Eaton's Neck and East Island

Great ride today with Mike W. Exchanged a few e-mails, text messages, and phone calls and agreed to meet this morning at 5:30 AM for an 85-100 mile ride to the North Shore. Mike had a few route options in mind. In the end, we settled on a loose "triangular" route from Wantagh, northeast to Eaton's Neck, west to East Island, then back south to Wantagh. Eaton's Neck and East Island would be connected by a VERY hilly 35-mile portion of the Gold Coast route.


At Eaton's Neck.

We met up at Brands before dawn with headlights and blinkies. Heading up Round Swamp Rd. there was no longer any need for the lights by the time we go to Old Country Road. We took OCR to Greenlawn then followed Mike's GPS out to Eaton's Neck, covering about 30 miles. A few people fishing there, otherwise a calm, quiet morning. We snacked on some energy bars and took a couple of photos.

Back on the bikes we left Eaton's Neck and hooked up with the Gold Coast route on Rt. 25A. It didn't take long before we started grinding up the short steep hills that this route if known for. We followed the road markings for about 35-miles, constantly ascending and descending along the hilly North Shore. By mile 65, we needed a short break for another energy bar and also to figure out how to link in a diversion to East Island.

As luck would have it, we ran into another cyclist also heading to East Island and he put us on the right track to the beach there. Soaking up the scenery there, bathroom break, and a couple of more photos. By now we were both feeling the heat of the day and taking note of our dwindling water supplies. A few short miles after leaving East Island we found a little coffee shop and replenished our water bottles.

The next goal was the traditional Gold Coast rest stop in Roslyn to evaluate our options for the last miles of our ride. We pulled into Roslyn with 75 miles covered so far. At this point, we were both feeling the effects of the midday heat and the hills and decided to head for home. Following the Gold Coast route until it intersected Westbury Rd., we then headed south, finally connecting with Merrick Ave.

After a quick rolling handshake, we headed our separate ways, a total of 88 miles done. Thanks to Mike for coming up with this great route, navigating via GPS, and posting these photos. Looking forward to our next ride.

Improvised Century

Woke up to a warm, sunny day today. Planned on doing the Brands group ride at 7:00 AM, so I had an early breakfast and was out by 6:00 AM for some warm-up miles on the Jones Beach bike path.

Had good legs today and the warm-up turned into a 20-mile ITT, probably around 21-22 MPH average. Pulled into the Brands lot just in time for the ride start. Up Round Swamp Rd., six of us split off the front and set a brisk tempo up the LIE service road. Usual attacks on the hills, but some peleton etiquette should be reviewed.

(stepping on to soapbox...)
I'm all for attacking on the climbs in the name of friendly competition, but if a rider is strong enough to blow up the group on a climb, he/she should pitch-in and take a pull on the flats, not just wheelsuck for 90 percent of the ride.
(stepping off soapbox...)

We stopped on the way back down the LIE after one rider got a double flat. By then, the main group caught us and we all continued back to Round Swamp. Here is a photo from Mike (@M1CW on Twitter).


I was feeling like I wanted to ride more so I split off solo to do West Hills, another lap on the LIE, West Hills in reverse direction, one more trip up Round Swamp to Rt. 25, then home. Nabbed the century and really enjoyed a great ride in the sun.

Familiar Ground

Back on Long Island on Monday night, did the old Brands route solo on Tuesday and Friday and mixed in a couple of short runs on Wednesday and Friday. I want to add in running one or two days a week for some cross training and also thinking it will be a good alternative to the bike in bad weather.

Did the Kreb Friday Night race for the first time all year. Got a mediocre 9th place in the B race. No breakaways so a big sprint at the end. Tried a small dig with 2 laps to go but got pulled back. Some effective team tactics going on, four or five riders with red tape on their arms worked together to setup one guy for the prime at 9 laps to go. Not common for the B race, usually not very organized in terms of team strategy.

Saturday, was a fast group ride with the Brands crew. Group of 7 or 8 formed in Dix Hills and we kept a high pace for the rest of the ride. I took a direct route home skipping the regroup at Brands.

This morning, supposed to rain so I did a couple of laps on the Jones Beach bike path. Second lap, at the third bridge, I see a guy running back, wearing cleats, pushing his bike along. I ask if he needs help and he says he got a flat, another rider tried to pump his tire with CO2 but it wouldn't hold air. I stop to help, he's never had a flat on his bike before and he has no tube, no pump, no tire levers, no patch kit, nada. We locate a sliver of metal in the tire. I patch the tube for him, remount the tire and inflate with CO2 to get him on his way. My good deed for the day!

Last day of vacation today :-( so back to the grind tomorrow morning. Not looking forward to it.

Early Morning on Harris Hill

Leaving for home today. Went for an early morning ride up Harris Hill in Big Flats, NY. Same ride as yesterday. Chilly 55F this morning and dense fog in the valley. Warmed up on the climb up Harris Hill and arived at the top in bright sun. Nice 30.5 mile loop.


Looking back at the road I climbed up to the top of Harris Hill.


Thick fog blanketing the valley.


Me and the bike at the top of Harris Hill.

Little Video from Yesterday's Ride

Middletown to Corning Ride Report

I successfully completed my 2-day solo bike ride from Middletown to Corning, NY. I have to admit, it was a bit different than expected. Day 1 had an INSANE amount of climbing. I'm definitely in doubt of the 5700 ft. reported by mapmyride.com. Need some further investigation on this, felt like twice that! Not so steep, but lots of long grinding climbs in the 42x26. I'll try to put together a little narrative of the trip. It seems like there are so many little incidents over 2 days and 200 miles of riding. Lots of riding through the woods, farmland, and small rural towns. A couple of busy roads but they were few and far between. Sometimes testing my limits as a rider, most of the time enjoying the best things that cycling has to offer.

Day 1 - Middletown to Deposit
Mile 0 - Up at 5:00 AM at the Super 8 in Middletown, where I was dropped of the night before. PB&J for breakfast, fill water bottles and Camelbak, then checkout. Nervous about the rain and thunderstorms heading into the area. The desk clerk takes a look at me and my bike and says, "I hope you're not going far, it looks like rain." I think to myself, "Not too far, just 100 miles!" Rain starts, just as I clip in at 5:50 AM.

Mile 5 - Hook up with Bike Rt. 17. Rain has stopped, but I'm soaked to the skin.

Mile 25 - Good amount of climbing, then a 4-mile long descent, 35-40 MPH, awesome! Rolling into Port Jervis.

Mile 30 - Following Rt. 97, North, considered a "Scenic Byway" along the Delaware River. Yes, very scenic, but an extreme amount of climbing! Has anyone at the NYS Department of Transportation actually ridden this route on bike? Nothing really steep, but a challenge due to the frequency and length of the climbs.


Mile 35 - Came within 100 yards of a black bear. A woman in a car coming the other way warns me of a bear in the road. I see the bear, we look at each other, I back off. I wait for a couple of cars to go by and scare the bear back into the woods before I hammer past on my bike. SCARY!

Mile 55 - Rain starts again, slowly getting heavier as the miles pass.

Mike 70 - 35 MPH descent in the rain to test the nerves. I climb into Calicoon, rain gets alot more intense and the sky turns black. Rain is too heavy to proceed and getting a bit dangerous. I pull under an awning at a hotel and call Linda on the cell phone and ask her to login and check the weather. She says there is a storm cell over Calicoon but it should pass in about an hour. I wait for 45 minutes, eat a CLIF bar, until the rain lightens then head out again.

Mile 80 - Crest a 10-mile climb I've been ascending since Calicoon. Steady rain. Thinking about asking Linda to meet me at Hancock to pick me up and forget the whole thing.

Mile 90 - Arrive in Hancock, still raining. Bike Route 17 wants to send me on a 30-mile loop to Deposit. I talk to a local at the Sunoco and he gives me a route of about 20 miles. I go for the shorter version.

Mile 100 - The "shortcut" has sent me over 10 miles of new chipseal (gravel). Finally get to Rt. 10 for the descent to Deposit.

Mile 112 - Arrive at the Deposit Inn, dripping wet at the front desk. Talking to the owner about my ride, where I came from, where I'm going. He hands me a rag to wipe off my bike and doesn't bat an eye about me bring the bike into the room with me. Rinse out my bike clothes and hang them to dry. Get some dinner at Wendys. Tomorrow should be an easier day, good weather is forecast, and should be much less climbing. Later, I wheel the bike out of my room to oil the chain. The owner sees me and asks if I'm going for a ride! Take a little walk to stretch the legs, then relax in front of the TV.





