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Altimeter up, altimeter down
22:46 Mar 31 2009
Times Read: 591

I stopped just north of the Bridgeport bridge to photograph the Flight Deck at 20,000.0 miles.







Other than that it was a typical day with typically unpredictable winds.



I had a good climb but at the very top the winds were hitting from the front. On the way back it seemed the winds in that area had reversed. I put a new battery in my Vertech altimeter watch and mounted it on the bike but the battery (a CR2032), had been in the fridge for a while. It died in under 7-miles so I'll have to buy a new battery.



I did better on the way back than expected and kept the work-out relatively low-intensity compared to the majority of my rides.



SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 11:33:24

HRM Duration: 1:20:27.9



THE DATA:

Distance: 25.61 miles

Average Speed: 19.30 mph

Duration: 1:19:37

Maximum Speed: 33.4 mph

Odometer: 20022.5 miles



Climb Timer: 7:47.5

Climb Distance: 1.77

Climb Avg Speed: 13.6

Climb Max Speed: 18.7



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 61:14, 163

Above Zone: 04:27, 177

Below Zone: 14:46, 141

Heart Rate Recovery: 01:22

High: 181

Low: 102

Avg: 160



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 08:49

Oak Creek Valley Road: 27:03

Page Springs Road: 33:48

Pass above Page Springs Road: 37:40

Turn above Dry Creek Bridge: 44:21

Windy but still better
04:01 Mar 29 2009
Times Read: 600

The wind played another bluff, not showing its true face until I reached the start of the ride. On Hwy 260 they were keeping my speeds high, finishing the first mile in 2:36 but once onto Hwy 89A the winds were blowing from the side and the front.



I expected a lesser ride than the day before. The last 4-miles I could feel the ache and exhaustion in my quads. I rarely get two rides in two days anymore and the muscles were clearly far from recovered.





Getting close



I noted several descents with a slight tailwind and most of the climbs were accompanied by a headwind. Overall, I was faster than I had been over the past several weeks.



SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 15:06:51

HRM Duration: 1:19:33.0



THE DATA:

Distance: 25.57 miles

Average Speed: 19.55 mph

Duration: 1:18:29

Maximum Speed: 39.0 mph

Odometer: 19996.8 miles (3.2 to go)



Climb Timer: 7:51.6

Climb Distance: 1.76

Climb Avg Speed: 13.4

Climb Max Speed: 17.8



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 60:36, 166

Above Zone: 15:08, 178

Below Zone: 03:49, 145

Heart Rate Recovery: 00:45

High: 183

Low: 121

Avg: 167



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 07:39

Oak Creek Valley Road: 25:10

Page Springs Road: 31:50

Pass above Page Springs Road: 36:12

Turn above Dry Creek Bridge: 43:14

Thoughts of the past, bleeding into the future?
22:45 Mar 27 2009
Times Read: 614

Somehow there was a bit of a nostalgic coating with this ride. It wasn't a bad thing at all but at least unexpected.



It's the first ride in a long series of rides with an overall average above 19.0-mph which was also unexpected. The wind conditions weren't favorable, especially when the wind came straight on in the final and steepest third of the climb. If not for that, the time would have been under 8-minutes.



It was also a day of reduced drive. I wanted to ride but I never really felt like charging forward. That alone might account for the faster overall. I was in more of a mood to simply ride and try to stay under my LT, at least the majority of the time.







Certain memories, both good and bad, are my constant companions whenever I put the world on hold to spin pedals for an hour or two. Today that was true more than most days -- snips of hair twirling to the floor, the smell of chemicals, sterility and idle chatter sat behind the music in my mind.



The shadow that danced along in front of me on the climbs appeared other than incapable and perhaps... just perhaps, strong and healthy. When the air seemed to thin and muscles were twisting into muffled screams, the dancing shadow served to motivate. When all is said and done, at least I was faster than Lance... today.



Now it's time to rinse off the sweat, grab both cameras, a tripod, spare flash and slip out into the grasses and scrub before the sun is gone.



