turnings

It was finally sunny, and I got out for a nice loop. 1300 ft. of climbing, 32 miles and change.

As a bonus I found a way to ride the significant hill into Harriman that leaves me on my bike. You see, I’ve been beating myself against a wall of hill that is insidious in its elevation. It starts at a 10 percent grade, but quickly eases to 8 or 9% and then again for a span to 7 or 8. But it’s just a setup. Just when you think all is well it rises back to 9% and stays there for a while, and then if that hasn’t gotten ya, rises back to 10 and then, once again, just when you think you’re good — it finishes with a section at 13%. Ow.

There’s a road that joins just before the 13% grade but that road stair steps its way to that point. Plenty of time to catch one’s breath, etc.On the far side of the hill I took a side road (the benefits of having a GPS with me) and found this sign, which had been nicely modified.

A great day for a ride.

Yesterday’s ride never had a hope of being flat. And it’s time for me to get hilly. I need some fitness and the hills are one way to do it.

Lately, there’s been a fairly consistent crowd for the Sunday morning rides, but they are clearly more fit than I. Little wonder considering the dearth of riding for me this year… but it does represent a challenge I’m up for. Anyway, a few weeks ago I had an abortive ride caused mostly by my being over-medicated in the blood pressure dept. following a significant change in diet. After 500ft of climbing I had to call it quits with my heart racing in my chest. No pain, but completely toast. I basically turned around after 5 miles, rolled back down the hill as far as I could, stopped to let my heart slow, and continuing. When I reached the bottom, after sitting still for fifteen minutes, I finally caught my breath and slowed my heart. Then, I rode some more, because while I was cooked, there was no pain, so I felt safe. The next day, with my Doctors consent I dropped the BP medication and haven’t looked back. The next ride had the leeway that comes along with only riding with one other person, but began to suggest that things were getting better.

Of course, there was a two week layoff from riding again (I simply can’t get my schedule together this year, yet. Maybe my boss can help me out…) so once again I had no idea how I was going to feel on a ride that I knew would have some steep climbing.

I started poorly as I left any hints of cash at home. I also forgot that the Park where we were starting starts collecting parking fees at 8. I was there two minutes after. Sigh. So I used an old trick that allows me to park free of cost, but does cause me to ride a short steep at the end of my ride in order to get to my car.

So I roll out for a warmup loop, carefully timed so that I’m at the starting point nicely warmed up when I realize that I’m not wearing my sunglasses. It’s not really a problem, but the glasses I had on are not nearly as protective, so I hustled up a bit and climbed back to the car, exchanged glasses and rolled back to the parking lot.

The climbing started shortly after we left. First good sign, I wasn’t completely off the back. Second good sign, I was close enough to stay with the group for about 15 miles before I finally hit a patch of climbing that separated me from the pack. Finally, there was one other person who was in roughly the same boat (while climbing) although better than I still, but close enough that we formed a gruppeto and made our way back. We were sorely tempted to bail and have my wife deliver us back to the start since we were very close to my house at the time, but I was determined not to bail. That’s a bad habit to get into.

In the end, we had a great ride back, and another frien we met in the parking lot was kind enough to toss my bike in his van and drive me up the last incline. I was cooked, but in a far better way. And while I climbed slowly, I never redlined or got to the point where I needed to stop. Good stuff. Now to continue to build on my dropping weight and increasing fitness.

[You're all stats weenies! 24.33 miles, 693 feet of climbing.]

These are words that cannot be trusted. Ever. Jenni, seen here, is notoriously untrustworthy when it comes the words above. I’ve learned not to trust those words, they are simply never the case.

That said, I figured at least there would be no hills that look like walls as many Rockland county hills can. The rest I was up for…

Now Jenni did have a plan to make us climb a significant bit of hill… but I knew I wasn’t ready for that today and I had a time limit as well (more on that later).

We started at Bear Mountain State park. I got there early to spin a bit and warm up. It was cool when I started (50F) so I had knee warmers, a thin rain cape, and a hat under my helmet. Jenni of course, could not pass up a chance to poke fun, even as she screamed in pain on the first shady downhill, which no doubt froze various body parts that, well, probably should never freeze. It was easy enough to shed the jacket and hat, and eventually knee warmers as the day warmed. And the peasants rejoiced!

I digress however.

We rode across the Bear Mountain bridge which you can see here:

Turning north, we headed up 9D toward Cold Spring. As you can see the scenery is quite lovely as you ride along the Hudson Highlands. You pass a bunch of historical markers including the spot where the “First Chain” was stretched across the Hudson to prevent the British ships from making their way up the river.

There’s one nice spot where you’ve descended to the river and you are essentially at the bottom and that’s where we turned around. Jenni was captivated by the outcropping, dreaming dreams of climbing the face. I was wondering whether I could a hitch ride back up the hills via a passing van or something.

Actually, they weren’t bad at all, not steep, not long, and quite pleasant over all. Plus since I dropped my BP med the other day (courtesy of my new diet and old Doc) I felt far better than recently when my blood pressure was 80 something over 50 for a brief period.

I’m finally getting some consistent miles under my wheels, and with the recent drop in weight I’m beginning to feel good. I haven’t crossed that threshold this year, ya know, the one where I feel like a cyclist, but the riding has been improving steadily, some fitness should follow now that a health impediment has been removed.

As for the aforementioned time limit, Gerry Laybourne was kind enough to invite the old dev team from Oxygen to her home to catch up and once again enjoy each others company. So after the ride this morning I hustled home, we finished packing some food, and headed into the City to Central Park. Noah got a kick out of the horses and Pedicabs, and as excited as he was to visit the City and see everyone, he fell asleep in his stroller giving Lisa and I a few minutes to sit in the shade and enjoy each others company. Then we had a chance to catch up with everyone for a few hours. It was quite beautiful. Such a lovely group of people.