Archive for June, 2008

Training For Florence, To Morgantown

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

I’m off this morning at about 7:15. Winds are from the SW at 9mph. 50% chance of rain, but not until after 1:00p.m., so they say. I won’t melt. Gotta get going…I’ll finish and post a link to the route map when I return…

I’m back! Upon returning winds are from the WSW at 14mph. The map of the ride, which I always rework upon returning, shows some detours. What I thought was a road when I mapped it out was actually a “railroad”! :-( I also made a little detour at the start to pick up some snacks and a little one when I returned to town, taking the trip odometer up to 75-miles. The map, however, shows the trip at 73.8? Oh well! Who knows which one is correct? I suppose that if you drove three cars on the trip, you would get three differing results. Trip time: 5:19:02, Average speed 14.1mph.

Before this training ride, I fixed an egg sandwich on toast with honey and Tabasco sauce… plenty of flavor and a mix of protein and carbs. The snacks I took with me was a combination of nuts and seeds with raisins and even some small chocolate chips, which fit the bill at the half way mark.

My legs are a little sore, probably from not getting my two short rides in through this busy week. I’ll be able to make that up this short work week with the 3rd scheduled off for our anniversary and Friday being the 4th of July… woo-hoo, 4 day weekend!

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IRideInProtsest.com

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

The posts on this blog were originally posted on one of my other blogs, all of which I moved to this domain the same day. That is why the earlier post titles include the date of the original posting.

I had contemplated this domain name for some time but hesitated doing a domain search… because I suspect that a certain registrar was (is) setting them up as a “Backorder Now” for twice the price if you do not register them immediately (time frame unknown). And, I am beginning to become “domain poor”! Sometimes you just have to let a good domain idea go. After all, how many domains can one person manage and still do them all justice?

Cycling is taking its share of time, as do the full-time and part-time jobs and blogging too! :-) I’ll do my best to stay abreast… hey that rhymes.

Anyway, I just thought I would explain why the odd format and why all these posts were posted the same day.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Training Ride to Trafalgar, IN (2008/06/22)

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

I almost did not do this ride, stayed up too late, got up too late, could not get the computer installed on my Schwinn Peloton: circa 1987 (not enough clearance between the spokes and fork), too much wind… yada, yada, yada. However, I had set the goal… and I stuck with it!

Speaking of the wind, when I left wind was from WSW at 3-4mph, upon returning it was from the West at 7mph. It took me a grueling 2 hours and 23 minutes to get to Trafalgar at 29.6-miles, thanks to a wrong turn and the need to get over Interstate 65. I usually take it a little easier on the return route; that took me 1 hour and 35 minutes to cover 26.4-miles.

I did a few things differently on this ride. I stopped once on the way, to get a turtle off the center-line of 550 E, I ate a regular meal upon arriving, a medium Whopper Junior meal with Raspberry iced tea, and I stopped and walked about 20 yards halfway back. I made these changes just to see how it might affect me…at the moment (1 hour afterward) it hasn’t had any adverse affects. That’s a good thing!

It is getting easier each week to push it harder and make a little better time. Not that I want to set any records going to Florence Y’all but I do want to make fairly good time and not be wasted when I arrive. I gotta have a little left to visit with my granddaughter. :-)

Here’s the map link: Shelbyville, IN to Trafalgar

Update: No ill affects at all from this ride.

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Early Saturday Training, Before Work… (2008/06/21)

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Today’s training ride was a good one, for several reasons. Firstly, I got up and out there before the wind picked up, at about 6:00a.m., there’s always less wind early… and because I remembered to s-t-r-e-t-c-h. It is amazing what a difference good preparation makes! :-)

I also saw and heard a little more wildlife than I tend to on my late rides, one deer and several quail.

One bad thing did happen…my computer quit…again! I keep thinking I have it fixed so I head out and part of the way through my ride it quits again! :| I guess I’ll have to break down and buy a new one, oh well. The second law thermodynamics at work; everything is winding down; it deteriorates and eventually ceases to function. It’s the law!

