Ride the Ladies of Massachusetts

[paulthenurse]

Ok, you are leaving me no choice here...




Picture me. Now picture Hippie. Now picture us on bicycles.






Naked.



Now get out there and train.

PTN

 

[Hippie]

Today was a big ride. I went 57 miles, into a headwind for the first half then no tailwind after the turn. The part that needs improvement is the 7 hours it took to complete it. That would make for a very long day 1. Another issue that reared it ugly head was saddle tenderness; more padding is required. I felt myself get stronger as I passed milestones closing in on home. Don't know whats up for riding tomorrow, see how I feel and what hockey is being played...

 

[paulthenurse]

Dude, that translates into around 33 hours of saddle time for the Ladies. You've got to start saving your pennies for a road bike or you won't finish before Thanksgiving.

PTN

 

[Hippie]

Yeah, it's slow. But I have until August to figure it out. Today was about the distance, I had that as a goal and was relaxed about the speed, I didn't want to bonk. I am also interested in seeing how I feel tomorrow. I also got a little bit of sun today too.

 

[paulthenurse]

Dude, you are killing me with these long rides. Maybe I can get out tomorrow afternoon.

Tonight, however, is the Night of the Barrels. Check out the beer list, I might be a little slow getting out of bed tomorrow morning.

PTN

 

[jjyoung]

Shoot...you got me excited there for a moment until I realized you were talking about bicycles . I ride a REAL bike (Harley FXR).

 

[Hippie]

Well la-dee-dah, mine gets better milage!

I got back on today, after replacing my factory saddle with something more cushioned. I did 8 to loosen up, then had dinner and watched some skiing before heading back out to finish up with 26 total. the last 12.5 I did in 1 hour (but it is pretty flat and minimal traffic). I felt better than I expected, considering how walking downstairs felt after thursday! If I go tomorrow, it'll have to be early so I can watch all the hockey.

 

[Hippie]

I must be getting stronger, yesterday I did 2 sets of 15 miles with a hockey watching break between, the last 10 miles of the 2nd set were done in my fastest gear. Today I did 40 miles in just under 3 hours. My legs don't feel achy, but after sitting to watch Team USA beat the Swiss, they had definately set up
.
Paul, has anyone else expressed interest in doing this ride to you, or are we gonna be the only ones? So far that seems to be the way it is going. The_Bird said he may get a bicycle, but says there is no way he thinks he can do this.

 

[paulthenurse]

Still snowing/raining/sleeting/monsooning here. I'm going skiing either today or tomorrow, if I'm lucky both. We're very (Q word) here at work so I'm going to sweet talk my boss when she comes in this morning and see if I can get tonight off. If I don't get today off I'm going to set up the bike on the trainer in the living room and sweat in there for a while. I never thought I'd say this but I'm officially sick of winter. Probably a combination of anticipation about our dive trip coming up, the end of the Olympics, the fact that it's f'ing snowing AGAIN and it don't look like I'll ever get outside on the bike all have joined forces to make me truely done with winter. Still, all that said, if I do get tonnight off I'll hit WaWa today and then head out Jay's way and skin up the Thunderbolt Trail on Mt Greylock. (Greylock is the tallest point in Massachusetts, it is on the AT and it's snow covered sides were what Herman Melville gazed at when he was writing Moby Dick. Not that anyone but me cares about that stuff.) The Thunderbolt is an old CCC ski trail. No lifts, you earn your turns. Two hours up, 10 minutes down.

PTN

 

[Hippie]

Good for you Paul! I hope that you had a blast! I don't know if I'll catch up to you tomorrow so Happy Birthday. 9 hours of effort for 20 minutes of payout, good deal. I ended up doing a casual 20 miles today running errands on my bike. Be well, and have a nice day off.

 

[paulthenurse]

My legs are officially toast! Did the Thunderbolt yesterday then fell asleep by 8. Heading to Wawa today for some lift serviced turns.

PTN

 

[Hippie]

Thats the way, kid! You have to keep pushing them to increase the recovery or else you'll have to do the ladies over 4 weekends! The storm that rolled through here today have finally passed, so the saddle beckons...

