Training Log Archive: PG

Was planning to go up to Wendell, a decent climb, but decided in the first couple of minutes I didn't need a "decent climb" so up and down the valley it was. Just right.

----------------

There seems to be a movement in certain parts of the world, Ratlum Mountain to be specific, to bring the machines of the Industrial Revolution, though perhaps in more modern and powerful versions, to bear against the forces of evil.

The forces of evil in this case being the lowly mountain laurel plant.

I have been thinking about this, wondering if we should engage Mr. Charlie and his superb assistant Zack to spend some time in Sunderland wrangling our collection of mountain laurel, reducing it to a more manageable, and probably more enjoyable, amount.

First things first, do a survey, see how much laurel there is, and document it. That way Charlie and Zack will know how long they'll have to be here, and what they should charge.

The survey didn't take long, On our roughly 14 acres there is one laurel plant. It is right by the side of the driveway. We have been here almost 34 years. It has been here at least that long. We are old and looking a little worse for wear. So is it.

I determined that wrangling it should not take more than a minute. A snip for each of the two stems, and then chip-chip-chip and it's done.

The problem is, of course, that while orienteering has developed a distinct dislike in me of all things laurel, it seems there is an exception, and that is for "our" laurel.

Because one is the perfect number of laurel plants. It is fewer than all the other possibilities, including Charlie's gazillion plants, which is certainly good, but it is also more than zero, and that is also good. It places no demands on us. We don't water it, or feed it, or prune it, or hardly even notice it.

But when we do notice it, it always gives pleasure.

So no wrangling here, OK?

C • One 6

Hatfield, Florence, Whately. Mid 70s, WNW 5-10, dewpoint 64. One hard effort, up the hill on North Farms Road. The rest was someplace between loafing and a steady effort.

As almost always, a pleasure to get out.

C • North Farms Rd 2

Got home after yesterday's ride and fiddled with the front derailleur some more. Zero progress, probably made it even worse.

And rain was coming, wasn't sure what I felt like doing.

And then thought, sure don't need the big chain ring on South Sugarloaf. And if I get going now, I'll beat the rain. And even though it's chilly and normally I'd wear tights, I figured I'd be working hard enough to stay warm. Which certainly turned out to be true.

Two questions in mind. First was the usual, what sort of time could I do up the hill. My best last year was 9:05. It's a good test, and certainly a good measure of fitness, the only problem is that it's not all that much fun, so I don't do it very often. So there is less data than one would hope. But some is better than none.

The other question dealt with the really steep way up, and here, as is often the case, Phil was the motivation. He's been doing repeats with SMAC, four loops, starting at the top, down the less steep way to just above the hairpin and then up the more steep way. Incidentally, that loop is one way, and the direction of the loops is the wrong way. Ah, so what....

I guess the question was, could I make it up, and what sort of lap time could I do. I certainly wasn't thinking of four laps, knowing that the first climb up to the top was already going to trash me.

Anyway, off before the rain. Got up in 9:13, acceptable. Maybe started a little too quickly, seemed to be breathing hard already after a couple of minutes. But hung in right to the end.

Momentum carried me the little bit down to the upper parking lot, and in the process I figured I meant as well get Phil's loop over with, so off I went on that, after noticing that there were no cars there might be coming down the narrow steep part when I'd be going up.

Down to just above the hairpin, sharp right turn, and straight up. Lowest gear, for sure. Probably down to about two miles an hour. But I stayed on the bike, and after a bit it got a little less steep, and then less, which was really good because I was wasted.

Finished the loop, just under 5 minutes. Totally trashed, didn't give the slighted thought to another. Coasted down the hill, easy pace going home, and then off to the bike shop to get proper repairs done.

Certainly type 2 fun (the planning and the memories are fun, just not the doing). :-)

C • impressive 5

Back to the lower hills on the west of the valley, some the same as yesterday, some different. Put out a good effort going up Whately Glen, for sure.

Stopped at the end of Roaring Brook Road for a while. My derailleurs read need adjustment. The rear one is just a little off, but I can deal with that. The front one was enough off it was getting hard to get into the big chain ring. So I fiddled with things for a while, and at that point I pretty much couldn't get into the big ring at all. Me and tools just don't get along.

Well, time to get going. Managed after a bunch of tries to get in the big ring, and then just left it there the rest of the way. That was Ok, no more steep ups, but it seemed the 15-minute stop had done a number on my legs, no energy at all. Seemed all the way home I was having a hard time pushing one gear lower than I was expecting to use. So maybe the lesson is just don't stop? :-)

Excellent ride with Walter, from his place, in the lower hills on the west side of the valley.

River Road - Old Deerfield loop. Energy low to middling, effort low to middling. Seemed just fine.

Mid 60s, not much wind, bit of sun, mostly clouds. Wanted to wear a long-sleeve shirt, but couldn't find my green one, so used my cold weather long-sleeve bike shirt (a nice bright red). Comfy to start, then a little warm, at which point I unzipped a ways and then it was OK. Good to know what temps range it will be good for on its own; almost all the times I've worn it have been under a jacket.

About 70, S 5-10. Overcast when I started with rain predicted a few hours later, but after about 40 minutes it started raining and I got mostly soaked. No big deal as the temps were pleasant and for the most part I wasn't on any roads with more than the occasional car.

And another good hard effort. Don't know what's going on here. The only thing I can think of is that at some point there will be a ride with Phil, where the standard procedure is that I try, unsuccessfully, to get an agreement to ride at a conversational pace, and he just smiles and then proceeds to bust me. And he's enough stronger/younger that he can do that without putting out much effort himself. The only hope I have is that one or more of his various chronic ailments (neck, back, arms, butt, and/or feet, for starters) will flare up and allow him to enjoy a little suffering too.

Actually, there was a close call yesterday, meaning I just dodged another bout of suffering -- his time running up to the top of Mt. Toby was fortunately still a little slower than mine on the bike, so I didn't have to go out today to try and reassert myself....

So, today, I suppose it was just another session getting the lungs and the quads used to hurting. :-)

C • mt toby 2