Riding 38 hilly Seattle miles on a Fixed Gear...
I rode 38 miles with a group last night. I picked up the only other guy that rides with this group, from the Eastside, and we parked in Seattle. We met up with Jill and rode to Westlake Center where the rides always start. We then went from there to SeaTac to the Holiday Inn. We grabbed a beer or two and then rode back to Seattle. We rode 38 miles. Milly's 2nd longest bike ride ever which was short only by 2 miles from the longest. I was sore. My knees ached, my shoulders, my legs, etc. but it was a blast - even as it rained on us. :)
I had a bunch of fun!!! :)
It was a blast.... I can't make all of their rides but hope to continue making more. Riding my fixed gear bike (Milly) is definitely making me a stronger bike ride. I'm going to be kicking butt on that track next year!
Here's a map of the route we took.
http://tinyurl.com/ccp4s
Riding the Lemond like there's no gearing...
Sunday I went for one of Gary's rides. It left Marymoor and went over through Redmond, down to Carnation and then up the Issaquah plateau, through Sammamish and then back to Marymoor. We climbed Novelty Hill, Union Hill, Ames Lake Road then dropped into Carnation. At first I wanted to ride Novelty Hill as if I was on Milly. I slammed the gears into the proper 'simulating gears' and started out. It kept getting harder and harder and I didn't see the hill coming to an end. I decided I had enough and I would go to granny. So I made it up about a 1/3 of the way to the first light then I slammed it back up and did about another 1/4 of it to the light. So I did about 1/2 of it. I didn't do much more of that... I was tired.... I stayed in granny or close to it to the most part until we were done.
There were areas I jammed going 20+ and 34+ on flats, slight declines and such. It felt good... I felt strong, invigorated and had fun!!! :) I didn't feel cold as I was trying the new warming cream - greyhound juice - and was loving it. As we were heading towards Carnation, I decided I would tackle the hill out of the "Nestle valley". I was even excited that the hill coming away from Nestle and going into
Carnation - I did in my big ring in the front and 2nd to 3rd from the biggest in the back and still going 11 mph. That is the best I have ever done that. I remember a few years ago I could barely do that hill in granny. :) I am DEFINITELY getting stronger. Then we left the Starbuck's/QFC in Carnation and went up the Issaquah-Fall City Road to climb up the plateau. That was exhilirating. It was a bit tiring and I felt really hot as all of a sudden with the 'spitting' we got it felt 'humid'. UGH! But I kept pushing harder and harder as hard as I could to get me up. My heart rate was 180-185. I backed off a bit and then would push a bit harder again and kept repeating until I got up the dang thing. We then were in Sammamish and it was a bit more flat and then a decent descent down to the water. It was great. When I got back to the park I had 46.23 miles with a 15.2 average! AWESOME speed for me on such a 'hilly' route. :) WOOHOOO!!! It just keeps getting better... it's like a drug. oh yeah!!! :)
So perhaps riding the Lemond like there was no gearing helped a bit but it was tough. Thank goodness for SOME gearing on rides like that. However, I would love to do some tough ride like that on a fixed gear. Hell yeah! Wouldn't that be sweet to do in a year?! To just take it the way it is and work my way up all those hills? SWEET!
Oh... then in Fall City area we were talking about my bike.... Milly. Louise stated she names her bikes 'male' bikes. I told the people around hey now... that means NOTHING about my sexuality. Otherwise, I could... then I realized... heck ya.... I could start calling my Titanium Vin Diesel. HELL YEAH!!!! ;) Sleek, strong, bold, attractive... hmmmmm Vin Diesel between my legs... what more could a woman ask for?! LOL!!! :)
We also all went to dinner at the Pizza Time restaurant. It was a fun time! :) I really enjoy hanging out on a social level with the riders. :) What a way to end the weekend.
Once a bridesmaid.....
Saturday I ventured down to Southcenter to meet my girlfriend, Vanessa, her mother and two of her girlfriends. We will be in her wedding. Stacy will be the maid of honor and Michelle and I will be bridesmaids. We met at 10:30 and got out of there around 1. We tried on dresses, pointed, laughed, smiled, complimented, agreed, disagreed and whatever else women can do. We had fun trying on the dresses and seeing what looks best on each of us. We tried on shoes and Michelle and I agreed on the same shoe even though Vanessa wasn't particular about what we wore. I bought a small hand purse to carry items in and then we ordered/purchased our dresses. We got to see Vanessa in the dress she chose. WOW! She looks incredible. She is going to be a beautiful bride for sure! :) It will be wonderful to see her so beautiful and so happy on her glorious day.
