[Sportsandrec] Gearing Up for that First Tandem Ride

[Ron & the bears]

Hi Jennifer,

33 miles is an exceptional distance for a relatively newcomer to the sport. 
You do have buns of steel!

I am curious what brand/model bike you were riding. Then, I might figure out 
which seat was on there. Sometimes, those little seats can be better than 
the cushy ones for that long of a ride.

You have been spinning before and since, right?

I do not have anything on my schedule for big rides yet, this year. Usually, 
pilots approach me for most of them. I put out a note to a tandem list with 
some ideas and one guy asked me if I had any interest in the Furnace Creek 
508. It is a 508 mile ride through the desert in the SW. I have never ridden 
such a ride and am intimidated by it, but thinking I should do it, since I 
have the pilot/opportunity. The longest I had ever ridden to this date is a 
202 mile ride in Minnesota. I did it in 12:05 in '01 and 16 hours in '02. 
The longer version was because we stopped too many times to bench-press 
roast-beef sandwiches and pasta salad. One time, I was invited by a friend 
to do a 24 hour race. The guy hoped to get in 375-400 miles. I chickened out 
and regret it to this day. The 508 may be a go afterall.

I rode about 50 miles yesterday with Tom. It was windy with temps in the low 
80's. The ride was hilly and pretty fast. We stopped at a store, two hours 
into the ride. He drank a green tea with 150 calories and I, a quart of 
chocolate milk which yielded 840 calories. We both felt bloated at first, 
but by the end of the ride, I thought Tom was beginning to bonk, while I 
felt stronger. I estimate we are burning about 600-700 calories per hour out 
there. I won the '04 Texas State TT with him and would like to race it again 
with him in July. He is a cardiologist with three small children, though, so 
I encourage him to keep focusing on the more important things. In '04, his 
then 5 year-old daughter called his cell on our way home from the race. I 
heard the satisfaction in his tired voice when he answered her question. He 
said, "Yes...we did. I can send you the full race report if you'd like to 
read it.

After writing this, I am inspired to do the 195 mile ride on Saturday if I 
can find a pilot.

If you take the same chance and contact the yahoo group of your local bike 
club, chances are good that you may find a pilot to ride with you this 
weekend. He will have his own bike, too, or may know where to rent one. Tell 
your story and introduce yourself. That is what I do.

"Life in the fastlane. Everything, all the time. Eagles?

Best,

Ron & the just go for it bears
Austin, TX


Jennifer Boylan wrote...
: Hi Ron and the Cheering Bears!  Thanks for your coaching and 
enthusiasm--it
: was contagious!  That is the furtheset I've ever ridden and never before 
on
: a tiny racing seat.  My next ride is as soon as I round up a willing pilot
: and tandem.  It was a 50 k ride, measured out at about 33 miles.  My 
helmet
: is off to those who did the 100 k.  I would've never walked again!  What 
is
: your next big ride and how has the weather been for you?  My ride was
: perfect except for the increasing wind in our faces on the second half of
: the ride.  I liked our captains a lot, but they live over an hour away so
: probably won't be around a lot. 



--- Get FREE High Speed Internet from USFamily.Net! -- http://www.usfamily.net/mkt-freepromo.html ---