Peepers
Saturday's bike ride wasn't as much as it should have been, but it was the longest of the year so far: 33 miles. (This year's total: 388 miles)
It was a warm day, with temperatures up around 60. I heard spring peepers for the first time. It was only in one place -- a kettle-hole a couple of miles from home. It will be interesting to see what they get to doing before the weather starts to cool down again late Monday. They can be deafening -- painful to the ears even -- when large numbers get to peeping all together. But I'm glad to hear them again.
I am getting somewhat concerned about being ready for a 1000 mile ride from Lafayette to east-central Alabama (following Tecumseh's old route). There isn't much time yet. I'd rather not have to pound out 100 miles rides, but I'd like to be able to if I need to. I didn't do any rides like that at all last year, and don't think I could do it right now and still be ready to a long ride the next day. I'm not even sure about doing consecutive 60-mile rides right now. Tailwinds would help.
I wish I could figure out how to keep from throwing the chain when shifting to my small chainring. I swapped my original for lower gears a couple of years ago. I've always told people I'm saving my knees for old age, and decided I was at the age where lower gears were necessary for riding in Wisconsin's driftless region. The problem is, as often as not, I throw the chain when making the big shift down to the small ring. If I am very careful I can usually avoid it, but when I find I need it on the uphill, that's no time for finesse. And if there is traffic, I don't want to take the chance of throwing the chain and then having to quick unclip myself before falling off my bike. So in too many situations, I just gut it out in the middle chainring. I can usually do that, but it's not the way to save my knees for old age -- or even for the next day.
It was a warm day, with temperatures up around 60. I heard spring peepers for the first time. It was only in one place -- a kettle-hole a couple of miles from home. It will be interesting to see what they get to doing before the weather starts to cool down again late Monday. They can be deafening -- painful to the ears even -- when large numbers get to peeping all together. But I'm glad to hear them again.
I am getting somewhat concerned about being ready for a 1000 mile ride from Lafayette to east-central Alabama (following Tecumseh's old route). There isn't much time yet. I'd rather not have to pound out 100 miles rides, but I'd like to be able to if I need to. I didn't do any rides like that at all last year, and don't think I could do it right now and still be ready to a long ride the next day. I'm not even sure about doing consecutive 60-mile rides right now. Tailwinds would help.
I wish I could figure out how to keep from throwing the chain when shifting to my small chainring. I swapped my original for lower gears a couple of years ago. I've always told people I'm saving my knees for old age, and decided I was at the age where lower gears were necessary for riding in Wisconsin's driftless region. The problem is, as often as not, I throw the chain when making the big shift down to the small ring. If I am very careful I can usually avoid it, but when I find I need it on the uphill, that's no time for finesse. And if there is traffic, I don't want to take the chance of throwing the chain and then having to quick unclip myself before falling off my bike. So in too many situations, I just gut it out in the middle chainring. I can usually do that, but it's not the way to save my knees for old age -- or even for the next day.