.

Karen.

[TracyW]

Count me in!

[CharleyM3]

If you're going 50 you might as well make it a metric. I'll know more around the first of March. I'll probably go, though the NCBC ride is the 18th. I can't miss church 2 weeks in a row. People will talk.

[CharleyM3]

Please keep this thread updated. I'm interested. Looks like bicycle commuting to work isn't going to be happening this spring due to my son's tennis schedule.

[TracyW]

Is this still a possibility? I might get my hair done if it's a no go.

[KarenG]

haha - get your hair done :)

if it's not raining, i would still like to do some sort of ride. if we're doing 42 saturday, how much do you think you'll feel like on sunday? another 40 something?

[TracyW]

Saturday should be fairly easy since it is flat, so a 30/40 mile could be possible

[KarenG]

well, why don't you come up w/ a 30-40mi route. unless you want me to.

will be later tonight, as i'm stuck in Merger 01 class rest of today and 1/2 day tomorrow...

[TracyW]

Merger................Why not just have a big group hug session and get it over with. Give up CP1 - infinity!.

I know, it's the softer, gentle side.

I'll look to see if I can come up with something.

[KarenG]

if you want to, why don't we, say, leave from your house and go out towards 4oaks. i think from my house, i had a route to that area and it was around 52miles.

[TracyW]

I have one that's 35 miles.

[KarenG]

that one will work for me. lemme know what time.

and, if it's raining, im not riding. im not like mike r. who rides in any kind of weather :)

[TracyW]

We'll see if Head Spoke wants to join. I'm a fair dry weather rider also

[TracyW]

Anyone else want to join for a 35 mile ride on Sunday from Clayton to Four Oaks?

[JayC]

I might if the rain slips back a day.. weather is looking good for Sat and great for Sun.

It can be a Separatist Spokes Upper Crust ride with no white bearded douchebags allowed.

[CharleyM3]

Adrian and I are marking the route for the NCBC Spring Ride on Sunday or I'd go with you. Have fun.

[TracyW]

whatever time we decide to ride, ya'll need to come a little early to help me clean around the house.

[JayC]

whatever time we decide to ride, ya'll need to come a little early to help me clean around the house.

WTF?? Last time I checked, I wasnt wearing a maid outfit.

[KarenG]

WTF?? Last time I checked, I wasnt wearing a maid outfit.

haha...i've been known to wear something...wait a minute, that's gonna be too much information for you guys :p so lets not go there :)

[KarenG]

tracy,

i'm gonna have to do a really short ride tomorrow. something like 18-25 so i can be back in time for the ncsu/unc game tomorrow at 1pm.

we can just ride whatever tomorrow if you want to. don't really need a cue sheet or crs for riding around our area.

i'll send you a pm w/cell so you can let me know if this is ok. gotta get ready for the lingerie (sp?) show tonight :)

[TracyW]

I don't understand why you need to be back to see State lose to Carolina, but if you must.

[KarenG]

I don't understand why you need to be back to see State lose to Carolina, but if you must.

:eek:

you must be delusional after the ride today. carolina is going down.

[KarenG]

Well, it was just me and Tracy riding this morning. The Elephant bailed on us last night - he had more important stuff to do or so he said :)

Tracy got a nice warm up on the way over to my house and was feeling really good. I, on the other hand, didn't get a warm up and my legs were really protesting the first 3-5miles of the ride. It was quite windy as well and slightly cloudy. Too bad it couldn't have been as nice this morning as it is this afternoon. Tracy did an excellent job of pulling me all the way over to 70. From that point, we traded with the pulls, me trying to learn not to do so much at the front....

After I got warmed up, I felt much better and the thoughts I had had earlier of bailing, no longer existed. We had a nice ride out to Brown Field & Old Baucom, a little rest and then off to the hills of Shotwell. Jay would've been proud of both of us, as we both just seemed to climb it (and the Ranch Rd ones) with ease all the way up to the stoplight. On through town and over to the Ranch Road hills.

The first hill on Ranch Road had been a killer for both of us the past few times we had ridden it, but not today :). We both climbed it out of the saddle, Tracy all the way, me about 1/2 to 3/4 up it, then over the top and headed for the longer climb up Ranch towards Jack Rd. Both of us stayed in our largest ring and about 3/4 of the way up, I passed Tracy and finished the climb strong.

We then parted ways at Lee Rd & Ranch. I headed home down Barber Mill and had a head wind the whole way. That wasn't fun at all, but I'm really pleased with this ride today. I was able to climb those hills 10x better than the last time I rode them.

I guess all my recent riding is starting to pay off. A super weekend for riding. A super duper ride yesterday followed by another one today. We need to have a standing Sunday morning or afternoon recovery ride here in Clayton for the Separatist Spokes.

And, yes, I was doped up again this morning:D

Here are my ride stats:
Distance: 25.07miles
Time: 01:36
Average: 15.7mph

[TracyW]

Today's ride was a pretty good one for me also. Starting out I had the head wind Karen was talking about and it was really working on me. I was wondering riding myself since the wind had me struggling at 9 mph at times but figured it all wouldn't be into the wind. I usually let Karen pull first since she is stronger but I figured that she didn't have a chance to warm up any so I took front. Karen in her usual fashion didn't take long to warm up so when she was ready, she took lead. When she had us up to 25 mph I knew she was good to go the distance.

We traded pulling, cruised a little (talked junk about the elephant ;) ) and climbed like monkeys. We are not as strong of a hill climber as the elephant, but we are getting stronger. I am pleased how my hill climbing has been improving and hope it continues.

Toward the end, before we split, Karen got a huge burst of energy and left me in the dust. That doping must have kicked in cause I looked down at my Garmin as she was passing and when I looked back up she had a good 100 yards on me.

All in all, I had a great time as usual.

My stats for the day were:
Distance: 29.14 miles
Time: 01:54
Average: 15.3mph