Training Day 2

So I went on another training ride today. I went a bit farther this time. Still no weight on the bike. I also forgot my damn camera again. There is a bunch of cool stuff, but I couldn't get pictures, so you will just have to take my word for it.

I was also trying to change my normal pedaling method. I am usually more of a "stomper". That is, standing up and mashing down on the pedals. Normally this is done at a low cadence. But if I want to ride long distances I need to get used to switching up it up with some "spinning". That is, sitting and pushing the pedals at a higher cadence. It seems to work different muscles, or maybe work the same ones differently. Either way I can switch back and forth without killing my legs completely.

The ride: Issaquah, Preston, Snoqualmie.
Distance: 45.2 miles
Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Description: This ride started the same as the last training ride I did. But this time I used the Preston-Snoqualmie trail to actually get to Snoqualmie. More accurately I used the Whitaker trail to get there. This is a single track that connects to the Snoqualmie Ridge development. They weren't kidding about that name. I mean it goes straigt up the back side of the ridge. After burning along for 16 miles this was awful. Even with my nubby tires on I couldn't get any traction for a lot of it, so I had to walk up the last half mile. What a pain. From there I rode through the neighborhood and got onto the bike path on the Snoqualmie Parkway. That was all downhill, and I lost all of that elevation I had just worked so hard for. At the bottom I crossed the bridge and took Mill Pond Road. There was no shoulder, but I didn't see more than half a dozen cars on it. From there I took the Snoqualmie Valley trail over the river. It is another railroad grade, so the old train bridge is now a bike or pedestrain path. Of course the trestle that used to lead to it is now gone and replaced with a set of metal stairs. Just what you want to see after 20 miles of riding, stairs. So to get to the bridge I had to lug my bike up 25 feet to the bridge. The rest of the trail was great though. I rode down for a few miles to see what it was like before turning around. It was getting kind of late (6:30). My legs were also fairly tired at that point and I knew I would have to fight my way back up along the Snoqualmie Parkway.

I am thinking on Tuesday I want to ride out that way again. This time I want to get all the way out to Rattlesnake Lake. I am will try to stat earlier so that I can take more time with it. And I will bring my camera to get the pictures I keep promising.

-Dravis