More Five Boro Bike tour training

Led 4 Emma Willard girls on the same route that I took on the 24th. I couldn't even tell that I had ridden the day before and felt really strong. Had a lot more wind. The girls on this ride scared the crap out of me on the road. They always looked 1 move away from disaster. The worst was trying to get off of route 2 onto Creek Road. Soccer had just let out and there was a ton of traffic. We blocked up the bridge and then the girls didn't know where to go. Half ended up on Pinewoods and the other half in the ditch on the right. They don't always make good decisions, one of them crossing over the other lane with a car coming right at her. There are some girls that we will need to stay close to during the bike tour.
Thought of an important safety tip. When travelling around a right hand turn and being passed by a car, be ready to ditch if there is another car coming towards you. The car passing you won't be able to see them and will choose to hit you instead of take a head-on collission.
It was fun at the end. I knocked into each girl in turn to see how they would handle the bike in an emergancy. Fun.

60 miles!

April 29, 2006. Went for a 60 mile ride with Joe on a route he planned. It was nice and flat with strong headwinds both ways. I drafted Joe nearly the entire time so that wasn't so bad. We meandered through Schenectady to Scotia then headed straight out on 5S. Just past route 30 we turned off onto Florida road, battled traffic through Amsterdam and took 5 to hilly but quiet roads that ran us along the path of route 67. None of the hills were terribly bad, but I was definitely feeling it on the climbs. About 45 miles in I got cramps in my right leg and left hip. I was totally out of drink and needed to use nearly a whole bottle of Joe's. With some liquid and stretching I felt a lot better, but never felt confident in putting the hammer down. I could feel the cramps just waiting to come back and get me. It was a good day and made me feel better about riding, though I am obviously not in great condition. Hopefully I will ride more this week and begin to get some back.

Riding with Emma Willard girls

Took 5-6 EW girls out for a training ride this afternoon. It was long weekend so we were able to ride on a Monday. We travelled about 15 miles, heading straight out from campus on Spring avenue all the way to route 351 in Poestenkill. Not a bad ride, with very little traffic. The girls did great. We headed up 351 and came back along Dater Hill road. There's a good 200' climb there that none of the girls struggled with. As for me, I did a couple of sprints in an effort to keep the pack together. Those felt good, but I wish I had more wind to be able to hold a conversation while riding uphill.

Why are people so stupid?

I took some time this afternoon and went for a ride. It's the first ride where I really feel like I am over being sick. Thank goodness. I felt like I messed up my eating or someting before I went on the ride, or maybe it's just that I'm totally out of shape. I did my standard "from home" ride, with some extra exploring of some side roads.
Ride description: From my house I went west with a tailwind onto Depot road. The wind rarely comes from the east, so this was strange and I was moving along at 20+ with little effort. I turned onto Meadowvale and instead of taking Fredrick to Gardner to 146, I stayed on Meadowvale to Altamont road. Lots of climbing on Meadowvale. Short bursts great for a workout. After those little climbs I felt confident so I went the hard way up Berne-Altamont road instead of the "easy" way up Township. I felt good, but would say I "bonked" halfway through. I felt so good up that beginning steep stretch. I was standing, using my legs and felt like I could do it all day, but after I sat down when it shallowed out I couldn't get back up again. Then my stomach started to roll and I felt a little shaky. I climbed the rest and enjoyed the ride at an easy pace after that until Carmel called and was stressed that I wouldn't be home in time.
I was at Thatcher (8 miles from home) and felt pressure to move it along. Easy because I was at the top of the hill. I felt stronger than I had through the ride doing the momentum uphills through the park, then hit the big downhill. I hit 40 MPH and moved out to the center of the lane, tucked in and hit 45. Two cars decided to pass me by going over the other lane, then promptly pulled back into the lane and put on the brakes to get down to the speed limit and forcing me to use the brakes. Very frustrating. I'm sure I could have hit 50 MPH. Why do people drive so stupid?

I wouldn't say I'm really over being sick yet. I felt better today, but I can still feel that tightness in my chest. I read that drinking lots of water helps a congested throat, so I'm giving that a try. I'm hoping that I will be able to ride on Wednesday with the Plaine's crew.

Too sick for Sweat 'n

Today was the Sweat 'n Century in Clifton Park. I had really been lookiing forward to it. Even if I was well I wouldn't have been able to go since my wife has a big paper due at school. We're also having people over next weekend for Easter and the house needs some work. Our basement looks better now that it is painted. Next, I'll install the carpet tiles.

Too sick to ride

Scheduled to lead an Emma Willard ride this afternoon at 1:00, but I'm too sick even to do that. What started as a fever and cough has turned into a cought that I can feel down in my lungs. The weather isn't helping, but at least it's gross enough that I don't feel like I'm missing on such great riding.

sick

Well, that's that. Now I'm getting sick. My daughter brought home the bird flu or something so now I'm cooked.

Schlepping is not riding

I was looking forward to riding this weekend, but got caught up with a bunch of family things and organizing the Emma Willard trip to the Five Boro Bike tour in May. I brought my bike and my wife's bike to Emma Willard and brought them and some girls down to the bike path so they could ride. Another adult led the ride, so schlepping bikes is as close as I got to riding :-(