Today was highlighted by two things; lots of stops messing around with equipment and 'heavy legs" as I like to call it. Along the route I stopped at Bicycle Sport Pacific and picked up a great brass schrader to presta adaptor for air compressors and 'air stations' at local gas stations. For $1.09 I can finally fill up my tires to their full capacity and it turns out they needed it. I finally found a gas station with air working and once I filled up both tires in turns out I have been riding roughly 35-40 psi low for months. My emergency hand pump and supposed powerful foot pump just could not get the air into the tires that is really needed.
Today's ride was also what I would call a "grinding it out" kind of experience. I only had so much time today as I headed out late from watching too much World Cup Soccer, so I new it was going to be a shorter ride, but I just could not seem to get the momentum going to keep the pace up very high as my legs felt heavy and had no strength in them to to what I wanted today. I was hoping for 40-45km completed in 1.5 hours but instead has to settle for 35km. Todays route was highlighted by a stop to the site of the now abandoned Fort Langley to Maple Ridge ferry. In my earlier years of riding I got to know this ferry very well as I would ride from Delta and Cloverdale to Maple Ridge using the ferry to cross the Fraser River weekly to see my grandparents. Now the system is all locked behind gates and the boats sit rusting away on the other side of the river banks, but the 5 fishing boats that have been moored their for decades still endure (see picture below).
Quote note about the pic. It came from my iPhone and then was edited using the new CAMERA+ software I got for use with the phone (i highly recommend getting this app for your iPhone if you have one). I try to take at least one shot to keep as a memento for the rides that I complete. Just a way of proving that I actually got to where the map says I was. Next up, 1 week to go till our Penticton trip and the gruelling 100km+ rides begin.
Name: Quick ride on an old route
Date: 2010-06-20 1:00 pm
Distance: 35.5 kilometers
Elapsed Time: 1:22:12
Avg Speed: 25.9 km/h
Max Speed: 47.4 km/h
Avg Pace: 02' 19" per km
Min Altitude: 0 m
Max Altitude: 81 m
Start Time: 2010-06-20T20:00:36Z
Start Location: Latitude: 49.117794º N Longitude: 122.703222º W
End Location: Latitude: 49.117676º N Longitude: 122.703170º W