So, you’d imagine that the riskiest part of riding a bike might be flying downhill at 30 mph. There’s nothing between your head and the road except your helmet if you fall – and I just choose to believe that will never happen to me or to Stephen or to my kids. Stephen fell making a sharp turn on a wet wooden bridge a couple years back. It scared him enough that sometimes he walks across that bridge even today. It cracked his helmet…so he’s got good reason to be scared.
Erin’s fallen a couple times from turning too sharply. Because she’s Erin, she gets back up and dusts herself off and wears clothes that show off her bruises and road burn until they heal.
Nathan announced early this season that he hadn’t had a single fall in 2009…and then rode headlong into a tree. All of us got quite a kick out of that (he wasn’t hurt in the least). He had one more fall later this year when he turned too short. He scraped up his knee and Erin had a wonderful time cleaning up and bandaging the wound.
And then…we have my specialty.
The zero-mile-per-hour-fall (ZMPHF) is an art form. First, you have to be wearing bike shoes and using “clipless” pedals. When I graduated to a road bike last summer, I graduated to this type of pedal. On my first trip out, Stephen patiently explained that I needed to develop a routine of “unclipping” the same foot as I slowed down EVERY time I did so. Since ignoring Stephen’s advice is what I do, I ignored him. And fell. Hard. Less than one block from home. I had a HUGE bruise on my hip from that one. I wobbled for a day or two actually. I recall showing my friend Tammy the bruise at the gym one afternoon. She advised me to find something safer to do with my time.
So, when the season started up again, I was a wee toady bit nervous about falling again. I got what I thought was THE fall out of the way on our first family ride. We got up to the intersection leading out of our neighborhood, unclipped the wrong foot and toppled over. Nathan laughed. I broke my water bottle holder on that fall. I had a lovely, colorful, but slightly smaller bruise on my hip from that one. Lasted about two weeks.
See, the thing is, in order for the bike to stay standing upright, it needs either a) forward motion or b) a prop of some sort. My foot is supposed to be the prop. So when I don’t clip out, the bike has no way of staying up. Since I’m ON the bike…I go where it goes. Over.
So, on our first or second trip out for a night ride, I got to the end of a street, pulled up to a stop and unclipped on the right side…and leaned to the left….and fell over. I thought quickly enough to get my most padded body part down first – and somehow or another suffered road burn – when your skin just kind of tears off in patches -- on my butt. This got a lot of laughs at the house. Including one from that darling husband of mine who declared that he wasn’t sure we had a bandage big enough to cover the wound. Quite the comedian, that guy.
And then, I figured that I’d gotten into the proper routine, so my falling days were over. I went 8 weeks without a fall. But on the MS 150 last weekend, we had to slow way down to roll through an accident site. I don’t like to unclip, so I didn’t. I kept slowly moving forward (see the paragraph above) until…all of a sudden…there was nowhere else to go…I stopped. I didn’t unclip. And over I went. Of course, there’s something sort of worse about falling over in a crowd of bicyclists. At least that time nobody laughed (out loud).
I, apparently, can RIDE the bike. I just can’t stand still.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Ode to 170.4 Miles
Watching the weather all week was such a bad idea. All week long it shifted from 30% to 60% chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday. But, in the end, the meteorologists landed on 30% and we landed on a commitment to ride regardless of the weather (with the exception of thunder and lightening).
So, Saturday morning found us at the crack of dawn at the corner of Eldridge and North Dairy Ashford waiting for the starting gun. It rained fairly steadily until the first rest stop – and then it stopped for the rest of the day. We’d decided we would ride in pairs as we usually did – but it never quite worked out that way. We expected crowds of riders to separate us, but they didn’t. We were able to stay together as a quartet for the whole day and that was a real treat. Erin and Nathan and I had the chance to get (and stay) silly. We motivated other riders (to ride very fast away from us) as we sang songs and told corny jokes or teased each other. Stephen generally smiles as these antics carry on. He was probably also motivated to ride very fast away from us.
