Sunday, March 16, 2008

Great Weekend

It started Saturday with the BCR Spring Party/Open House. This is a party we've done every year to sort of kick off the season. We had several new members attend this year, so this year's event was a little different in the sense that I gave a history of BCR and then asked people to tell everyone how they got started cycling and how they found BCR. There was awesome food and then relay races outside on Dan's Kona. We picked teams and timed each team. The competition was fierce, as you weren't allowed to spill any beer as you rode.
After the first round of races, the neighbor kids tried to steal our turn-around point - which happened to be my messenger bag. It probably wouldn't have been a good nab for them as I think it had month's old Tupperware in it. And I'm pretty sure they weren't clean. After some coaxing, we got the bag back. We then invited them to join us in the races. Oh yeah. It was on. One came to race and the other manned the turn around point. After two more heats of competition, I threw the chain on the BMX bike and had to coast it in, slightly behind Tyson. Boo.
After we got the chain fixed, Chris took his cap gun and his bike home while we went back in for karaoke on the PS2. I continued to keep my reputation as sucking ass and we still couldn't get Theron or Tyson to sing. I guess we'll need some more booze in them for next time....

Sunday was great because I joined Tyson for a road ride in the morning. We met at Minnehaha Falls and did a loop around the lakes. We even managed to do some CX style riding as a portion of the river road was closed, so we went off-roading. Wooohoo!
Ty had said it would be an easy ride cuz his shoulder was still bothering him a little bit. Well the sub 30 temps must have numbed him a bit, cuz we were moving at times. But it was all good. We were both dressed just right and felt great. There were all sorts of people out and about. Many more than I anticipated. But there wasn't really any wind and the roads were reasonably clean. Once back to the Falls, I headed home and Ty rode with me across the Minnehaha Bridge and then headed home through Mendota. By the time I got home I had clocked about 30 miles. I was a bit tired, but not exhausted. It felt really good to be in the saddle, outside. I could tell that my time in the gym had paid off as my lower back was in great shape and my shoulders/triceps weren't bothering me. Usually in the early rides, these areas are sore for me, so I was very happy with that. I can't wait to get out again!

When I got home, I chillaxed a bit and then tried to clean up the garage a bit. It went pretty good. I should be able to build some shelves pretty soon and then start working on the MINI Cooper.

Here's the route we rode:

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15 comments:

  1. Nice ride, i love it when you can just put the t-shirt and shorts on and go for a ride. ;-)

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  2. BCR Party was fun. Thanks.

    You guyz getting up early and riding - crazy! :)

    I did manage to get out on Sunday in the afternoon. It never really warmed up like I thought it would. I felt a stiff wind out of the south, and it turned out to be kind of a hard ride. I was pretty cooked by the end.

    So Grizz, now that you've 'broken the ice' by riding outside, we'll have to get you out more. Maybe next Saturday?

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  3. It wasn't too windy early on, but I did notice it more on the way home.

    I think I have something going on this coming weekend, but maybe.

    The GP ride is probably up and running already...

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  4. Did the GP ride ever stop? Jean and I passed them on our way home Saturday morning rolling out at 7:30 - about 4 or 5 hard men. I don't think the fitness is there yet on my side.

    Dan - you gotta post up a ride on the BCR boards. If you post it, they will come.

    My trip up the Montreal hill hurt a lot more than I'd like to admit on my way home. I didn't notice any wind.

    -Tyboty

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  5. Hmmm... I'm surprised they can even do the GP ride, having to cross the river on 494 and going on the path through Ft. Snelling, etc. My experience has been that snow and ice isn't off those sections until April. I never was too crazy about their route.

    Yes, I'll try to post more about rides. My problem is that I'm not even sure I'm able to get out riding until about 30 minutes before I actually do. That's family life for ya. Look for posts about rides on Saturday mornings. Startin in Prescott, baby!

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  6. Are you scared Dan?! REAL men do the GP ride all season.

    I don't know about 494, but getting around Fort Snelling is no problem now that there's a path up near Hiawatha Ave.

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  7. Yeah, I'm scared of those squirelly-ass sprints on the GP ride. Meh. You can do better than the GP ride.

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  8. I guess if I wasn't up near the front of the sprints I could see how it would be a bit scary. HA!

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  9. You can't do better then the GP ride...

    "squirelly-ass sprints"

    You're just geting old... O yeah I forgot. Most of the guys sprinting are in there 50s... So maybe you need to grow up?

    :)

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  10. You should respect your elders, Lalla. :)

    You do know that some active racing members of SPBRC have sworn off the Saturday GP ride because they think it has gotten out of control, don't you?

    You've got to admit that it's kind of silly to be tearing down the bike path from Ft. Snelling at 20+ mph and having a sprint on East River Road is kind of silly.

    Whatever. Have your fun.

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  11. I don't know how these comments got sidetracked to debating the merits of the GP ride, when we really should get back to discussing how awesome Grizz and I are for getting out to hammer the bike paths.

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  12. You guys are awesome on the bike paths! - in a silly sort of way :)

    My knee still hurts from hockey last Friday night - crap!

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  13. The elite riders do a longer ride that does start at a different location...

    I'll say this. It’s the best sprint ride. And I like it best when "Case of Beer" is there. I always seem to get dropped on those darn bike paths. Will I do them when I get back? Maybe…

    What other ride would be good? The Wednesday Penn sprint ride?

    Dan of course any ride your on is the best.

    By the way, Shame is sucking it up this year. They even had a few EMTs visit the ice rink a few times.

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