Monday, April 30, 2007

Back in the Saddle

I finally made it out for a training ride this weekend! It was my first time on my bike this year. I actually thought it was my first time on the bike since the bike rally last summer, but I was mistaken - my log book tells me that I did go on a ride with Dave in October.

I was a bit anxious about the first ride. I didn't spend a whole lot of time getting my bike ready, and I wasn't sure how difficult I would find it to do 42 km as my first ride. Cycling can be pretty complex in terms of all the equipment... helmet, shoes, water bottles, spare tube, pump, tools, snacks, gloves, etc... so I wondered if I would forget anything. But it turned out that getting back on the bike was very easy. I think Stu and I must have perfected the art of cycling preparedness last year, so I was relieved to find that it was easy to get started again this year.

The ride went very well. It was cloudy, but the rain held off. Dave kept asking me if my legs were sore afterwards, but they weren't. My butt, however, was and still is a bit sore. It will take awhile to toughen it up again :)

posted by Kevin @ 11:13 AM   0 comments

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Rally Fever - it's on!

Today was the second (my first) training ride of the season and the weather was perfect! We started at Kipling station and rode a 39km route which took us out to through Port Credit and up scenic Mississauga Road.

After having used the trakstand for the past while I think I was starting to forget the thrill of a ride on the open road. Feeling the rush of wind as soon as you push the pedals just doesn't happen on a stationary bike! Last night I had spent a while tuning Allen up making sure he was ready for the ride. Today he was shifting gears brilliantly, responding to every little whim I had. It's great having him on the road, it's pretty much like he anticipates every turn, hill, pothole and obstacle so he's prepared to respond at a moment's notice.

So yes, I was more than just a little excited after the ride. The thrill of the Bike Rally is back with me today -- the thrill of 600+ kilometers of open road and trails that connect Toronto to Montreal, and hundreds of other riders and crew to share it with.

Rally fever? It's back - it's on!

posted by Stuart @ 1:57 PM   0 comments

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The weather

Last weekend was the first training ride; those around the Toronto area may have noticed that Saturday morning was still pretty chilly. I just couldn't bring myself to get out on my bike with temperatures hovering around freezing (the average temperature for the day was 2.4°C with a high of only 6.7°C). It's true that last year's first ride was a cold one too - you can check the blog entry for that to verify. However, while I do believe in biking in all sorts of conditions to prepare for the trek to Montreal, I know we won't have to put up with temperatures like that this summer!

The current long range forecast is calling for a high of over 15°C for this weekend's ride, which sounds a lot more appealing. No more Trak stand for a while I hope!

posted by Stuart @ 8:38 PM   0 comments

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Fundraising

With training rides starting up this coming weekend, both Kevin and I have started our fund raising activities. It's definitely a tough task raising the $2,000 minimum that is required to participate in the bike rally, but it's well worth it.

Last year we were both lucky to have the support of many great people who helped us meet our goals. We're hoping that this year will be no different.

If you've not done so yet, why not take a moment to participate in this great event by sponsoring one of us. The funds raise support a fantastic cause! Last year we cycled nearly 4,500 km combined when you sum up the training rides and the trip from Toronto to Montreal itself - with that amount of cycling, it's clear that we both support the Bike Rally, and we hope we can count on you to do the same!

