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jbikecrazy
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Posted: Fri Jun 1st, 2007 11:45 pm |
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Hi Joe
So what is the Cul de Sac . We name our routs here. Sat did not ride waited for the temp to rise the only thing that rose was the wind speed, so went the the races in Jackson that evening. Sun was nice got in 50 and 25 Mon with high winds again, been fighting rain rest of week. This weekend not good, niece had triplets they took them at 26 weeks, one did not make it . Probity go spend time with family.
Happy Riding Jim
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JoeMarty
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Macon, Missouri USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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Posted: Fri Jun 1st, 2007 04:12 am |
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Hey JBCrazy, Spent the weekend in Clear Lake. Did the Cul de Sac with grandson. He's not quite ready for the Tour de France, but I never claimed he'd win it until 2025 anyway. So I don't think he is behind schedule.
Took my wife's car up there to save gas, so I didn't have a way to take my bike. But I did get a ride in on Saturday on Daughter Nancy's bike; didn't fit quite right and just not as good a bike as mine, nor in the condition I keep mine. But I'm not chasing a 3 year old, a one year old, and trying to work, keep house and the sundry other things one must do at that age. I don't want to be a teenager again, and I sure as hell don't want to be a young parent again. It was wonderful at the time but I've been there and done that. The good old days are now.
But I digress. Rode in the afternoon because of rain threat, but of course, that is the worst time to ride considering the wind. But I'm not used to riding on flat land either so it was kind of interesting. I concluded a head wind down here is worse than up there because you are going up and down hills here. In your area, you just have to deal with the wind. Since there were no hills and I just had to fight the wind, the head wind didn't totally sap me the way it can down here. In any event, you won't be surprised that going west, I was running 13 to 14 mph; south (the wind was slightly wsw), I was doing 16 mph; north, I would run 19 mph; and east, I was doing 26 mph. As you also know, Iowa roads are based on the section line model and go north-south and east-west; there are no diagonal roads in Iowa, or at least very few. All in all though, I had a good ride.
Hope your training is going well and hope to run into you in Wisconsin.
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jbikecrazy
Approved Members
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Posted: Wed May 23rd, 2007 12:56 am |
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Yea it would be nice to get some chat going, and get to know more riders. Although on the ride every one likes to visit. And you probably right about every one is out riding, I should be to but its trying to blow up some rain, still windy. Rode in the wind yesterday 2 laps of my hill route, just better the 25 miles for both laps, did have fun when I went with the wind I hit over 40 MPH.
I did the ride last year with some friends. going with them again and my 18 year old son going this year, if he don't get hurt riding his motocross motorcycle. He want to race at a local track in 2 weeks. We will be camping and my friends will hotel it. We should see you there sense there is less people riding then at ragbrai.
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JoeMarty
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Macon, Missouri USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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Posted: Tue May 22nd, 2007 03:13 am |
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Hi jbcrazy,
You live up in the land of tall corn, tall wind mills, flat land and nothing to stop the wind. I assume it is like Clear Lake, where my daughter lives, since Estherville is just to the northwest. I will be up in Clear Lake this weekend. My three year old grandson has finally started riding the bike I bought for him the Christmas before he was one year old. I may have been a little ahead of time, but you never want to be too late. He and I are going to take a ride on Saturday, I imagine several times around the Cul de Sac, but who knows, we may decide to do a century---all into the wind.
Seriously, I don't envy you trying to ride regularly up there. At least we have some hills to kind of slow down the wind, but if Estherville is like Clear Lake and I suspect it is, there isn't anything to slow it down after it leaves the Rocky Mountains.
Thought I'd create a little chat with the new post like "Is Spring Here" did, but it hasn't developed. Maybe everyone is riding so much they don't mess with the computer anymore. Hope so, and look forward to meeting you on GRABAAWR.
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jbikecrazy
Approved Members
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Posted: Tue May 22nd, 2007 01:24 am |
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| Was counting the weeks yesterday also. Getting excited tor the ride. Works be a pain need a break. Been windy here Friday we had 41 mph gusts today 38mph gusts been this way for 2 weeks. Did break the 700 mile mark for outside riding finally.
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JoeMarty
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Macon, Missouri USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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Posted: Mon May 21st, 2007 04:30 am |
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Yes, I said the last 33 days. It is still May 20th (here), and I leave for Prairie du Chien on June 22nd, so it is 33 days, I think. If I'm wrong, who cares.
Back on February 28th, I started "Is Spring Here" on this site. It seemed to strike a nerve with many subscribers to this site (there aren't that many, unfortunately); I think it has been the most active post to date. But it started running out of steam as spring actually arrived, and has pretty well died.
So I'm thinking we need to start a new thread. As with "Is Spring Here," I haven't a clue where this one is going but I'm betting that you will give it direction.
Spring is here, but it has been tedious. Between colds and stomach flu, I have lost two to three weeks of riding time since late February; missed most of the past, almost perfect week. The weather, we have all commented on before. The wonderful two last weeks of March and then the first two weeks of April that were worse than most of December and January. In between, we saw a little bit of everything else. Having said all that, however, I'm 200 miles ahead of where I was last year and, surprisingly, 100 miles ahead of 2004, during which I rode my first GRABAAWR and had perhaps my strongest year of cycling ever.
So now we are into the good time of year. We will ride regularly; the wind will hurt some, but not like it did in March and April. We will still be focused and committed; we are preparing for a big ride. Those who have never done a week long tour face it with more trepidation than the rest of us. But even if we have done them for years, it is still the challenge for this year.
I like to say that I am in the best shape I will be in all year on the last day of GRABAAWR. And it is true. I will have worked hard to get in shape for it, and will have just finished 450 or so miles in seven days. Have you noticed how your riding, your training, your consistency tends to wane after you finish your big ride of the year, even though it is only July 1st! My buddy and I slip in a couple or three days of RABRAI later, but it's not a whole week. And we do some other rides along the way during the rest of the season, but we're not working like we do now.
Which leads me to where I was going with this at the beginning, but didn't know; we are into the best and most important and most enjoyable time of the cycling season. Most of us are preparing for our big ride. GRABAAWR itself is not the event. It is now, when we prepare that is truly the most glorious time. Anticipation is always better than the actuality.
Let's all have fun, be safe, and don't screw up!
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