Kids aren't coming til Sunday -- both daughters have in-laws to contend with, and so, being just DH and I, when he woke up this morning, he woke me and asked what would I like to do today. I said, I'd like to do the ride I didn't do on Tuesday....

What did you have in mind? he asked. When I told him, he asked if I was sure about that -- Think you can do it? You haven't done one that long this year... I said, of course I can. Might be stiff and sore tonight, but I can do it!

(weather and work on tuesday!)

Chilly morning -- it had warmed up to about 30 degrees by the time we left for the first time at 11:30.

About a mile and a half into it, DH realized what I mentioned as we were starting out -- something on his bike was rubbing. He had a bad spoke, so we went home to deal with that by robbing the back wheel from my poor comfort-beast yet again! (which meant he was going to use his own for a change. He really does like my Armadillo Nimbus tires!) But then his brake was rubbing on the wheel, so we had to fiddle around a while longer getting into actual riding shape.

Got our REAL start an hour later, a bit after noon.

The plan was fifty miles. (Like I said, it was going to be my Tuesday ride, to celebrate 50 years)

Today was a beautiful, crisp, clear day, the weather was the coldest we've ridden in, along with the latest in the year. We haven't been on our bikes at all this month. This was probably a silly idea, but we did plan a route that left us with plenty of shortcuts home, if we decided that we just weren't up to it.

At about 18 miles, DH stopped us on the side of the road. I think he was considering turning around. I said we had to go on: no bathrooms where we'd been, or anywhere else on the way home. We weren't in the part of the wide world where one might find a lonely bush, so we had to keep going to the town we had in mind -- Tater, you'll know Pleasant Valley Road and 10-Mile Creek road (icky head wind there today. Usually we cruise at 20mph on that stretch, but 12-14 was it this trip!) DH had suggested what turned out to be a really neat route to Kuna, just south of the train tracks that run out there by Kuna -- we picked it up where Eagle road crosses, Tater. It's a kind of nice little two lane paved farm/neighborhood road, no traffic, mostly flat, good place to cruise when you've been pushing it for a while!

Little did I know we'd be at mile 30 before we found a gas station! By that time, we were well overdue for snacks, and our legs were eager for the break. Didn't stay put for long though, cuz of the very real possibility we'd never get up and start riding again.

It was a good news bad news situation for the last 20 miles: we rode with the wind much of the time, but it had also cooled off a LOT while we took that little break! When I noticed that it was about 4:00, I knew we only had about 90 minutes til sunset, and too far to go safely on busy mostly shoulder-less roads. We were slowing down. Rode too hard the first, familiar half the ride! So, we altered our route to take us closer to home sooner, and through all of the subdivisions that we spent last summer touring and watching construction. This was fun -- we were toodling along, able to ride side by side and chat, which we don't usually do, since we usually ride more like 15-20 miles, kind of pushing each other to ride harder. (included in the conversation was, maybe we screwed up, riding too hard the first half the ride, should have paced ourselves better for the long haul!)

We could have aborted the 50 mile goal any time after about mile 40, but hung in there, "not breaking any speed records" as DH said, and hit 50 miles on the trip odometer RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, just as the sun set.

We're both sore tonight. We got our nice, cozy sweats on, and DH is bundled in his favorite blanket in front of the TV now. He's finally conceded I know what I'm talking about when I've told him for years and years that he needs to keep those muscles warm after a good work out like this one! I'm heading back upstairs in a moment to join him -- and bask in the accomplishment! (I will TRY to get him out of his chair to stretch a bit tonight, which will make both of us much more mobile in the morning!)

Trip observations -- several beautiful hawks, some road kill -- one deer, one skunk, and one unidentifiable furry thing. Shoes are roomy enough now that I could have had my wool socks on if they weren't in the laundry. When muscles are tired and sore, it's MUCH more painful to ride into the wind than with the wind. My Roubaix was very happy to carry me all that way, and my saddle (specialized ariel) might be a bit on the too wide side, but I was comfortable for the duration. (poor DH didn't fare as well) The gloves I bought for riding this fall and winter might just do me for skiing on nice days too, and the second layer pants I bought to go over the tights might do under the ski pants. Have to wait til I pick the skis and boots up from the shop this weekend to see if they'll work with ski boots.

What a GREAT way to spend the afternoon! I don't know if he'll let me talk him into that again, but I sure hope so! Next time, we'll plan a bit better -- make sure he's got all his spokes intact, and that the brakes aren't rubbing a day or two ahead of the trip. (and maybe ride a bit more beforehand) Hmmm, wouldn't be so bad to make this a Thanksgiving tradition, weather permitting, and then the kids won't have family conflicts either. This could be a win-win thing all around!

Okay, rambled enough, gotta go find some food now!

Karen in Boise