Cold but I layered and layered and went out

I don't like riding in single digits, and the only time I do is on New Years day because that's a tradition. But there's not much to do around here and I do have my bike with me. My two house mates went out yesterday in cold, windy and overcast weather... I went down to the market and picked up nice vegetables, and walked around a bit... There were more people out around the avenue that the MEC is on than in By-town market. Ah it did get me out of the house.

Today though it was sunny and both the guys went out at about 6°, I waited till it was 8° which is still cold but no trainer and I needed to get out on the bike. Last weekend was the last time cars were allowed in the park till spring, so once over in the park the climbing was very safe on closed roads, the only "scary" bit was a guy doing his cross-country roller skis and his poles were all over the place... shiksabob Tex was not on the menu fortunately but came close. At the top I got a younger person who understood a camera phone and got him to snap a photo at the Champlain lookout, YEA! I then made a quick decent (but not too quick or I'd freeze), and now at home making a pork roast for dinner.

Colder than all get up.. by texastutt at Garmin Connect - Details

OK so we worked late last night and it was clear today... We took off a bit early for a ride at 4°C WHAT!!!??? I rode for a little bit, Rob has headed for the hills and Jeff's off in town... it's 7:00 dark and cold. I may live in Canada but I certainly like being warm in this weather unlike those two Canuks, I mean not just this but here in Canada for my American friends, when it gets below freezing we would start a fire and have hot chocolate or hot butter rum, not Canadians NO they head indoors to Hockey rinks and Curling rinks where it's cold and play all winter indoors in the COLD! I'm NOT lying it's true!

For me if it gets up a few more degrees here in Ottawa I'll ride but I'm pretty sure it's time for rollers and Sufferfest till longer and warmer days show up... EXCEPT New years day!

Colder than all get up.. by texastutt at Garmin Connect - Details

Mr. Tuttle goes to Parlement.

We have had very productive days and today we had sun, with lots of wind. When we got back to the house two of us went out on our separate ways. I went down the river trail to see the Parliament buildings. It was a nice evening and quite a few people were out on the trail exercising or coming home from work.

Downtown I did not know Ottawa had the BiXi bike rentals. These bikes are rented right there and you can ride them around town and return them to another docking station. Montreal, Paris, and London to name a few have these bike rental sites. Cool.

Out for another ride in the Gatineau Park

Today I went out solo. The other two had taken a ride downtown on the bike trail. On the bridge to Quebec I met a girl name Emily from London, who is attending school here, she's a track racer and is learning how to climb. My friend Heather's headed to Ottawa next week for 6 months and hopefully the two of them can connect.

I was hoping to ride around Meach lake today but I got far enough to take this picture, the roads were very narrow and were in VERY bad shape, so I turned around and went up and did the same climb I did yesterday. Towards the top a young guy flew past me while I tried to take a phone call, and gave me a "look" so I went after him... I sat on his wheel as he tried to pull away, and as he started to sway and wear out I put the hammer down and dropped him like a lead weight... So much for that brand new Trek Madone... Looks good but the motor is what makes the machine... NOT that I'm a real aggressive rider but I was just looking for someone to play with.

I don't know if we will get out much this week given that its dark by about 6:00 p.m. and we're working... UGH fall's such a bummer.

IKEA: Ottawa

I'm in Ottawa working at another Ikea store and we have the Gatineau Park and a lot of nice riding in front of us. But it's October in Canada further north of Brantford. Today started rainy... but then it stopped, grey with a few sprinkles, so we Rob and I went out at noon. It was an easy day of a few climbs and just enjoying being on the bike. Fall up here is supposed to be fantastic about a week ago. We did see a young 30 year-old Quebecois cyclist and there was a need to catch him and make him ride the hills a little harder than he had planed on doing. It took a couple of the climbs to catch him, but once together he was happy to share the pulls and had a good little ride together in the park.

Next year I plan on traveling in a different cycling kit.

Now I need to teach Rob how to get my camera to take photos... I have photos of him, but the "picture" he took of me is not there. We will get out again tomorrow in the sun.

Single digit weather (Celsius), 34 km/hr winds with gust up to 75 km/hr and rain... not fun. I could have and I have ridden in such weather but I'm off to Ottawa tomorrow and I have stuff to do to get ready, and there would not be time to clean the bike.