Day 2 - Deposit to Corning
Mile 0 - Out at dawn, CLIF bar for breakfast.

Mile 20 - The right shift lever is stuck and won't shift the rear derailleur. My 27-speed is now a 3-speed. I fiddle with it for a few minutes with my multi-tool and get it working, but I will need to baby it for the rest of the day. Must have gotten mucked up with the rain from yesterday. There's heavy fog but at the top of the hills, I can see a little blue sky.



Mile 25 - Passing through Binghamton.




Mile 55 - Need some energy, stop in Owego for a cup of coffee and an apple danish.

Mile 80 - Been cruising the last 25 miles! Some climbing, but no problem compared to yesterday. Legs feeling a little drained.

Mile 102 - Meet the familiy who are driving to Harris Hill park for pool and BBQ. I'll finish the ride to Corning then drive back to meet them.

Mile 108 - Arrive in Corning. Mission Accomplished! Shower, yogurt, banana, and back out the door for a fun afternoon at the park.

So, 2 days, 220 miles, its done. It been said, "Adventures suck while your having them." Possibly true in this case with the horrendous weather and brutal climbing on Day 1. But I am SO glad I did it! A bunch of experiences I will thinking about for days, weeks, months, and years to come.

On the practical side:
0 flats on my Continental Gatorskins with 3500 miles already on them :-)
Probably packed too much. Besides my shorts, jersey, helmet shoes, and gloves:
- Camelbak Blowfish hydration backpack containing pump, spare folding tire, tube, 7 CLIF bars, mix for 3 bottles, maps, GPS, camera, non-bike clothes (shorts & t-shirt), sandals, rain cape, blinkie light, cell phone, money, credit card.
- Seat bag containing two tubes, multi-tool, patch kit, CO2 inflator, tire levers.

Whats next?...

P.S. According to bikely.com elevation, Day 1 7418 ft., Day 2 3698 ft. These seem reasonable.

Making Preparations

On vacation this week, so been doing lots of riding over the past 5 days:
Saturday, Brands group ride, 63 miles
Monday, solo century with hills, 100 miles
Tuesday, solo ride with rolling hills, 60 miles
Wednesday, solo century flat, 102 miles

Besides just enjoying time on the bike, I wanted to get some big miles under my belt in preparation for a long, two-day, solo bike adventure that I've thought about doing for a long time. Looks like the pieces are going to finally fall into place. I'm going to follow New York State Bike Route 17 from Middletown to Corning, where I'll meet my family to spend a long weekend together. I originally wanted to start the ride from home, in Wantagh but that would have added another day to the ride and I wasn't thrilled about riding through Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. So, the plan is that I'll be dropped off in Middletown on Thursday evening, ride from Middletown to Deposit on Friday, then Deposit to Corning on Saturday.

Day 1 - Middletown to Deposit, 117 miles, 5800 ft. elevation gain


Day 2 - Deposit to Corning, 110 miles, 5800 ft. elevation gain


It will be my first back-to-back centuries, some new scenery, and a fair bit of climbing to keep things interesting. Spending all day today analyzing the route, packing, and creating some rough cue sheets. Got my motel reservations for Middletown and Deposit. Only remaining question mark is weather for Friday, but that is out of my control. Ride report to follow!

Ride to Sagamore Hill with Mike and Bob

Mike posted and e-mail that he was going to to a ride to the North Shore in the morning, 7:00 AM start from Brands. I though this would be a good recovery ride after yesterday so I e-mailed him back that I would meet him at 7. Mike mentioned that Bob and Todd were also interested.

Went out early for 20 miles on my own on the bike path and Cedar Creek loop. Then, met up with Mike, Bob and new rider, Phil, at Brands. Thought we would meet up with Todd enroute. We took an easy pace up to the LIE, where Phil split off to head east. Mike, Bob and I continued north to Stillwell Ave. to meet Todd but he wasn't there. A few phone calls to try an coordinate and we continued north, over some short but STEEP hills, eventually making our way to Sagamore Hill.

Taking a short rest break, I noticed my front tire was soft, so I broke out the tire levers, removed a small piece of glass from my tire and replaced the tube.

Somehow, we never hooked up with Todd, but the three of us, started back south, conquering the hills in reverse direction. I think Mike said we got over 2,500 feet of elevation in less than 50 miles. Total for me was 70 miles. No idea on the ride time, we had lots of stops and starts. It was a great ride in all respects: route, weather, and company of riders!

Putting the Hammer Down on the Brands Ride

Brands ride was a hammerfest again this week! Went out early on my own for 24 "bonus" miles on the Jones Beach bike path and a couple of loops around the Tour de Parc oval at Cedar Creek. Then, any easy ride over to Brands for the weekly group ride.

Another good turnout and some early clouds blew out after about half an hour. The group had three flats within the first 11 miles of the ride. Finally, when we got to the LIE, the pace picked up and the usual attacks started around Dix Hills. Mike W. opened it up and we were about a group of 5 until Ariel just blew things up! That started about 12 miles of constant attacks and counter attacks all up and down the LIE service road. Worked with Mike W. on the westbound leg after we dropped off the back a little bit. It was really hard work for the two of us going into the wind. I caught everyone except Ariel by the time we regrouped back at Round Swamp Rd.

More fast riding and attacks all the way back to Brands. Really fun, challenging ride, averaging about 19.5 MPH, which is fast for this ride. 63 miles total. Humid day, good thing I brought two bottles this time!

Saturday Group Ride, Sunday Solo

Nice weather on Saturday, went out at 6:00 AM for 20 miles on the Jones Beach bike path (2 laps), then met up with the group at Brands. Big group and a few new faces. Amazing how much this ride has grown this year. Met up with Ariel at the LIE service road. Followed the usual script, all together until the sharp climb in Dix Hills, then a group of 4 or 5 of us split away. We kept a high pace and Ariel, as usual, absolutely flying on the climbs. Stopped back at Round Swamp Rd. for a short regrouping then hammered back to Brands. A few riders taking it a bit easier to conserve something for Sunday's hilly Gold Coast ride. Toal of 60 miles for me.

Sunday morning, early solo ride for me. No Gold Coast century, first time missing it in six years. On call for work starting at 9:00 AM. Did a fast solo ride of the Brands route and West Hills. Roads a little wet from overnight thunderstorm that passed though but great weather, otherwise. Great legs today! Did 50 miles and just barely missed a 20 MPH overall average (19.74). Left it all on the road today, rode the LIE like a race.

July 4th Weekend Rides

Busy day planned for Saturday, so just time to head out early in the morning for 50 miles on the Brands route and West Hills. The group did meet up for an 8:00 AM start but I opted to head out for a solo ride at 5:30 AM, just getting home around 8. Great riding weather and legs felt really good.

Sunday, I wanted to do a longer ride. Again, started early, 6:00 AM this time. I cobbled together a century ride, riding from home to BAE Systems in Greenlawn, the usual start to the HBC Gold Coast rides. The official Gold Coast ride is next weekend, but I knew they had already painted the streets with the cue markings for all the rides. I would have 40+ miles just riding to and from Greenlawn, so once there I did the 55-mile route as marked. Once again, great weather.

It was a hard ride, lots of climbing, though a few of the big climbs from the full 100-mile version were missing. Pretty much non-stop except for two bathroom breaks. My last few solo centuries, I've been able to complete the whole ride on two bottles and two Clif bars, so its been convenient not to have to make any food and water stops. I took the GPS this time, here is a link to the ride. Elevation gain looks a little high and there is one hiccup where the satellite signal was lost. I know for sure I did not hit a high speed of 55 MPH!

Weekend Rides - Corning

Had to miss the Tour de Cure charity ride with the Brands group on Saturday as I was out of town with the family. Tried to make up for it with a couple of long rides through the countryside.

On Saturday, family function at noon, so I hit out early to do a 70-mile version of the century I was planning for Monday, just skipping the loop around the lake. Ran into an unexpected road closure so I doubled back to Corning, did the Harris Hill loop with its single long, steep climb, then another 20 rolling miles for 77 total. Didn't feel great that day but it was a good workout.

Felt much better on Sunday, early start again and this time I worked out a detour around the road closure. Favorable winds heading west. Beautiful scenery, why didn't I bring the camera!?! Most flat and rolling route, one steep climb. Saw a few deer, wild turkeys, woodchuck, gophers, chipmuncks, some kind of soaring bird (a hawk, maybe?), horses, cows. Bit of headwind heading back and it was hard work on the rolling west side of the lake and the long (but not too steep) climb from Hammondsport to Bath. Nice cruise back to Corning and good timing as the rest of the family was just sitting down to brunch. 108 miles on the day.