Vanessa, Stacy, her mother and I went to Newport Bay to have lunch. It was fun visiting and having lunch. We then went over to Bed, Bath and Beyond and helped Vanessa register those items she was most interested in. It was a long day already - 7 hours - so she will undoubtedly have to update more at a later date.
It was a blast though hanging with her, planning things and having fun with the other girls! :) I can't wait to hang out with them more and for the big day to approach.
Point 83 Bike Ride...
After posting Milly on the FixedGearGallery.com website #2451:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/oct/MollyJohnson_2.htm
I got an invite last week to join this mostly fixie but also geared bike ride. It leaves from Westlake Center every Thursday. They also have rides on Tuesdays but they don't work well in my schedule. So I decided to do last night's ride.
I bought fenders for Milly last week - racer blades - but they didn't fit. I took them back to Marymoor to meet the mechanic but he didn't have time to figure it out since traffic was so bad and I wanted him to do his cyclocross practice. He took Milly for the night (I was told she was a HUGE flirt!!!) and I went to pick her up yesterday. Interesting enough, he said that she seems to have a longer wheel base or something odd. He had to use extra long fender 'spokes' to get it to clear the wheel.
Milly and I left the Green Lake area. I stupidly forgot the bulb to my awesome Cygonite light. I brought the battery, had it all charged and so forth, and forgot the bulb. I quickly ran to Gregg's Greenlake and bought a light which I wanted to get anyway as a backup for night riding this year. Then we were off to Westlake. After crossing the Freemont Bridge I saw a fixie rider at the light ready to turn onto "Elliott" (?) to go around the lake. I was nervous about meeting all the riders even though I knew 2 of them that would be there. So I got the nerve to ask this guy, noticing he was on a fixie, by any chance are you going to the Westlake ride? He said well yes I am. OH it's YOU!, as he noticed my speedblend tires. I laughed ahhh yeah that would be me and you are? He was Tony. Very nice guy. So off we went to Westlake.
We got to Westlake and there were about 30 riders. We talked, some practied track stands and so forth. Then we decided we were going to ride although we weren't all quite sure where. So we ride through downtown Seattle heading south. We eventually go past Georgetown and past the Boeing Field area. We keep going and loop back and through the Rainier Valley area. Aaron looked like a mother ship with his xtracycle and its green and blue lights that colored the pavement. People rode around him - on the sides and behind - like he was the mother ship guiding all of them. :) We pissed off a bunch of motorists through a construction area that was HORRIBLE pavement and only one lane. We could only go so fast. As soon as we could we turned off and took some other roads. There were some lights where we 'blew through them' as me - Miss law obiding citizen was very leery and unsure of whether I wanted to do all these lawful acts. In Rainier Valley area there was a cop at an intersection and there was a red light. Many of the riders blew through it. I was NOT going to and I let the riders near me know that. The cop yelled at us on his speaker - how many red light running tickets am I going to write tonight? Then he said and no helmet and no headlights? I kept saying quietly, to the group around me, not mine, not mine, not mine. PHEW! So we got going and the cop left us alone. We stopped at Safeway and picked up some beer and chips. People were also making 'sparks' with their cleats... eek...first time I've seen that....crazy ass people. We then worked our way up a slow, gradual hill. One where I had to alternate sitting and standing, standing and sitting, sitting and standing. It was good though. But then all of a sudden we started to descend. STRAIGHT DOWN!!! HOLY CRAP!!!! OH MY GOSH! I saw immediately that we were heading down to the I-90 lid where you can overlook I-90, Mt. Rainier, etc. by the Mt. Baker Tunnel but HOLY CRAP! The steepest hill I have ever gone down on a fixie and I didn't feel I could back pedal well and I was GREATFUL I had a front brake! PHEW!
