Bike Rides on 4/2 and 4/3/11 to Lake Bluff or Libertyville

Rides on 4/2 and 4/3 and  will start from Panera Bread in Wilmette at 08:00 am. The Saturday ride will probably be 40-50 miles and the Sunday ride 50-60 miles headed in the direction of Lake Bluff or Libertyville, IL. One food/bathroom stop in the middle.

If the weather is not suitable for riding, a cancellation will be posted by 07:00 on the day of the ride. 
 

The 19.9 MPH Group?

This year is off to a slow start for Chicago area bike riders. The road and weather conditions have not been very conducive to outdoor bike rides. Thus, the fitness level of our group is far below our last year's peak. It makes our claim to be a 20+ mph group seem like puffery. The pace on our early spring rides has been fast enough to get our bike computers to round up to 20 mph, but we're probably riding mostly at a pace that is just under 20 mph. Presumably we will be back to a 20-23 mph within a couple of months once we get more miles under our belts and our fitness level improves.

If you put in a fair amount of time on a trainer over the winter, but are not ready for a 20-23 mph ride, come get fit with us with one of our April weekend rides while we're still burning off the winter layer of fat and just barely holding a 20 mph pace.

The 3/27 Ride

Hopefully, today's ride was the last really cold day ride of this Spring. Wind chill was only 17 degrees when we started out. Also, the wind did not do us any favors. We rode north to Lake Bluff fighting an ENE wind. However, by the time we headed back home, it had switched around to blowing from the east, so it was a cross wind coming home. Oh well, despite the cold and the wind we still had a good time. Small accomplishment of the ride was using peer pressure to cajole Martin in upping his cadence to see what impact it would have on the data produced from his power meter.

3/27 Ride - Moved the Start Time to 8:00 AM

We'll meet at Panera Bread in Wilmette at 8:00 am on 3/27/11. Distance and destination to be determined by the group.

3/26 Ride - Panera to Penera

We only went about 40 miles today due to a wimpy member of the group that vetoed the suggestion to do an extra ten mile loop (full disclosure -I'm the wimp). Highlight of the ride was checking out Martin's new power meter. Also, using an unsophisticated guessing technique, Hugo and I decided that in fighting the brisk wind from the ENE, it was easier to ride at 21 mph drafting behind Felix than 20 mph drafting behind Martin.

Rides on 3/26 and 3/27

I will lead rides (~20mph) on both Saturday and Sunday 3/26 and 3/27. The rides will start at 09:00 from Panera Bread in Wilmette. Depending on weather conditions the plan is to do between 45 and 60 miles. Destination will be determined on the day of the ride ( either north to Lake Bluff/Libertyville or West to Long Grove/Cuba Road). If the weather is not good for riding, I will post a cancellation on the EvanstonBikeClub.org  listserve by 08:00 on the day of the ride.
Felix Angelov

3/20/11 Ride Cancelled

Dear All, The forecast and the current radar show high likelihood of rain, so I am cancelling the ride for today. Hopefully next weekend the weather will be better. Felix

Ride on 3/20/11 - 45- 50 miles

Dear All, 
I will lead a VF (~20mph) ride on Sunday 3/20/2011. We will start at 09:00 from Panera Bread in Wilmette. The plan is to go to the Lake Bluff area and do approximately 45-50 miles. There will be a food/bathroom stop at the Panera Bread in Lake Bluff. The weather forecast is showing 35% chance of rain for Sunday. I will post a cancellation by 08:00 on the day of the ride if it rains. 
Felix