The Bike Lane - peaceonabike

January 8, 2012April 17, 2024

A Fast Start

WOODBRIDGE VA

It probably means nothing. Two years ago when I was recovering from cancer I did two rides in January – both slow Potomac Pedalers rides just to see if I could ride. The first was January 18, the second was January 24. Total miles for January was 47. February, because of the weather, was worse. Just one ride for 23 miles. Two months and just 70 miles. Yet I ended up with more than 5,000 miles.

This is a fast start. It probably means nothing.

I was sick on New Year’s Eve in Pennsylvania. Yet I focused in on finishing 2011 with 3,700 miles. Why? I don’t know. But I rode. It was 36 degrees and just a cold damp day. No sun. And a brief light rain. My moment of truth came at Mile 10 when I could have ridden three miles more back to Camp Harmony but instead chose to ride 10 more miles around the Quemahoning Reservoir.

Almost immediately after I showered, I crashed. It was 4:00 p.m. and I heard my dad say “That ride really wiped him out.” Well, it didn’t so much as I was sick. Fever. Headache. Aches. Runny nose.

I went to bed New Year’s Eve by 7:00 and slept more than 12 hours. New Year’s Day started beautifully near Somerset. I still felt like crap but reasoned incorrectly that riding makes everything better. Usually it does.

But everyone rides on New Years Day. No matter what. So I rode.

I felt OK while I rode, it was 32 degrees, but even worse when I finished. I was off on January 2 and missed work on January 3 being sick.

Still not recovered, I thought more than once about not riding today knowing the pace may be too fast. But I rode and it was. It was a large group which quickly splintered due to the fast pace up front. We formed a group at the rear and eventually most people played nice.

When we got back to the W&OD I turned and headed to Ashburn. I stopped at Dominion Trail Elementary, where Bethany teaches then missed the W&OD which is right beside the school. I rode up to Rte 7 then had to retrace to find the W&OD.

A little windy, I was pretty wiped by the time I returned to The Bike Lane, 50 miles later. I’m still not 100%.

But I drove home and WTOP was reporting that it was 68 degrees (20 C) in Woodbridge. I knew I must ride when I got home. So I added another 12 miles to make it 62 on the day (100 km).

But if it was 68 it showed that I am still sick. I was cold the entire time despite wearing a jacket.

But through seven days in January my mileage is now 101 miles. In 2010 I didn’t reach that until March 6 and in 2011 it was on February 15. I’d say to hit 100 miles by January 7 is off to a fast pace.

But miles are measured in thousands, not tens, and to be 50 or 60 ahead of last year or 2010 is nothing. The key will be to sustain the pace which is hard in January and February because of weather and a busy schedule of teaching referee courses. After all, 100 miles is simply one ride in July.

Time will tell whether 2012 will get me back to 5,000 miles. Or 6,000.

February 14, 2010July 23, 2015

A Perfect Ride

RESTON, VIRGINIA

Among other undesirable traits, I am a soccer referee. Some experienced referees realize there is no such thing as a perfectly called game despite the expectations of soccer parents. Nonetheless, we may tell someone we had a perfect game. No mistakes. Of course we are referring only to a game that has been rained out or canceled.

Reston Town Center

Today I had a perfect ride. No stopping too quick or touching wheels with another rider. No bonking near the end of the ride. Not even running a stop sign (not that I would ever do that). Perfect.

The Bike Lane, Reston

For the 13th straight weekend since my cancer surgery — I did not ride. However, I got closer. I made it to The Bike Lane in Reston. We had breakfast then I got fitted for a Trek 5.2 Madonne for my trip to France.

Alistair Hastings rode

There is a thrill in a group ride but the camaraderie also brings out riders. I have been cleared to ride for sometime but the weather or my schedule never cooperated. Since early January I have wanted to jump back into one of our group rides at The Bike Lane in Reston but never could. Then last weekend we had two and a half feet of snow plus more on Tuesday.