Brands Ride and Bonus Miles

A good morning, weather-wise, getting a break from the rain that has been hanging around all week. Had a great 80-mile ride today, some solo, some with the Brands group, and some with a 4-rider group that split off from the Brands ride to hit some hills on the North Shore.

Did two laps solo on the bike path before heading over to the bike shop. Met Mike W. on the return and the two of us went over to Brands. There was a steady stream of buses on the Wantagh Parkway ferrying spectators to the U.S. Open Golf Champoinship.

At Brands a group of about 10 riders assembled and Jamie gave us a last minute route alteration to avoid Round Swamp Rd. bacause of the U.S. Open. It was the exact same variation I did on my own last weekend.

The group broke up (as usual) once we started hitting the rollers on the LIE service road. There were a few attacks on the west-bound leg and I finally just decided to hammer off on my own and see if the group had any desire to chase me down. Mike W. and I had chatted about heading North to do some hills at the junction with Round Swamp Rd., so I waited there until the group came by. Some riders filled water bottles, Mike W. sharing his extra Gatorade with me (thanks Mike!!!). So Mike, myself, and two other riders from the Brands group headed up into West Hills, crossed Rt. 25 and did a few climbs around Cold Spring Harbor, Woodbury, etc. Mike was our navigator and those few hills really added to the ride.

We retraced our route back south and back to Brands, trading some strong pulls. All four of us agreed that it was a great ride. I thought I'd be doing 50 miles today, it turned out to be 80, and I have no complaints. Legs still feeling great at the end. Not sure what the weather will bring tomorrow but this weekend is already a success!

Soggy Sunday

Another early morning ride to be home in time for work. Start time 5:30 AM, same route planned as yesterday except this time threat of rain, so I headed out on the old rain bike, expecting to get wet. Just 5 miles in and the rain started, light but steady for the next 20 or so miles. Rain stopped about halfway back on the westbound leg of the LIE service road. Slow climbing through West Hills then a welcome tailwind as I headed south, back home. Another 51 miles.

I made a point yesterday and today to avoid Round Swamp Rd., expecting closures around the U.S. Open Golf tournament at Bethpage. I only realized later, they will be playing NEXT weekend. Doh!!!

Spent a few hours on the phone and the computer with work, then cleaned the bikes under sunny skies this afternoon.

Early Solo Saturday Ride

Early start today because I needed to be working by 10:00 AM. Did a modified Brands route to avoid Round Swamp Rd. and any congestion and road closings due to the U.S. Open golf tournament. Instead, from Central Ave., made a left on Broadway, up to Plainview Rd., a right on Old Country Rd., which let me out right at the corner of the LIE and Round Swamp. From there, just the usual LIE service road, then West Hills (both directions). Then, the same route home.

Warm, humid day, a little taste of summer!

Two Great Rides This Weekend

After three straight days of rain, the weekend weather forecast looked promising for some good bike riding and especially for Sunday's annual Bike-Boat-Bike group ride.

On Saturday, a good spin with the Brands group was in order in preparation for the longer ride on Sunday. Went out at 6:00 AM for an hour on my own before meeting the group at the Brands lot. A good turn out of riders, including Jamie, Mike, Bob, Harvey, Todd, and Ariel. We kept and easy pace up Round Swamp Rd. then the LIE service road to Dix Hills. Scott and Ariel picked up the pace on an uphill, I grabbed Ariel's wheel and then the two of us hammered to the turn-around. We soft-pedalled to St. Matthews church, then waited a minute or two to regroup with the others. Stayed mostly together back to Round Swamp Rd. Mike and I decided to loop through West Hills, then headed back to Brands. A very enjoyable ride, and a good workout. Total of 60 miles, for me.

Sunday morning, out early for the 1 hour drive to Mattituck for the Bike-Boat-Bike ride. Met Harvey, Todd, and Bob from the Brands ride at registration. They were doing the 65-mile route in prep for the Tour de Cure century later in the month. I met up with the East End group, 100 mile route on the agenda. We had a dozen or so riders and made for a fast group. Great weather, fast pacelines, Pyzahl taking some long pulls (thanks!). Just a really fast, challenging ride! Various riders broke off at points if they were riding straight home or had other plans. Five of us ending up back at the Mattituck lot with 103 miles, 20.8 MPH average moving speed. Only one flat for the whole group. Great fun riding with this group!

As usual, Pyzahl documented the ride with some great photos. Here is a link to the photo album.

Here are a couple of photos from Pyzahl's album:

Ride Recaps for This Weekend and Last

Last weekend was a three-day weekend, with Memorial Day being Monday. Did a 100-miler on Saturday, detailed ride report here. The next morning, got out for a little later start and did the Triangle Ride, a very fast paced group ride that originates in Little Neck and follows a circuitous route around the North Shore. Last time I did this ride I wrecked my rear wheel, but no such troubles this time. A hard ride with lots of short steep climbs and accelerations. I managed to stay with the group and hooked up with Mark from Babylon Bikes for the ride home. A total of 60 miles for me that day. Finally, on Monday (Memorial Day), did an early morning solo ride of the Brands route and West Hills to get home in time to see my daughter march in the local parade and prepare for a family BBQ at the house. Was really happy with a 210-mile total for the long weekend.

This weekend, did 50 miles solo on Saturday, another early start, 5:00 AM. Nice weather and light traffic made for an uneventful but pleasant ride. This morning, wanted to stretch my legs at the Triangle ride again. Rode the 9 miles to meet the ride at Steele Hill Rd. in Westbury and waited a couple of minutes with a few other riders for the big peloton to whisk by. We jumped on and the group kept a nice steady pace, heading east, then North up Sweet Hollow Rd. At 27 miles in, one rider crashed hard when he tried to replace his water bottle and touched wheels with the bike ahead of him. He launched over the side of the bike and landed in the lane of oncoming traffic. Luckily, cars were able to stop in time. Rider up fairly soon but lots of mechanical issues with the bike. Seeing that he was okay, and a bunch helping him with the bike, I decided to head home. Did an extra loop through West Hills to get the mileage and ended with another 50.

Noticed this year a lot of riders on the Triangle ride wearing TriangleCyclists.com jerseys. Check out their webiste for a little Triangle Ride history.

Thinking about Bike-Boat-Bike next weekend, probably meet the East End team for 100 or 125 mile route.

Solo Century

Had been hoping all week to get to do a long ride this weekend, and it turned out the weather, work, and family all worked out so I could do it today. I also wanted to ride with the Brands group this weekend so I incorporated the group ride into my plans.

Usual oatmeal and coffee pre-ride breakfast, then out the door at 5:30 AM. Rode down the Jones Beach bike path (before the airshow crowds showed up) and it was a good ride except for the swarms of gnats at each of the three bridges. Was going to do two laps but the gnats made me think otherwise. Instead, I opted to do a dozen or so loops of the Cedar Creek Park loop road, same course as used for last weekend's Tour de Parc criterium.

Time check, 6:55 AM so headed over to Brands for the 7:00 AM start. A good turnout of familiar riders, at least 15. By the time we got up Round Swamp Rd., we were in three or four groups already. Up the first LIE hill, I saw Ariel, who was taking photos of us and I stopped to say hi. He is out of commission right now with a separated shoulder. I got back on the road but the group was long gone. Ate a CLIF bar at mile 40. I caught up to groups of 1, 2, or 3 riders but it looked like the group sort of disintegrated. Most of the rest of the way like this, then I turned solo again, to do West Hills. Stopped at a little park for a bathroom break and refilled a water bottle. Up to Rt. 25 then straight back to Brands.

Now with 73 miles, it took a fair bit of willpower to head back out into the wind. Ate another CLIF bar and went straight up Round Swamp Rd. again, up to the Northern State Parkway, then looped back home. One lap around the block to get the odometer to tick over to 100 miles!

A good ride, great weather, but a little less wind would have been nice! Wish the Brands group would have stayed together a bit longer but it was my decision to stop and visit with Ariel. Maybe I'll get to see some of his photos, should be some good action shots!

Tour de Parc Photos, Video, Links

Race Results

Video of me at the front of the peloton chasing a breakaway in the Cat. 4 race at Tour de Parc on Sunday.


