Archive for Road Cycling
It’s a new season!
I know, I am a little late getting started this year. Last Sunday was my first ride of the season, 28 miles to Teddy Roosevelt park in Oyster Bay via Ridge Rd. I was surprised that I was actually able to make it up the short, steep hill on Moores Hill Rd.
On the ride a rider who was new to the club asked me if I had a cue sheet. I said I did not but told him where to find some. I know many of the people who ride with the club have no idea how to even get to the service road. It’s hard for me to understand that but I guess I am blessed with a good sense of direction. I can’t help but think though, if people would take the initiative to get out with only one or two others and learn how to navigate the area they too could learn the rides. Maybe, because I do have that ability I am wrong in thinking everyone could learn.
At the very least, try it. I have routes posted on Mapmyride.com as do many others. I have put BK’s in front of my rides. If you do a search for Bethpage, NY you will see many rides leaving from the parking lot. I can’t vouch for the others but mine as I said are prefaced with a BK’s. You can print them out and go for it!
I noticed that there are new bike lanes painted at the lights on South Woods Rd!! Thanks to TOB or whomever was responsible for that.
Have a safe season everyone.
Barb K
End of July!
Yikes! Time is flying. We’ve been lucky with dry weather but it sure has been a hot one.
It’s over a month since I blogged. Went to Vermont which was very nice again this year, no rain and no injuries or serious mechanicals. I daresay nobody even got a flat. Simon agreed to change it up and take a day off riding so we could kayak and visit Long Trail Brewery, however we did do 20 something miles to the lake to rent the boat. We saw fireworks and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra in Saxons River and then the usual other assortment of dining out and cooking at the house. I found a spring that is right down a hill off the road on the way into Ludlow that I didn’t know was there. I was looking for a cache there, didn’t find it but still a neat, little hidden spot.
I’ve been getting out alone for a 90 minute ride after work 1-2 times a week and have had some Friday’s off which is nice.
After a little dehydration incident which I do NOT want to repeat EVER I have been uber careful with hydration and nutrition, having breakfast even though I really am not ready for it that early. Last Sunday did 45 miles at a good pace and never felt bad. Hot, sweaty and thirsty yes. 4 bottles of electrolyte type drinks, another 2 of plain H2O, 3 or 4 Cliff Shot Blocks and one last water bottle over the head in the parking lot. 144 OZ or so in, who knows how much out. Everyone agreed that maybe it was a bad idea to have added the loop to Crab Meadow to the ride but hey, it was lovely there and we all got back.
Coming up in August, well this weekend going to Wilmington DE to visit Mom, will ride in the morning. Great roads in the Brandywine Valley, but I don’t want to take the time away from my visit to meet with a club although there is a nice one and they do some fabulous rides. There is a Hudson Valley ride by Bike New York that I’d love to do if I can get a pal or two or more to go with. I think that’s the 22nd. And we talked about doing Mattituck to Shelter Island when we missed BBB, still up for that ride. Anyone interested?
Last few times I went over the GWB I saw tons of riders crossing, I want to do that too and ride along the palisades area-9W or wherever it is that they are going.
I can’t tell if anyone is even reading this because it doesn’t show views, so go ahead and comment if you are. Or else I am just talking to myself (which isn’t that uncommon anyway)
Barb K
On Paying to ride
There are and were some “supported” rides coming up that I am and was considering. Last weekend was the Mansion Ride for Autism. The weather report on Saturday was the deciding factor on not doing that one. But…….that ride is basically a repeat of the rides we do on our normal repertoire. I generally don’t want to pay to ride where I always ride for the benefit of some PBJ sandwiches and granola bars. However, it’s being for charity makes it worthy to me.
Next Sunday is the LI Harbors Ride. Again, mostly places I already go to. I don’t see where any of the money goes to any charity whatsoever. If I was doing the century….well it’s kind of nice to know there is sag support and snacks and refills on your beverages…but for 50ish not so much. Same for the Gold Coast coming up in a few weeks.
I was sorry to miss the Boat Bike Boat (again weather forecast deterred us) That is not someplace I am familiar with. The last two years I did the Covered Bridges ride in Lancaster PA. Another new to me place. There are a lot of rides not that far away that I would pay to do, but if you want my money to ride to the same places I always go, donate some of it to a worthy cause!
