Gwynna Smith said:

@Emily, another CRCA W4 race. You interested? I'm on the fence.

Wanna link me?  I'm not seeing anything tomorrow on the website in their "open" races.

Myles said:

No more van? ???????? On May 9, 2014 6:19 AM, "Mike Garrigan" <</div>

It's sad,, I'm not ready to talk about it let alone replace it.. C'est la vie.

I am also keen on a long ride Sunday.

SUNDAY WEATHER LOOKS AMAZEWONDERADFUL.  If I don't have a late night on Saturday, I'm in.

Sidestepping the Pantani haters, is anyone planning to ride tomorrow?  Looks rainy, but if it's light I might head to Piermont anyway.

What time are you folks heading out on Sunday? Any ideas for intended miles/pace?

@Jeff - or have a late night AND come ride and sweat out those toxins.

Garrigan's 10am at GWB is more doable for me b/c I have a date at NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM at PS1 which while I like her, the crowd at these things is usually obnoxious star-fuckers, C-list celebrities, and rich assholes.

She works there so I may get to duck out early and go home so I can ride.  Is it any wonder why cycling breaks up more relationships than crack cocaine?  "Sorry baby, I need to be home by 9 or 10 on Fri/Sat nights so I can ride a fucking bicycle tomorrow.  Yes, I know I'm almost 40."

Whatever, my bicycle never leaves dishes in the sink!

Anyone else not racing on Sunday and want to do a more "regular" group ride? Julie would you be up to leading the ride to Piermont/Nyack and back?

Sounds like myself, Ian, Mike and Owens (depending on the lady situation) are gearing up for epic saddle time. And I'm expecting to be working myself to keep up.

JulieJones said:

I could head up a ride to Nyack with some other folks that are interested!  Maybe even Rockland Lake Park...was thinking 3 to 3.5 hours.....

So there you have it folks...a few Sunday options! Thanks Julie for stepping up!

OK, so I am leading the family man ride...

eragot said:

OK, so I am leading the family man ride...

How early do you want to leave/get back?  I might try for the Hamster Express in the park so I can be home by 10...

I'm shooting for 11:30 - Sparkill and back. 

So for tomorrow's long ride. I've got a couple of diff't options based on time available. I don't know the mileage, but I'm confident on most of the "GWB to GWB" timing.

a) Saddle River, NJ--3.25 hours with no stopping. Short enough to skip the stop, but plenty of places on the ride to stop for water/soda/snacks.

b) Ridgewood/Franklin Lakes, NJ--4.25 hours with no stopping. Longer climbs, some crossover with the Saddle River ride. We can go by JP's boyhood home! I generally like to stop at a 7 Eleven on this ride for a coke slurpee about 2/3 of the way through the ride. It's long enough and tomorrow is going to be hot enough to make a stop a good thing.

c) Apple Orchard Ride--this one I haven't done in a long time, so not sure about the timing, but I think closer to 3 hours bridge to bridge. Someone else on the club, little help here?

d) Epic--7 hours bridge to bridge. This one starts on the familiar "Apple Orchard" route, but instead of turning around, we keep going North. We hit some really nice longer climbs in the 10 minute range, rollers that feel Bear Mountainy to me, blasting home past sailboats on the Hudson, get to Nyack/Piermont and head home the usual ways. Last time I did this ride, I stopped once for a Big Gulp of coke. Easy to stop twice on this ride as needed.

A word about timing/intensity. rides a through c could pretty easily be 20 minutes shorter than I've listed here depending on the group. "Epic" I just can't see being much quicker, even with a group because based on the saddle time here, I probably couldn't go much faster than when I did it solo. The other rides, not so much. I could go faster for sure and still be in the mix.

Let me know what you guys think. We can always make a game day decision based on who appears on the Jersey side of the GWB. Mike mentioned 10 am, but I'd be good with a 9am start too. Then again, I don't live in Brooklyn!

@Marc
d) is too epic for me. that is 9 hours for those coming from brooklyn

any of the others sound fine

I'm in for all but D. I'm also a fan of stops. I just try to make them 10 min instead of 30. I can do 9 or 10 at BB.

Got my Pantani pink bandana today. And 75 miles with some good climbing. Haters to the left.

I'm in for Nyack/Piermont.  8am BB still?  later?

I vote for orchards. Haven't been there in 3 years.

9 or 10 @ GWB?

Mother's day duathalon in Prospect Park tomorrow morning.  Can't wait to dodge some Freds on $8000 tri bikes...

Anyone meeting me at Brooklyn bridge at 9? Marc, not sure how much time I have,,, have to be home to make some dinner!

I'll be at the NJ side of the GWB at 9am dawning fierce orange, blue, and white.  Heading to Nyack and back, hope some other peeps can make it!  

@Mike: I'll be at BB at 9.

@Mike I will be at BB at 9
@Jeff, Marc GWB 10am for the orchards

@Julie-I'll probably be there as well at 9.  Don't wait up for me more than a couple of minutes though.  I;ll try to post in the morning if I know that I'll be there.

9 it is @ BB

Juliie- I am headed up there.  See you at the GWB at 9:00 or close thereto.

Big shout out to the long ride guys. Dale S, Jeff W, Mike G, Ian E, Jeff O and Marc B.

Good times up to the Apple Orchard where water, coke and cider donuts (someone in our group was good and didn't have a donut, I meanwhile, didn't think twice and had two...because I have to keep my figure doughy and fun) were on the menu.

Down the wicked corkscrew, the pavement is SHREDDED; worse than I've ever seen it in years. I banged my wheel up good and broke a spoke. And had a borderline unrideable wheel with significant mileage left. Fortunately Jeff W, dialed up his google maps and found a close bike shop and we were golden. For LESS THAN $17, dude custom cut/threaded a spoke, replaced and trued my wheel. Nice. Wheel was totally true, and when I banged it again, it stayed that way. Very pleased with that whole experience. The fellas didn't seem too put-off for the unexpected and long-ish second break. Calls to moms were made during the wait.

The we were back on some nice flatter/longer roads where Garrigan picked up the tempo and had has strung out and rocking. Back on 9W for us from Piermont, Mike split off to hit River Road hard before he heads north for National Team Coaching duties. The rest of us soldiered on without the pink jersey wearer, and instead had to suffer on Jeff O's wheel before a few of us cracked and watched him shrink in the distance.

Anyway, thanks again for a great ride. It was a pleasure.