(Bones, Kong, Sgt)  

 

Bones asked for an easy day today and then commenced to whoopin on me and Kong for an entire 20mi Dutch+ ride.  He pulled ¾ of the time, and every time I complained about the pace he pulled farther and faster.  I suffered at 21.3 mph into the wind until the turnaround.  Kong was looking strong today too and I felt like the weakest link.

 

 

Coming home was more of the same.  Bone’s pulls shortened slightly until he was only up front 60% of the time.  But it was too late for me because my reserves were already depleted.  We came home at 22.2 mph then around Nursery hill Bones attacked and gapped off the front and there wasn’t much I could do about it.  Kong seemed to be doing better than me at this point so I gave all I had left to try stop the gap from growing until the intensity subsided.  But it didn’t ease up much and Kong couldn’t make it across the gap either.  Bones gets a well earned win on the 21.7 mph ride.

 

Hope you get dropped tonight Bones!  See you in the morning, hopefully with a little of that out of your system.

 

P.S.  Part of me expected to see bones pull off a latex mask to reveal it was actually Troy underneath.  LOL

 

June Stats;

Biggest June ever 390 miles  (18.6 miles per day)

Biggest ½ year ever 1823 miles (Typically we hit this number 3rd week of July)

I don’t track a count on this but there were a lot of long 20+ rides,  (5×20)(2X21)(1X22)(out of 21 rides)

Average month speed was 22.65 mph which ranks 3^rd.

 

(Sgt, Bones, Pops, Kong, Diva, then later Napa & Bull)  

 

A north wind hurts you every direction you go on our routes.  But we went out on the Berko-light at 23.3 mph.  The whole way out Pops and Bones seemed to be attacking me.  But never hard enough that I had to use my reserves to chase them.  David closed a few of them and so did Bones and even Kong. 

 

Then coming home was tougher out front averaging 21.8 mph coming home.  But since I was obviously a target today I decided to keep my pulls at average intensity or below.  I’m not going to kill myself in the going effort to wear me down.  I think they may have interpreted this as weakness?

 

Then nearing the sprint I kept my last pull soft and short, then I waited on Bone’s wheel until the cut in the road before unleashing all my reserves.  Pops set himself up on my wheel in preparation.  Then I unleashed it all and got away from the meanies before the finish to collect my first/only sprint win of the month.  Final average was 22.4 mph. 

 

Napa & Bull went out later and rode to the Alpes.

 

C2C update;

>Bad news is – C2C race will not run again until 2012.

>Good news is – the CF foundation will have a one day TT event here at Warsaw on Saturday 9/11/10 called “Bourbon and Back.”  It sounds pretty cool!  Our favorite road starts and finishes on the intersection of Lake & Main streets.  Then race out Old Road 30 to Boubon and turn around and come back.  (29 miles).  Can be raced as an individual or a 2 or 3 man team.

>Good news also – We are not expecting the big name race teams to show for this.  Who knows who could win?

>Good news also –No Hotel or Gas to pay for.

Contact > lukec2c@comcast.net

 

 

Stiff wind Monday.  We headed into a 15 mph head wind and we all survived the turnaround at 20.1 mph.  (35 mph airspeed)  Great job to everyone today surviving that head wind going out.

 

Then coming home we averaged 25.8 mph.  I felt pretty descent after a weekend off the bike.  So around the egg plant when I took over the pull from Bull I ramped up to 26 mph thinking most would follow.  But when I saw a gap I decided to”Go for it!” and I spun it up to almost 30.  Sorry Bull!  Then I did 1.9 miles at 28.2 mph.  All of a sudden it felt like my lungs had collapsed and I couldn’t breathe so I backed down to 21 mph for just .4 mi.  After this brief recovery I reestablished my speed at 27.2 mph for the next 3.1 miles thinking that might do it.

 

Behind me Bones was chasing at a steady rate.  Then Bull snorted and attacked at almost 30.  After an impressive display of Bovine testosterone Bull caught me with Bones on his tail.  Bull then traded pulls with me for a couple rotations.  Bones attacked once, but we reeled him in.  Then on Nursery hill he attacked again right after my pull and I had to wait for some recovery, giving him a 50 yard gap.  On the final descent I wound up 32 mph to chase him.  But Bones was doing 32 also so he claimed a decisive win.  Final average was 22.7 mph, but it felt a lot faster than that.

 

Bull didn’t get the win, but he definitely got his revenge by dragging a fresh Bones across my gap.  Great job guys!

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GRAPHIC PICTURE BELOW.

