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Thread: The Lounge of Terrestrial Wheelmen

  1. #4551
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    My longest ride so far (32 miles):

    https://www.relive.cc/view/1627325973

  2. #4552
    Jedi Cam's Avatar
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  3. #4553
    Subaru Unimpreza SportWagon's Avatar
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    I came closest this year to actually getting out Sunday morning. But some excuses overwhelmed me instead.

  4. #4554
    Jedi Cam's Avatar
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  5. #4555
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Last week I turned 50 years old, and in equal measures of celebration and defiance, on Saturday I rode the "50 Mile Ride" of the Denver Century Ride/Cycle The City event that I mentioned here previously. And, technically it was only a 48.5 mile ride, but that's how they designed the course.

    http://denvercenturyride.com/ride-info/50-miles/

    I am pleased to report that I finished fairly easily. Sure, I was tired and ready to get off the bike at the end, but I didn't feel like I had pushed myself too far. I'm glad I can do this sort of thing without needing a week in bed to recover.

    My neck and upper shoulders and back were a little stiff and sore yesterday from being in the drops longer than I ever have been before, but I had no muscle soreness in my legs or other mysterious aches and pains to speak of, except for my hands. My lower palms inside my gloves were tender toward the end and I kept moving them around in a successful attempt to avoid blisters. I probably need to observe Rule #5 in this regard.

    Here's my ride on Relive:

    https://www.relive.cc/view/1642506957

    Some mediocre pictures from before and after the ride are below, along with some random observations.

    Spoiler:


    I took this picture a minute or so before my wave, the second of two, was given the "go" signal. I was suprised at how casual everyone seemed about getting started, myself included. I guess the competitive riders were already an hour into the 100-mile or 85-mile rides by then. I put my phone under my seat here and didn't get it out again until the ride was over.



    The post-ride meal was a choice of tacos, pizza, or bar-b-que. Okay, maybe not the healthiest choices, but I had no complaints with my pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw, and potato chips.

    /

    I used my two drink tickets for Gatorade (instead of beer) and took the can of Michelob Ultra I was handed at the finish line home to drink later.



    After-ride hanging out at a suburban shopping center. Not the most picturesque setting, but obviously some people came in groups or met friends there and had a good time.







    That's the Start/Finish line, during a lull of riders coming in. Riders tended to finish in groups, which no doubt was helped by all the traffic lights we had to stop for in the last couple of miles. Everyone was as bunched up toward the end as we were at the the beginning. By contrast, in the middle of the ride, I found myself completely alone with no other cyclists in sight a couple times.



    There was an announcer with a microphone at the finish line and he commented on some of the people finishing, like the guy with a stretched utility bike with huge boom-box speakers mounted where oversized panniers would go, people dressed in costumes, and so forth. The coolest thing I saw was when he said something like, "Hey everyone, let's welcome in this young rider...[pause]...what?...[pause]...His name is Aiden! Let's congratulate Aiden!"

    I was eating on a bench and watching people finish. Well, this kid was about four years old and wearing a full-face helmet on a small bike without training wheels, riding next to his grinning father. He got a huge standing ovation from the crowd and everyone was shouting his name. I bet he enjoyed that. Soon after I saw what must have been the grandparents taking pictures. Pretty neat.



    There were three aid stations along the way with water and food - energy bars, gels, oranges cut into wedges, bananas, etc. I stopped at the middle one to refill my water bottles and inhale a bar I had brought with but got going again as fast as I could, while some stayed to socialize. The aid station pictured above at the finish line had the same stuff as the others but also cold, wet towels.

    Oh man, was that a treat! I had previously gone to my car to put my bike in the trunk and change out of my cycling shorts before eating, but I was still grateful for that wet towel for my face, neck and arms in the hot sun.



    Quote Originally Posted by George, in April
    This weekend I was eyeing my seldom-ridden Specialized Allez on the ceiling in my garage and wondering what it would bring on craigslist. It is bike-buying season, after all.
    I might keep the road bike a little longer.

  6. #4556
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    I saw that on Strava, congrats! Also, belated happy birthday!

  7. #4557
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Thanks! And a Happy Birthday yourself, Tom.

  8. #4558
    Senior Member G'day Mate's Avatar
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    Interesting course George - looks quite residential?

  9. #4559
    Subaru Unimpreza SportWagon's Avatar
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    Congratulations, George. What was the temperature? That can make a big difference.

    Most riders actually don't use the drops a whole lot, BTW.

  10. #4560
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Thanks, gents. We were lucky with the weather. It was cool in the morning and in the mid-80s (high 20s C) by the end of the ride, so not too bad. If it had been much hotter, I'm sure I would haven't enjoyed it as much.

    And yes, we rode through many residential areas. Some folks were sitting outside on lawn chairs cheering on the riders and socializing with neighbors. There were police officers blocking major intersections for us but then we rode for a few miles in grid-like older downtown neighborhoods with stop signs every block or two.

    Fortunately it was a quiet Saturday morning without a lot of traffic in these areas. There are rumors that not every cyclist came to a complete stop at every stop sign during the event, but this reporter could not obtain credible corroboration of these allegations.

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