Saturday, March 28, 2009

RP2IPBP - wet solo start and sunny dry return counting 4 riders

Saturday morning by 7:45am Py had to decide on his ride. It all looked grey outside, some drops, not even sure if they came out of the sky or just still from the trees that time, but all was wet for sure. Temperature was fine, some 8C. On radar some scattered rain local rain blobs, but moving out and away. OK, ride is A GO -- at least the start and then may be changes if needed... that's the plan.

Wet roads, but fairly "clean", just sandy as there was a bit wash down 1 1/2 day ago. However, just took the old rig today as it was still a bit dirty from last day's commute to the Camp.

At Tildas about ten to nine...

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-- no one showed up by 9:02 -- however once on the bike, it looked quit OK by the time, Py decided to go 'en route and see what's coming up, may be just a spin out to the beach?

But to his surprise shortly after he hit North Country Road Kris joined and little later also Ed :-) Some work going East, as there was some East wind, but not to bad, just a little. Hitting the last section to IPBP...
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Snack stop at IBPB.

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The return was fast, as mostly going West. And to his addittional surprise Karl joined the group, he noticed that some where on Mill...

Finally a good nice day -- ride stats:

Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones

A twelve more WP Pts adding up to 588, the WinterPokal will be over very soon, hoping for clear sky for Sunday and to finish up with over 600???? Will see.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

EBs North -- #3 -- flying with Jeff

This Sunday again. Early Birds Northroute today.

The alarm clock went off at 5:30am, about time to get up slowly for the routine procedure. Still pitch dark outside, not to mention slightly freezing and some wind. Does not help, too cold to get to the start without the full long pants and an extra warm layer, also the cosy Snowboard helmet came in handy once more. This all together he rolled off with the first rays of sun just there, still feeling cold, but OK with the current outfit. At the tracks shortly before Manorville Marcus passed by in his car. Arriving at the meeting location about 45mins later a few were already there unloading there bikes from trucks and cars. A quite well sized group gathered, not sure how many, but more than 22 was his guess. A good number of EECT riders and many more known faces.

Little past 8am they left the parking lot as Karl arrived little late but just in time to hang on, Py did not saw him for a while, would be good to talk at the Deli later -- but that should not happen today...

Py was comfortably floating in the middle of the pack, so far easy going. Just after the turn on River Rd he got to second position after a little short lasting gap got closed. Jeff was pulling, Py, Marco, Trevor and a few more riders Py do not know as he took no attention to things behind so much and some speed developed. Little past Conneticut on River Road passing the tracks some one must have dropped a bottle or such, as it came to Py's attention at the end of the ride -- but it looked at least the front part of the pack did not cared -- who cares about a dropped bottle, so they kept moving.

Moving fast, no postion changes for long, Py 2nd all the way out east, Jeff pulling -- not sure where exactly, possibly on Edwards/Youngs going into cross winds -- Py knows these part too well and to deal with it -- the pack must got split up and dropped off one by one.... as lastest on Reeves Py  notices there were just 5 and soon only 4 riders left, still same order, Jeff, Py, Trevor, Marco. With moderat still good speed and big care they flew over the "Tanks" -- the road got a bit messy here at parts including almost an river crossing w/o bridge...

Some of the pack cut short the "Tanks" and were already at the parking lot on 25, as the four man group passed by -- no intentions to stop, well, hanging on. Py was already little concerned, may they do it all in one shot non-stopp, no Deli stop?

And that indeed was what happened, just taking the left turn in Cutchogue and all the way back into the wind. Position changes not a few times, Py took 3rd spot behind Trevor and Jeff still in front, Marco behind. A few short pulling turns for all of them, but just briefly and Jeff took over again.

On Rte 51 they caught up to one more rider and he was hanging on to the finish.

Py is not exactly sure, but thinks this was the fastest time he ever did that loop.

In numbers - you can figure out the avgerage speed yourself via distance[mi]/time[min]*60[min/h] :-)

Lap
(#)
Time
(m:s)
Distance
(mi )
Max Spd
(mph)
HR
(bpm)
Energy
(Cal)
AvgMax
141:0011.5926.5136158556
23:140.3618.79713415
3 (Manorville to Cutchogue)76:2030.1734.61571761,744
4 (Cutchogue to Manorville)70:2324.5230.81551711,481
50:250.0920.11491557
60:450.089.91231461
746:5012.5429.9132159715

... or just look at this distribution.

Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones

... nap time now.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

RP2IPBP - chilly, nice, N ... E winds

As usual, Saturday's RP2IPBP ride. 3+1 riders east, 3 for the return as one already came from all the way out to the start and finished there.

The morning was still quite chilly at 9am, just about +2C, but sunny. A more or less steady East and at times North wind. So the way out was some work and the stretch back up North on the return was some pain into the wind again. More or less the usual situation.

Nothing in particular, good paced ride, good workout, great day.

