27 miles today -- very interesting ride! Into the wind the first ten miles, tail wind the next eight, then back into the wind, since it decided to shift.

We still have lots of smoke here in the valley and went riding hills. (pic in another thread about riding hills in the new riders area of our invisible mountain range) First there was the pretend flat stretch, which stopped me today for a bit so I could argue with my body about how we WERE going to do this ride -- how frustrating is that? Then there was the rolling stretch on the way to the brutal hill. The rolling part was actually easier: at least you know they're there! The real hill was a bugger today. I couldn't figure out which part of my body was rebelling most, but I struggled more than usual on this one today. Got to the top and celebrated by heading right down the back side of it instead of stopping at DH's rest spot -- but the wind was enough that I didn't hear him hollering "slow down" behind me, because I couldn't go fast enough to scare him today!

We turned off this road, and had a tail wind on a lovely flat that let us cruise easily at 18-20mph for about five miles: something I've never done before!

We stopped at a lovely new little coffee shop at about eighteen miles, and when we took off again, the winds had shifted -- it was pretty hard to deal with it pushing back and slowing us down again! That free feeling of running that comfort-beast bike of mine at what has to be top speed had really gotten into my system! (and I was thinking, disloyal owner that I am, "how much faster would I be going on a bike that's made for speed???")

As we wrapped up our ride, we cruised slowly together for a ways, and he said, "you did pretty well for wanting to quit 4 miles into the ride." I might get frustrated and annoyed with my body's response to what I tell it I'm going to do, but that invisible hill did NOT win! My response to him? "So, I wore you out today, then?" "Yup!" he admitted.

Earl thinks that tomorrow is a day for riding on some dirt hills. He's got the mistaken notion that I'll learn to like riding on that stuff. No offense to mountain bikers, but I don't like that dirt stuff, not at all! I think an easy, flat, fast cruise on the greenbelt, down by the river, with a light picnic in the middle sounds like just the thing!

Karen in Boise