Hellbent on Hills Jan 09'

This was the 5th year running this ride. Compared to last year there were allot less people which was fine by me. Kinda funny we had two ride leaders and only 5 riders total! So no one got lost. I have had an off season so this ride was harder then normal for me. The guys who came out were the usual PPTC crew I ride with, Rudi who is really strong but doing an off season himself, Jonathan, Chris, and Al. Al was riding the most consistent(commutes 30miles to work and back), but doesn't have the natural snap on the short hills in Arlington. I was riding ok, usually getting a good deal ahead of people on the downhills practicing some racing turns. I was was feeling a little tired during the ride so I switched it up and we took off like 7 miles off the ride. The last two hills WalterReed and Oxford were the bangers that they always are, Rudi crushed it up WalterReed and I was following but my calves were screaming at me. For Oxford hill I thought I might get him since I had just done this hill earlier in the week. I was going up spinning in a low gear, and he was in front of me, and he got out of the saddle. I was like well that is too early for me, Rudi was getting away from me, but I was slowly bringing him back. I then got to the part of the hill where I get out of the saddle, and that did it! So I got Rudi on the last climb, but that was the only one. Everyone seemed to have liked the ride, and I am sure I will do an impromtu version of it again sometime soon. Was out for over 2.5 hours on a cold day, only issue was it got nice and sunny at the end of the ride!

Hellbent on Hills

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COLD!-but the streets are empty

Today was a one of my harder rides, not sure if I am getting sick, just tired, or had to use allot more resources to keep my body warm. I rode from Sara's house since I will be there for the inauguration tomorrow, and Wednesday. I wanted to get a ride in today, because I am really behind where I need to be for this Feb. Arizona Biking trip. Well I took the normal downtown breakaway ride and the hills were really hurting, but I was chugging along. I then saw a water main break, nothing major but I slowed down and saw the ice. There was no easy way around and once I was on the ice-BAM! I went down. It could of been worse, I should of gotten off my bike before the sheet of ice.
I did the rest of the route until it got to MacArthur Blvd and took that west until 79th street, which I found on Google was a way to get to the C&O Canal. While I was riding in on the canal I saw people playing hockey on the Ice! I only seen that once before in the DC area. The views of the Potomac were nice with it being mostly frozen, it gave it an interesting mosiac quality.
The weather was cold though I had to wear my neck gator over my nose and face for the whole ride into the city. Now this snow should be interesting for the commute home....

First Ride of the New Year

I wanted to get out and ride New Years day cause I heard that the weather was to change, and I was going to be in the mountains without my bike.  I tried to get some DCMTB folk and was able to get Joel, and I believe future DCMTB member Kev to ride.  I have been trying to ride with Kev for awhile, we both work downtown and are able to have early days, and we should be able to get some rides in at Roseryville.  This that and the other got in the way, but now I think we will get ourselves alined correctly so we can ride.  It was a cold day less then 32, but nice and sunny.  I had the right gear for the day, sporting some booties(custom will talk about those in a future post) toe warmers, gloves(which got too hot) and long sleeve jersey with a vest. We started out and Joel was going a little too fast for me.   Usually I would be fine but I have been doing a true off season and we were riding SS which is Joels fortay.  We went around and we carving it up, I would jump ahead at some points, and was trying to talk with Joel as we road.  Kevin seemed to be still trying to get over NY eve and ended up bonking hard at the end of the ride.   On the Second lap, I wore some other gloves, and we went and tackled the inner trail which I usually can never find.  Now that I know where it is, I will be able to find it allot easier.  We did that and that last 3 miles of the trail I jumped ahead of Joel and tried to hold him off to the parking lot.  I had been wanting to ride Rosey on the Rigid SS and it delivered!  It was a blast on the bike, and it just felt right never too undergeared, or over(well maybe the one hill in reverse).  I think I would still be faster on my dual squishy there but would not be as fun.  For the other guys views check

Joel down a ways he writes allot!

Kevin