EBs N

6:30am, a little chilly and foggy morning, but it is supposed to get nice. Py took an easy spun to the start in Manorville, had a quick chat with some unknown rider he briefly meet on 25A as he though he may go the same way, did not... and took off for Manorville. Kind of thicker getting mist in the air. But a lovely quiet morning.

At the parking a pretty good sized group gathered by 7:30.

North Route again - due to all the rain of the last days Dune Rd seams to be under water all the time :-( Picking up some speed, the tanks run, as usual... and the reassembly wait up stop:

This "river" or "ditch" on Shore Rd really needs a fix... some one flatted there again. Not sure what the next flat stop was about, some junk on wet road, etc...



And proceeding to the Deli in Cutchogue...



From then on a fast ride back and awesome finish with a six ?? rider head group flying "home".

Stats over (Py's) all 80mi: [note by Py [The new fancy looking Garmin Connect is pretty useless as most of the analysis and statistics (like this here) are just now available -- when do some people get it, fancy look and not features sucks] staying with MB so far.]

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RP2IPBP - one more three rider TTT

Much better, even very humid and foggy -- but "dry" roads. Today Py'r ride counted a three riders team with Marco and Rick (right?). Good moving East - averaging over 35km/h. As he was not yet really recovered from last nights race, he stayed a bit more in the back most of the time, interestingly feeling better on the return taking over a few pulls.

A foggy North Shore at IPBP:

Stats:

TTT and scary T-storm

This was all just happening more spontaneous as Py likes thing to go... some Emails Thursday evening from Craig and Chris inviting Py to get on there three rider Team Time Trial team for the upcoming Kreb Friday Night Race. Cool thing, let's do this. Well, that some what catalyzed the barrier for Py finally to get this US Cycling License to ride. Decided and done.

Friday started out at about 7am with a nice good moving ride to the Camp, nice warm and dry -- so far, but as he was about a mile or two from the North Gate of the Camp still just on 25 it got dark and some thick drops of rain hit his face, just seconds later it was poring, Argrrr. A bit soaked he got in his office. OK fine so far -- hoping this stuff moves out by the afternoon...

It got a couple more heavy pour downs in the morning and it got warmer and a bit sunny by noon turning LI in a warm and foggy muggy place for a while. A good lunch and Mocha :-)

By about 1 quarter to 4p he left the Camp, "nice" warm and a bit sunny -- looking good. The ride out to Suffolk County Community College in Riverhead was about good 17mi -- a good warmup.

On the parking field one he meet his team and they scouted out the circuit with a few easy laps and made up some plans... It would be a full speed ahead 15mi thingy, well, about that distance Py does more or less daily twice.

Signing in, paying the race fee, etc... still pretty nice.

The race stared a bit delayed, they got to the start as team No 2, and off they go 5mins after the first team. Chris started out pulling, Py took over next, they Craig pulled over that little incline and so on. Lap 1, 2, 3 -- they caught the group in front of they at some point, from then not much going on as far as he remembers, just cruising at up to 32mph peak, but it got dark, really dark, some wind picked up, some drops of rain set in and -- now that was a bit scary -- pretty good lightening and thunder in the sky, as the rain picked up and turned into a heavy rain storm, flooding the road in no time. Also at some period some hail like stuff came down as it was hurting a bit going at 30mph -- by that time totally soaked water in - out. Still scary lightening around, dark and the vision some what reduced to not much... just following the path of the road pushing water and avoiding the few holes/cones in/on the road known well by that time. But the rain was warm and the road clean. At some point of the race they lost there third rider. Py felt a bit sorry, but hang on to Craig and did his best with a few getting shorter pulls. Some riders must have bailed, otehre did not even started later. They finished this thing -- 15mi/39:27.2 -- huh, 1st race and Py got his race fee back+some coffee money, pretty cool :-)

For sure an experience to last.... thanks to the great work of Craig and Chris as of the other two riders!

And last, hard to be leave, the bike got wet, but like a clean shower, not dirty at all :-)


Race stats:

(click)

Speed distribution looking a bit unusual:

RP2IPBP - road tubeless

Again, the old RP2IPBP route -- he may need to look into a few route modifications and variations. Nothing in particular today, but exploiting and testing new road bike technology:

As Py's wheels are two-way-fit, they can take the still fairly new Fusion 2 Road Tubeless tires instead of regular clinchers. This is really tubeless, just like a car tire, not tubular!

OK, a little over a week ago he got the new set of tires delivered and last Sunday he put them on after cleaning up all dirty bike form the wet ride. Putting on needed a tire lever, usually he get them on just with out, but not those. A bit soap (dish detergent) as lubricant as suggested did the trick and the tire popped on the previously carefully cleaned rim with installed valve. Pumping up was just easy. Nothing special needed, no latex or other gunk. Very nice so far.

He still was a bit skeptical and watched the pressure over the last days, but nothing, just sitting there w/o a change until this morning -- so good so far. He checked and adjusted the pressure to the recommended 6.5-7.0 bar (max allowed is 8.7bar), a little less than he usually runs his GP4k. Still for precaution he took two tubes along, just in case -- they can fit tubes just like normal clinchers if needed!

