April 26 Rides

[spotlightmama]

Today I did 20 miles, mostly at about 15 mph (although I did get up over 20 mph a couple of times for a little speed work). DH dropped me off at the trailhead for one of our local bike paths - it was about in the middle, so I rode to the start, backtracked to my starting point and took it the other end. I was nervous about hitting the pedestrian bridge on my new bike (going down, that is), but it was cake.

After I had covered the entire path, I rode home. This is still very new for me, so it's still such a lovely and exhilarating feeling to ride in the road. There is something so great about sitting at a stoplight on a bike!

[smilingcat]

... went to the garden party...

well not quite. Rode the Wildflower ride in San Luis Obispo today. Still hacking, coughing and yes sick and my back is really sore from all the coughing so bailed and did the 50miler, there shortest route.

Just like the cindy ride, we had wind. not as bad, none the less wind. I love the ride, so well supported and rest stop were so well stocked. Maybe because I was one of the first ones to hit each stop.

I knew Paso Robles just north of the ride has lots of good wineries/vineyards and to the south in Santa Barbra has them too but I didn't know San Luis Obispo had its share of the vineyards. Pretty country ride with very few cars. I think maybe half a dozen or so car drove by me the whole ride.

And at lunch stop 9:30AM ish, they had sanitized hand wipes to clean your hand. OMG first evar on a ride for me. That was soo nice. To have clean hand for sandwitch lunch The support people were all so nice all smiling and cheering. They told me not to eat too much because the ride after the lunch has this (killer) hill. I asked around and it was 800 feet of climb broken into two section. 4% grade with parts at 6%. Well I paced myself on the hill. Got to the top of the hill and they had water station. From there it was mostly downhill back to the start/finish.

Not much of wildflower to see this season but the temperature was near perfect got bit warm (no where melting) toward the end of the ride.
All during the ride, I was looking all around. Taking in the view. Beautiful quiet place. lots of vineyards. Farm fields and virgin hillside with giant coastal oak trees everywhere. so pretty.

When I finished the ride I was bit early for the bar-b-q. I had to wait. It was worth the wait. I ate a very light lunch and had no breakfast before the ride. So the bar-b-q chicken was delici. and the cold lemonade was wonderful. felt like I was a kid again.

Then I drove 4 hours to get home. I hate LA traffic

start 49.??miles 18?? (one thousand eight hundred and ?? ) feet of climb. not much of climb. total ride time approximately three hours.

Fun ride,
smilingcat