Racing through the rain in the Masters 40+ race. Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8562469@N08/


Coasting in after a fast, wet Masters race. Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8562469@N08/

Photo sites where I found the above:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71596223@N00/sets/72157618389219452
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8562469@N08/sets/72157618320926345
http://tinyurl.com/qpwgv6
http://tinyurl.com/qbcnu2

Will post additional links here if I find any. Enjoy!

Tour de Parc Race Report

Today was race day at the Tour de Parc at Cedar Creek in Wantagh, my own backyard! I guess I was feeling strong when I registered a rew weeks ago and signed up for two races, the Masters 40+ and the Cat. 4.

Both races were 25-mile criteriums and happened to be scheduled back to back. Masters first at 9:30 AM, then Cat. 4 at 10:30 AM. Had my usual pre-ride breakfast of coffee and oatmeal and added a bananna knowing I'd need the fuel. Chance of rain predicted all morning so I was a little concerned abount negotiating the hairpin turn on the course in a fast moving pack. Roads damp when I left to ride to the park but not raining... yet!

Picked up my race numbers from the registration desk, pinned them on the jersey, one over the other, and did a couple of slow laps around the park while the Cat. 5 race was going on. Promptly at 9:30 AM, the Masters riders were called to the line. I saw Paul C. and Mike I. in the field, so I think we were the only three East End riders. No sooner did the start whistle sound and the rain started. First few laps were blistering fast, nipping at 32 MPH on the back stretch (wind aided) and about 22 MPH on the finishing straight, into the wind. The rain was intense and lots of road spray. Two riders attacked on lap 3, and that was the last we saw of them for the rest of the race. A few bridge attempts were not successful and teammates of the leaders foiled most other attempts. It was a hard fast race and on the last lap, I could not hold on to the group that sprinted for the finsh. I ended up at the back of the main pack, but I did accomplish my goal of not getting dropped. My first Masters race, under my belt, and an epic one at that!

I did a quick u-turn at the start/finish line and had Ed pull off my Masters race number to reveal the Cat. 4 number underneath, just as they were calling the Cat. 4 race to the line. Had about 1 minute to drink something and catch my breath before the whistle to start the Cat. 4 race. East End represented well in this race, me, Karl, Rob, Chris, Larry, George, maybe one or two others. Again, a fast start. Amazingly no crashes in either race! By now the rain had stopped and the roads actually started to dry out a bit by the end of the race. There were five or six breakways, solos, but they were reeled in. The last one stayed away for about 6-7 laps, only to be caught on the final lap.

East End was successful in the end with Karl taking the win and Larry picking up fourth. Again, I was poorly positioned for the sprint and ended mid-pack at the finish but I tried to make a contribution to the team by working to pull back some breakaways and pulling for the team as much as I could. I'm afraid the Masters race took a bit out of me and I didn't have much punch left at the end of 50 miles of racing.

I'll check around to see if I can find any race photos later in the week and post some links here if I find any. Even with the rain, an exciting day of racing. Legs sore now but I felt strong and easily stayed with the group in both races. Satisfying day of racing, tried to do the EECT jersey proud.

Brands Route with Joel L.

Came home yesterday evening to find a voice message from Joel L., one of the original Brands group riders from a few years ago. Joel has since moved away from the island but he does come down a few times a year and we have met up for rides on a few occasions. I had an early start planned to be home in time for Mother's Day breakfast.

We planned to meet at Brands at 5:45 AM to start a 50-miler, usual Brands route and West Hills. Nice sunny day, strong wind from the West. The early favorable winds gave us ample opportunity to chat during the ride and catch up on what we've been doing the past two years: jobs, kids, cycling, running (for Joel), etc.

After the turnaround, I flatted on piece of glass at mile 23. Repaired quickly and we headed into the wind to Round Swamp. Roads were in good shape, all dried out from yesterday's morning rain storms. On the way home, Joel flatted after hitting a pothole at mile 47. Repaired the flat and we continued on home, said our goodbyes, and I raced home, now late for breakfast.

Had some bacon and eggs and mimosa's for Mother's day. It was great to meet up with Joel. Had a good strong ride on a nice day.


Joel and I on Hilltop Rd.

Who'll Stop the Rain...

The plan was to do a 3-hour (50-mile) early morning ride. Had a hard stop time of 9:00 AM to get ready for a first communion in the morning. I figured on a ride start at 5:30 AM to be home by 8:30 AM, leaving a cushion for a flat or other mechanical. I woke up with the alarm only to find that a storm cell was moving through Nassau County. Heavy rain, thunder and lightning, not good riding conditions.

Delayed my start by 1 hour, checked the local radar and saw that the storm had passed to the east and nothing headed my way. So, I had some coffee and oatmeal, suited up in shorts and a short-sleeve jersey, and headed out on the rain bike at 6:30 AM. Since I lost an hour of ride time, I decided to do the 35-mile route I did with Mike W. a few weeks ago. I estimated it should get me home right at the 2-hour mark.

Predictable, the roads were wet and full of sand and runoff from the storm. It was a messy ride, no doubt, but the light wind, no rain, and warm temperature (60F) kept it from being a truly "epic" affair. Up through West Hills, it reminded me of some footage from an old Liege-Bastogne-Liege race video I have: wet, misty, narrow road through the forest.

On the ride, I passed Bethpage Park, where there is now a huge tent city and grandstands for the upcoming U.S. Open. Quite a project going on there. The course itself is lush green an manicured thanks to all this rain we've been having.

Home right at 8:30 AM as I hoped, very wet and covered in mud. Hosed off the bike, glad to get 35-miles in today. Hopefully the rain will hold off tomorrow morning so I can get some morning miles in on Mother's Day.

Bratwurst Century

Did the annual "Spring Century" with the SBRA EB group, better known as the Bratwurst Century. As usual, we loosly followed the Bike-Boat-Bike route, heading east from Riverhead on the North Fork to Greenport, short ferry ride to Shelter Island, across Shelter Island, another ferry to the South Fork, then back west to Riverhead.

A cool 50F at the ride start, overcast, wet roads, but no actual rain. We headed out with 15 riders. First flat at about mile 15, quickly changed, and we were off again. Steady pacelines, 20+ MPH. At about mile 30, a pothole took out Charlie and also caused Rick to flat. Charlie hit the ground hard! Two motorists stopped to assist but as the shock of the crash wore off, Charlie felt okay enough to get back on the bike. He continued with us to the ferry and Shelter Island, but decided to take a direct route back, accompanied by John Y. Hurt something on his right side, hoping its not too serious. Had a Clif bar on the ferry ride.

Last little delay was another flat at mile 50. Took a few minutes to extract the offending sharp stone, but after the flat was repaired just another 10 miles to lunch in Amagansett. By this time the sun was out and we had a nice lunch, sitting outside at some picnic tables. We were obviously in the "Hamptons" as my turkey and cheese on whole wheat was a pricey $7.30! A bag of peanut M&M's and a bottle of water and we were off again.

The last 40 miles had us in good pacelines but no one could quite remember the exact route so there were more than a few misdirections and wrong turns that kept breaking our momentum. Finally back to the start with 101.9 miles, 19.4 MPH moving average speed, elapsed time just uder 7 hours.

It turned out to be a great and and a great ride with friends. Will be back next year!

Fast, Wet, EB Ride

Me and Robin at the start of Rt. 51. Waiting for 2nd flat to get fixed. Photo: Pyzahl

Wanted to get in a fast ride before Tour de Parc races in two weeks, so despite the threat of rain, I made the trek East to Manorville of the Early Birds group ride. Group was mostly made up of East End/Krebs Cycle team, so we were in for a fast ride.

We had light rain for the whole ride, tailwind headed east, then a bit of headwind for the return. Fast paceline the whole way. There was an early split due to a flat tire. Again, I was in the group that waited. Strong group of riders still, and lots of old friends: Pyzahl, Mike, Kevin, Tom, John, Robin, George (I'm sure I left someone out). Brian, Tom, and Mike seemed to be pulling us along alot of the time but I think we all managed to contribute a good share.

I felt really good on the ride and was at the front part of our group for the critical sections: the tanks, Rt. 51 and CR 111. Did not get dropped! So, I feel like I won't make a fool of myself at the races (May 17th, Cedar Creek Park, Wantagh). I think we ended with 54.8 miles, about 21.5 MPH moving average.

