April Highlights
#1
In Real Life
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
April Highlights
Tell us about some of your cycling and other highlights in April and in the first third of the year.
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
#2
In Real Life
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
There have been several this month.
-- first full month as a 50-year old.
-- 1000 km month, for the second month in a row! In fact we finished up with 1112 km
-- 3000 km first third. That's a good start to the year.
-- a 300 km + a 200 km randonnee on the Easter weekend. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pull that off, but we had been training for it ... and did it!
-- in completing the events above, we also completed our 4th century in the CAM (Century-A-Month) Challenge.
-- our 6th Petite Year Round Randonneur ride, a 100 km permanent.
-- On April 29, 1990, I started cycling "seriously" and specifically, I started logging all my cycling distances. Yes, I have kept track of every single kilometre I have cycled since April 29, 1990. On that day, I rode 2 miles and had to take a break at the end of the first mile because it was that difficult. I've built up strength since then!
-- my 1-year anniversary as an Australian citizen!
April Activities
Walking Distance (km): 70.4
Walking Time (min): 880.0
Cycling Distance (km): 1111.5
Cycling Time (min): 3684.3
Stairs Climbed Number: 52.0
Stairs Climbed Time (min): 41.6
Totals
Total Distance (km): 1181.9
Total Distance (miles): 734.4
Total Time (min): 4605.9
Total Time (hr): 76:45:55
Looking forward to May!! The plan is that May will be strength and speed month. Gotta get better at climbing hills and faster on the randonnees.
-- first full month as a 50-year old.
-- 1000 km month, for the second month in a row! In fact we finished up with 1112 km
-- 3000 km first third. That's a good start to the year.
-- a 300 km + a 200 km randonnee on the Easter weekend. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pull that off, but we had been training for it ... and did it!
-- in completing the events above, we also completed our 4th century in the CAM (Century-A-Month) Challenge.
-- our 6th Petite Year Round Randonneur ride, a 100 km permanent.
-- On April 29, 1990, I started cycling "seriously" and specifically, I started logging all my cycling distances. Yes, I have kept track of every single kilometre I have cycled since April 29, 1990. On that day, I rode 2 miles and had to take a break at the end of the first mile because it was that difficult. I've built up strength since then!
-- my 1-year anniversary as an Australian citizen!
April Activities
Walking Distance (km): 70.4
Walking Time (min): 880.0
Cycling Distance (km): 1111.5
Cycling Time (min): 3684.3
Stairs Climbed Number: 52.0
Stairs Climbed Time (min): 41.6
Totals
Total Distance (km): 1181.9
Total Distance (miles): 734.4
Total Time (min): 4605.9
Total Time (hr): 76:45:55
Looking forward to May!! The plan is that May will be strength and speed month. Gotta get better at climbing hills and faster on the randonnees.
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Last edited by Machka; 04-30-17 at 04:22 AM.
#3
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,332
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3898 Post(s)
Liked 4,841 Times
in
2,232 Posts
Jan = Rain & cold = lot's of skiing.
Feb = Rain & cold = some skiing
March = Rain & cold
April = Rain + cool
One of the wettest years on record in the Seattle area so far.
April closed out positively, with a bike I've been searching for a while.
Vintage Spanish = Zeus with 531 tubeset. Now a German classic.
Feb = Rain & cold = some skiing
March = Rain & cold
April = Rain + cool
One of the wettest years on record in the Seattle area so far.
April closed out positively, with a bike I've been searching for a while.
Vintage Spanish = Zeus with 531 tubeset. Now a German classic.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
#4
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4560 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
I missed one of my target goals for April -- a solo standard century. I've already ridden a few metric centuries since last August. Too much life stuff getting in the way, impossible to devote the full day I'd need for it. I'll try again in May.
But I'm still on pace for my goal of 300 miles a month. I resumed cycling in 2015 after a 30 year hiatus and managed 100 miles a month that year, 200 miles a month in 2016.
April has been tricky due to the heavy winds all month. I can ride only three or four days a week, depending on family stuff. And I wanted to get past a plateau in conditioning, so rather than taking longer rides on flatter terrain sheltered from the wind, I've been tackling the hillier and very windy route over open prairie and pasture. Much tougher physically and I usually ride fewer miles, around 10-30 per ride, rather than 20-60 on the easier terrain.
My average speed is up as well, to 14 mph now. It was 8-10 mph in 2015, 12 mph in 2016. I'll probably peak at 14 mph with my current bike, a hybridized 1990s mountain bike with fairly upright position.
Up to 14 mph it's mostly my conditioning. Above that the wind resistance demands effort disproportionate to speed gains. So I'll consider a bike with drop bars soon, although my C2 neck injury may limit my flexibility. We'll see.
At 59 with various ailments I'm just glad to be riding again. After a car wreck in 2001 I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk more than 100 yards at a time. In 2014, walking a few miles without a cane was a milestone. In 2015 riding 3 miles without stopping to wheeze through an asthma attack felt like an accomplishment. Every outing since then is gravy.
But I'm still on pace for my goal of 300 miles a month. I resumed cycling in 2015 after a 30 year hiatus and managed 100 miles a month that year, 200 miles a month in 2016.