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{Pops, Bones, Sgt, Kong, Geek, & Bull on his own to retrieve his car in Bourbon from the moring ride }

 

Geek showed up today for one last ride with the lunch bunch before he heads off to Wisconsin tomorrow.  Bones got us started at a nice warmup pace of 20 over the first rise.  Once we got out on the flats the speed increased dramatically as Geek pulled us along at 28 for awhile before finally backing off to a more reasonable 25-26 pace.  We decided on the extended Dutchman route and shortly before the halfway point Kong dropped off with Sgt going back to join him.  Turning north off 200S on 950W our average was at 23.7 and I didn’t think we hold over a 23 for the whole route with the mild headwind.

 

Geek & Bones were both up to the task of keeping our speed at 22-24 on the return trip with me contributing short pulls at bit slower pace.  Bones pulled strong up to 400W and I was ready to do the work up nursery hill.  I had just got started when Geek jumped around me and I thought sure I was going to drop but I stood and hammered back to his wheel and hung on the rest of the way.  After one more quick rotation of pulls Geek led us out to the finish and gradually increased the speed 25, 26, 27…..30…  He led us across the line at 32mph as I wondered how can he do that for so long.

 

We’ve enjoyed having Geek as part of the HammerHead Team and will miss him and all of his great pulling ability.  Good luck with your new job and keep in touch.    

(Geek, Yeti, Kong, Sgt)

 

I am soooo tired, I didn’t actually want to ride.  But Kong was going.  And the Geek was coming in and I didn’t want to miss riding with him, even if only for part of the ride.  We also had a rare visit from the Yeti.  Going out the Yeti and Geek controlled the pace and did all the pulling into the wind at 21.7 mph into the wind.

 

Coming home they picked up the pace and I folded along with Kong and we cruised home.  I don’t know what the pace was since I couldn’t see the leaders at the finish.

(Bones, Sgt, Pyro, Pops, Bull, Kong)

 

So Pops had 10 days off and his skinny little white legs look like they just had cast’s removed.  But Pops is ready to, “give it a go”.  Going out on the hills we averaged 20.4 mph into a 13 mph head wind with everybody surviving and everybody pulling.  That is a pretty sweet accomplishment but now we turn home.

 

Going north we spent a ½ mile getting the speed up from 22 to 29 mph.  But then the road got ruff and we dropped it to 25 until the turn on CL.  The last 5.6 miles of CL went by at 27 mph.  (4 at 27.8).  Needless to say it cost us bikes.  Climbing the Nursery it was down to Bones and Sgt.  Sgt pulled up to 33 mph and Bones was superior and claimed the win.  Final average was 23 mph.

Pops and Pyro both get honorable mention for doing awsome even after minimal bike time.

 

(RF, Sgt, Diva, Kong)

 

The wind was harsh today and my legs Really Hurt.  Thanks for that team A&B!  But Diva seemed to be pushing the pace going out hard into the wind and uphill while I wanted an easy day.  I just planned on staying with the group as we battled into the massive head wind painfully averaging 18.7 to the turnaround.

 

Coming home was quite a different story.  With a 17 mph tailwind, even I started to feel strong.  After going north at 21.5 mph we flew home at 25.5 mph.  Our average for the whole ride was 22.0 mph.  (The last mile averaged 31 mph.)

 

I started the lead out and just kept shifting and winding up more speed until I was doing 35 mph feeling like I had the win.  But Pyro managed to keep up and pass me at 37.6 mph to take the win.  At that speed the flames on his bike were flickering as the rush of air turned the red flames white hot.

(MJ, ML, JR, Sgt, BB, CK, Kong)  

 

I was overwhelmed as 5 A&B bikes swarmed into the parking lot and around Sgt & Kong.  The rest of my HH team was absent and I contemplate how could I get out of this ride?   I am seriously out classed with this group!  MJ informed me that the Dog knew they were coming, at yet he is mysteriously absent?  But it might be fun to see how long I can last?  Kinda like my fantasy about trying to ride in the back of the pack on one of the slower flatter TDF stages to try and finish a stage.  So we started out at 25.8 mph with the 9 mph tailwind.  It was a hard pace, but possible.  Kong and I both contributed pulls.  Then heading south uphill cross winded we only averaged 20 mph.

