Took her a bit to catch back up even as I soft pedaled. She usually falls back here but today she really fell back. I almost thing it was because it was just the two of us. I think when we ride with others, she tries hard but does not complain. If it's just me, then I get an earful and I think she tends to take advantage of the situation to slow down ha ha!
But it sure was cool at the beach. We stopped at Edna Park and felt the heat. It seemed really hot but then from the South I felt a breeze. OK, let's get on the bikes and go because it's hot here ha ha! Didn't stop long at Edna after feeling the breeze. Good move because it was cool at the coast, almost foggy when we arrived but the sun came out a couple minutes after we got there.
On the return I felt comfy so I clicked into my small front gear (39 ring) for those that know about changing flat tires ha ha! Hmm, now that I think about it, I know too many people who have no idea of the ring sizes on their bikes ha ha! So anyway, I was just spinning back in my small ring at about 17.5 (according to Strava) but about a mile before the wooden bridge at Edna, Gina said she was getting exhausted.
OK, it was windy to the coast so I got to give her a little credit, then the heat, a little more credit, then a good decent steady pace on the return, a little more but then she tired, OK! So I backed off a little more, down to about 16 I guess (too lazy to look this one up on Strava ha ha!) where she was a little more comfy. So I will give her credit as she stuck to my wheel the all the way to the off ramp. Sometimes she drops off the last 50 yards to cool down. But she pushed all the way today, so a little more credit. :-)
It was hot but not that hot imo. Maybe the GMR weather is whipping me back into suffer mode where you learn to deal with the elements. Hey, that's why I been going and I feel the difference down on the trail!
As Mat pointed out yesterday, he said look over there from just passed the fork, and said you rode all the way over there. I looked back and yeah, it looks impressive. Yeah, that is why we are tired, another Mat Chat cliche ha ha! But yeah, it is impressive and it takes some effort to get to where someone points out a landmark on GMR/GRR. I noticed today, I saw the soccer field light from a mile away and think, we're almost there. But that doesn't take the effort of GMR. It's a different story so I'm pretty proud of myself, dragging my fat out of shape butt back onto GMR for the workout. No better way to get stronger than work hard. Also Pinoybenter told me a few months ago, if you want to get stronger, go do GMR. The trail is good but won't work you out like GMR.
So that is what I did. And though I am still slower than I was, I can feel the difference after doing GMR the last 6 weeks. People wonder why some torture themselves on GMR but the way I have been feeling the last couple of weeks, I remember why! Feeling strong baby! Even if I'm not ha ha!
I got to add this, another fool on the bike! Gina and I start at Rampart, head inland to Circle K (Kramer???) then double back to the coast. Gina said the heat was affecting her so I held a nice steady pace of 17 on the way back. A tailwind so we could have easily picked up the speed on the way back had Gina had more time on the bike.
So we have 24 miles or so while leaving the coast. She's tired and we already fought the wind to the coast so it's all good. But just as we are leaving the coast, some dude goes flying by and passes us. No problem, good job, kicking butt on an MTB!!!
But he goes by then fades. OK, no big deal, it's an MTB, hard to push knobby tires vs road tires. So he fades and we, keeping the steady 17 begin to close in. He looks back, stands up and pushes away. OK, great! But then he fades again, over and over and over and over.......... Heck, he keeps looking back at us like we are racing. Dumb ass, I'm just holding a pace for Gina cause she's freaking tired but we keep catching you. Why act stupid?
But he keeps looking back whatever then Gina tells me she is tired about 1 mile before the Edna Park bridge. So I slow to 16 for about 1/2 mile for her to recover. But hey, as we approach the bridge, we are still catching the dope. Just about as we are ready to turn onto the bridge, he goes straight so I know he is done. We continue on and I ask Gina if she noticed that guy kept looking back like he thought we might be racing him. She said yes and she had no idea why because she was not racing him.
So I get home and plug into Strava. Boy, I sure love the fly by feature. You can see the riders around you and exactly how far and fast they rode.
Turns out this guy did a 32 miler at 14.2 average speed. Gina did a 15.5 for 36 miles ha ha! He sure looked hot racing with the tailwind. BUT!!! on the way back to the coast, I see his average speed of 12.1 MPH! Ha, bit difference without the tailwind. Gina held a 15.2 on the way to the coast. I guess the guy thought he was superman passing a tired woman on a road bike who had 2/3 of his total mileage when he passed her.
Guy made me laugh so much that I posted a comment on his Strava Ride......Hey, you must have been the guy just ahead of us heading north. His response: Yes that was me ha ha ha!
I dunno, I sensed a bit of arrogance. So I said, yeah, my wife was pretty slow today with the wind and heat but she still managed a 15.5 on the 36 mile ride. She was slow but getting better after a year off the bike. Of course this was knowing he only did a 14.2 average on his 32 miler.
Then I said, oh wow, I just looked at your ride. You averaged 12.2 on the way to the coast. My wife only did a 15.2 on that 10 mile segment but she'll regain her strength soon enough. Then I said, it must have been windy because you were much slower heading south than you were heading north.
Of course when these idiots act stupid, you got to let them know how much they really suck ha ha! Again, on GMR, you don't see this ignorant arrogance. All them guys know how hard every rider on that road is trying while climbing and working their asses off.
I really do get tired of the arrogance on the trail. Seen if the entire 23 years we've been out there. You don't see that crap on GMR. The comments I hear on GMR are more of the "great job dude, we're almost there!". Why just on Saturday, a couple of guys went right by me on the way up. I said they were making it look too easy. One guy replied, "believe me, we are suffering!".
Pretty cool! Even the bad asses on GMR treat you with respect. On the trail, you can fly by some dope doing 14 mph, he'll jump your wheel, draft for 10 mile then sprint around you the last 50 yards. I'm sorry, but what is that shit???? :-/
After a short warm up, stop for a stretch at the Circle K. (Is that Kraemer?)
Only 15 miles to the cool air!
Gina rolling by the A Stadium and Honda Center
Rolling along
OK, after the ride. Gina takes off her shoes, helmet, and gloves. Drops them by the truck then walks away to sit in the shade saying she's hot. :-O Then I start to rack the bikes onto the truck and put away all the equipment while she sits in the shade.
So these are the my legs of sweat while putting the stuff away!
These are Gina's legs,.....in the shade!
My sweat head while putting the stuff away.
Her head enjoying the shade while my head gets beat by the sun! Oh yeah, and I take her shoes to her too! :-/
OK, I'm just kidding! She does all that but because I tell her to do it. I think she'd pass out putting the bikes away. Sometimes it's harder than riding the bike ha ha!
So, Monday eve at the mall, I was behind Gina on the escalators. I noticed her tan lines so I had to take a shot ha ha! Yeah, I likey tan lines he he he!
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