There was a recent thread on what type of bike (the human powered kind) you ride.
But as Lance said it's not about the bike. It's what you do with it.
So what is your favorite ride? Long ride? Best bonk? Do you hammer the roads? Smash the single track? Or cruise the bike paths? Do you race or do tri's?
And do you plan to do anything different on your bike during RE?
Non-bicyclists, stop reading NOW you will just be bored by the rest of this post.
One if my ER priorities is to do some long distance, self-supported bike touring. I have told DW that shortly after RE I intend to strap a sleeping bag on the back of my bike and head out. Maybe become a bicycle PT for a while! I told her that she is invited. She just looks at me like I'm nuts. But she has done some week long supported tours (where they truck your stuff from site to site and provide meals) and really enjoyed them so I'm haven't given up. But I can imagine the following conversation in a couple of years:
Her: Honey, we're going on vacation next month.
Me: Where?
Her: San Diego.
Me: OK give me a week head start and I'll meet you at the hotel.
BEST BONK: Oakland, CA sometime in the mid-80s when I was young and foolish(er). Saturday morning about 8am I jump on the bike with no breakfast and only a couple of water bottles and head out. About four hours later I can't figure out what the problem is? After averaging about 20 mph I'm now having problems maintaining 12 mph on the flats! I also have goose bumps on my arms and can't seem to regulate my body temperature and it is 80+ degrees and sunny! So I stop at the first store. Buy english muffins, Snickers bars, Coke (2 liter bottle) and Twinkies. Good healthy food This was before Brian Maxwell invented the Power Bar. Probably consume 3000-4000 calories. Thirty minutes later I'm on the road again and have no problem upping the pace to 18 mph for the remaining 10 miles home.
Best Recent Ride: The six hour week-end rides pretty much stopped when the kids came along. But now that they are a bit older I'm trying to resurrect them. DW and the kids had an all day activity on the past labor day weekend so I jumped at the opportunity. I start in San Jose and head north through Cupertino and Los Altos Hills, up over the Santa Cruz mountains, through the Live Oak, Redwoods and Eucalyptus, down the other side and then along the coast to Half Moon Bay.
Stop at a fruit stand. I have Cliff Bars and Gu this time but I need more calories and more fluids for the return ride. I consume two nectarines, two plums, two Cliff Bars, a Coke and refill the water bottles. What NO Twinkies!!! How can they not have Twinkies? How will I get home without Twinkies?
I'm now climbing up the west side of the Santa Cruz mountains on LoHonda road. It's never really steep but just a long steady climb for about 8 miles and I'm starting to suffer. My mantra becomes "F***, I hate hills, F***, I hate hills, F***, I hate hills, . . . . "
I finally reach the top and it is now "I love hills, I love hills, I love hills" as I slalom the twisty roads down to Foothill Blvd and then cruise the flats home.
End up with about 80 miles and 5000' feet of climbing. I'm semi-comatose on the couch for the rest of the day. Glad DW isn't home to see. I'm not in good shape but I don't remember it being this hard before. Maybe it's the extra 20 years and 20 additional lbs? Naw, it can't be that! I know! It's the Twinkies! I didn't get my Twinkies!
As I drift off to sleep I'm already planning the next long ride and I won't forget the Twinkies
MB
But as Lance said it's not about the bike. It's what you do with it.
So what is your favorite ride? Long ride? Best bonk? Do you hammer the roads? Smash the single track? Or cruise the bike paths? Do you race or do tri's?
And do you plan to do anything different on your bike during RE?
Non-bicyclists, stop reading NOW you will just be bored by the rest of this post.
One if my ER priorities is to do some long distance, self-supported bike touring. I have told DW that shortly after RE I intend to strap a sleeping bag on the back of my bike and head out. Maybe become a bicycle PT for a while! I told her that she is invited. She just looks at me like I'm nuts. But she has done some week long supported tours (where they truck your stuff from site to site and provide meals) and really enjoyed them so I'm haven't given up. But I can imagine the following conversation in a couple of years:
Her: Honey, we're going on vacation next month.
Me: Where?
Her: San Diego.
Me: OK give me a week head start and I'll meet you at the hotel.
BEST BONK: Oakland, CA sometime in the mid-80s when I was young and foolish(er). Saturday morning about 8am I jump on the bike with no breakfast and only a couple of water bottles and head out. About four hours later I can't figure out what the problem is? After averaging about 20 mph I'm now having problems maintaining 12 mph on the flats! I also have goose bumps on my arms and can't seem to regulate my body temperature and it is 80+ degrees and sunny! So I stop at the first store. Buy english muffins, Snickers bars, Coke (2 liter bottle) and Twinkies. Good healthy food This was before Brian Maxwell invented the Power Bar. Probably consume 3000-4000 calories. Thirty minutes later I'm on the road again and have no problem upping the pace to 18 mph for the remaining 10 miles home.
Best Recent Ride: The six hour week-end rides pretty much stopped when the kids came along. But now that they are a bit older I'm trying to resurrect them. DW and the kids had an all day activity on the past labor day weekend so I jumped at the opportunity. I start in San Jose and head north through Cupertino and Los Altos Hills, up over the Santa Cruz mountains, through the Live Oak, Redwoods and Eucalyptus, down the other side and then along the coast to Half Moon Bay.
Stop at a fruit stand. I have Cliff Bars and Gu this time but I need more calories and more fluids for the return ride. I consume two nectarines, two plums, two Cliff Bars, a Coke and refill the water bottles. What NO Twinkies!!! How can they not have Twinkies? How will I get home without Twinkies?
I'm now climbing up the west side of the Santa Cruz mountains on LoHonda road. It's never really steep but just a long steady climb for about 8 miles and I'm starting to suffer. My mantra becomes "F***, I hate hills, F***, I hate hills, F***, I hate hills, . . . . "
I finally reach the top and it is now "I love hills, I love hills, I love hills" as I slalom the twisty roads down to Foothill Blvd and then cruise the flats home.
End up with about 80 miles and 5000' feet of climbing. I'm semi-comatose on the couch for the rest of the day. Glad DW isn't home to see. I'm not in good shape but I don't remember it being this hard before. Maybe it's the extra 20 years and 20 additional lbs? Naw, it can't be that! I know! It's the Twinkies! I didn't get my Twinkies!
As I drift off to sleep I'm already planning the next long ride and I won't forget the Twinkies
MB