Collarbone



SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 13:46:15

HRM Duration: 1:20:05.8



THE DATA:

Distance: 25.61 miles

Average Speed: 19.26 mph

Duration: 1:19:47.0

Maximum Speed: 42.2 mph

Odometer: 19971.0 miles



Climb Timer: 8:08.6

Climb Distance: 1.76

Climb Avg Speed: 13.0

Climb Max Speed: 18.7



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 62:30, 164

Above Zone: 08:30, 177

Below Zone: 09:05, 139

Heart Rate Recovery: 04:13

High: 179

Low: 108

Avg: 162



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 08:35

Oak Creek Valley Road: 26:01

Page Springs Road: 32:32

Pass above Page Springs Road: 37:14

Turn above Dry Creek Bridge: 45:08

Unzipped
07:44 Mar 20 2009
Times Read: 632

I got off to a pretty good start with a notable tailwind but then realized my pack was open. I stopped to zip it up and noticed that my cell phone wasn't there. I'd forgotten to place it back in my pack before heading out the door. With the pack zipped up, I continued on my ride.



The wind was certainly going to be a factor but overall, it was less of an influence than its intensity would have indicated. My climb was acceptable and I hit the half-way mark about 3-minutes sooner than average for recent rides.



Coming back the wind was working against me but still less so than expected.



The key point of the ride was at the final few feet on Highway 89A. This is where I negotiate an intersection and traffic light then head south for the final 2½ miles through which, the wind would be working directly against me. I had to wait in a track-stand (stopped but with feet still locked into the pedals), until the light changed. The vehicle in front of me began to pull away as we followed a 90-degree curve to the left and up a slight slope to Highway 260. Falling behind in traffic is both bothersome and dangerous so I stood with hands firmly on the brake hoods and cranked the pedals vigorously until I not only caught the pickup in front of me, but had to back off to avoid colliding with it.





The red line marks my wait at the intersection. The minute before my heart rate was 180 (on a slight rise). It dropped to 155 as I balanced, stationary at the light, and in the next minute hit 179, (but I caught him!).



That few seconds felt strong, decisive and exhilarating beyond anything else in the ride. It's encouraging to still feel that strong after 22+ miles of pushing near maximum. Everything else about the ride fades in comparison. It doesn't make up for the losses due to the wind but it sets a memory for the ride which makes one want to get back on the bike and go even harder the next time.



SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 15:51:00

HRM Duration: 1:25:17.9



THE DATA:

Distance: 25.58 miles

Average Speed: 18.46 mph

Duration: 1:23:08

Maximum Speed: 32.8 mph

Odometer: 19919.6 miles



Climb Timer: 7:28.8

Climb Distance: 1.75

Climb Avg Speed: 14.1

Climb Max Speed: 18.9



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 64:22, 165

Above Zone: 15:51, 179

Below Zone: 05:04, 138

Heart Rate Recovery: 02:24

High: 185

Low: 113

Avg: 166



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 08:02

Oak Creek Valley Road: 25:05

Page Springs Road: 31:10

Pass above Page Springs Road: 35:30

Turn above Dry Creek Bridge: 42:04

Nothing to see here
21:50 Mar 15 2009
Times Read: 652

I rode again. The wind blew again.



Nothing to tell.

---

SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 11:33:36

HRM Duration: 1:23:40.7



THE DATA:

Distance: 25.60 miles

Average Speed: 18.41 mph *cough wheeze*

Duration: 1:23:26

Maximum Speed: 34.7 mph

Odometer: 19893.9 miles



Climb Timer: 7:37.3

Climb Distance: 1.76

Climb Avg Speed: 13.9

Climb Max Speed: 20.3



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 67:47, 164

Above Zone: 12:40, 178

Below Zone: 03:13, 143

Heart Rate Recovery: 01:15

High: 182

Low: 117

Avg: 166



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 07:53

Oak Creek Valley Road: 24:17

Page Springs Road: 30:05

Pass above Page Springs Road: 35:05

Turn above Dry Creek Bridge: 42:05

Wind and Rain
23:41 Mar 13 2009
Times Read: 666

It seemed like a relatively nice day. There was a little wind and some distant dark clouds but looking out my windows to the South, things looked fairly agreeable. A glance at the thermometer showed 70°F so I slipped on a single long-sleeve jersey, a pair of shorts and hopped on the bike.



Instantly I could see the dark looming storm to the Northeast -- a direction I can't see from my apartment but the direction I was heading on the bike. My best hope was to fight the winds until I could reach the center of the storm where the winds might be less intense.



I did manage one very welcome break to speak on the phone for a few minutes.