 

Then heading back 200S the suffering really began and we all split up.  Everybody was hammering hard.  At first I managed to survive the hills almost with the lead 2, MJ & ML.  But after turning on 400W, MJ & ML put a gap between us and left me hanging off the back.  JR and BB got together and caught and passed me, but couldn’t bridge up to MJ&ML.  After we turned on CL, I used Nursery hill as an opportunity and chased down JR&BB and passed them back and closed a little on MJ&ML.  But I wasn’t going to catch the M&M’s and they crossed the line 30 seconds ahead of me.  JR on the other hand wasn’t about to roll over and let me take 3^rd.  JR came after me with a vengeance.  But I wasn’t going to back down for him either, so we sprinted for the finish at 31 mph into the 9 mph head wind.  JR took me down with those giant legs of his and took 3^rd for himself.  The final average was 23.5 mph.  But that number is deceiving because it was a HARD ride.

 

Reference the flat Dutchman were we set our record 25.1 pace last week.  I had a max HR 171 and an average 158 HR.  Today we went thru the hills and into the wind and I was 8-9 beats higher with 180 max HR and 166 average HR.  (Note that 180-182 is my absolute Max heart rate.)

X5 

 

100% Pain X 5 A&B riders!

(Dog, Geek, Sgt, Diva, Kong, Bones, Napa)

 

I felt a little guilty for last week.  I only have a few rides left with the Geek and I didn’t show him any respect last week since I was trying to keep my legs fresh.  I don’t have any reason to hold back today, and Geek and Dog had a rough day yesterday so they should be receptive to feeling whatever I try to make them feel today.  Kong and Sgt pretty much controlled the pace going out on an extended Dutchman 21.1 mph.  Nothing too painful yet, but still quick.

 

Then coming home at 23.2 mph Sgt tried to team up with Diva but it didn’t work because Dog rolled back and split us up.  Then I waited until Geek was pulling up the hill after 700W and I dropped back then stood and hammered and passed him at 32 mph up hill and alone.  This time I tried to make it hard enough that he would know that I respect his ability to chase.  I was sprinting at 100% off the front doing ¼ mile at 30 mph, then I dropped to 27 mph for a tenth mile and hyperventilated.  Dog pulled the hill I had attacked, and then Geek took over and chased me down while I was taking my 27 mph break.  Dog and Diva followed.  I can’t believe that break didn’t last longer at that speed!  Hopefully I gave the Geek a respectable break away to chase.  But he caught me so fast I’m not sure on this point?

 

Then Diva made a break and Geek ran him down too with Dog and Sgt following. 

 

Then Geek pulled up to the sprint at about 30 mph.  I attacked again up to 37.2 mph.  But Dog followed and did just a little more to take the sprint.  The final average was 22.1 mph.

(Sgt, Kong, … Geek, Pops, Bull, JB out separately)

 

Since I have been bingeing on long miles, Geek, Pops and Bull wanted a better work out than I was willing to put out so they went on ahead to race it out of their system, (see the “Geek Suffering” post.)  That is fine with me,

 

My personal goal

Normally when I get 130 miles in a week I feel like I have had enough.  Lately with some long morning rides I have managed some 180 mile weeks.  But I know that is pushing it.  Much more than that and your knees get sore, right? 

 

Well Sunday my good friend Kong invited me to go to Culver with him, so I did for 65 miles.

 

Then Monday I biked to work 2X4mi and rode the Berko 20 for a total 28 miles

 

Tuesday of course the morning crew went long and did 40 and we did a Dutch 18 at lunch for 58 miles.

 

Wednesday if I’m going big I may as well ride with the A&B team for 38.1 mi after the lunch easy 13.5 mi for a 52 mi day.

 

Thursday I don’t want to let the morning crew down so I showed up for a short 30.7 then I didn’t feel bad yet so I did an easy Berko 20 for lunch  for a 51 mile day.  Now I have achieved more than I hoped and hit 254 miles for the week.  But the guys are like, “You have to go for 300 now!”

 

So Friday I showed up for Bull’s  extra morning make up ride and we did a painful 37 miles and I added another 2.4 running an errand and now I am sitting on 295 miles.  I figured on rain for lunch, and who knows how much time I’ll have left this week?

 

But it cleared up for lunch.  So should I just go out 2.5 miles and turn around?

Then it occurred to me if I did an easy Berko I would have 315, and I could do the 21 route pluss some change and bump it up to 316 to make a number that might stand for a while.  That number is also very dear to me.  Since in John 3:16 my savior sacrificed it all for me, how could I come this close and not put out an extra hours effort to dedicate this ride to him?  So I did.  And surprisingly I still feel good and my log reads 316 miles for the week.  It has been an eventfull week, yet I was protected from harm.  And I am not that strong of a rider, yet I did not grow week during this task.  Sort of makes you stop and think?

 Now I think I’ll take the 7^th day off and rest.  That sounds like a plan somebody important might approve of?

 May god bless you all and have a good weekend!