IRL Ride for Chicago Area Athletes

@Coach_Theia any updates on getting an irl ride set up for us local peeps?

Thanks for the reminder @Reneea2002! Let’s see what everyone’s availability is so we can schedule it!

Please check all that would work for you (time would be in the AM and location TBD depending on where everyone lives):

paging @PaleGail @NUGirl @reservoircat @Luv2bike

  • Sat Aug 1st
  • Sun Aug 2nd
  • Sat Aug 15
  • Sun Aug 16
  • Sat Aug 22
  • Sun Aug 23

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I am really looking forward to meeting you guys!

Is this mainly for the greater Chicago area?

I thought we were voting on the sprint workout. I probably will not be able to make it to the Chicago area.

And anyone willing to travel to Chicago to ride with us!!

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We are now required to wear masks in Indiana. Im not sure where Illinois is on the great mask debate. I have a feeling our IRL ride will be canceled. I get it but…UGH!

masks for cycling @Reneea2002?

I think the IL guidance is to where a mask if you cannot avoid others. Businesses such as CVS, are requiring it for entry into the stores. I wear masks while going for walks and almost never see folks under the age of 30 wearing one. I just step into the street to avoid these people.

On my rides I have a mask in my pocket just in case but I cannot imagine wearing one on the bike for a hard workout or even a longish ride but I do see the occasional cyclist wearing one. Even saw a girl this weekend wearing a mountain bike helmet with some kind of fabric covering over it. Pretty extreme! Folks in IL that I see on bikes are largely not wearing masks. I have seen enormous gaggles of cyclists riding in groups with no discernible order (overlapping wheels and more than two abreast), also not a mask in sight. Even had two occasions in the past two weeks where a total stranger jumped on my wheel without asking / announcing / introducing themselves and yes, I yelled at them “Yo…Six Feet Buddy.” I may be drafting off of someone but I live with that someone…definitely doesn’t give that person the right to jump on my wheel - - a practice that in normal times I have always found both creepy and dangerous is now mindbogglingly obnoxious and inconsiderate to me…that said, I understand if you need to cancel an in-person meet up. I will be disappointed but completely understand.

I do not wear masks for riding here in IL either. I have not been going out in groups. I did 2 rides with 4 of my female teammates since mid-June. We all know each other, have all been working from home, and did not wear masks on our rides. I believe the risk of transmission is quite low in a small group, and would not mind riding with you, @Reneea2002 @reservoircat and @PaleGail. It’s up to you! No pressure.

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I have been pretty extreme in my rule following and also working from home. I have had one or two visitors to my roof deck and we sat far apart from each other. What I am reading now indicates outside activities are pretty safe and that there is pretty much no way that working out in an indoor gym is safe. Now they are even saying mass transit is pretty safe if everyone wears a mask.

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We are supposed to have a mask on anytime we are within 6 feet of someone we dont live with. Its actually a misdemeanor charge if you are caught supposedly. I just assumed IL is the same.

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Coming from the first epicenter, I recommend wearing a mask outdoors and in any store. I don’t where mine when riding, but when I’m closer to people when riding I do put it on. I know the viral load is unlikely but I’m not aware of what others immunity is so use your best judgement is my advice. :v:t2:

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as an aside, I attempted the 60 mile Tour De La Porte this weekend and all of the start on Lakeshore is a dirt road as they are in the process of repaving you actually cannot do the 60 or 100 mile options as a bridge over a highway is missing! The detour was clearly designed for cars so that was also a no go and while I didn’t realize that out of the box the Wahoo Roam requires a firmware update (have subsequently installed and seems to have fixed things and worked somewhat the next day in Morris, IL), but my Wahoo Roam was utterly useless in this scenario…even the take me back to the start function just kept saying “rerouting” without actually suggesting another route. I ended up figuring out a work around using my phone and Google maps…then Jon had not one, but two flats…first the rear and then the front and we didn’t pack a second tube for him. Felt so dumb and unprepared. I ended up leaving him by the side of the road in farm country and figuring out the quickest and safest way back to the car (which turns out must have been part of one of the shorter TDL courses as it was partially marked!), and then went back and picked him up in the car.

Fiascos aside, I have to say, La Porte County might be my new favorite place to ride. The road quality was amazing, very few cars and those we did encounter seemed pretty careful around cyclists. Good combo of flats and then rollers as you got closer to the Lake Michigan shore line. Saw only one other group of three cyclists (and they were hauling!). Hoping to go back out again this summer and maybe the Wahoo will work and / or the bridge will have been re-built by then.Good to have another great option for riding just an hour outside of the City!

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@reservoircat We SO miss riding with you & Jon, Liz! Such solid and smart cyclists. Reading your report makes me miss you all the more! :purple_heart:
-Angie

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Awww! Miss riding with you guys too!. I remember summers full of seriously epic riding. Wish I had my gps files fro back then!!!

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any chance we could make this happen this coming Sunday?

This Sunday I have a smaller window to ride because Drew is going away for the day and the kids have swimming mid-day, so I can do it depending on location and start time. How far are you from Chicago?

If its not a good day thats ok too. I would say im like an 1 and 20 minutes from chicago.

Do you think this will still happen this year?

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