Activity: road cycling
Location: Dupont Circle > Palisades > Dupont Circle
Distance: 13.2 miles (rolling hills)
Duration: 0:54
Weather: sunny with rapidly-approaching dusk, 82-84 degrees
Avg HR: 135 (max 160)
Type: aerobic

PPTC “Downtown Breakaway” ride…. sorta. It was a ride that started out well enough: we had great turnout with an earlier start time, as this was the final DB ride of the season. We left with a group of 10-or-so, and made good progress toward Chain Bridge Road.

Then I flatted behind the Russian Embassy. Even with a spare tube (thanks, Pam!), I managed to botch the repair, breaking off the valve stem with my CO2 inflator. I managed to get about 60 psi of air into my tire with the hobbled tube, enough to limp my bike back to The Burrow….

…. where I changed into my SPD sandals, hopped onto my Marin mountain bike, and rushed out to meet the pack as they returned from the Mohican Hills. Glen, Pam and Jonathan were on their way back, and I met up with them just short of Sibley Hospital. We rode the rest of the route together, and I kept up just fine at a 20-22 mph pace on my knobby-tire-clad bike (perhaps I’ll use it to lead BB-class rides this winter).

At any rate, I still got a workout, still enjoyed myself, and used the ride as motivation to finish building the Jamis frame.

ETA: I’d be completely remiss if I didn’t mention sprite’s role in this ride. She talked me into heading back out on the Marin, after I sulked a wee bit about missing out on the rest of the ride. She rocks.