RP2IPBP -- Three Riders and the Wind

Three riders were flying and fighting the wind today -- big part Py himself all the time. Nothing really special, just breezy and quite some gusts -- typical fall, nice and clear sky. A lot of sticks and fallen branches to watch out for, Py almost got into trouble 1st thing out of his house up the hill stalling with a serious stick jamming his big ring... And flying with the wind at up to 40 mph on the flats -- that was fun!

At IPBP -- watching waves!

TOSREC 2010

This year it was the 5th annual Tour Of Scenic Rural Eastern Connecticut. Fairly late start as the first ferry from Orient Point left at 7:30 instead of 7am. Just a small number of riders today -- 5 for the first part until the bagel stop...

From then on just John, Dan and Py proceeded for the most scenic and rural part of the ride up North. The weather was about the best they had all years -- could hardly have been any nicer.

Py also took some HD video footage, to be edited. So be sure to check back here again soon!
Flying over some rolling terrain, no wind, just gorgeous. Only a few "group" reassembly's after the climbs...

And this finally at 5 miles to go was totally unnecessary but shit happens and nothing Py could do about that moment, as he could not see it coming:
After a wait up Py just started riding on a side walk, John about a bike length in front -- heading into highlight (into the sun at about 4:30 towards the ferry) -- as he all sudden heard some banging as he rolled over some about 3 ft long steel U-shaped slight bend profile (It looked like a left over part from a road sign post). Py had no chance, could not see it, John went some how just around it -- the bad thing was this darn scrap metal popped up/got stuck to his front wheel and got caught in between the rim and fork and let Py go fly :-(

He was lucky landing/rolling over to his right on grass and did barley got hurt :-) However, that thing still stuck in to the bike hit his left hand/fingers and scraped off some skin a little ugly in multiple places -- but no worries. So far, bike/frame/fork seams physically OK, he finished the ride carefully. But frame and fork took a bunch of nasty big scrapes at the down tube, fork also the rim is a little scratched and brake runs not smooth on that spots. Guess he will have the shop have a look it, but Py is afraid of they can not say more than he can find. Seams he needs more paint.... see picture of the poor frame/fork, looks worse than he does :-(

Statistics -- missed the first 5 miles (last start of the timer):



And a late addition, finally finished editing job:

Early Birds South - Bbrrrr freezing cold start

Py was not sure this morning if he would get enough light to ride out to the start... but last minute at about 6:35am -- the early dawn gave was just enough light to get going. Putting on knee warmers and the wind breaking (at front only) long sleeved top layer should do it he thought -- 46F at his house looking alright. Rolling down to the main road a slight chill got into his extremities... cold ears for the first time signaled it been colder than thought -- well, getting into the TT tuck hiding from the wind and spinning along at good pace he though he should get warm. Not really, it felt getting worse with that wind chill moving fast... His feet slowly also felt a bit uncomfy. No sun yet, still below the horizon. Moving South, passing 25 it seamed even getting colder or with it just him feeling like?? -- wicked.

Reaching Grumman Blvd he slowed down his pace, shivering all over... but slower felt good. Absolutely gorgeous silence, no wind -- just freaking cold. The sun, well, just about horizontal hitting tree tops only. Looking forward to a warm up at the Golden Bow Place at the start....

He felt like it was freezing outside all sudden -- can that be? However -- made it to the start in time, about 13mins left to warm up. Nice warm air inside. Arms, fingers and toes toes coming slowly back into comfort zone.

The cause of all trouble -- a mere 33F at Manorville, no wonder. Gathering in a sunny spot...

Moving out quickly spinning at high rev... hoping to warm up soon. Moving with the group and hiding behind others most the time finally was just alright. Hitting the South and water near areal was nice, temps rose slowly up and getting just into the comfort zone. Nice move on Dune Rd, one bigger puddle slowed them down. Good push over the bridge. The usual procedure...

One flat stop shortly after the 7-11. Back at Manorville it just got nice.

Rolling home.