So today I set up my winter torchure chamber and did the new Sufferfest Video "A Very Dark Place". It seems to only take a few minutes into any of David's videos to "remember" why they are called The Sufferfest, you suffer and leave a nice puddle of sweat on the floor and on the bike, in just a mere one hour workout! I needed to have a high intensity workout so I'll be ready for the Gatineau's over the next three weeks, even if I do ride them at a "fall" pace.

Now as far as Torchure Chambers go, mine is just in the sun room which gets pretty cool in the winter but I seem to be able to heat up the place by the end of the ride, and it's far better than the laundry room. The Sufferfest website sells all sorts of "stuff" to let people know your a Sufferlandrian, and some folks have or want to put up a flag in their chamber, and I've taken a quote in full from the website from a letter sent in last Febuary... Scary part I know this guy! I was over in France with him for Paris-Roubaix and he would have waved the flag if they were available then.


"Hello fellow Sufferlandrian,

I am just toiling in my fields on sore legs after my latest training ride through the harsh and unforgiving Sufferland countryside. I am very fortunate to have been assigned to a work party that will be dispatched to Northern France this spring. During my time there I’ll be allowed to be at the side of th…e road for Flanders, Roubaix, and Amstel Gold. I would be extremely proud to wave the Sufferland flag for the moving picture cameras, so our glorious Nation could be recognize around the world in Newsreel viewings everywhere. But alas, I have no flag. It was lost during the peasant uprising of 1962. If there was a way for you to send me one, I would be more than proud to fly it high, with a tear in my eye, during my time abroad.
Humbly Your Servant,
Peter Schouten"

Thanksgiving Day (the Canadian one) ride

I had looked up a ride that would have been nice to do but at 90 kms it was too far for the amount of time some had planed for the ride. So we headed up Harrisburg to Maple Manor, Footbridge Road, Greenfield to Ayr and back.

Our ride started off and going up from Harrisburg Dermot got a flat and five of us were "off the Front" and by the time we got to our turn we thought they had just turned off to leave us to our vices (we need a race radio to keep the group informed). Our group then went on to complete the ride, the others sounds like they went through St. George and back home. Our ride was just at the 80 km mark and they were at the 60 km mark.

Our group was the faster folk and I ride with them I rarely get a gap where I can turn around and get a photo so I got one of the infamous Andrew and Rob, I almost had everyone but then a car came along and I had to go back to the bars and missed a great photo with everyone in line and the autumn trees... a well, next time.

We arrived back at our Tim Horton's haunt on Paris Road and our compatriots were there and that's when we learned they were yelling at us that they had a flat... Sorry guys.

Now I would like some feed back from others. I like Map My Ride to share rides and to post (no metrics just a nice map). But for my data I'm really liking the downloading from Training Peaks, but the Garmin site is nice but slower... What are you type A people using?

Second Ride of the Thanksgiving Weekend

Canadian Thanksgiving's here and we could not have nicer weather even if we custom ordered it!

Not one single cloud in the sky, cool mornings and this afternoon got pretty warm... I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeve shirt.

I got out yesterday with with Jacques, at 11:00 a.m. (sorry forgot my phone takes good photos), for about 65 kms. Work did not go as planed and with this weather I put no effort into filling a Friday of a long weekend with a lot of work. (I could use the work but sometimes taking off and riding is the best deal).

This morning we went down to Port Dover which is a metric Century (100 Kms). With this weather everyone was in a great mood. On our way down we had about three people who cut the ride short, one being Bob Drinkwater who is 80 years old, and is only 6 months younger than my father. During the ride he came up to the front, paced me then came back and put his arm around me and gave me a threat.... He's headed off to Portugal for the winter in 6 -1/2 weeks and when he gets back next spring I better watch out as he's going to teach me a lesson. Oh I want to be 80 and riding and "threatening" guys 30 years younger!

We continued on to Port Dover rode around the end of the pier (that's the photos of us all), and then headed home. What a fantastic day and to spend it with friends makes it all the better.

I finished off my day buy shopping for Thanksgiving Dinner with my daughter, walking the dawgs for about 3.5 kms and then supper! now its time for Dr. Who!