AT Cycling Log - 25,000 miles done. On to 50,000! - Page 30

KMc · 01-11-2013, 11:49 AM

13 mile trainer workout last night.

Total: 23,021

mechBgon · 01-11-2013, 11:00 PM

7 miles commuting to work and back. The expected cold front has begun to arrive (it's down to 17F now) so I'm planning to lie low for the weekend and rest. Maybe a supermarket trip tomorrow...

Total: 23,028

drteming · 01-13-2013, 04:08 PM

Haven't ridden since Xmas. 51 miles today.

Total: 23,079

mechBgon · 01-13-2013, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Haven't ridden since Xmas. 51 miles today.

Nice

11 miles today. On the way to the grocery store, I stopped in at the bike shop where I work, and did a little work on my bike, primarily attaching a second dynamo-driven headlight to see how I like that setup. Should get to test it Monday on the way home.

Total: 23,090

KMc · 01-14-2013, 03:27 PM

9 miles on the trainer yesterday.

Total: 23,099

KMc · 01-14-2013, 09:40 PM

13 miles on the trainer tonight.

Total: 23,112

mechBgon · 01-14-2013, 11:01 PM

28 miles today. 4 in the morning, 24 after work. It was 24F after work. I decided to hit the popular Riverside time-trial course again, and this time it was plowed so there was less rolling resistance, so I managed to beat my one previous time by nearly a minute, down to a 37:19. The main thing, of course, is that I got a serious workout with a nonstop 1/2-hour interval, stayed close to home, and certainly had no problem staying warm

Total: 23,140

mechBgon · 01-15-2013, 11:33 PM

4 miles in the morning + 31 miles on the way home from work. It was 24F again. I did three hard hillclimbs that totaled about 40 minutes of particularly hard work, the rest varied. My legs were still feeling the effort from yesterday's time trial, so they're a bit achy.

Total: 23,175

KMc · 01-16-2013, 03:37 PM

12 miles on the trainer last night.

Total: 23,187

mechBgon · 01-16-2013, 10:18 PM

4 miles to work, 14 miles on the way home. I'd planned to do several nearby hill climbs tonight, but after the first one, I was having trouble staying warm, and decided to call it a day.

When I got home, I saw that it's only 14°F. Brrrr, well no wonder I was getting cold!

I'll be a lot happier when temps start to stay above freezing.

Total: 23,205

mechBgon · 01-17-2013, 11:41 PM

32 miles today: 4 in the morning and 28 after work. It was 18F. I did three significant climbs pretty aggressively, and was considering adding another one at lower intensity to finish things up. But I was getting colder and colder, so I bailed for home, which thankfully was just a couple miles away.

I think tomorrow will be Casual Friday, involving a grocery run in the morning and a couple token climbs with the groceries on the way home from work.

Total: 23,237

KMc · 01-18-2013, 01:13 PM

Well unlike mech, I don't have much to say about my miles this time of year. Last night, I climbed on my stationary trainer and stared at the pedestal fan in front of me for an hour - 17 miles.

Total: 23,254

mechBgon · 01-18-2013, 10:49 PM

I didn't even get groceries today, just a 7-mile round trip to work and back. I worked on my bike after work, and by the time I was done it was 8PM and about 18F outside with an expected low of 12F. So I just went straight home. Hey, it is only January

Total: 23,261

mechBgon · 01-19-2013, 08:05 PM

11 boring miles today. I dumped off next week's work clothes at my workplace, then proceeded on to the supermarket and packed my bike (and a small backpack) to full capacity with groceries.

I tried to shop healthier this time, picking up some bagels and bananas for snack/recovery food in place of graham crackers and such. I also bought some lean ham lunch meat and spinach to make sandwiches for lunch, lower in fat than my usual peanut butter & jelly.

So what's the trick to making bananas finish ripening?

Total: 23,272

mechBgon · 01-20-2013, 07:32 PM

41 miles today, with a healthy ~3900ft of ascent and some good training efforts on the climbs: http://app.strava.com/activities/38188569

That was a 3-hour ride on nothing but plain water, so my energy levels were declining in the second half. I plan to experiment with my own energy drink on the cheap: Kool-Aid, with some potassium chloride salt substitute and some regular salt added.

