stormless again

 Just like last week, inclement weather was predicted for my Sunday ride, so I was late posting it, and tentative and apologetic in the listing. I had ten registrants nonetheless, although two contacted me this morning complaining of mechanical difficulties (they may have actually been concerned about the weather, and I would not have blamed them), so eight of us headed out from the Claremont school.

I'd decided on a route that includes many opportunities to shorten and turn back in case the predicted storms came, but they didn't (two of my wiser sources on the ride said that the storms were for later in the day). As I do on these rides, I suggested the faster folks might want to ride ahead at a few points, but almost nobody did. 

We went down to Kingston along the canal, then up River Road to Rocky Hill, and then to the Arboretum to enjoy some relief (ahem).

While there, Ming had some energy bars that she said were especially for the women.

Not that any of the women on this ride especially needed 'em!

From there to the Sunrise Deli in Millstone.

And then back down Elizabeth Ave, Van Cleef, and back to the school.

At the end, Ming, who had done 70-plus hilly miles on the Revolutionary Ramble yesterday, planned to add another ten miles or so. Nobody offered to accompany her. I decided the demands of chivalry didn't extend that far. 

Ride page. Our average is creeping up. We're getting stronger as the summer goes on. Still, I stick to my assertions: low B pace, and nobody dropped. We've maintained that; I expect that to continue.

tew's farmland route ride

 Earlier this year, The Excellent Wife (TEW) did the Farmland Ride, and was smitten enough with the 30-mile route that:

1. she kept it; and
2. had us drive it to make sure she had it right, and
3. made a date so the two of us could ride it together.

We did it yesterday. It's a great route. Given that it's 30 miles (and not long enough that may of my regular co-riders would want to do just this ride), it includes some great roads (including Yard Road, one of my three favorites in NJ), a decent amount of climb which was satisfying to me without being off-putting to TEW (that demanding switchback on Covered Bridge Road notwithstanding), and the Carousel Deli is just about where you would want a stop. It starts and ends at Mine Brook Park in Flemington, with porta-potties. (They're in wretched condition; nonetheless, they're there.)

It was a great day. We went through the Sergeantsville bridge just because we could. I rode ahead on some of the hills, and let her catch up on the flats and downhills.

(And yes, you may have recognized the bike in the pic as the Krakow Monster, the 30#-plus gravel bike. It's heavy, but it's geared way low. And I use flat pedals and regular shoes on it. We did fine.)

After, we went to dinner to celebrate the 27th anniversary of our first date. Twenty-seven years? How the hell did that happen?

I'm blaming her.

the storm didn't come

Some of the weather predictions around today's ride were dire. Two of my registrants cancelled; at least one ride was cancelled, and who knows how many people didn't bother to register or come out on a ride today because of the threatening storms.

I decided to run the ride anyway (after waiting until early yesterday to post it). And, while we got some rain (if you could call it that; it wasn't particularly determined or ambitious), the storm didn't come.

I decided to redo a route from a few weeks ago to a stop at Blawenburg that Bob N found, mostly because if the weather DID come, there were a number of places to turn round and adjust the route. I had a few takers: Ken W, perennial sweep Dave H, Luis C, Eric H... and Mini B, who complains that she's slow on hills (and she is, although she's doing better than she'll allow herself to admit). Mini went up Coppermine yesterday for the first time; despite that, she came out with us today. I call that determined. Remind me no to p--- her off.

We did this ride.

At the stop at the Blawenburg Bistro, a new favorite place:

Above, Jack H. He'd thought to join us at Willow, along the route... but we got signals crossed, and he was studiously investigation a section of the road that we didn't ride on (oh, well). I noticed him riding down Great Road and called him over, where we cleaned up the error.

I had planned a route the Skillman Park and then up across the Griggstown Causeway... but I suspect the Causeway is under water with all the recent rain (it's the lowest canal crossing), although when we passed, the road was comparatively dry (I didn't notice if the causeway was open). Instead, we came back straight across 518 into Rocky Hill, enjoying the tailwind and the downhill in Rocky Hill.

So I'm back early, getting chores done and writing a blog post. My bike shoes are even dry!

proud of myself

Peter G invited a few of us on a hilly 40-miler today; only Ricky G and I took him up on it.

It's nice to know, as I'm retiring in four months, and closer to seventy than to sixty, that when conditions are just right, I can do 38 miles with 2100' of climb, and still average over 15 mph.

