10 Miles is easy -- if there's no wind

Today was cool (62 degrees), windy and dreary. Nathan and Stephen and I had a chance to ride while Erin (still recovering from oral surgery on Wednesday) had lunch with a friend. We hadn’t been out since the Tour d’Donut…so we were somewhat rusty. Stephen and Nathan spent some time with the bikes before we headed out. Nathan’s has been shifting roughly, so it was time to oil things up.

We started at the trailhead of Terry Hershey Park on Memorial Drive, just west of Eldridge. This is a great park to ride through. The trails are paved and wide enough for people to ride in pairs (although our bike marshal Stephen won’t let us). We rode out to Highway 6 – about 2 miles and stopped to plan the rest of the route. I frequently go that far with the dogs when we do our “car walks”. It’s amazing to me how LONG 2 miles seems when you’re being dragged by two dogs (sometimes in two different directions!) vs. when you’re riding.

It’s pretty flat where we rode today. The biggest challenge came from Highway 6 to Barker- Clodine Road. We rode north about ¾ of a mile against a rather persistent headwind. Then we headed west and dealt with it as a cross wind for about 2 miles. I was glad that Stephen had suggested jackets. I had planned on going without one. I’m so glad he’s our “coach”. It really increases the likelihood that Nathan and I will be successful!

Once we got to Barker-Clodine Road, Erin called to tell us that she would be done with her lunch around 3:30. We turned around and headed back the way we came. I had responded to Erin via text page before we’d headed back. Stephen and Nathan took off ahead of me and I started back. Then I heard my phone ringing, so I stopped and checked my message… (”K” from Erin)… Once I’d put everything back, the boys were way ahead of me. I poured on the pedaling and caught up to them. I realized then that I needed a speedometer (back to Performance Bike!) so that I could be proud of myself for my speed (or recognize that pouring it on only feels like you’re going fast --)

Nathan learned how to ride without hands today. That was fun to watch. I’m not certain that I’ll add that to my repertoire.

You can see the route at the link below (I think). The map program says it was 10.12 miles. Stephen’s odometer showed 10.54. It took us about 56 minutes of actual riding…so the MS 150 (at 182 miles) will take us about 18 hours…YIKES! Wait, we’ll have a lot of training under our belts (on our butts?) before then…maybe it won’t take quite that long.

http://www.mapmywalk.com/route/us/tx/houston/256401254932

28 miles is longer than 14 miles

But you probably already knew that.

All four of us completed the "Tour de Donut" today. This ride is billed as the only ride that allows you to finish before you start. Each donut consumed knocks 5 minutes off your elapsed time riding...completely and totally not worth it to me.

Nathan and I held up pretty well. We both agreed that it was harder than we'd expected it to be. Fortunately, the official training rides that we'll do for the MS 150 will start off shorter than this one. So, we know we can do at least the first three without too much trouble. After that, we'll have trained sufficiently for 39 miles to seem like nothing!

Erin and I rode together for the first 20 miles and then we traded partners so I could ride with Nathan for a while. We dragged our butts across the finish line after about 2 1/2 hours of actual riding and about 3 hours elapsed.

We packed the car back up and headed home where I made breakfast for lunch. Nathan and Erin both ate 10 pancakes. Nathan added about six pieces of bacon to that!

Now I'm off to doing laundry and grading papers. Hope I can stay awake until 10 tonight!

Gearing Up

We spent far more money than we expected to today amassing gear for our first organized ride tomorrow morning. Stephen and I are really looking at this as the preparation for our empty nest phase -- so we're buying what we think will last for the next six years or so.

So, today I have a new (pink -- hmmm) helmet, a pair of biking gloves, a jersey of my very own (that I don't have to earn or borrow from Erin!) and some fancy schmancy sunglasses. Nathan has all of these as well -- although his helmet isn't pink and he got biking shorts instead of sunglasses.

Erin (who had a very tough day with work and marching and shopping for people other than herself) scored a polka-spotted jersey that she's planning to wear tomorrow morning.

We leave the house at 6:30 AM (Thank GOD for daylight savings time -- although, truly, I don't think God really approves). The dogs will have their kongs to keep them company without us.

Oh! I forgot to mention that Nathan made 3rd chair percussionist in the All City Middle School Band today!

I'll write more tomorrow after the ride!