An Easy does it girl can do this ride

Twin Rivers Cyclists offers many rides during the summer and we invite everyone. We usually have a mixed group of riders for our weekly Ice Cream rides. These rides are short, easy and can be as short or as long as the riders want. The group makes a point of never dropping a rider, but many slower riders are reluctant to take on the longer rides.

Sunday June 28 we scheduled the Winchester Ride. This ride is long (68mi) and involves the Winchester Grade, which is not an easy climb. I've never been a fast rider, but over the years I've found my pace and the "Easy Does it Philosophy". This discovery has made any ride possible for me.

Bike riding begins with a good bike. A bike should be comfortable and for anyone who wants to follow the Easy Does it Philosophy (EDP) should include plenty of low granny gears. We used eveyone of those gears on this ride.

Another aspect of EDP is the realization that there are rabbits, strong riders who are fast, strong and can handle any number of miles without beating an eye. I am not a rabbit, but I find I can cover the same ground, enjoy the ride and the climb and get to the same place as the rabbits with a smile on my face.

Food and water will keep any rider going. My favorites include peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat and gatorade in a polar bottle. This keeps the drink really cold for over 2 hours. I found a new product Sunday that I'm definitely put on my list of 'good to have with you" The sport jelly beans put out by gatorade. They didn't melt in the sun, and they where just enough to give me a boost on the grade Sunday.

Carol Ellis and I traveled together Sunday. The core group of about 10 riders, including our rabbit husbands where miles ahead of us. Sunday offered almost perfect temperature and a slight cooling breeze to make this beautiful ride, just about perfect. Carol and I had a great ride thanks to another important EDP tool.. A sag wagon! My son Tony volunteered to be sag for the Winchester ride. Unfortunately he wasn't familiar with the route and missed a few important turns, but he showed up at lunch and we all could relax. A sag wagon can be available for all the riders in the group for extra water, a bicycle floor pump, or just encouragement and information about how the group is doing. A sag wagon can also help out riders if they have an accident or just need to take a break. We have offered a Sag Wagon on a few rides in the last few years and it is really important for new riders and the EDP rider. I've had times when I was able to do the hardest of rides but sometimes not. I find it a great way to humbly enjoy the best parts of the ride but call it quits when your body, the weather or the ride says.. this is going to be really miserable. No one should ever be ashamed to call for a sag. Some times it can save a life.

This ride is a challenge and no one should take on a climb like Winchester without knowing what it means to climb for 7 miles in the heat. Winchester offers a bit of shade though and the hill is pretty similar to the Lewiston Grade, with plenty of easy switch backs but any rider, especially someone with an EDP needs to really plan for a climb and 50 miles after the climb. I would encourage any rider to come out for longer rides. Our group offers lots of opportunities to give bicycling beyond the bike path a try. As long as you have an Easy Does it Philosophy, you can enjoy any ride.

I just read Corrie's account of his ride..
did you notice not a single easy does it rider in the group picture he has of this ride!! That's cause we where still on the hill.... Good thing I wrote up our ride a bit. When you take your time and forget about hammering you can enjoy a summer day on your bike.