The Wheelmen Ride!

Sadly, I was completely unmotivated to do it. It would've been SOOOOO easy to talk myself out of it. Still, got changed and met hubby at the start. Astonishingly, there were four chicks this time. Me, Deb who is maybe in her 50s and I think used to race?? maybe still does, a dark-haired ponytail, and one other that I think was also in her 50s.  There were many of the regulars: Mike, Zipp Wheels, Ken who is very fast, and three other fast guys that I don't know their names. There's a TALL middle eastern guy who is really strong but doesn't talk much, and a few more. I think there were 15 people on the ride tonight. Smaller group than usual. Our ride leader Dennis met us at the park but did not ride - he's scraping the house to paint this weekend.

We headed for Rocky Butte and the group dynamic was totally different - and at least 4mph slower on the leadout. I got to Rocky Butte, checked my time at the signpost (27:32) and started up. Spinning well, and keeping hubby's wheel. Oddly, no one was passing me. I always get passed within 10 pedal strokes of the sign at the bottom. Turns out I was going 9mph!! And spinning easy.  Wow!! So I kept hubby's wheel for a while, punched it up to 10 through the tunnel, kept 10 up through a steep part and eventually dropped to 7 (where I usually end up at 5-6). Cool - I'm thinking this may be a PB day.

I push it up the second hill stretch at 7, shift down and push hard on the little flat, and then stand up to climb the last bit. I couldn't stand up the whole way, but my time at the top was 34:11.  Doesn't that make 6:39?? I swear it does, but hubby says we weren't working that hard, so it couldn't be. Hmmm. I think it was 6:39 - I was faster than normal all over that hill. I'm calling it a PB. So there. It still won't get me up the hill faster than him. What on earth will that take??

Our group got a little split up on the way out Sandy Blvd.  Three groups were going - then the second group caught the first I think. (I was in the third group due to lights.) Then we headed up the hill to Fremont. I hate that hill. Starts out easy then it just keeps getting steeper. My thighs burn and I usually always get to watch as the guys stand up and pedal away. :( Hubby and I lost the group at the turn onto Fremont - hubby's bike was wiggly, had to check it - then pulled like crazy to catch them. We were fortunate on the light - just got through. I love a tailwind with a mild downhill. We passed two other people, and I pulled our group of 4 down Fremont at 34 until we caught the main group. Had a little break as we turned by the park, then worked to keep a wheel on the way to the post office. I usually get dropped on this section but today I didn't. Yay!

Rest stop at the post office, and a water fill at the gas station. Then out Airport Way. Again, thank the cycling gods for tailwinds. This time I was MOP, and stayed on Deb's wheel. She dropped off and I sprinted up to the leaders. That was good, except Mike was leading, then the middle eastern guy, then me. This is a problem because when it was my turn to lead, the pace was 27mph and I led too long, couldn't catch the back of the peloton and then blew up. Damn!!! Hubby stayed in the group all the way out, and then halfway up the hill to the turn. Yay him! He usually gets dropped before then, and kept up this time. We must both be getting faster/stronger. :)

We were back a ways in the peloton for the trip back on airport Way, which was just fine as we were then heading into the wind that had been at our backs. We kept up with the group until we turned right onto Cornfoot Rd. Middle eastern guy was leading, then Mike rode hard to catch up with him. I was third again and busted my keister trying to catch them. 21, 22, 24... 24... 24... almost.... almost... gawd it hurts... YES! got Mike's wheel. Trouble was, I'd used it all up pedalling 24 into a headwind, and couldn't keep his wheel once I had it. Crap. Then the five fast guys (who had been working together to catch us) passed me. I was excited that now I had another wheel to grab - but they were going too fast.  I couldn't latch on. I was on my own again until hubby caught me.

We caught Zipp Wheel guy waiting at the last light, and rode back to the park with him. He says he's faster with his Zipps. (Apparently not fast enough to catch the light...)  A set of those would sure be nice.  They would weigh 1000grams less than mine, at least. My ass could lose three times that though and that wouldn't cost me $2K. I'd ride up the hill faster then too. I hate being practical.

This was a really great ride tonight. There were two times that I thought we were going too slow, checked my speedometer, and it read 22mph. Sweet!! 22 is now "slow". I was really happy with my trip up Rocky Butte. Even if I read my time wrong, I was faster on the whole thing. My thighs are absolutely shot. I did lunges on Tuesday, and tonight's ride destroyed them. They hurt just sitting here typing. Maybe if I beg hubby, he'll get me some ice. :)

Now for some knitting. That requires no thigh movement. LOL!

