Rider's Log 1.23.09 - Coal Creek Trail/Community Ditch/Spring Brook Loop

 

Distance 31 miles.  Time: 3:10.  Avs: 10.5   Temperature: 27-32 degrees

Left from the Flatirons Church office lot around 9:30 with Michael Koehn.  We rode out to the Boulder County open space and took a clockwise loop on the new Spring Brook Loop South.  Nice loop of a about 2.5 miles.  Counterclockwise wise might be a better way to go.  Since it's been really warm the last week, most all of the mud was dry except for some shady spots in the BoCo OS up next to the mountains and in the trees.  The return was a bit cold and both Michael and I were a bit chilled by the time we were done.  We were cold toast.

Definitely a sweet ride for January.  It should be a good year.

   

Boulder County Open Space

Looking north at the flatirons

   

                                                                                           Michael

Rider's Log 1.18.09

19 miles  1:40.  11.9 AVS

Big Dry Creek Trail-Cotton Creek Trail-128th Ave-BDCT-home.

60 degrees.

Rider' Log 1.17.09 - first ride of the year

It feels really good to post a January date for Rider's Log.

Rode my "time trial" loop.  Its a 20 mile lollipop that takes me from my house out the Big Dry Creek Trail to I-25, north on Huron to 144th, around McKay Lake, south past Legacy High School and back home on the BDCT.

Temp was 60 today.  I rode with long sleeve base layer and long sleeve jersey, full finger gloves and shorts.  i was comfortable.

Distance: 20 miles  Time: 1:33       (did this same ride 8.28.08 in 1:10)

Rider's Log 11.22.08 Coal Creek, Signal Ditch, Community Ditch

I'm restarting my Rider's Logs!  It's been 6 months since i've done them and i really like looking back to see the rides I've done.  I wish I had done them April-October to document the 200o i rode this season.

Today i rode with Michael from the FCC parking lot in west Lafayette.  Rode the Coal Creek urban trail to Marshall Mesa, across highway 93, Signal Ditch and back.  28 miles  2.5 hours.

This is a fast and fun ride.  Very non-technical.  A lot of people out on the trail.  I'd rate this one high for a fast, fun ride when you just want to ride and push yourself and chew up some miles on the mountain bike.

Rider's Log 4.18.08 - On the Road Again! Milliken

This was my first ride on the road bike since last fall. I easily forget how much faster a skinny tire road bike is than a fat tire mountain bike. It was a blast to be out there again.

65 miles. 3:47 ride time. 17mph average.

Rode with Roger (62) and Bruce (55?) through farmlands east of 1-25 from Erie exit north past Ft. St. Vrain into Milliken. We ate a light lunch at a total small town dinner in Milliken and then rode back along the same route (Rd23). I felt great for the first three hours. The fourth hour was tough because it was by far the most effort I've put into the bike since last fall. My legs were screaming "STOP!" but I didn't. I let the two "old" guys drag my butt back. They are very strong riders and drafting is amazing. I imagine my time would have been 45-60 minutes longer if I would have been out solo.

Check out this bald eagle webcam along the route. http://birdcam.xcelenergy.com/eagle.html There are eaglets in the nest right now and you can see them on cam on on the daily snapshots if the cam isn't working. We saw these birds out in the air when we rode past. Phenomenal.

Rider's Log 4.13 and 4.15

Both days about 17 miles up and down the Big Dry Creek Trail and three lung busting shots straight up the City Park Hill. (last summer i was doing 10).

April goal: 200 miles. So far: 34.

Rider's Log 3.29.08 - too much?

Distance 25.1 miles. Ride time 1:58. Total time 2:00. Avs 12.7 mph. Temp high 60s

BDCT to I-25 then west and north around lake east of McKay Landing. Back to BDCT home. My time to I-25 was sub28 but was wind aided. My legs were empty west bound and i really crawled back. I'm thinking that the interval work has taken a toll on my legs this early in the season w/o enough recovery time and a long ride mileage base. 82 miles in 4 days with a couple of days of intervals/high intensity. Nutrition could make a difference, too. i had two eggs for breakfast at about 9:30 which was nearly two hours before the ride. My tank could have been empty.