Meeting Marco at Tildas for the ride and leaving on time at 8am. A nice and warm morning, just a bit humid, about 92%. Going east at good pace, drafting at about 20..25mph -- he some how felt a bit more sticking to the pavement and rolling less easy -- but this is really hard to judge w/o a power meter he does not own. However, flying over rough roads at "the tanks" the bike formally stayed on ground very nicely with great control -- unless with just 0.5bars more in the GP4k where at time he felt like the rear wheel get's air at bumps at times. So that is good, also fast turns felt great, a bit different.

The return was just as uneventful and fast as the ride out east. The weather hold off the expected rain as predicted. Still hard to say if they roll easier as claimed, but he will bump up the tire pressure to his usual number and see again.

Good thing -- they work, they do not loose any pressure so far, they feel good. Efficiency -- to be evaluated in more detail and with precision...


Stats:

EBs North -- the messy ride

5am, checking the weather conditions, no rain, just dripping from the trees, a few dry patches already... radar looking like random wet pockets all over, but nothing real big. Little undecided, taking a short10min nap before finally getting breakfast started and ready to roll. Quite outside at 6:37 in the morning, a little wind is shaking trees and big drops of water hitting Py in the face. More open roads looking good and dried up. About 2/3 towards Wading River, the sky getting pretty dark -- Py already put his bright yellow shirt on, as is was not so really bright outside -- and moments later it started slightly raining, increasing intensity on the way -- it did not took long, and the roads got all soaking wet, so Py. Temps were in the 60ies some where. This wasn't was he was hoping for, but once in misery, kept going to Manorville -- beeing pretty sure there will be some showing up as usual.

... and so it was. Little holding off, but 8 birds were there and heading for the North Route today.

Nothing spectacular at all, steady safe moving, hoping that this mess ends soon on there way. Around Mattituck a whole invasion of cyclists were coming up all the time, exactly on there route, but opposide direction. Must have been some event thing. The road was not getting dry, but even worse, wet and dirty -- very dirty ride today. The Deli stop for a hot coffee for just one buck as usual was very welcome, little warmup, shoes, shorts, gloves, all soking wet.... and sand all over.

From there a fast return, Py did a few long pulls. Just one short pit stop, but no fat at all, that was good!

And riding back home, hard to be leave, just little West of Manorville, roads got dry and the sun came out. Felt like they had been followed by a cloud of rain today...........

Stats -- 80mi for Py:

RP2IBBP -- do not fool with Py

For some unknown reason this nice Saturday morning only Marco showed up for the ride.
The same old route out to Iron Pear Beach Park and back via Middle Country and Mill.... a very nice morning for a ride and half way even the sun made it out. A lovely setting at the beach for a snack, and watching some nice blooming plants:

One there way back just "on-top" of the tanks close to the gate of that industrial area a car came from behind and all sudden the driver started harassing M. for absolutely no reason -- there was plenty of space and no further traffic at all. Py did not said a word as he just would have gotten even more excited. Not that this would have been anything special, happens all the time. So the car finally passed by. But no, instead of keeping moving it slowed/braked and took all the space so they had to slow and brake as well, repeating this -- well, leaving Py time to grab his camera out of his pocket -- capturing this object all crisp (here intentionally blurred id) .

However, eventually the car took off and went into a drive way. They finally kept moving. Just little late it should happen that some cops were busy with one other car just on there way and a second officer watching the scene -- now that is convenient, Py quickly decided to stop by and reported the incident -- what so ever will happen, who knows -- nothing most likely.

Py would love them to stop by and educate the driver about proper sharing the road in future.

One more photo on the way back... just made it back to the side of the road, hopefully she stayed there/off the road.

And the ride stats:

Bike Boat Bike 2009 -- The 140mi Version

Annual +BBB+ of 2009 was on schedule today. Py got up very early around 4:30isch, still pitch dark -- regular morning thingy. Out of the door just around sun rise at 5:45am

riding towards Mattituck -- en route John joined -- on time at the ride sign-in and some bathroom buisness...

... and riding to the main parking for the start of the dedicated faster goup ride at 7:30am -- odometer already reading 22mi.

En route... moving well and getting to teh 1st boat and paying the ferryman.

on the boat...

off the boat and flying cross Shelter Isalnd on a little more winding and scenic route getting to the second boat and 1st rest/foot/water stop.

On the boat No two.

proceeding via Sag Harbour to teh 2nd furthest out East Water Stop.

Rolling off again... soem nice scenery and gentle rolling roads to fly over...
and to miss two turns due to missing or washed to invisibility route markings -- at least there was no pre turn mark to get prepared -- can not make a turn "on-spot" at 25mph with a group in pace line behind....

A very nice and scening route winding via the Hamptons is coming up....

proceeding to the last Water Staop at Shinnecock. Some tired cyclists...




Taking off for the hoem-run.

the first and only flat stop. A perfect day, all sun shine no significent wind and perfect temperature -- can hardly be any better. Also well equipped Water stops -- with that only one above mentionend issue asking for improovement for next time -- all was perfectly fine. Thanks to SBRA getting all teh logistics done again!


The route:


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Stats: