Tag: women cycling

Indoor Training Only Mostly Sucks

It’s all in the approach …

Now that I’m a few weeks removed from Midsouth Gravel, I want to write about the training experience.

What I used

Why I Chose What I Did

Saris H3 smart trainer

I’ve used a “dumb” trainer before and found it wildly boring, no matter what I put on the television. The issue is that while it’s generally the most affordable option and gets you on the bike to workout – you have to get off the trainer to adjust the resistance.

My priorities for a direct-drive trainer were to be relatively quiet, as I set up in a “public” part of our home, and be super easy to set up. The Saris H3 was so quiet my husband didn’t hear the trainer so much as the giant fan I had pointed at me whenever I was on it.

Smart trainers connect to your computer through an ANT+ or Bluetooth connection so the training program can adjust the resistance for you (ERG mode) – or you can put the trainer in standard mode, select a level of resistance, and shift up and down the cassette to work on power output. The resistance controlled by the program in ERG mode is very, very convenient and wonderful. All you have to do is focus on pedaling to hit the target power.

The only place I found ERG to be less than helpful was in Sprints, mostly because it takes the trainer a few seconds to ramp up the resistance so you can hit the target power range – but then it also limits your output by modulating the resistance so you stay at the power target. This frequently limited my ability to hit sprint power targets in the short duration of the sprint. It was much easier in the standard resistance mode because I could manage my power output against the trainer’s resistance.

TrainerRoad

I interviewed several coaches before deciding to find a workout plan and commit to it. I’m not a racer, I don’t intend to race, and it seemed a bit wild to spend $150+ per month just to have someone tell me to do more or less or to keep up the good work.

I looked at the two most popular programs, Zwift and TrainerRoad. While both have solid workout plans, I ultimately decided on TrainerRoad based on a comment I saw while reading comparisons:

Zwift is great for social riding; TrainerRoad is boring but effective.

some random person on the internet

I was not approaching training as a bike ride with miles to track; this was strictly a workout. Time in the saddle, turning the pedals, and working on fitness objectives. This was not supposed to be fun; it was supposed to ensure I could finish a 100-mile gravel ride in early March.

TrainerRoad also has an AI function that will analyze your workouts and outside activities to adjust your future workout intensity. This was both super cool and super hard – because if you crush a workout, it keeps pushing you harder on the next workout. There is no “chill at this level until it feels easy.”

Also, I do not have a power meter on my outdoor bikes, so I’m not sure how accurate the incorporation of outdoor rides actually was. But I did learn that maybe doing a 90min threshold workout one day and then trying to keep up on a hilly mountain bike ride with my faster friends was definitely a Mistake.

How It Went

Honestly, it went really well.

As someone who has been on Operation Avoid the Trainer for YEARS … this was a tough pill to swallow at first. It took me two weeks before I set up the trainer because once it was set up, I would have to use it. And I so vastly prefer outdoor riding and the informal “training” I had been doing …. it was a mental hurdle just to start.

I set up my TrainerRoad account and customized my training plan. I chose a Low Volume plan because as a newbie to indoor training, it was tough enough to get on the trainer three days per week. I assumed I would swap out my 90min weekend workout for outdoor riding as much as possible.

New York had a very mild winter, and by that I mean it rained. A lot. Which severely limited my desire to go outside to ride. It was damp and chilly and unappealing.

So this is where I admit having the trainer as an option to keep working on my fitness when the weather was foul was really, really convenient. I could throw on my bike attire, make a bottle of Skratch Labs hydration, and get a good workout in 60-90min. Even with a fan blowing directly on me at full blast, I finished every workout absolutely soaked in sweat.

Once I committed to follow the plan as closely as possible, the rest came fairly easy. I sync’d my training plan with my Google Calendar so I didn’t make plans over my training days (or moved my training as needed to accommodate unmoveable things like business trips or helping my kid move across the state). After a few weeks, getting on the trainer every 2-3 days felt normal and natural.

Of course, about 14 weeks later I took a weekend off to spend time with one of my kids for an activity-free weekend. Getting on the trainer the first day after that trip was SO HARD. I wanted to throw everything out the window. It hurt, it was hard, I had zero motivation to be on the trainer, and everything just felt off. But I finished the workout and reminded myself that the mental aspect of just getting through the first set of intervals, even just the first over-under, would pay off when I was out in the middle of nowhere and still need to pedal back to the start.

Plus, I only had 2 more weeks before Midsouth, so I could also remind myself it’s a limited-time inconvenience.

The Results

My target was to be out for 10 hours with about 8 hours of ride time.

nailed it!

While training didn’t make me faster (by race standards; I ended up around where I would normally be in late May), and I didn’t lose any weight despite adding in 3.5 hours of workouts to my life … I met my ride time goal and was only out for 9.5 hours total (including stopping at the aid stations).

relaxed, comfortable, and still tons of energy at mile 88

It actually felt very weird to come back from Oklahoma and NOT get on the trainer a few days per week. I thought about extending the training plan because Fitness Gains but ultimately decided to take a few months off and focus on riding for fun again. I don’t want to lose sight of Riding Bikes Is Fun with a side benefit of Fitness.

