Those Canadian Rockies are a pretty daunting goal. Whenever I think I'm going to be ready for this, I just go to http://www.gearup4cf.org/index.php?/The-Route/Year/The-2009-Route.html . So, Saturdays are my big rides. Generally, our cycling group alternates between 'hills' (the mountains on the North Shore) on one Saturday, and 'flat's', for distance, the next.
It was a brilliant day when we started out... a light wind, clear sunshine.
Just getting going...9 km/hr is about the slowest I rode all day! --->
With summer upon us, it's easier to get an earlier start. UNFORTUNATELY, I slept in... missing our 6:30 AM rendezvous, so I threw on my jersey, filled two water bottles and headed out, about a half hour late. I knew where they were going, though, as plans were to initially ride along a long flat road on Iona, near Vancouver Airport. The road ends after about 8 km, so we generally double back. The nice thing about this is 1) if you get to enjoy fighting headwinds out there, you are also rewarded by flying back with the wind behind you! 2) you can catch up with your comrades on the loop. Sure enough, I found them. It's so much easier riding into headwinds in a group - the aerodynamics of close 'peleton' (group riding, and hence why my group is called "Le Peloton") formation saves about 15-18% energy. Pretty significant.
Alan and Bruce, riding along Steveston Dyke Road--->
We rode together for about three hours, heading from Iona to Steveston, then down No 7 Road to River Road, where we road to New Westminster and back. Then the guys went home, heading up the Arthur Laing Bridge, eventually to reach Kerrisdale for coffee. I was keen to put some more distance, so after that, I was on my own. I really didn't intend to do so, but in effect, I repeated the entire route, stopping to take pictures along the way.
<---a family of geese off Inglis Road, near the Richmond seaplane terminal
"Retired" BC ferries, rusting away along the river off No 5 Road--->
Low tide off River Road---->
It was such a nice day. By the time I was home, I had just clicked over 160.6 kilometers... a "Century" as my Denver friends would call it, 100 miles. The difference is, they do 100 miles with hills, starting at 6,000 feet, and rising above 11,000. Susan and her friends just about murdered me when I rode with them a few years ago. I've learned my lesson to be humble about such things!
So, that was my ride yesterday. Today is a 'recovery' day, as far as my legs are concerned, however, I'm feeling pretty good. I'll be off to the gym later to do stretching, some weights and core upper body strength exercises. You can't forget upper body when training for long rides. I've learned from hard experience that it takes a fair amount of endurance and flexibility throughout my body to feel comfortable on a saddle for hours on end. That said, if my training goes as well for the next few weeks as it is right now, I think I'll be ready for the big ride. The question is, are you? If you haven't donated yet.... please do so as soon as you can! Here's the link: http://www.gearup4cf.org .
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