Sunday, March 18, 2012
Solid Bike Ride
The weather remains crazy warm, but this afternoon was a little cloudier and breezy (but still warm) so I took off on my bike while my dear husband and son mowed the grass for the first time. As I type this, I think they have now snuck off to the pond to go fishing (I heard our ATV fire up). Crazy weather for St. Pat's weekend for sure.
Just couldn't face more Scholastic loops like I've been doing so I decided to push myself on the new bike and head out towards the next town over. I did my usual up and over the Militia interchange and then headed out Algoa/Hwy J/Hwy M through Taos to the intersection with Y and back. On the way back, I went to make the turn from J to Algoa (short, steep grade) and dropped the chain. I started panicking because I was in the middle of the road (blind curve) and having trouble getting clipped out and due to the steep grade I basically wasn't moving and started to fall. Several curse words later, I was on the side of the road and getting my chain fixed no problem. But it left me a little shaky. But just after this spot is a seriously sweet (read: LONG) downhill. Ahhh....wind in my face felt good!
I'd been out for well over an hour and decided I'd just swing behind Scholastic on the way home and skip my usual loop-de-loop. There was a fair bit of traffic on M, but Algoa was quiet as usual for a Sunday. All in all, it was 18.6 miles according to MapMyRide. I did it in 1:32 - no crazy speed, but hanging in there.
Got back home and my son wanted me to hop off the bike and walk with him back to Wakoda to return a dog that had wandered to our house that we know lives down there. So I switched to tennis shoes and went with him for the mile-ish round trip walk. It reminded me that I need to do some brick workouts the next couple of weeks to prep for the duathlon.
Hope there is a touch of this weather where you are today. How was your weekend workout(s)?
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There is a trick you need to learn. If you drop your chain, put your front gear into the large chain ring and pedal a few revs. Often, the derailleur will cause the chain to get back on. Takes practice but very cool once you have it down.
ReplyDeleteNice weekend!
Nice ride! Glad you didn't bite it when the chain dropped. It's easy to do when trying to click out going up hill. We mowed for the first time this year too. I'm lucky in that my teenage son now does it :-).
ReplyDeleteWe need to mow here, too. Need to get my 17 yr old on it!
ReplyDeleteI was on my bike today, too. No chain issues, but TWO flats on a group ride. Hopefully that's it for the year!
Great ride! You going to do great at your duathlon!
ReplyDeleteSweet ride!! I really hate when I drop a chain...So nice to get out!!
ReplyDeleteWeather is getting nicer here, but we don't have to mow yet.
ReplyDeleteNice job on the ride. I haven't dropped the chain on my road bike yet, and I'm terrified of how to deal with it when it happens! (I've done it on my hybrid, but that was on paths, and not clipped in, so it isn't the same.)