Southern Oregon is very nice
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Epic day running in the snow of North Wales
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You got lot of snow at your side of the country, further east I don’t think we got more than 3cm. ‘Massive travel chaos’ 
back to reality…
Was really hoping when we got back we would be feeling like winter was ending vs. still feeling like we’re in the middle of it.
This was a miserable ride. When the winds come from the East, I don’t have much choice but to enjoy the tailwind at the beginning of the ride and then suffer to the finish. Averaged 18+mph going out and ~13mph on the return 
Snow overnight tonight so long day on the trainer tomorrow. 
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The bike desperately needs cleaned but I am fooked. Paris-Nice is all the excuse I need to stay sat on the sofa as today’s gravel ride was indeed a workout.
We headed out to Brigstock into a strong headwind. A couple of my mates had had enough after that headwind and headed straight to Oundle. We also went to Oundle by Fermyn Woods to Lowick, the wind was just as strong but we were protected by the trees and were motoring. We just missed them at the cafe.
After the cafe we cut back off through the Ashton Estate to Warminton, before going back off road again at Eaglethorpe to Elton. From Elton we came back on road to Peterborough and we finally got the advantage of that wind.
A well balanced workout 
4 days to recover I might watch the Tirreno before cleaning the bike.
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@hlab looks like a hard ride, well done.
@Benwgoodfellow nice trail run with good company.
Yesterday (Sat morning) was a run, instead of bike, because of snowfall late Friday night as winter made its last gasp after days of spring-like weather. We haven’t had much of a winter locally, with the relatively poor conditions at Swiss ski locations making the news, so this was nice. It was likely my last run in the snow here in Switzerland. It wasn’t much, but it was scenic. Below are two pics from opposite ends of the same pond. The run was 6.75mi with and relatively flat at 800’ of ascent. This used to be the “short” distance 3+ years ago, now it’s my “long” run as I continue to rebuild.
Today was another run to build on yesterday. I don’t usually run back-to-back days, but I have a 50k in 6 weeks, so it’s time to start training. It started raining last night, and it continued raining this morning. Besides wanting to get more time on the feet, I didn’t feel like cleaning the mud off the gravel bike. So it was a 5.3mi run, also reasonably flat (including a lap around this pond) with 510’ of ascent, with no snow on the trails and only a bit struggling to remain under cover of trees. My dog didn’t join me for either run, this time.
A revision to the family schedule means I can no longer do the D2R2 gravel ride August 19 as I’ll now be traveling.
However, I am now signed up for the Belgium Waffle Ride in Kansas (an event I looked at because of @WindWarrior’s race report) as I can schedule a planned research trip to the Truman Library, an hour away, around the BWR.
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My youngest is moving to Phoenix, so yesterday I was looking at BWR UT in August, and returning to BWR AZ next year.
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Well, the snow is completely gone and at 65F in the sun, time for short bibs. I did wear a not-lightweight long-sleeve top, which was good for the shade but not good for the sun. Heat training.
Did some hill repeats on gravel, which was fun.
Saw many gravel bikes today. More than I think I’ve ever seen in an hour, or in a day for that matter. Good times were had.
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nice looking repeats!
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Im currently drying of on the train but I am lazy when it comes to cleaning the commuter as its got guards.
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What happened when your Quarq / SRAM power meter died? I’ve got a SRAM Red crank with power, and before every ride do a zero reset. Its usually between 110 and 130. A couple weeks ago it popped up to 150ish, and then back to 110 to 130. On Friday it read 565, so I called Quarq and they answered within 5 seconds even though it was 5:55 in South Dakota and they close at 6pm. Guy tells me the normal range is -1000 to 1000 and to call back if power is wacky.
So I start my warmup, super easy pedaling and apparently I’m transformed into a pro:
So I pull the Panasonic battery, replace with a Duracell, and now the zero reset goes negative at -130. And now on Friday the power is seemingly back to normal.
So yesterday pre-ride I call Quarq again and they guy says “yank that Duracell, its got a special coating to stop kids from eating batteries” and of course I happily comply and put another Panasonic made in Japan battery into the meter. Zero offset -129, so at least its consistent. And normal power readings during my endurance ride. Appears to be working. I dunno what to think.
Tried comparing to a new pair of Garmin RS200 but the right side was reading a little high. I think it was over-torqued slightly because I discovered my torque wrench only works one direction. Going to fix that today.
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I seem to recall seeing something on this … maybe @dcrainmaker … but can’t remember exactly. However, Quarq’s advice to go to a non-coated coin cell battery is what I recall. 
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yeah I had read that before.
My inner geek was having trouble with zero reset value going from:
- positive 110-130 over 1+ years
- 150
- 565 and I was suddenly transformed into having pro power
- negative 130 (-130)
Its that back flip from +130 to -130 that has my head spinning.
Told the Quarq support dude I was an engineer, and he explained the strain gauges are sensitive little buggers and as long as power wasn’t wacky all was good if zero reset values were between -1000 and 1000. But don’t hesitate to call back for an RMA.
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The first of two times my Quarq Dzero died on me, the “minor” swings repeated for several to many riding days before the calibration number went wild and into five digits (as in -32000). The second time, on the same bike with the warranty replaced unit, I did not get the same heads-up. I want to say the calibration numbers were off, but they didn’t go nuts like they did with the first failure. During an outdoor TR workout, my power wattage shot up to 700, 800, 1000, 1700, 2000 etc, which was neat to see, but not helpful.
By the way, support was great though on the second time there was a bit of a delay as they couldn’t believe I killed the replacement (in other words, that I killed two PMs on the same bike). Fortunately, both were covered and thus free (excluding LBS labor).
Good luck!
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Ask and you shall receive…
But yeah, in short, don’t use Bitter Batteries for power meters.
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Thanks.
Rained all morning, heavy winds, and afternoon scattered rain. Put the power pedals on the grocery store bike and headed out on a Wind Warrior blustery evening ride:
Long steady distance? Limited slow distance! Not aero, haven’t maintained the drivetrain, and some 35c Pirelli Cinturato slow rolling tires. Couple of times I was putting down 230W and doing 9mph into a massive wall of wind.
Creek near our house forced an alternate route out of the neighborhood
On the west side of town these nut trees took the brunt of the heavy wind and rain. Pollination might have been interrupted, the petals are on the ground looking like snow.
No bueno.
Grocery store bike:
A lot of trees coming down because the ground is saturated and high winds. Here is a beautiful old valley oak tree that met its match:
Sad but we needed all this rain.
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In stark contrast to yesterday’s snow and freezing temperatures overnight this afternoon was lovely and warm. I wore the gloves I should have worn yesterday but my lightest bib longs and a short sleeved Gabba.
Sticking to my endurance Wednesday scheme I decided to take an old favourite Giroud. Ive probably said it before but I like it as its not one long outdoors interval. I spun round at a relatively high cadence to the temporary traffic lights that seem to have been permanent. Down Bullock Rd to the Washingley Cross roads and down through Folksworth to the old A1 before cutting through the recently built industrial estate to Peterborough. I was a bit earlier than I planned so to finish the workout on reasonable roads I turned left and came back by the Lynchwood Business Park and the Orton Wistow spine road.
There’s a bit of a lull as coasted to the temporary lights and a sprint through; a bit of a lull where I was too timid to sprint down hills and surges at roundabouts (traffic circles) but on the whole I think it was reasonably compliant and I achieved my goal of keeping my cadence fairly high.
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2 hours of Z2, mostly gravel for the first time this year!
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