posted by Stuart @ 12:21 AM   4 comments

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Kevin's Ride 2007

Total Distance: 610.29 km Total Time: 24hr 4m 23s Avg. Speed: 25.4 km/h

Date Distance
km		 Time
hh:mm:ss		 Avg. Speed
km/h		 Max. Speed
km/h
Sun, July 29 112.94 5:01:42 22.4 50.0
A very hot day, but a good ride. We did well with the hills. It was neat trying to remember where the breaks were. Brings back lots of memories.
Mon, July 30 125.09 4:56:59 25.2 48.0
Day 2 was long, with 2 morning breaks. Very hot, a bit of a breeze, not too many hills. We passed our team leaders (who are usually very fast) going up a big hill and held the lead for about 10 km, so that was a bit of a thrill!
Tue, July 31 51.89 1:45:50 29.4 43.5
Not as fast as last year, but still not too shabby! It's great being in Kingston - rooms with A/C and double beds, Starbucks, LCBO, internet access, etc...
Wed, August 1 109.43 4:08:29 26.4 43.0
An extremely hot ride from Kingston to Johnstown. We had to help with lunch, and Stu got a flat, but we still make it to camp by about 3:30 pm.
Thu, August 2 108.13 3:41:01 29.3 45.0
It was a very fast and hot day. We got to the lunch break at about 10:30 am but stayed for 2.5 hours for massages. Stu had a minor fall after afternoon break.
Fri, August 3 102.81 4:31:12 22.7 37.0
Final day! It was extremely hot again, but a leisurely pace made it bearable.

posted by Kevin @ 1:23 PM   0 comments

Stu's Ride 2007

Total Distance: 627.32 km Total Time: 24hr 36m 32s Avg. Speed: 25.49 km/h

Date Distance
km		 Time
hh:mm:ss		 Avg. Speed
km/h		 Max. Speed
km/h
Sun, July 29th 123.67* 5:24:39* 22.86* 58.4*

Day 1 - Toronto to Port Hope.

I blogged today, so I'm actually writing a note on day 2 from Adolphustown. Day 1 was a good day, it was nice to get back on the bikes again and the sendoff was a blast. Paul came to say goodby, Ben and Karen too. There were tonnes of roadeside supporters to cheer us on.

Stats for this ride include the trip from my home to the departure ceremonies at Allen Gardens.
Mon, July 30th 125.54 4:56:53 25.37 52.9

Day 2 - Port Hope to Adolphustown.

Breakfast Television was there again to send us off this morning. As we rode through the towns there were plenty of people who stopped to wish us well. It was a warm day but an OK ride overall. Jeff had an accident, he went down hard in a patch of gravel. He's back from the hospital now, wearing a sling. He's hoping to ride again by day 6. Tonight is Bingo night. Not sure yet if we'll go, but Nathan's working hard to get everyone excited, it does sound fun.
Tue, July 31st 52.62 1:46:12 29.73 45.3

Day 3 - Adolphustown to Kingston.

The short ride to Kingston was a treat but the accommodations were even better! Air conditioned rooms with double beds and a bathroom shared between two rooms. It's a nice break from camping and gives the muscles a chance to recover.
Wed, Aug 1st 110.96 4:09:31 26.68 45.0

Day 4- Kingston to Johnstown.

It was a hot day today! At morning announcements they mentioned that ther was a heat alert. By lunch time the heat was on and we were helping out with serving lunch. A short while after lunch I had a lat tire but we took care of it quickly. I was glad to see camp at Johnstown, a dip in the lake was a great way to cool off.
Thu, Aug 2nd 110.34 3:45:54 29.31 44.5

Day 5 - Johnstown to Lancaster.

Today's highlight for me was a crash just after afternoon break. I hit a speedbump unprepared and came down pretty hard on my left side. I'm lucky my ass took the brunt of the fall, with my leg and arm getting some good road rash too. Overall it was a decent ride in the heat. We took a long break (~2.5 hours) at lunch. It's the last sleep before Montreal now, tomorrow should be a good day!
Fri, Aug 3rd 104.19 4:33:23 22.87 39.2

Day 6 - Lancaster to Montreal.

With all the excitement of the arrival in Montreal, I'm actually writing this nearly two weeks after the fact. It was another hot day! Kevin and I managed to catch up with Patricia, Kelly and George and spent most of our ride reliving our team ride from last year's day 6. We got to the final gathering point well ahead of everyone else. I think with the heat we'd just decided to push on, rather than taking advantage of the patios in the towns we passed through.

