The registration table for the Preview of the Battenkill, March 21. This was taken 10 minutes before scheduled launch time. 10 min after and the organizer began speaking. 10 minutes later he was still at it so the participants started talking louder and louder . . . Soon we couldn't hear any of the safety updates, reminders, advice to first timers.

He gave up and sent us on our way.
We were off into the cool morning air -- it wasn't warmer than 42 F. Folks were bundled up and I was beginning to wonder if I hadn't underdressed. My fingers began to hurt.

First turn off the 313; we braked in succession and nearly all piled up in the road. What a mess! This is a quiet, friendly ride, let's all remember.

As the speed picked up and the hills arrived, we lost more and more of the front group. Those folks had a bit of a head start since the light at the turn onto 313 cut the group in two.

Photo above shows the peloton at the beginning, heading north.

Soon we are spread out all over the place, but there are still a few around me as I tool on into Salem. There is a traffic light, and we were warned to obey all traffic signs and conventions, but we were in no mood to stop when so close to the first feed zone and rest stop. We didn't, and ran the stale orange light, and moved right on through.

I skipped the rest/feed spot and continued west moving out of Salem. It's warming up and I see folks stashing wraps into back pockets. We'd been up and down some terre battue routes and I keep thinking about the rip in the side wall just next to the "T" in Bontrager, front tire.

I took a third bottle of water and stashed in my back pocket so I wouldn't have to stop. I was making good on my little promise to myself and suffered no ill effects. In outings past, I would develop cramps around mile 60 to 70, but not this time! It is cooler, and I think I'm spinning at a higher rate.

I got the water bottle out at mile 75, ate the third of the crispy bars, swallowed some water and attacked the hills following Bunker Hill. It includes the really steep sections, the uphill, downhill, uphill . . . and the very last hill of unpave after the red covered bridge. See photo.

On that last hill, a team of four passed me for the third time on the ride. I guess they were taking advantage of the stops. A groupetto of four tooled into town from that last turn off from the dirt onto smooth pavement. Nice!

First Glenville Hills run of the 2010 season

I couldn't go cycling at noon, others left at an appointed time. I returned home, saddled up (after tightening a couple of screws in my pedals), set the emergency pump into its holder, re-set the time on the odometer, zeroed out the distance reading, and left.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/-niskayuna/899126896069984094

Everything's so grey and icky, left over from the snow melt. There is no more snow anywhere except on the roadsides and parts of routes in the deep shade. I headed out to Sunnyside by way of the Freeman's Bridge, in the vague hope of stopping by Adirondack Bicycle to see Bill. I changed my mind once out there in the interest of getting on with the ride. There is still a funny resistance to taking on the slopes, n'est-ce pas?

There was a stiff headwind, so the average speed wasn't anything to write home about. Traffic was fairly heavy; it's going-home time. By the time I was out on Route 5 there was plenty of cars passing on the way to Amsterdam. After 30 minutes on the trail, I turned uphill on Washout; Rector seemed too wimpy.

Middle chain ring in front, largest number of teeth in the back. I started breathing hard. Up the steeps bits, flat, steep again, then the rather long piece almost lulling me into this and 18 minutes later I crested the hill to find myself sailing down the twisting road to Ridge, which I too whipped to take (to the right) so on to West Glenville. Then down to 147, Route 147, then right to go home. The view from the high point is particularly clear so I can see the mountains, blue, in the distance.

Now with the wind at my back I am tooling along at a nice clip! 30 mph. Automobiles pass, but not quickly.

The shadows cast by the bare trees reach well across the road, and I've noticed a bit of a chill on the bare arms in the wind. Someone crosses me climbing Ridge, dressed fit to build an igloo. It wasn't that cold, criminey.

Soon I'm back into the residential section near Scotia-Glenville. Closson Rd. comes in the from the right. So I turn left down Snake Hill Rd. Standard drill follows: right onto Spring, left onto Baldwin, right onto Swaggertown, Route 50 through the failed Chevrolet agency, now Honda auto sales, then past the new Lowe's (on some nice smooth pavement).

Across the bridge, up Seneca Street, the home by way of Grand Avenue.

Second ride -- cool evening ride following change to Daylight Savings Time

Overcame the temptation to bag it, dressed, took down the frame and front wheel, and headed out for a quick on starting at nearly 6:15 pm. Cloudy weather, cool, but not too bad, 51 F. Left home, and spun north toward the escarpment, the river, and crossed on Freeman's Bridge. Some traffic but not jammed. Turned right onto Maple Ave. Haven't tooled along this skinny shoulder-equipped ride for a while. In winter, you can see everything through the foliage bare trees. RR tracks, to Alplaus, and right onto Alplaus Avenue, past Bill's place.

At the historic home on the corner, turned right down the 146 approach to the Rexford Bridge. Right at the light past the canoe place, boat house, access to the Mohawk during warmer weather. Cross over to the trail and bag the idea of going along Aqueduct to the Rec Center. Wonder: is the trail clear of snow and ice?? Big gamble.

Pans out. It's clear but there's work going on and the trail has nearly a half-dozen spots where gravel (sharp stone) has been laid down as part of the work. Pavement is a mess, but OK. No snow and ice!!

Up the hill in the middle chain ring in front, what a wimp, to the top. No water flow across the path. Then the residential section, to cross Balltown. Ho hum.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/niskayuna/560126870637821744

Rail trail is clear.

First Ride of the 2010 Season

Second ride of the 2010 season took place last week. It was a quick one east on River Road, the Rail Trail being under ice and snow, portions thereof, so there was no point trying to icebreak through. MeV, TiMan, and I met around noon at the main gate and whipped around the traffic circle, then east. Parts of the road were a little wet, but the sun and wind had dried most of the road. There were a few bad spots from recent work near Ferry Road, where some maintenance work is on-going, and a few spots had suffered through the winter. It's never been real smooth past the turn-off onto Vly Rd. and it's no better today.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/niskayuna/137306707

It was cool, but no uncomfortable. We've been out in worse, far worse.

First ride, the record so reflects, was over the weekend prior to this by Bianchi-wielding man from Nottingham Woods on his hybrid, for crying out loud. It was that bad.