 

[paulthenurse]

What a difference a day makes. I felt pretty strong going up the Thunderbolt on Monday, even though I was doing it after being up for 19 hours. I got up to go to work at 5pm on Sunday, worked 7pm till 7 am, went home, organized my gear and made it to Greylock by 1pm. (Thanks to the_bird for directions when I got lost.) By the time I hit the top it was 3:30, back to the truck by 4:15 and home by 7 for a VERY long day.

Didn't see an other person on the way up, there were a few snowmobilers at the top. Yesterday I was chugging up the side of Mt Wachusetts and it was like Grand Central Station. It took me about 50 minutes to go up and I was huffing and puffing the entire time. By the time I got to the top I was stripped down to pants and a tee shirt and I was sweating like a plow horse. It was pretty funny seeing the same people skiing by me again and again as I worked my way to the top. When I go there I sat on a bench next to the chairlift and rested. I had a least a half dozen people come over to check out my kit. I was skiing a pair of Fritschi Diamar rondonee bindings with Black Diamond skins. The bindings are sort of like telemark bindings, they release at the back so you have free heels, but you can clamp them down to ski alpine for the downhill sections. The skins are long, thin sections of synthetic hair that go from the tips of your skiis to the tails and allow you to go uphill. They are like dog hair, if you rub your hand with the nap it is smooth but if you rub your hand against the nap the hair stands up. The nap is oriented so that you can kick the ski forward and glide but when you put pressure downward the hair stands up and the ski stays still. I can climb pretty steep slopes with them. MUCH steeper than the old days when you had to use the correct wax and even then couldn't really climb anything steeper than 25* without doing cutbacks. I went right up the side of the ski trail yesterday and never once slid backwards. (I did have issues on Greylock the day before but that was cause the snow was wetter and kept clogging up the skins. Rubbing wax on the skins cured that.)

Anyways, my legs are officially toast today. I got out of bed this morning and it hurt to climb downstairs to get the glucosamine and motrin. I'd ride the bike today but it's snowing. Maybe I'll go to the gym later. We'll see. In any case yesterday was a great way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of my 21st birthday.

PTN

 

[Hippie]

I got some clipless pedals to replace the ones I had lost a few years ago, they rock! I haven't been riding everyday lately (the weather has been ****ty), but my milage / ride is up. How about you Paul, still on it? You never told me if there are any others that are interested in joining us on this little journey.

 

[paulthenurse]

Hey Hippie,

We were down in Key Largo for 5 days. Did a bunch of neat dives in the (relative) warm weather, 6 deep dives and 6 shallow reef dives. A nice break from winter. The day after we got back I hopped on the bike and did my first real outdoor ride of the year. I mapped out a nice 16.5 mile loop that was a pretty good ride, not much traffic at all and scenic with a ride along a lake and past several cemetaries. Kept up a nice pace and finished in a little over an hour. Today I went to the gym and rode the stationary bike before coming in to work, it's going to be raining cats and dogs out for the next few days. I'll try to get back out on Friday.

So far its just you, me and my brother, Joe. From such small starts empires are built.

PTN

 

[brewmonk]

I cut up an old bike a little, and now have a bike-powered grain mill, if that counts at all.

At least I can pretend that I'm getting some cardio, while sitting in a chair with a beer, getting ready to make more.

I don't know how many miles 20 lbs is, so for today lets just say that it's 3.14 miles.


-The Central Scrutinizer.

 

[Hippie]

I cut up an old bike a little, and now have a bike-powered grain mill, if that counts at all.

At least I can pretend that I'm getting some cardio, while sitting in a chair with a beer, getting ready to make more.

I don't know how many miles 20 lbs is, so for today lets just say that it's 3.14 miles.


-The Central Scrutinizer.

Pretty soon you will be brewing to: "The white zone is for the milling and malting of grain. If you have to mill or malt grain, please proceed to the white zone."

Yesterday I took the Mtn bike offroad for the first time in quite some time. After 2 days of heavy rains, I was travelling through some pretty long stretches of deep water (many over the bottom bracket). Half of the time I was on dedicated single-track, which occasionally featured significant roots / horizontally growing trees (don't know the local flora/fuana very well). I am still not used to the clipless yet, and took about a half dozen diggers, including smashing my way through said horizontally growing items. When I got home and looked in the mirror, I saw the bloodtracks of the multiple minor punctures on my right calf (saw those on the trail anyways), my left wrist, right shoulder blade and the suprise was my left cheek (facial). the milage was limited, but hard earned! All & all a good and fun ride, but I think I'm gonig to have to replace my lost helmet and reaccuire some lost skills:fro:

 

[paulthenurse]

You've been riding without a helmet??????????????????????????

