sunday dec 27

riding 35-40 miles tomorrow....1:15pm
forecast of 51 and sunshine
craig

Tomorrow looks VERY iffy right now...rain is forecast to begin decreasing around noon, but is still at 40-60% and the temp is only supposed to be @40 degrees...bad combo: cold AND wet.
If you don't recieve another email from me by noon tomorrow (Sun) then assume the ride to be cancelled for this week.

I'm trying to plan ahead for the two holiday weekends...
If you WILL be in town and DO want to ride on Sunday, Dec. 27 or Jan. 2, please email me back at velocraig@homtail.com and let me know which dates you intend to ride, so that I can plan routes accordingly.

Finally, remember that Tom Ritchey will be hosting his 15th annual New Years Day ride on Friday, Jan. 1, 2010.
Ride starts from Tom’s house at 10AM. Various distances determined before departure. Warm food and fellowship afterwards, as always! No Ride If Raining! Contact Tom at 770-503-9872 for additional info and let him know you are coming. This is always a very enjoyable ride with a group for everyone.

Dec. 6

Going to do 40 miles counter-clockwise around N. Hall this week.
Sunshine and mid-50's forcast...Rolling at 1:15pm
Craig

Nov. 29

65 degrees and sunny...perfect for burnin' off some turkey
@40 miles up into White County
Rollin' at 1:15pm
Craig

NO Ride Sun 11/22

It's a 80-90% chance of rain and 47 degree high tomorrow so no scheduled ride for tomorrow. Try to get out and get a little time in if there is a break in the weather.

Have a great holiday week and we'll meet again on the 29th!

Craig

Nov. 15

Last week started the winter rides off with about 10 riders...I've heard from about 4 or 5 more who say they are planning on being w/ us this weekend!

Since the forecast is calling for 73 degrees and sunshine let's do the "Kroger 39" route from the MapMyRide Group this week. It is a nice loop over though the Dewberry area and up to about Cleveland with a relatively flat return to Clermont/N Hall.

Also, if you are interested in joining us on our Tuesday night MTB rides, drop me a line at my email address on the right side of this page and I'll be sure to add you to the distribution list for that ride. It is just plain fun riding in the woods and on the roads at night...we can even loan you w/ a light if you need one!

See you on Sunday!

Craig

It's baaaaaack!

We're back on for the fall/winter Kroger rides beginning this Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009.

Please meet in front of the Mexican restaurant by 1pm and we'll have wheels rolling at 1:15pm.

This week we'll do 32 miles of the Kroger #1 route. Additional mileage is always available after the group returns for all who may be interested.

Please keep in mind that the purpose for these rides is for the accumulation of base training mileage and therefore high efforts/elevated heart rates are to be avoided. If you can't talk comfortably, you're probably going too hard. If it matters to you, our average speed usually falls between 15 and 17 mph, depending on terrain.

Please read the article below, by Brian Grasky, for a better understanding of what the goals of these base training rides are; hopefully yours match, somewhat!

Hope to see you all there!

Craig

Written by Brian Grasky
Now that racing season is over and the post-race recover is done, it’s time to hit it hard again, right?

Well, sorta.

This is time for Base Training. In order to pound the competition this next season, we need to build an Aerobic base onto which to build speed, strength and Endurance. “But I have a base from last year,” you say. Yes you do, and if only doing as well as you did last year is fine with you, then blow it off. There’s more to it, however. Your base will wane a bit depending on how much endurance work you kept up with in your Peak and race rest phases of training and the recovery after racing.

Here’s the scoop: An aerobic base is something you can build season after season. The effects are cumulative. What you did last season definitely will help next season, but you’ll want to build on it. Think of your aerobic base as the foundation of a building. The larger and deeper the foundation, the larger the building can be built upon it. We want to build a skyscraper of speed and Power, so we need a solid foundation. Cutting the base phase short will do nothing but limit

Aerobic training builds the your potential later in the season. Cardiovascular System and enables the physiological adaptations that allow for increased effectiveness in your intense training. This type of training has two major effects: it increases the size and number of the capillaries that deliver blood to the muscles, enabling you to build larger and denser musculature; and it increases the size and number of mitochondria responsible for energy production and transfer. Then, there are two effects on top of that: your heart rate at a given aerobic Intensity level goes down (you get more efficient); and you increase the intensity at which you are aerobic, meaning you can go harder before Lactate builds in your muscles (aerobic intensity, i.e. heart rate, goes up).

It’s also mentally and physically draining to begin power and speed training too soon. Intense work is hard on the body and hard on the mind. Beginning intense training too soon, your peak, will either not happen or will happen too soon. You definitely don’t want to be fatigued or burned out by the time your race comes around.

“How do you train in the base phase?” you ask. Well, depending on the distance and timeframe of your ‘A’ race this season, you’ll begin with a solid few or more months of base training. This is low intensity, high volume training—basically heart rate zone 2 (Friel systems and similar). If you find yourself noticeable breathing hard, you’re going too hard and are producing Lactic Acid. You should be able to hold a conversation, with one breath in the middle of a sentence. If it’s a Sunday cruise in the park, you’re going too easy—you should be breathing a bit. Build your endurance to a point greater than you did last season. If racing anything other than ultra distance (Ironman), build up to longer than that goal distance. For ultras, build to about 75% on the run and 100% on the swim and bike. These are only guidelines, and your past training, experience in the sport, age, time available, goals, and injury history will all go into the amount of volume you build.

