thoughts on the season's winding down

The recreational (I'll repeat that for the transportational cyclists among us)
*recreational* cycling season is slipping away rapidly hereabouts. Time to take
stock:
Negatives-
I didn't do even one official century this year.
I missed all but one of the major rides in the area, major being over 10,000
riders.
I didn't ride as much as I would have liked and so never really hit my peak.
Positives-
I rode almost every chance I got.
The charity ride I help organize every year was virtually glitchfree.
I didn't fall even once- no road rash, no ripped jersey.
I got that Record carbon crankset I'd been lusting after.
My inseam still exceeds my waist.
Next season is closer today than it was yesterday.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

The recreational (I'll repeat that for the transportational cyclists among
us)
*recreational* cycling season is slipping away rapidly hereabouts. Time to
take
stock:
Negatives-
I didn't do even one official century this year.

But you did get in some "unofficial" long rides? I'd say that counts at
least as much.

I missed all but one of the major rides in the area, major being over
10,000
riders.

10,000 riders is quite a threshold. Yikes, biggest ride I ever did was
"only" with 7,500, and that seemed like way too many.

I didn't ride as much as I would have liked and so never really hit my
peak.
Positives-
I rode almost every chance I got.
The charity ride I help organize every year was virtually glitchfree.
I didn't fall even once- no road rash, no ripped jersey.
I got that Record carbon crankset I'd been lusting after.
My inseam still exceeds my waist.
Next season is closer today than it was yesterday.

Doesn't sound like such a bad year!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Hunrobe wrote:
:: The recreational (I'll repeat that for the transportational cyclists
:: among us) *recreational* cycling season is slipping away rapidly
:: hereabouts. Time to take stock:
:: Negatives-
:: I didn't do even one official century this year.

Still time...at here

:: I missed all but one of the major rides in the area, major being
:: over 10,000 riders.

Damn.....10,000 riders? Why do such a ride? Where does one find such?

:: I didn't ride as much as I would have liked and so never really hit
:: my peak.

yeah...work gets in the way

Positives-
:: I rode almost every chance I got.
:: The charity ride I help organize every year was virtually glitchfree.

Thank you very much! You and those like you make it better for me and those
like me

:: I didn't fall even once- no road rash, no ripped jersey.

****. I had my fourth fall this season yesterday. Unexpected.

:: I got that Record carbon crankset I'd been lusting after.
:: My inseam still exceeds my waist.
:: Next season is closer today than it was yesterday.

What goals do you have for next season?

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Hunrobe wrote:
:: I missed all but one of the major rides in the area, major being
:: over 10,000 riders.

Damn.....10,000 riders? Why do such a ride? Where does one find such?

Just set up a charity ride between the 4th and 16th largest cities...
http://www.ms150.org/ms150/ And its fun too!

-Scott

Scott Ehardt wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" wrote in message
:: ...
::: Hunrobe wrote:
::::: I missed all but one of the major rides in the area, major being
::::: over 10,000 riders.
:::
::: Damn.....10,000 riders? Why do such a ride? Where does one find
::: such?
::
:: Just set up a charity ride between the 4th and 16th largest cities...
:: http://www.ms150.org/ms150/ And its fun too!
::

Oh....I've heard of these....I just didn't realize they drew in 10,000+
riders! Cool. I'll plan on doing one in the future.

"Hunrobe" wrote in message
...

Now if only we could import a
few mountains.... g

I was born and raised (carless) in Chicago, but my visit in mid-September
was my first return in more than 30 years. It was an absolute delight to
revisit my childhood and teenage haunts from the same perspective (a bike) I
had on them originally. I rode all over the North and Near North Sides,
Ravenswood, Old Town, the Loop (including Millenium Park and the new bike
facility there) and the lakefront, and came away convinced that Chicago is
simply a great city for cyclists.

It isn't just the infrastructure, advanced though it is; it's the drivers. I
never felt as threatened in two weeks riding the streets of Chicago as I do
on any one given day in Philadelphia. Chicago drivers expect and respect
cyclists -- and follow at least the spirit of basic traffic laws like speed
limits and red lights -- to a degree that's astonishing to a Philadelphian.

