I remember summers when Joe and I rode every single weekend! One day of the weekend we would mountain bike and the other day we would do a road ride. I remember epic rides, all day rides, riding with a dozen friends, and campouts. This summer has been a very sad one when it comes to mountain biking and road cycling. Hopefully we can get this "very little riding" turned around and back on course to “lots of riding!”
But we sure had a lot of FUN this afternoon! I forgot how much fun the dusty, rooty, rocky, steep, sweeping, technical, forested trails can be. It's a totally different experience and a different workout then road cycling. Oh don't get me wrong I love road cycling but I also love mountain biking. Each has their own unique and special qualities. And please don't ask me to choose between the two because I won't be able to do it because I LOVE doing both.
Ok back to the fun! Once we entered the woods we headed straight for our favorite trails like Black Bear Trail, JLG Trail, Ed’s Woods, Toy Trail, and Mistress. As we were swooshing along the trails we ran into some friends that we used to ride with. So we stopped to chat. They asked us to join them but we declined. We did not want to hold them back. Remember it’s been quite some time since we did any mountain biking and these guys were pretty good and in better shape than Joe and me. They would have killed us! We told them that we would ride with them when we were back in shape again. So we said good bye and continued on.
Finally after 3 hours of riding we left the woods and returned to the truck. We were very tired but also very happy. It was a great ride. I'm glad we went.
I wish we could get a road ride in tomorrow but I know we will be starting our "big house painting" project. Until that task is finished there will be zero mountain biking or road cycling on weekends. Sad, sad, sad but sometimes sacrifices have to be made because of other obligations. But I'm calculating that by the time we finish our house painting project Joe should be starting his new job which should mean more time to ride! So once we are finished painting the house it should all be good!
And I still have two weeks left of my summer break before I return to work. I will definitely take full advantage of these remaining days and ride my road bike as often as I can. In fact I'm thinking about leading a couple of training rides for my MS 150 Team this week. I'll probably ride on Tuesday and Thursday morning. If no one shows up, oh well, I'll still ride. There are only three weeks left until the MS 150 Ride. I'm ready! I hope the rest of the team is also ready. I would love to do the 75 mile course.
Here are two pictures that I shot today with my cell phone's camera. Sorry they are not that great.
7 comments:
Sue:
Sounds like you had fun Saturday.
I had to work both days this weekend. Wow! Double time Sunday!
Well. I had already had to spend my hard earned OT money. My road bike shoes broke down on me on the way home Friday. As I was climbing up through Lakeland, I felt that my right shoe was moving around strangely on the pedal. And then if at any time I unclipped and clipped in to the cleat the sole of the shoe would flex and pop.
So I stopped to take a look at what was going on. And I found that the sole of my right shoe had cracked, which was causing the area around the cleat to move around and pop as I spun the crank. And then, when I went to insert the clip into the pedal, the whole area would depress inward toward the inside of the shoe and against the bottom of my foot.
What had happened was that I have a tendency to unclip that foot when I came to stops. So what I was doing was scrapping the sole of the shoe against the pavement each time I did so. Also, when I started pedaling again. I would push off with that foot and once again scrape the bottom of the shoe. So, I just ground the sole of the shoe down until there was not enough thickness to take the strain, and so it finally cracked.
Anyways. I drove over to the bike shop in Sumner and they showed me that mountain bike shoes would be a better alternative, due to the fact that they have a tread on the bottom and the cleat would be recessed, which makes it easier for walking Which does help as I walk up stairs and though the office to my desk. But at $150 dollars?!?! Geez!!!
But, because of the weather, it looks like it will be later this week before I’m able to try them out. So I just have to be ready for when it clears up, and then hit the road with a vengeance.
Your virtual cyberspace cycling buddy.
Pedal On!
Gary
Gary,
Indeed, I did have a FUN Saturday. I was hoping to have a fun Sunday too but we cleaned the garage and shed out instead. I also defrosted our big chest freezer. Some fun, huh? I didn’t feel too bad though because of the rain. Joe and Aaron were going to power wash the house but Joe put it off because of our wonderful liquid sunshine we had all day today! Joe plans on doing it this week when he gets home from work. He should be finished in time for the weekend and then he and Aaron will begin painting the house.
I’m sorry that you had to work both Saturday and Sunday. But you picked a good weekend to do it. You would have really felt bad if the weather were bicycle gorgeous weather!
Already spent your overtime money?! Wow that is something, regarding your bike shoes. Yes, isn’t it ridiculous about the price of bike shoes these days? Whenever Joe, Jackie, or I need new shoes we shop and shop and shop until we find the ones we like plus a pair that are a decent price! Joe found a real bargain one year at REI. A pair of SIDI road bike shoes that were originally $220.00 that were marked for clearance at $50.00! REI did not have many sizes left but they had a pair in Joe’s size! Of course they did! But not in my size! Grumble grumble grumble! And speaking of great buys; THANK YOU for the link with the Vredestein Fortezza Tire sale. Joe ordered me a pair and they should be arriving this week! It’s always nice to have a couple of backup tires on hand!
Well I sent an email out today to all 11 riders on the MS 150 team that I am on. I told them that I will be doing a 25 mile ride on Tuesday and a 50 mile ride on Thursday and would love to have them join me. I told them that it would be a great way to meet each other and to ride together as a team before the big event. I also went on to describe both rides. I said that both would start from the Enumclaw High School parking lot. That Tuesday’s ride would be a loop on the Enumclaw plateau. I described Thursday’s ride as a bit harder not just because it is twice the distance of Tuesday’s ride but because there are some major hills to climb. I explained that we would start from the high school then drop down into the valley and stop at Flaming Geyser for a rest before climbing back out of the valley into Black Diamond. I suggested we could have lunch or a snack at the famous Black Diamond bakery before continuing on to Ravensdale, then Nolte State Park, and finally returning to Enumclaw.