I did, however, plan out a 16-week plan to help keep my base fitness up for my 2-week bikepacking trip in late August. I can see how spending a little time on structured workouts will benefit my ability to ride consecutive days while hauling all my camping gear around.

Until June 1, I’m back to riding bikes with friends as I can. I’ve made my peace with not being in Top Shape during this time because my focus is back to fun.

See you out there!

MidSouth Gravel 2023

on the road again …

You guys – definitely travel and ride bikes somewhere you’ve never been before.

The Midsouth Gravel is both a gravel race and an event, but the dedication to authentic inclusion makes this event stand out. The emphasis isn’t on the pointy end of the ride (the racers) but on everyday people who show up in Stillwater, OK for a weekend of bikes and community. The organizers are dedicated to creating space for everyone.

I don’t even know where to begin. After spending 15 weeks following a training plan on Trainer Road, I was ready to throw the indoor trainer out the window. Riding bikes has always been for fun, not fitness, and this was a decision to do prescribed workouts with a specific goal of getting to a baseline that would allow me to complete a very early season 100-mile ride with 91% of the course on dirt roads. But I have to admit …. the work paid off. I achieved all of my goals for MidSouth, most importantly to finish strong.

The Day Before Midsouth

Arriving late in Oklahoma City, we grabbed some food for the hour drive out to Stillwater. Very quickly we felt like we were driving through the middle of nowhere …. which we were. On Friday we hit up the Expo, checking out the vendors and picking up swag before checking in to get the race plate and pick up my bike from the bike shop.

During the rider meeting, Bobby called up all event promoters to the stage and reminded us all that events happen because someone wants to share their roads with others. That was a wildly surreal moment.

Bobby also gave an impassioned speech that we aren’t here to race bikes; we’re here to be in community. A community where everyone is loved, valued, and is deserving of a good ride. That regardless of our challenges, we are in this together. And every single person would get a hug at the finish.

the ride

If I’m being honest, I can’t really tell you about the ride. It was people on bikes on stunning red dirt roads, all moving in the same direction but at different speeds. Some had mechanical issues and sitting beside fences, waiting for the SAG jeep. Some were taking a break to eat or drink. Despite registering solo and knowing exactly one other person who had signed up (among the 2500+ registrants across all categories and events) …. I was never alone.

But I can tell you about the people I met along the way:

  • Andrea, from Pennsylvania, who was racing for Sturdy Girl Cycling. We have a mutual friend.
  • Alex, from Arizona, who also had a Cutthroat in the same colors as mine. We chatted for several miles and ended up running into each other at every aid station.
  • Zoe, a trans femme non-binary person from Alaska who exuded off-the-charts energy with a trans flag emblazoned with BLACK TRANS LIVES MATTER. Their energy was infectious.
  • Andrew, a fellow Pactimo Ambassador, who was riding the 50 miler with his sister. We were wearing the same jerseys and bibshorts, just in different colors.
  • Kenneth, a queer Latine, who chatted with me while we were filling our water bottles. He then came over to take photos with my sister and her family (who had dressed in character onesies so I could find them easier at the mid-point aid station). We caught up again at Mount Butt’r.
  • Rebecca, “how you doin’, sister?” as we barrelled down a rutted-out doubletrack. We caught up at the Chamois Butt’r Mount Butt’r aid station, chatting while relaxing in the Adirondack chairs
  • Yasmin, a stunningly gorgeous and incredibly strong rider (she passed me many times before we caught up at the aid station) AND FELLOW UNTAPPED AMBASSADOR! Thrilled to share my Salted Citrus stash with her.
  • The older woman who was blaring disco tunes from her Bluetooth radio and yelling “I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE” to everyone she passed
  • Jim, the para-athlete who had run the 50k ultra run the day prior and was crushing the 100 mile route on a bike. He’ll be at Leadville both weekend this year – to run and cycle. Total beast and a really genuinely nice person!

Jim also gave me a compliment I will carry with me forever – as he pulled up beside me, he said “Wow, you’re strong. You look so calm and comfortable right now.”

  • Some guy on an orange bike with a white T shirt that reminded me of my friend Kyle. We yo-yo’d a few times late in the day, exchanging brief acknowledgments whenever we’d pass each other.
  • The woman I passed late in the ride with a “Deaf Cyclist” button, so I gave her visual kudos instead of yelling encouragement.

I can show you a selection of pics I snapped along the ride

PICS BECAUSE IT HAPPENED

Crossing the finish line was exhilerating. When it was my turn for the signature Bobby hug, he embraced me tightly as I thanked him for sharing his roads with me, that it was a true love letter. He effused about how this is what it’s all about and next year will be even sicker.

what went well

Having family meet me at the midpoint and end. Knowing someone was there to greet you, encourage you, and ask you about the ride so far was awesome. Don’t underestimate the psychological edge having a support crew gives you.

