mapmystupidride.com and I fail to communicate

The other day, I tried out another new route to ride. Fortunately, the commuting to campus with Dale and going out to lunch after her teaching is working out terrifically, because the routes I’ve mapped lately are not. Sure, there are always questions about seeking out new cycling routes; they may be harder or have more auto traffic than desired. There are a host of conditions that make routes enjoyable or not; routes one returns to again and again, or never. Early in my cycling, friends and I would sometimes just head out with a vague idea of where we were going just to try new routes. Sure, that often times resulted in long stretches of road with empty water bottles and nothing to eat except George’s baggie of very dry granola. One time, Bob and I begged a box of powered-sugar donuts from a father and son in a VW bus parked on the side of the road. But we knew that we were riding the unknown and accepted the risks along with the rewards. Back then, I had all the time that I wanted to wander around country roads getting lost, bonking without enough food and water.

Times change and the novelty of bonking wanes quickly. I now quite closely schedule the time that I can allot to cycling within a given window. And this is where mapmystupidride.com and I fail to communicate. My latest new route to tryout was 30 miles with 1,500 feet of climbing to fit nicely during Dale’s teaching. The route looked great online, but in reality, when I reached a planned turn to Eagle Run Road, I was quite dismayed to find that it was unpaved. Thirty feet of cycle crossing the other day was one thing; an unsure number of miles on a gravel road with high-pressure performance road tires is quite another. I stopped to text Dale that I was changing my planned route and found that not surprisingly, I had no cell phone signal. That only cemented my decision not to head out into the unknown gravel road.

Rather than a loop, I rode an out-and-back on Tesla Road, climbing to a convenient turn-around at 15 miles at the crest of a climb. I am confident that I also climbed at least the 1,500 feet planned. On the one hand, I was disappointed that a great looking route online was a bust. On the other hand, I had a terrific ride on a sunny afternoon, on quiet roads, enjoying the new scenery. That is what riding in general, and exploring new routes are all about. With an odometer that I did not have 20 years ago enabling me to determine when to turn around, and packing enough food and water for the unexpected, my early experiences and gained knowledge prepared me for the unexpected, allowing for a fun ride on new roads.

mapmyride.com gate crash, cyclecross, bushwhack

The other day, I decided to try out a new cycling route. Starting and ending at Las Positas College in Livermore, CA, I used mapmyride.com routing a 30 with a bail out for a 20 if I wasn’t feeling it. Admittedly, I have challenges with this site, but the mileage and climbing prepared me for what to expect. I hand wrote a route sheet with the major turns and roads because the “notes feature” and I are not on speaking terms.

It was a beautiful day in the upper 60s and I headed out, forgetting my route sheet that I promised to copy and leave in the car for my wife in case of difficulties. I realized this after only a mile, and returned to the car. A few minutes later, I was on my way again. All went well until El Charro Rd. did not show up when I was expecting it as I rolled along Stanley Boulevard. This was not all that surprising to me as I have set off on just such a “three hour tour” before that ended in tears. This time however, it was the middle of the day rather than the late afternoon. That earlier ride left me stuck on the road completely bonked at 9:00 PM throwing up all my Gatorade and Goo gels with no cell phone signal. Yeah, the Little Lady was just a wee bit strung out with my two hour late no show, no call. Eventually, I got a ride from a very nice woman with a pick-up truck. Ergo, the route sheet that I left in the car this time. Exploring new routes has opened to quite mixed reviews.

I rolled along for a little while weighing options and opportunities. Pulling into a gas station mini mart, I bought a map, appreciated the directions offered not at all where I wanted to go from a clerk who could not understand why I was trying to ride the direction I described. It took me a few minutes to find myself on the map and make a plan to get back on route. I overshot the turn I needed because the road I wanted did not connect the way I imagined in my mind’s eye. Nearly back to my route, I encountered what would be a preview of more to come: the road I was riding was closed. I did not even have to dismount to ride through the barriers. Turning left onto Fallon Road, I returned to my route through a lovely McMansion housing community around a private golf course. The next road closure was more substantial, requiring pulling some chain-link fence open, some cycle-cross and some bush-whacking.

After that, the road was fine with fairly strong head-winds. The route saved the best for last: finally I had the winds at my back and freshly paved and very smooth road surface just sailing by. I was never really concerned for time as Dale was teaching until 4:30 in my mind, but 3:45 in reality. She did have a bit of a flash-back coming out to the car after teaching to no bike on the car rack and no call from me, but she was immediately relieved to see me hoisting my bike to the roof of the car.
“Three forty five? Not 4:30? Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
Thirty eight miles, two and a half hours, only about 500 feet of climbing, 14.8 mph average speed. Not at all bad for the little riding that I’ve logged so far this year.

I’ve mapped out another exploratory route aiming for 30 miles and 1,500 feet of climbing to try in a couple days. Again, I know what to expect: the unexpected.