A Coffeeeneuring Ramble to Stone Ridge: Day 2

Day two of the Coffeeneuring Challenge brought me to the village of Stone Ridge, NY, which lies just a few miles away from Kingston. Filled with stately colonial homes, Stone Ridge served as the temporary capitol after the burning of Kingston by British troops in 1777.

The weather today was again glorious as I pedaled through several lovely Hudson Valley towns (some which will be featured in future Coffeeneuring adventures) on my way to Stone Ridge.

The hamlet of Stone Ridge sits at atop a hill as the name implies so I was happy to see Jack and Luna's Cafe as I reached the end of my climb. I was less happy, though, when I saw the scant collection of baked goods that was left on the counter at 11:30am, but selected this miniature lemon poppy bundt cake in hopes that the tremendous flavor would make up for it's diminutive size. I was sadly disappointed, though, and the coffee wasn't much to rave about either. 

So after finishing up at Jack and Luna's, I said hello to a few friends and swiftly rode down Main Street and descended the ridge to begin my trek home, already visualizing where coffeeneuring would lead me next weekend.

Location: Stone Ridge, NY
Venue: Jack and Luna's Cafe
Coffee: Hot and black
Carbs: Itsy, bitsy lemon poppy bundt cake
Mileage: 36

A Little Late to the Party: Coffeeneuring Challenge Ride #1

I know, I know, it's been WEEKS since this challenge began. It's been a bit busy recently, so today marked my first stab at the Third Annual Coffeeneuring Challenge. Unlike past years, this time around I think I'll follow a theme or a plan of some sort. Yes, this year I'll ride to seven separate towns that represent my some of my the amazing richness of life in the Hudson Valley.

I begin my odyssey with a ride to one of the earliest European settlements in the area. Originally named Esopus, Kingston, NY was settled, along with Albany and New Amsterdam, by the Dutch in 1651. It persisted as a Dutch settlement for many years, but like most of the area, was taken over by English-speaking colonists during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1777, Kingston became the capitol of New York State for a short time until the city was torched by British soldiers during the American Revolution. The historic Senate House and several of the other 17th century stone homes are open for tours.

Today, Kingston is divided into three sections, the most interesting of which is the Uptown or Stockade district. Filled with historic stone homes, the area is also home to a growing community of artists and creative souls. The Outdated Cafe is one of my favorites. Where else can you sit and enjoy a giant, freshly baked pear scone with piping hot Costa Rica gold alongside antique dress frames and manual typewriters? I almost felt like a hipster!

Location: Kingston, NY
Venue: Outdated Cafe
Coffee: French Roast Costa Rican
Carbs: Pear Scone
Mileage: 32

The NYC 200K: Sometimes an Ending Feels like a Beginning

I've ridden so little this year, that when I clipped in for the NYC 200K this morning, it was only my third organized brevet of 2013. With a new job and the general family commitments that come with raising teenage children, it's been harder than usual to get into a rhythm of training and brevet riding. For a variety of reasons, today's ride felt more like a beginning than an ending. While others are winding down, I feel like I'm just getting started.

Today was one of those lovely fall days you just don't want to end. Chilly in the morning, but warm in the afternoon as the sun reached our shoulders through the trees whose leaves are starting to thin. It was great to see some familiar faces at the start and Robin L. and I fell into a similar pace as we crossed the George Washington Bridge to New Jersey. Not far off the pace of the lead rider, a guy from Connecticut named Chris (why is everyone form Connecticut named Chris so darn fast?), we settled into a rhythm that allowed us to catch up with each other and make good time simultaneously.

The Bear Mountain area was spectacular with view of the Hudson punctuated with the yellows, oranges and reds of fall. Even the Perkins Drive climb seemed well worth it for the panoramic view of the valley below. The route news of the day was not Perkins Drive, however, but Arden Valley Road which was repaved in black gold since the last time the event was run. This road, which winds through a deep and quiet section of the park, used to have a surface that was so treacherous, it was not only unpleasant, but downright dangerous to ride. That's all a distant memory now, as one can see from the photo above of Robin climbing one of the many hills in the park along Arden Valley Road with confidence.

