Sunday's ride:
Do not call people winter weenies and then not show up to ride. At least Beast did ride Saturday, only half a weenie. Being tired only works if you are pregnant.
Bob and Isaac did the West Hills to Moore's, Sandy, 7/11, campus then base. Temps were a balmy 32F at the start rising up to a steamy 37F. For the farenheit impaired, zero C.
I faded on some of the steeper hills and then after the campus. No fading for the Locomotive. Even with the wind it did not feel as cold as the temperature would make you think.
Totals for today: 52 miles
You do not need to be too brave to ride in these temps. Email if you will be riding so we do not leave without you.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Renegades Fall Special
Wow! What a nice turnout we had this weekend. Beautiful weather, too.
_______________________
Saturday, 11/14/10.
First I meet Anita at the train station. She has taken the railroad from Manhattan just to ride with us. What a treat.
We get to Base camp. Locomotive, Gus, Big A, Beast and Anita are ready to ride. Crash has called saying that he was having trouble swapping pedals to share one of his bikes with his friend Andy, who was visiting from out of town. So we ride over to him to try to help. We just can't unscrew one of the pedals, so, instead Crash lends a pair of shoes to Andy and we can get going.
Since we're that much further away from the LIE I suggest my coast hugger route and we finally set off. The temp is brisk, but the sky is clear and the sun is rising. We quickly warm up as soon as the climbs start. We ride through Mahnasset, Plandome, Port W., Roslyn, Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, etc., including Horseshoe and Mill Hill. We're treated to lots of water views, steep climbs and descents, and gorgeous northeastern fall foliage. There are lots of other riders out on the roads. We ride very well together, although Andy has some trouble keeping pace. Crash hangs back to stay with him. We just stop for a minute or two to let them catch up every 10 miles or so.
After we regroup at Oyster Bay, Crash and Andy take a shortcut via Sandy, while the rest of us continue via Moore's, then Stillwell. We reach Syosset just as Crash and Andy are ready to leave. They don't want to sit too long and stiffen up. We say our goodbyes and settle for our own short break. Stók, anyone? The sun feels great. Loco, as usual offers antacids to everyone present for their potassium content, to stave off muscle cramps.
Then it's Muttontown and the campus, where, predictably, the group brakes up, but not by much. Loco is in great form and he's way ahead. I manage to hang with Big A, while Gus and Anita bring up the rear. It was less than a minute between the first and last to make it to the gate. There we regroup as usual. On the way home we (Loco and Beast) decide to initiate Anita to the Vista Hill climb, despite Big A's complaining, or perhaps just 'cause. Gus skipped the Vista Hill detour, since he still had to ride back home to Queens. Anita had no problem with the climb and demonstrated her prowess once again.
After Vista it's just a flat mile or so the the station. Good bye, Little A (your new, draft Renegades nickname; try it on for size ;-). Until next time.
We totaled 66 miles at about 16.3 average. Not bad, considering all the steep climbing.
_______________________
Sunday, 11/15/10.
Another brisk, yet beautiful morning at Base Camp. I overslept big time and am running almost 10 minutes late. My phone rings just as I'm crossing Northern. By the 5th ring I'm there. Sorry guys.
Locomotive, Nitrous, Stitches, Crash and Beast are ready to ride. We and our bikes are all wearing various combinations of red, black and white, except for Nitrous and his Tarmac (black, blue and lime green). Jan said he might meet us at Wheatley. We roll off the usual back way, up Westminster and onto the LIE. We reach wheatley only at 8:40 (my fault) and Jan isn't there. We stay on the LIE and eventually catch up to him in Jericho. That's surprising, since Jan is very strong and he had almost 10 minutes on us. He actually thought that he was the latecomer and we were ahead of him. Cool. Now we're six.
From there it's our usual West Hills, Lawrence, Snake, Huntington route. After we turn off of Lawrence and reach the end of Turkey we wait a while for Nitrous, but he fails to show up. We figure he must have missed the turn for Turkey (an easy mistake, if you don't know about it) and ended up in Huntington. So we elect to just meet up at Syosset. I'm feeling particularly well and do some nice climbing an pulling, including the whole way up out of Huntington, down into 108 and part of Stillwell.
Some 10 minutes after we settle down for our Syosset break, Nitrous finally pulls in. Turns out he hadn't missed the turn for Turkey. He just was stopped dead in his tracks at the foot of Lawrence, due to being in the completely wrong gear, and lost time gearing down and starting up again. Another easy mistake, for those who don't know just how suddenly steep the foot of Lawrence is.
