I rode 85 miles on my bike yesterday!!! Ask me anything.

[prolesunited]

The first 50 miles were part of the Tour of the North Shore (Chicago area), a fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society. Between here and work, I was able to raise $310.

Special thanks to the following for making a donation:
pmbryant
flamingyouth
NightTrain
peekaloo
Don_G
rchsod

Their generosity is greatly appreciated.

The weather was beautiful and I had a great ride. I was able to do 50 miles in three hours, not including a couple of 10-15 breaks to grab a snack and use the restroom. The neighborhoods in the around there, particularly Forest Park, were incredible. I especially enjoyed the jaunt through the Chicago Botanical Gardens.

I was feeling really good so I decided to drive down to the lakefront downtown and ride some more there. Because the path is so crowded, it's more about the view than making good time.

I really wanted to do 100, but it was starting to get cold and I didn't have a jacket or long sleeves and I was starting to chafe a bit. Maybe next time.

[trumad]

1. What? No Car?

[meegbear]

2. Are you inner thighs all chaffed?

On edit: This question is for the main poster, not you Trumad.

[prolesunited]

8. No, not really

I was wearing padded cycling shorts, which keep that from happening. The main issue is that if you spend too long in them, the moisture build up starts to be a problem, kinda like keeping wet socks on your feet too long.

[prolesunited]

6. I have a perfectly good car

Which I drove my bike and myself in to the ride, which was about an hour away.

[Name removed.]

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[Soloflecks]

3. Yeah, I gotta question!

How the hell were you able to get outta bed this morning? Just kidding! Great job for a great cause!

[prolesunited]

9. Just a little stiff today

When I got home, I took a long hot shower. I popped a Motrin this morning to take the edge off. The real key is to move today, maybe even go for a short ride if the weather holds.

[notadmblnd]

4. Can you walk today?

I know I wouldn't be if I rode my bike 85 miles. My poor cheeks would still be soaking in the tub.

[GOPisEvil]

5. Congratulations!

Is your butt sore? :D

[prolesunited]

10. Actually not

I invested in a really good seat:


The new Butterfly Tri has a thin layer of gel in the nose and around the cutaway, providing even more relief in the front. Lightest titanium rails, perforated leather on top for ventilation and slightly textured leather on the sides.

Actually, if you're in the proper position, you're not actually sitting in your seat. The pressure is on your bones where your legs join your torso.

[mike_c]

17. I ride a Brooks B-17....

It's far and away the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned.

[Champ]

7. I rode 71 miles in 120+ degree weather

That was Hell.

[prolesunited]

11. Wow!!!

That sounds life-threatening. Where was that at? Was it an event?

[Champ]

12. Long story

Me and a friend ended up getting stranded near Payson. I had to ride a bike with my friend from Payson all the way back to Mesa. I had blisters, bubbles on my arm, I just about died. It took several hours to get back.

[prolesunited]

14. Like I said

life threatening. Please don't ever do that again, but I'm kinda thinking you won't.

[Champ]

16. I hope I won't have too

The frustrating thing were riding uphill. I remember we ditched our bikes and as we were walking this construction worker's vehicle pulls up and asks if those were our bikes. We explained to her why we left them and she offered to give us a ride to the end of the area she was working. It was only about a mile it met alot.

[DS1]

13. That's a hell of a rate

are there many hills in Chicago?

[prolesunited]

15. No hills, just a few inclines

I met up with a couple guys that I rode with. They were screwing around with me to see if I rode like a girl and set the pace line at about 20 mph. They already had lost their friend but said I could replace him because I could keep up. :-)

I got my revenge, though. I had more hours of training in than they did, so they were starting to lose their legs at the end. When it came my turn to be at the front of the line, I tested them to see if they could ride like a girl. They couldn't. :evilgrin:

[pmbryant]

18. Wow! Sounds like a great ride

So did the ride go by the Baha'i Temple? And how do you get cold while riding 85 miles? What was the temperature there?

We rode about 16 miles yesterday, so you got us beat by a huge margin. But we did see a couple black-bellied whistling-ducks.



(This picture doesn't do the birds justice; imagine this, but more vibrant colors!)

No chance of us getting cold; it was in the low to mid 80s, and we were (uncharacteristically) riding in the middle of the day.

Last week, a friend of ours who is a hard core mountain biker diagnosed our distance/speed problem on the bicycle: apparently we "dawdle". His prescription: "push the pedals harder". :D

Then again, the fellow we went riding with yesterday, did say I was "fast", so I guess it's all relative.

:hi:

--Peter

[prolesunited]

23. I don't recall riding by there

Temps were in the upper 60s and cooler by the lake (a phrase I'm sure you're familiar with) The sun was warm but after the sun started going down a little, it felt cool to me. I had on shorts, a short-sleeved jersey and a windbreaker vest — all of which were a little damp, so I started feeling a little chilled.

Sometimes I like to dawdle as well. If you're going too fast, you'll miss the black-bellied whistling ducks. I was definitely dawdling at the lakefront.

Glad you made it out on your bike this weekend.

[Doctor Smith]

19. What kind of bike?

I have a Trek 5500.
I ride 150-200 mi/wk.

[prolesunited]

20. That's a really nice bike!

But a little beyond my budget. I have a Trek 2300WSD.



I like it because I'm only 5'2" so it fits my proportions much better than men's bikes.

I would definitely like to get up to that many miles a week (about 125 now). My only problem is finding the time.

Where do you ride and how do you find the time?

[Doctor Smith]

24. Glenwood Springs, Colorado

I can ride a lot of places from my house.

I often ride through Glenwood Canyon to Dotsero(45 miles round trip).
I ride to Marble or Eagle, and occasionally to Aspen or Vail.

I'm self employed, so that helps. I lack discipline more than time, really.

Have you had any trouble with those wheels? After hitting a few rocks, I couldn't get mine true again with those paired spokes, and had to replace them.

[Name removed.]

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