Remember, this is slower work, but find a group or friends and make it fun. And keep each other slow!

party's over...for now

The group has been getting smaller each week as other riding opportunities are more present on the weekends.
I'm officially ending the Sunday ride for the next few months, but it'll be back in the fall.
Good luck with your cycling goals for this season...hope the Sunday ride has benefited you all.
See you on the road!

Sunday May 10 (Mothers Day)

A good number of people will be comitted to activities this Sunday for Mothers Day...including me :)
No ride this week...see you all next week!

May 3

Just realized I hadn't sent out the ride for today....oops.
Still riding unless it's raining hard....40-50 miles

Sunday, April 26

Looks like we get great weather this weekend!
Plan on 50-60 miles, a store stop, a nature break and good company.
Gonna be warm...bring plenty of fluids.
If you are interested in a few easy miles before-hand, email me to let me know you're coming.

Gainesville to TN trip April 3-5

So, since spring break seems to have brought the family in from 3 states to meet at the cabin in TN, and I had a few days of vacation, I decided to ride the Soma up to the Cabin...here's the basic info:
- 3 days solo on the bike...all 60 lbs of it!
- 50-67 miles per day
- 3 states
- lots of climbing...lots of it! :)

I started on Friday at about noon heading to Clayton...mistake #1...it was VERY windy...gusts up to 25mph...I should have left earlier. This was my longest planned day (more about that later) at 62 miles and the elevation was constantly up and down.
Mistake #2...I broke the cardinal bicyle rule...never ride something on an important day that you haven't tested previously. I changed how I packed the panniers and have more in the front ones than I have tested previously. As I head out of the driveway onto the hill down Mt. Vernon Rd., I realize that this has changed the handling of the bike and I have a shimmy in the front end of the bike.
I immediately think, "I can't ride this thing like this!" and contemplate turning around to adjust...then I remember the last trip last summer and decide to "deal with it" and adjust in Clayton....glad I did.
After 5+ hrs on the bike and 2 short breaks along the way in Cleveland and Batesville, I roll into Clayton. I decide to stop at the McDonalds for a snack and a break. I eat a cheeseburger, chocolate milk and a cone. This ended up being dinner!
I decided to use the MickeyD's "shower facility" before rolling over to Grandma and Papa's old house for the evening.
Here is my first nights stopping point:

I figured this would be a great no-cost night and asked permission from the family...they obliged, even though I'm sure they thought I was crazy...
I pitched my tent on the sheltered side of the house (winds still howlin at this point), had a snack and turned in by 9pm.
At some point in the night one of Rhonda's cousins had driven by the house to dutifully check on it and saw the bike on the porch which triggered an alarm to him. He and the Clayton PD came bangin on my tent tellin me to come out!
In my slumber, I apparently told them to "leave me alone"...the cop "asks" me to come out again and I say, "it's private property, I have permission, leave me alone...I'm sleeping"...at this point I here Jonah say, "Craig???"...I was pissed to have been awoken, but never got out of my bag....it was freakin cold outside! Apparently everyone in Clayton with a scanner knew what was going on...it was a source of amusement for everyone at the ball-field the next day....glad I could spice things up in Clayton for the weekend!

After sleeping too late (Mistake #3), I get up and pack and go to the BK in town for breakfast.......yeah, I know, I'm soft for not cooking.
While eating, I looked up at the flag on top of the power poll and realize the wind is dead into my face for the whole days ride...ugh...oh well, gotta get movin or it'll just take that much longer!

Here's me going across the state line....great self-portrait, huh?

Day 2 had the climb that worried me the most right in the middle of my mileage...Flowers Gap, between Franklin, NC and Dillsboro...it goes to a 9% grade for about 1 mile of the 5 mile long climb. I was really worried that my 34X28 gear wouldn't be enough with the bags...well,it barely was but you can be sure I never stopped or walked! I made it but payed for it!
The descent was a little unnerving since I had to ride the brakes more than I wanted to (remember that shimmy? I never completly got rid of it) due to the extra weight and was worried about over-cooking the rims and blowing a tire...stopped 3 times to let them cool...it was a good idea...they got HOT at one point.

Note to self: disc brakes would be a good idea on a touring bike for the mtns!

By the time I got to the bottom and Dillsboro I was hot and decided to pull into town for something cold to drink.

Here's where I had a root beer float...Mayfield w/ A&W!

That may have been the best float I ever had in my life...at least it seemed like it at the moment.

Oh, well, had to get movin...still have to make it to Cherokee and I have no idea where I'm going to stay at this point.

