I sometimes fill in lifeguarding/teaching swim lessons for the local YMCA when I'm available, and got a call last night to teach some lessons at a pond a couple of towns over this morning (the pond is called Carbuncle Pond, which is really a disgusting name for a place where people swim). I had today off from my regular job at the hospital, so I said I'd do it and decided I'd ride my bike there instead of driving. I figured the place was about six or eight miles from my apartment and gave myself plenty of extra time in case a flat tire or something happened. Well, it turns out it's more like 12.5 miles away!! I should have done the Mapquest thing to figure out the distance before going. It was a good thing I gave myself the extra time, because I needed it--not only did the distance turn out to be more than anticipated but I also made a wrong turn at one point (and, I'm ashamed to say, did a bit of wrong-way riding on a one-way street to fix the error--I felt like I had no alternative given that the other option was to go onto a road that I thought might dump me onto the freeway!). I got there barely on time, and the other instructors/lifeguards there thought I was a little crazy to ride my bike there from where I live. The lessons went well, and it sure felt good to get in the water and cool off! I made sure to be completely soaking wet before getting on the bike to go home--it is HOT and humid here lately!! The ride home went better than the ride there--no navigational screwups and it took me just over an hour. I have to say, 25 miles of riding in one day is by far the most I've done--the most I ever did before was about 15. I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight!