First Real Fall Ride - 2011

30 miles today in the first full-glove, long johns ride of the fall. Eastlake to downtown to Westlake Park, where I stopped to check out the rag-tag Occupy Seattle crowd. Maybe 100 - 125 people, plus lots of gawkers and photographers, were in place, and the Seattle Police, on bikes, were circling the crowd, taking cell phone pictures, and seemed mildly amused by the group. At least while I was there, they were unremarkable, chanting 'Ommmm,' carrying handwritten signs that seemed to lack a sense of humor or much else of note, save that they were mad as hell, rightfully so, and not going to take it anymore. Grant's views of the NYC crowd seem more noteworthy.

Zeitgeist, then a trip around the stadiums, out to the locks, up the Golden Gardens road, and then back to Green Lake where the sun finally came out and it warmed up a bit. Toward the end, I bonked a bit and that only reinforced my lack of training and low miles this year.

Still, it's going to be a long time before I'm riding in shorts and short sleeves again. But, the goal is to keep riding through winter to be able to ride more in 2012.

Commute

Once again, it's back in the saddle after a lay off. What with schedule changes, weather, and a myriad of other excuses, I haven't been putting in the miles like I used to. (Plus, truth to be told, I get tired more easily!)

But, that may change, after yesterday's return to the bike commute option to TLF. Fine ride up in the summer drizzle, about 70 minutes, and arrived fresh for a day in the life of MMM. But, the key was the ride home, pedaling to digest the impending tough conversations on budgets, reporting requirements, etc. Longer hours may mean less gym time, for which I should substitute the saddle time.

IPad helps with staying plugged in. Maybe I should get one of these.

STP Packet-pick up at starting line tomorrow. Decided not to RSVP this year after being online forever and dealing with the CBC hassles, and am comfortable with that decision. I'm not in shape and was not looking forward to the ride or the weekend away, especially after Minneapolis, LA, SF and now a trip to Ashland next week for OSF.

Chilly Hilly 2011

42 miles, and 324 to date this year, after a Chilly Hilly that lived up to its name. It's been snowing and cold this week, causing the Learning Factory to delay classes, among other things. Still, I had committed to doing the CH again this year, bought my ticket and was going to go, come hell or high water, despite the cold and the snow.

Missed the first ferry by about 15 minutes, so waited at Colman Dock for about a half hour in the cold, and that may have been my first mistake, if the first wasn't deciding to do this! Temperature in the mid 30's, stiff south wind blowing off the water, and I tightened up plus added nasal and lung congestion to the mix, and never really got through that.

The south wind propelled us up the east side of Bainbridge, heading north, and made that part easy. There just weren't as many riders as in year's past, and the nasty weather is sure what held down the numbers. Still, it's the Chilly Hilly, so many riders were out of shape, riding several abreast, many kids and parents riding, and the Bainbridge Islanders do a good job of turning out and providing encouragement.

Once you reach the north end of the island, the route turns to the west and then heads south, directly into the cold wind, now augmented by what the weather forecasters love to label a 'wintry mix,' cold rain and snow. By the time I arrived at Battle Point Park for the Bainbridge Rope Skippers food stop, I was hacking and cold, and made the decision to take the short-cut at the next stop, the American Legion Cider Stop, cutting about ten miles off the loop.

At the ferry dock, I ran into the only other Rivendellian I saw all day, Rob with the Rambouillet from Wallingford. Rob had caught the early boat, as had been planned, but reported that he hadn't seen the others, despite all of our best intentions. Given the cold and the rain on the way back home, no one can blame them!

Can't wait for warmer weather!

First Ride of 2011

44 miles and change for the first ride of 2011, a Boeing Field loop with an extension to Alki, then back past the Stadiums and up Lake Washington Blvd. It's been dry and cold for several days, and today was in the 30's with a brisk north wind. The sun felt warm, but in the shadows, it was cold, causing me to change to the warmer fleece gloves. Where there had been standing water and no direct sunlight, there was ice! Brrr...

Route 66 and other to dos........

This looks way cool, and something to put on the to do list.

Route 66


I'm adding a couple of other centuries:

Lake Tahoe

New York Century

And, of course, the old standbys....

STP

RSVP

and even,

Rapsody

There. I've set some goals for 2011.

Good.