On my way to Cherokee, an old lady nearly creamed me...I coming up to an intersection w/ the highway I'm on and she pulls up to the stopsign to enter. I make eye contact w/ her and shout to make sure she notices me but something seems odd.........then she looks right at me and pulls out anyway. As she gets in my "space" I swing the 60+ lb beast I'm riding out into the lane to avoid becoming a hood ornament on her little truck. As I ride along, leaing into her front fender, I slammed my fist on her hood and yell again. She actually was yelling at me and shaking her fist at me. She slowed down and I ended up in front of her truck, so I did what any rider would do........I stopped and put my feet down. Yeah, I know....stupid.

I rode away unscrapped.....

I get to Cherokee and check around for someplace to stay and realize there are NO cheap places, even this time of year. Most of the leagal places are booked and the Natl. Park campground is almost $20 and has no hot water (I wanted a shower) so I find this ratty place called "Bradleys". It's on the river (not my fav. spot...cold) and has a hot water shower-house for $20....OK. I decide to ride around and check some other things out...ended up riding around for about 15 more miles...just 'cause I wanted to :) That made for abou 67 miles and some big climbs!

Here's what night 2 looked like:

These were my visitors from the river....

Here's the new K-12 school they are building on the reservation.......

....I guess the casino is treatin' em pretty good these days!

So on day 3 I had this little climb to get over before getting to the cabin....bad news for me is that it's 17 miles long worth of climbing!!!

I had to go over HWY 441 and Newfound Gap at over 5000 feet.

The first half went pretty well.....and then the weight of the bike started to catch up w/ me and the 34X28 gear started to feel a little short for my needs! The last few miles were tough, to say the least. I started to bonk and the loaded miles were beginning to accumulate all at the same time...ugh. I was determined not to stop til the top, so I just kept peddalin' :)

I made it to the top and hung out w/ some AT through-hikers from FL for about 30 minutes. We sat in the grass and soaked up the sunshine and chatted about FL since they were from the same small town my dad was from...small world, huh?

They took this picure for me

and I then I headed down the 14 mile descent to the bottom of the Hwy near Gatlinburg.

After getting to the bottom, guess what I got to do again.......

....that's right; CLIMB!

After another 30 minute climb, I got to the top of the ridge and got to follow the river road down to Metcalf Bottoms picknic area where I exited the park and headed into the valley and the cabin.

Here's me at the top of the 13% climb to the back of the cabin!

I dodged a bullet w/ the weather for this little trip....it was very nasty for days before I left and here's what happened the day after I arrived...abut 3 inches of snow and 30 degree temps:

So, inevitably, after doing a trip, you'd better have learned a few new things:

- never second guess yourself...just keep going and deal w/ your issues as you can

- don't come out of your tent for ANYONE!

- you can never have too low of a gear when your on a loaded bike

- disc brakes would be good on a loaded bike for in the mountains

- look out for old ladies in trucks...they're ALL crazy

- stop and enjoy the ride; you've got plenty of time

Ladies and Gents,
I'm leaving on Friday AM for a couple of days worth of solo bike tourring up into TN and will not be here on Sunday, however, the ride goes on!
....see, I told you all there WAS a reason for the fenders and racks the last few weeks!..... :)
The Kroger #2 loop (41miles) is on tap for this week.
Please be ready to roll at 1pm.
See you all next week!
Craig B.

oh, well.....

Guess it was just a matter of time before we had to "pay-up" for the great weather we've been having on Sunday afternoons....
I heasitated to send this out until the forecast was undoubtable, but it's just going to be too wet AND cold to ride tomorrow, at least for my taste :)
On to another subject.......Eric Spies and I are planning to buy nutritional products this next week......
If you currently use HAMMER NUTRITION products or want to try some of their stuff (gels, drink mix, supplements, etc), please email me by next Wednesday to get in on a group buy. Let me know what you want; include the flavor, size and quantities.
The benefeits to you for buying this way will be that you'll pay nothing for shipping and get the bulk discount pricing if enough people buy the same types of products (ie: 3 or more gel jugs). Plan to pay for your products within a week after the their arrival (I'll email you to let you know when it's here).
Send me an email at velocraig@hotmail.com if you're interested.
See you all next week!

Sun. Feb. 22

We keep getting blessed w/ great weather on Sunday afternoons for this time of year...makes it easier to get out and ride, huh?
Speaking of riding, come join us this Sunday for the Copper Mines loop into Lumpkin and White counties. It is @ 53 miles of beautiful roads with plenty of ups and downs to keep it interesting :) Remember that we always regroup at the tops of climbs and at major intersections.

Suzanne will also have the B group doing a 25-30 mile option at 14-15mph.


Weather looks to be a little cooler but very sunny this weekend…let’s ride!!!

Craig

wow!!!

Last week was amazing!!!

30 riders strong at the start and 3 different groups....wow....

Looks like we may not have the 60 degree temps and sun this week, so we'll plan on doing the Kroger #2 loop, offering 41 miles in N. Hall w/ options aplenty if the need to cut-bait and hurry home due to weather, should arise.

Come out and join the group on Sunday, if you can...if not, get out and do a ride on your on. Spring is going to be here before you know it :)

See you on the road, Craig