Author Topic: cycling season has arrived  (Read 1063 times)

Perry

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cycling season has arrived
« on: March 30, 2011, 11:17:26 am »
I have been absent, mostly due to the denial of my season ending prior to most of the rest of you.  Didn't want to be reminded of what I was missing.  I had a good year and re - energized my wife's passion for skiing and her hope in getting better ( thanks again Gary ) So it was a great year even though it seemed short.

I am thankful that I am excited by my cycling season.  I discovered this last year and am quite surprised at how much I enjoy cycling.  Starting to feel the "snap" coming back in my legs.  I hope to do my first century ride this year.  Last year I did my first metric century.

So what are others looking forward to with their biking this year.

Sorry if this post brings on the finality that this years skiing is almost over for the rest of you -- welcome to my world  >:(

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jim-ratliff

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2011, 12:21:52 pm »
Perry:

Glad you hear you have picked up cycling.? I just started riding 2 years ago, so this will be my third summer.? I too did a metric century that first full year (I think I got my bike late summer the year before, too senile to remember for sure). I never felt the need to train for a full century, but did accumulate over 1300 miles last summer (I hesitate to ask JBotti how many miles he rode).

This summer, Lynn and I have added mountain bikes, and I have 130 miles or so on my mountain bike so far from a month ago when it turned warmer for a while.?

There are an amazing number of Fairfax County Trails that follow the streambeds that is zoned as park land because its in the flood plain.? Trails range all the way from asphalt paved to ruttted single track with lots of tree roots (I almost lost my keys last ride because I bounced them out of my under seat bag that I had accidentally left unzipped). Had to backtrack about a mile but DID find them laying along the edge of the trail.

There is also a trail on the C&O Canal towpath.? The C&O Canal was built by George Washington to bypass Great Falls on the Potomac, and it runs a long ways upriver from Georgetown. And Lynn's "country estate" is in the hills of New York along the Delaware River, so lots of off-piste trails there.

Should we have a Cycling section on the modified Realskiers forum? (see the "2011 Coming Changes" Board.)

BTW, maybe not in this forum, but what is your end of season assessment of the Watea's?
« Last Edit: March 30, 2011, 07:07:33 pm by jim-ratliff »
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Gary

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2011, 12:55:45 pm »
WOW you guys are amazing....gesh...I look at my road bike hanging in the garage everynight I come home from work....

It's a reminder of adventures to come but my ski poles, ski clothes and boot bag dominate the house for at least another month.

Still I admire the miles you guys put in and the sites you must see. We are heading to New Orleans to catch a conference my daughter is speaking at in about 10 days. We will do a bike tour of the French Quarter finding every good place we could stop and eat at....nice!

In May with friends we're going to bike in Southern Italy on the east coast and I"m really looking forward to that...

BUT metric century in this century, would be a hectic century for me...hats off to you Perry. It's a real testiment to your endurance and buns of steel. AND Jim 130 miles of mountain biking...protect those family jewels my friend AT ALL COST!
Now...I must think skiing skiing skiing....at least for a few more weeks ...then it's golfing golfing golfing and some biking eating biking eating....ah summer...wonderful!? ;D

Perry

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2011, 03:23:58 pm »
Jim - I feel pretty good about my Watea 98.  For my first wider ski, the fun factor was more than I expected.  Helped my off-piste skiing immensely.  Without skiing others to compare, hard to know just how "perfect" they are.  I was intimidated to go 186 and now wonder why.  So that is the benefit of trying something new.

The mountain bike sound really fun.  I am trying not to think about it due to the extra $$$. 

Yes - there should be a cycling section.  BTW - I haven't found many cycling forums that I like, just curious if others found something like this or EPIC but in the cycling world.

Gary - this is my only way to "get over" the end of my ski season.  I wish I had an April trip planned to the Rockies (perhaps Canadian  ;D).  Just not in the cards.  I gave Gloria a really nice 25th diamond ring with major BLING.  That would have covered several trips and a summer excursion to Chile.  I have no regrets which tells you a lot about my wife!! She is awesome.

jim-ratliff

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2011, 04:10:00 pm »

www.mtbr.com has quite a bit of information and reviews of various gear.

www.bikeforum.net is another.

I've read www.slowtwitch.com some even though it is a Triathlon/athlete site.

John Botti is an avid biker / racer, perhaps he'll chime in.

Perry, not sure whether this is of interest to you or not, but I replaced the cassette on my road bike with an 11-32 cassette and a mid-cage Ultegra derailleur and love it.  Gives me a lot more ability to climb hills in my advanced state of age and/or reduced state of ability.  Real bike riders may not need it, but it sure helped me.
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LivingProof

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2011, 04:51:08 pm »
In prep for the Epic gathering, I've been out riding for the past month on a paved path alongside a small stream in Philly. It's 17 miles with some climbing, been using my 20 year old Trek cross-trainer. It's a very pretty, tranquil route, although I did find myself in the middle of a running deer herd that happened to cross the path. No cars, no stop signs, no cross traffic. Some horse droppings, but, a little b.s. is just part of life. The path is sheltered from the wind, always a good thing. As a boy, I played in there and it goes right by my high school. Nostalgic.

