Riding With Johnny Howe

I usually ride alone, because I squeeze my rides into a busy schedule. But today I went with a friend from church who is an avid rider. Even though he said he's not been riding for several months we still had a good quick paced ride. We average 25kph even though we rode on the hilly "Route de "Vignoble" from Nyon to Fechy and back. (If you want to see the route, go to www.viamichlin.com and type in Nyon Switzerland as the start and Fechy Switzerland as the end and it will give you our route).

I find that when I ride with someone else, I keep my pace up higher and more consistently than when I ride along. We traded draft a bit and at the end I was at the head. Johnny urged on up that last hill as I stood on the pedals, riding out of the seat. We ended having had a good training ride.

Distance 33 kms.
Time just over an hour.
Weather-cold, sunny, clear 10-14 degrees.

Total for the week: 55kms

Terre Sainte Loop

Today, because of the stiff south wind I headed southest from Nyon, through the Changins Agricultural station, up thorugh Asse toward Trelex, then on to Gingin, Cheserex. From there I headed up to the Abbey de Bonmont (there is nice golf course there) and caught a cyclable foot path called "Jura Crete." It turned nearly straight south to La Rippe. From there I headed down to Crassier, hitting 55kph, on then on to Bogis-Bossey, Chavannes de Bogis and passing La Chataigneraie, Founex, Commugny and Coppet.

In Coppet I took the "Route du Lac" back to Nyon.

Total distance: 37kms
Total Climb: 421m to 600m
Weather: overcast, 7 celcius, wind s 20 kph

Nyon-Basssins and Back

Today I did an hour and a half by climbing from Nyon (406 meters) to Bassin (750 meters) traversing the villages of Duilliers, Coinsins, Genolier (passing by the world famous Clnique de Genolier) Le Muids and ending in Bassins. It's a continual climb of just 1000 ft vertical and nearly 15 kilmeters. The direction is north west so I had a headwind on the way up.

The descend was through La Cezille, Genolier, Duiller, but only 11 kms. Wind at my back.

Total distance 26 kms.
Weather: overcast, temperature 8 celcius
Wind: Bise (north) 25kph

Good work out

Rainy Day- In door training

Back on the Airdyne- 11.6 miles or 18.56 kms- 38 minutes

Nyon-Cheserex-Aubonne-Nyon - 47kms

Cold today, below freezing. So I donned nearly all my cold weather biking great including heavy gloves and neoprene over shoes.

The "bises" (local French jargon for strong north wind) was blowing today so after going to downtown Nyon for Saturday morning men's group, then to Cheserex (west from Nyon) to set-up for our church's twentieth anniversary, I headed north to Aubonne and then back to Nyon. Coming down the hill out of Aubonne with the wind at by back, I hit nearly 55kph. I averaged better than 20 kph for the whole ride.

Indoor cycling

Spent 35 minutes on our stationary bike as it got too wet to ride on the Friday afternoon. But I still got in a good bit of exercise as we have a Schwinn Airdyne that is both a stationary bike but also an upper body trainer that simulates cross-country skiing. 35 minutes at nearly 70 rpm is more than enough for me to break a sweat.

Hopefully, back on the bike tomorrow.

10 miles on the Airdyne = about 16 kms

Ballynahinch Stage Two

Got another 20 miles in around Ballynahinch. This time it was alone. I did the 20 miles circuit by doing some dead recogning. It was cold (0 Celsuis).

Tomorrow, maybe Portstewart.

Ballynahinch

On a business to trip to Northern Ireland to see John Duncan, the European Area Director for YFC, he and I did twenty miles in the beautiful NI countryside around Ballynahinch.

I felt really good and got my confidence restored aftering "bonking" (cyclist talk for running out of energy) on Thursday. The vintage Olmo that John had fit me well and I really enjoyed our ride.

Maybe more tomorrow.

Climb to St. Cergue

Thursday at lunch I went up to St. Cergue (1047 meters, Nyon 406= 641 meter climb). It's 16kms from my house and 17 down going through Arzier.

It was a very warm climb. I had to shed my hat, windproof undershirt and light gloves. But at the top, it was quite cold, so back on went all I'd shed.

I thought it would be no problem to climb, but I was wrong. That 34kms has wiped me out for several days. I think I had not drunk enough water before I went and had not eaten enough in the days previous including that morning. I found it quite discouraging. But I'll be back on bike this weekend. We'll see how I do.

Commute the back way

Commuted to Coppet the back way- Nyon, Crans, Celigny, La Chataigneraie, Commugny, Coppet - but via the roads above the lake route through farms and vineyards.

Return home on the Lake Route

24kms.

Vic Jakobsen

It's interesting to see that for many, faith and and fitness go together. Vic Jakobsen, a faithful servant of God cycles an hour every day. So I biked half and hour to meet him (to Tannay), bikee an hour and ten minutes with him and then a half an hour back home. (26 km there are back and another 20 with Vic).

46 km today.

254 km total for the week

Commuting Training

Riding to work, amateur cyclists do it to reclaim time. So I'm no exception. Yesterday I got in 28 kms and today another 20 kms. Part of the ride yesterday was a ride to lunch at Chavannes Center...only 12 minutes up and 10 minutes back...8km round trip.

So the weeks total so far is 208 kms.