I don’t know what kind of shape the other riders on my team are in because I have only met two. One is my spin instructor from Prime Fitness. She is the one who talked my daughter and me into joining the team. And the other is a lady in the spin class. She didn’t even own a bike until she joined the class. She said she always wanted to cycle. She is very motivated and excited about the ride. I hope a few of them come out for the ride on Tuesday and Thursday. I will of course post my rides here at my blog. I hope the weather cooperates. According to the weather forecast for the week it looks like Tuesday and after will be nice.
Your virtual cyberspace cycling buddy.
Pedal On!
Sue
Sue:
Yes the shoes are expensive, and I’ve could of shopped around. But I needed them now, and didn’t have the time to go from store to store to shop. And I’m afraid to buy shoes online because I’m so particular about the comfort and fit of all my shoes and boots. It’s a carry over from my distance running days, where I way going through four pairs of training shoes a year, not counting my racing shoes. Thank god I was sponsored by a running shoe store at the time. Maybe the bike shop in Sumner would like to sponsor my biking ? Yeah Right !
I can see it now…
Announcer: Gary “Lance” McCune should be coming down the course any moment now.
No. It looks like he is stopping at the feed station for the third time in two laps of the course.
What lack of will power!
What lack of stamina!
It’s good for your to clean your garage. It keeps you humble.
Did you go to the Mariners game ? Have any rally fries ?
Your virtual cyberspace cycling buddy.
Pedal On!
Gary
Gary,
I would have done the same thing. You were definitely in a bind seeing that your current bike shoes were shot. And it sounds like the pair you picked up at the bike shop are pretty nice, a bit expensive but nice. Yes, mountain bike shoes do have the recessed cleats. It does make walking a lot easier. Take it from me, when you are mountain biking that type of shoe comes in handy for those steep loose graveled climbs and fallen trees that you have to negotiate. My mountain bike shoes are Shimano MT40s. I love them! And my road bike shoes are Lakes. The cleats on my mountain bike are Time Atac and for my road bike I have Speedplay Frogs. I am very happy with both.
So you were a distance runner before you took up cycling? You’re not going to believe this but I was a runner for years myself until I had back surgery in 1996. I picked up cycling hard core in 1999 and I’ve been doing it ever since.
I just can’t imagine where all that junk in our garage came from? Things just seem to collect. It is good to go through stuff every few years. I must admit the garage does look nice and neat again.
NO, we did not go to the Mariners game on Saturday. My daughter’s friends bought the tickets from me. It seemed the kids had things to do and Joe and I did not feel like going without them. Plus, there was the weather, and the I-5 work, and I don’t know; we just didn’t feel like driving into Seattle.
I’m thinking about moving tomorrow’s ride up from a 10:00 AM start to a 1:00 PM start because of the forecast of lingering AM showers.
Have fun spinning tonight in your garage!
Pedal On!
Sue
Oh I finally did get out of Lakeridge at 12:40 this afternoon. I went to CJ's deli and picked up lunch, sandwiches and soup, for my son Aaron and me.
I'm ready for a nap! I hate gloomy days like this one.
Sue:
I went for a ride yesterday after work. I did my Rainer Beer Commercial loop. And it started raining once I passed your house, and it didn't stop until I passed your house on the way back. Of course the roads were still wet the rest of the way home and the spray off my tires just kept hosing me down. At least it wasn’t cold. But I decided not to ride into work this morning, because all my equipment was still wet. even after sitting in a warm room overnight.
The new shoes seemed to work well. Now I have to take the time to adjust the cleats in the proper position.
Have a fun ride out at Enumclaw today. Make your spin instructor suffer.
Payback is a bitch isn’t it?
Pedal On!
Gary
Gary,
So you went on a real bike ride yesterday after work instead of spinning in your garage? You’re a better cyclist than I am! I am really depressed about this rainy weather. I pray that the sun will come out and dry things off by noon time today. Especially the roads! Trying to stay positive, it has stopped raining and the sky is getting lighter and lighter. I can only hope.
Glad to hear your new shoes are working out for you. The hard part for me, whenever I get new cleats, is the adjusting for the “right” position. I can drive Joe crazy with my minute adjustments. It usually takes me 3 or 4 rides to get it just right. Thank goodness they are set right now on my current shoes which should last me years!
So far it will be just my daughter and me for the 25 mile ride this afternoon beginning at 1:00 PM. I did receive emails saying they “wish” they could come but they have other commitments or they are working. That’s ok as long as I get a ride in today. So come on sun! I wish my spin instructor would come along for today’s ride. You’re right, payback can be a bitch!
I am really looking forward to Thursday’s 45 mile ride. The weather forecast for Thursday is the best of week! It’s amazing how much I miss riding on the days I can’t get out.
Well I guess I’ll do some laundry and vacuum the carpets. Maybe take my son out for lunch before my ride. He mentioned sometime ago that he would like to go into Sumner and eat at the Gast Haus before going back to college this fall. So maybe we’ll do that.
Pedal On!
Sue
To Sue.
Sorry to tell you this but the Gast Haus bakery has closed. From what I heard, the owners of the original KC's Caboose moved in after a fire burnt down the old place.
I'm really hoping that KC's kept some of the menu items from the Gast Haus. We use to go there all of the time but it because a little difficult after moving from Puyallup to Kent.
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