We rested, talked, ate chips, some ate their 'dinner', had beer, etc. at the I-90 lid. It was awesome. it felt good to be there, be active, to have fun, to be on my fixie, and to enjoy the different people. Then they played "Foot Down". Where cyclists cram themselves into a small cement square and try to do track stands, etc. without going out of the box and see who holds up the longest before putting their foot down. It was pretty fun to see and I hope I can learn how to do all that! It looks cool! We then left - going towards the Mt. Baker Tunnel.
We went through the backside of 1st Hill and Capitol Hill. The bulk of the group was going to some place to go for drinks. Another 4 riders decided to go to the U. District and go home. I asked if they could get me back to my car at Greenlake and they said no problem. So they took me that way. I descended some dang hill that was HORRIBLE!!! I didn't know it so I was holding back but it was quite BUMPY and was giving me a headache. My hand ached holding the brake so much. Again, I felt as if I couldn't back pedal so I need to work on that. Eventually we went up another slow, gradual hill up 15th that I had to sit, stand, sit, stand, etc. but I finally got to my car. It was a blast but I was VERY tired. I could barely stay up to drive home. We rode about 20 miles: http://tinyurl.com/8bn9b
It was fun! I got in touch with my bad/wild side a bit even though I was still trying to be the sweet innocent, law obiding citizen I am but still trying to have fun and let go of some inhibitions. I had a great time and almost felt like a little kid wearing regular clothes for a bike ride. It was funny, I got home and then realized my white 'suede' saddle was now 'blue'. Reminded me of a few times where, as a kid, I would ride to church or school with lighter colored pants and end up with a black bottom from riding and rubbing the saddle. Lovely!!! :( LOL!!! :) Oh what fun it was and I look forward to my next ride - hopefully with my home girl diva Jilly! They seemed like a great group - real nice, real fun and I think Jill will feel at home with many of them...hey maybe even hook up with one. ;)
KOPS reinstatement honors...
What a great group of TOPS members I get to see every week! I am so blessed by what a great supportive group they are! They honored my peer Peggy and I last night for our reinstatement of our KOPS status. What beautiful flowers and cards we received. What kind words and big smiles. It is a blessing to come to the meeting every week and see all those supportiving, smiling and happy faces. To feel the love and joy they bring. To give many a great big hug! I feel like they are all family and they care so much. It is an honor to be in their presence and I am taken back by all their endless generosity.
Thank you TOPS Pals!!! You'll never know how much you mean to me and how much your support can change a life!
Pictures to be posted soon.
Thighs like Tree Trunks...
That is what diva Jill said after Saturday's ride. A fixie gear will make your thighs like tree trunks whereas your body is doing the 'shifting' and your body is just obeying with the strength of a tree trunk to get you up hills. I have a feeling I'll be walking with tree trunk legs soon after Saturday's ride.
My girl, Milly, and I rode around Lake Sammamish from Marymoor Park this Saturday with a group of wonderful people. Erik, Tamara, Jill, Allison and a guy named Scottie adventured around Lake Sammamish. Tamara, Jill and I had fixies while the others all had geared bikes. We had a lot of fun! :) It was a blast. Tamara gave me some tips on how to better pedal, smoothly and efficiently, on my fixie both up and down hills. It took us about an hour and half to go around the lake. Tamara suggested doing a bit more mileage so we went up the Sammamish River Trail to Woodinville's rest stop and then turned around. My legs started screaming at me. We ran into Hyun on the trail and he turned around stating he would recognize those tires anywhere. The same tires that Jill exclaimed that she needs to drop acid to ride behind me with all of Milly's color! LOL! Hyun and I talked for a mile or so and then he went off to do his own ride. By the time we got back to the parking lot I was feeling the Byrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrne. (play on words based on our race team: Byrne Speciality Gases) LOL!!! Yes....my legs were screaming and I had to keep moving them around for a bit. I haven't felt that much pain in a long time.
We all talked a bit and then departed. Allison and I went to Celtic Bayou for lunch and ran into the infamous John who was having lunch at a place next door. That was funny! I was able to walk on Saturday like I had a corn cob up my butt but by Sunday's cyclocross spectator adventure I could walk 'normally'. PHEW! :)
Yep... Milly's going to kick my butt and take me for a ride of great endurance, strength and courage.... there's no turning back now.... my life has dramatically changed.... just need to sit back and ride like I'm going downhill on a fixie and try to relax and enjoy where it takes me and how fast!
