Bike

• 32m 45s
• 4.00 miles
• 7.33 Mi/hr

First time out on the Diamondback and I loved it. Since it has trigger shifting and I am still getting used to that I had a couple of miss shifts on hills and got stopped. Plenty of sliding and bumping around.

The deeper single track gets me a little nervous and I start bumping the sides but that will come in time.

The horse flies got me good. The got into the vents on my helmet and just chewed away. My blad head is full of red welts right now. Next time - doo rag!

Bike

• 55m 09s
• 13.95 miles
• 15.18 Mi/hr

This started out as a 34 mile ride. Within 6 miles I found myself right on the edge. Let me explain.

The first couple of miles were on some rollers with a side wind. My legs really seemed to warm up quickly. But then when the bike computer read 106 what would you expect.

When I turned south towards Watertown I started into a head. Not something fierce but coupled with the heat I was working pretty hard.

Each hill became a bigger and bigger battle to get over. I ended up having to pedal going down the long shallow down hill into Watertown and I was hurting.

At the stop sign I crossed, got into the shade and was going to take a break. My hands were shaking, I felt dizzy, and my heart rate just hung at 150 - not dropping.

At ths point I decided it was time to head back. I was only 6 miles in but it was obvious I was in trouble. So I doubled through town and started back the river road.

I stopped at the edge of town to text Pam I was having trouble and was heading back. I did that for two reasons. One I wanted her to know I was having trouble and two was now on a different route and if she ended up looking for me she would know where I was.

I stopped two more times the last time just before the major hill outside of Delano. I knew that was going to hurt.

I ended up spinning over the crest at 15 mph (hr at 170) and I knew I could make it back from there.

Surpirsingly it was this downhill I toped out at over 30 mph. Also it was the first time in about 6 miles I saw my HR under 130.

It took being back in the AC for 30 minutes before I stopped the profuse sweating. I guess you never know where the edge is until you find yourself standing there.

Bike

• 1h 19m 16s
• 20.15 miles
• 15.25 Mi/hr

Once again the temps were approaching 100 and the dew point was pushing 70. I had a mini revolt with the guys from work - they didn't want to do the 30 I had planned but wanted to do the 11 mile Cedar Lake loop (and go hard).

I told them going hard in this heat even for a short distance was stupid and we compromised on a 20 mile loop.

The only problem was it had two pretty good hills right in the middle.

Byron had been doing pretty good and when we hit the base of McGinty Hill he took off. I wanted to get a Strava PR on it so I pushed but I knew how far it was to the top and paced myself. I blew past Byron halfway up the last roller and did get my PR.

Problem was the next hill was long and steady and only 2 blocks away!

Byron bonked on that one. I struggled but made the top not too far behind Mike and Loren.

Going down hill on Williston reminded me why I love my bike so. With out pedaling I was blowing by Mike and Loren who were :)

As we turned onto Excelsior Byron said he knew his way back not to worry about him. I told him there was no way in hell (and we were close to hell with how hot it was) I would leave him alone in the condition he was in. I was going to stay with him all the way into the shop.

So the3 last few miles were at 11-12 mph which was OK - I got a cool down in for once. :)

Bike #1

• 54m 03s
• 14.94 miles
• 16.58 Mi/hr

I FINALLY DID IT! BIKE COMMUTED IN!

Bike #2

• 57m
• 15.15 miles
• 15.95 Mi/hr

With the temp at near 100, the dew point at 72 and a wind out of the SSW @ 13 I knew this would be a tough ride.

And it was.

Bike

• 1h 32m 15s
• 25.23 miles
• 16.41 Mi/hr

With the temp hovering around 100 and the dew point near 70 I knew this was going to be a tough ride. But then it is hot and windy in CO right now so maybe I should be training for that.

I wanted to do my Buffalo route because I haven't gone that way in a while and I wanted to come back through downtown Delano and see what teh 4th of July carnival was looking like.

The first half of the ride I hovered around 20 mph and crested hills at 15-16. I didn't even feel like I was working. Probably because I had a nice 15 mph tail wind.

Once I made the swing east at Buffalo the work began. I keep reminding myself I am not training for speed but endurance and it is OK to go 15 mph into the wind. A real mind shift for me.

I had a heron fly out of a ditch (they are full right now) and parallel to the road and me for about 1/4 mile. Pretty dang cool.

I also do not like roads that have rumble strip on both sides. I had a wide shoulder but some people feel the need to swing wide. When the start rumbling on the center rumble strips I don't know if they are rumbling on the center or the the shoulder (as they come up behind me). Kind of unnerving.