Training. Every day that I got on the trainer when I really wanted to just sit on the couch with my dog paid off. I wasn’t really sure someone could do hour-long structured workouts and see improvements but the proof is in the pudding. I finished strong, in under my estimated total time out, and almost exactly the ride time I wanted.

Staying open to whatever the experience would be. Signing up for an event in a location that you’ve never been before can be intimidating. Signing up without knowing anyone else who was signing up doubly so. But that allowed me the freedom to just say hi to people and talk about whatever came up.

Pancake in a cup for breakfast. Legit, always have the pancakes.

Things that could have been better

Sunscreen only works if you use it. The coating of red clay mineral loam covering me, my bike, and my stuff did not protect me from a raging sunburn.

Other thoughts

Oklahoma. I didn’t know how beautiful Oklahoma is. I think many people like me who live in more liberal-leaning areas would dismiss the state as a bunch of backward white farmers who are scared of “progress” and its less than inspiring history of where white people forcibly marched native tribes from around the burgeoning country only to then give that very land away to white settlers through five Land Runs.

While the history is true, I think it’s also important to remember that not everyone in a state or city or block – or even a single household – have the same beliefs and political leanings. When we feel smug about living in major metropolitan cities, we can blind ourselves to the people who are working to build inclusive communities in deeply traditional areas. To boycott or ignore Oklahoma for their exclusionary policies doesn’t help those who are fighting on those front lines. Spend your time supporting those communities in transforming fear into tolerance, acceptance, and eventually love.

After dropping off my bike at the shop to be shipped back to New York, Pete and I set off to explore Oklahoma City. We found a walkable downtown where we sat down for lunch in Bricktown and then wandered north to check out the new permanent installation at Factory Obscura: Mix Tape. We then stopped in to relax and have a few drinks at Skydance Brewery (the Mandarin Fluff hard cider was exceptional) before adjourning to our hotel, getting dinner, and calling it an early night because we had to be up at 4:30am to get our flight home.

You guys – definitely travel and ride bikes somewhere you’ve never been before and be open to the experience that will unfold.

See you on the road!

addendum

Things I forgot to mention:

  • Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” on repeat in my head all day; replace “making music” to “riding gravel”
  • WIND. Wide open skies meant riding West was a strong headwind; north or south was a cooling cross-breeze; and riding East was a fantastic tailwind
  • Starting the day under cloudy skies, mid-50*F temps; brilliant sun coming out around mile 20; Wind; relaxing in the shade in Perry at mile 50 with my sister, her partner, her kids, and my husband; double-track and rustic, rutted-out roads; Clouds returning after mile 68 and powerful wind gusts from the North; turning right onto a 7-mile flat stretch and motoring along as the wind shifted from the West and provided a nice tailwind; another rustic road; riding through Oklahoma State University campus as we rolled back into Stillwater; hammering it the last few miles to the finish
  • CHASE THE CHAISE. Rolling into the Mile 88 rest stop and seeing signs to be alert for furniture quickened my heart. A lifelong dream to Chase the Chaise achieved. Hoping they will send out the photos soon!
  • Bobby’s STOKE. He is the alpha and omega of stoke. For DAYS. How is this man still awake?
  • the DFL Party. The entire weekend was one huge party, which I was a bit too much in my own head to really participate in (plus, not 20 anymore). but what stuck out was the DFL Party. DFL is being the last person to cross the finish line and true to MidSouth ethos, there was a huge party for Marley Blonsky, co-founder of All Bodies on Bikes. 14 hours after the race started, she cross the finish line to receive the DFL prize – a giant longhorn skull. LEGIT – no other race does this and they absolutely should. EVERYONE deserves a great ride, not just those at the pointy end of the event.

Midsouth Training – Week 7

or, wtf was I thinking

As you may recall: last year I put my name in the lottery for Midsouth Gravel on a whim. Not only did I not overthink it, but I also didn’t really think about it AT ALL.

This is a huge gravel event; what are the chances? There are plenty of other Women aged 40-49 that will sign up and get chosen.

But secretly, I thought it would be cool to get in. And the Fates saw it favorable to choose me.

Alexander Rothaug – The Three Fates, circa 1910

The moment of learning I got in was both euphoric and terrifying. Because now I had to actually do what I’ve spent years NOT doing:

INDOOR TRAINING

So here we are on week 7 (of 14) using TrainerRoad and I am not sure I’m cut out for this. Or maybe I’m just not used to having structured workouts at a regular cadence. Or maybe …. just maybe …. this is not the time of year to be doing this.

It’s literally the middle of winter, when all the vibes are cozy, comfortable, stretchy pants, hibernation, hot cocoa with whipped cream or marshmallows.

this looks legit more fun than any indoor workout

It’s a time for fat biking. It’s a time for slow and low. Cross training. Snowshoeing. Hiking. Sleeping.

Decidedly not regularly pushing myself to new power heights. Because the part about picking an AI-enabled training plan that adapts with you means it literally never gets easier. If you crush a workout, it just serves you harder workouts next time.

Personal Reminder: The goal is to be prepared for 100 miles on dirt in the middle of March. Not to race, not to podium. Just enjoy the ride.