I see Pyzahl posted some photos from the ride so I'm going to try to link to a few here:


Waiting for the first flat. Tom S. rocking the East End sub-team purple and black! I'm up the road in the regular orange and blue. Photo: Pyzahl


Regroup after the tanks. Photo: Pyzahl


Cutchogue deli stop, mile 30. I'm on the left. Photo: Pyzahl

The Rain Bikes Make an Appearance

Rained all night and still raining when I got up this morning, so I took my time getting ready to ride. I figured the Brands ride would be a washout so I was resigned to doing a short solo ride on the rain bike. No rides at all on Thursday and Friday due to work schedule and rain.

As I was having a cup of coffee and checking e-mail, I got a twitter from Mike W. that he was heading to the Brands ride start. Great! I quickly gulped down my coffee and got ready, arrived at Brands just about 5 minutes late. Met James and Mike there, so the three of us set out on the usual route. All of us on our "rain bikes", me on the Trek 520, Mike W. on his Specialized Allez, and James on an unbranded frame he built up himself. James was not feeling 100% so we kept a comfortable pace. It gave us the opportunity for some good conversation as we tackled the rollers on our route. Luckily no wind, and the rain stayed away for just about the entire ride.

After the LIE service road out-and-back, Mike and I went through West Hills and James went up Old Country Road. We regrouped at Rt. 25, then headed home. I was happy to end up with 50 miles on the day, more than I probably would have done on my own. Thanks to Mike and James for braving the elements, it turned out to be a great ride!

Brands Team Photo Shoot

Check out some of the photos from yesterday's Brands Team photo shoot! It was a lot of fun. Thanks to Todd N. for setting the whole thing up.


Copyright © Cecilia Grace Mizin Photography http://cgmizin.zenfolio.com

Entire Gallery

Short but Sweet

Busy day on tap but I arranged to meet up with Mike W. for an early morning ride. Had two hours available so we agreed on a 35 mile out-and-back route, up Round Swamp Rd., through West Hills, up to Rt. 25, then back. Click here to view Mike's GPS track.

Weather was PERFECT! Temperature 65F, sunny, light wind. Nice and flat to start and get warmed up, some easy climbs, then a nice quick spin home. A short ride, but sometimes quality is more important than quantity.

No mechanical issues, which is a good thing after all the maintenance work I did yesterday. Thinking about switching to a 12-23 cassette for these local rides for more gear choices when cruising these mostly-flat roads.

Renewal

Excellent ride this morning with the Brands group, then some much needed bike maintenance.

I planned all week to make the Brands ride on Saturday morning. The forecast predicted great weather and I was looking forward to a good ride with the group. The usual Brands ride is about 38 miles, and I wanted at least 50. So I headed out at 6:00 AM to do a couple of laps on the Jones Beach bike path, then stopped over at Brands a little before 7:00 AM. I was great to see everyone again, Jamie, Mike, Bob, Ed, Harvey, Todd, and a couple of other guys whose faces were familiar but not sure of the names.

A big group of about 20 or so, we started off at an easy pace to everyone could get warmed up. Ed attacked on Central Ave. and so the pace picked up on Round Swamp Rd. A few other guys taking off the front. I bridged then led up to the LIE service road. I turned around and it was just me and two other guys. We took a quick straw poll and we decided to keep going on our own. We kept a strong pace out on the LIE srevice road. One rider dropped off and headed for home, leaving just Dan and myself to finish up back at Round Swamp.

Met a group of 5 riders from our original peloton and we did one more repeat of the first hill on the LIE. Pick up some more remnants of the original group, then we all headed back to Brands. Nice, steady pace!

After our post-ride chat at Brands, I took a spin over to Seaman's Neck Park to catch the first half of my daughter's soccer game (they won, 6-0!!!). A total of 61 miles on the day.

Back home, I had some lunch and had a long session of bike maintenance:
- full bike wash
- new chain
- new cassette
- new brake pads
- mount tire on my new Easton Circuit rear wheel (replacing the one I broke on the Triangle ride)
- mount the trainer tire back on the spare wheel I had been using while waiting for my new wheel

A few photos:

My dented rim, tire bead folded in and braking surface deformed.


New brake pads


New chain and cassette


New Easton Circuit rear wheel

Busy tomorrow, so just a short ride planned.

EZ Century Ride with SBRA

Met up with 7 SBRA riders for a flat century on the South Fork, out to Water Mill and back, 105 miles, just under 6 hours riding time. One rider doing her first century, so we had a few more waitups than usual. Fast ride East on Dune Rd., lunch at Water Mill, then back on a more inland route. A few familiar faces and met a few new riders. Good to spend a day on the bike in this nice weather.

Long Weekend Rides

Friday, day off from work for traveling but had time in the morning to do 50 miles on the Brands route and West Hills. Weather was good, not too cold or windy. I've been riding on my spare rear wheel while waiting for a replacement Easton EA70 for the Circuit I wrecked last weekend on the Triangle ride. It was a really good ride, despite the workday traffic.

Saturday, up in Corning for the Easter Holiday. Its quite a bit colder and windier here. Managed to get in 65 miles from Corning to Savona, up to the Hills in Tyrone and Weston, back down to Keuka Lake and Hammondsport. Across to Bath, then a straight line back to Corning. A really strong headwind from the Northwest that I fought against for the first 30 miles. Took a lot out of me by the time I got to the hills but at least I got the tailwind for the 20 miles home.

This morning, only time for a short ride before Easter brunch, but I got in 25 miles on a FREEZING cold (25F) morning here. Did the big climb up Harris Hill, so I would not exactly call it a recovery ride. Good to do some rides in a change of scenery, but wish it was warmer and less windy.


View Larger Map

Triangle Ride, Cut Short by Pothole

Decided to do the Triangle ride today, hoping to meet up with Ed, from Brands, and Mike W. Sunny skies, a little chilly, but quite windy. Left home at 8:20 AM and rode 9 miles straight into a headwind up north to Steele Hill Rd., just off the LIE to meet up with the Triangle Ride peleton (ride start is in Little Neck).

Met Craig G. there from Sanchez-Metro team. We didn't have long to wait for the peleton as they would be having a slight tailwind for the first part of their ride. As they passed, I jumped onto the end and it was a pretty civilized pace at the beginning of the ride. Met Ed in the group but did not see Mike W.

Things heated up on Fish Hatchery Rd., group split up and I ended up in no-man's land between the front group and the chase group. I was hammering trying to get back to the front group. Made a high-speed right turn, into a shady section. Before my eyes could adjust to the reduced light level, BAM!, rode straight into a pothole at 25 MPH. I coasted for a few seconds, waiting to hear the clink and rattle of a broken spoke. It didn't come, front rim looked okay, bike was stable, so I jumped back on the pedals and kept going.

A couple of miles outside of Oyster Bay, a chase group of 5 picked me up and we rode into the town of Oyster Bay, just about 30 seconds behind the front group, 30 miles into the ride. As I squeezed the brakes I felt a strong pulsing in the back brake lever. At this point, I realized it was the back wheel, so I dropped out of the group and got off the bike to evaluate the situation. Rear wheel bent! Crap!

Bike was rideable, no noticable cracks in the rim, so I turned back around and headed home solo. Twenty miles later, back home. Got my 50 miles, and a good workout, but at a price.

Really disappointed I wrecked my rim. Its been trouble-free since I got it 17,000 miles ago. Never even been trued! I guess I'll try to get it to Brands today to see if they can fix it. First I'll swap my tire to my backup wheel, that has a trainer tire on it now. Fingers crossed they can fix it.

Finally Back On The Road

Did not get to do a road ride since last Saturday's rain ride on the Trek. Last Sunday was more rain so I skipped my ride, and, I came down with a really bad cold. No rides at all on Monday and Tuesday. Two short trainer sessions on Wednesday and Thursday as I was still recovering from my cold. Relegated to the trainer again on Friday morning because of rain.

Despite a late night at work on Friday, I was glad to see the Weather forecast for today, with rain not predicted until after noon. Decent temperatures in the mid 40's. The only problem would be the wind, steady 20 MPH out of the West, gusts to 33 MPH.

Not sure how deep my energy reserves would be after being sick earlier in the week, I opted to try a primarily North-South route to avoid riding directly into the wind. On the Specialized, solo, up Round Swamp Rd. to the LIE, did the first big hill on the service road, then back to Round Swamp Rd. and through West Hills.

Felt pretty good but after a small taste of that howling wind, I was glad I didn't head East on the service road! Heading back south, I met up with Ed from Brands who was out riding solo. We rode the 12 miles back to Wantagh together, and passed Mike W. who was heading north, on his own. Ed mentioned that this morning was supposed to kick off the regular Saturday A.M. Brands group ride for the season, but he was the only one that showed. Good to know this ride is starting up again, another ride option for Saturday morning! Ed is planning on doing the Triangle ride tomorrow morning. I think I will try to do it, as well, if the family schedule allows. Its a ride as challenging as EB but doesn't involve the long car ride out and back.