Weekend adventures is just too much adventure...
Friday: I went to a friend’s house and we went out to eat. Somehow the Cucina! Cucina! Staff in Redmond decided that Mike and I needed to have a free meal because we waited too long to get assistance. I didn’t think we waited too long before we were served but they did so they gave us a free meal with the stipulation that we come back and bring our friends. HECK YA!!!
Saturday: I was going to ride but the book I was finishing sounded more intriguing as it was raining outside. I finished the book and then the Sun came beaming into my windows. Milly was screaming but I had to soothe her with the thought that I was about to go to Star Crossed and she will get to ride 20+ miles next week around Lake Sammamish. She needs to save her energy! :) So she decided to rest and will eat pasta to gear up this week.
I went to Star Crossed! Dang that was getting so wild with the rain, thunder, lightening, etc. right before I had to leave. I ran into Dane, Jane, Carol, Pat, John, Dawn and many others. It was a lot of fun and I wish I could have seen the podium girls in action! They were HOT! WHOA! IF I was a man I would probably be all over that…. If there were podium men!!! *DROOLS* I was in hormone city. The guys that were assisting at the ride and allowing, when safe, for us to cross the taped sections were hot in their “I drink Naked” t-shirts. (Pictures to follow later) DANG! And the riders were hot too!!! Man…. Boy were they hot… yep I was in hormone city….. couldn’t help it. I had to keep wiping the drool off.
I then went to the Bicycle Alliance auction. That was really good. We had a great turnout and I believe it was the biggest raised funds ever! WOW! Awesome!!! It was great seeing all the familiar faces that I recognized from different bike clubs, events, track and so on.
I then went to my mom’s and spent the night. I woke up early in the morning to do a ride with the Tacoma Wheelmen Bike Club. We rode from Tacoma to Steilacoom for the Apple Squeeze festival. We had a great time and then stopped there to warm-up while having some apple pie and hot apple cider. I also had a roasted corn on the cob! YUMMY! Great memories of the corn festivals in Wisconsin! :) On the way back, I decided to get into my first argument with some RR tracks. So I slid against them and fell down. I hit pretty hard but not too bad. My left side is SORE as my knee and elbow are cut up, calf feels 'scraped up', shoulder (which already has popping issues with the muscles overlapping while riding, etc) is popping more than
ever. *sigh* Probably need to get a massage soon. My thigh hurts. Of course, this is the side I was sleeping on to give my right hip (with bursitis) a rest. *Sigh* So that is how it goes. My first instinct was get out of the road! There was a truck behind me. He pulled over to assist me. He asked if I was ok. I couldn't put weight on my leg at first. It hurt so bad. *sigh* I said "yeah, I think I am ok but I am worried about the bike." He just looked at me. I said, "Bikers always worry about the bike first." Then I was worried about: "Did I tear up my clothes?"; "Did I ruin Jane's Byrne team jersey?", "Did I rip my jacket?" nope... all was saved! PHEW! He asked if I wanted him to call someone. I said no, that is ok and I have people in front and behind me. My friends pulled up and thought the truck hit me. THANK GOODNESS - NO! They checked my bike over, wheels still looked true, no spoke damage, fender damage, derailleur, etc. so all is good. Just the pain of going up Chambers Creek hill was my only issue. My arm started aching more later as we approached the vehicles.
Other than my STP 'ooops' (a couple years ago) which wasn't even going at like any speed really - this is my first crash. *sigh* It was bound to happen and I am just greatful it wasn't serious! I just need to take it easy. We will see what happens. Until the next adventure…which will NOT be cyclocross….but hey bicycle riding is dangerous no matter what! So whatever…. ;) I just want to be safe for the rest of the season so I can be up and on track next season. LOL!!! :)
Afterwards I then went to Gig Harbor for our RAPSody wrap-up committee meeting. We had an awesome potluck of pizza, salads, and awesome desserts!!! TOO MANY desserts!!! I think I gained 10 lbs just looking at all of it! Afterwards I then drove back to my mom's, in Tacoma, to visit a bit before heading home for a HOT, well deserved, soaking bath. :) It was a great weekend!
