Lots Going on and the Bike Keeps Me Level

Lots o stuff happening in the Meffen household these days. What with the checks being written for school, looking at spending a small fortune to rent or own (at this point I think we will rent). And at some point in all of this Cynda and I have to move to D.C.

Wow!

We are both stressed and thankful at the same time.

The bike and certain very large hills allow me to blow off steam so I have been spending some extra time in the saddle as of late.

Here goes the

Stats:

Distance 16.1
Time 1:01:54
Max 31.3
Odometer 307.7

This week has had some nice riding weather

Today I decided I could sneak out a little early from work and try to hit some roads before the traffic started. It worked. The ankle is still a little iffy but after a few advil I couldn't tell the difference.

Stats:
Distance 31.9
Avg. 14.2
Time 2:14:48
Max 17.8
Odometer 291.6

18 holes and 24 miles make a great Saturday

I woke up this morning at 5:30 to drive 40 minutes south to Westfields golf course in Virginia. It's funny how waking up at 5:30 to play golf at such an absurd hour of the morning is nearly effortless...especially compared to say, waking up at 5:30 in the morning to crank out the tps reports you were to lazy to do the day before and are due to your boss by 8:00. But I digress...

I had never been to Westfields before, and the Freddy Couples design failed to disappoint. On the contrary, the course was spectacular: challenging and playable at the same time -- not an easy task for most courses.

I bogeyed my first 7 holes then doubled 8 and 9. Heading into the turn my buddy Jeff -- who is my arch nemesis on the golf course (that bastard has beat me the last four outings) -- was one stroke up on me, and I had just tanked it on the last two holes.

After the turn, I proceeded to drop 3 mores strokes to Jeff after I bogeyed holes 10-13...but then, the magic happened.

I shot par golf on holes 14-18 to beat Jeff by two. Meaning, I shot a 39 on the back and an 86 overall.

For me, that's as close to the zone as I ever get.

Now, isn't this a cycling blog...oh yeah.

This afternoon I mustered the motivation to hit the trails knowing that Sunday called for rain and cold. I cranked out a solid 24 miles on the VA loop.

Stats:
23.6 miles
1 hr 35 mins
Avg: 14.7 mph
Max: 35.6 mph
Odometer: 582 miles

Test Ride

The most recent injury in my accident prone life is a sprained ankle. Its been a week and a half and the Doctor said I can ride so I am(staying close to home though).The weather is still great for riding. I chose to do a 4.1 mile loop and after a while it was really boring doing the same thing for 2 hours. The highlight of the course though is the huge hill climb at the turn around. By 1hr 50 minutes that last climb took all the energy I had(literally because my bottles were empty) I managed to grind up it at around 6.8 mph and 73 cadence though.

Stats:
Time: 1:58:19
Max 35.6(I swear I hit 36 for a second but the computer didn't agree)
Avg: 14.8
Miles: 29.6
Odometer: 259.7

Making use of the good weather

Is it wrong to skip out a little early on only your third day on the job? I hope not, cause that's what I did today.

I started my new job Monday and was out of town all last week so I haven't been out on a ride in seven days. Towards the end of the day today, I noticed the weather was nice, the wind was down, and the forecast for the next 3 days was complete crap.

At 5:50 I did what I had to do: snuck out the back to take advantage of the daylight and the weather, knowing full well it may be the only ride I get in this week.

Stats:
16.6 miles
1 hr 1 min
Avg: 16.1 mph
Max: 24 mph (on a flat stretch sustained for half a mile)
Odometer: 559

Looks like Meff and I had similar rides today. Good minds think alike.

Tuesday was a good day for a ride

The wind was very light and the temprature is still moderate. I just did the Doylestown ride to get some mileage out of the way.

Stats:
Max: 31.5
Avg: 16.6
Trip: 16.2
Time: 58:13
Odometer: 230.1

Long ride

Today I got out for 37.6 miles.

I did the VA loop and then four laps at Haines Point.

Stats:
37.6 miles
2 hrs 35 mins
Avg: 14.6
Odometer: 542

Windy weather, tired legs (500 mile mark)

I was still tired from yesterday's ride, so I knew today would be slow. Liz came with me today, as we headed down to Haines Point to ride four laps in the prevailing 15 mph winds. It was a crosswind, so it was never at my back, but never head on either. Nevertheless, it took its toll.

On the plus side, as of today I crossed the 500 mile mark. I am now 1/7 of the way towards my goal. Considering 4/12 of the year is gone, I better get cranking.

Stats:
21.1 Miles
1 Hr 27 mins
Avg: 14.5
Max: 26
Odometer: 504

PS - Welcome back to the blog Meffen

Sunday Ride

Just a short in town ride trying to spin keeping at 90+ cadence. Beautiful day for ride!

