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Yesterday at 12:45 PM I went for a 13.3 mile road bike group ride. Then I went single track mountain biking on my 1940 3 speed, 0 suspension, heavy, street tire Klunker. I rode another 16.2 miles. I went up Mount Mesnard, around two other trails and home by way of Division St. and Altimont St. (more hills). Today my legs are a little rubbery, knees are a little sore and my butt aches a little. Should be good to go again tomorrow. I could feel the 13.3 mile road ride in my legs the whole way. I got wimpier and wimpier on each hill towards the end. I ended out with 29.5 miles. I planned to ride 30 but the body just gave out. I got home about 5:45 PM for a LATE supper. The wife was mad, thought I was an AH and went to the brew pub for beer because I was gone so long. I partially cleared my name by telling her I went for a 30 mile ride. Now she thinks I am only half an AH. I told her I was riding, but I got carried away. I need more hill work as I can't keep up with the 50 year old crowd on the Sunday big hill grinder ride. It's all rough climbing and my heart rate gets too high so I have to back off, can't keep up with the youngsters anymore but I am working on it. I try and ride rough hills every morning to see if the old body can get better at the hills. Sometimes I have to take a day off as the knees are sore.
Currently one of the guys I MB ride with is on the last leg of the Great Divide Race. He graduated HS a year ahead of me and is of Finnish extraction. I got to hand it to him, he rides 85, 100, 125 and more miles a day on the Continental Divide on a fat bike with 10 pounds of water and a full camping kit. He is on his 3rd chain wheel. He started in British Columbia and had to ride about 300 miles in Canada before crossing into the USA. Initially there is a lot of pushing and hauling through snow fields and climbing for miles over trees blown over in avalanche shoots. He is in New Mexico now and will end up at the Mexican Border. He almost missed the start as the airline lost his bike and it finally arrived at the last minute. There are 3 guys from here running this race this year but he is the oldest. Seems like we have a few that attempt this adventure ride each year. Our last years 60+ year old rider bowed out in the worst part because he got sick and had lost a lot of weight. Another buddy who is 6'6 tried this when he was 50. He got sick, lost 50 pounds and got disqualified to the hospital after making it thorough 3 States. He is a jolly follow and thought this was a great laugh, slaps his knee when he tells the story. This race is beyond my capability or even my desire. My lungs, heart and joints are no longer capable of getting in the kind of shape this would require. It takes a lot of will power to do this on your own, camping out at night by yourself where there are grizzlies and where you have seen and photographed mountain lions. I have been told that one of the scariest parts is in New Mexico where there are packs of wild dogs that come after you. People from up here that are Finns seem to do the best at this race as they have a stubborn, tough endure all attitude that they are famous as a race for. They call it Sisu, a Finnish word that cannot be translated into the English language, loosely translated to mean stoic determination, grit, bravery, guts, etc.
Currently one of the guys I MB ride with is on the last leg of the Great Divide Race. He graduated HS a year ahead of me and is of Finnish extraction. I got to hand it to him, he rides 85, 100, 125 and more miles a day on the Continental Divide on a fat bike with 10 pounds of water and a full camping kit. He is on his 3rd chain wheel. He started in British Columbia and had to ride about 300 miles in Canada before crossing into the USA. Initially there is a lot of pushing and hauling through snow fields and climbing for miles over trees blown over in avalanche shoots. He is in New Mexico now and will end up at the Mexican Border. He almost missed the start as the airline lost his bike and it finally arrived at the last minute. There are 3 guys from here running this race this year but he is the oldest. Seems like we have a few that attempt this adventure ride each year. Our last years 60+ year old rider bowed out in the worst part because he got sick and had lost a lot of weight. Another buddy who is 6'6 tried this when he was 50. He got sick, lost 50 pounds and got disqualified to the hospital after making it thorough 3 States. He is a jolly follow and thought this was a great laugh, slaps his knee when he tells the story. This race is beyond my capability or even my desire. My lungs, heart and joints are no longer capable of getting in the kind of shape this would require. It takes a lot of will power to do this on your own, camping out at night by yourself where there are grizzlies and where you have seen and photographed mountain lions. I have been told that one of the scariest parts is in New Mexico where there are packs of wild dogs that come after you. People from up here that are Finns seem to do the best at this race as they have a stubborn, tough endure all attitude that they are famous as a race for. They call it Sisu, a Finnish word that cannot be translated into the English language, loosely translated to mean stoic determination, grit, bravery, guts, etc.
