T minus 78 days - An average day

STATS	DAY	MILES	CLIMBING	CALORIES
DAY	2	71.75	4888	5678
TOTALS	2	129.28	7874	10,330

Spring sprung today with our first transition across the 70 degree mark.  I didn't have any meeting scheduled for the afternoon, so I submitted for 4 hours of vacation time from my accrued hours and shut the email down and headed out the door to attempt a 70 mile solo ride.  As I train for the AlCan ride, I need to work on distance and endurance.  The average daily mileage on the ride is listed as 72 miles.  In my totally non-scientific wing it as I go training, I said to myself  "Self, you should try and ride at least 70 miles as soon as the temperature crosses 70 degrees."  Today was the day.

After I finished up all my morning calls, and some of my emails, I stepped outside on the deck and quickly determined that I did not need tights, long sleeves, windbreaker, booties, winter gloves, balaclava, toe and hand warmers.  YIPPEEEE!!!  So shorts and a jersey it is!  My favorite way to ride.

The weather man this morning said that it would be a windy day.  He was right for once.  It was wicked windy.  The route I had mapped out took me over towards the flatlands of central northern jersey, then back into the hillier region traversing some new roads and crossing more ridges than I would normally want to cross.

I reached the highest elevation of the route in the first 10 miles.  At this particular point, one can see the Delaware Water Gap in the distance.  I stopped for a picture.

 Water Gap (its' in the center where the horizons dip to meet between the trees.  Seriously)

The route continued onto Alphano road and over into the town of Greendell which consists of a fire station, post office (in the fire station), kennel (for dogs), Day Care (kennel for kids), and an General Store.  I was glad to find the store open.  It was closed all last summer for remodeling.  I stopped in and enjoyed a Turkey Hill Diet Green Tea with honey (0 calories and honey is the second ingredient.  How cool is that!).

After having a bottle of tea and some peanuts, I started out with a big climb over the hill towards the turn back to the west area. Here is where the head wind kicked in and I had a fun time fighting it back to Bear Creek Road where I finally found the trees.  Bear Creek ends at the world famous (and cycling must do) Shades of Death Road.

 Click this link for more information on this magical place:  Shades of Death Wiki

After surviving SOD (which oddly enough borders several honest to god sod farms.  Hmmmmm?)  I turned and climbed to the town of Mountain Lake.  There is natural lake in the center of the mountains that is surrounded by summer homes and totally off the beaten path.  I have only been here once before by car about 5 years ago and this was the first time I road there.  Very pretty.

  Mountain Lake

After ML I followed the road and it turned south.  I wasn't sure about it so I looked at the map on my phone and couldn't see any details as it was too bright with no shade so I made the assumption that I was going the right way.  Well, I get to the bottom off a long hill and realize I fell for the oldest trick in the book:  If noone wants to be there, never place any signs that say which way it is to go there.  That's right, I ended up in the bustling hamlet of Buttzville.   Here is proof:

Yes Virginia, there is a Buttzville NJ. 

Well, there is no way out of Buttzville other than major busy roads, so I had to turn around and climb back up the nice downhill I just came down.  Oh well, I was looking for miles anyway.

Next leg took me into Belevidere NJ, the county seat.  At this point, I had to turn my bike back towards the hills and face the 2 hardest ridges.  The first climb was up to Brass Castle.  This was the hardest stretch of the whole ride.  The climb was long, steep, I was hot and out of water.  When this happens, you start to worry about dehydration and cramps.  Just after I crested the summit, I was started down the other side and spotted an oasis of no equal:

Parked the bike, took off the helmet, went inside and spent $4.57 on the cyclists survival kit:

 

The peanut butter TastyKakes are 3 patties of total awesomeness.

After the Gatoraide and TastyKakes dissappeared, I filled my water bottle with the the water, suited up, hoped on, and took off.  

The remained of the ride was pretty uneventful.  The climb up Buttermilk bridge was not as steep as I remembered it, but it was a slow slog as I was pretty tired by now.  After surviving the climb and steep descent, the ride was the remainder of the standard Asbury Loop.

71.75 miles.  I was averaging 14 or greater for the first 50 miles and 13 or greater up until the last 2 miles.

I have a 50+ mile ride tomorrow with the group.  This should give me some indication if I am ready or not to ride an average of 72 miles daily day after day.  I sense I am not.

Tail of the tape:

T Minus 91 Days - A Cinderella Story

STATS	DAY	MILES	CLIMBING	CALORIES
DAY	1	57.53	2986	4652
TOTALS	1	57.53	2986	4652

Spring is approaching and the days are getting longer. I will be unable to ride next weekend so I decided I would suggest the ride for this weekend and suit it toward my training regimen of distance and endurance.

I suggested a 57 mile route that would take us into Pennsylvania then follow the Delaware River south to Easton, then back into NJ.  The weather was cloudy, with drizzle earlier in the day.  Winds were 10-20 sustained.  We met at my place at 10 AM.  Abdel parked his car and the Pt. Mountain lot so he wouldn't have to climb from the River back to my house.  Keith and Thor road over from their neck of the woods and Greg drove to my place.  We all gathered and were chit chating and getting ready for the ride.  I noticed that Greg kept waking from his car to my garage and back with a sullen look on his face.  Finally, just as the remainder of us were ready to ride, Greg sheepishly said "Guys, is there a meet up point?  I forgot one of my shoes".  We have all forgotten something needed for a ride (helmet, gloves, glasses,...) but what struck me as odd was how Greg must have thought that his shoe would magically appear before the ride as long as he didn't mention it to us before hand.  Long story short, we told him we would wait for him to retrieve his shoe and suggested he ask his wife to meet him half way.  It all worked out and we got on the road 57 minutes late.  (Interesting synchronicity:  57 minutes late for a 57 mile ride)

So we take off for the ride and all is going great.  Down into Jackson Valley, Tunnel hill road into Oxford, up and over the ridge into Belevidere.  Just before Belevidere, Thor had to break off as he had an early evening flight to Ireland for business.  After crossing into PA, the terrain went from mountainy wooded to rolling open farm field with a significant head wind.  We survived.  Then into the town of Martins Creek, and along the River into Easton.  Just after entering the city limits we came to the Easton Water Works builds that were classic Art Deco style brick with a 1932 date.  I imagine that these buildings were build by the WPA.  I wish now I had stopped to take a picture to include here, but alas, I did not.

When we walked across the bridge back into NJ (that's right, NJ Law requires bicycles to walk across the Delaware bridges and they have full time cops posted who will give you a ticket if caught riding)  we spotted a popular hot dog stand and decided to stop and get some food.  I ordered a Gyro and was surprised when the woman gave me my change, she grabbed my hand with one hand while placing the change in my palm.  Hmmm, very strange.  Lunch took almost 15 minutes to be ready.  We ate, road up through Phillipsburg to get out of the River valley.  Then into Stewartsville, south into Bloomsbury, then east to Asbury, Hampton, and Port Murray.  Once we turned east at Bloomsbury, we finally picked up a very nice tail wind and had a fast 15 mile spin back home.

Another great ride.  The longest ride so far this year.  I felt like I could have done another 10 miles which is always good to finish a ride feeling like there is something left.

Sorry about no pictures today.  Here is the tale of the tape.