Thoughts?
BarbK
5BBC Montauk Century/Metric Century Report
I ended up doing the shorter version of this ride on May 16th which with the previous amount of riding I’ve gotten in this season was plenty for me. I rode with pals Karen Cohn and Maureen Davis. The three of us volunteered at the registration table which went very smoothly. We got to Babylon about 5:30. There was a table of coffee and breakfast bagels, bars, fruit, hummus and drinks setup also. By 8 we checked our bags on to one truck with the supplied number tag and our bikes onto another also tagged. The century riders left from Babylon while the shorter route took a train to Mastic/Shirley. There were also folks who rode all the way from NYC, I think that was 135?
By 8:30 we were on the train, by 9:30 we were on the road. The ride was not overly crowded and almost all the riders were cognizant of how to ride in large groups. Of course there are always a few but for the most part people called out on your left and only one single guy passed me on the right.
The first water stop was I believe at 15 miles for us, obviously longer for the other routes and the second was around 42. The usual stuff, cookies, granola bars, peanut butter, jelly, Nutella which was a nice addition, bananas, apples, oranges, water and Heed or Gatorade. Volunteers were friendly and porta potties were stocked with toilet paper. There were bike stores running repair tents at the rest stops and the start.
I thought the roads were well marked, however there are so many markings on the roads from various rides (including TOH) that you really need to pay attention to which markings you are following. The three of us missed a marker, our own fault. We realized our mistake when we were faced with 3 ways to go none of them marked in the middle of Southampton town. No biggie, we backtracked less then a mile and were back on the route. There was one other spot that was NOT marked with the dark pink M’s however it was marked with nearly every other club marking. A lot of folks turned off there, I don’t think it took them too far out of the way. It was Georgica Rd. in East Hampton, our route did not go that way but it just avoids Montauk Highway in a large loop.
The weather was absolutely perfect, wind at our backs and never too hot. We flew the 5+ mile stretch before Montauk, then one last hill and all down to the train station where we again loaded our bikes on the proper trucks for the destination. There was a shower truck, hot food (burgers, pasta, pasta salad, salad and veggie burgers) cookies and rugelach, a Mr Softie truck, drinks and the bar that was there allowed us to use their patio and sold beer or wine or alcoholic drinks. We were amazed at how fast we got our drop bags, a volunteer asked us our armband numbers and grabbed them right away. We made the 5:30 train, I can’t vouch for how the late folks made out. I heard the 3:30 train people got massages too.
On the way home on the train it was interesting to hear people’s opinions of the ride while I waited in line for the rest room. They complained a little about the road markings and said they wished there had been people at several points telling them which way to go. And someone wondered why they didn’t see a SAG wagon. Not really sure why you’d want to see one, I am sure if you called they would have shown up quickly.They seemed really surprised when I said that it was really a lot of work to run a ride like this. I guess they think the roads paint themselves and the volunteers just materialize! We got back and had our bikes off the trucks and were headed home in short order.
All in all it was a really well organized ride. We were very impressed with the whole truck loading/bag drop/bike transport which went very smoothly. I think were I to do it again though, I’d stay overnight out there. We never really spent anytime at all in Montauk, bypassing town to get to the finish and get changed etc. Shame to get all the way out east and not experience any of the charm of Montauk.
Don’t forget our club Montauk Century, the Ancient Mariner on June 12th!
Barb K
Leading Rides Part 2
This past Saturday was a totally different experience for me, makes me not mind leading.
Small group, no yahoos that have been known to ride with the AA’s. We went to Bayville via Locust Valley and Larry D took plenty of turns out front in the wind pulling. Nobody went the wrong way and we only lost one rider at the end (he lives in Plainview and rides to the lot, drops off on the way home.
Roadwork alert FYI: The Birchwood neighborhood off Robbins Lane is being repaved and there was no blacktop. If you don’t want to ride on Jericho choose a different route till they get that done.
Also, Bayville Rd heading north is being worked on. There are metal plates and it looks like they are going to be putting pipes in.