From Syosset we can pretty much do the rest of the ride (Muttontown, campus, LIE) with our eyes closed. We all stay together on the LIE and even pick up a few other riders for the short distance. We finish at 60 miles, together, with a very respectable 16.7 to 16.9 (to 20.0) average, depending on who you ask.
_______________________
It's a beautiful time of the year to ride. So what if your extremities feel cold (gloves, booties, not that complicated) or your nose runs (go catch it).
See you on the road (or trail).
Beast
_______________________
Saturday, 11/14/10.
First I meet Anita at the train station. She has taken the railroad from Manhattan just to ride with us. What a treat.
We get to Base camp. Locomotive, Gus, Big A, Beast and Anita are ready to ride. Crash has called saying that he was having trouble swapping pedals to share one of his bikes with his friend Andy, who was visiting from out of town. So we ride over to him to try to help. We just can't unscrew one of the pedals, so, instead Crash lends a pair of shoes to Andy and we can get going.
Since we're that much further away from the LIE I suggest my coast hugger route and we finally set off. The temp is brisk, but the sky is clear and the sun is rising. We quickly warm up as soon as the climbs start. We ride through Mahnasset, Plandome, Port W., Roslyn, Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, etc., including Horseshoe and Mill Hill. We're treated to lots of water views, steep climbs and descents, and gorgeous northeastern fall foliage. There are lots of other riders out on the roads. We ride very well together, although Andy has some trouble keeping pace. Crash hangs back to stay with him. We just stop for a minute or two to let them catch up every 10 miles or so.
After we regroup at Oyster Bay, Crash and Andy take a shortcut via Sandy, while the rest of us continue via Moore's, then Stillwell. We reach Syosset just as Crash and Andy are ready to leave. They don't want to sit too long and stiffen up. We say our goodbyes and settle for our own short break. Stók, anyone? The sun feels great. Loco, as usual offers antacids to everyone present for their potassium content, to stave off muscle cramps.
Then it's Muttontown and the campus, where, predictably, the group brakes up, but not by much. Loco is in great form and he's way ahead. I manage to hang with Big A, while Gus and Anita bring up the rear. It was less than a minute between the first and last to make it to the gate. There we regroup as usual. On the way home we (Loco and Beast) decide to initiate Anita to the Vista Hill climb, despite Big A's complaining, or perhaps just 'cause. Gus skipped the Vista Hill detour, since he still had to ride back home to Queens. Anita had no problem with the climb and demonstrated her prowess once again.
After Vista it's just a flat mile or so the the station. Good bye, Little A (your new, draft Renegades nickname; try it on for size ;-). Until next time.
We totaled 66 miles at about 16.3 average. Not bad, considering all the steep climbing.
_______________________
Sunday, 11/15/10.
Another brisk, yet beautiful morning at Base Camp. I overslept big time and am running almost 10 minutes late. My phone rings just as I'm crossing Northern. By the 5th ring I'm there. Sorry guys.
Locomotive, Nitrous, Stitches, Crash and Beast are ready to ride. We and our bikes are all wearing various combinations of red, black and white, except for Nitrous and his Tarmac (black, blue and lime green). Jan said he might meet us at Wheatley. We roll off the usual back way, up Westminster and onto the LIE. We reach wheatley only at 8:40 (my fault) and Jan isn't there. We stay on the LIE and eventually catch up to him in Jericho. That's surprising, since Jan is very strong and he had almost 10 minutes on us. He actually thought that he was the latecomer and we were ahead of him. Cool. Now we're six.
From there it's our usual West Hills, Lawrence, Snake, Huntington route. After we turn off of Lawrence and reach the end of Turkey we wait a while for Nitrous, but he fails to show up. We figure he must have missed the turn for Turkey (an easy mistake, if you don't know about it) and ended up in Huntington. So we elect to just meet up at Syosset. I'm feeling particularly well and do some nice climbing an pulling, including the whole way up out of Huntington, down into 108 and part of Stillwell.
Some 10 minutes after we settle down for our Syosset break, Nitrous finally pulls in. Turns out he hadn't missed the turn for Turkey. He just was stopped dead in his tracks at the foot of Lawrence, due to being in the completely wrong gear, and lost time gearing down and starting up again. Another easy mistake, for those who don't know just how suddenly steep the foot of Lawrence is.
