Home again: another Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour done

This was waiting in the fridge for me when I got home from day two of the Rideau Lakes Cycle tour earlier this afternoon.

• See also Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour – 2014 a report from one of the radio operators that provide communications along the Classic route. Three ambulance-inspiring accidents. Ouch

I have some statistical trivia to share but the most important number to note is that in the last few months I’ve spent on average seven hours a week on my bike preparing. That’s a lot of time not spent looking after the child, the house and everything else to which I am committed as a father, partner and homeowner. I’d like to thank my lovely partner Irene Jansen for taking up that slack and tolerating that and my obsessive chit-chat about cycling numbers.

Speaking of which, I had a much better ride this year. My moving average this Sunday, for example, was 30.1km/h where last year’s was 29.1. The number for 2011 is 27.8km/h. Saturday was slower, and yet my average heart rate on Sunday was way lower (139bpm) than Saturday (158bpm). Could the tailwind do all that? I don’t have an actual power meter (they cost more than I paid for my bike) but Strava’s approximated power output says I worked harder Sunday (159 watts) than Saturday (155 watts).

But enough statistics. Let’s talk something really exciting. Road conditions.

Last year I raved about how great it was that they’d repaved 4th Line Road between Donnelly Drive and Marilyn Wilson Road.

I suggested that if they wanted to further the cause of cyclist butt preservation, they could take on the disintegrating pavement on First Line Road between Dilworth Road and Kars. (Heck they could drive the asphalt spreader all the way to 4th Line Road and not waste an ounce of tar.)

And lo and behold they’re repaving First Line Road between Kars and Dilworth. Co-incidence or conspiracy? Of course they were at the stage where they’d stripped off all the asphalt (no loss, really) and there was gravel and dirt for a couple of kilometres.

I don’t know if that road is a provincial or municipal responsibility but this citizen thanks whichever levels of government are responsible and tips my hat to the people doing the work.

Next year, I’d like to nominate Sand Lake Road or Rattle Ass Road as I like to call it.