Then it was back on the bike, headed back into the wind and straining to maintain 14-mph. That's when the rain started. The wind intensified and began pelting my face with the sting of small rain drops. Looking from under the edge of the helmet, I could see the water flying off my front wheel and dripping less than an inch from my eyes.



I debated about completing the usual 25.6-miles but as I got closer, I could see that the skies grew darker over the area where I usually turn to come back. So I reluctantly decided to turn a couple of miles early and ride the shorter loop.



As soon as I turned the wind was driving me forward. Before I could adapt to the speed I was on the large chainring, the smallest cog, and glancing at 42.7 mph on my speedometer. A minute or two later I was standing, still using the highest gearing (53/11) and cranking out 32-mph headed up the steepest climb I would encounter on the way back.



My overall speeds were dismal... "pathetic" even. But if you calculate the average heading into the wind, you find the culprit. I was averaging only 12.78 mph. Coming back the average was 25.10 mph, which includes several miles at 34+ and one venture just above 43-mph on wet road with a side wind and sunglasses spotted with drops of rain and spray from the passing cars. To put that in perspective, the average speed for the faster Tours de France is around 25 mph, though they climb over both the Alps and the Pyrenees during the second week of the race.



SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 14:21:20

HRM Duration: 1:17:44.1



THE DATA:

Distance: 19.51 miles

Average Speed: 16.94 mph (Gahhh!)

Duration: 1:09:06

Maximum Speed: 43.6 mph

Odometer: 19868.1 miles



Climb Timer: 5:26.9

Climb Distance: 0.84

Climb Avg Speed: 9.3

Climb Max Speed: 10.9



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 59:18, 163

Above Zone: 01:28, 185

Below Zone: 16:58, 138

Heart Rate Recovery: 02:08

High: 176

Low: 110

Avg: 157



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 09:14

Oak Creek Valley Road: 35:12

Page Springs Road: 45:47

Time for a Nap
19:56 Mar 10 2009
Times Read: 674

My heart rates are starting to come back under control over the last 100-125 miles (of which you were all spared the details), but my legs, while up to the task, are still a bit weak (even for me).



It looked like a fairly calm day. It even felt like a fairly calm day... until I got on the bike. Some winds are just terribly destructive, even when they appear to be only very light breezes. The barometric pressure has been rising here for the past 12-hours and the adjustment of pressure always seems to occur rapidly enough to create wind. And, since I live in a valley filled with rolling hills, the winds are purely unpredictable. For the first several miles of the main highway, they blew from my right to my left which assures that the slip-stream created by passing cars will be of no help. Then, over the space of a couple of tenths of a mile, they started to blow from the left to the right, at a comparable intensity. Coming back they blew mostly from my right to my left, again negating any benefit from passing cars. Stopped at a light to make a 90° turn for the final 2.5 miles, a flag at the corner was blowing due south. About three-tenths of a mile later, flags showed the wind blowing due north - I was headed due south.



At any rate, no matter how lame, how slow or how weak, once the ride is over it's always less lame to have ridden than to have remained stretched across the carpet in slumber. Thank you.



SETUP

Bike: GT ZR-1.0

Departure: 11:01:23

HRM Duration: 1:23:30.7



THE DATA:

Distance: 25.63 miles

Average Speed: 18.83 mph (Ewww!)

Duration: 1:21:41

Maximum Speed: 37.6 mph

Odometer: 19848.5 miles



Climb Timer: 8:03.3

Climb Distance: 1.76

Climb Avg Speed: 13.1

Climb Max Speed: 18.1



HEART RATES:

In Zone: 64:36, 161

Above Zone: 00:34, 175

Below Zone: 18:20, 140

Heart Rate Recovery: 01:03

High: 176

Low: 102

Avg: 156



CHECKPOINTS:

Bridgeport Bridge: 08:36

Oak Creek Valley Road: 26:41

Page Springs Road: 33:40

Pass above Page Springs Road: 37:50

Turn above Dry Creek Bridge: 45:30

Nothing to talk about
20:13 Mar 01 2009
Times Read: 683

The past two rides have been sub-noteworthy except to say that my heart-rates were utterly insane two days ago (190? ACK!!). Today I finally ducked back into the low 19s (mph), which is, believe it or not, a substantial improvement.



Too much time off makes getting back on, a humiliating experience. (I'm sure that applies to cycling as well.)