Chicks that ride 65 miles...

...in the heat.   It was HOT HOT HOT on Saturday, but with Amtrak fast approaching we needed to get the miles in.   We decided to join the OCW Saturday ride, for a flat ride from Irvine through Orange County and Long Beach to the San Gabriel River Trail then to the coast by Shoreline Village and along the beach and PCH back to Huntington Beach, by Back Bay and back to Irvine.

Normally on a day with this kind of hot forecast we would forgo a ride.  But you never know what the weather will be like on the day of the Amtrak so we may as well train in all kinds of conditions.

Everyone brought two water bottles each and snacks.   Even the riders that tend to drink very little on rides ended up going through bottles and refilling several times.  We made one stop at a Del Taco who filled us up with ice and water and then another stop along Huntington Beach so we could stretch and get out of the sun for a bit.  One last stop at a Jack 'n the Box to fill our bottles again.  Seems that fast food places are very accommodating when you aren't needing to use their paper/plastic cups.

There were no mechanicals and this made for Becky's and Karen's longest ride to date.   Ask them both about that last overpass over the 405 fwy just before we made it back to the square where we started our ride.

We don't ever want to ride in that kind of heat again but at least we've done it and know what it takes.  Let's hope this week provides a break in the temperatures so we can continue our training.  There is a rumor that we might see Stacy and Jeri out again.

Chicks that learn

Congratulations to Chris, Becky, Karen and Pat who successfully completed the League of American Wheelmen Traffic Skills 101 class.

This was a free class sponsored by the Orange County Wheelmen and consisted of a Wednesday night classroom session followed by a Saturday on the bike skills lesson.

Traffic Skills 101 (TS101) gives cyclists the confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. Through TS101, students learn how to conduct bicycle safety checks, fix a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques. The curriculum is fast-paced, nine-hours, and prepares cyclists for a full understanding of vehicular cycling.

Everyone thought the class was worthwhile and they each took away new found skills for riding on the road.    Next time you see them ask them about ABC Quick Check.

Following are some helpful items to remember when riding:

Five Steps to Riding Better

1. Follow the Rules of the Road
    • Ride with traffic and obey the same laws as motorists.
    • Use the rightmost lane that heads in the direction
       that you are traveling.
    • Obey all traffic control devices, such as stop signs,
      lights, and lane markings.
    • Always look back and use hand and arm signals
      to indicate your intention to stop, merge or turn.

2. Be Visible
    • Ride where drivers can see you.
    • Wear brightly colored clothing at all times.
    • At night, use a white front light and red rear light
      or reflector. Wear reflective tape or clothing.

3. Be Predictable
    • Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between
     parked cars.
    • Make eye contact with motorists to let them
      know you are there.
    • Do not ride on the sidewalk.

4. Anticipate Conflicts
    • Be aware of traffic around you and be prepared
      to take evasive action.
    • Learn braking and turning techniques to
      avoid crashes.
    • Be extra alert at intersections.

5. Wear a Helmet
    • Make sure that the helmet fits on top of your
      head, not tipped back or forward.
    • After a crash or any impact that affects your
     helmet, visible or not, replace it immediately.