X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!

[StuckMTB]

Pardon my profanity

So I tried my first century ride on Sunday. It was super fun but it took a lot out of me. I’ve been wanting to try one for awhile but for various reasons never got around to it. So there I was on Sunday morning, not sure what to do with my day, I decided to give it a go.

I decided to try and ride from my place downtown out to a relatively new trail network out in the middle ring suburbs and head back. The google maps cycling route to the far end of the trailhead was about 25 miles, but that’s not accounting for any of the single track along the way.

I took a detour along my way out to do a lap of the perpetually overgrown Rouge Park mountain bike trail, which is the only singletrack within the city of Detroit. I had a decent time around there but sadly the trail isn’t ridden enough to be fast and smooth so I got eaten up by a million mosquitoes along the short 2-mile loop.

Thankfully, the new trails along Hines Drive out in Livonia flowed much better and we’re both fun and rewarding. The trails have been there for a year or two now and I’m kicking myself for not checking them out earlier. Navigating unknown trails for the first time is always interesting but between Trailforks and Strava I was able to figure it out without too many wrong turns. By the time I reached my turnaround point, I had 30 miles on the clock.

Just after the turn around on my way back home, I stopped at a lakeside restaurant for a tasty sandwich and some fries to refuel and restock on water. I also decided to skip the rouge park segment on my way back and instead add some miles through southwest and corktown to get to my goal of 62. I also decided to swing by my favorite noodle joint for a steaming bowl of red curry ramen to replenish a portion of the 3,000 some calories I burned in the afternoon. It was only about 3 hours since I’d eaten lunch but I happily scarfed the whole thing.

Just shy of my finish point, my watch that was recording my Strava died 0.7 mi, so I’m estimating just over 62 miles total. I think the road/trail mix along my route was about 80/20 which is a real nice ratio for enabling overall speed with some trail fun added to the mix. My biggest concern setting out was getting a sore bum but I’m happy to report that both my legs and my bum handled the distance just fine.

Looking back on it, I learned that 60+ miles is just about my daily limit as I plan some bike packing trips for the fall, especially with my bike loaded down with more than just a lock and lots of water. I’m still feeling good about the whole ride, and I’m excited to do this route again, with a few variations.

Fehkin’ get it indeed!

[xsnowpig]

@stuckmtb nice work. my back tightened up just thinking about 5 hours in the saddle.

[BicycleBuck]

@stuckmtb

Sixty miles is no quick ride around the block!

good job!

[drVanTraveler]

@stuckmtb Nice workout!
My old man bones tell me to quit after 40 or so in a day..

[Highlander]

@stuckmtb That's a good day on the bike. I've never stopped for a real meal during a ride that is less than 100 miles, even then I eat sparingly and carefully. I got a 4 hr mountain bike ride in on sunday and it took me 3 days to recover from it. I'm getting old.

[BeaterGT]

Hell of a ride! And seems like some awesome meal stops too. I will admit I was a little concerned after seeing the red curry ramen. Could have made for an interesting sprint home.

[VincentMalamute]

@stuckmtb The entire reason for riding is so you can eat!

[StuckMTB]

@vincentmalamute yes, exactly!

@BeaterGT The curry ramen was a pickup and eat at home deal. I needed to get back on my couch!

@Highlander This was the longest I've ever done and it's hard to fathom going even further. I guess if I started at 8 or 9am, but this ride pretty much took me from 12:30-8pm including non-moving time. It was quite the stretch!

[Highlander]

@stuckmtb I don't ride big miles by myself, get into a group of 3-10 riders and the ride goes by much faster and it's more entreating.

[BicycleBuck]

@stuckmtb said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

This was the longest I've ever done and it's hard to fathom going even further. I guess if I started at 8 or 9am, but this ride pretty much took me from 12:30-8pm including non-moving time. It was quite the stretch!

As @Highlander said, it's better to ride big miles in a group. That's part of why your accomplishment is impressive!