So … week 7. I completed my latest ramp test and the first workout was a level 6 Sweet Spot 2x23min workout at 92-95% of the new FTP. My legs felt so heavy and it took a bit to find my groove tonight. I had to psych myself up through the each section of the 23min interval (every 5-7min the power target changed) – just 3 more minutes … just 2 more minutes … one more minute and then the watts go up a tiny bit.

Last week I did all three workouts PLUS went outside twice, which Garmin deemed “unproductive” because they were more challenging than a training plan would schedule. I wanted to go ride bikes with friends outside so I have zero regrets – but I’m definitely in need of some rest.

I’m mildly paranoid about missing a workout, mostly because I don’t want to fall off the wagon. But it’s becoming clear to me that I am not in a place where riding every single day (or more days than not) is viable. I’ve never been that person – I’ve always needed/wanted a bit more rest time than others while still doing cool stuff.

It’s not summer, Laura. Summer volume of riding is literally the exact opposite of the universe’s energy right now. Don’t fight too hard. It would be a shame to be totally burnt out when you get to the starting line.

For all my years of riding bikes, I’m a super noob when it comes to indoor, structured training. I’m not afraid of being new and learning. But woof – this is tough.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I’ll be outside more soon (replacing the 90min weekly workout instead of in addition to that workout).

Looking to 2023

how Laura got her groove back

My body craves stillness I said to my husband, totally deadpan and completely unironically. Stillness that comes in the form of power naps, savasana, yoga nidra, and sleeping in. It’s luscious and beautiful and so satisfying. (Pete just looked at me dumbfounded, like I was some wellness influencer trying to tell him he needs to take the dog for a walk to have “Me Time”)

didn’t do enough camping this year

Yet 2023 has big plans for me – or more specifically, I have big plans for 2023.

After the absolutely soul-satiating bikepacking trip with my sister and my oldest adult child, I went back to chillaxing. I talked to my endocrinologist to adjust my thyroid medications and my entire being has returned to the fun, chill person I know I am inside. It’s been a game changer for feeling like a real human.

I joined my friends for a 36mi fat bike ride on Cape Cod a few weeks ago, which was really freaking fun. I just don’t understand people who don’t have fun on a fat bike. We were on beaches, in the woods, on rustic rail trails, and quiet backroads.

the places the sand was soft and deep were less fun, but the ride was amazeballs

Which in turn helped me feel motivated to put some new events on my radar for next year. Make my goals to see more places by bicycle. Break out of this location rut I find myself in after 5 years of riding around the Northeast.

On a whim, I put my name in the lottery for Midsouth Gravel Event in Stillwater, Oklahoma. And a week later got the email saying my credit card had been charged and see you in March 2023! OPE. The universe is calling my bluff. 100 miles of red-clay dirt that will either be a dream or a nightmare to ride in all day based on YouTube videos from 2020 and 2022.

females be strong as hell

I also signed up for the 100-mile Long Wall Rollin’ Coal Gravel Grinder in Shinnston, West Virginia in September 2023. I wasn’t able to go this year but I’m super into the idea of checking out West Virginia’s rolling hills. Plus their logo is absolutely fire! If I can do 100 miles in March, I will be super set for a hilly 100 miles in September!

hell yeah!

After several coach interviews, I settled on just paying for a TrainerRoad subscription and buying a smart trainer to help me prep for a literal All Day Epic in a totally different state I’ve never been to. I thought about Zwift and while the community aspect really appealed to me, the gamification didn’t. Everyone I talked to said TrainerRoad is boring but effective; Zwift can be effective but is more social. It’s going to be hard enough to want to be on the trainer (mostly because I’ve avoided riding a trainer in the winter for nearly a decade), but I’m motivated to be effective. Social hour can happen outside on the weekends.

I like that TrainerRoad uses your data to adapt your training plan based on the timeline to your event(s) and your goals. Mine don’t involve racing so I can focus on building endurance, power, and maybe some speed. I’m not afraid of being out for 10 hours – that’s a difficult bikepacking day when I’m riding up big hills with a full load. But I would like to finish in less than that if possible.

But let’s talk for a minute about how super noob I am about indoor training.

not me, but honestly this doesn’t look fun

mostly because I’ve spent so long avoiding the trainer. My philosophy has been to figure out the distance and elevation profile of the event and then practice pieces of the final event, building up to an approximation of the event. This has served me pretty well – I’m not the fastest but that’s not my focus. My happiness comes from the experiences my bike allows me to have, not specifically for fitness. Plus, I also can get very competitive and really need at least one place in my life where I’m not striving to achieve more/better. Bikes are a way to move through time and space and find happiness.

I plugged in my stats and was assigned a fairly low FTP. Having no real clue about FTP, I decided to try the Ramp Test. I made some assumptions that the test was capped at 20min and while it kept telling me to ride until failure, I didn’t quite “get” what that meant.

