Temps hit 40, so I got out for a nice spin after work.
Light winds made the ride even more fun, as I did my old stand by out and back.
It feels great to be on a real bike without tons of layers on...
Bring on the Global Warming!
L-M-L
I tagged along with Steve, Rob, Shad, Pete, and Ted as they attempted the 80+ mile gravel race/ride from Lakeville to Faribault and back to Lakeville.
The roads were pretty frozen over with lots of ice and quite a few spots of recent re-freeze (both water and muddy ruts).
The racers were long gone before I even got warmed, but I was there to just ride it anyway.
It was a nice course that took us out through some great countryside.
As the temps warmed a bit, so did the roads in spots, so things started to get tacky and even a bit muddy.
Then while trying to navigate some very deep frozen ruts, I lost my balance and ended up on my side.
Nothing hurt too bad, so I picked myself up and rode on.
After awhile I noticed my left knee was starting to hurt, so I was sure I lost some skin.
As we rode on, I felt things starting to tighten up and I could tell I wasn't riding for fun anymore.
When we got to Faribault, I decided the rest of the ride would be solo and on blacktop. I could tell the gravel ups and downs were too much for me today.
So I made my way back to Lakeville on the frontage roads following I35.
I was plenty tired when I got to the truck and I finished with almost 75 miles.
Sunday saw the stiffness set in around my left knee, neck and shoulders, and my right thumb seems to have gotten into the mix somewhere as it too was swollen a bit.
But nothing broke (on me or the bike)...
The roads were pretty frozen over with lots of ice and quite a few spots of recent re-freeze (both water and muddy ruts).
The racers were long gone before I even got warmed, but I was there to just ride it anyway.
It was a nice course that took us out through some great countryside.
As the temps warmed a bit, so did the roads in spots, so things started to get tacky and even a bit muddy.
Then while trying to navigate some very deep frozen ruts, I lost my balance and ended up on my side.
Nothing hurt too bad, so I picked myself up and rode on.
After awhile I noticed my left knee was starting to hurt, so I was sure I lost some skin.
As we rode on, I felt things starting to tighten up and I could tell I wasn't riding for fun anymore.
When we got to Faribault, I decided the rest of the ride would be solo and on blacktop. I could tell the gravel ups and downs were too much for me today.
So I made my way back to Lakeville on the frontage roads following I35.
I was plenty tired when I got to the truck and I finished with almost 75 miles.
Sunday saw the stiffness set in around my left knee, neck and shoulders, and my right thumb seems to have gotten into the mix somewhere as it too was swollen a bit.
But nothing broke (on me or the bike)...
Great time!
Got back from Arizona on Saturday around 2:30pm.
1700 miles of driving each way or about 27 hours of straight through driving. But the Suburban made the trip much nicer with an air mattress in the back to take a nice nap every once in awhile.
Rob and Shad made the drive with me, so 1 person could sleep while the other two drove and kept each other awake.
We (Rob) hit some icy stuff on the way down in New Mexico and a little in Arizona, but the drive back was smooth sailing.
Now for the good stuff:
8 days of bike riding in great weather with great friends.
We got down there on Thursday around 1:00pm and couldn't wait to get out on the road. The temps were in the middle to upper 50s, but the sky was bright blue with no clouds.
Pete showed up later in the day on Thursday, with the rest of the guys flying in on Friday.
We did a number of familar routes and some new ones.
The best new ride was Tortilla Flats. We drove about 45 minutes to get to a park to launch from. Brian from Minnesota (who winters down there) met us for the day. We rolled down into the Tortilla Flats area, then up and over some nice climbs, then down into the valley area of Tortilla Flats (the town, if you can call it a town), we continued up the otherside to the end of the blacktop road. Then we turned and had a terrific downhill ride all the way into the town again. From there we continued up and out the otherside back to the cars.
On another day we made the trip to Fountain Hills and back through Scottsdale.
And we even did a 100 mile day.
The temps kept getting warmer each day and the sky was always clear and blue.
We did have one day were the wind made an appearence, but we stayed together and it wasn't too bad.
How can any day riding your bike be bad?
Anyway, I finished the trip with 509 total miles and according to Steve's Garmin we did over 35,000 feet of climbing during the trip (that's like climbing Mount Everest and then some).
It's great to be home, but I already miss the long, warm days riding...
Some Pics:
Mileage Breakdown:
2/21 32 miles.
2/22 76 miles.
2/23 73 miles.
2/24 54 miles.
2/25 46 miles.
2/26 100 miles.
2/27 53 miles.
2/28 75 miles.
1700 miles of driving each way or about 27 hours of straight through driving. But the Suburban made the trip much nicer with an air mattress in the back to take a nice nap every once in awhile.
Rob and Shad made the drive with me, so 1 person could sleep while the other two drove and kept each other awake.
We (Rob) hit some icy stuff on the way down in New Mexico and a little in Arizona, but the drive back was smooth sailing.
Now for the good stuff:
8 days of bike riding in great weather with great friends.
We got down there on Thursday around 1:00pm and couldn't wait to get out on the road. The temps were in the middle to upper 50s, but the sky was bright blue with no clouds.
Pete showed up later in the day on Thursday, with the rest of the guys flying in on Friday.
We did a number of familar routes and some new ones.
The best new ride was Tortilla Flats. We drove about 45 minutes to get to a park to launch from. Brian from Minnesota (who winters down there) met us for the day. We rolled down into the Tortilla Flats area, then up and over some nice climbs, then down into the valley area of Tortilla Flats (the town, if you can call it a town), we continued up the otherside to the end of the blacktop road. Then we turned and had a terrific downhill ride all the way into the town again. From there we continued up and out the otherside back to the cars.
On another day we made the trip to Fountain Hills and back through Scottsdale.
And we even did a 100 mile day.
The temps kept getting warmer each day and the sky was always clear and blue.
We did have one day were the wind made an appearence, but we stayed together and it wasn't too bad.
How can any day riding your bike be bad?
Anyway, I finished the trip with 509 total miles and according to Steve's Garmin we did over 35,000 feet of climbing during the trip (that's like climbing Mount Everest and then some).
It's great to be home, but I already miss the long, warm days riding...
Some Pics:
Day 1: cool, but fun.
End of the road on Mt McDowell Road.
Going fast on Mt McDowell Road.
At Bartlett Lake,
ready for the 14 miles of climbing to get back out of there.
Stopped at a nice lookout on the way back from Tortilla Flats.
Coffee and crepes at a nice Carefree, AZ coffee stop.
(Steve did the nice oldtime colorizing).
P.S. I think Pat looks possessed (or pissed)...
Mileage Breakdown:
2/21 32 miles.
2/22 76 miles.
2/23 73 miles.
2/24 54 miles.
2/25 46 miles.
2/26 100 miles.
2/27 53 miles.
2/28 75 miles.
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