Again this year, the route from the gathering point to downtown Montreal was fantastic, a long line of green jerseys snaking its way along the bike path before our final trek through Montreal. We made our way two-by-two into the arrival ceremonies, where once again Paul was waiting, along with Dave and Phil. With the second ride complete, I guess it's time to start thinking about my 3rd rally!

posted by Kevin @ 1:20 PM   0 comments

Stu's Training 2007

Cycling

Total Distance: 1031.99 km Total Time: 44hr 23m 03s Avg. Speed: 23.25 km/h

Date Distance
km		 Time
hh:mm:ss		 Avg. Speed
km/h		 Max. Speed
km/h
July 22, 2007 121.78 5:09:56 23.58 64.5
A ride from Kennedy Station up through Uxbridge then back. It was a hot day, but the burgers @ Texas Burger seemed to help give us extra energy for the ride back.
July 21, 2007 129.92 5:20:52 24.29 64.25
This ride to Keswick is a great one - we stop for lunch at the edge of the lake, which is super relaxing. It was a great ride, leaving me feeling quite prepared for the trip to come.
July 14, 2007 116.64 5:12:50 22.37 67.1
The ride from Kipling Station to Campbelville is a great one, but it's pretty tough. Shortly after riding into Burlington there's a great magnetic hill, then we climb the escarpment for some super views. Lunch was great, and the ride home far easier than the morning's climb.
June 30, 2007 104.34 4:14:37 24.59 57.8
This route took us from Finch station up to the Holland Canal, complete with a short tour of the farmland up in the marsh before trekking back to the city. While it's true that there were some pretty decent hills to tackle, the part I found the trickiest was crossing Highway 9 on a long weekend Saturday morning - it's a tough road to cross without a traffic signal!
June 10, 2007 82.73 3:33:04 23.30 60.1
Today's ride took us from Finch station through to Kleinberg. It was a challenging ride in terms of hills, but a very scenic ride. I missed this ride last year and it had been many years since I'd been through Kleinberg, so it was worth the struggle as we climbed through the hilliest route we've had so far.
June 9, 2007 89.66 3:50:23 23.35 52.1
This year's ride to Musselman Lake was MUCH nicer than last year's. This year was rain-free with great weather overall. This is such a beautiful ride, it's very pretty cycling around the lake before heading back to Toronto.
June 3, 2007 79.23 4:04:22 19.45 50.1
We did the Becel Ride for Heart again this year. Complete with the ride from my place down to the starting line and back after the event was over, it was a great day for riding. The Ride for Heart is so much fun, cycling along the highways I'd usually be driving on, it's a real treat!
May 26, 2007 59.76 2:20:47 25.47 45.8
Today's ride started from Kipling and took us out to Oakville, stopping at Starbuck's before turning back. It's a fun easy-going ride, pretty flat.
May 19, 2007 51.27 2:04:16 24.75 57.9
Today I joined the regular Bike Rally training ride along with Kevin to do the Finch - Lake Wilcox route again. We managed it a bit faster this time, without the headwinds on the northbound section of the route.
May 12, 2007 51.52 2:29:05 20.73 55.9
Instead of joining the early morning start for the planned training rides, Kevin, Dave and I headed up to Finch later in the day and took in the Finch / Lake Wilcox route. It was a great day for it, but after a fun night out the day before, a leisurely ride was definitely a better way to go. The tailwinds on the ride back into the city were most welcome!
May 5, 2007 46.51 1:50:46 25.19 46.4
Today's 46km ride took us from Kipling station through Meadowvale. Weather was perfect, nice and sunny but not too warm, with a moderate breeze.
April 28, 2007 59.13 2:31:30 23.42 61.4
Today's route was a ~42km route from Kennedy Station. I biked to and from Kennedy to add a little extra distance :-) The weather was cool, but the rain held out. This time I had a riding partner too, as Kevin was able to join in, all-in-all it was a good ride!
April 21, 2007 39.50 1:40:35 23.56 52.6
Today was my first training ride and it was a great one. I wimped out on last week's ride due to cooler weather but today was amazing. A 39km route from Kipling station through Port Credit and up scenic Mississauga road before heading back.

