To Walhalla, and back again

I rode 122 kms on the road today. This was the route (I did it as an out and back, though there is a way to make it at least a partial loop (see explanation below)):

The wind was ESE 24 km/h, which wasn't ideal, but not terrible either. I managed it in just over 4 hours. I love this route, although normally it would be about 10 kms shorter because there's a great road between the location "H" and the road from "C" to "D". This road intersects at the hamlet of Leroy, which is so fantastically American it makes me tear up: a bar (Chizzy's, serving Grainbelt beer - awesome!) and just a few lots down a Lutheran church with a steeple, and next to that the community hall. And there are about 10 yards in total. That's the America that's dying, and that's the America that's worth mourning. Other than this gem, there are two decent hills, and Walhalla of course - which is also a classic American small town. The whole farming area is more treed and green than in Canada, and the roads are dead straight. It's quite something what a difference that makes mentally. The ride is long enough, but it doesn't feel that way.

More Muerto prep

I wrote this on the 18th, but forgot to "publish" it. Hence the delay.

17 June 2013

50 kms of gravel and dirt after work. 

This was my first time out with the heart monitor working. Roughly speaking, at 48 years of age, my maximum heart-rate should be between 165 and 175 (anaerobic - race day), my speed training heart-rate should be between 155 and 165, my strength training heart-rate should be 145 to 155, and my endurance-training should be between 135 and 145. If I want to endure it should be 125 to 135, and if I need to recover, it should be between 95 and 125. All in all the information is helpful. On this ride I spent 20 minutes riding at a speed training rate, which is too much. Although I still spent the bulk of the ride within the strength and endurance ranges, I was still working too hard for too long, breaking down muscle rather than strengthening it. I've got some habits to change. What else is new?

18 June 2013

52 kms of gravel and dirt in the morning, with FR. 

No heartrate monitor this time, but I could feel it that I'd been out working hard the day before. Like I say, old habits die hard. But I'm working on it. 

Riding ketchup

11 June 2013

More (minor, but still something) Muerto prep: 50+kms of gravel, dirt, and dykes with FR. Very good. But my need for a computer is evident. I don't keep a steady pace. FR complains about it. I surge when I don't need to. Apparently especially when obstacles present themselves, like hills, and so on.

15 June 2013

After a bit of a riding gap I finally have a day, and it's stupid windy from the West. (On the upside, the wind's finally coming from the West!) But I have to ride, so I make it short and intense: 16 kms with wind one way (to the 75) and then back, into the wind - 32 kms. It took just over 18 minutes to get to the 75, and about 40 minutes to get back. 

Another upside, I received my new cycling computer that evening. 

16 June 2013

The computer works! Using it (it includes heart-rate monitor) may change riding for me, a lot. First, it's going to be good to see my speed again, to help keep a steady pace. Second, using the hrm makes you realize the difference in energy spent between a heart-rate of 135, and 145. I think I could going at 135 a lot longer than I could at 145. I went out for 10 kms (there was a similar sort of wind as the day before) and it was easy to see how important it will be to ride smarter, not harder. For Muerto survival/endurance purposes this information will be helpful. 

Muerto shopping

Bag decisions? Frame bag? Top tube bag? What to buy, and from whom?

Water? I've decided against a hydration bag, because I hate wearing anything on my back when riding, and because I'm not a fan of sucking out of those nipply thingys. I'll carry three bottles: 2 behind the saddle, and one on the frame, just below/behind the frame bag. 

ABES weekend goodness

For the official report head over to the ABES blog (see right). Still, I'll add my two cents:

Friday

I intended to take the day off to join the early riders, but school obligations forced my hand. I had to attend a marker training session in the 'peg. So I packed up on Thursday, intending to head off to Falcon right after the session ended. When I arrived at the training session on Friday AM I learned that the sessions were half day affairs and I'd been assigned to the afternoon session ... but ... they could fit me in to the morning session. "Really?! That would be great!" I said, and headed in. 

I trained. I played nice. I worked hard. I focussed. And I was rewarded! We were finished before 12. I headed off then, to meet my dear daughter R (at her place of work) who had, the day before, been struck by a car while she was riding her bicycle to work. (It was not her fault. There were witnesses. The car driver admitted his guilt. She's okay. The bike is not - bent front wheel and fork.) I had a steel fork to offer her in her woes, and I needed to see that she was, in fact, all right. When I got there it was her lunch time, so we headed out to Qs for a decent sub experience and a chat, and I delivered the fork.

By just after one I was heading off for a weekend of mtb riding, imagining that I might catch the early riders, or at least ride a few trails and then meet them after their ride. (I know now that this would have been foolish, as the Falcon trails were hard to make sense of, especially for a newbie.) I rolled in to Falcon by about 2:40 and headed over to the trailhead. No vehicles that I could recognize were there. Puzzled, I turned around to find to the campsite and hopefully the guys. Wonder of wonders, just a few kms back up the road there they were, heading to the trailhead to start the ride! 

Oh how wonderful, oh how marvelous! I managed to get changed and get my bike ready and not hold up the caravan! I've never ridden the Falcon trails. The word people who use words to describe mtb trails is technical. The trails are like a concentrated and intense version of Ingolf, which is the longer, technical trail we road on Saturday. 

All in all both rides were fantastic! For some reason - conditioning? core-fitness? slightly more experience? - I felt confident and fine throughout the whole ride. Fear did not overcome me. I could control the bike (for the most part), I rode better, and I didn't crash - not once.

The evening revels were also fine, although there was a hitch in my plan and execution - what happens in Falcon stays in Falcon ... whatever the case, I recovered completely. 

Again, for another report, and a pic, head over to the ABES blog.    

Sunrise ride

Today, by 5:30, the sun was up and so was I, on my bike. FR and I met at school to do the 53 km St. Jo loop before work. A fine idea, and a fine ride. We were back at work before 8, in an hour and forty-seven minutes. The wind was NE at 11 km/h.

Last rides

On Saturday:

Solo ride: 67 km loop from N-town to the #75, to the #14 intersection, back to the #201 intersection, through St. Jo. to the #30, to the #421, and back. Wind from the North at 35 km/h.

On Sunday: 

With GeeVs: 53 km loop - same as above less the extension to the #14. Wind from the Northeast at 20 km/h. GeeVs was riding her new Tarmac. Very nice.