Tomorrow will be a 60-mile ride… give or take a half-mile or so. I still have to map it out so I’m not sure yet where to and how far exactly.

Well, it’s time to get off to work!

Bikely.com map link: Saturday 06/21/08

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Father’s Day Ride - 50+ Mile Training (2008/06/15)

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Today’s ride was a little tiring and frustrating! I headed southwest thinking the return trip would be a little nicer going with the wind, WRONG! I am learning that cross-winds can be nearly as daunting as a head-wind, however, the return trip was more like a head-wind :-( .

Oh well, live and learn. I am after all training for a much longer ride, and I don’t want that one to kill me. I would like to make that ride and still have something left while visiting my granddaughter upon arriving. It will just take some time to get built up to it. I may be waiting until fall to make the ride to Florence… but maybe not.

Shelbyville, IN to Columbus

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Wednesday 2008/06/11

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

I had some time, for a change, for a midweek ride. I headed out in my usual direction, which is the quickest way to get out of town from my house. I switched it up a little in order to get in at least 20 miles in.

Against my own inclinations, I chose to ride into the wind. Of course, I rode with the wind part of the ride. With the wind, I was able to crank it up to 30mph max for a second or so. I guess that’s not unusual for some of the more serious cyclists. Being a beginner at real distance riding (lately anyway, though in the fall of 1979 I rode about 14 miles to and from work five days a week and to Shelbyville from Indianapolis every other weekend for a period of 2 ½ months) that was not a first, but it is quite rare for me.

I also went for a thirteen-mile trek with my daughter on Thursday. I have not mapped that one out, yet. I may or may not.

Wednesday’s ride map link.

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First Training Ride, 44.4 Mile Roundtrip (2008/06/10)

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Sunday, June 8 was my first real training day since the decision to make the ride from Shelbyville, IN to Florence Y’all. The round trip was 44.4 miles or 71.6 km.

It is not unusual for me to ride 8 to 12 miles for cardio exercise so my rides are usually 20-30 minutes at a quick pace and then I turn around and cool down on my return trip of about 30-40 minutes. I then walk at least once around the block upon my return.

I spent about four hours on this ride, with 3 hours and 14 minutes of actual riding time, the remainder was resting and walking to stretch. I stretched/rested five times overall. The first time was at about the 10 mile mark. The second stop was at about 18 miles, at the top of the steepest hill, then again at 21 for refreshment. On the return trip I stopped only twice, once to eat a snack and stretch, the other to stretch the old back a good one.

The only part of my body that ached from the ride, besides my back, was the front of my thigh near my knees. I’ve had absolutely no pains since.

The next training ride will be this weekend, the Good Lord willing, and it doesn’t rain… ;-)

My first distance training ride interactive map.

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Papaw’s Bike Trip To Claire’s House

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Before the summer is out I am planning to make a bike trip from Shelbyville, IN to Florence, KY to see my youngest Grandchild, Ariya Claire.

Using the map to the right you can view any portion of my planned route. Left click/hold and drag to move along the route. To get a closer look zoom in and out using the plus or minus signs in the upper right corner of the map.

The greatest challenge I found in laying out this route was getting across the Ohio River on a bicycle. The route we travel by auto can not be traveled by bike or pedestrians. I finally located the Anderson Ferry that crosses the Ohio between Cincinnati and Constance, KY. When I contacted them about a schedule, they replied, “Just show up, we’ll get you across as quickly as possible, in less than 15 minutes”. I thought that was pretty reasonable.

Between now, June 3, and actually making the ride I will be doing a few training rides to build up to this 88-mile trip (176-mile roundtrip). I plan to make this trek by August 1, weather permitting.

Elevation SmallI plan to post some photos from along the route. In the mean time check out this chart from Bikely.com of the elevation.

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