Fun & Fitness over 50

Yes, it was just the battery. I mentioned in my last post that the heart monitor was reading erratically, mostly low, mostly zero! After fretting a bit over it, I just went ahead and replaced the battery ($4.95) and went out for a 25 mile ride. That was it. It works like new now. Apparently it had been low for a long time cause I first noticed it on a long hill out of the city (albany) where I should have been doing in the 150 bpms it was reading either zero or very low (30s or 40s) and it was several months ago that I last rode that hill. Apparently, when the battery starts to get even slightly low you have to replace it. I hadn't had it that long (6 mos) but I suppose it depends on how much you use it.
Have only ridden on Sunday and Tuesday so far this week. Since Wed. it has been pouring down rain almost continually. Tomorrow, hopefully, I will get out as Saturday doesn't look too good. I have church men's group at 7am then I am working all day.
I did an old favorite ride on Tuesday; up past Albany Country club to the old army depot and back along Hennesey Road, through Voorheesville, over Swift Rd. past the New Scotland town park, then over Bullock road and home (I realize this means nothing except to locals). It was a great ride. I'm enjoying my progress as well as my HRM working properly. The only thing to note is that my brakes were howling on the steep stops. There is still plenty of "tread" on them but they were kind of glassy and the pads are slightly wider than the rims so they are worn in kind of a U. I started to file one of them down but it was too much work so I put it back on. They're stopping alright, just noisy.
For what it's worth, here's the route for the Tuesday ride:

For our Sunday 6AM ride, Charles took me up Cass Hill Road. I knew this road from driving it as there is a nature preserve there that I have visited in years past. Even in the car it was impressive!
It is a fairly long climb with several steep sections. I still don't know how to guestimate grade but it was muy steep, hombre!
I meandered over to the shoulder early on and spun out but I got right back on the bike. Charles slipped at some point later and walked a short section. I went past him but at the next steep hill I stopped and walked it. Just quit-itis, I guess. There was only one more steep hill after that so I suppose I could have made it.
Then payback time, the ride down the other side!
The last 10 miles or so we hammered it. I always enjoy doing that. Push it as hard as I can cause the end is in sight and know we don't have any more big hills.
Twas a good workout.
My HRM is on the fritz though. Sometimes it read 0 bpm when I know I was in the 150s. I may enjoy biking but when I'm wearing the yellow jersey and riding in the Tour de France and my HRM reads zero, then I'll know I've died and gone to heaven. Not till then. I'll just try replacing the battery.
Here's the route for those who care, if you load it full screen you can check the elevation and tell me what a weenie I am:

Some people say "isn't it too hot to be out riding a bike?"
But you know, it's a pleasant way to be out on a hot day 'cause you bring your own breeze with you. Especially if you have got to a level where you can maintain some speed.
I got frustrated with work so I just shut the computer down and went out for a ride "so I would feel like I accomplished something today."
I told my wife I was just going to do a short ride, under an hour, but it wound up being an hour and a half. I did twenty miles instead of ten plus I got stuck at a train crossing, waited awhile and then backtracked and did a detour on a stretch of road that I really don't like but you can go under the train (a trestle). The road has a lot of fast traffic, it's narrow and doesn't have any shoulder in some places. Next time I'll wait for the train. By the time I got to the trestle it had gone by anyway.
Some farmer tooted behind me cause he was towing a wide piece of equipment. I had to get off the pavement to let him go by without danger. This is how people get killed around here. Last year a local cyclist got killed because some meathead with a Winnebago tried to squeeze by him on a narrow road. What is the matter with people? At least this guy was good enough to warn me. Maybe he would have stopped until it was safe.
I'm glad I went out for the ride. My average speed was over 14 mph. Good for me considering a slow slog up Orchard Hill Road. And I love rollers!
Here's the route including the double-back detour.