While the Pa ski areas were open, I would ski one day and ride the next. I think the aerobic part has me as ready for Summit Co. as I can be. Have not been in that altitude for 4 years, so we will see, glad I'm sleeping in Dillon because it's lower. Biking is not as good exercise for the thighs or so my recent skiing trips tell me.

Biking appeals to the introvert in me ,as it just clears my head, and gives me time to muse about all the things going on. Conversations with self can be a good thing. Biking tired is a good tired and I sleep well.

Going to checkout a Craigslist Mtn. bike Saturday. The quiver just may be expanded.

ToddW

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2011, 04:59:56 pm »
Jim,

A cycling section sounds like a good idea.  At the AlpineZone skiing forum for East Coasters, there's a fair amount of off-season discussion of biking.  Check out http://forums.alpinezone.com

They make a big production of switching the order of the forums and the background color from winter to summer and back.

Perry

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2011, 05:46:14 pm »
I like the copyright background we have  >:D

midwif

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2011, 08:28:47 pm »

While the Pa ski areas were open, I would ski one day and ride the next. I think the aerobic part has me as ready for Summit Co. as I can be. Have not been in that altitude for 4 years, so we will see, glad I'm sleeping in Dillon because it's lower. Biking is not as good exercise for the thighs or so my recent skiing trips tell me.

Going to checkout a Craigslist Mtn. bike Saturday. The quiver just may be expanded.


Hope I'm not bursting your bubble here, but Dillon is still over 9,000 feet.
Bring the ambien!
Lynn
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meput

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2011, 08:39:48 pm »
I am glad I am up in Maine where we are still skiing. Northeaster storm warning for Friday. The 'loaf is forecasted to get ~ 12 inches snow.

For the last 3 winters that I have been skiing, I have had a hard time justifying biking when I can still be skiing. This is coming from a biker who used to bike 12 months a year (in Maine) before I started skiing again. One of my summer bike clubs had a group ride on March 13th, didn't make it, I was skiing.

Only sad thing about skiing and biking: biking helps your skiing, skiing does not help your biking ?:(!!

jbotti

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2011, 08:51:59 pm »
I am also excited for cycling season!! We hit 86 F today in Southern Marin Cty Ca. It was a gorgeous day for a ride and i did one with my wife that was spectacular!! I have some different goals this year with my cycling than in past years. I may have done my last race in October last year. Usually at this point I am humping it hard to get into race shape but in looking back at all the years of hard training, making sure my upper body atrophes and losing 5-7 lbs from my natural weight, I think I am finally older and wiser. This year I want to enjoy all my rides and do a few centuries and other fun rides where there is no stop watch. I am also pretty committed to not riding 6 days a week which has been the norm for me for years. 4 rides per week just sounds so much more civilized!!

Hoping everyone has a great season and some truly wonderful and breathtaking rides!!

Gary

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2011, 09:33:17 am »
Ok Perry...so you've got the rest of this year to save up for next years skiing trips..

Conrgrats on your 25th....and she is a great lady for sure! Nice get on the bling!

It was a blast skiing with you guys and watching you rip on the Wateas was fantastic. To see Gloria going into new terrain as well was outstanding.

So cycle away and don't make it to long before we ski with you all again!

G

gandalf

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2011, 07:50:33 am »

John:

And I hope you and your wife share several more "spectacular" rides this summer.  :)

Are you going to miss that sense of competition though.  Sometimes hard to give up?

We are supposed to hit 80 today, but then back to the 50's and rainy.  I guess there are some advantages to California (at least when the ground isn't shaking.

Jim

jim-ratliff

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2011, 07:54:52 am »
I have been absent, mostly due to the denial of my season ending prior to most of the rest of you.? Didn't want to be reminded of what I was missing.? I had a good year and re - energized my wife's passion for skiing and her hope in getting better ( thanks again Gary ) So it was a great year even though it seemed short.

I am thankful that I am excited by my cycling season.? I discovered this last year and am quite surprised at how much I enjoy cycling.? Starting to feel the "snap" coming back in my legs.? I hope to do my first century ride this year.? Last year I did my first metric century.

So what are others looking forward to with their biking this year.

Sorry if this post brings on the finality that this years skiing is almost over for the rest of you -- welcome to my world? >:(

Perry:  Since I a little bit of a gear ****, tell me a bit about your bike. Model, components, did you replace wheels?
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

jbotti

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Re: cycling season has arrived
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2011, 09:01:57 am »
Jim, perhaps I will miss the competition some. Mainly over the past several years I have competed more because I wanted a reason to train hard. After seeing and feeling how my body reacts to more strength training and less aerobic intensity, I don't think I want a reason to train real hard anymore. I think if I miss anything it will be some of the great training rides and I will most likley put some of those in, but only when my body feels like it, wants it and can handle it. I have had way too many days where I was tired and where I pushed myself well beyond what felt good because I needed (or I thought I needed) a "quality workout" that day.

Had another spectacular ride with the wife on Saturday when we rode Trinity Road (10% average grade for 3 miles, so not that long but steep with parts close to 15%) in Sonoma. Relative to our respective abilities she is in better shpae that I am at this point in the seaosn. If this keeps up we will be doing many great rides together this season.

But... I still have some skiing left to do!! Back in MT this friday and the conditions still look great with a lot more snow expected. Happy to miss some cycling for this!!