The first 20min were very chill, just spinning a very high cadence with an increase in resistance every minute. After 28 minutes, I was starting to feel fatigued, but nowhere close to failure. So I decided to try to shift the gears, which is apparently a very big No-No as my cadence went from 115 to 34 as the resistance instantly ramped up. After a few minutes of fiddling around with this, I decided to call it quits and cool down. So 36min of ramp test.

you can see where I started to try shifting lol lol lol

My FTP was adjusted, but it’s still pretty low. I had some time today to do an actual workout and selected the recommended interval workout. I feel like I shouldn’t be able to sing along to my playlist during the intervals. Midway through the workout I increased the targets to 115% of FTP and it started to feel more like a workout. But still not as intense as I assumed a VO2 max workout should be. For example, my recovery power typically ended up around 70-80, not the 50-60 target. I literally had a hard time getting that low of power output for the recovery segments.

Anyway, the actual training plan doesn’t start until I’m back from my vacation. Already planning to retake the Ramp test to kick it off and see if I can get to an actual FTP and right-size my training plan.

What else will 2023 have in store? Hopefully more bikepacking. More mountain biking (I really, really like mountain biking even though I am very, very mediocre at it). More camping with friends. Seeing more places.

More to come, friends. See you out there!

from a recent soggy Sunday gravel ride

Be Less Intense

get more out of life by doing less

It’s early August. I’ve completed two multi-day bikepacking trips, including the beautiful and challenging Appalachian Gravel Growler and another spin Roundabout Brattleboro. I camped in 10* on my back porch to test out my new (obscenely expensive, expedition-weight) winter sleeping bag in anticipation of a back-/bikepacking winter overnight. I missed Toad Strangler due to illness and rode (a shorter route for) The Great North in cold, rainy conditions. I went cabin camping and mountain biking in beautiful New Hampshire and Vermont with my girlfriends (and Matt).

Yet, I haven’t even cracked 1,000 miles to date on my bike.

At some point this year, I decided to abandon my goal of 3,075 miles this year and focus on Doing Less and Being Less Intense.

I’m watching my friends train for epic events. I’m seeing friends discover new routes, new adventures, and regain strength after illnesses. It’s incredibly awesome.

But right now, I need to rest more. Embrace non-bike life more. Visit with friends, plan road trips, and yeah, even get the non-sexy things in life done – like cleaning the house and doing routine maintenance. Clear out the clutter and bring in fresh air and fresh space in my life.

I had two pretty big anxiety attacks earlier this year, which resulted in an increase in my Lexapro dose and a healthy step back in pushing myself to achieve new levels of awesomeness.

It’s really hard to not get caught up in the competition cycle of More Miles, More Speed, More Adventure, More Hard Core Adversity. But I encourage everyone to take a moment to think about why they are doing these things. There’s no right or wrong answer; only that if something isn’t serving you anymore, perhaps it’s time to try something different.

Because the reality is that I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. I’m amazing and awesome right now.

So I’ve been sleeping late, taking leisurely bike rides when I feel motivated, going to slow yoga classes (restorative and yin mostly), and hiking more. Turning off notifications on my phone and filling up my library hold list with interesting books. I’m walking my beagle every day, allowing extra time for all the sniffs and stops. I’m re-evaluating my volunteer obligations and deciding what fits and what needs to be set aside for now.

Living a slow life is kindof wonderful.

I have a car camping trip in a few weeks and then a four-day bikepacking (lodging) trip with my oldest kid and my middle sister. Beyond that, I don’t have many plans. Maybe going home at the end of November for a bit, see the fam and my nieces.

I’m looking forward to how the rest of the year pans out. Taking a break from constant adventure, constant “training,” and constant GO-GO-GO has been a huge relief. While it also resulted in a not-insignificant weight gain, I’m also evaluating my relationship with my body and how I can honor where my physical being is. I’m still strong, still resilient, still bad-ass.

See you out there!

Roundabout Brattleboro Bikepacking 2022: Sunny Skies Edition

middle aged moms doing bad ass things

After several events that sparked stress and anxiety spirals, including having to make a humane decision for the family dog, I was in deep need to get away from life for a bit and just be. Fortunately, I had planned to ride Roundabout Brattleboro with one of my best biking friends, Karen, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

Logistically, we opted for lodging to keep things light and as stress-free as possible. Having a shower and a bed at night does wonders. We basically packed up overnight stuff and snacks and hit the road with nothing to do but ride our bikes all day.

You can read about last year’s trip here, where it rained 2″ in the first two days. Totally different experience!

Day 1 Photos

Day 2 Photos

Day 3 Photos

Where We Stayed & Ate

The Nutmeg BnB (Wilmington, VT) – lovely family-owned BnB a short walk or bike ride from town. The french toast is amazeballs.

Snowdon Chalet Motel (Londonderry, VT) – super cute vintage 1960s ski chalet with modern amenities (USB and lots of outlets). Light breakfast and coffee in the morning included!

Maple Leaf Tavern (Wilmington, VT)

Revival Kitchen (Londonderry, VT) – newer family-owned restaurant, across the street from the Snowdon. Delicious and great service!

