Alright Yes the Giants won the super bowl ( making my week 2 wish come true, " I'll be happy if the only game they win all year is against the Patriots." and fufilling a "deathbed" promise, that the Giants would win another Superbowl in my life time. They had won in 1987, and 1991 but I was a little too young to understand.) Only thing I was unhappy about was Eli getting the MVP it belonged to the defense, the defense carried the team, and Brady had higherQB rating and NO INT's last night....but regardless the Giants won and I am happy....football rant done!
Saturday proved to be fruitless, I only got in about 10 miles on the bike after traversing the State like a mad man.
Sunday....well I got miles in and tried a nutrtional strategy. I intially was going to park in Woodbury and ride up to the lake, but decided to preview my route up, sure enough at the bottom of KettleHollow road there a sand pit, but as I drove a half mile up the road into Washington I noticed the roads were clear ( they use brine instead of sand.) I parked at this litte park at Bee Brook and rode the 4 miles to the lake. I did one regular loop of the lake and on my second loop decided to add in the "lollipop" on Arrowhead Ln. adding an extra mile. On my third loop I did the Sprint tri bike Course, now this was a bad idea. The climbs by the golf club and Farmhouse were bad as usual but the whole flat back section was torn to pieces. Whole sections of road just vanished ( apparently from where they did some mid-winter utility work.) and what pavement there was was covered in a broken asphlat, gravel, sand mix, needless to say I was happy to see the patch of chipseal they put down last summer. so that ended my third loop. I started to ride back to my car and decided Hell I have a good hour of daylight left, and I descedned down CT 109 and KettleHollow rd. into Woodbury. I turned around in the sandpit and then ascended back to Washington Depot and my nicewarm car. I didn't get the 70 miles I was hoping for but 50 is good enough. Also my nutrition plan is a little flawed, I set my watch to go off every 15 min. so I know to take a drink, and every third alarm to eat. Well this is good for a smooth flat road going a constant speed, sadly Connecticut doesn't believe in smooth, flat roads. Around the lake the plan worked pretty well , say for dodging potholes on the backhalf of the sprint course, or fighting the crosswinds on route 45. Climbing on 109 or dodging potholes on the descent down KettleHollow rd. @ 30mph you really can't take your hands off the bars.( and I didn't set up my aero drink, so I was relying completely on bottles.), but it served its purpose which was reminding me to eat and drink.
Sadly there was no running this weekend, but I plan on a nice pre work jog tomorrow, and a night run through da hood with Bjoern on Wednesday. If the weather decides to stay fairly mild I will attempt another long ride/brick on Saturday or Sunday to beat the snot out of my legs one last time before taper. The only thing I worry about is the bike split. I haven't gotten more than a 75 mile ride in so I'm hoping what I learned on that 75 miler / 7 mile brick will be enough. I think Next year I'm going to do Arizona, Cote D' Arlene, or Louisville, something in the summer so I have more time for long rides, although if I like it down there this might become a yearly tradition.
Well that's all I can post for now.
The Guy wearing a vintage Phil Sims Jersey at his desk.
R.D.
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2 comments:
"although if I like it down there this might become a yearly tradition."...um...then I guess you may as well start to think of it as a yearly tradition. I grew up in Idaho (granted not N.Idaho, but I do know that area...yes pretty)...IMLou...hot humid, AZ...hot dry...NZ...well it is New Zealand. Pretty much amazing. Taupo is the cutest town ever!
Why the heck do you keep doing that golf course hill?! As if the grade weren't bad enough, that has got to be the worst stretch of pavement my inner tubes have ever survived! Do you have something against your wheels that you want to do them harm?!
As far as the encouragement, don't worry about it! I've been in the position before where I spent every cent I didn't have on a race (and then didn't get to go). I just want to make sure that you get there safely, have fun, and you don't have to worry about money while you're down under (I would have sent more if I could). It's no fun to be penniless in a strange land, believe me, I know! Go, have fun, and I'll kill you if you ever try to pay me back :).
Good luck on that final long brick. I hope the weather holds out for you.
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