Monday ~ August 26, 2013

Hot day yesterday (Sunday) but since it had been over a week since my last ride I felt compelled to ride today.  The problem is I get in my head the rides I use to do when I was a lot thinner and in much better shape.  I get where I want to go but then comes the realization I have to get home.  🙂

The image above is of a small pond that sits adjacent one of the bike paths I was on today.  I only rode the path for a little while and then back on the streets.

I divide my ride into five-mile increments.  I usually stop for a drink of water every 5 miles and a brief rest period (actually getting off the bike for 5 minutes every 10 miles.)  This unflattering self-image was at the 10 mile break.  I was hotter than hot and found a shade tree where there was also a nice breeze.

The wind was a factor in the ride today.  I have no idea how fast it was blowing but these flags are sticking pretty much straight out.  It was one of those days where it seemed no matter which direction I was going it was either directly into the wind or at a quartering angle.

I realize that this temperature reading on the bike odometer is not all that accurate.  It bounced between 98 and 102 the entire ride.  It felt that hot though and there was a heat advisory issued after I got started with my ride.  I always check my phone at the 10 mile break and saw there was a heat advisory issued.  🙂

Ride Details:  18.7 miles ridden | Ride time 1:09:08 | 29.1 mph highest speed achieved | 10.3 mph average speed.  Not very impressive numbers.  The route I took today had two major hills on it and that accounted for the lower average speed.  It also accounted for the fatigue factor.

Enjoy your next ride.

Saturday ~ August 17, 2013

It has been awhile since my last ride.  I passed up three perfect evenings to ride this week but finally did get the bike out this (Saturday) afternoon.  I decided to ride a one hour loop down Grandview and back out to Asbury.

When I did the Mt. Carmel spin I came back up by the bike path (just off Grandview) and the little bad guy on my shoulder said, “You should go down the hill to the river.”  Ah, but if I go down to the river then I also have to come back up and that is a hell of a hill for my fourth ride.

“No worries, you’ve done it before.”  Wow it was hard.  I’m just not in very good shape right now so it was a difficult ride up the hill.  The good news is I only had to stop twice and that’s acceptable for the first time.

Ride Details:  Temperature about 83 degrees with a 15 mph wind.  20.4 miles | 1:52:48 ride duration | 31.3 mph highest speed reached | 10.8 mph average.

Hope to ride again tomorrow and then do 2 – 4 rides during the week. ambitious but achievable.  Thanks for stopping by.  Safe travels and be careful.

Tuesday ~ August 13, 2013

I didn’t take this image on the ride today but I did take the image today.  🙂  I haven’t ridden since my last post and before I went on vacation so I took it easy today and did only 12.2 miles.

Ride Details:  12.2 miles  mainly on city streets and bike paths.  Ride duration 1:07:40.  Average speed 11.4 mph, highest speed 27 mph.

A little windy and the temperature was perfect.  I also rode through the industrial park today so there wasn’t as much traffic as there would be on the other city streets.

Much harder ride than Saturday’s ride.  I did fewer miles but they were much harder miles on Sunday or I was just tired from the Saturday ride.  😦  You can click on the images to make them larger.

I only rode on bike paths yesterday, which was a real treat for me.  No traffic to contend with and I’m sure the traffic appreciated me being off the road.

I took that path all the way to the beginning of the Heritage Trail.  The path actually goes over a new bridge that crosses highway 52.  Pretty neat riding your bike over the highway.  I suspect that a lot of my riding the rest of this year will be on the trails.  Much safer.

Ride Info:  16.4 miles | 1:34:14 duration | Highest speed attained 28.8 mph | Average speed  10.4.  That’s because it was mostly up hill on the way home.  Of course it was mostly down hill on the way out.  🙂

Have a great day and be careful.