Stats:

Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones

Friday, March 20, 2009

Red Zeppelin

Some riding every day since last Friday for a week,

Monday - RRL to Kreb Cycle,
Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones
Tue-RRL,
Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones
We-RRL, a broken spoke,
Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones

Thu, a little rainy day and a missed ride at Fri noon -- well, recovery is as important as the workouts itself -- keep that in your mind :-)

Nine meets the new eleven...
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And one more step further, Py's newest new utensil -- OK folks, Py agrees, it looks better without the pump -- but do not think this save any significant weight: 220 grams and infinite reserves vs. 180 grams with just two times 16g's. Any one confused now?

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Sunday, March 15, 2009

EBs South -- #2

First Early Birds South Route ride of the year :-) Py got up early and was positive surprised by the fact that the predicted -2C for the morning were wrong and it was +4C instead at 6am with an expected max of about 8C for the day, full overcast and more or less no wind, but little chilly feeling humidity in the air. Not to bad, as it was all dry -- there was also a slight chance on sleet/snow, but not any longer -- very good.

Proceeding with his regular weekend breakfast in all patience -- still pitch dark outside.

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Just little after onset of dusk Py left the cosy home at 7:01am for an easy warm up spin to the parking and meeting place at the KK Manorville. A quick stop for a tree en route.... one more rider showed up on his way to the start and many more should gather within the next minutes and surprisingly a few of the EECT racers came out for a longer training ride instead of going to NYC this morning including the 2x winner of last Sunday's races at Central Park.

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At 8am they rolled out South with very gradually increasing and steady pace. This was very nice steady moving all the way out and just as good, even if a bit faster averaging about 39km/h on Dune Rd. But before getting there a quick flat fix stop...

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A full-size photo is available to those with permission.

The group kept moving very steady and J took a long pull. A few split off shortly before the 7-11 coffee stop. Py took a few longer pulls from there. Nice ride today. And then finished up his day ride with his way back via NC. 16 WPts. 124km.

Ride stats:

Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones


Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Early Birds North - #1 Season kick off ride

Sunday is again EBs day, it would have been last Sunday, the first Sunday of March, but this did not happened as Ice and Snow was on the roads, and thus today was the first EBs ride of the season.

While some of the EECT riders went at very early hours to the Spring Race Series at Central Park starting crazy early at 6am with the sun still far below the horizon -- it just switched to day light saving time this Sunday --  Py finished his breakfast and got ready to ride to the Early Birds start at Manorville at 8am, with just dawn coming up and enough light to see -- sun rise was 7:15am today, he rolled out at 7am leaving 15 minutes room to the start. He arrived to the meeting location at 7:45 and just the first riders were showing up, a small goup assembled, more or less the EBs core of the not racing riders.

They started out on the North route



a nice good pace developed and Py did a good part of the work today. The usual thing, out to the Tanks, quick waitup at the usual parking lot, scenic ride at the rural and agriculture and wine yards close to the North Shore and the Deli stop in Cutchogue. Time to warm up with a cup of coffee -- very good place and you still get a coffee for one dollar :-)

Still a very little chilly as the sun did not realy made it out - compared to yesterdays stellar weather. Proceeding the way back home, more work, some head wind. Going South West on Grathwohl Rd, a lot of shattered sharp shell fragments on the road, Py learned that Seagulls throw them there to crack em open.... scary for tires, but all went fine. Further following the scenic road close to Peconic Bay all the way to Riverhead. Taking the path at Peconic inlet -- where are the cobbles gone -- Py was wondering???? Just gone, so he could not test the bike on some cobbles... to bad. From there a long pull back all the way on 51 until 111.

Nice start into the season.

Stats -- total of 129km or 80mi:

Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones

This increases Py's WP balance by 17 points.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

RP2IPBP - a warm nice sunny morning & a hole lot of road grime

The same old route out to IPBP. Around 8:47am Py meet Craig at/behind Tildas and with the big clock chime at exact 9am they rolled off. 3/4 pants and just a thin base layer was more than enough today, as the sun was out and temperatures ware record high since long and not see for several month! With that weather all the left over snow left and right of the roads looked strange and rivers of snow melt together with road grime were the very only issue no one really noticed as it was so nice warm. Ed some how did not showed up en route yet. Just a little mostly north head wind, no big deal today.

Just arrived and sit down at IPBP...

Click to view full size image

Ed showed up also, seams he looked for us en route earlier in RP and missed us... but good he joined now. 55mi route, good pace and with Py's to and from the start he earned 12 point today :-)

Stats:
Time and Distance cumulated at various speed zones


A intense bike, jersey... and rider cleaning session followed as the road grime made it way all over :-(

Thursday, March 5, 2009

little Blizzard

Just for the records. Last weeks temperatures were around -10C and below plus wind and a little Blizzard like snow storm on Monday the 2nd of March.

a few impressions...

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Sunday, March 1, 2009

No Early Birds kick off ride...

At least not for Py. As this morning the ice age returned with wind and sleet and snow.

A full-size photo is available to those with permission.

Not much to do about, a good day to finally put new tires on his bike, front and rear.

Rear tire, km since last replacement on May 6th 2008, zero flats!!!

30444 km - 22886 km = 7558 km on rear tire.

And now the front tire calculation.... one fat on last ride -- since Sept 1st 2007 -- not kidding:

(30444-17195+42+85+101+46+65+88) km = 13676 km