On the racing front, the Tour de Parc is on for May 17th, can't wait!

Spinning (Steel) Wheels

Planned on a 7:00 AM start but mother nature had other ideas. Rain showers moved through so I delayed until 8:00 AM. Started out in a light rain on the rain/commuter bike, my 2nd hand late 80's steel Trek 520 touring bike. In the rain for about 45 minutes, up to the LIE, with a slight headwind. Made the right turn onto the LIE South Service road into a crosswind. By this time I was feeling the weight of the bike and had to start spinning some lower gears, especially when climbing. Although, the Shimano Biopace chainrings are nice when climbing out of the saddle!

Was thinking of shortening the ride to 40 miles, but a patch of blue sky and the tailwind after the turnaround at mile 20 encouraged me to go for the full 50 miles. Recovered a bit heading west on the North Service road, then headed up into West Hills, keeping a high cadence.

Heading back south on Round Swamp Rd. past the Bethpage golf course, the sun started shining and it was a nice ride home. Grit my teeth a little into the wind last few miles. Glad I did the full ride, tougher than usual on the old bike. Now need to clean it up, the drive train sounded like a cement mixer the last 10 miles, not a drop of lube left after 3 hours in the wet.

Awesome Early Bird Ride

I decided to ride with the EB's out of Manorville today, wondering if all these base miles are actually adding up to something. In a word, YES! Had a great, fast ride, and felt strong for the whole route. It was also an interesting ride with respect to the group dynamics.

Oatmeal and coffee for breakfast, then loaded the car for the ride out to Manorville. Got there by 7:45 AM for the 8:00 AM start. We had 20 riders by the time we rolled out. It was nice catching up with the gang for the first few miles: Pyzahl, John & Robin, John Y., Fintan, Gary, Karl, etc.

Seven or eight miles in, someone lost a bottle. There were lots of shouts for the group to slow-up so he could retrieve the bottle then rejoin the group. But, the front group had a head of steam going and did not slow down. The back group that I was in, waited until the rider rejoined and then headed in pursuit of the front group. I initiated a chase but no one else wanted to try to bridge. In the end, it was futile.

Now on my own, I caught up to Fintan who also had lost his bottle and was unable to catch back on the front group. He and I rode together to the climb at the Northville tanks, just as the second group was about to make contact from behind. We had a good pace up the climb and were joined by Gary. The three of us had a pretty good gap on the group behind and worked hard together figuring that we would regroup with the front riders at the usual spot.

When we got to the regroup point, we were greeted by an empty parking lot. The front group decided to keep going and bypassed it. We three decided to wait for the group behind to catch up. Once we were back together, we headed out to the Cutchogue deli stop, the next point that we might have any chance to get back with the front group.

At the deli, just a couple of riders who bypassed the tanks in the hope of catching the front group at the deli, but were unsuccessful. We stopped so some riders could refill water bottles and grab a power bar. At this point we found that Robin had a shredded rear derailleur cable and could not shift out of the smallest cog. Luckily, she had a hex key and a couple of us proceeded to adjust the cable to a better gear in the back. At least she would have two gears to use by shifting the front ring.

After the deli, we would now be heading into the wind. We kept an easier pace, 19-20 MPH so no one would get dropped off the back and have to ride alone into the wind. The last major obstacles were Rt. 51 and Rt. 111. No major attacks in our group but everyone rode strong. I think we must have finished with a ride average over 20 MPH for the 54 miles, thanks to the tailwind for the first part of the ride.

For my part, I took some long, strong pulls. Felt really good today, and I'm pretty sure I could have stayed with the front group if we didn't have that early split. Kind of strange they didn't stop but I guess its hard to stop a fast moving train. All-in-all it was a great ride for me and I realized how much I miss the sensation of riding in a fast-moving group. I need to get out to this ride more often this season.

Great Early Ride, Numb Feet Aside

Had to make it an early ride today so that I could take Tina to her soccer tournament this morning (they won 2-0!). Got up at the same time I usually do for my pre-work morning ride and got out the door by 5:30 AM. Below freezing, 28F, but no wind. Flicked on my headlight and taillight and got under way for a 50 mile ride along the Brands route and West Hills.

Some issues with my headlight, I've noticed that the rechargeable battery performance really drops off when the temperature is below 35F. After 15 minutes, the red "low-battery" light was on and the light dropped to low power. About 30 minutes in, I set it for medium power and I had no problems for the rest of the ride.

Sun was starting to come up at the 20-mile turnaround on the LIE service rode. I felt really strong today, especially when riding out of the saddle. Did a lot of extended climbing standing on the pedals. No water after mile 30, water bottle frozen! Finished with an 18 MPH average for the ride (total time, not just riding time).

Back by 8:30 AM, time to put the bike away, shower, eat some yogurt & granola, update my ride journal and head to the soccer game.

On the bike racing scene, a dramatic finish at Milan-San Remo! Here is a video of the last kilometer (anyone understand Flemish?).

Pre-Dawn Ride

Family gathering at the house today for brunch, so I went out pre-dawn at 6:00 AM for the ususal 50-miler, solo. Headlight and taillight for the first 90 minutes. Pretty good ride, a little warmer, a little less wind. Another 50 in the bank!

Couldn't Decide on Today's Ride

Checking the weather on Friday night, I new today would be pretty good for a ride, cold in the morning but supposed to warm up. No threat of rain, light wind. Hard to choose through my ride options:

- Meet up with Percy in Rocky Point for his usual Sunday 55 mile "Easy A Pace"
- Meet Mike W. and Harvey at Brands at 8:30 for bit easier pace
- Get thrashed at the Triangle Ride
- Usual solo ride, 50 miles, Brands Route and West Hills

Woke up this morning and took the path of least resistance, did my usual solo ride. Out at 7:00 AM, temp right at 32F. Legs felt a little blocked but that is not unusual for a Saturday morning. Sun finally started to appear about 20 miles in. At mile 35, I made the turnaround at Rt. 25 and was joined by another rider. With not much more than a "good morning", we headed South and traded pulls down to the LIE. Marcel said he was heading to Wantagh, me too! It seems we are neighbors, only a couple of block from each other! Passed Mike W. and Harvey (and Bob?) on Round Swamp as they were heading North.

Marcel took the direct route home, I detoured slightly to get my 50 miles. Marcel invited me to join him for the Triangle Ride tomorrow but I realize I'm going to have to pass since tomorrow is the girls' family birthday brunch and I need to be home early. Maybe I can meet up with him next Sunday.

Still planning on a ride tomorrow morning but its going to be a pre-dawn affair, with lights, etc.

Vitamin S

Cleaning the sand and salt off the bike.

They guys at Rapha talk about their rides out west as having plenty of "Vitamin G", meaning the gravel surface on the seldom used back roads they seek out. My ride today had plenty of "Vitamin S", meaning sand, salt, snowmelt, and SUN! The weather cooperated and it was a realatively warm morning, around 45F when I started at 7:15 AM, up to about 55F when I got home, 3 hours later. As I update this blog, its nearly 70F!

Did 50 miles on the Brands route and West Hills. Tried to hook up with Mike W. this morning but I left a little earlier than I anticipated and I think he left a little later than planned, so we ended up missing each other. I was riding solo but I saw a lot of other roadies out. A couple of small groups were heading North on Round Swamp Rd., probably heading to the Triangle ride. On the LIE North service road, I ran into Atila from the Early Birds, who was on his way to a group ride leaving from St. Matthews church. I should have checked the SBRA ride schedule!

Due to the first three S's, the bike was in need of a major cleaning when I got home.

February Finale

A hard-fought fifty miles today, the last day of February. Wind, wind, and more wind! Predominantly out of the North, but seemingly gusting from all directions, I didn't see a hint of tailwind until making the turn back south from Rt. 25, after 35 miles.

I was thinking this could have been a wet ride due to last night's rain but the steady wind dried things up. I was out the door by 7:30 AM, roads were dry, and although it was still on the cold side (mid 30's), the big factor was the wind.

Did the usual Brands route out and back on the LIE service road, then a loop through West Hills. On the way back, I hooked up with Harvey (from the Brands group) on Central Ave. and we rode together back to Brands. I continued on home and promptly scarfed down my regular post-ride snack, yogurt with granola and fruit.

Glad to get a good ride in today, tomorrow looks like its going to be a rainout, but I hope not!

