Concept2 Forum

Hi!

Just wanted to let all you ducks know about this charity bike ride I'm doing on 7/23. It's 100 miles, and it's to raise money for Emmaus, Inc., an organization that is making great progress with the homeless problem in our city and area. They do a lot with job training and setting people on the path to recovery from their addictions, and getting them situated so that they can find jobs and become independent again. Anyway, if you would like to support the "Cycle for Shelter" or just learn more about it, check out my page at

http://www.firstgiving.com/CarlaStein.

I am hoping also that I'll be able to promote the C2 Indoor Rower at the event--there will be about 300 cyclists there, and some of them I'm sure would be interested in a fun way to stay in shape for their bikes over the winter!

Hope you all are enjoying the summer.

Hey, Carla!

What a great thing you're doing with that charity bike ride! How long do you think it will take you to bike that 100 miles? What a hot time of the year to do that, too. I'm so impressed that you're willing to take that on, girl!

--Jen in WI

P.S. I just had a friend complete the bike ride for RAAM, or Race Across America. They did it to raise money and awareness for organ donation. Took their team just about a week.

Hi Jen!

I can't imagine doing the RAAM! That must be just eternal.

It should take me about 6 hours 15 minutes, not counting rest stops. My goal is to average 16 mph. Last year I did it and averaged 15.3 on my old steel bike--now I have a decent aluminum bike and actual bike shoes instead of sneakers so I expect to do better. Plus, this bike has 21 gears, and the old one only 12. The rear shifter cable broke last year about 4-5 miles from the lunch stop and so I had only 2 gears for that distance. The choices were either 12th or 6th which wasn't too fun. They had a mechanic there at the lunch stop, and he actually had to modify a new shifter cable to fit this bike since it was so old that the modern cables wouldn't work otherwise!

It is raining so much here it is hard to get the miles in. I only have 4 weeks to build up to 100. Last weekend I did 43 (av 17.2) on a very hot day and that seemed pretty tough. I went through 4 full water bottles on that ride. Today's ride was a quickie before the thunderstorms were supposed to roll in, 25 miles on hills (av 17.6). Somehow I have to find daylight hours when it's not raining to build up the distance--this week I have to do a 60 mile ride to stay on schedule...

Thanks for the encouragement!

Only one week till the century ride. I think I'm ready. I've done 2 long rides recently, a 77 and an 80. Both felt pretty good and averaged around 16.5. I was with a slow group both times. I think I'm going to do the actual century with the same group, but will probably take off at the end to try to get the average up.

It's about 95 degrees F. in my "erg room" so I really don't have much inclination to row lately. Summer (and bike weather, for me) is short...

How's everyone else doing with keeping up with rowing in the heat?