Appalachian Gravel Growler 2022

bad ass women bikepack the gnarly stuff

Sometime in late November 2021, the idea started to percolate around getting a few women together to head down to North Carolina to ride the Appalachian Gravel Growler (AGG) route off bikepacking.com. Jeannette’s son is going to school in Brevard so it’s a great excuse to go see him over her spring break. Jeannette and I rode together on the XNHAT and she was looking to expand beyond bikepacking overnights and 2-nighters.

For me, the breweries are a means to get others to join in the fun and six of our women friends who are brand new to loaded bikepacking signed on. As a non-beer drinker, I’m just here for the dirt, the views, and the joy of being out in the world on my bike.

This year I signed up for the AIDS/LIFEcycle Ride, supporting SF AIDS Foundation and Los Angeles LGBT Center. I chose to fundraise for this bikepacking trip to support ending the stigma around LGBTQ issues, HIV and AIDS support, and other life-affirming services. If you are interested in donating, please click here!

And true to not always making the best decisions in my life, I was one week into adjusting to a new SNRI for anxiety and scheduled to get an MRI when I got back for GI issues that have plagued me for the past 3 weeks.

Designed to be a sister route to the Green Mountain Gravel Growler in Vermont, the AGG links iconic breweries on scenic dirt backroads that twist up and down the Blue Ridge Mountains. With 207 miles and over 20k feet of elevation gain in remote (i.e., limited or no cell service; limited small-town general store-type resupply and bail-out options compared to other routes; potential need for roadside/backcountry camping), this is not a route I’d ordinarily advise for brand new bikepackers nor early season riding … but our friends are strong of mind, body, and spirit. With that, we set out for an epic adventure, starting with an 11-hour drive from New York to North Carolina.

The Crew

You’re never too old to try something new.

  • Alta, mid-50s
  • Erin, low-40s
  • Jeannette, mid-50s
  • Kate, mid-60s
  • Laura (me!), mid-40s
  • Lisa, mid-50s
  • Mary, low-60s
  • Megan, high-30s

DAY 1: The Hottest Day

Rolling out under clear blue skies and mild temps (a welcome respite from the freezing cold and random snow and rain squalls we’ve had in New York), the mood is jovial. “You guys, I can’t believe we’re actually doing this!!” is regularly exclaimed as we make our way along the quiet river bike path and out of Morganton.

  • Loose Dogs are a thing in North Carolina
  • More exposure than expected on the backroads. It’s still early spring so not as much leaf cover to protect us from the blazing sun
  • But the scenery is lovely and distracts us from the climbing
  • Watching a local walk back down the road with a busted derailleur (yikes!)
  • more climbing
  • Lunch in the shade on a pull-out. A few locals stopped to chat while we ate
  • even more climbing
  • refilling water bottles from a stream (thanks Trailshot!) and dunking our heads in a waterfall to cool off
  • still more climbing
  • finally, consistent downhill!
  • Betsey’s Olde Country Store was closed when we rolled up just before 5pm- but we found someone who let us refill bottles and use the bathrooms at the campground behind the store
  • Deciding to stay at Mortimer Campground instead of continuing on because of impending overnight rain (around an inch of rain expected). The campground host let us use the picnic shelter for our bikes and meal prep; we pitched our tents a short walk away on Site 2. We put our food bags up in the rafters of the shelter as the campground is near a bear sanctuary
  • Falling asleep to the gentle sound of drops on the rainfly

DAY 2: THE COLDEST DAY

The steady sounds of the rain continued into the chilly morning, making it mentally hard to want to leave my warm, dry sleeping bag in my tent. But because we stopped early last night and the rain wasn’t expected to stop until early afternoon, we had more than a few miles to make up today.

  • Using the picnic shelter to make breakfast, plan the day, and repack everything up
  • Forgetting to pack a belt for my ill-fitting rain pants
  • nearly 10 miles of climbing on a noodling dirt road right out of the gate
  • passing the roadside camping and being thankful we had a shelter to use this morning
  • Warming up with coffee and pizza at the Linville General Store for lunch
  • Deciding to descend on the pavement instead of taking the dirt road and powerline cut to make up time
  • Passing where we would have come out on the powerline cut and being thankful we made up time
  • The sun is coming out and we’re shedding our rain layers when we roll into Woodlawn and decide to ride the next dirt section
  • Suprise double and singletrack
  • Rolling up to Hillman Brewery for burgers and beverages just after sunset
  • Finding two guys with a truck to give us and our bikes a lift to our campsite for the night
  • Setting up and figuring out where the bathrooms and water pump are in the dark. We use the bearproof trash cans as a bearproof locker for our food.
  • throwing extra layers in our sleeping bags because it’s expected to get down near freezing overnight

DAY 3: THE HARDEST DAY

A cold, crisp sun greets us on the third morning and we’re a little slower-going. Today is the biggest climbing day and our legs are already feeling the subtle stiffness of the previous three days. Today is expected to be a few degrees warmer and sunnier, and we are optimistic to get to Craggy Gardens for lunch.

