1-Apr-24      MON      NEIGHBORHOOD RIDE

I have been sick for a few days but feeling better today so I did a neighborhood ride to see if I would tolerate any riding at the moment. My neighborhood is relatively hilly, and the pace was low as a result, but I wasn't tired doing this and I might get away with riding longer, such as at the lake, without impeding my recovery. So, I would call this a successful test ride. It remains to be seen, though, whether I will take this show on the road (at the lake) this week.
 
bike: Catrike 700; start time: 12:25; end: 13:20; avg:11.4; max: 25.1; climb: 486; miles:10.2;  ytd miles:2119.79
CLOUDY; wind: S 16; start temp: 75; end: 77

3-Apr-24      WED      VELO VETS RIDE

Felt good to join this ride although morning traffic issues made it take me more than double the usual time to arrive. I was late, but had a plan, and fortunately I'd brought my e-assist trike today. That meant i could ramp up the speed without ramping up my breathing. That's just what I needed to catch up with the fast group before they deviated from the lake to add the Ferndale Loop. It was great to reunite with Cindy and Bill. The Ferndale Loop went well. At the mid ride break, at the Green Spot I was able to reunite with Diana for a warm, but too short, visit.  After the Green Spot, our smaller group rode another lap, RandEL peeled off early, Cindy and Bill peeled off later, and Donna and Debra were last to drop off. I accompanied Rocky to his exit point, and I rode to my van.  I was pleased with how the ride went.  
 
bike: CATRIKE 700; start time: 9:15; end: 12:52; avg:13.9; max: 25.8; climb: 827; miles:40.27; mtd miles:67.96; ytd miles:2177.56
SUNNY; wind: NW 10; start temp: 54; end: 65

Ferd cancelled his ride, so I made my way to the lake to ride Saturday morning.  When I got there I discovered I hadn't brought my battery.  Fortunately, I had remembered my trike!  I decided to ride unassisted, and try for thirty miles--what I'd get in Plano.  I started down the Santa Fe Trail and labored up the hill at the overpass at about 6 mph.  Coming down the hills though I felt like my old self.  I saw Don leading Lynn and Butch down the SPT as I was going up.  I came back and got on W. Lawther.  T&P Hill was another slow slog, and I went around PeePee hill to stop for a drink.  The headwind was tough coming back to the start.  I figured doing the Santa Fe again would get me my 30 miles, but that meant going up the @#&%!! hill again.  I was really glad to finish that.  I wound up with 31 miles, at a pace only a little off an Eastside pace.

7-Apr-24      SUN      ROCKWALL-FORNEY RIDE

Started off thinking we had a wind at our back (north wind) but later thinking we had a west wind. Either way, did not bode well for a pleasant ride back north after our Panera stop in Forney. But either the wind was in the process of shifting or we were mistaken. Turned out riding directly north was not an issue but riding west was. There is a fair amount of westward riding on the way back but it didn't really affect our ride that much. So, it turned out to be a pretty good ride overall. Despite what the temperature range looks like, it was chilly feeling - the 3 of us, Eva, Ed, and I kept our extra layers on for the entire ride. But once we finished, it definitely seemed too warm. The 3 of us matched the pace quite well this ride. Eva has made strong gains this year.
 
bike: NEUVATION ROAD BIKE; start time: 9:07; end: 12:21; avg:16.1; max: 31.2; climb: 1562; miles:43.26; mtd miles:196.81; ytd miles:2306.41
PTLY CLOUDY; wind: WSW 6 - 13; start temp: 64; end: 75

Sunday 4/14/34 WRL Solo Ride:
 
I usually ride with Lynn M, Butch Y, and Don C on Saturdays, but yesterday they did the Ferris bluebonnet ride, while I decided to cut my yard then ride today. I left Sunset Bay about 9:30 AM and headed for the north end of the SoPac Trail. Did a 180 at the north end, headed back down the trail to the Ridgewood Trail entrance, and did a round trip to Glencoe Park. Back on the SoPac, I rode to the north end again, did a 180 and rode back to the lake and on to the Trinity Forest Spine Trail. Rode both branches of the trail, then rode back to Sunset Bay. After a break, did a lake lap, then rode to the Green Spot for lunch (Delicious chicken fajita plate and chocolate soft serve ice cream for desert). After lunch, I completed a counterclockwise lake lap. Got in 52.8 miles at an 18-mph average. Max speed was 32.6 mph. Average heart rate was 101 bpm with a 134-bpm max at 32.6 mph.
 
The trails have dried out, so I decided to ride my GS Aero trike today. Haven't ridden it since March 5. As soon as I rolled out of Sunset Bay, I could tell the Aero is much faster than the Catrike Speed I've been riding, and I was going to have fun. I raced a young roadie on the Ridgewood Trail, reaching a max speed of 32.6 mph. I was pacing him, headed east on the trail, until we reached a 90-degree curve. He laid his bike over to take the curve, while I had to brake to keep from sliding into a concrete wall. He then entered 90-degree blind curve at speed and left me behind. I'm glad he didn't encounter another rider headed west, or there could have been a serious accident.
 
Lot's of riders and pedestrians on the trails today. Not many riders on West Lawther. Was fun riding with a southerly tailwind on West Lawther.
 
 
 
                  
2007 Catrike Speed                                                                                                                                                 2017 Greenspeed Aero

Thursday 4/18/24 WRL Clown Ride:
 
Participants: Daniel S, Larry K, Kenny J, Bob M, Lynn M, and me.
 
Daniel and Larry rolled out of Sunset Bay early and rode 41+ miles together.  Kenny rode solo. Bob led Lynn and me on 2 lake laps and SoPac Trail up-and-backs for a total of 41+ miles. Expecting rain, Lynn and Kenny drove to the Green Spot. I rode to the Spot on my Catrike Speed and met them for lunch. Following lunch, I completed a counterclockwise lake lap. Got in 52 miles at a 16.2 mph average.  
 
Prior to today, I've only ridden once in the past several weeks, so was feeling out of shape on the first 20+ miles. I felt somewhat better on the second 20+ miles.
 
Nice riding weather today, but not many riders taking advantage of it.
 
No incidents or mechanicals to report.
 
A number of weeks ago, Terry C had his Catrike 700 and his Catrike 559 e-trike stolen out of his garage. He's coming to the Mosquito Works tomorrow to get fitted to a very low mileage 2015 Catrike 700 I located for him. I'm going to install a 750w Tongsheng TSDZ2B w/open-source firmware (OSF) e-drive on the trike.

11-Apr-24      THU      POTEET RIDE

Joined with Melinda's group. She had a good group and their pace was well matched to our group's - Eva, Ed, & I.
32 miles

13-Apr-24      SAT      BLUEBONNET RIDE

Didn't go as planned in pace or overall mileage. I had planned to ride solo. That didn't happen and I wound up with pace and distance not my first choice. Unexpectedly met up with friends, Sharon and Tim. I often rode with Tim but he was quite slow on the climbs. I didn't pay much attention to pace and that is just as well.  At Palmer, mile 33, Sharon decided she wanted to take the 37-mile option to return to the start so she could visit with friends. I wasn't in favor nor was Tim. But time was getting on. So I agreed to it and found the remainder of the 37-mile option to be nicer than the remainder of the 55-mile option. That was a plus. I found it to be nice visiting with people at the end whom I hadn't seen in years. So, a bit of a silver lining and at least the flowers were nice, and the wind didn't seem as bad as forecast.  
44 miles