A great 4 days of time on the bike. I'm looking forward to some long 3+ hour rides on the trail system and really looking forward to early sunrises and hitting the road on the road bike.

March goal: 120 miles. Total so far: 188. I'll need to sneak in 12 easy miles tomorrow afternoon to hit the 200 mark. 200 miles in March will be the most since 2002 and living in sunny Arizona.

Rider's Log 3.28.08 - BDCT - Standley Lake

Distance 16.2 miles. Ride time 1:23. Total Time 1:25. Avs 11.7. Temp 50 (gear note: @50 degrees i started with under layer and cold weather jersey = too cold. added wind jacket and it was perfect. shorts fine)

West to Standley Lake and road "the hill" 3 times and did not feel good or strong. (it is still March after all) Rode back on BDCT to Front Range Community College and then back home.

There is a big difference between doing flatland intervals and high % grade intervals! Reminder: if you want to get strong on hills/mountains, you've got to ride hills and mountains. I'm still hoping to find a short cut strategy for mountain strength.....

Saw nothing of interest other than the usual scurrying prairie dogs. They crack me up, those little buddies.

March Goal: 120 miles. So far: 163. 200? if i ride 25-30 today and a few tomorrow.

how are you doing on your exercise goals for 2008?

Rider's Log 3.26.08 Intervals

Distance 24.2 miles Ride time 1:48 AVS 13.4 mph

Big Dry Creek Trail to I-25 to Farmer's High Line to Big Dry Creek +

Did the Carmichael 2x2 interval workout: warm up, 5 2x2s, 5 minute recovery, 5 2x2s. rode another 12 miles after.

Rode down the spur off the High Line trail that's parallel to I-25 and over the pedestrian overpass over I-25. It was actually kinda spooky - a 4' narrow path totally fenced in with chain link 30-40 feet over car and truck flying by at 80 mph.

the interval training is amazing. i'm looking forward to discovering the results of this workout when i jump on the road bike and head into the mountains. at some point, i'll need to increase the maximum output intervals to 7 or 8 minutes so i can take on the steep rises in the canyons.

I am so encouraged to be riding in March for the first time in 4 years.

March goal: 120 miles. So far - 120 miles. I'm gonna try and top it my 40 or 50% in the next two days.

Rider's Log 3.22.08 -BDCT-Intervals

Distance 21 miles Ride time 1:34

Average Speed 13.1 Big Dry Creek Trail to I-25 to Wadsworth to home. 2x2 intervals

After warming up, I did 5 sets of 2x2 intervals (2 minutes maximum effort/2 minutes recovery) followed by 5 minutes recovery then another 5 sets of 2x2 intervals. I finished the last interval north of City Park and rode on to Wadsworth and turned around there. My AVS was 14.1 at the end of the intervals; 13.1 by the end of the ride.

These little dawgs are all over the open spaces and run their fat butts like crazy when i come by. sometimes, if they realize it's too late to run, they strike a pose and freeze. i think they do this hoping to go unseen. hawks are often circling overhead looking for a good meal of dawg meat.

96 miles in March. Goal is 120.

Technorati Tags: cycling,rider's log

Rider's Log 3.21.08 - Big Dry Creek Trail and more

Big Dry Creek trail to I-25 to connector to Farmer's Highline Canal to Cottonwood to BDCT to home.

20 miles. WINDY. 18mph east bound. 11 mph westbound.

75 miles this month.

Technorati Tags: rider's log,farmer's highline canal,big dry creek trail,westminster,thornton,northglenn,bicycle

Rider's Log 3.15.08

10 minute warm-up. Big Dry Creek - I-25 and back. 10 minute cool-down. 55 degrees, full finger gloves, tights; comfy.

20 miles 1:33 ride time

my goal is to get 120 miles in March. 55 so far.

Rider's Log 3.08.08 - 1st ride of 2008

Big Dry Creek Trail to I-25. 16 miles in 1:20. tail wind east. 55-59 degrees.

Need to wear full finger gloves at that temp. legs were fine in shorts

i hope i left some winter weight on the trail.