Total: 23,313

KMc · 01-21-2013, 10:27 AM

Weekend trainer workouts:

Saturday: 12 miles
Sunday: 17 miles

Total: 23,342

KMc · 01-21-2013, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mechBgon

I didn't even get groceries today, just a 7-mile round trip to work and back. I worked on my bike after work, and by the time I was done it was 8PM and about 18F outside with an expected low of 12F. So I just went straight home. Hey, it is only January

Heck, I wont even THINK about getting out until it's in the upper 30's, so you don't have to justify anything to me!

KMc · 01-21-2013, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mechBgon

So what's the trick to making bananas finish ripening?

The best way is to put them in a paper bag with an apple and close the top. Apples emit ethylene gas that causes some fruits (apples, bananas, pears, etc.) to ripen.

mechBgon · 01-21-2013, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KMc

The best way is to put them in a paper bag with an apple and close the top. Apples emit ethylene gas that causes some fruits (apples, bananas, pears, etc.) to ripen.

Aha, I'll have to get a paper bag next time I'm at the store then. And an apple.

It was really cold again last night, so I scrapped my plan of riding the 22-mile route in the morning and just took the direct route (3.6 miles).

Around 4:30PM, it was 24F, so I thought I'd do a 20-miler after work, but at 6PM it had dropped to 13F! WTH? I started my 20-miler anyway, but decided it wasn't wise to get too far out there at those temps, so I looped back and ended up with 13.7 miles at a pretty mellow pace.

So that's +17 miles. Less than I hoped for, but at least I ate relatively healthy today.

Total: 23,359

_Rick_ · 01-22-2013, 03:56 AM

It's supposed to be pretty warm (but slightly drizzly) coming sunday.
If my stupid throat (been coughing wet/dry/wet for six weeks now) clears up by the end of the week, then I should be able to convince myself to hop on the bike, if it's not raining before i head out.

God damn do I give my bike longing looks, while she stands there, waiting for me to man up.

Pretty warm in January means balmy 9deg C btw.

mechBgon · 01-22-2013, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Rick_

It's supposed to be pretty warm (but slightly drizzly) coming sunday.
If my stupid throat (been coughing wet/dry/wet for six weeks now) clears up by the end of the week, then I should be able to convince myself to hop on the bike, if it's not raining before i head out.

God damn do I give my bike longing looks, while she stands there, waiting for me to man up.

I know that feeling

My three other bikes (road-racer, road sport-touring, and cross-country race) are locked together in my bedroom, waiting for reasonable conditions. Meanwhile, the lowly winter bike is taking the punishment.

I did 3 miles this morning and 22 after work, taking the rural route. I had an extra load AND an empty 5-gallon bucket strapped to my trunk bag. Had to get it home somehow...

Total: 23,384

mechBgon · 01-23-2013, 10:42 PM

19 miles today, 3 in the morning and 16 after work. The stagnant cold weather finally changed, and it dropped some snow in the afternoon, then freezing rain, so I was riding in slush and water at times. I knocked out a couple hill climbs and called it a night.

Total: 23,403

KMc · 01-24-2013, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mechBgon

I had an extra load AND an empty 5-gallon bucket strapped to my trunk bag. Had to get it home somehow...

Total: 23,384

You could have at least done yourself a favor by turning the bucket around and not greating a giant aero scoop! Or maybe you're just a masochist!

mechBgon · 01-24-2013, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KMc

You could have at least done yourself a favor by turning the bucket around and not greating a giant aero scoop! Or maybe you're just a masochist!

But wouldn't it look sort of ricer?

At that rate I could put a subwoofer in it, though...

So tonight the roads were bare (although wet or icy). I blasted through downtown for a warmup, then did the Aubrey White Parkway time-trial course along the river: http://app.strava.com/activities/38586478 The TT course is an out-and-back, and there was compact snow on the furthest 1/2 mile that slowed me down some, but I still improved on my previous best time and naturally got a good ~35 minute hammerfest out of it, averaging 19.0mph @ 170bpm. Without a bucket

So 4 miles in the morning, 23 miles on the way home. I think tomorrow will be Casual Friday: do laundry in the morning, get groceries on the way home.

Total: 23,430

mechBgon · 01-25-2013, 11:11 PM

10 miles today, just a direct commute plus a grocery run in 35F rain on the way home. I checked the bike's loaded weight when I got home... 80 pounds.

Total: 23,440