From Syosset we can pretty much do the rest of the ride (Muttontown, campus, LIE) with our eyes closed. We all stay together on the LIE and even pick up a few other riders for the short distance. We finish at 60 miles, together, with a very respectable 16.7 to 16.9 (to 20.0) average, depending on who you ask.
_______________________
It's a beautiful time of the year to ride. So what if your extremities feel cold (gloves, booties, not that complicated) or your nose runs (go catch it).
See you on the road (or trail).
Beast
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Today's Ride - 11/7/10
The chill in the air this morning was not enough to deter these few hardy Renegades. Beast, Locomotive and Big A met at Base Camp. There were unconfirmed reports of Crash having been sighted riding by and speeding away. A hypothesis was put fourth whereby, not having seen anyone hanging out in the street, Crash just assumed he was running late and sped away trying to catch up, not realizing that Loco was right there in his driveway, with Big A and Beast a very short way behind. By 8:10 the three of us got going.
We rode fairly easy in the beginning and a short way down the LIE we were joined by Dubya, who got to Base Camp a little late himself and, not surprisingly, had no trouble at all catching up to us.
We didn't come across that many other riders. We were somewhere between the 8:00 and the 8:30 T groups. We rode our usual West Hills/Huntington route.
Today's ride was fairly uneventful, except for that one incident involving a deer suddenly bolting out of the woods and running right across the road only 10-15 feet in front of us. It happened while we were riding through Lloyd Harbor. Bob was in front, with me second wheel. At first I couldn't immediately tell what the quadruped I spotted on my 2:00 was and for a split second it looked to me like a wolf, as unlikely as that was. I'm glad it wasn't a wolf, and that the deer didn't actually hit any of us (or vice versa). It would have been quite a train wreck. It the end I was only mildly startled. The deer, I'm sure, must have been quite terrified.
Fast forward to Syosset, 7-11 break, with the usual triple-Stóked hot cocoa for me. This time we skipped the campus, which — turns out — isn't that much easier to do, only slightly shorter.
We finished at about 58 miles. My average was again about 16.5. Blame it on the hills, not-so-fresh legs and strong breeze. Somehow, no matter which way we're riding, it feels like a headwind for about 80% of the time. My theory is that it has to do with the fact that any wind within 180°-200° facing me feels like a headwind, no wind feels like a headwind, and a weak tailwind feels like a headwind.
Would like to hear from Crash. Was that really you, or just your ghost?
Beast
We rode fairly easy in the beginning and a short way down the LIE we were joined by Dubya, who got to Base Camp a little late himself and, not surprisingly, had no trouble at all catching up to us.
We didn't come across that many other riders. We were somewhere between the 8:00 and the 8:30 T groups. We rode our usual West Hills/Huntington route.
Today's ride was fairly uneventful, except for that one incident involving a deer suddenly bolting out of the woods and running right across the road only 10-15 feet in front of us. It happened while we were riding through Lloyd Harbor. Bob was in front, with me second wheel. At first I couldn't immediately tell what the quadruped I spotted on my 2:00 was and for a split second it looked to me like a wolf, as unlikely as that was. I'm glad it wasn't a wolf, and that the deer didn't actually hit any of us (or vice versa). It would have been quite a train wreck. It the end I was only mildly startled. The deer, I'm sure, must have been quite terrified.
Fast forward to Syosset, 7-11 break, with the usual triple-Stóked hot cocoa for me. This time we skipped the campus, which — turns out — isn't that much easier to do, only slightly shorter.
We finished at about 58 miles. My average was again about 16.5. Blame it on the hills, not-so-fresh legs and strong breeze. Somehow, no matter which way we're riding, it feels like a headwind for about 80% of the time. My theory is that it has to do with the fact that any wind within 180°-200° facing me feels like a headwind, no wind feels like a headwind, and a weak tailwind feels like a headwind.
Would like to hear from Crash. Was that really you, or just your ghost?
Beast
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Today's Ride - 11/6/10
Beautiful ride today. It was five of us at the start at Base Camp: Locomotive, Beast, Shrek, Gus and Jae. It was chilly in the beginning, but as soon as the sun came out it felt much better.
Today we turned left at Wheatley and did a hilly ride, starting with Horseshoe, Mill Hill and Moore's. From there we proceeded to CSH, where Shrek, Gus and Jae took a more direct way to Snake, while Loco and I went the hard way, via Lawrence. We regrouped at the top of Snake. From there it was the usual way back through Huntington to Syosset and the 7-11. Loco was in great form today, often leaving all of us behind.