It's not the kind of thing I can always do, and most of the time I'd rather ride with friends who have no interest in that. But it's still nice to know.

saddle rain cover

 I use leather saddles from Selle Anatomica. I use 'em, not because I'm smitten with leather saddles, but because they're the least uncomfortable things I've found.

But, of course, being leather, they're subject to deformation and destruction if they get saturated, so rain covers are suggested (as they are with Brooks saddles). 

(Selle Anatomica makes a rubber saddle... but it's harder than the leather, and so does not suit my posterior.)

I've got it in my head that saddle rain covers should cost $3, should be cheap plastic, and should be readily available. But the saddle covers recommended by both Selle Anatomica and Brooks fit none of those criteria.

A web search to find saddle covers that fit my criteria elicits results... but they're advertising items, made to be printed, and sold in lots of, say, fifty. I don't need fifty.

I'm sewing now, right? So I went to the local Joann shop, and found some cheap table cover plastic with a cheap felt backing, made up some prototypes, and found a shape that works if I'm riding it.

But I also transport the bike, and The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I have recently gotten a trailer hitch bike rack. With all of the fuss and complication, it's still better for my scoliotic spine than hoisting the bike into the hatch of the Prius.

On a recent ride, I decided to test the prototype as a transport saddle cover, where the wind would have at it. The results were not pretty.

That's a pretty hefty rip in the middle.

So it works as a riding saddle cover, but not a transport saddle cover.

I've got some waterproof polyester canvas coming. We'll see how that works.

Hrmph. I may have to give it up and try that Serfas Variant that I've been avoiding.

weekend rides: i gotta stop doin' this to myself

 Pardon the wet on the lens for the first many pics.

Mike V took nineteen of us on a 73-mile ride from Ringoes to Easton, PA... with about 4000' of climb!

He planned a number of good-idea stops along the way. The first was to this Cervenka Farm in Flemington. I wa sweeping this large group, so pulled in late, to hear a caterwauling and threatening to call the police originating in the office.

The story as I heard it was that a number of riders, not seeing toilets, asked a person who appeared to be staff if it was OK if they relieved themselves on a field; the answer they got was a noncommital assent, and so they did. But apparently a higher-up woman took exception; threatened to call the cops, took my name and the name of club president Ira Saltiel, and kept up the caterwauling and abuse until we finally left. I don't know if we will ever get to the truth of what went on. What I do know is that no cyclist ever needs to buy from, or stop at, Cervenka Farm ever again. 

Back on the road:

From there, we went to Mad Lavender farm in Milford, replete with goats, aging hippies, and the music of my high-school years. They were much more welcoming. Mad Lavender offers "An artfully designed venue for celebration modeled for earth-kind consciousness with a zero-waste ideal. An educational environment for sustainable living." (It might make a day trip with TEW.)

Thence to Easton, PA:

We stopped for lunch at a local market.

...and then rolled around to see the statue of Larry Holmes:

And back to Jersey.

The truth is, however, that this was a demanding ride, and not all of the participants were up to it. I swept at Mike's request, and I'm glad I did; there were some who needed the encouragement and the extra eye. There were troublesome hills, and there were other difficulties: we got split up in Easton, and I came down 611 in Pennsylvania for eight miles, sweeping a slow contingent of riders, with a parade of cars behind getting longer and angrier because the first of them was unwilling to pass (several cars swerved around that driver, and passed us, honking and swearing). On the last few hills, it was not clear that the last few riders were going to make it up. 

It was also a long day; I had to leave the parking lot immediately to make a commitment I had for the late afternoon. I didn't get to hear about the ride from the other riders.

---

I had listed a 40-or-so-miler for today. and I have known for DAYS that I had it listed for 8:30 am... only I hadn't; I'd listed for 8am, and my riders were patient and pleasant when I responded to a "where are you" text and rolled in a few minutes late. We went to that Italian Bakery in Raritan. I had hoped to avoid the milled road in Dukes Farm, but two problems arose: first, part of the milling is on Auten BEFORE Dukes Farm, and second, the paths I intended to take were not only closed, but locked behind no-nonsense gates.

After yesterday's ride, I was not fast, but I think that worked out well: Mini B came along, who is not usually up to my B rides. She is not fast up a hill (although she is better than she thinks she is), but she did very well with us on the flats. I am impressed with her, as were Albert P and Eric H, who came along, and Dave H, who not only swept, but provided coaching to Mini (he's talented at that; I love to see him coach newer riders).

I didn't get pictures.

And now I'm beat. I'm glad for a few days of work, so I can recover from the abuse to which I set myself.