RP2IPBP -- guest riders from western LI

One more magnificent late summer day, crisp clear blue sky, temps in the upper 70ties, a dry breeze of air out of NE. Same old route out to Iron Pear Beach Park. Good pace of about 20.7 mph.

Early Birds North North North -- A Chilly Wind

This may be the last Sunday of the season Py rode to the start -- before time change to DST. Just dawn and light enough to get out at 6:32 -- relying on passive/reflective visibility on shoes, bike and yes closes for the first few minutes... good there is not much (if any) traffic that early.

The sun sill below the horizon (right), compare to just two weeks earlier about same time and place (left) -- riding towards Wading River -- and a slight chill in the air.

left: quite exactly two weeks ago 6:50am, right: today 6:54am.

The group, basically just a few of the old core birds. Some good work needed to overcome the NorEastern wind -- cross/head winds to face all the way out. Marco, Trevor, Rick, Gerald and Py did most of the work. What a re leave at the turn around point towards the Cutchogue Deli.

A hot coffee, well not so hot at all, felt good. Moving on, steady and fairly fast for the small goup. On 111 Py chased up on Marco&Rick... G hanging on. Lost G on 51. Marco, Rick, Py left -- Py, M, Rick finishing, then G and later the rest of the group.

Heading home, Py felt kind of cold and out of energy -- but still managed the regular return on NC. Good for reviving: recovery banana... mix & hot shower :-)

RP2IPBP -- good number of riders today -)

Heading out east to the Iron Pear Beach again with a good sized group today. Changing size as Kris joined shortly as we got en route, George only joined us until Wildwood and returned, John meet us after Boy Scout Hill and Karl showed up at the Beach Park... so we have been 12 riders and about 10 on average.

Quick reassembly on top of NWRd. Then good moving into the wind/cross winds to the beach. Johnny managed to break his rear dérailleur cable, well the barrel at the end ripped off -- fixed it with a knot to a medium gear.

Heading back, nice support by the wind :-)

RP2IPBP w 2 -- Cedar

Saturday -- back to the good old RP2IPBP route. Today morning, Py was about to find out how his really long gone SR-C11 cassette would do with the new chain -- it saw two chains and got a total of 6715 miles on! Well, the climb out of his house revealed instantly a slipping chain on some middle cog -- the biggest three still worked find, also the fastest 4 were still usable w/o slips. Alright, that figured our quickly, still some gears left top work with for today.

Just a few today, one took off else where... Two riders and Py left to go. A good fast move out east with the help of some tail/cross winds.

A nice day -- the trees just about to turn red and orange -- not yet there. Only it got pretty hot all sudden again today!

The return asked for a bit more work, but we made a decent time including two extra stops for water -- one left his water bottles behind home...

Back home, swapping the EC90SL race wheel's cassette on hoping this one to be still in good shape as this only saw some 1000 miles so far! ...refreshing a bit -- it to up to 32C --, eating a banana and filling up water, grabbing the camera and heading out again for Cedar Beach for some scouting out. It got about 1pm -- heavy traffic, annoying traffic and a few care less and not watching out drivers. Obviously a good time NOT to get there and leave the 4-wheeled battle men & women in gas burning stinking steel boxes by them selfs. Py got really up set today about them today.

However, some scenery check.

:-)

Early Birds North -- always North...

Missing last Sunday's EBs ride in favor or the Bear Mountain race, this time again -- North.

The sun not yet really up as Py took for from home to the start at 6:32. About all the way to Manorville a slight chill though the whole system, not really getting warm -- no wind, that was good and comfy while stopped -- but at 20..22mph it felt cold. The first few low ray's of sun did not helped much -- but woke up the minds, it will get nice soon.

At Manorville some riders were already chatting and unloading bikes. A well sized group. Starting out right away with some decent pace. Feeln' alright, just taking it easy today. Few pulls, OK. And a little play and experimenting with "what's left in the tank" towards the end. Sorry guys, if I may caused some one hurt'n on 51... you can always just let me go -- you've been plenty of riders today.