The lunch stop at the Monroe Bagel Boys could not have come at a better time. I ordered up a delicious chicken salad sandwich (complete with grapes) on a sesame seed bagel which really hit the spot. We ate lunch with Mordecai S. who soon caught up with us and rode the second half the day in our company.

So while this ride was a season-ender for many, I felt as though I was just getting started, having combed the 2014 RUSA calendar one morning last week to plan for the season ahead.

Diana Nyad's XtremeDream: On Age, Goals and Endurance

Diana Nyad's successful 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida this week reminds us that age need not get in the way of achieving monumental acts of physical endurance. In fact, age may even be an asset. Success in endurance athletics is mainly the result of mental stamina and this is a quality that often improves over time. Given so many opportunities to throw in the towel, it's those that persist despite blinding pain and suffering who eventually succeed. We're wise to remember ultra cyclist Lon Haldeman's advice, "if you think the pain will go away within two weeks, keep riding."

The most amazing lesson from Nyad's achievement may not be the swim itself, but rather her persistence in completing it. Don't get me wrong, swimming for 54 hours straight is nothing to sneeze at, but hammering away at a goal for 35 years and making the attempt FIVE times is a remarkable lesson for us all. At age 64, Nyad's achievement will inspire many to do crazy things they barely believe possible, and if they fail, they will see the value of trying again and again and again. As she reminded us upon reaching Key West, "never, ever give up."

Anyone familiar with randonneuring knows that age is often an asset. The emphasis in our sport is not on who finishes first, yet it is not uncommon for the tortoise to beat the hare over great distances by bringing wisdom and careful planning to bear. Anticipating and avoiding show-stopping problems helps as does developing the patience and persistence to complete our "extreme dreams."

Think about it: what if we actually get better with age? It's counterintuitive in our youth-obsessed culture, yet Diana Nyad is a shining example of what's possible if we persist. The best thing about setting and committing to goals of great magnitude is that they are deeply personal  As Nyad remarked, "I swam from Cuba to Florida and no one can take that away from me." I know that I'll be thinking of her achievement as I pedal through northern France in 2015, especially if the weather turns foul and my confidence begins to feel tenuous.

Of Roundels and Recovery

There's nothing quite like getting a trinket in the mail to commemorate past suffering, so I was very pleased to see the small telltale black envelope from London when I returned from vacation earlier this week. My roundel (this one in the form of a patch) brings me a warm feeling of pride and serves as a symbol of both the persistence and determination I brought to the #rapharising challenge.

After this concentrated bout of climbing, my rides have been of the recovery sort: decidedly flat and short. Two weeks on Block Island reunited me with some wonderful roads and delicious views. After returning, I immediately took off for a week of work based at the Emma Willard School in Troy, NY. The campus is straight out of Harry Potter and the surrounding countryside is pretty easy on the eyes as well. I nearly left the bike at home in my haste, but sure am glad I didn't. Starting each day with a concentrated ride just after dawn was another reminder to #alwaysbringthebike.

Rapha Rising: Mission Accomplished.

The Rapha Rising Challenge? Climb 7235 meters in eight days. Upload your rides to Strava.

Sunday, July 14 - Catskill Climbfest 200K
I began this week's challenge with a great solo ride through the Catskills. Unfortunately, Strava feet are not the same as Garmin feet or RideWithGPS feet (or so it seems) as I quickly realized that Strava "discounted' all of the climbing I did this week by at least 20%. This ride clocks in at 9,663 on my computer and Strava claims it's only 7,557. Hey, they're throwing the party so who's to argue? I guess I just need to climb a bit more.

Monday, July 15 - Carney-Popletown Loop
Right out the backdoor, I was able to enjoy 2095 feet of climbing over 19.7 miles. Yum!