Today's ride went out 10 miles to where riding buddy Charles lives (but he's probably working today). He doesn't have to ride to the glorious country, he lives there.
The ride out is Snyder's Bridge Road (Rte 102). It's all rollers and winding road but not much if any shoulder and some fast traffic until you get out aways. The trend is uphill.
The ride back is on Bushendorf Road and Jarvis, a favorite route. Even more winding rollers but the trend is downhill. Very quiet road with almost no traffic and pretty scenery. It's an AHHHHHHHHH ride! Almost lost it one time on Jarvis. You can get going pretty fast and there's no shoulder just a drop-off into the woods. I got a little too close to the edge at 30+mph. It wouldn't have been pretty!
I intended this to be an easy recovery ride 'cause my right knee has been a little "tweaky". Nothing serious but I want to keep it that way. I was mostly good. ;-)
Here's today's route:



Off topic, but here are some pics of me from the tour de cure that I got the other day:

This is before the start of the 100K.
That's me on the right in the retro blue helmet and orange shirt. It turned out to be a hot day. Low 90s.


Start of the 100K

Went for a Sunday 6AM ride before church with Charles. He usually takes me up some challenging climb but he had mercy on me today. Maybe it's just cause we only had 2 hours.
We did a couple of pretty good hills but definitely not "killers".
In fact, I had a treat. We went down the down side of Blodgett Hill. That would have been a killer going up it. But I broke my bike speed record going down, 45.0 mph. I feathered the brakes too. A little too thrilling. I have these thoughts "I hope I tightened that quick release on the front wheel right" or "I really should have replaced that other tire too." :-)
But everything worked fine.
It was a good workout. We pushed it. Beat the rain too!

Today's ride was 35 miles. One of my regulars. I decided to take some pictures this time. I like to have the pictures but I don't like stopping for them.
Here's my physical report for the ride:
back: excellent (i have occasional lower back problems)
shoulder: good except when I went to open the restroom door (i have a problem with my right shoulder, mostly on my mountain bike)
Knees: good (have a history of "tweaky knees")
hand: good (my left hand is still recovering from my accident in the spring. I am going to see an orthopedic surgeon on monday)

Here's the narrative in pics:


Starting out in the "neighborhood"


The bypass. Getting warmed up now. You can see a bit of the Helderbergs peeking through in the distance


You can see more of the Helderbergs here


My first hill, Van Dyke Road, the approach


The hill


Meads Lane, a nice 2 mile, mostly flat, mostly straight, no stop signs or cross streets, low traffic. Good for interval workouts and sprints.


More Meads. Farm country.


Farmhouse on Meads. There's a family cemetery over on the left below the tree


Meads Lane. Hilly meadows.


Cow pasture


I always just miss getting through the train crossing. I heard this one coming but couldn't beat it. I was there with three other cyclists.


You can just see the beginning of the "formerly dread" Orchard Hill Road


Other cyclists out on this beautiful day


From the top of Orchard Hill Road. I'm NOT going to stop in the middle of the hill to take a picture! At least, not yet.


The Helderberg Escarpment from Bullock Road. We're not going up there today.


Koonz Road in Voorheesville (lots of Dutch names around here). A nice respite on a hot day!


Koonz Road


View from Hennesey Road. The cell and radio towers on the Helderbergs


The Escarpment


The halfway point. 17.5 miles. Corner of Hennesey and Rte. 201. The glorious Raleigh.


The country club. Mostly downhill from here. Hammer time.


Albany in the hazy distance! Then home!





Tomorrow: 6AM ride with Charles before church. I wonder what hellish climb he has planned?

Today, I didn't have much time to ride so I did my shortest ride, 10.3 miles and tried to keep my speed at or over 15mph. My usual average speed on rides of any length is just under 13.
This was a moderate workout, not all-out. There are a few rollers on this route, no serious hills, and a mostly flat and straight 2 mile stretch with no intersections or stop signs and little traffic. Good workout on the rollers, powering over them out of the saddle in a high gear, usually the big ring and one of the middle cogs except for the first hill cause it has a 20% or so grade right at the end, just for a few spins of the crank though. Fun!
I was just at 15mph for average speed for the ride and that includes my warm up and cool down so I'm OK with that.
Tomorrow, no commitments; so I'd like to get 30-35 miles in before it gets too hot.