You f'ing retard!! I think all of that Budweiser you drank on the ride to Ipswich affected your coconut! Your cute little Civil War cap ain't gonna protect your melon when you pitch over the handlebars squash first.

Ok I'm pulling rank here. No riding the Ladies without adequete protection! Cover up your head before the gooey stuff on the insides comes squirting out and the rest of us have to pay higher taxes to take care of the results. (actually, that's good advice on several levels)

Seriously Hippie, get a helmet and wear it. Every time. Before some Blue Hair in a '78 Caddy on her way to Bingo clips you and sends you head first into a palm tree! Cause the Catholic girls won't go all the way with a guy who sits in a wheelchair and droops on himself.

PTN

 

[paulthenurse]

I cut up an old bike a little, and now have a bike-powered grain mill, if that counts at all.

At least I can pretend that I'm getting some cardio, while sitting in a chair with a beer, getting ready to make more.

I don't know how many miles 20 lbs is, so for today lets just say that it's 3.14 miles.


-The Central Scrutinizer.

I'd like to see a few pic's of that set up. That must be pretty cool to see in action.

And no f'ing way does 20 # equate to 3.14 miles. 20 # is like a ride around the block. Not an inch longer. Everyone knows that.

(And wear a helmet when you crush your grain.)

PTN

 

[Hippie]

I used to have one which I wore religously (after hooking bars with another cyclist, getting knocked into 1A and my bell rung in short order), but it seems to be hanging out with my original clipless pedals. I was going to pick one up recently, but held off because the special headphones I need to recieve the broadcasts from space (so I know the aliens secret invasion plans and how to join the underground rebelion in their ranks) won't fit! So yes, what I am telling you is that not only am I not wrapping my dome, but I am removing my ability to hear the Deathmobile approaching and take evasive actions...

So maybe it won't be Lucille that messes my mind up... but I'll still love her.

*EDIT* I wasn't kidding though about getting one soon, and I'll just have to figure out how to make my Sirius radio work.
*EDIT 2* Oh yeah, 25 miles today

 

[paulthenurse]

I'm gonna feel real bad standing on the side of the road looking down at your mangled, broken body, but I've worked in an emergency room for years and many is the time I've seen the mess of hamburger that the loser of a 'man vs car' becomes. The guy I'm gonna feel bad for is Joe. He's never seen a case of total body road rash. He'll probably be puking his guts out over in the gutter.

Of course the good news is that he'll probably want to drink heavily that night and I can probably get him to pay for everything if I tell him some sob story about how my wallet is covered in your blood.


Hmmmm... Things might be looking up here. You go right ahead and wear a helmet with a radio. That's a good idea, Hippie.

Waitress! Another round over here, please!

 

[Hippie]

Broken skulls only happen to the weak... I am strong like bull.

And I believed that I already stated that I'm getting a brain bucket, Mom.

BTW 25 miles yesterday. I hope that you and Alice had a great vacation. Now I have to go pedal my ass all around town as my mom says.

 

[paulthenurse]

Ok Ferdnand, I'll leave it alone. I was just looking for the upside.



So does this mean I'm going to have to come up with some other way to get Joe to pay for a night of hard drinking? Sure you don't want to reconsider and maybe take one for the team? It's just that he's a tight little barstid.

PTN

 

[Hippie]

Cellphone bill $70....Car Insurance $80...New Brain Bucket $65...Pint Blocking a whiny busy body.... Priceless

so now I can't get calls from potential employers nor can I drive to interviews, but a guy I've met 5 times can sleep at night
Sometimes it is hard to be the bigger man...

Oh yeah, 35 yesterday, six into a very stiff headwind...good practice for the uphill climb on day 1
(That is how you stay on topic, Jackie!)

 

[paulthenurse]

I sleep during the day. At night I go to CYO functions, eat donuts and think pure thoughts.

