Cycling week 23 in review (mmxxii)
My car the Sienna needed repair as a check engine light had come on. When the local car shop in Deerfield tested the error code, turned out it needed some air regulator sensor replaced. So I was asked to drop it off an Monday for the repair. The repair was going to take long enough to not wait for it. So I brought my EverOrange back in the van. After dropping off the car rode home and when the car was ready later that day descended down rt 116 and picked up the car. An easy 15 mile back and then out.
Tuesday I rode with the Gratuitious climbing group out of Greenfield at the end of the day. I had left a little earlier to pick up a chaining for the Honey bike and 2nd hand fat bike wheelset from Bicycling World in Greenfield. I then joined the group of riders gathering at the parking lot around the corner. Dusty had posted a 40+ mile loop to Rowe, but with the inclement weather moving in from the west we shortened it and looped to Sherburne Falls. First we climbed up Brooke rd a good 8 minute climb. The group of about 20 riders quickly spread out. I pulled a small chasing group with Wendy, Mike and Terry. After Mike and Terry did a pull I had to let Wendy's wheel go. I had to push more 350watts to stay on her wheel. After the climb there was regroup and we road over various roads, including some gravel, towards Colrain. From Colrain we took rt 112 to Sherburn Falls with a heavy head wind. Just before Shelburne Falls we regrouped again and then we rode together into Sherburne Falls.
After crossing the Deerfield river took a left and then a right up Bray rd that was a relatively long climb of more than 20 minutes. I arrived as the 6th rider and continued on to the next gravel climb section. The sky started looking quite dark and we felt the first little sprinkles. Jason and Steve had been waiting already for a bit and we decided not to wait longer and rode back together.
On the way back we road to Pinehills (the non-gravel part) to Shelburne Falls rd and from there to Bartwells Ferry and after crossing the river again we took Taylor rd and Shelburne rd back to Greenfield. On the descend it started pouring. I had fortunately brought my rain jacket and did not get to cold. In the end the ride was a little shorter than originally planned with 34 miles. Along the way I picked up a bunch of Strava segment PRs, despite being on the slightly heavier EverOrange.
The next day I joined John for an after work ride. My legs were a little tired and John had not ridden the day before and was looking for some climbs. We rode Bray rd in the opposite direction towards Shelburne Falls. We then rode up the Grittenden Hill rd over the ridge towards Buckland. John put down the power and saw him disappear in the distance. After riding a short while on rt 112 we then took EastBuckland rd, mostly up an asphalt road that brings you back to Baptist corner. We then rode back home via Bellus and Pine Hill rd.
Thursday I definitely needed a rest and just did a 40 minute spin on the trainer in Zwift. I also had my laptop open to do some coding at the same time.
Friday morning I finally went for the run Mac and I had planned all week. We did a nice 3 mile loop behind his house that included some of the South river state forest.
That afternoon Julius and Taylor arrived. And Saturday morning we went for a short 1.6 mile hike up the trail to the Mt Sugarloaf outlook.We descended on the access road.
Sunday after Julius and Taylor left I went for a ride. I had wanted to ride all the way up to Clesson Brooke rd from Buckland to Hawley. This would be a good way to measure my outdoor FTP. The ride was beautiful but the FTP result a little disappointing, I averaged 267, which would mean my outdoor FTP is 253. Which seems very low. However having been sick and my back that has been bothering me, could explain it. The back seems to get increasingly worse. Especially putting power in the pedals in a seated position hurt. Standing felt Ok. Hopefully the upcoming vacation will give it some rest. After Hawley rode back via Watson and Creamery rd and descended the last part along rt 116.
This week on Veloviewer