Stats:
Max: 30.0
Avg. 14.2
Trip: 16.2
Time: 1:08:25
Odometer: 213.9

Mercer Miles

This ride begins and ends at the Moravian Tile Works built by Henry Chapman Mercer in 1910. The ride is considered moderate but some of the hill climbs are anything but. Its pretty cool cruising around Bucks County finding old farmhouses and vineyards I didn't know existed.

Stats:
Max: 29.7
Avg: 14.4
Trip: 32.2
Time: 2:22:02
Odometer: 197.7

Getting lost is not fun

On Sunday of last week I tried a new ride and got lost. It ended up not being that bad but its never a good feeling to know that you may be causing yourself a lot more work by missing one little right hand turn.

Stats:
Max: 34.7
Avg. 14.8
Trip: 19.4
Time: 1:19:38
Odometer: 165.5

The List

After a brief hiatus from posting my rides I have returned. Here is the breakdown of my Florida rides:

February 18th I rode from the Boca Resort north on A1A. The terrain is very flat which was a nice change from the hills of the Commonwealth. The trade off is a constant head wind.

Stats:
Max: 18.6
Avg. 17.2
Time: 1:45:13
Trip: 25.6
Odometer: 107.6

February 20th more of the same. Rode from the hotel south on A1A and actually the rodes were only open to bikers and runners since there was a marathon. It was a really nice day but I am not sure if i like flat with wind over the hills.

Stats:
Max: 18.3
Avg. 16.9
Time: 1:26:04
Trip: 22.3
Odometer: 129.9

February 21st. This ride was just to get some mileage in. I rode up and down the streets of Boca which all have bike lanes.

Stats:
Max: 17.2
Avg: 15.5
Trip: 16.3
Time: 1:03:16
Odometer: 146.1

Saturday ride

Today I crossed the bridge and did the VA loop. For the first time this spring, the wind was at my back the whole time.

Stats:
23.5 miles
1 hr 35 mins
Avg: 14.9
Max: 31.1
Odometer 483

Thursday ride

Today I rode four Haines Point laps...

Stats:
20.5 miles
1 hr 17 mins
Avg. Speed: 15.9
Max: 28
Odometer: 459

16 miles

Yesterday I got out for a 16 mile ride. Down to Haines Point and 3 laps and back...

Stats:
16.3 Miles
1 hr 1 min
AVG: 15.9 MPH
TOP: 28.3 MPH
Odometer: 438

A long lunch break

It's 80 and sunny today so I went out for a ride around lunch time. I went down and rode the Haines loop twice before heading over the bridge and riding up to Rosslyn. Then I came back and did one more Haines loop.

The wind was nasty today, and I am pretty sore from fighting it the whole time.

Stats:
21.8 miles
1hr 29 mins
AVG: 14.7 mph
Odometer: 422 miles

400 mile mark

Got out for almost 24 miles this afternoon. 68 and sunny...wind from the NW at 11 mph. I rode the VA loop.

Stats:
23.5 Miles
1hr 37 mins
AVG: 14.2 mph
Top Speed: 32 mph
Odometer: 400

Ten miles does not a ride make

Sunday afternoon at Liz's parents I snuck out for a quick ten mile sprint.

When you only ride ten miles, you never really get into it. But oh well, mileage is mileage and every bit counts towards the 3500.

Stats:
10 miles
40 mins
avg speed: 15 mph
Odometer: 377

Two rides in three days

Its recess for Congress over the next couple weeks so my work schedule has eased up. As such, I am trying to make the best of my time. I need to, cause that 3500 mile New Year's resolution is a long way away.

On Tuesday I took an evening ride down to Old Town and back. Here are the stats for that one:

18 miles
1 hr 12 mins
Avg Speed: 14.9
Odometer: 343

Then today I took a long lunch break and did the Virginia trails loop. Here are the stats:

23.8 miles
1 hr 40 mins
Avg Speed: 14.2
Odometer: 366

By the way, that last ride was a serious pain...I felt like I was riding into the 15 mph wind for the whoe loop. Because its a loop, you figure I'd get a tailwind eventually. But if I did I couldn't feel it.

Mt. Vernon and back again

Today was gorgeous! 70 and sunny and cherry blossoms in full bloom.

I rode down to Mt. Vernon and back today. Liz came with me and did a great job keeping up...although towards the end she was exhausted, and frankly so was I.

Also, today's ride took me over the 300 mile mark on the year.

Ride Stats:
39.4 miles
Time: 2hrs 52mins
AVG Speed: 13.6 mph
Max SPeed: 27 mph
ODOMETER: 325 miles