  • Climbing 2,200′ in 6 miles is B O N K E R S
  • Peeks of the Blue Mountains between the trees are lovely
  • shedding layers quickly
  • Turning onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and knowing we still have 2 more miles to ascend around 800′ (but at least it’s paved)
  • SO WINDY but mercifully partly sunny. Icicles are dripping on the protected northern rock outcroppings.
  • Stopping for lunch at an overlook in a sort-of protected place from the wind
  • 2 mi descent is over before it feels real, then back to climbing for the next 6.5 mi
  • Another 2.5 mi descent that goes by too quickly, then the final 2 mi ascent to Craggy Gardens
  • It’s so cold and windy the tops of the mountains frosted in ice
  • Getting to the Visitor Center 30min before it closes. Warm ourselves by the fire, buy water for our bottles, and put on every layer of warm winter clothing we have for the 13mi descent.
  • Dodging falling ice from the rock outcroppings as the sun warms and melts the base
  • Rolling through Asheville’s cute downtown and onto the beautiful bike path
  • Arriving at our AirBnb for the night and celebrating with showers and well-deserved beverages

DAY 4: THE LAYOVER DAY

We enjoy a leisurely morning with ample electricity, hot water, and four walls around us at night. Jeannette’s son had dropped off groceries the day before so we enjoy coffee and cook breakfast in the kitchen. Two of Kate’s local friends arrived and took us downtown for a day of wandering around.

Splitting up, my group and I decided to eat lunch at Early Girl (Mark was an excellent server) and then make our way over to Wicked Weed. More wandering and a Hemp Fest stop, our group split up and I headed back to the AirBnb with Lisa while Erin, Megan, and Jeannette went for a few more beverages at Burial. We grill dinner and relax because our final day is upon us.

DAY 5: THE LAST DAY

Eager to complete our epic early-season journey, everyone is up and ready to go before our 9am wheels-down start time. Let’s do this!

Pro Tips from the Crew

  • “Find yourself the most amazing gnarly girls to share the adventure with!” – Kate
  • “If you get your period, share it!” – Erin

FINAL THOUGHTS

  • Be mindful of group size. While it was amazing and fun to spend time with so many friends, a group of 8 is pretty big. Megan said it best – “it’s gonna be like herding cats.” We strung out and regrouped without too many issues.
  • Prepare for the trip. While it’s generally going to be OK to show up for a group ride without looking at the route or doing much planning – that can be a big issue in bikepacking. We had several Zoom meetings to talk about logistics, the routes, packing, gear, food, and expectations.
  • Use a Navigation Device to stay on course. Make sure everyone who isn’t running the route on a bike navigation device or phone is with someone who is. That being said, the investment of a bike navigation device like a Garmin or Wahoo is worth it if you are looking to do more bikepacking with camping. Running Ride with GPS on phones was not as accurate and ate through batteries
  • Secure your load. Thankfully we recovered everything that found it’s way off someone’s bag or rack. Periodically check your straps to make sure everything is secure, especially when heading into the singletrack.
  • Align on expectations and priorities. It’s never fun to be the person who’s priority is different that everyone else’s – whether it’s choosing more dirt vs making up time on pavement or going to the brewery before or after getting out of your chamois.
  • Everyone finished safely. Which was really my biggest fear and goal for the trip given the number of people who had not done a fully loaded overnight, much less one with this much climbing and gear for camping. I am confident this trip worked well because everyone is a very strong rider and has some level of experience with gravel and mountain biking and backpacking. We communicated well, looked out for each other, and had a blast spending 5 days together exploring the textures of western North Carolina.

See you out there!

Hashtag Goals

FINALLY, my 2022 Bike Goal has come to me

I started riding bikes as an adult in 2011 and back then, I didn’t really have many goals other than to be out longer, get stronger, and have fun.

Then I did a 50 mi recreational fondo with a girlfriend and started to crave more.

  • Maybe try bike commuting (I did).
  • Maybe try a supported bike tour (I did).
  • Maybe ride a century in February with only 3 rides of decidedly significantly less distance than that as “training” (I did).
  • OMG mountain biking is so much fun, let’s keep doing that (I do).

Then came the era of Karen and I’s Working Mom Reverse Trash Talk Cycling Challenge to see who could ride more miles in a year. That first year, I won a bag of her company’s best coffee, Off The Chain. She then proceeded to STOMP me every year thereafter.

  • Let’s try bikepacking (I did).
  • Let’s try a cyclocross “race” (I did and still love going to Ice Weasels)
  • Let’s try a three-day, 320 mile bikepacking trip with two guys I know from the internet after not doing a century, much less three back to back to back, in at least 5 years (I did).
  • Let’s see if I can average 100 feet of climbing per mile ridden for an entire year (I got very close – somewhere around 99 feet per mile average).
  • Let’s spend a year focused on bikepacking (last year was so rad).

But even when I was unemployed for 18 months, I never logged more than 3k miles in a year. That banner milage year was 2013 when I was bike commuting 2-3 times per week in addition to riding as many weekend days as I could. Bike commuting was an easy 30 miles round trip each day I rode – so the miles piled up without taking significantly more time from being with my family or working.

This year’s bike goal is to log 3,075 miles.

