This mostly happens because I get on Strava and try to figure out the best and safest route to take and I also need to calculate the miles. You would think certain destinations would be much further than they are but in reality they are not that far. This problem is even more apparent when you start trying to calculate rides that are 50, 80 or even 100 miles long.
In the area that I live in for me to go that distance I have to climb so much elevation to get the miles in that it turns into a "mega-ride". So not only do I have to prep for the heat (because I can't seem to get my ass out of the house before 2 or 3 on Saturdays the past couple weeks) but I also have to prep myself for the long ride itself. A lot of it is mental but I will tell you that after 30, 40 or 50 miles it really becomes physical for me simply because of the cycling shape that I am currently in.
With regards to most of the guys and gals that cycle long distances - I'm not sure how they work up to it. Possibly they do 20, 30 or more mile rides at least once per day and then add in the bigger rides once per week. This way they are not only training with a good regimen but they are giving their bodies a chance to recover.
The other thing that I seem to always have to deal with is the dam wind. Although in reality everyone in this area has to deal with it, especially anytime after 2 in the afternoon. In my case it seems that no matter when I go out for a ride and no matter the time of day or direction I start out from its windy, blowing in my face at that.
You would think it would be dependent on direction but it seems that no matter which direction I am going on my ride the wind is always blowing in my face. That is just one more thing that makes it that much more difficult. At the same time, maybe it's making me stronger as well so on the days that are not windy (yeah because that is going to happen) I will be faster and stronger.
I guess it does happen "on occasion" but do you want to know when that is? Usually it is in the middle of the night when not a soul is out or wants to be out or better yet it's in the dead of winter when it's a crispy 30 degrees out if you are lucky that-is!
OK enough bitching out of me about this. I need to eat some lunch and get out into the garage and make some adjustments on the bike. I think that the rear derailleur is off kilter so it's noisy and may be causing me some shifting slippage. It could also be the tension of the cable but again, something that I need to look into.
Maybe tomorrow will be my big ride day. I have challenged myself to do a single ride of 80 miles this month so we will see if I am able to pull it off. I think I can so long as I get my ass out the door!
Until tomorrow, enjoy your Saturday!
Photo: The view only half the way up the climb that I did this evening. It ended up only being a 30 mile out and back with a ton of climbing although not that much elevation change to speak of. I thought for sure it would be well over 2,000 feet but it was closer to 1,600 which is still nothing to sneeze at, especially because as usual I had the wind blowing against me 80% of the climb. The photo sure does make it look flat! I am way the hell up there looking over the valley!
Photo: The view only half the way up the climb that I did this evening. It ended up only being a 30 mile out and back with a ton of climbing although not that much elevation change to speak of. I thought for sure it would be well over 2,000 feet but it was closer to 1,600 which is still nothing to sneeze at, especially because as usual I had the wind blowing against me 80% of the climb. The photo sure does make it look flat! I am way the hell up there looking over the valley!
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