Wednesday ride

The heat let up a little today. The heat index only reached 99 degrees, compared to the 105 and 104 of the last two days.

I headed out for a ride at around 5:30. I went to Old Town and then came back to ride two laps at Haines Point. I felt pretty darn good on the bike tonight. I could have gone longer and probably should have but I wanted to save myself for tomorrow nights group ride at Haines Point.

Also, my bike is shifting much better since I took it to the wrenches over at Capitol Hill Bikes the other day. They know their stuff.

Stats:
25.54 miles
Avg 16.4
Max 26
1 hr 34 mins
Avg Cad 76 (I ride right around 90 but apparently I coast a lot)
Odometer: 1466

It is still hot out

Today's heat index reached 106 degrees! I waited to ride until late -- after 7:00. I didn't ride long, too hot.

Stats:
13.8 miles
Avg 16.5
50 mins
Avg Cad 78
Odometer 1441

It is friggin' hot!

The temps topped 98 degrees today...and I decided to ride anyway. Arghh...sometimes having a 3500 mile resolution hanging over your head is rough.

I woke up at 5:00 am today...but not to ride. I played golf out at Rasberry Falls (above). We had the first tee time and flew around the course in 4 hrs. I shot a 90 -- not bad on a tough course like that.

After I got home, I ate and then headed out. The heat, like yesterday, was unbearable, so I cut it short.

Stats:
16.97 miles
16.9
1 hr
Avg Cad 79
Odometer 1427

I agree with Tim

The ride was blistering hot and humid. I left the house at 5:45 though so eventually it began to cool off. I finished The Mayflower book on tape and am now on, The Endurance, the true story of how Sir Earnest Shakelton led his stranded men to safety after 24 months in the Antartic. Very interesting although I must say the guy who reads the book sounds like he is using a fake English accent.
Here are the stats:

Time: 2:00:58
Max. 31.9
Avg. 14.9
Trip: 30.1
Odometer: 703.3

Friday Ride:

I deleted my computer stats for the ride...all I know is I rode 47.3 miles

Odometer: 750.6

90 percent humidity sucks

Ugh...my legs are still sore from my 60 plus mile day on Thursday. I thought they would be fine but when I got out today they were dead. Plus it was 93 degrees with 90 percent humidity. I finished my bottle of water within a half hour...ugh, gross.

I labored to ride 22 miles today. I am glad it was over. I might take a day off tomorrow. Ok, I am done whining.

On the flip side, this week was my most successful riding week yet as determined by mileage: I tallied 157 miles.

Stats:
22.16 miles
Avg 14.4
1 hr 32 mins
Avg Cad 71
Odometer 1410

To Mt Vernon and back (before work)

I rode down to Mt. Vernon this morning with a friend from work. It was interesting to pay attention to my cadence on my new computer. I have never thought much about it before.

We got hit with rain on the way back but overall the ride was a pleasure.

Stats:
39 miles
Avg 16 mph
2 hrs 27 mins
Avg Cad 71 rpm
Max 28.4
Odometer 1363

UPDATE: After work I rode 25 miles...not exactly sure why, but I did. My total on the Odometer is now 1388.

4 miles is 4 miles

I rode to the bike store in a deluge of rain after work to buy a new computer for my bike.

Stats:
4 miles
Odometer 1324

Cycling between the rain drops

I squeezed in a quick ride after a thunderstorm.

Here are the Stats:
15.4 miles
Time: 1:00:08
Max. 24.7
Avg. 15.3
Odometer 673.2

Early morning ride

Liz woke up early today to work out -- around 6:30. She left the house and I couldn't go back to sleep so I figured I would make use of my new found time.

I went out for an hour and did the same ride I did Saturday so I would know the mileage (computer is still busted). The pic above is one of the boats I see off to my left most days when I ride Haines.

Stats:
16.5 miles
1 hr 2 mins
Avg 16.2ish
Odometer: 1320

Monday ride stats

My computer ran out of batteries after 1 mile today so I don't have any stats...fortunately, I know how far I went because I do the ride all the time.

5 laps at Haines

Stats:
26.6 miles
Odometer 1304

Tim's Sunday ride

I went out this morning after breakfast for a ride. I didn't have much time to ride because of plans this afternoon so I went to Haines to crank out some laps. As I was making the rounds I was overtaken by a group ride -- all the riders hat Capitol Hill Bike jerseys on. I sped up and rode one lap with them and talked to one of the guys. They said they have group rides Saturday and Sunday morning that leave from their shop on the Hill. That is great for me -- very close. They seemed like good riders and nice guys so I am going to start joining some of those rides. It will help with the miles.

Stats:
23.7 miles
1 hr 29 mins
Avg 15.9
Max 27
Odometer 1277

Sunday Ride

Today, I just rode around my neighborhood to log the mileage and then onto the YMCA for a 3 mile run.
Stats:
26.4 Miles
Time 1:51:34
Max 36.6
Avg. 14.2
Odometer: 657.8

Riding until the cows come home

The past couple of rides have involved some unusual run ins with the animal kingdom. Today, at mile 23, I had to stop my bike to let the jersey cows cross the road. What was more amazing than having to stop for the crossing was the fact that in a short 2 minutes or so I watched as cow after cow pummeled the road ahead with certain "obstacles".