As for your damn mountains, you can have mine. g I took a ride from Skokie
to Woodstock, out the "Grand Illinois Trail," that was so flat I felt like I
could have ridden forever. I don't know whether I hate climbing because I'm
so bad at it, or the reverse -- or if living the first 18 years of my life
in Chicago ruined me for climbing forever -- but now the idea of living
where it's flat seems like a minor version of heaven. And don't tell me
about wind -- while I was cruising around those cycling superhighways they
call "bike trails" in Chicago, back here in Philly they were having 50-mph
hurricane leftovers.

RichC

(Hunrobe) wrote in message ...
The recreational (I'll repeat that for the transportational cyclists among us)
*recreational* cycling season is slipping away rapidly hereabouts.

I fail to see why the *recreational* season needs to end. I have not
been much of a *transportation* cyclist for the past couple of years
( 1 mile on the commute, easier to walk) but still do year-round
recreational rides.

Time to take
stock:
Negatives-
I didn't do even one official century this year.
I missed all but one of the major rides in the area, major being over 10,000
riders.

10,000 riders is monstrous; I avoid the Solvang Century each year
because its 6000 or so riders it way too many IMO. I prefer the
smaller events, 100-1500 or so riders, so I see missing massive events
as a positive ... just an alternative view.

I didn't ride as much as I would have liked and so never really hit my peak.
Positives-
I rode almost every chance I got.
The charity ride I help organize every year was virtually glitchfree.
I didn't fall even once- no road rash, no ripped jersey.
I got that Record carbon crankset I'd been lusting after.
My inseam still exceeds my waist.

Much easier if you have long legs. Those of us with short legs have
more of an issue with this :-)

Next season is closer today than it was yesterday.

Only difference for me is the amount of wet. Time to get the fenders
back on all the bikes.

- rick

"Rick Warner" wrote in message
om...
(Hunrobe) wrote in message
...
My inseam still exceeds my waist.

Much easier if you have long legs. Those of us with short legs have
more of an issue with this :-)

Yeah, really. Thinking about it, it's likely my waist has *always* been
larger than my inseam, and that I would have to be dead for it to be
otherwise.

RichC

http://www.hillyhundred.org is this month near Bloomington IN. 5,000 +
riders, 50 miles Sat, 50 miles Sun. They also do NITE (Navigate
Indianapolis This Evening) ride a Saturday in late July at the velodrome
that has 3,000.

Hunrobe wrote:

"Roger Zoul"

wrote in part:

Damn.....10,000 riders? Why do such a ride? Where does one find such?

---snip---

There are at least two rides in Chicago that always exceed 10,000 riders- Bike
The Drive and the L.A.T.E. Ride. For the "Bike The Drive" ride the city closes
the northbound lanes of Lakeshore Drive from 59th Street to Howard Avenue, a
roughly 25 mile roundtrip that begins and ends at Buckingham Fountain. Last
year, there were four waves of riders totaling just under 15,000 even though
the organizers claimed ahead of time that they would be limiting the number to
12,500. The L.A.T.E. ride doesn't draw quite as many riders because it *starts*
at midnight and goes to dawn. That ride takes you through the Loop and
neighborhoods. I always get a kick out of the occasional poster here that
complains about dense traffic. They should try riding up Rush Street when the
bars are closing. g
Anyone visiting Chicago in the summer should consider these two and/or the
Boulevard Lakefront Tour. A google search will point you to registration
websites. Chicago also hosts a World Cup cyclocross event, the US Pro Crits are
held every year in suburban Downers Grove, and there are a lot of local club
rides so all in all it's a good cycling locale. Now if only we could import a
few mountains.... g

What goals do you have for next season?

I intentionally don't set any goals for myself beyond, "Ride more. Go faster.
Don't fall if you are wearing a new or favorite jersey." Riding is too much fun
to spoil it with goals. :-)

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Just getting to training season for
http://www.alaskaultrasport.com

Rick Warner wrote:

(Hunrobe) wrote in message ...
The recreational (I'll repeat that for the transportational cyclists among us)
*recreational* cycling season is slipping away rapidly hereabouts.

I fail to see why the *recreational* season needs to end. I have not
been much of a *transportation* cyclist for the past couple of years
( 1 mile on the commute, easier to walk) but still do year-round
recreational rides.
snip