December 10th, 2006 | categorizilation: all categories,Azerbaijan
Another ride with the Baku Bicycle Club today. This time it was all on road on a recently sealed road up into the hills 50km north of Baku. The road passes some amazing rock formations – dubbed the ‘candy case’ mountains for their bright pink and white stripes.
Today was my first opportunity to ride with other cyclists, with me on my recumbent. On the flat I could keep up, on the downhill I left others in my wake, but the uphills were much slower. I really felt the disadvantage of not being able to shift my weight in order to change how I was using my leg muscles. In a recumbent you are fixed in one position – no opportunity to change your riding ‘geometry’. It was a fun morning – another big thank you to the Baku Bicycle Club!
Hi Rob
Yeah it's a great fun to rid ewith other people. I started to organise mini social rides here in Perth as there is daylight saving in place (Western Australia didn't have it until this year) so we try to make the most of it after work. Funnily those who I ride with are British expats who appreciate Perth's better weather and prettier townscape plus the cafe al fresco culture. Most aussies are petrol thirsty people.
I have read recently that in the US bike sales surpassed car sales in the past 12 months. Isn't that a good news?
Don't forget to ask the bike club folks for tummy medicine you might need in your trip before you are deep into Europe.
Satoshi
Hi Rob,
It has been great catching up on your recent adventures. You seem to have come through the most recent brush with the law unscathed as well. We are all hoping your trip will feature better food and roads from this point forward. For your sake!
Candy Cane Mountains? That takes me back to playing the Candy Land board game in elementary school. Never new they were in Azerbaijan all along…
Enjoy the recreational cycling while you can!
Satoshi, the club members were onto it – they offered me tummy medicine before I even thought of it. I've got some effervecent Immodium tablets all sorted!
Chris, I don't thnk we ever got the Candy Land board game in New Zealand – sounds as though I may have had a deprived childhood…
Hi Rob,
I did some riding through the Colorado mountains with a group, on my recumbent. I lost my lowest 7 gears, so I was forced to "push it". As a result, I stayed up with the fastest riders. I payed the price about a week later, though, with two extremely sore Achilles tendons.
Jim, good effort. Perhaps with more training it would be possible to keep up with upright riders on hills…something to work on I guess.