Short Ride to Beat the Rain

Rain forecast for the morning so I had to play it by ear in terms of what kind of ride I could do. Warmer temperatures in the 40's but gray skies. I decided to do a shorter route and take the beater bike, just in case. Again, thinking I might get caught in the rain, I wore wind/water-proof kit. I turned out that it was a little too much and after five miles, I ended up doing the rest of the ride with my jacket unzipped and flapping in the wind.

A good ride, windy, but I was glad to beat the rain. Within 20 minutes after I got home, the rain started!

Winter is Still in Here

Cold and windy today, 28F and 15 MPH wind out of the west. Delayed my ride start to 8:00AM to give the sun a little more time to warm things up. Usual Brands route and West Hills. Roads are in good shape, just sandy on the shoulders. Surprised I didn't see any other roadies out.

I've been enjoying the Amgen Tour of California coverage on Versus every night! I wish there was more!

Too Many Flats!

A day off from work today for President's Day. Temp still right at 32F, but I dressed warm and headed out early today, at 7:15 AM. Legs feeling a little rubbery after two long rides on Saturday and Sunday.

Headed up Round Swamp Rd. and made the right onto the LIE service round without even thinking about it. I was soon reminded that not everyone had the day off today as I encountered the caffiene-fueled, rush-hour crazed, maniacs on their way to work. I did an about-face as soon as it was safe to do so and went back to Round Swamp Rd. and up through West Hills.

Tailwind on the way back south. After I made the right onto Central Ave. I felt the bike's handling start to deteriorate. You guessed it, another flat tire! On the front this time. I shouldn't be surprised as the front tire has about 10,000 miles on it. As I struggled to get the tire off the rim, I could see that the rubber is in pretty bad shape, so I'm resigned that I need some new tires. I think I'll try and get some Continental Gatorskins and try to fend off these flats for the rest of the winter and spring.

Anyway, after changing the flat, I just took the direct route home for a total of 35 miles. A few less miles than I wanted but a good recovery ride nonetheless.

UPDATE
Fresh rubber!!!

More Sun and More Wind

Same ride as yesterday: Brands route and West Hills. A little bit later start due to some work issues, out the door by 8:30 AM. More sun today but also more wind, again, out of the North. I passed Mike W. on his way back on Seaman's Neck road.

No flat today, but I was still constantly checking the tire throughout the ride. Good workout, all-in-all.

Working on the Base Miles

Cold morning, right around freezing, but roads were clear and dry. Had my usual pre-ride breakfast of coffee and oatmeal then suited up in full cold weather kit. Out the door by 7:40 AM. Immediately into a headwind blowing from the North, but nothing too epic.

As I made my way up Round Swamp Rd. and onto the LIE service road, I felt like the bike's handling was a little off and that I was bouncing around in the saddle. Glanced at my back wheel to check for the telltale deflection in the tire that it was flat but it looked ok. I checked it constantly on the ride West but thought maybe I just lost a few pounds of pressure due to the cold temps. Even got off the bike at one point to squeeze the tire but it felt firm enough.

By mile 26, there was no doubt that it was going flat. So, I pulled over, got out a spare tube, tire levers, and CO2, and 10 minutes and one scraped knuckle later, flat was fixed.

Roads were sandy but dry, so I included the West Hills loop. Ended up with a nice 50 mile, solo ride. Legs felt strong but quads were burning on the last few little climbs. Looking to get in another one tomorrow, but depends on work.

Warm, Windy, And Wet

Same route as yesterday, 44.4 miles in 2 hrs. 31 min., but much different conditions. Temperature range was 43F at the start and up to 56F by the end. I ditched the shoe covers, AmFib tights, Barrier jacket, and ski gloves. I was comfortable on the entire ride with knickers, base layer, SS jersey and LS jersey. It was so great to be out riding in warm weather without all the extra clothing.

The tradeoff was a ridiculous wind out of the west, gusting to 30 MPH! I was really grinding up those little rollers on the LIE service road into the wind. It was a really good workout.

Also, roads were very wet from melting snow and dew. Mixed with all the road salt and sand, it was a messy ride. The bike and I were covered with by the end of the ride, looking like a vision out of Paris-Roubaix.


Back from today's ride.


Covered with road salt and sand.

I don't know how long the warm weather will last but is was great finally getting outside again!

Ride Through a Snowy Landscape

Pretty good weather today, so I hit the road for 45 miles on the Specialized. Roads were nice and dry. A little sand and salt but no ice on the main roads. Side roads are still a little dodgy, so I skipped the loop through West Hills. Snow still plentiful elsewhere and it was cool riding through this landscape, especially around the Bethpage golf courses.

Been communicating with a couple of the Brands riders, might hook up for a ride tomorrow.

Good Start to the Month of February

Unusually warm today, at least compared to what January has been like. Finally got out for a long-ish road ride today, 41 miles along the usual Brands (LIE) route. Temps were reasonable, 36F - 40F, but quite windy on the return leg of the ride. Roads all clear of ice and snow, which was the main thing keeping me off the road lately.

Saw a few other riders out, as well. Legs felt really good considering I haven't ridden more than 30 miles in over a month, and only two rides over 15 miles in the whole month of January.

On the blog front, I'm going to start posting my daily rides on my Twitter feed instead of Velog, just seems a bit redundant at this point, plus, I can update twitter from my phone.

More Snow On the Way

Getting very familiar with the indoor trainer this month!

Weather Didn't Cooperate

Had a three-day weekend, including Martin Luther King, Jr. day but, unfortunately, could not get a road ride in. Saturday, woke up to 11F temperatures, too cold! Saturday and Sunday, woke up to fresh snow, both days. So, taking the weekend off from riding.

Here is this morning's scene from my kitchen window...


Scenic but doesn't lend itself to a ride on the road bike.

Seems to be a Trend

Last weekend did a 30-miler up Round Swamp Rd. and back, on Saturday. I expected salty and sandy roads so I left the Specialized at home and took the Trek instead. Weather was not bad, temperature mostly in the high 30's, but quite windy.

Sunday, did a 45 minute spin on the trainer then worked on preparations for a big family gathering at the house.

This weekend, once again did the 30 mile ride up Round Swamp Rd., this time on the Specialized. Legs felt pretty good but it was cold, around 28F. Hands and feet numb after 30 miles so I called it a day.

Last night snow and freezing rain, so the roads are too icy to go out for a ride. Hopefully can (at least) two rides in next weekend, which is a holiday weekend.

Got some cycling odds and ends from Excel Sports this week: Flea headlight for my short morning commute to the train station, a little velcro loop to keep pant leg out of the chain, new chain and cassete that will need changing in a few weeks, another base layer, and some chain cleaner and lube.

Flea

Commuted with my new Blackburn Flea today. Its a great little "be seen" light, as opposed to more powerful light that you would need to see the road in darkness. Its super light (17 grams), bright (for its size and power), and is easy to put on and take off the bike.

Another great feature is that it is rechargeable from any 1.5v battery. It comes with two wires with little magnets on the end that let you instantly connect it to a AAA, AA, C, or D size battery for charging. Neat!

Holiday Break

First ride this morning after a 3-day holiday break. We were out of town for Christmas and I decided not to bring the bike this year. Actually, its been about two weeks since the last good road ride due to cold/snow/ice/rain these past two weeks.

Did a nice 30-mile ride in unseasonably warm temperatures (58F today!). Roads were wet from overnight rain so after I got back home I spent about an hour washing and lubing the bike. I got a couple of nice bike-related items for Christmas from my daughters: a Road Id and a portait of my bike (see below).



Other than that, most of my rides have been on the trainer. On the plus side, I'm glad I got to try out my new headphones for my iPod. Inexpensive, but have a nice, warm sound.

Hope the weather stays warm for a few days!

Got bike!

So, for the first time in the past three weekends, the weather cooperated and I finally got two back-to-back long rides in. Both 7:00 AM starts, both days about 30F at ride start, same routes (Brands route along the LIE and West Hills) and both done in 2 hr 50 min, give or take a minutes. These are elapsed times, so include traffic stops, etc. Well, at least there is some consistency there!

Saturday was more windy and it was a little rough going at first until I got warmed up. Sunday, felt better. The muscles got used to riding again.

Takes so long to get all the layers on for these cold rides:

socks
base layer
jersey
shorts
bib tights
jacket
balaclava
shoes
helmet
ski gloves

Typical summer ride:

socks
jersey
shorts
shoes
helmet

Well, a cold ride is better than no ride.

