Too pooped to get any pics up but the Brunch Ride was fabo, we had some troubles along the way but learned a lot about group riding and what makes a good ride etc.
Food at Whip Tavern is just yummy, that is a place worth visiting again. and Yes, we will do the Brunch Ride again but with some changes.....
things we learned today..... and these policies are for long rides only, cuz all the zillions of short rides I posted all season are for practice and learning, and if you attended none of these short rides, you are going to be in trouble on our long rides. I do provide ample opps for riding and improving and on the shorter rides, you can go as slow or fast as you want, cuz the short rides are for learning and improving.
1. EAT before you ride, no matter when Brunch is, eat before the ride, do not plan on getting food at Brunch cuz anything can happen prior to Brunch, so take my advice, EAT, biking 43 miles is not a time to diet and not eat. I would rather ride with a fat chick with energy than a dieting one bonking on the ride.
2. the guy at the bike clinic today recommended a total bike cleaning by a shop once a year, you ask for a " drive chain cleaning" where all the parts are removed and cleaned and I would agree here,this is more than cleaning chain and cassette and this will help pinpoint any future problems, gear shifting etc, proper maintenance is KEY on a long ride
3. if going on a 40 + mile ride, make sure you can do 12.5 mph for the entire ride, if you cannot do this, , come more often to my shorter rides and build up your strength, to do a 43 mile ride at 12-13 mph requires that you bike and bike often, now we had a new chick today, age 25, first ride in 6 months, now she had no trouble but she is 25, she can do this, if past 50, this is hard to do, riding once in a while and then hoping to be able to ride a hilly ride at over 12.5 mph is not gonna work and just riding on the SRT is not enough to prepare for riding in Chester County
4. you must keep practicing, and riding to improve, we have a core group now that has been riding lots and hard all summer, we have gotten better, now we are not Lance Armstrong but we can do a good 12.5 to 13.5 on a ride with hills.
5. make sure you have tubes and inflation, now based on a problem I had at the Covered Bridge ride and I think Elaine had today, CHECK your spare tubes periodically, inflate them and see if they hold air, this can really be helpful on a ride when you get a flat
6. I post my cell number on the WCCC ride page when I post rides, put it in your phone and carry your phone someplace on your bike that you can reach once stopped, WHEN you run into trouble on a ride and are way behind, CALL ME IMMEDIATELY if I am ahead of you, and let me know what the problem is, cuz if it is a big hill back to find you, I ain't going back, sorry!
7. When doing a long ride, HAVE A BACK UP PLAN, have someone you can call and who will answer the phone, if you run into mechanical problems, we will expect you to call for help and the rest of us will continue the ride.
8. If you see right away that you cannot maintain the speed of the group, no matter how hard you try, consider then activating your back up plan., THIS is only for end of the season LONG rides, remember all the short rides I post are for preparing for the end of the season long rides
9. I post tons of rides, I am the 3rd highest in ride posting in the club, Frank is ahead of me and he is an animal, the 2nd person is only a few rides ahead of me, SO YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE for not riding, I have run newbie rides, oldie rides, short rides, long rides, slow rides, fast rides, so you have to ride. I have d0ne all I can to help you become a good rider by August, if you are not able to bike 12.5 at this time of year, again, I cannot help you, either you need a better bike or you need to bike more
That said, if you have not ridden this year, plan on coming out EARLY next spring and start riding regularly. Now we are not that fast, I mean I am pushing 60, how fast can i go?? really?? but i do improve and I get some stamina by this time of the year. Again, I am NOT SPEEDING but I do a decent speed at this time of the year.
YOU do not have to be Lance to bike with the chicks, but you HAVE TO bike all season long. We will do the Brunch Ride again, maybe even in October, but it is a long ride and we will do at least 12.5 and most likely even faster if it is not a hot day
Hot hot weather can slow us down, heavy winds too, so it is not an exact science. So take care of your bike, and BIKE. Come to my bike clinics, come to my short rides. Come to my rides.
I have invested hours and hours this season begging you to ride. If not riding at this point, I am not sure what else I can do.
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