Barb K
Leading Rides (or why I don’t want to)
I know my way around the north shore pretty well, can estimate mileage on the fly and would love to lead more rides but….
Two weeks ago, parking lot full of “B” riders and none of the regular leaders. There were some new faces, at least they were new to me. So I conferred with my pal John and we offered to lead and sweep to Locust Valley. I said it would be about 35 miles, an approximate idea of where we were going and “if you pass me and miss a turn I am not changing the route to find you” Off we go. Not too bad, we made it to Piping Rock Rd as a group mostly, regrouped at the light on Chicken Valley and had a nice break at the Gazebo.
Several people approached me about adding on some extra miles. It was a group of 12, I could have easily added another 5 or so by doing Stillwell/Washington Ave but there were a few that wanted to get back and I didn’t think it would be too nice to change routes without everyone in agreement. Someone else said if I got them almost to Stillwell they could find the way from there. This would all be well and good…….if everyone but two riders hadn’t gotten ahead of me and missed the turn on School House including a new member whose bike and tires weren’t really up to the task. True to my word, the 3 of us took the School House-Renee-past the high school route. Lo and behold as we are passing the light before the golf course I see most of the group coming. Of course it’s too late for them to go down Stillwell. All but 3 were with them and I know they know how to get back. Happily the new guy was also there, the 3 of us kept the pace down to his level while the rest of them went back at their own pace (with no concern whatsoever for keeping the group together)
Would it be so horrible for someone to have said on Split Rock, where is the next turn? We will meet you there. Or on Kristi, we know the way back from here and we have somewhere to be, we are going to go on ahead. You are supposed to follow the ride leader, not the lead rider people!
So the next time y’all are looking for someone to lead, and I don’t offer don’t be surprised.
Barb K
The Familiar Sounds of Spring
I got this email from one of my riding pals on Sunday afternoon and it made me LOL.
You have to know the person mentioned or it loses it’s impact.
Hi Barb
Barb K
Spring!
Wow, still not quite spring on the calendar but this week has sure been spectacular. I have seen a lot of people out on bikes on the service road and early evening Tuesday night on Sweet Hollow Rd. I have yet to get out myself, much as I’d have liked to have played hooky from work. Best I could manage was ditching my shoes and socks and wearing sandals to work.
I have a 15 mile hike planned for Saturday at Minnewaska. Until Wednesday the park was only opened to skiing and snowshoeing.
Have good rides this weekend! And I sure hope this lovely weather continues, we deserve it after all the cold and snow the past few months. I am wondering how the potholes are from the nasty winter we had and also how the north shore roads are after last weekends wicked winds.
Feel free to post comments here regarding road conditions for those of us with other commitments this weekend.
Barb K
Is this thing on?
Testing the new blog, thanks Glenn!
It’s been a pretty brutal winter for cycling unless you are a die hard. Or like taking to the trails. I am a little opposed to getting all muddy and falling down so have not tried MTB riding yet.
Some of us choose to do other things to keep busy and fit. I hike quite a bit in pursuit of a game I play called Geocaching . You would be surprised at how many neat parks you pass on your bike or in the car that you didn’t even know were there. Heading up Chicken Valley Rd before the arboretum for instance, right as you crest the hill there is a little park off to your right called Iselin Preserve. There is a code to unlock to the gate or you can just park right there and walk in around it. The code is part of one of the caches in there however I will just share . It’s the year of the Great Depression.
How many times have you ridden by Shu Swamp after turning off of Cleft Rd? Another fun place to take a walk, can be…swampy though so wear the right shoes. If you pull into the office park right past Round Swamp Rd off the service road and pull all the way to the eastern end you have found Pine Ridge Park, another nice, hilly place to walk that most folks do not know about. Plenty of hiking on Long Island, people are quite surprised when you tell them you were hiking here.
And New Jersey! It is NOT just a place to drive through to go south. North, West and Central, I have done some fantastic hiking and caching in the Garden State.
This year I even broke down and bought cross country skis which I used twice this past weekend at Bethpage Golf course. Even ran into some cycling pals on skis while I was there. Now that is a great workout! Not that often do we get and keep enough snow here to do it though.
That’s it for now.
Barb K