I'm going to swing by the bike shop on my way to work, I had to get my front wheel trued. It had a spot that was bumping the brake pad at every revolution. Was making me crazy. And now that the monsoon has passed I can get out tomorrow and ride

 

[Hippie]

61 and some change in 4:40 of saddle time.
Actual time was around 5:30 with stops at 2 stores, one lounge (to refill water bottle only), the bank and the post office. I semi bonked after the last stop for a protein drink. The next mile featured to bridges that I just didn't have any jump for. The 6 miles that followed to the end were at a reduced speed, below the average 13mph for the entire ride.

 

[paulthenurse]

Did 18 on Friday, skied on Saturday (Shorts and tee shirts!!! Yea!!! Love spring skiing.) and 20 on Sunday. I was trailing this dude on Sunday and try as I might I couldn't catch his arse. I turned onto a street and I saw him go by while I was still quite a ways away from the intersection. I was giving it my best and though he didn't gain on me I couldn't reel him in. I followed him for a good 8 miles, ended up going further than I intended (and was late getting home for my chores) and was seriously gassed by the time I turned onto good old Water St. I don't know how you are doing these high milage rides, Hippie. I'm dying after 15- 18. Ya, it's only one week into outdoor season but still... You're lapping me. Now we have more rain in the forecast. Sheet!

Are you doing any hill work? I'm not hitting much in the way of hills but I do have some bumps.

I've also found that my own personal max heart rate seems to be around 160. I can keep up 130 all day long, 145 and I'm breathing hard, going uphill bumps me up to 160 and I can sustain that for 2-3 minutes max, then I'm done. Through. Toast. If I'm not at the top of the hill by then I'm down into the smallest front ring, the largest rear and fading fast.

Oh well, they call it training for a reason. And as we all know, Riding the Ladies isn't about a sprint to the finish, it's a slow steady buildup of power.

PTN

 

[paulthenurse]

The other thing that is killing me is my hands. My left hand keeps going numb on me from the pressure of the handle bars/brake hoods. I don't remember that being a problem when I started riding 6 years ago. I bought a nice pair of padded gloves, spent a f'ing fortune for them ($50 for gloves with no fingers is a f'ing fortune if you are a tight assed yankee like me.) and still I find myself having to shake out my hands every few miles.

Whaaaaa Whaaaa Whine Whaaaaaa Booo Hoooo


PTN

 

[brewmonk]

yeah, the numbness happens to me on my mountain bike - even through two layers of gloves.
the angle is too far forward, too much weight resting on them - "Why does it hurt, when I lean?".

the grain mill is fun. you'll love it... with leather. (and if you check the date, that's where "pi" came from)

 

[Hippie]

BrewMonk, 2 nice Joe's... way to go! Pretty soon you'll be doing brew work for Yuda!

Paul, I still usually do in the 20-30 range, but push myself here and there. I was hoping to be doing longer rides more consistently, but it hasn't happened yet. We haven't had it as bad as you guys, but I have missed quite a few weather days also, which hasn't helped. I have been having the same issues with my hands, but like the monk says, it is from putting too much weight on them, so we need to get skinnier , which isn't on any decent homebrewers list of easy things (and it isn't on mine either). As far as heart rate and VO2 max and that other mumbo jumbo, I just know I have clutched anything yet!:rockin:
No hill work to speak of (unless you count headwinds!)... don't know where to find one! The best I can do is going over bridges. The big ones are usually when I do my 60 milers, I hit them at about miles 8-9 and 51-52. I have crossed them on shorter rides, but don't go that way as often for those.
You are putting together some good rides, so don't worry about the distance yet, focus on recovery, and the rest will come in good time. My first ride in a long time was only really a few weeks back (8-10) and I made somewhere in the 6-8 mile range and was gassed as well. I have the advantage of some youth (but I have been hard on the equipment!) and that while my temple is a bit rough, it is built on a solid foundation. I used to Mtn bike alot and rollerblade like a fiend. I spent several years on dead and phishtour rollerblading upwards of 10 hours a day. Ah, the good ole days!
Today was my first ride since the 60+. I did 11+ to the beach, about 5 miles or so walking in sand, then the 11+ home. My average speed in the saddle was 14.1 mph today, which is an improvement, but hard to quantify as the ride was shorter and the Bruins were about to start
Just keep it up, and soon Alice will be able to bounce Dunkin's Munchkins off your washboard stomache and into your mouth!