We need a name for our group.

It would be much more impressive to ride in a pace line at 22 mph if we all had matching jerseys. And if it had a name printed on it that let everyone know how really bad we were, we would be memorable, famous even!!!

Any suggestions will be considered (mainly because I can't think of anything right off hand). Tom suggested Road Warriors (or Rode Warriors I'm not sure which). Once we come up with something everyone can agree with I will create a great logo and get shirts designed and printed.

Lets keep it classy but bold, bike related and something to do with the animals we think we are.

You can post your ideas on this blog in the comment section. This way we can all add or dis the comments posted by others. Be nice...

Vote early and often...

May 29th 2006
Millstadt IL
The Great Pizza Ride and Recumbent Rally



I'm not sure what eveyone is laughing about.
I think Dave was saying something about the ride?

I'll add more pictures and a run down of the ride later today...

May 25th 2006

I recovered pretty quickly after the century Tom and I rode. We went on a "cool down" ride on the Thursday after. We went to Horse Shoe Lake State Park and rode the trail to Edwardsville and back. It is a great ride if you don't want to deal with traffic and if you ride during the week in the day time there isn't much traffic on the path.

Stats;
Dst: 31.91 mls, Avs: 15.8, Mxs: 22, Tm: 2 hrs 1 min.

Fun ride and we weere riding with some wind but it wasn't too taxing of a ride. Like I said it was a "cool down" ride. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

May 20th 2006
Indian Crossing Century
Portage Des Sioux MO

Our first century of the year and Tom and I did our best.

We started out at 7:00am at the check-in, we got our time cards (HI was timing the event) and lunch tickets. It was a little chilly but we both wore only jerseys and shorts. It was a little breezy and the wind stayed with us all day. The wind made it a little tough in the last thirty miles, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The course was two loops a larger one for the morning, 65 miles and one that was smaller but covered much of the same territory for the afternoon for 36 miles. Tom and I started out very strong. We were riding at a 19 to 22 mile per hour pace most of the time. We drafted each other some of the time but for most of it we rode side by side and talked. We commented that it seemed a little too easy. I picked up some GU from Maplewood Cyclery and some of Jelly Bellys new sport jelly beans, Tom and I kept our energy levels "up" and after about 40 miles we were averaging almost 19 mph! We caught a pace line after a rest stop at about 45 miles and were cruising at 23mph for at least ten miles. A couple of these guys were really big. Probably six five and well over 200 lbs. They were wearing Discovery team shirts and some other yellow jerseys but they seemed to be very used to riding together. We stayed with them until a turn where I got behind and lost the line and Tom slowed so I wouldn't be by myself. We rode at a more reasonable pace for me until another pace line lead by a tandem passed us and we caught it but once again I couldn't keep up. Tom stayed with them this time, we were about three miles from the finish.

My 65 mile stats were; 18.4 avs and time; 3 hrs 34 mins. Pretty good for the first big ride.

We then had lunch which was sandwiches, potato salad, chips and cookies and after we set out to finish this bad boy and claim our patches.

Well, I knew I was in trouble right away. When we got out away from town we turned directly into the wind. It wasn't too strong but it was enough to hurt.

The afternoon loop was 36 miles and kinda inside the morning loop. So Tom and I started a pace and drafted each other for a little while but I felt better at a 18 mph pace and I know Tom was itching to go faster. I caught some other riders going closer to my pace and told Tom not to wait for me. We split up about ten miles into the second part of the ride. I think we ended up riding by ourselves for most of the last part of the ride. I ended up 15 minutes behind Tom which is a pretty big difference.

The roads were great, smooth, not too much traffic, flat. The weather was great, just enough sun and not too hot. The sights were great. All-in-all it was a great ride and I'd do it again, all except for the last half mile. At the end of the ride, at one hundred and one miles the ride organizer took us past a monument at the river front to see the river in all its splendor and then you were to take a u-turn and go back to the start. I couldn't believe we were riding down to the river! All I want to do after I hit the one hundred mile mark is finish, and get off my bike. If they had put the scenic part in the middle it would have been more appealing.

Oh well enough, the stats are as follows:

Tom, 102 miles, 18.5 avs, riding time 5 hours, 31 minutes

Joe, 102 miles, 17.6 avs, riding time 5 hours, 45 minutes.

The official times will be posted on Hostelling International's web site. I'll try to remember to post them.

And one last thought, I wonder what times the guy in the backround of the picture turned in...

May 17th 2006

OK. Tom and I rode today. We're getting ready for a century this Saturday. I'm not sure that I am totally ready. I need to get some energy gel, and at least one spare tire. Otherwise I feel better than I have in a long time.

Today's ride is one we did about a month ago. It starts out in Columbia Illinois and winds through the farmlands of the Illinois side of the St. Louis region. It winds around the river bottom and then up the bluffs to Millstadt and then back to Columbia. It is a really peaceful ride with some hills. The roads are good on most of the ride but there are some rough parts and a couple of roads you have to fight traffic. But it is a good training ride. The only negative about today's ride was the wind was pretty strong out of the West and we had a head wind most of the way back.

Ride stats; Dst: 45 mls, Tm: 2 hrs, 44 mins, Avs: 16.2, Mxs 35.5 (and this was down a steep hill that is very badly paved).

We hope to ride again tomorrow.