King of Squirrel Hill

Ride #40
Saturday, February 5th
29.6 miles on the lovely American River Parkway

It's the first Saturday of the month, so the Recumbent Riders of Sacramento gathered this morning to ride and this month I could finally join them again.

I thought for a moment I might not find parking since there was a very large race event finishing up when I arrived. Fortunately, the RRS tend to run a little late in their departures, so I had time to show exactly how bad I am at names and faces. Honestly, if people would just wear the same clothes, the same helmet, and ride the same bike every time I see them, I'd be fine (not).

The bunch of recumbents set off through swarms of runners, walkers, cyclists, and squirrels. Gray squirrels everywhere, on fence posts, on trees, dashing madly across the pavement. As I was creeping up a hill, I looked to my right, directly into some beady squirrel-eyes. For a minute, I thought the critter was going to leap on to my trike and hitch a ride. He went up the tree instead, and scolded me. The nerve! What does he, rule the place?

Although I trailed along in the rear as usual, I did try really really hard to keep up for about the first 7 miles, and my average speed was 12mph. Pretty smokin' for poor old me. Then after 15 miles it was 11mph average. By the time I got back to the car at the end of the ride, it was just over 10. I'm pleased anyway. I managed to stay in the middle chainring unless I had to get up some little stinking rise. I even batted along at 16mph for a while. I am slowly getting my chutzpah back on cornering, but I did still do some braking.

I need to check the directions for my brakes: I'm pretty sure I can move the left pad in a little bit, since the right brake is grabbier than the left. I stayed out of the "little little" combination of gears (in which the chain is the slackest) and I had no shifting problems at all.

No pics today (too busy pedaling like a maniac) but might have some after tomorrow's ride. Yes, two rides in a row! Whooo!