April has been tricky due to the heavy winds all month. I can ride only three or four days a week, depending on family stuff. And I wanted to get past a plateau in conditioning, so rather than taking longer rides on flatter terrain sheltered from the wind, I've been tackling the hillier and very windy route over open prairie and pasture. Much tougher physically and I usually ride fewer miles, around 10-30 per ride, rather than 20-60 on the easier terrain.
My average speed is up as well, to 14 mph now. It was 8-10 mph in 2015, 12 mph in 2016. I'll probably peak at 14 mph with my current bike, a hybridized 1990s mountain bike with fairly upright position.
Up to 14 mph it's mostly my conditioning. Above that the wind resistance demands effort disproportionate to speed gains. So I'll consider a bike with drop bars soon, although my C2 neck injury may limit my flexibility. We'll see.
At 59 with various ailments I'm just glad to be riding again. After a car wreck in 2001 I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk more than 100 yards at a time. In 2014, walking a few miles without a cane was a milestone. In 2015 riding 3 miles without stopping to wheeze through an asthma attack felt like an accomplishment. Every outing since then is gravy.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Back-of-beyond, Kootenays, BC
Posts: 750
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Exp ert Road and Specialized Stump Jumper FS Mountain; De Vinci Caribou touring, Intense Tracer T275c, Cramerotti, Specialized Allez, Condor
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 166 Post(s)
Liked 100 Times
in
57 Posts
Cycled in Utah at the San Rafael Swell; various rides in and around Hurricane; and a great 5 days on the trails near Moab. Also rode in Arizona at Cottonwood, Sedona and Prescott. No idea total distance - don't keep track of that sort of thing - but a wonderful month of mountain biking!
Now I've just got to get out on my local trails! Still snow on most of them so I skied up a 6000 foot peak yesterday (and then down again).
Now I've just got to get out on my local trails! Still snow on most of them so I skied up a 6000 foot peak yesterday (and then down again).
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 857
Bikes: Cannondale '92 T600 '95 H600 '01 RT1000
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 92 Post(s)
Liked 109 Times
in
82 Posts
I got back on the bike April 1st after a forced vacation by hitting some unexpected black ice on a corner in Feb. Sprained left shoulder, sprained left wrist, broken right thumb requiring a Ti screw to put back together. The grand return was a bit uncomfortable with both hands struggling to find good positions. Both really liked smooth pavement, which was a bit hard to find around here. But each ride got better and I lost the splint a couple of weeks ago. April ended up with 700 miles.
#8
Full Member
Rode every day of April.
628 total miles.
Longest ride was 27 miles.
Did do one day of 32 miles but I took a short second ride to go to the LBS.
Took my first spill on the bike after hitting a pot hole. Bruised and a bit sore but not badly hurt. Didn't miss a day due to the crash.
628 total miles.
Longest ride was 27 miles.
Did do one day of 32 miles but I took a short second ride to go to the LBS.
Took my first spill on the bike after hitting a pot hole. Bruised and a bit sore but not badly hurt. Didn't miss a day due to the crash.
#9
In Real Life
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
Well done everyone!
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
#10
www.ocrebels.com
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles area
Posts: 6,186
Bikes: Several bikes, Road, Mountain, Commute, etc.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 83 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
2 Posts
I had fun riding the Camino Real double century in Feb. and the Solvang Spring double century in Mar. but then my back went out due to an over-enthusiastic "Lobster Ride" and I've been off the bike for three weeks now.
However, last time this happened I borrowed a (low end) recumbent and my back was fine with it. So I went to the local 'bent shop (Bent-Up Cycles), test rode a bunch and placed an order for a med.-level recumbent: Bacchetta Giro A-20. Should be in within about two weeks.
The plan is to ride the recumbent until my back heals, then go to my normal (DF in recumbent speak) bikes. If/when I feel the slightest complaint from my back I'll be straight on the Bacchetta again.
Rick / OCRR
PS: Been toying with the semi-perverse goal of riding a double on the recumbent. I know people who have done it, so it IS possible!
However, last time this happened I borrowed a (low end) recumbent and my back was fine with it. So I went to the local 'bent shop (Bent-Up Cycles), test rode a bunch and placed an order for a med.-level recumbent: Bacchetta Giro A-20. Should be in within about two weeks.
The plan is to ride the recumbent until my back heals, then go to my normal (DF in recumbent speak) bikes. If/when I feel the slightest complaint from my back I'll be straight on the Bacchetta again.
Rick / OCRR
PS: Been toying with the semi-perverse goal of riding a double on the recumbent. I know people who have done it, so it IS possible!
#11
Banned
Rain.. sunny last wednesday and saturday a fortnight ago.
Oregon Coast
my highlight is getting 5 single pane windows installed in my house, in the last month,
trying to hit the days when the rain lets up, to open the wall , for a hour or so..
Oregon Coast
my highlight is getting 5 single pane windows installed in my house, in the last month,
trying to hit the days when the rain lets up, to open the wall , for a hour or so..
Last edited by fietsbob; 05-07-17 at 12:48 PM.
#12
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 282
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 71 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 30 Times
in
18 Posts
Rode 2 metric centuries in the month of April. A first for me of riding even 1 of them.
Rode 550 miles for the month of April.
Not a lot accomplishments, but well on my way.
Rode 550 miles for the month of April.
Not a lot accomplishments, but well on my way.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Machka
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling
21
11-27-16 05:02 PM