Monday May 24 rides

Oh boy, the real riding has begun. We left Cordoba around 9 AM and began climbing almost immediately. It was still cooler out, though. I found my Body Glide and the tour leader went tot he bike store and bought me some type of saddle sore stuff that I have never seen in the US. It's helped, but I realized that my Terry Bella shorts aren't as good in the real heat as the Shebeest Ultras (or whatever they are called). The roads in the AM were washed out from floods a couple of weeks ago; I swear some of it was like single track and I was wishing that I was riding a hybrid as most of the others are. My fear of descending was intensified like 100% from this, as well as the fact I can't reach the brakes from the drops and have to descend from the hoods. But, I made it. Had a nice tuna and tomato sandwich in a small town and off we went. It was 90 degrees by now. The 3 rabbits in the group went ahead (they are OK, but really, I wonder if they are seeing anything). The serious climbing started almost immediately. The rest of the group fell back; when Steve and I finished what I thought the "bad" climb, the leader rode up with us and told us, nope, the worst was yet to come. I was starting to doubt my ability to do it when the leader informed me I was not in my granny gear! The shifting on my bike sucks (105), and it's driving me nuts. So, up we went. It was a 7 mile climb, probably not the steepest grades I've done, but the longest/steepest combination I have done. Lots of switchbacks. It stared getting a bit cooler, up there, too. Several of the riders had stopped and walked a bit, but only one guy had to go in the van... he's probably close to 80 years old. We got to the top before the group, my strategy of just going as slowly as I can the whole time, worked. And there's no computer on the bike, so I am freed of that. After that was the long descent, where I was the last one down. We had about 4k to go until the hotel in Baena, and we all rode together, with the leader in front.
This is a nice little town. Got out of the sweaty shorts pronto,showered and went to a little bar for sangria and cheese. I am fighting sleep right now, but have an hour until dinner.
I have noticed that I am the only one using anything like Accelerade and no one else brought their own bars/snacks. I have found Shot Blocks to be a godsend in the hot weather, as well as pouring water on my head and down my jersey! This is definitely my best tour; it's an international group, no weirdos or drunks on this one.

It sounds like you landed in a good group of people! How far is your group going?

My little ride(s) today pale in comparison :) I set out to ride 25 miles on country roads this morning at 9:00 before it got too hot. Best laid plans...I finally got to my starting point at 10:15 and I carefully avoided looking at the temperature. Had everything I needed, knowing the actual temp would just make me hotter :rolleyes:

So off I went - route had some nice empty roads with hills and some gravel patches to keep my attention. This is probably common for a new rider, but stopping the bike can be somewhat interesting - especially as I get tired. I stopped in some shade for a breather and water, and my stopping was a little...ungraceful. Didn't think anything about it until I was going back down the road and felt something trickling down my leg....and of course it was blood. My chain ring has bitten me before, but not THAT bad. I did feel something when stopping, but not what I would call painful so ignored it.

Decisions decisions, finish my ride or head back to my friends house and take care of it? Pretty good gash, but no stitches needed - and as a diabetic...I went back to my friends house. An entire 8.5 miles ridden. So headed to my fall-back park and rode another 7 miles there. 15.5 miles is better than 8.5, and with the temps decided it time to call it a day.

My vacation is now over - back to the office tomorrow... and time to get a little first aid kit for my seat-bag :o

I took my bike out for a spin, this time with both feet clipped in. I did a total of 4.5 around my neighborhood to get used to it. I fell twice. The first because for some reason, I leaned left. The second was because I got over-confident, tried a tight turn (from a stop, thankfully), and lost my balance. Both times, I fell on my left knee. So I have a lovely scrape, and I need to take my bike to the shop tomorrow to have the front wheel trued. And I was planning on riding...:(

On the bright side, I conquered my fear of the hill that got me off my bike when I was a kid. (I didn't crash or anything, it was just steep enough to scare me.) I hit 27.6 mph going down that hill (even when hitting the brakes)! Exhilarating, but also terrifying. Then I had to get back up said hill...at 8 mph.

I took the day off and did a 48 mile ride. Less wind than what I've been riding in lately, so I didn't feel quite so beaten up by the end.

This sounds like a great trip, Crankin. Keep posting the reports if you can.

Thunder shower happened instead of my ride :( Such is life in Florida!