Why 3,075? Because in 2013, I rode 3,073 miles. Five of the rides were centuries. Close to a thousand miles from April-October were just commuting.

The only rule will be Free Range Miles only.

That means no indoor trainers, no Peloton, no stationary bike, no Zwift, no Trainer Road, etc. Not that I do that anyway but still.

Seeing as I’ve only logged 43 miles in the first 17 days of the year, I’m already behind pace by 100 miles. I need to ride 60 miles per week all year to achieve the goal.

But I’m not too worried … longer days mean warmer days and more opportunities to ride. I might need to get creative to overcome winter’s deficit. But I’m prepared to do the work. Plus, gravel is great even when it’s chilly out – so a 30mi ride twice a week isn’t crazy talk.

Other plans for 2022:

  • Toad Strangler (Chatham, NY)
  • Great North (Cambridge, NY)
  • Appalachian Gravel Growler (Morganton, NC – Brevard, NC)
  • Girls+Matt Bike Camping Weekend (somewhere in New Hampshire)
  • Girls+Matt KT MTB Weekend (East Burke, VT)
  • Hiking Mount Washington with my girlfriends
  • XNHAT + Cross Vermont Trail bikepacking (Bethel, ME to Burlington, VT)

Tune in later this year to see how this goes! See you out there!

What’s Next for 2022?

dream big

who knows.

Seriously.

2021 clearly became the Year of Bikepacking. Including overnights, I jammed 7 bikepacking trips in 5 months. Bonkers! It was incredibly rewarding and I learned a lot, which has streamlined my Go Kit and made it super easy to say YES to adventure (especially snack adventures).

But now that I’m in the chillax portion of the Bike Year, where I don’t feel like I need to “train” for “that big ride I want to do” anymore and I can just go sloth around in the woods on my fat bike, grinning like a kid.

My brain is always running around in the clouds though, dreaming of my next adventure. I’m pretty terrible at remembering things I haven’t written down (usually literally – in a notebook, on a post-it note, or as a Calendar event) here’s what I’m thinking about for 2022:

THE PLAN SO FAR

What else is on my brain?

More to come …

Coffee, Pie, and Body Image

the struggle is real

“Bring enough supplies for a non-stop ride.”

OK, roadside rest stop it is!

“If you really want to make this a roadside rest stop, we could bring our foldable chairs, coffee, and apple pie.”

this sounds amazing – let’s do it!!

text exchange with my ride partner

I love doing wacky things. The fall riding season is upon us, with cooler days and vibrant displays of color bursting forth along quiet dirt roads. I was very excited when my friend suggested we bring chairs and have a proper break to enjoy some coffee and pie mid-ride.

A few weeks removed from my Green Mountain Gravel Growler trip, I’m still feeling strong with some twinges in one of my knees. So I wore a compression brace for the hilly route and took it easy on the hills to minimize stress through my knees.

We found a gravel pull-out and set up our coffee and pie relaxation station. The pull-out is mid-way up a climb on a forest-lined dirt road … protected from the wind but with the soothing views of nature. Not long after we set up, a friend came riding down the road. He stopped to talk to us, snapped a photo of us, and then continued on. Apparently there was a gravel event doing a similar route in the opposite direction so soon we were seeing all kinds of riders fly by while we enjoyed our coffee and pie. Lots of quizzical looks and smiles as they figured out what we were doing.

Coffee & Pie Stop in the middle of nowhere

We finished the ride a few hours later, feeling really happy with how the ride played out.

I got home and started uploading photos to various social media sites to share the joy of doing something unexpected on a routine ride. That’s when I noticed how unflattering the Coffee and Pie stop photos looked.

  • this is me
  • this is also me

The photo on the left is how I feel – fit, strong, sturdy, capable of amazing things.

The photo on the right reminds me that I’ve put on weight since I started taking anti-anxiety medication. After losing nearly 30 pounds in 2 years, watching 15 pounds appear within 6 months of starting medication that helps reduce the anxious electricity that courses through my body 24/7 is … hard.

It doesn’t help that I’ve fallen off the calorie tracking wagon and given myself a bit of grace lately when it comes to food. Especially since tracking wasn’t helping to lose weight anymore, just barely maintain the added pounds. The mental payoff is definitely greater than the physical impacts. I’ve tried tapering off the meds and do not enjoy the pervasive electric buzz of anxiety that creeps back into my life. I appreciate feeling like myself, but with a clearer grasp of reality that isn’t clouded by excessive anxious energy.

My annual physical proves my activities pay off – all my bloodwork comes back great. My BMI is 27, which is overweight, but my doctor feels that is offset by my other positive factors. My home scale roughly calculates fat to muscle (29% fat and 28% muscle) – which is within the acceptable range of body fat percentage for a woman in her mid-forties.

We have only one life – I don’t want to create more stress than necessary. But I would like to see how I feel about myself reflected in photographs.

We’re heading into the off season, where rides will be shorter; less intense. Maybe this is the time to recommit myself to maintaining a healthy nutrition plan with a bit more exercise during the week. Finding that balance of family, work, personal pursuits, and healthy body image.

Thanks for reading!

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