Long Bike Ride
I left on my bike ride early this morning (7AM). My plan was to get on the road before it got too hot and before the winds got too strong. I felt pretty well, so I planned to ride to Pigeon Point and back. I took this route on an earlier ride. When I left, it was sunny and clear but not very warm yet (in the 60's).
I knew this would be a long ride for me (53 or 54 miles), but I was well rested and felt good. For a variety of reasons, I had not been able to ride my bike since last Wednesday and I did not get much exercise this weekend, so I felt pretty energetic. I took along a banana and some energy bars to have as a snack when I got to Pigeon Point. The skies were pretty sunny until I got within a mile or so from Pigeon Point, then I rode into a fog bank. The views were not quite as dramatic, but it kept the temperature down.
I was just cruising along when I got to Pigeon Point and felt so good that I decided to go on farther. I continued riding up the coast towards Pascadero Road. I wanted to ride 100km (62 miles), the distance of the Strawberry Fields ride. So I turned around when I reached 31.5 miles from home. This is not quite to Pascadero Road, but far enough for me. I was feeling so good that I did not stop, but just kept on riding!
Shortly after I passed Pigeon Point on the way back, I started to get hungry. So I stopped at about the 40-mile point and had my snack. After about 5 minutes, I got back on my bike and headed for home. The fog continued on and off until just before I reached Davenport on the way back home. As I was coming into Davenport (about the 50-mile mark), I was getting a little hungry again. I was considering whether to stop at the bakery for another snack. Just as I was coming into town, I saw that a tour bus had made a rest stop in Davenport. The line at the bakery was out the door!
I was still feeling good, so I decided to continue on. At this point I was still going strong. I was a little slower going up the hills, but I was pretty close to the pace that I started the ride at. So I made good time back into town. For the ride, my pace was just over 13 MPH. Not super fast, but a good pace for me for a long ride. Then about a mile from home, I hit the wall. My legs lost all energy. I could not go any faster than 8 or 9 MPH. Plus, it had warmed up in Santa Cruz and the sweat was pouring off of me. Luckily I was close to home and struggled back in a few minutes.
For my next long ride, I wil need to take something more substantial to eat. Maybe a sandwich. Or I will need to stop in Davenport, no matter how long the line at the bakery is. Or maybe plan a 61 mile ride instead of 63 miles. :-)
Hmm, as my rides get longer, the detail on the maps gets smaller and smaller!
I knew this would be a long ride for me (53 or 54 miles), but I was well rested and felt good. For a variety of reasons, I had not been able to ride my bike since last Wednesday and I did not get much exercise this weekend, so I felt pretty energetic. I took along a banana and some energy bars to have as a snack when I got to Pigeon Point. The skies were pretty sunny until I got within a mile or so from Pigeon Point, then I rode into a fog bank. The views were not quite as dramatic, but it kept the temperature down.
I was just cruising along when I got to Pigeon Point and felt so good that I decided to go on farther. I continued riding up the coast towards Pascadero Road. I wanted to ride 100km (62 miles), the distance of the Strawberry Fields ride. So I turned around when I reached 31.5 miles from home. This is not quite to Pascadero Road, but far enough for me. I was feeling so good that I did not stop, but just kept on riding!
Shortly after I passed Pigeon Point on the way back, I started to get hungry. So I stopped at about the 40-mile point and had my snack. After about 5 minutes, I got back on my bike and headed for home. The fog continued on and off until just before I reached Davenport on the way back home. As I was coming into Davenport (about the 50-mile mark), I was getting a little hungry again. I was considering whether to stop at the bakery for another snack. Just as I was coming into town, I saw that a tour bus had made a rest stop in Davenport. The line at the bakery was out the door!
I was still feeling good, so I decided to continue on. At this point I was still going strong. I was a little slower going up the hills, but I was pretty close to the pace that I started the ride at. So I made good time back into town. For the ride, my pace was just over 13 MPH. Not super fast, but a good pace for me for a long ride. Then about a mile from home, I hit the wall. My legs lost all energy. I could not go any faster than 8 or 9 MPH. Plus, it had warmed up in Santa Cruz and the sweat was pouring off of me. Luckily I was close to home and struggled back in a few minutes.
For my next long ride, I wil need to take something more substantial to eat. Maybe a sandwich. Or I will need to stop in Davenport, no matter how long the line at the bakery is. Or maybe plan a 61 mile ride instead of 63 miles. :-)
Hmm, as my rides get longer, the detail on the maps gets smaller and smaller!
posted by Steve @ 3:10 PM
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