Bikes for sale

Adam Lewandowski sent out his weekly broadcast message announcing that the group rides in Burke and Reston were canceled. Again. Then he invited our group to breakfast at Mon Ami in the Reston Town Center.

Just talking shop

Maybe as much as I wanted to get out and ride I wanted to get back in with our group. We didn’t have a large turnout today which calls into question my theory that most of us ride just to eat. Still, getting back to The Bike Lane made it a perfect ride.

Andrew Steele’s balancing act

January 10, 2009August 4, 2021

It Smells Warm

RESTON, VIRGINIA

Fool that I am, I returned to Reston to ride with either The Bike Lane or Evolution Cycling. Perhaps because it was overcast, it seemed colder than last week and the numbers showed. They were way down.

Like last week, stopping for gas and food left me dangerously close to missing the start of the ride. I rolled up just as four riders were rolling out. One woman was left in front of the dark Bike Lane store telling me she was waiting for their group ride. Instantly I determined, correctly, that there would be no ride from The Bike Lane today and made my decision to catch the Evo boys leaving on the trail.

Although temperatures were in the low to mid-30s for most of the ride, the low overnight temperatures and some rain during the week left some ice patches on the W&OD. But they presented no problems.

What was neat was that we started out with five riders and actually picked up riders along the route eventually getting up to 10. We rode on the W&OD until we could get safely off onto other roads and streets.

Almost immediately I wondered why I had come back. We were in a paceline of 10 riders rolling along at 23 mph on a 3% uphill grade. There is no way, even by being paced, that I could keep this pace. I was afraid I might have to excuse myself. But we took turns pacing at the front and once the strong leader dropped off another rider took over and I didn’t have problems staying with the group again.

Out of Leesburg towards Hamilton, we climbed Dry Mill Road, in the process dropped a rider aptly named “Turtle.” At the top of the climb, where Virginia Routes 7 and 9 intersect, we waited. Eventually, Turtle came and then graciously announced that he would ride the trail back and not hold us up.

It was actually amazing that I jumped in with this racing team and hung with them. At the same time, one of their riders could not keep pace.

We headed out through Hamilton, out Harmony Church Road, and back towards Leesburg. I was able to hang on with these racers most of the way. Leaving Hamilton we could smell the fire from a fireplace burning nearby. One of the riders said, “it smells warm.”

I never thought something could smell warm — we’re mixing the sense of touch with the sense of smell — but I could agree with him. I’d love to be inside feeling the warmth of the fire.

The route today would encompass more than 60 miles. I noticed after 50 miles that when we had moderate climbs of 2-3% grade that I had difficulty keeping up with the group. Usually, I would drop 10, 20, or 50 meters behind only to catch them on the other side.

The Evolution is a Cycling Racing team, most are younger riders and these old legs just don’t have the recovery in them to be able to spin up these moderate climbs. The steep climbs are different because everyone is working hard but these lesser grades are ones where the younger riders can sit and spin and after 50 miles I have difficulty.

Maybe it’s the old legs or maybe it’s that I still suck at nutrition on the bike. I had one energy bar with me but didn’t open it. Stupid.

Without about five miles to go, I sat up for a moment while a couple of riders dropped off to go home. I lost contact with our remaining riders. Mostly they were never more than 100-200 meters ahead but that is still dropped.

I felt my energy level drop. I hadn’t eaten on the ride and should have and fumbled around to find the energy bar. I felt a little better after ingesting it and rolled on back alone to the start/finish.

Not sure where the rest of the winter takes me. I’d like to ride with Evolution more but every Saturday between now and mid-March is booked and then begins soccer season. I was asked to join the team and race with them but feel that I would probably bring them down.

I was feeling bad about not being able to stay with what was left with the group but Adam, back at The Bike Lane, reminded me that these are racers who log base miles every Saturday and Sunday plus are younger too. As I read in Bicycling magazine once, when you feel a little discouraged about not keeping up with the Cat 2 and Cat 3 riders, take a stroll in the Mall and compare yourself to those guys.