Shrek beginning to struggle, decided to skip the stop and the campus and took a more direct way back via the LIE. The four of us managed to managed to keep more-or-less together, if not within line-of-sight of each other, through the campus and the LIE, at which point Jae started fading and went home to Bayside on his own. Gus managed to hang until we were back in GN and kept riding home to College Point.
Loco and I totaled about 65 miles at 16.5 average (for me). Loco's average must have been higher, since he kept blowing off the front.
Same time and place tomorrow. We're hoping for another nice turnout. We want to hear from Stitches and his overseas trip. We'll probably run into some Wheelmen at Wheatley around 8:30.
Beast
Monday, November 1, 2010
Re: Renegade Sunday
From: Arthur Finkel
Thats weird, I had 17.2 avg. I think your lower average is from circling around slowly while waiting for others. The guy on Snake Hill was walking when I saw him and he had just gotten back on his bike when you passed him.
Here is todays garmin:
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Renegade Saturday
We had a nice turnout today at base camp, with Locomotive, Gus, Dubya, Beast and rookie Jae, who is fast feeling better after having recently broken a rib (he took a spill on the trail the day after I recruited him). The air was brisk but clear and it made for some great riding.
We did our usual LIE/West Hills, Huntington route. We started about 5 minutes behind the 8:00 T-group, but we got right up to them on Woodbury Road, just before turning onto Sunnyside. Not bad, considering we weren't really pushing.
We skipped the climb of Lawrence Road, but went onto Snake. Gus was getting dropped on most climbs, since he hasn't been riding much lately, and told us not to wait for him, so before we reached Huntington he was on his own. The remaining 4 of us rode very well together.
We took a short break at the Syosset 7-11 and finished off with the usual campus loop. There's something about those rollers that invariably compels us to start racing each other. Dubya just took off and in no time he was out of sight. Jae and I were more or less even and he needed to be shown where the exit was, so we stuck together. Loco was slightly behind, but suddenly blew past me on the finish stretch to the gate (he has a way of sneaking up on you, like midlife crisis).
We finished off back at base camp after 60 miles at about 17 average and feeling great.
Same time and place tomorrow: 8:00 at Bob's. As far as I know Big A and Loco are in. Anyone else?
Let me put it this way. Why ride with the Honey Bees when you can ride with us instead?
Beast
We did our usual LIE/West Hills, Huntington route. We started about 5 minutes behind the 8:00 T-group, but we got right up to them on Woodbury Road, just before turning onto Sunnyside. Not bad, considering we weren't really pushing.
We skipped the climb of Lawrence Road, but went onto Snake. Gus was getting dropped on most climbs, since he hasn't been riding much lately, and told us not to wait for him, so before we reached Huntington he was on his own. The remaining 4 of us rode very well together.
We took a short break at the Syosset 7-11 and finished off with the usual campus loop. There's something about those rollers that invariably compels us to start racing each other. Dubya just took off and in no time he was out of sight. Jae and I were more or less even and he needed to be shown where the exit was, so we stuck together. Loco was slightly behind, but suddenly blew past me on the finish stretch to the gate (he has a way of sneaking up on you, like midlife crisis).
We finished off back at base camp after 60 miles at about 17 average and feeling great.
Same time and place tomorrow: 8:00 at Bob's. As far as I know Big A and Loco are in. Anyone else?
Let me put it this way. Why ride with the Honey Bees when you can ride with us instead?
Beast
Saturday, October 23, 2010
This Lone Renegade
I took advantage of the bettering weather on Thursday afternoon and
did a short coast hugger, just to keep my legs busy. There was a
strong breeze blowing from the north, so I kept alternating between
slogs and zips, as the shore zig-zags north and south. Then, of course
there is the alternating ups and downs of the terrain. Didn't see
any other riders on the road. Managed to get back before pitch black.
Totaled 50 miles.
____________________
This morning I met the 8:00 T-group. A mild version, kind of easy. The
strongest guys and gals weren't there.
At some point, while waiting at a red light, someone commented on how
well my orange tires matched my jersey, saying "he must be from
Italy." I answered back "I AM from Italy. It's all about style." Good
starts chatting with me in Italian. I think the name was Francesco.
He's from Sicily, has lived here for the last 25 years and used to
race "mountain bike." Now he has a bad back and only rides road once
each weekend with this group. Guess I'll be seeing him again. At the
wall he turned back and went short.