On Wednesday's ride, I failed to mention that I was nearly impaled by a velvet 6 point buck running across a soybean field. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something moving quickly across the field and this buck was sprinting and not looking in either direction. I slammed on my brakes and actually waved down the minivan coming the option direction which didnt see him. The deer just flew across in front of mye and the minivan, never looking. The driver looked at me and we both started laughing. These are things I am pretty sure I won't experience when I'm in DC.

This week's ride mileage comes to 123.4, and if I want to make 3500 that's about the pace I need to keep.

Here are todays Stats:
Trip: 31.3
Time: 2:04:32
Max 31.4
Avg. 15.0
Odometer 631.4

Saturday ride stats

I went out for a quick ride today...I am busy this afternoon so I didn't have a lot of time. The goal was to make sure I eclipsed the 100 mile mark for the week to keep my streak of 6 weeks in a row alive.

Three laps at Haines Point...

Stats
16.5 miles
1 hr 1 min
Avg 16.1
Max 23
Odometer 1254

Friday ride stats

I rode the VA loop this evening. My legs are tired from last night and the drivetrain on my bike is all jacked up...not the best ride. I am going to take my bike in for a tune up tomorrow.

Stats:
23 miles
1 hr 36 mins
Avg 14.4
Max 36
Odometer 1237

Ride stats

Thursday night ride at Haines Point...paceline all the way around.

Stats:
25.6 Miles
1 hr 14 mins
Avg 19.6
Max 32
Odometer 1214

I think I need a rest day tomorrow

Finally, it didn't rain as soon as I got off work so I could get a ride in. In preparation for this weeks cycling I downloaded the book The Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. As of right now the Separatists, as they were called, have just been attacked by indians and are forced to flee in a small boat back to their encampment.
Today's ride was very light since its my third consecutive day of 20+ mile rides and I ran 5 miles before I got the bike. I'm pretty sure tomorrow I will kick back a couple beers and not be in the saddle.

Stats:
20.5 miles
Time: 1:23:45
Max. 33.1
Avg. 14.6
Odometer: 600.6

Ride stats for fourth of July weekend

This past weekend Liz and I went up to the Poconos in PA to spend a couple days with her family. I managed to get some riding in, but not as many miles as I would have hoped.

As it turns out, I am not in hill-riding shape! The hilly terrain wiped me out, and over the course of the four days I only managed around 60 miles.

These stats are for the total four rides:







59.3 miles
4 hrs 10 mins
Avg 14.6
Max 42 (the upside to hilly terrain)
Odometer 1190

A long hot ride

Today I got for a nice ride. I left the house around 10:30 so I knew it was going to be hot at some point. The temperature started at a nice 88 degrees with a slight breeze by about 28 miles into the mercury topped 97. Luckily, there were lots of riders out today so it was pretty easy to stay motivated and log as many miles as possible. True to form, I started to leave around 9:00 but because of my permanent state of easy distraction I didn't actually leave for an hour and half (Cynda regularly claims I am the slowest person on earth and I can't say I disagree.).
My play list for the day included a sermon on Grace which was very good and a playlist I put together a couple weeks ago for a ride I never took because of the sprain. Its nice to be out on the bike with your thoughts and prayers and today was no exception. My legs felt really good and I wanted to complete a 50 miler but today is Cynda's b-day and I knew she was expecting me home about an hour earlier than I got home so I relented and did what I could.

Stats:
43.3 miles
Time 2:53:07
Max. 36.9
Avg. 14.9
Odometer: 580.1

Kinda like George Hincapie...

except not even close. OK I am finally back to riding again. I re-sprained my ankle which is not fun, especially since I couldnt get the swelling to go down. All in all though my first ride back in the saddle was great(after a nearly two week hiatus). I was tempted to go for 50 but knew if I did Cynda wouldn't be particularly happy with me given we had dinner at 7:30. I haven't posted in a while so he is a recap of what occurred over the last few weeks. This second injury really put me at a handicap for making this 3500 but I will give it my best.

RECAP:

Stats:
14.9 miles
1 Hour
Avg 15
Max 26.2
Odometer:411.4

Stats
50.6 miles
3 hrs 36 mins
Avg. 14.1
Max 37
Odometer: 462

Stats:
13.3 miles
Time: 56:45
Avg. 14.4
Max 33.8
Odometer: 475.3

Stats:
11.0 miles
47:55
Avg. 13.7
Max 38.4(I think this is the fastest I have ridden on a bike pretty exhilarating and a little scary)
Odometer: 486.3

Stats:
22.2 miles
1:13:06
Avg. 14.9
Max 31.2
Odometer: 508.5

Stats:
28.3 miles
1:49:11
Avg. 15.5
Max 34.9
Odometer: 536.8