North Shore Century

Me, AB, Fast Freddy and 3W rode the Evanston Bike Club North Shore Century today. I took some pictures (click on the image to see it larger)...

It was a beautiful sunrise. The type that makes you want to hold hands and sing kumbaya. Or maybe more like the type that gets you psyched for a 100 mile ride.



We cast some long shadows as we started out.



We rode into a little fog.



And we passed an adult guy wearing a Bert and Ernie jersey. Maybe he was wearing it ironically.



I'm seeing more and more of these jerseys. Now if only more cars would see it, read it, and live it.



A textbook turn--safe and smooth.



Fred leads us out on the northern extension to the bunny trail.



Leaving Kenosha along the lake front. No, we didn't see Mike and Rod.



Do we look good, or what?

Labor Day Ride

Cooling down, riding the bunny trail.

Sunrise

I blew a setting on my camera (I left the ISO at 800 from another day) so the shot came out grainy. Anyway, this is what the rest of you missed this morning.

Another Fast Tuesday

Yesterday was another fast Tuesday ride. In fact, by the time we hit the Fort, my cyclometer showed the fastest average speed I have ever recorded for a weekday ride, 22 MPH. At the roundabout, there was some confusion and we reduced speed to regroup on the way to coffee. Even with this, I still showed an average of nearly 21.5 MPH at coffee.

It was great to have such a large group out and all in our "team" kits. I would have taken a picture or two, but I was drafting for dear life and fumbling with a camera didn't seem like a good idea. BT wants me to get a helmet cam, but I just know that without being able to see the display, I would wind up with plenty of pictures of the road and the sky. I have been thinking of rigging a mount for the camera on the handlebars, but the lovely rutted roads we ride on would probably destroy that too. For now, it seems like I'm gonna have to stick with hand held shots like this one from last Friday.

Horribly Hilly Hundreds

1Adam12, Bob and yours truly did the Horribly Hilly Hundreds ride yesterday. It was a perfect day for a ride. Sunny, warm and beautiful scenery. And then the climbing began. This was a ride of extremes. It seemed like we were either doing 6 MPH or 36 MPH. At one point, I hit 48 MPH, a new personal best. The climbs were long and steep. How steep? Like climbing up from the Park Avenue beach for a mile or two.

So how'd we do? Did we finish in record time? No. I won't bore you with all the details here (I'll save that for coffee one morning), but Bob and I wound up calling it a day after 103 miles, taking the short cut to the finish after rest stop #4. Adam pushed on solo and finished the ride (what a stud!)

Here we are happy at the top of the first big climb.

Today's Ride

A great ride this morning. This is how it ended.

Morning Ride

My 2000 word post...

Cartoonizer

A Peloton memory from the 2006 Bike the Drive modified by BeFunky:

Morning Ride

At least the day started off pleasantly...

Tomorrow

No excuses. Check your bike. Set your alarm. Get to bed early. See you on the road.

Wednesday

If it isn't raining, we're riding. It's the usual time and route. I'd like to make this an actual recovery ride. Let's see how long that lasts.

Tuesday

Here's your forecast for tomorrow morning:

Get out and ride. I'll be on my 'cross bike with 28c Gatorskins. And big John is kicking our butts on his mountain bike with 2.3" knobbies.

No excuses.

Saturday

Tomorrow, meet at 7:30 at Daniel Wright Woods with your cross or mountain bikes.

Morning on the DPR

Great ride this morning on the DPR. It was a joint Colavita/WGaS ride and I got some pix:

The paceline:



The plan:



The phone call:



And Tucci looking fast:

Saturday Ride

On the bunny trail heading home:

Fashion Do's and Don'ts

Steve demonstrates how to wear a WGAS kit:


And how not to wear a WGAS kit:

Team Kit Shakeout Ride

Well, the first ride for the WGaS Team Kit starts off with a flat.



But we eventually got up and riding.



The kit looks good, even close up.



Click on the photos to see larger images.

Nice ride today. Great job to BT for getting this done quickly.

We look good, don't we?

Saturday Ride

Great ride today. I got 60 miles at a 20.5 average (which is probably more like 19.5 considering my computer is a little off). Stopping for coffee, the Wobbley Wocket's Wife pulled up for a birthday lap:

Saturday Ride

Looks like part of the ride is meeting here at 7:15:


View Larger Map

Assuming the ride proceeds the usual way north, those of us from the north will meet somewhere along Sheridan road or at Plaza del Lago.

I'm On!

Great ride today. I felt like a Cat 5 racer in a Cat 3 crit trying to hang on to the paceline north.

Are we recovering tomorrow?