The all about Bicycling thread

Me too!

My main concern is that I’ve signed up with a bunch of friends who are fitter and faster than me and riding much lighter machines. I’d benefit by being able to pace line with them, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold their pace and may end up riding by myself, with that damned wind.

Guess we’ll find out!

The ride organizers haven’t even sent any of the route details or on-site logistic details for the day of the event, so hopefully that is all coming soon.

 

Did a 57mi eleventh hour training ride today, complete with an ice cream stop in the middle and a flat with 18mi left to go.

Spectacular day. And I’m beat.

 

For any ride over 40 miles and temperature greater than 60F the ice cream stop is mandatory!

 

This is such prime ditch work and ride all day weather. I'm ready to jump out of my skin.

 

I’m on my work assignment in Vermont.
No ditching possible but I am riding my bike to work every day and taking a new meandering long way home after work each day.
It’s a fun way to learn the local roads.

 

Forecast for the weekend beach metric looks kinda shitty—rain, wind.

And my rain pants are still in FedEx limbo.

 

Ugh.
Same forecast for upstate NY on Saturday.

 

Two things you shouldn't do if you run into a cougar.

Discuss age. Ask about plastic surgery.

 

So I spoke with a real human from FedEx about my shipment, which is still allegedly at the FedEx facility 25mi from here.

She said that since more than 7 days have passed since the last scan update, I needed to contact the shipper (Competitive Cyclist) and ask them to file a claim with FedEx. But there was nothing she could do to get the shipment moving again, assuming the items were still even there.

So I called Competitive Cyclist and got to chatting with Brad the GearHead, who told me this was a very unusual occurrence, but the claims process the FedEx rep recommended doesn’t really work and wouldn’t guarantee me getting my items. He offered to put together a new shipment of the items I ordered… except the type of rain pants I had bought are no longer in stock in the size I need.

He offered to give me an upgrade to an even nicer set of rain pants made by the same company at no additional cost to me, which is awesome… except the nicer ones are three-season pants, and I bought the ones I did specifically for warmer spring/summer storms. So I’m concerned the nicer ones will be too warm.

He did mention there is a chance the original shipment will eventually show up and asked that I return the other set of pants if and when I receive them, even though my preference might be to keep those instead of the newer/nicer/warmer ones. But since there’s no guarantee the originals will show up, I’ll want to test out the newer ones since they might suit my needs after all.

Anyway, fuck you FedEx.

On a brighter note, tomorrow’s forecast for the metric is continuing to improve. So maybe I won’t miss those pants so much after all.

 

Postscript:
Survived the metric, with maybe a third of the route pushing straight into a driving headwind—typical of the Eastern Shore.

We had no rain over the course of the ride. A cloudburst passed through the starting area as the century riders were preparing to depart and left behind a short-live rainbow. Other than that it was mostly sunny skies the rest of the day.



I found the rain pants I originally wanted available in my preferred size online at REI and ordered them last night. The makeup order with my upgraded three season pants from Competitive Cyclist is allegedly arriving tomorrow—again via FedEx, so I’m not holding my breath. If the REI order comes and the pants from them are more what I want than the upgrade Competitive Cyclist is sending me, I’ll return the latter.

Hoping for a 46mi route this weekend to celebrate my years around the sun later this week, but haven’t decided where to ride yet or which day to have it. Some friends are available Saturday, others Sunday. Or who knows—maybe I’ll end up riding alone.

Less than three weeks till the GAP ride. I’m so excited I’m ready to crawl out of my skin.

 

Sorry, couldn't resist:

 

Sir, I am honored.

Seriously, this is the first time one of my (lame) attempts at humor was turned into a meme? cartoon?. Well, other than by me.

It feels good.

Edit: Second time. I think the first one had something to do with military Commanders???

 

I couldn't resist this one. Having the visual is extremely helpful.

 

Alternative, better.

An example of why stepping away from your original creation for a while, then rethinking it usually works out better.

We need a thread for this.

 

Agreed. Not this one.

 

47.84 birthday miles (for 46yrs!), 3,245 ft of elevation. I’m wrecked.

(eta) There were some spectacular roads on this route, including one I’d never ridden before that descended into a meandering ribbon of gravel alongside a river. And while it ended up feeling just a little too warm after 40something miles, the weather was almost perfect.

 

Also totally stoked for this event coming up on Friday.

 

DIA you are killing it!
I brought my gravel road bike to Vermont this week.
Exploration should begin around 5 pm today.

 

My evening commute in Vermont.
Sure beats sitting on the GW Bridge !

 

Sick, and yes agree 100% though I’ve heard riding across the GWB can be fun.

Is that an Open frame?