Tuesday, July 16 - Catskills Loop
I had to meet with a colleague who lives up by Haine's Falls, right off one of my favorite Catskill climbs, so I decided to drive to Woodstock and ride to her house in the morning and back to the car in the afternoon. The result? 48.3 miles of riding with 3661 feet of climbing (and some pretty spectacular views).

Wednesday, July 17 - Short Afternoon Ride
More hills, nothing fancy. Only an hour and a half to spare.

Thursday, July 18 - Mohonk-Mountain-Carney-Popletown Loop
This afternoon, I strung four of my favorite climbs together for 3,767 feet of vertical over 38 miles. That's 100 feet per mile, folks.

Friday, July 19 - Carney-Popletown Double Cross
At this point in the week, I was reduced to looking for maximum feet vertical for every mile ridden. Luckily, I have two big hills just a few miles from home, so I could get 2100 feet of climbing over the course of 15 miles.

Saturday, July 20 - Pre-Bat Mitzvh Double Cross
Same ride as Friday, but I just squeezed it in early in the morning.

Sunday, July 21 - Minnewaska-Mohonk Loop AND the Popletown Quadruple Bypass
I started the day with a nice ride with an old riding buddy. We met up at his house and took in a favorite loop over the Shawangunk Ridge via 44/55 and Mountain Rest Road. This morning's ride pushed me over the top, but I had a slice of time between yard work and dinner and knew that one more Popletown crossing (this time a Quadruple Bypass) would push me just a few more spaces up the leaderboard.

The final result? Mission accomplished. 26, 246 feet of climbing in 8 days. The prize? A patch, that may or may not even show up in my mailbox. The best outcome? I think that this training overload really did improved my climbing fitness a bit. I also think I'll take tomorrow off.

Catskill Climbfest 208K (Rapha Rising Edition)

When I first heard about Strava's Rapha Rising Challenge, I immediately thought of the Catskill Climbfest, my favorite local 200K permanent. It's a route that's packed with climbing and peaceful mountain roads, many of which are shaded and cooled by mountain springs and waterfalls. To commemorate the climbing done this week by ProTour riders in the TdF, Strava and Rapha have teamed up to challenge hacks like us to amass 7235 meters (or 23,736 feet) of climbing between July 14 and July 21.

There's pretty much water everywhere in the Catskills. In fact, the majority of NYC's drinking water is pumped down from reservoirs like the Ashokan here. Roads often ride alongside rivers or creeks that have cut through the mountains over thousands of years to make "cloves" and valleys. 

This section of road through Peekamoose Valley is shielded from sun on both sides by mountains and further cooled by a spring-fed river and countless waterfalls. Every so often, I was treated to a gust of cool air as if walking into an air conditioned room.

It's a wonder what water has done to shape the Catskills.

In fact, today, I was forced into a pedestrian detour as road crews had completely demolished a section of road compromised and degraded by Hurricane Irene. That's right, Irene, not Sandy. This road has been down to one lane since August 2011.

All told, it was a slow but steady solo ride. I was finished in 9-1/2 hours with 129 miles and lunch in the bank. Most importantly, I logged 2303 meters (7555 feet) of climbing towards my weekly total. As riders upload their activity, I've dropped to 1025th place. Now, I thought I had a pretty good start, but it looks like I need to get out there for some more climbing tomorrow!

Just Another Medium Training Ride

It's strange, but lately I've been forgetting about the good old "medium" training ride. Seems like I'm either heading out for shorter 1-2 hour rides or spending the whole day in the saddle. Missing have been the glorious half day rides that make you feel good to be alive. Last weekend, it was a trip down from the Catskill High Peaks and today it was a 70-mile loop that took me over the Shawangunk Ridge to the far side of Ulster County where, if the bumper stickers on the pick-up trucks are an accurate measure, quite a few people are none to happy with our President. Politics aside, the climbing was robust and the views were sublime. 

The Shawangunks always remind me places I've been out West.  

This guy brought a smile to my face.

My favorite local "S" curve is now paved in black gold.