Today is my Friday. I'm so excited. Four days of sleeping in, and doing only what I want to do. LOVE IT!! Bourne Ultimatum is on the agenda, and if I exercise some tiny amount of dietary control at the fair, I can have movie popcorn. Mmmmmm! I'm planning on doing a bit of yard work, sewing a ton, and helping my hubby pick up his new bike when it arrives tomorrow or Friday. I'm still deciding what I want to get. Being as how our anniversary is next Friday, I have some cash back coming from my credit card, and a little bit of $$ saved up, I have options. Maybe a wetsuit or maybe some race wheels, or maybe a screamin deal on a new serger at the fair. Maybe save a bit longer and get a whole new bike. Hard to say. The wetsuit would help my speed most on a tri, but we ride bikes all the time. Weighing the options and deciding is almost as much fun as the getting. :)   

Turns out we did about 3.25 miles of hill repeats then walked home. Hubby bonked I think. Woozy headed isn't a good feeling when you've not been drinkin'. Besides, 4 miles was on the schedule for today, but I told him we should do 6 when the route was really 6.95. LOL! I'm awful. So we actually attained our original goal, and now he's fixing dinner. Fish tacos and grilled corn. YUM!!  

The weather is looking a little more like summer today. Blue sky, puffy white clouds, and about mid-70's. That's just about perfect for 5-6 miles worth of hill repeats. :)

One of my favorite people at work is leaving for a new job. I'm bummed.

No Dennis today, but he wouldn't let me slack. Trainers! Even when they're not there, they're telling ya what to do!!

We had dinner on the patio this evening. A medium-sized spider has built a web from the edge of the table to the umbrella.  She's been there for several days. I won't let hubby get rid of her. He can eat at the other end of the table. He'll be fine.

After dinner, I caught a pantry moth and flicked it into her web. WOW!! She was FAST!! She jumped over there and had that moth twirled all up in no time. Of course I had to go catch another one, and then another one to see if she'd do it again. Yup! Very cool! I tried to get a video of her pouncing and then winding them up for later, but my little camera won't focus that close, and from farther away it won't pick up  the spider - only focuses on the background. Darn! Can't wait to see what she's done with them tomorrow.

Friday is supposed to be 76 and sunny. Perfect weather for the fair!

Easy run tonight. Didn't feel like doing it but did it anyway. It was nice once we got out there. Some fast, some slow, some wait for lights and intersections. All good.

What's up with this weather??? Gray cloudy skies, cool temps. This is like April or something. Not August. Guess I shouldn't complain. It isn't humid, and if it's like this on Thursday and Friday, my little bit of yard work that needs doing will be very pleasant.

Here is Henry Hagg Lake. I don't know who Henry was, but he has a lake.

Henry Hagg Lake is a 1,200-acre reservoir that provides excellent fishing opportunities for a variety of fish species. Constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation for irrigation and flood control, it is now operated by Washington County as Scoggins Valley Park. Park facilities include two boat ramps, several picnic areas, a handicapped fishing dock, and a network of hiking tails. A day use fee is charged to use the park. It is closed during the winter. The lake averages 51 feet in depth and is 110 feet deep at its maximum. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks the reservoir with rainbow trout along with excess steelhead fingerlings. The rainbows average about 12 inches, although they may reach as high as 6 or 7 pounds. Smallmouth bass average 4 to 6 pounds and are a prime quarry for anglers here. Brown bullhead average around 1 foot long. Henry Hagg Lake is open to angling from April 22 through October 31. Key Species: smallmouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie, brown bullhead, rainbow trout.

I felt like a slacker today. Didn't swim (Farmer's market w/mom instead), then had zero get-up-and-go for both the ride and the run. I could SO have talked myself into doing no exercise at all today. Our ride was reallly nice though, once we got out there. Breezy and warm. The park smelled like cut grass, and there were birds singing everywhere. Very pleasant. And slow. Hubby was dropping me at 13 on the flats on the way to Rocky Butte. I could have done hill repeats all day at our uphill pace. But, left knee said "You're done" after three, and since that was the goal, well, okay then. Done. Perhaps on a more energetic day I'll go for 5.

Our run was along part of the same ride route, so we got to smell the grass and hear the birds again. Nice!

I guess some days are just slacker days. No land speed records are set and the miles just get done. It was comfortable to just do it and not push the pace for once. And I got out there and did it even when I didn't really want to.

We didn't end up going to the Fair today. We decided that next Friday would be better. So the only "garbage food" I had was some chips with my Baja Fresh (1/2) burrito at lunch and garlic fries at the brewhouse at dinner. It's just wrong that fries are so freakin' good.

REST DAY and TGIF!!!

I've got a surprise visit from my mom and stepdad this weekend. Cool! We're going to go have Happy Hour at Wild Abandon. I know right now what I'm going to have. Possibly garlic bread, an Oregon Dream Salad (wild greens, cherry tomatoes, pears, candied walnuts, and crumbles of blue cheese) and a burger.  YUM!!! I bet mom will even split a dessert with me. :)

Fair food is planned for Saturday. I'm going to have a corndog, much to the disgust of Dennis!, and hubby and I will share a funnel cake, an ice cream and if I'm not sick by then, an elephant ear. Then I'll be sick. Dennis! is horrified. Mostly about the corn dog. Go figure. Hmmm. Maybe I should skip the  dessert tonight.