Rider's Log 9.15.07 Standley Lake w/M13

21 miles with M13. We both felt less than strong but still had a nice lake cruise.

Rider's Log 9.17.07 Farmer's Highline 1st time

Left the house a little after 7 this morning with the intention of riding for 4 hours on the mountain bike via the city trails. Headed west on the Farmer's High Line Canal path for the first time. Took this all the way through Northglenn to Thornton where it heads out towards 136 near Horizon HS. There are some really cool neighborhoods that back up to the canal. Turned around at 13.5 miles. Started to rain on the way back - i was totally soaked and a little cold. Air temp was around 55. Stopped to grab a power bar for fuel. It didn't rain too long and my pearl izumi wear did it's job of drying quickly.

I got back to the Highline and Dry Creek junction and decided to take Dry Creek as far as i could. Ended up somewhere around Huron and 136th. Rain came again on the way back. I was still loving it.

I was really speeding along today - keeping it around 15-17 mph on the flats, even doing some pulls at 20+mph. My legs were beat and my energy was running low by the time i was near 120th Ave. so i headed home rather than cruising out to Standley Lake for The Hill.

Total mileage: 41. Average speed 13. 3+ hours of ride time.

Rider's Log 9.9.07 M13 Standley Lake

"Hey M13."
"Yeah?"
"We own this lake now. It's our lake."
M13 smiled big. I know he did. even though he was riding in front of me, I know he did.

55 degrees. Sky was spitting. One lonely sail boat on the lake.
3 times down the "big hill." Top speed descent - 33.3 mph. Bike FLOATs at that speed.
nursed a flat back to the house so last 4 miles was full speed.

Distance 18 miles.

tear of joy and satisfaction.

Rider's Log 9.7.07 Wondervu 1st time!

Made it! Didn't even feel like i would. Legs were strong at the start, felt faster until after rest at 93 and 86th. approach to longview was more difficult than it's been. muscle burn/pain. kept going. was sure i was going to turn around. just kept going-pushed through it. pain left somewhere after rest at cattle drive rd. rested again at fire station. rested at power place. road past german restaurant. rested. hardest part of climb was fire station to post german. upright climbing didn't work so i spent most of the time with hands on the brake hoods mashing out the hills.
really nice stretch up toward the top - forested, cool. incline not steep.
wondervu was very quiet. took pictures at the top. was cold on the descent. a strong wind for the east slowed the descent (probably helped the climb a bit.)
rested at five parks. took an extra loop up westminster blvd to 112th to sheridan.
gatorade in water. 2.5 triple threat powerbars.
started at 8:15. wondervu at 11:00. home at 12:30. distance 55+

Rider's Log 9.5.07 Intervals

Trying to get the leg strength to climb the last mile to Wondervu so i did high gear intervals on the City Park hill. Warm up ride out to 120th on the Big Cry Creek Trail then back to City Park. 9 intervals up the hill in highest gear; last two up the hill in lower gears.
Total distance - 13 miles.

Rider's Log 9.3.07 Standley Lake again

M13 and I went out again rode around the south side and the north side of the lake. Another great ride and so much fun exploring. M13 is like the energizer bunny - he keeps going and going and going. I love my kids!
Total distance - 23 miles

Rider's Log 9.1.07 Standley Lake

On a whim, I asked M13 if he wanted to ride with me on Saturday morning last week. He was so down with that! After watering up and getting the tires nice and plump, we headed west along the Big Dry Creek trail towards Standley Lake. It was great fun. We went around the south side of the lake on the single track all the way to the west side bald eagle habitat boundary. I was riding under my normal speed and kept expecting M13 to wear out and want to turn back. Quite the opposite was true. I'd look over my shoulder to see if he was keeping up and there he was, right on my wheel. It was great! His brake pads are totally worn down from the neighborhood riding he does and they give him very little stopping power but it was cool because he just bombed down the hills that i was squeezing that brakes for! youth....
On the way back around the damn, we found a fun hill to mash our way up and fly down. On our way back home i told M13 that i would suffer on that little hill again just to be able to fly down. M13 was all over that so we rode back up the hill and flew down again.
Total distance - 18 miles. A great ride with a great boy!