Mostly recaps of two wheeled rambles through the countryside, but sometimes thoughts on other things.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Miscellany

Unsettled weather has been making its way across our area for the past week or more. The Tour Autauga faced strong showers about 2/3 of the way through last Saturday. I missed that ride. I was all packed to head out, no matter what the weather, but my internals kept giving me trouble and i decided to stay close to indoor plumbing for the day. I was sad to miss it. It was cool following the rain, and when Tuesday evening's hill ride came along, I wondered if the wool jersey would be enough by itself as I was chilly in the parking lot. As it happened, it was plenty. A smaller group than last week for both nights still went out and had some good riding. Our pace is picking up a bit. From 13 - 14 avg, we're now 15 - 16. Considering the 13% - 20% grades our routes encompass, that isn't too bad. Not all the hills are so steep, but all the routes have plenty of hills to climb. While different riders take the lead, or drop back a bit on the climbs, no one is out of place, so to speak, and that makes for a good grouping.

It was breezy this past Saturday, and generally overcast, but it did not rain. I could have ridden, but I was otherwise scheduled. At 8:00, I met 20 other guys for a superior men's breakfast at a snug little restaurant in Millbrook. Following that I went up to the Fellowship Hall of Millbrook Presbyterian to give a cycling safety and information talk to their American Heritage Girls troop, and assorted other kids who came out. They were interested and attentive, and brought bikes and helmets to be safety checked and fit tested. I actually wore a club jersey for this event. This is a rare occurrence, because it is NOT wool.

  Using a late 70s Maruishi (for Nashbar) 650B modified crit racer to demonstrate, the kids are hearing about how a bike works, what to look for, and the rules of the road for bikes (out of the AL drivers manual).




Here they are waiting their turn for a bike fit and safety check:



A picture with the girls who organized the event as an advancement requirement.



To complement the bike class, a beginner ride had been posted for after church. I limited it to 12 years old and up, and with winds of 30 mph blowing fairly steady from the South, I was not surprised to have only 2 takers. Actually, another called and asked if we would wait for him, but with the threat of rain on radar scans, I had to decline. We did get in the usual 16 mile easy trip and while I felt some droplets at the end, we avoided getting wet. The young lady on the right in the picture above was the sole member of the AHG troop to come out. The other rider was a gal with MS who is training to ride in this year's BikeMS. I've worked on her bike and she's worked on her riding and both are showing in a smoother, stronger pedal stroke.  Here's a shot taken while we were rolling along in that wind:



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