My first imperial century was done in a huge group as we were riding the MS-150. It was also my first 6-hour century. There's nothing quite like having to stop pedaling to keep proper spacing in a paceline that's traveling at 28mph. It's thrilling and unnerving at the same time.

[StuckMTB]

@bicyclebuck I think I'm still too afraid of crashing to do that level of roadie stuff

[BicycleBuck]

@stuckmtb said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

@bicyclebuck I think I'm still too afraid of crashing to do that level of roadie stuff

On my first group ride, someone crossed wheels and took out the back half of the group. I was the last in line when it happened, so I managed to stop. A guy two or three spots ahead of me wiped out, scratching the heck out of his brand new carbon frame.

[StuckMTB]

@bicyclebuck I could probably care less about my bike, but don't care much for crashing myself!

[VincentMalamute]

@stuckmtb said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

@bicyclebuck I think I'm still too afraid of crashing to do that level of roadie stuff

Did he hit a wombat crossing the road!?

[StuckMTB]

@vincentmalamute No idea! I just searched for peloton crashing gifs cuz that's exactly what would happen to me.

[VincentMalamute]

@stuckmtb said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

@vincentmalamute cuz that's exactly what would happen to me.

You've got really bad luck if you ever crash due to a wombat!

I'm routinely 40-45mph riding down some of the canyons. It's curvy, wooded, and there's a few driveways and streets. I really should tone that down. A dude died a few weeks ago doing the exact thing on the same road when a car turned left in front of him.

Yesterday, I was mountain biking and I came fast around a downhill curve and nearly ran over a moose casually lying across the road. Lots of brakes, skidding, and yelling "STOP! MOOSE!" for my buddy behind me. Scared the **** out of me.

At least a wombat won't charge and stomp you to death.

[BicycleBuck]

@vincentmalamute said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

Yesterday, I was mountain biking and I came fast around a downhill curve and nearly ran over a moose casually lying across the road. Lots of brakes, skidding, and yelling "STOP! MOOSE!" for my buddy behind me. Scared the **** out of me.

Seems to me you missed an opportunity. If you had bunny-hopped the moose, it would have made for an epic story which nobody would believe. "Did I ever tell you about the time I bunny-hopped a moose?"

[drVanTraveler]

@vincentmalamute
Moose - 1000 pounds of stink and bad attitude.

[VincentMalamute]

@bicyclebuck said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

@vincentmalamute said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

Yesterday, I was mountain biking and I came fast around a downhill curve and nearly ran over a moose casually lying across the road. Lots of brakes, skidding, and yelling "STOP! MOOSE!" for my buddy behind me. Scared the **** out of me.

Seems to me you missed an opportunity. If you had bunny-hopped the moose, it would have made for an epic story which nobody would believe. "Did I ever tell you about the time I bunny-hopped a moose?"

The moose was only mildly annoyed he had to get up and go into the woods. After getting tread marks in his fur because I couldn't quite clear his back?

[VincentMalamute]

@drvantraveler said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

@vincentmalamute
Moose - 1000 pounds of stink and bad attitude.

I just heard someone say their brains are the size of an orange.

Moose more than rattlesnakes, bears, mountain lions scare me the most out here.

[VincentMalamute]

@stuckmtb said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

Looking back on it, I learned that 60+ miles is just about my daily limit

That is just tough to do by yourself. So that is very impressive. Organized centuries are so much easier psychologically due to the group. @BicycleBuck mentioned pacelines - drafting a tandem is the thing to do for speed! I usually could not keep up with them.

OTOH, we're weenies compared to some. The other day somebody passed me going at least twice my speed that it prompted me to look him up on Strava's Flyby. This was his ride for that day.

That little out and back detour at the bottom left of his route is so he could add an extra 1000' of climbing in. And it was almost 90 degrees for his ride along the bottom of the Foothills.

[StuckMTB]

@bicyclebuck said in X-bike updates: New stem cap, new mantra, lots of miles!:

"Did I ever tell you about the time I bunny-hopped a moose?"

@VincentMalamute I mean.... as long as your riding buddy isn't there to deny it, who's to say you didn't?