posted by Kevin @ 1:16 PM   0 comments

Kevin's Training 2007

Cycling

Total Distance: 1100.46 km Total Time: 48hr 7m 27s Avg. Speed: 22.9 km/h

Date Distance
km		 Time
hh:mm:ss		 Avg. Speed
km/h		 Max. Speed
km/h
Sun, July 22 119.77 5:06:18 23.4 63.0
Kennedy Station to Uxbridge. The ride to Uxbridge was pretty brutal, with long long climbs and moderate headwinds. In Uxbridge, we had lunch at Famous Texas Burger, which gave me a burst of energy for the ride home. The route back was hilly, but hills were short enough that you could always see the crest and stay motivated enough to attack the hill.
Sat, July 21 128.64 5:19:39 24.1 58.0
Finch Station to Keswick, on the shore of Lake Simcoe. It was a good ride - gentle uphill most of the way made for a fast ride back to the city. We had Subway for lunch. Mmm mmm, eat fresh!
Sun, July 15 118.25 5:12:57 22.6 51.5
A training ride from Kipling Station to Campbellville, taking us through the outskirts of Burlington. Parts of the ride were very hilly around the Niagara Escarpment.
Thu, July 5 69.45 2:54:32 23.8 43.0
A PEI-ride forming a large loop starting from my parents' house in St. Hubert, and passing through Grand River, Lot 16, Miscouche, Union Corner, and Cap Egmont. I stopped for a break and short visit with my aunt in Mont Carmel.
Wed, July 4 13.22 52:38 15.0 28.4
A leisurely ride in the Cavendish portion of the Prince Edward Island National Park with Dave.
Tue, July 3 92.13 3:52:40 23.7 61.0
A PEI-ride from Jeanne's in St. Ann's to Paulette's in Grand Tracadie, then to Mount Stewart and ending at Tea Hill. It was more hilly than I expected, but a good ride. Paulette and Dave picked me up at Tea Hill Park and brought lunch.
Sat, June 16 111.32 4:22:06 25.4 56.5
I rode to Kipling Station and then did the 97-km training ride from there to Inglewood. I will be busy on Pride weekend and then I'm going to PEI for the next 2 weekends, so this was my way of getting in the 100-km qualifier before the deadline. It was pretty hot out but a great ride.
Sun, June 10 81.74 3:33:15 23.0 54.0
Definitely the most challenging ride of the year, and possibly of my life, this training ride took us from Finch Station to the hilly little place called Kleinburg. Light winds and burning sun made it even more difficult, but it felt good in the end.
Sat, June 9 88.40 3:50:50 22.9 51.5
Training ride from Kennedy Station to Musselman Lake. It was a nice day, and there was some sort of dragon boat festival or other boat racing going on. Stu and I made a few wrong turns, but nothing serious.
Sun, June 4 61.97 3:35:29 17.2 49.0
The Becel Ride for Heart with Stu, Stephen, and Irene. I rode from home to the CNE and back with Stu and Stephen.
Mon, May 28 14.84 50:32 17.6 34.0
An evening ride with Dave up the Don Valley Trail to Taylor Creek Park. Poor Dave got sore knees again.
Sat, May 26 58.48 2:17:02 25.6 44.0
A very nice training ride out to the Starbucks in pretty Oakville. Port credit is also pretty.
Sat, May 19 50.38 2:01:17 24.9 52.5
A group training ride up to Lake Wilcox - the same route as last weekend. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ride.
Sat, May 12 50.73 2:25:44 20.8 54.5
Dave, Stu, and I rode a loop from Finch Station up Bayview to Lake Wilcox, and then back on Dufferin. The highlight was having Subway for lunch in Oak Ridges! And the ride back was nice as we had tail-wind and it was mostly downhill.
Sat, April 28 41.14 1:52:28 21.9 41.5
My first training ride of the season, departing from Kennedy Subway Station and looping out around the zoo. The rain held off and it wasn't too chilly.

Indoor Training

Total Time: 1hr 45m

Date Time Music
Thu, July 12 45m Somewhere Else, Eva Avila
Fri, May 11 1hr Overtly Christian rock, supplied by a spinning instructor at the gym at work!

posted by Kevin @ 1:08 PM   0 comments