Training Log Archive: PG

Very pleasant and very mellow ride with Walter in the valley, trying to find a few places he hadn't been. Just perfect. Even finished up with watching a bear swim across the Deerfield River.

Ride with Phil up in the hills to the west, start/finish at The Creamery in Cummington, chosen (obviously) for the various possibilities it offered for immediate post-ride refueling.

Very pleasant, also hard work of course, have to try to keep up. But a beautiful day, good company, not much traffic, and some roads I hadn't been on in quite a while.

Hamstring was tender, but didn't notice it much because the biking is so different from running. Don't think I did it any good, but maybe didn't do it much harm.

And afterwards -- chocolate milk and a slice of ham quiche, get those calories in the system. Quads are feeling pretty tired.

Just thought I would try to jog a few steps down the driveway. Felt not too bad. Except a while later my left hamstring (which has been behaving itself during my biking) was complaining.

Had thought I might try the corn maze, but it makes no sense.

On the west side of the river, most flat with a few small ups. Good breeze out of the N/NW.

No particular ambitions, just out enjoying the nice day.

And then took the bike in for it's "30 ride" adjustment. Looked for arm warmers -- cooler weather is coming, and I hear these are useful things to have -- but slim inventory, new stuff not yet in.

Day off tomorrow.

I'd been wanting to see if I could make it up the Ascutney Road and today was cool enough to give it a try. Though I wish my legs had had a little more life -- the couple of miles of warm-up felt like it was going to be a bad day.

But then the climb started, and before long you have enough invested in the effort that stopping is not really in the cards. And eventually I rolled into the upper parking lot right about when I expected, 55:40 for the 3.7 miles with not quite 2,300' climb. Over an hour would have been disappointing, and the odds of anything much faster than this were closer to none than slim. And I was delighted at the top.

The plan was to finish the ride by finishing the loop around the mountain. And it too was a struggle. Going down is just too steep to be fun, though I was thankful for disc brakes. And then all the way west/northwest along 44 was into the wind and on tired legs and it just took a while.

Much better after I turned south on 106, and especially after a leisurely stop at a general store for more fluids. One more turn, this time onto 131 heading east, one modest climb and then the last 4 miles all slightly down, all with a tailwind, the legs felt fine again, but then they weren't being asked to do much.

Just for comparison, they have had a race up the road, not sure if they still do or not. Found the results from 2012. Hah, 157 finishers, best was 27:52 (half my time!), but I would have edged out the last 4, rather than the expected DFL.

I just don't have much of a motor. But it is fun trying. An adventure, even if a rather mild one.

C • Trying 5

Hot and humid. A gentle ride that included my first visit to Rattlesnake Gutter in a long time (where once about 40 years ago Gail and I went caving), and a loop of homage around Mike's Maze (which is looking very lush), and whatever other bits of dirt I could find nearby (maybe 5 miles altogether). Always nice to go a few places not normally visited.

I've been thinking I should sign up for the Corn Maze Champs since I seem to have ditched all responsibilities for organizing it. Though I'm not sure I could handle the distance.

Another wonderful ride in the hills, including a modest excursion into Vermont. The climbing was mostly in the first half, with the second half pretty much all tilted down. Can't get much better.

A bright sunny day. Observed the eclipse in my own way, hundreds (thousands?) of small crescents of light on the road, a benefit of roads mostly but not entirely in the shade, lasted for maybe half an hour. An unexpected pleasure.

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Writing the following down, because otherwise I might forget... :-)

On Saturday's ride, last hardish climb, a mile at 10%, I was nearing the top when a guy who had been slowly gaining on me pulled alongside and we had a little chat. He had some gray in his whiskers, turned out he was a youngster (55).

After I let him know I had 17 years on him, he said, and I kid you not, "I've been watching you, you have a great body."

There seemed no reason to think it was a pick-up line, so I said I just always thought exercise was good for the body, and also good for the soul, and so I just kept at it. He seemed impressed. Told him in a previous life I did a lot of orienteering and running and ultras. He'd done a bunch of bike racing in various forms, now also running trail races. And had come up from Rhode Island just because this was a cool event.

By now we were over the top of the hill, the part since he joined me at no apparent effort, and then he was off. Leaving me with a good smile.