Bike Ride - Full North Fork

Distance: 65.6 mi, 4:25
Speed: Avg 14.8, Max 27.0
Cadence: Avg 57, Max nmf
KCal: ~3,700*

Haven't gotten tired of this area yet! As the map shows, we started in Riverhead and rode to Orient Beach State Park. There was a strong headwind the entire way out, and we were hoping it would hold long enough to give us a good tailwind for the return trip. The wind held, and we had a great ride. A little chilly at first, but great riding past all the vinyards and sod farms. Each time we've been in this area the weather has gotten better.

* HRM still out of service, estimated KCal.

-Bike

Bike Ride - North Fork Redux

Distance: 56.6 mi, 4:04
Speed: Avg 13.8, Max 24.0
Cadence: Avg 53, Max nmf
HR: Avg 149, Max 183
KCal: ~3,300*

Similar to my previous ride, Mark and I drove out to his friends house near Greenport. Starting there, we rode to the point and the park, but this time we swung left after passing our starting point and rode through town instead of staying on the truck route. We headed west on that road until we turned right on Peconic Lane, riding it until we hit the truck route again. On the way back we took a little detour to see the Horton Point Lighthouse. Instead of turning in to head back to the car, we continued on to Orient Point and rode the park again before finally returning to the car.

A gas station on the way to the point had the coldest Gatorade either one of us had ever tried to drink. I had a clipless pedal mishap at the station and skinned my knee (not to mention bruised my ego).

Great ride, and great weather.

* My HRM started acting strangely after about 3 hours, so the calorie reading is grossed up from the clean readings. The Avg and Max heartrates are pretty close.

-Bike

Bike Ride - North Fork/Orient Point

Distance: 40.7 mi, 2:38
Speed: Avg 15.5, Max 26.7
Cadence: Avg 63, Max 112
HR: Avg 158, Max 179
KCal: 2,446

Mark and I drove out to a friends house located within 8 miles of Orient Point (the easternmost tip of the north fork of Long Island.) Starting there, we rode to the point, checked out the state park there, headed west past our starting point for about 10 miles, then, when we turned around, had a nice cross-tailwind all the way back to the car. We stayed on the rt. 25 truck route the whole time, and its wide shoulders made for very pleasant riding.

The weather turned out to be great (despite a disappointing forecast) and the ride was very nearly flat with just the smallest hint of hills. Great scenery, location, and roads made the 130+ mile drive (each way) well worth it.

I'm pretty surprised that the 40 miles didn't hurt more, especially considering how little I've ridden in the past two years.

The photo is from one of the many vineyards in the area, although I don't believe we passed any during our ride, this shot helps define the day for me.

-Bike

Bike Ride - Rollers

Distance: 8.27 mi, 30 min
Speed: Avg 16.5, Max 24.6
Cadence: Avg 82, Max 120
Gear: 39x15
HR: Avg 161, Max 179
KCal: 481

Another roller ride. I threw 2 x 1 minute "sprints" to 100+ RPM; the first after 10 minutes, and the second after 20 minutes. Some hand pain, extreme ass pain in the last few minutes. I had some trouble keeping my average cadence at 80 without going above a heart rate of 160, and my sprints had my heart rate tagging 180. My heart rate was elevated (poor recovery) after the second sprint, bouncing between 170 and 160 until I stopped riding, and it remained elevated for what I would consider a longer than normal time post ride.

-Bike

Bike Ride - Lloyd's Neck

Distance: 28.5 mi, 2:37
Speed: Avg 10.8, Max 31.6
Cadence: Avg 31, Max nmf

Went with my friend Mark to Caumsett State Park expecting to mainly ride in the park. When it became clear there aren't many paved paths except the main loop, which is only 2.3 miles long, we had to leave the park. We rode around Lloyd's neck a bit, saw the oldest Black Oak in North America (c. 1450) and then hit the park for a few final laps. At the end, Mark put his bike away and ran a loop while I rode/coasted my bike with him.

It was a beautiful day, and I didn't have too many pains until the end of the ride. There were a few hills, and they hurt, but I was able to keep going and feel that I managed to recover pretty quickly. I didn't wear my HRM, so I don't have a KCal estimate, but it probably wasn't that high. My average cadence was probably more like 65-75, but with all the coasting and the short steep hills, the recorded average was lower. Also, I don't know if the average cadence is calculated only while the pedals are spinning or not; as that would also make a big difference.

Average speed was impacted by Mark's run a little bit, but it was only about 12 MPH anyway.

The photo is from the road to the Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge, which looked interesting, but no fun to ride with road bikes.

-Bike

Bike Ride - Rollers

Distance: 6.97 mi, 25 min
Speed: Avg 16.8, Max 21.3
Cadence: Avg 83, Max 104
Gear: 39x15
HR: Avg 157, Max 170
KCal: 395 (based on 191 lbs.)

I rode my planned 5 minutes more than last time, and threw in a short (~1 minute) "sprint" to 100RPM. Nothing else about the ride was much different from the last one, but I had hand pain that made me continually change hand position.

I forgot my HRM did KCal estimates and didn't remember until after I deleted the file from the last ride, but since it thinks I only weigh 191, the estimates are off anyway. I weighed myself after the ride and saw 213.4, although that's probably artificially low due to the late weighing and ride sweating, it's nice to see.

-Bike

Bike Ride - Rollers

Rode my rollers today!

Distance: 5.45 mi, 20 min
Speed: Avg 16.1, Max 19.5
Cadence: Avg 81, Max 94
Gear: 39x15
HR: Avg 153, Max 161

I originally intended to do a full hour, but realized it wasn't worth the pain (and the disincentive that can be towards future workouts), and that it would be better to stop while still feeling good.

There was some initial acute ass pain, but that went away quickly (went numb, I think). My right foot started to hurt after 15 minutes, but I hope that will go away with shoe adjustments. Had trouble finding good hand positions, and my HRM definitely is in the way. My big mega fan worked well, but I can probably set it to medium next time.

My knees seem ok, but my "good" knee had some curious near-pain.

I was a little surprised I had no trouble riding the rollers. I had no false starts, and no trouble balancing or holding my line. I guess it's like riding a bicycle... heh heh.

The new wireless comp. seems to work nicely, but the screen is a little hard to read indoors, without my glasses on. Maybe it'll be easier in direct sunlight. After years of sitting around, my HRM worked flawlessly, but the battery icon was lit on the watch, so I need to replace it soon -- I hope the strap battery is still ok.

I added 7 miles from the unrecorded park lap I did weeks ago (after I got my new wheelset) to the virgin odo before I started riding.

I watched (didn't really see or hear) the end of Stephen Lynch and the beginning of Reno 911 on Comedy Central.

My scale tells me I weigh 215 lbs. I'd like to drop 30 of that ASAP. We'll see.

-Bike