Well, finally rode for more than 20 miles yesterday. The weather wasn't all that nice, but then it is October...cold temps in the low 50's (okay, I admit I'm a wimp), cloudy with a 30% chance of rain. After an initial trip to the Post Office to mail some bills (yucko! :mad: ) I ran by the house to put on a sweatshirt (Michigan State, Go Green!) and then I was off on the main portion of the ride.
My plan was to ride out for about an hour and then turn around and come home, a simple, easy two hour spinning ride. Just trying to put some miles under my legs and time in the saddle for my tuckus.
Well, I reached the far point of my route in just over an hour (hey, the one hour turn around wasn't carved in stone!). Unfortunately, that's also when it started to rain! A cold, nasty rain - thankfully it wasn't a driving, pouring rain, more a heavy drizzle. So my hopes of having my ride fit into the 70% of the day that didn't include rain was shot. And of course it happened at the far point of my ride!
Made the turn and started to press on home, and spent the next hour getting wet. Not at all pleasant, at least physically. Also discovered that after 20+ miles the saddle gets REALLY uncomfortable. Any suggests all y'all have to minimize that condition would be greatly appreciated! I also ran out of energy at about the same point - guess I should have packed some energy food, no? Again, any suggestions as to what makes a good energy food on a bike would be greatly appreciated (a friend suggests fig newtons).
Thirty-one miles after leaving the house I pulled into Flynne's Coffee Shop in downtown Southern Pines. Yep, I planned my route with a refueling stop! Spent a couple of hours there sipping espresso, talking to Flynne, and meeting new friends (well, I hope they'll become friends). Oh, also got recharged with carbohydrates (walnut biscotti and chocolate milk).
Seeing as it was still raining when I had to leave (yep, for some reason Flynne wanted to close shop and go home...), I called the son to get my car (the one with the bicycle rack) and come fetch me. Rotten child has a life of his own, and wasn't home. So, it was once more into the breech, er, rain, and off I went. For another five and a half miles. However, this part was much easier than the last five miles of the main portion of the ride.
So, yesterday's somewhat soggy total? A grand total of 36.63 miles! Oh, and I don't feel sore or stiff today (well, not much!).
Thought of this song while I was getting my cold, god-given shower...with apologies to the Beetles:
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ri-ide...
She's got a ticket to ride,
And she don't care!
That baby don't care!
Later that night, after a shower and dinner...I realized I missed being on the bike, rain, burning thighs, and all. Coming down from a ride well and truly sucks, no?
Red Lara