The group just kept on Woodbury and turned left at Stillwell. Usually
I turn myself inside-out to keep up with the leaders at the top of the
climb, but as the top of the climb approached today it wasn't much of a
struggle. I simply cranked up the juice and passed most of them. I
think I could have caught the one guy up ahead, had I not let him get
quite that far away on the climb. He was riding a gorgeous brand new
Madone, black, yellow and white, with deep rim carbon wheels, painted
to match the frame. It looked blazing fast standing still.
As we rode Wheatley back toward the LIE I was thinking that this might
me my opportunity to actually win the sprint finish in Little Neck,
since I kept finding myself in the front, pulling the whole group, or
even way off the front, just by getting down to work. I figured I just
needed play it smart and not burn myself out during the last segment.
On the westbound LIE it was more of the same and I kept having to
remind myself not to burn myself out. After we crossed Lakeville and
worked our way up and over the next rise in the road, one of them
urged "ataque, ataque." The handful of riders I kept in front of me
quickened their pace. It seemed like a prelude to a sprint. I bolted
and gave it all I had.
As I approached the finish I looked back and there was no one behind
me. It's not that I blew everyone away. They just weren't interested
in a sprint finish race. How disappointing. This is no way to win a
sprint finish.
Only 40 miles at 17.5 average.
____________________
It doesn't sound like any other Renegade is coming out to play
tomorrow. Either out of town, for one reason or another, or busy doing
some other fun stuff. Perhaps I'll test myself with the 8:30 group.
Now that's a challenge!
Beast
did a short coast hugger, just to keep my legs busy. There was a
strong breeze blowing from the north, so I kept alternating between
slogs and zips, as the shore zig-zags north and south. Then, of course
there is the alternating ups and downs of the terrain. Didn't see
any other riders on the road. Managed to get back before pitch black.
Totaled 50 miles.
____________________
This morning I met the 8:00 T-group. A mild version, kind of easy. The
strongest guys and gals weren't there.
At some point, while waiting at a red light, someone commented on how
well my orange tires matched my jersey, saying "he must be from
Italy." I answered back "I AM from Italy. It's all about style." Good
starts chatting with me in Italian. I think the name was Francesco.
He's from Sicily, has lived here for the last 25 years and used to
race "mountain bike." Now he has a bad back and only rides road once
each weekend with this group. Guess I'll be seeing him again. At the
wall he turned back and went short.
The group just kept on Woodbury and turned left at Stillwell. Usually
I turn myself inside-out to keep up with the leaders at the top of the
climb, but as the top of the climb approached today it wasn't much of a
struggle. I simply cranked up the juice and passed most of them. I
think I could have caught the one guy up ahead, had I not let him get
quite that far away on the climb. He was riding a gorgeous brand new
Madone, black, yellow and white, with deep rim carbon wheels, painted
to match the frame. It looked blazing fast standing still.
As we rode Wheatley back toward the LIE I was thinking that this might
me my opportunity to actually win the sprint finish in Little Neck,
since I kept finding myself in the front, pulling the whole group, or
even way off the front, just by getting down to work. I figured I just
needed play it smart and not burn myself out during the last segment.
On the westbound LIE it was more of the same and I kept having to
remind myself not to burn myself out. After we crossed Lakeville and
worked our way up and over the next rise in the road, one of them
urged "ataque, ataque." The handful of riders I kept in front of me
quickened their pace. It seemed like a prelude to a sprint. I bolted
and gave it all I had.
As I approached the finish I looked back and there was no one behind
me. It's not that I blew everyone away. They just weren't interested
in a sprint finish race. How disappointing. This is no way to win a
sprint finish.
Only 40 miles at 17.5 average.
____________________
It doesn't sound like any other Renegade is coming out to play
tomorrow. Either out of town, for one reason or another, or busy doing
some other fun stuff. Perhaps I'll test myself with the 8:30 group.
Now that's a challenge!
Beast
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Re: Chain Drop
That's waaaaaaay too much double-entendre even for this forum... OK,
maybe not for this forum.
Ori
maybe not for this forum.
Ori
Re: Chain Drop
Once upon a time, when I was rescuing a damsel in distress on Cleft, who was in a sad state of chain drop, I lifted up her rear and spun her crank after shifting her gears. All told I did not get my hands dirty. She was very appreciative.
Isaac
Isaac
Re: Chain Drop
What's the big deal? You just need to pull a quick 180 without
unclipping... oh, right... I forgot, not your forte... never mind.
Ori
unclipping... oh, right... I forgot, not your forte... never mind.
Ori
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