Yesterday made my 40th ride of the season -- last year, I had 43 rides for the whole year. This is a good thing! Shorter rides, though -- I'm not up to the mileage I did last year in 43 rides by a long shot! Oh well, riding is riding, even when it's short!

We did some new-to-us stretches along a favorite route yesterday, lengthening it by about ten miles, and a few more wicked hills. We have a hill on this loop that challenges us big time - it's about 275 foot climb in a mile. seems little compared to what I read about some of our "big kids" doing here, but for us... I slogged my way up in the granny gear, doing the "I know I can I know I can" all the way, while DH went up and came back to find me and up again (the show off!).

That's followed by a down-up on a nice straight stretch that's an absolute blast to fly down and then struggle back up -- about 200ft down, then back up same all in about a quarter mile. The next one, we usually turn off half way down, and take a nice mostly a tad-bit downhill three and a half miles. At the top of it, I managed to get DH to stop. What's the matter? Nothing, I want to ask you a question, and you won't hear me.... Wanna go farther out? He had to think long and hard. (dunno why!) Finally, he agreed that yes, we should go out to the next "real" road.

When we got there, he wondered, should we go see how far this road goes? Sure, why not? We went on, enjoying having a nice, paved two lane to ourselves on a lovely sunny morning. Came to a train track with a train coming from the west, so we scurried across (the one I saw was coming from the east!) and found less lovely pavement, so the ride wasn't quite so smooth, but not intolerable. Anyway, I'm riding along, picking out the smoothest parts, and enjoying the desert scenery, when suddenly I realize: NO MORE PAVEMENT!

Oh crap! I thought. (it was a stronger word in my head) Next thought: Hey feet! out of the pedals! as I braked to a not quite screeching halt just before hitting the gravel and stopping less glamourously. I was a little bit disappointed, since the road had looked like it would just take us straight into the distance maybe all the way to Nevada, and I was feeling really good! Turning around and retracing our path took us into head winds, darn it...

Lots more practice in the drops yesterday, and lots more hill practice, pushing myself in a bit higher gears too. I found some new muscles last night, where I hadn't noticed them in a LONG time. Mentioned this to DH, and he said, well you DID ride differently today...

It was a GOOD 33 miles!

Karen in Boise