Date: June 9th, 2011
Distance: 57 miles
Song of the Day: Fair - Ben Folds Five
Well, I am all signed up for the Echo Valley race. I am really excited about that. Endurance mountain bike racing really does sound like something right up my alley. Plus my new bike is all set up and running like a top. So I took it out today to do a bit of training.
I rode out of Issaquah and up to Preston to drop some stuff off with a friend. Then it was back along the trail and a rode up around Grand Ridge. The first couple of switchbacks from the High Point trailhead were killing me though. I thought I was in better shape than that. I was really huffing and puffing.
Once I got up to the ridge, things got a bit easier and I was enjoying it more. I also started using my middle chainring. I am really glad to have that. On trails it gives me much better gearing ratios than the large one. I am still not sure the granny gear is so useful, but I can worry about that later.
The upper trails were all full of puddles and mud. It felt good to get out and get dirty. By the time I got back home I was covered in mud. I took a shower and washed the bike before heading into town.
In the evening I met up with the guys from .83 for another Thursday ride. I think it is the longest ride I have been on with them. I was a nice night for it, so I can't say that I mind. We ended up cruising over Beacon Hill and then down into Renton. Then back up the Duwamish and into Seattle. It was over 30 miles round trip. Despite being on my my fat tired mountain bike, I was still able to keep up with the group. Yee-haw. Hopefully that will keep me in good training for the ride this weekend.
-Dravis
Distance: 57 miles
Song of the Day: Fair - Ben Folds Five
Well, I am all signed up for the Echo Valley race. I am really excited about that. Endurance mountain bike racing really does sound like something right up my alley. Plus my new bike is all set up and running like a top. So I took it out today to do a bit of training.
I rode out of Issaquah and up to Preston to drop some stuff off with a friend. Then it was back along the trail and a rode up around Grand Ridge. The first couple of switchbacks from the High Point trailhead were killing me though. I thought I was in better shape than that. I was really huffing and puffing.
Once I got up to the ridge, things got a bit easier and I was enjoying it more. I also started using my middle chainring. I am really glad to have that. On trails it gives me much better gearing ratios than the large one. I am still not sure the granny gear is so useful, but I can worry about that later.
The upper trails were all full of puddles and mud. It felt good to get out and get dirty. By the time I got back home I was covered in mud. I took a shower and washed the bike before heading into town.
In the evening I met up with the guys from .83 for another Thursday ride. I think it is the longest ride I have been on with them. I was a nice night for it, so I can't say that I mind. We ended up cruising over Beacon Hill and then down into Renton. Then back up the Duwamish and into Seattle. It was over 30 miles round trip. Despite being on my my fat tired mountain bike, I was still able to keep up with the group. Yee-haw. Hopefully that will keep me in good training for the ride this weekend.
-Dravis
No comments:
Post a Comment