Productive vacation! Now with more road rash!

[Owlie]

I spent the last week and a bit in Arizona with the boyfriend. Due to some planning issues and then the BF getting sick, we didn't get to ride together, but I did get a ride in with his old Boy Scout troop (he and his family are still friends with the troop leaders). I was nervous because there was more climbing than I'm used to on a knee that's still not entirely thrilled with riding (or so I thought) on a borrowed bike on unfamiliar roads and with people I don't know. The route did go up behind a neighborhood within walking distance of BF's parents' house, so told myself that if I needed to, I could turn off and go home. No need. I finished the whole 30-mile ride. Phoenix-area drivers don't appear to be total (ahem). I was able to keep up pretty well with people who are much stronger riders than I, and my knee didn't hurt as much as it does doing a flat 20 on my own bike. (I guess a compact double combined with a ten-speed cassette is much more my-knee-friendly than a triple with an 8-speed cassette, although the bike fit better too. ) The only slight hitch was a fall--two guys in front of me stopped short, and it turns out that the brakes on that bike have a lot more "play" in them than mine do, and that the pedals I borrowed from my boyfriend's dad are tighter than mine. Oops. I've got a little oozy patch of road rash on my left knee now. A souvenir, perhaps? But overall a good ride and I was very glad to be able to ride in relative warmth and sunshine. (And burn off the delicious food that BF's dad makes. And the beer...)

The boyfriend and I also hit up a couple bike shops so I could research a couple new road bikes that I haven't had a chance to try. I hope you TEers in the southwest know how lucky you are! I rode a Ruby, an Amira, and a SuperSix. I really liked the Amira, though sizing is a little iffy. Hard to draw conclusions on the SuperSix because it was a size too big, but it felt pretty good, despite being too long.

Oh, and remember how I complained that BF was not on board with this CX bike thing? He has seen the light! He said "After thinking it over a bit, I realized that you live in Ohio and have actual winters, so it'll be great! It'll also be easier on your knees, and if you move here, you can put road tires on it and commute!" (Uh, wasn't that what I was saying to begin with?)

[murielalex]

I guess the boyfriend had to think it was his idea

Sounds like a really nice ride, minus the road rash part.