Friday, July 6, 2012

FRIDAY ESCORT AND COFFEE SHOP RIDE

Other than the high temps and off the chart humidity, the weather cooperated with my 27th day-in-a-row bike ride. Even the territorial crows failed to strafe my bike helmet as the five of us passed underneath their squatters-rights tree.

Adding a few miles to this morning’s ride, Sandy S. and I needlessly went on a search and rescue mission. Thinking that one of our biking amigos was in trouble well behind us, we doubled back 2 to 3 miles in search of someone that unknowingly passed us while we were riding and chatting about the Tour de France and biking in general.

He was nowhere to be found, so we then U-turned and headed for the coffee shop after two futile attempts to call him on his cell phone.

After spotting his bike leaning against the store-front wall when we approached the midway point, the infamous coffee & bagel shop, we wondered, “How is it possible that a fellow biker could pass us without our knowledge?” But he did! Oh well, serves us right for chatting while cycling.

The ride itself was good, with periods of fast riding and phases of moderately slow riding. We maintained a good mixture of fast and slow!

I believe I set a personal best on the westbound South Post I-75 bridge incline segment. I never dropped below 17.4 mph and my heart rate never went above 147 during the ascent. My previous best was 16 mph.

Oh, the first four miles of this morning’s ride was at a 6 mph pace. Like I’ve happily done many times in the past, I rode alongside my marathon-running wife while she did a training run/walk. Four miles at 6 mph will surely bring down your overall average speed!  Marital bonding, however, is more important than any bicycling pace. 

RIDE STATS:
Distance: 32.00 miles
Time: 02:39:01
Average Speed: 12.1 mph
Calories burned: 637 (debatable)
Average Heart Rate: 106
Elevation Gain: 110 feet

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