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Sunday, February 16, 2014
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Beautiful Late August Day
We were able to ride at lunchtime today -- it was warm and clear but windy. We tried a new route mostly west from here. It was a very nice route but had quite a few small hills that were made tougher by the headwind. Nevertheless the return trip was fast with a 15-20 MPH tailwind. We were even maintaining 20 MPH up some false flats along Donegal Spring road!
The farms here are large and well-kept, roads are generally quiet and we saw more cows than people. But we logged a good 22 mile ride and will use that loop again soon!
The farms here are large and well-kept, roads are generally quiet and we saw more cows than people. But we logged a good 22 mile ride and will use that loop again soon!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Rolling Terrain
Lancaster County is a great place to ride a bike since there are so many roads that go in so many directions you can usually avoid busy thoroughfares and stay on quiet, lightly traveled roads.
The price to pay is endless views of cornfields, pastures, soybeans, trees, livestock, and well-tended farms -- and hills.
While about a third of the county is reasonably flat, the northern and southern thirds are an up-and-down array of hills of different grades -- some are sharp, steep, twisting, others long, slow, grinding.
Tandems are at a disadvantage on uphills but can usually use some inertia if there's a downhill preceding. So I like to ride a new route solo to see if it will be suitable for the tandem. Yesterday I rode a loop south of home, today I re-visited a route I tried a couple of weeks ago.
The price to pay is endless views of cornfields, pastures, soybeans, trees, livestock, and well-tended farms -- and hills.
While about a third of the county is reasonably flat, the northern and southern thirds are an up-and-down array of hills of different grades -- some are sharp, steep, twisting, others long, slow, grinding.
Tandems are at a disadvantage on uphills but can usually use some inertia if there's a downhill preceding. So I like to ride a new route solo to see if it will be suitable for the tandem. Yesterday I rode a loop south of home, today I re-visited a route I tried a couple of weeks ago.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Nice day
It is absolutely stunning out today -- warm, dry, clear, light breeze. It feels like August!
I rode a long, hilly ride yesterday on the Mountain bike (Road bike is still in the shop). It was easy enough until I got to Sun Hill Road southwest of Manheim. Then a steady grade. A quick drop back into town, some extra blocks pedaled as I maneuvered my way around town, then a climb back out of town.
The first test was Orchard road which rose 150' in less than 1/2 mile. From then on it was up and down along Hossler Road which strings along the top of a ridge -- the flatter parts of Lancaster County to the south, the hilly terrain of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties to the north.
The scenery is spectacular -- rolling farmland with corn, soybeans, and hay interspersed with dairy cows, goats, and horses. The houses and farms are neat and well kept and the roads smooth and clear.
But the hills are relentless. My legs just aren't conditioned yet, and the last ones were the hardest - a 10% slope up Strickler road.
I was craving ice cream and watermelon when I rolled up Elmcrest road hill. I was glad to be home and my legs felt wobbly. In a week or so I'll try it again!!
I rode a long, hilly ride yesterday on the Mountain bike (Road bike is still in the shop). It was easy enough until I got to Sun Hill Road southwest of Manheim. Then a steady grade. A quick drop back into town, some extra blocks pedaled as I maneuvered my way around town, then a climb back out of town.
The first test was Orchard road which rose 150' in less than 1/2 mile. From then on it was up and down along Hossler Road which strings along the top of a ridge -- the flatter parts of Lancaster County to the south, the hilly terrain of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties to the north.
The scenery is spectacular -- rolling farmland with corn, soybeans, and hay interspersed with dairy cows, goats, and horses. The houses and farms are neat and well kept and the roads smooth and clear.
But the hills are relentless. My legs just aren't conditioned yet, and the last ones were the hardest - a 10% slope up Strickler road.
I was craving ice cream and watermelon when I rolled up Elmcrest road hill. I was glad to be home and my legs felt wobbly. In a week or so I'll try it again!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Quick Evening Ride
I was home early enough to wolf down a delicious Pasta Pomodoro dinner. We rolled the tandem out and headed down the road. We followed the same loop I rode Tuesday with a half-mile addition.
It was overcast today, and though the sun peeked out a few times, it was getting dark early. We made good time, though and returned before it was too late.
12 miles in 43 minutes -- not bad over rolling terrain on the tandem!
It was overcast today, and though the sun peeked out a few times, it was getting dark early. We made good time, though and returned before it was too late.
12 miles in 43 minutes -- not bad over rolling terrain on the tandem!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Today's ride
We rode 22 miles today. We considered riding 30 to celebrate our anniversary (August 1st, 1981), but it's hot today (forecast to be over 90) and we didn't have the energy to ride that far in this heat.
So we rode a new route -- an out and back course to East Petersburg with a few miles on the Rail trail along the way. We rolled out onto the Manheim-Mt Joy road, then onto Strickler. There was far less traffic at mid-day than there was Friday at 5:30 PM and I was happy to work form home today (the rest of the week is on client sites).
We kept up a nice pace, rolled over 283, then onto Auction road. We had a nice tailwind and enjoyed the beautiful farm scenery. We pulled onto the rail trail at Lancaster Junction and dodged mid-day joggers. This trail is not as smooth as the Conewago trail, but the Schwalbe marathon 700x28 seemed suited for this sort of surface. The shade was welcome but too brief -- 2 miles later we were back out on Landisville road, then Long Road which parallels busy 283 at a respectful distance.
We rolled into East Pete (as it's known around here) and enjoyed some shade before turning around back into the wind.
The ride back wasn't as fast -- winds were 12-15 MPH from the west, so we had to fight a bit. We took Auction road to Lancaster Junction, then followed it back down to the Rte 283 bridge. The road is odd as it heads east, then north, loops over Lancaster Junction, then heads south again...
We finished up with 22.80 miles on the cyclecomputer, just 8 shy of 30. Another day!
So we rode a new route -- an out and back course to East Petersburg with a few miles on the Rail trail along the way. We rolled out onto the Manheim-Mt Joy road, then onto Strickler. There was far less traffic at mid-day than there was Friday at 5:30 PM and I was happy to work form home today (the rest of the week is on client sites).
We kept up a nice pace, rolled over 283, then onto Auction road. We had a nice tailwind and enjoyed the beautiful farm scenery. We pulled onto the rail trail at Lancaster Junction and dodged mid-day joggers. This trail is not as smooth as the Conewago trail, but the Schwalbe marathon 700x28 seemed suited for this sort of surface. The shade was welcome but too brief -- 2 miles later we were back out on Landisville road, then Long Road which parallels busy 283 at a respectful distance.
We rolled into East Pete (as it's known around here) and enjoyed some shade before turning around back into the wind.
The ride back wasn't as fast -- winds were 12-15 MPH from the west, so we had to fight a bit. We took Auction road to Lancaster Junction, then followed it back down to the Rte 283 bridge. The road is odd as it heads east, then north, loops over Lancaster Junction, then heads south again...
We finished up with 22.80 miles on the cyclecomputer, just 8 shy of 30. Another day!
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