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26 mile Mississippi River levee ride. But this time I actually hooked up with some other riders - turns out all of us didn't feel like driving over to Thibodaux for a hot MS training ride around sugar cane fields. So a group of strangers became friends and we'll see each other on future training rides on the north shore (rides north of Lake Pontchartrain) that has some shade, and a unique concept for most of us - hills!
Sunday was a day of meeting and riding with brothers of the lady that I ride with on Thursdays. (Her brothers race cat4-5) IT was their "slow pace/cool down" after racing day. It was fun, we all met at Peter's house, and left. New clip pedals were still fresh for me, so I lagged at all the stop/start areas. We went for 29 miles, small hills and some grindy longer ones and they would take turns circling back to talk to DH (who also went, as we are on vacation now) or myself. They were so nice, and coaching us on to get up some hills and giving advice and talking in general. I was worried as, these guys are brutal and love hills and speed. I thought for sure there dust would be settled by the time we caught up to them, but they just meandered and went with the pace we had set. I realize it was their slow day but still, I thought we would be holding up their pace. We left at 3 in the afternoon. It was hot!!! and I am an early morning rider, so it took me a little to get under motion and used to the heat. I was nervous about riding with them, experienced riders vs. recreational riders, but we had fun. This was my first "group" ride and was fun. I don't think I would like a bigger group. This was just right for now.
We went north out of town to avoid Seafair people. While we did trail riding, it was full of "phantom hills". There was low grade incline most of the ride.
It was hot, windy (does all wind have to be headwind?!), and crowded. We ended up doing 52 miles though and it was DH's longest ride ever. All in all, it was good!