Almost a Weather Repeat

Similar to last weekend. Saturday was a cold morning but I set out early for a solo Brands and West Hills 50-mile ride. Temperature was 28F at start but the sun warmed things up to the low 40F's by ride end. A few other bikers out.

Woke up Sunday morning to SNOW! Nothing major but slushy and icy roads, so no road ride in the cards. Opted for a short run with Linda instead of the trainer.

Bailed Out

Just about to step out the door this morning for a ride and the rain and sleet started! We weren't supposed to see this until 10:00 AM. So, taking a day off. Gonna watch the Giants and Jets instead.

Colder Today, But a Better Ride

This morning's ride started at 34F but, for some reason, it felt more comfortable than Thursday's "Turkey Day" ride. No half-measures with the kit today: full shoe covers and ski gloves, but just a cycling cap under the helmet, balaclava was in the wash!

I headed out solo to do the Brands route and West Hills but bumped into Mike and Bob just a mile in. We rode together for about 10 miles, to about the midpoint on Round Swamp Rd. At that point, I wanted to pick up the pace so I headed off on my own. Wind was favorable heading east on the LIE service road to the turnaround. Now into a headwind but not too bad. The sun was out by this time and really started to warm things up.

Felt great back at Round Swamp Rd. so proceeded through West Hills, seeing the horses out and running around a bit in the paddocks off of Sweet Hollow Rd. Through the preserve then a fast return down Round Swamp Rd. passing Bethpage State Park and the golf courses there.

By surprise, caught back up with Mike and Bob on Central Ave., now joined by Harvey, too. We rode in the last 5 miles together to Jerusalem Ave. and I then took the shortcut home. All in all a really great ride for the end of November. Hoping for another good one tomorrow!

Hard to Disconnect

Hard to get in the groove for today's ride. Hands got numb quickly due to my last minute substitution of neoprene cycling gloves instead of my ski gloves. Also had a stiff back, I think due to having to stand the past two nights for the train ride home from work. Thinking about a lot of things that need to be taken care of before the end of the year. Anyway, I carried on and by mile 20 I started to loosen up and get more comfortable on the bike and getting a little into the "zone".

Very light traffic in the morning so it was a nice quiet ride. No howling winds today.

Did the 50-mile Brands/West Hills route again, solo. A lot of other cyclists and joggers out to burn some calories before today's traditional Thanksgiving feast. Can't wait!

The Difference a Day Makes

Today I did the 50-miler that I wimped out of yesterday. Temperature was still only 27F at the 7:00 AM start but much less windy. I was outfitted the same as yesterday but felt good at the LIE and decided to go for the 50. Nice tailwind as I headed west, and light traffic. At the turnaround, I hit into the wind. The sun started to come out a little bit by then and I tried to catch every bit of it that I could.

Starting the West Hills route on Sweet Hollow Rd., I was surprised to meet Mike W.! We chatted a bit as we climbed up through West Hills on Sweet Hollow Rd. and Mt. Misery Rd. (great names!). We split at Round Swamp and I got into a good cruising mode, especially when I headed back south.

Numb feet by the time I got home but good to get in a long ride!

Hey, check this out! I always thought it would be cool for my picture to appear on cyclingnews.com, now here it is, but unfortunately, its not me on the bike! I'm crouched between the 1st and 2nd riders, taking a photo (blue hat).

A Day at the Races

I went to Southampton this afternoon to catch some professional cyclocross racing, the 2008 Whitmores Landscaping Super Cross Cup. It was a bitter cold and windy day, but the racing action was HOT! Here is an article from VeloNews.com, too.

Here is a slideshow:


Some video too:

Elite Women

Elite Men

Barriers

And finally, a picture of a (small) group of fans from the moveitfred blog. I'm the guy with the blue hat pulled down over my ears.

Earned that Hot Cup of Coffee

Was planning on the usual 50-mile Brands route this weekend but a glance at the weather forecast last night started to but some doubts in my mind. Predicted temperature of 24F and 20-30 MPH winds, wind chill of 12F! I do have cold weather gear but 3 hours in sub freezing temperature and high winds gets uncomforatble no matter what you're wearing on the bike.

I settled on a planned 25-mile ride up to the LIE and back, via Round Swamp Rd. Going to see the cyclocross races in Southampton this afternoon and I figured if those guys could race an hour in this cold then I should be able to get my ride in too! Depending on how I felt at the halfway point I could extend to 30 miles by doing the West Hills loop or 40 miles by doing the whole service road. Since this was going to be a shorter-than-normal ride, I skipped the pre-ride meal and kitted up for a 7:00 AM start. Broke out all the cold weather clothes: balaclava, ski gloves, barrier jacket, windproof bib tights, full shoe covers.

Started right off into the headwind. Tough going but at least it kept my core warm. Predictably, fingers and toes were the first victims of the cold. At the LIE, I felt okay and decided to go for West Hills. I took my last sip of water at mile 14 as the water bottle froze up at this point.

Got the tail wind for the return loop but it actually seemed to be colder coming back, maybe due to the increased wind chill or maybe because I wasn't working as hard without the headwind to fight. Back home in under two hours and fumbled to get out my house key with numb fingers. First order of business after peeling off all the extra layers...get the coffee going!

Brrrrr! Looks like a COLD Ride Tomorrow AM!

Weather.com says it will be 30F tomorrow morning, winds 22 MPH and a wind chill of 18F! Some real winter weather. Breaking out the AMFib bib tights!

Rain One Day, Wind the Next

It rained all day on Saturday, so no riding for me.

This morning I met Mike W. at Brands to do the regular route, 7:00 AM start time. Heavy rain last night so I took the rain bike thinking it would be a wet ride. The strong wind dried everything out so the roads were in good shape after all. We had favorable winds for the first 20 miles, out to the turnaround point on the LIE service road.

Then the fun started!!! We did the next 28 miles into a 22 MPH headwind/crosswind. It was a hard ride. Usually this is a 2 hour 40 minute ride, today it was 3 hours! I was drained at the end but glad that the weekend was not totally washed out. Temperature was about 50F, so not bad for the middle of November.

Need to lube the Trek drivetrain, it was squeaking like a rust bucket for most of the ride, probably since I didn't have a chance to clean it after Thursday's and Friday's morning wet rides.

Crisp!

Thats how I would describe this morning. The rain from the past couple of days left and this morning I headed out under cloudless, sunny skies, no wind, and temp around 51F. Nice fall cycling weather and the cool temperature kind of woke me up and got me motivated for a vigorous ride.

I started at 7:00 AM, solo, as I didn't want to wait until 8:30 AM to meet up with the Brands group (although I did see Mike, Bob, and a couple of other riders starting out as I was almost home). Did the usual Brands route and West Hills on the Specialized. Little or no wind for the first 20 miles, then the wind seemed to pick up and I had headwinds and crosswinds for the last 30.

Fall foliage was lit up by the morning sun so it was a colorful ride, in contrast to yesterday's rainy, gray day. Just need to do some minor bike cleanup and chain lube later this afternoon. Hope we get a few more weekends like this before things get really cold.

Wet and Windy Saturday Ride

Some time constraints this morning in order to make it to my daughters' 9:00 AM soccer game, her last of the season. No way to make it to PyZahl's RP2IPBP ride :-(.

Up and out at 6:00 AM, fueled with banana, yogurt, and granola. Lots of rain last night and possibility of showers this morning, so I used the rain bike (the Trek). Still dark at 6 AM so I attached my headlight and red blinkie and headed out. Splashing through the wet roads and leaves, taking it slow around the corners.

Tried hard to keep a good pace. At the midpoint turnaround, already 1 hour and 10 minutes, so I knew I would not have time for the West Hills loop and this ride would have to be kept to 40 miles. Against the wind on the way back but, luckily, no real rain on the ride, just wet roads and occasional mist or drizzle.

Passed a cement company on Round Swamp Rd. and got covered with cement mud that had run out into the street. Hard to see through my glasses. Home by 8:15 AM and just enough time for a shower, make a hot cup of coffee, and head over to the soccer game. On a side note, my headlight lasted for the whole 2 hr and 15 min ride so that was a successful experiment!

Dirty bike sat outside in the rain all day until I finally had a chance to clean it up this afternoon. But this probably won't last long since I'll most likely be facing another wet ride tomorrow.

Planning on the same ride again tomorrow except that I will start later and probably get my usual 50 miles in. Tried to hook up with Mike W. for Sunday but he is doing the Brands ride and 8:30 AM is a bit too late for me. Check out the blog for Sunday's report.