The best part about Saturday’s ride was the tail wind. We fairly flew! Hills, pshaw! At one point, late in the day (after we’d already logged 80 miles or so), we were soaring up a hill at 16 mph! It didn’t seem to matter what gear we were in, we just pedaled and the bikes rolled.
We crossed into LaGrange, 100 miles later, all together. We got to the Shell tent and parked our tired behinds in chairs that were far wider than bike seats. We all ate our dinners, set up our air mattresses (much better than a camping mat, Jody) showered and reorganized for the following morning. The weather turned overnight and the system that had been parked to the west of Austin for three days got moving. One storm dropped a bunch of rain overnight and another, just for good measure, dropped some more just before sunrise. It was much easier to decide to ride “regardless of the weather” when we were fresh and hadn’t already ridden 100 miles. Peering out into the gloom was disheartening to say the least. But, we packed up and went on our way.
Erin’s knee was bothering her, so she and Stephen decided to do the “express route” to lunch. The express route has fewer hills, but it’s all highway. So, the challenge of that route is slow rolling hills, no tree protection and the distraction of concentrated traffic. Nathan informed Stephen and Erin that he and I wanted to do the “challenge route”. (I don’t remember having a vote in this decision…but if you’ll look back a few blog posts, Nathan didn’t get a vote in “our” decision to ride a few weeks back. Payback really stinks.) The challenge of the challenge route is hills, LOTS of hills. The reward is “suicide hill” a loooooong steep downhill!
With the weather system finally moving through, the wind shifted from SSE to NW. So, the express route wasn’t much different from the challenge route in terms of challenge. With no trees for protection and cars whizzing by nonstop; the wind pressing against Stephen and Erin was like going uphill for 25 straight miles.
The challenge course has two options, you can go “through the park” or not. I never once expected to go through the park, which is full of really difficult hills. As we approached the decision point, Nathan confessed that he kinda, sorta, wanted to do the park. No. Nope. Not a chance. Never. Not gonna. NO! Of course, this is Nathan we’re talking about, so I had to bargain with him. I promised that when I can average 20mph on a bike, I’ll do the park with him. (This is sort of like promising when I can fly I’ll do the park.) Suicide hill was near the end of the second leg of the day, so we rolled into the second rest stop on a bit of a high.
As Nathan and I finished up at the second rest stop, Stephen and Erin rolled in to it. We did a quick recon and Stephen and I discussed Erin’s knee privately. Erin looked pale and beaten. She would have pushed through, because she’s that type of person. Stephen and I suggested that she rest for a bit and meet us at lunch. Nathan and I headed back out and encountered the “worst hill”. Last year, Stephen and Nathan were waiting on the top of a hill and Nathan asked when the “worst hill” would come. Stephen told him he’d just finished it. We’re all pretty sure that’s the only reason that Nathan was so darned chipper the rest of that day. So, Nathan and I headed out. As we crested each hill Nathan would say “I’m not sure. That one might have been it.” Or “No, that one was definitely not it.” (This went on for 12 miles and 4 hills.) Then we were on it. It was the last one of the section and it was a killer! (Just to put it in perspective, I drove to Austin on the Wednesday after the ride and my Toyota Highlander downshifted going up this hill!!) At the top, even Nathan was panting, but he quite happily announced “Oh YEAH! That one was it!”
Once we all got to Bastrop, it became apparent that Erin’s knee wasn’t going to cooperate. So, she and Stephen sacrificed their last 37 miles and headed to Austin on the bus to cheer me and Nathan on. It was a really tough decision for them. They knew exactly what they were giving up.
With 37 miles left, we ate our lunch and refilled our water bags. I’d completely revised my attitude about rest stops on Saturday. I really hate them on the training rides, but on this ride, I needed every single one of them. Nathan had gotten in the habit of hydrating (finally), so he needed the rest stops too. So, we just rode rest stop to rest stop to rest stop. At the last one, I really felt my adrenaline surge. When we took off, we nearly had a collision with other riders. So, I scolded Nathan (and myself) that we needed to finish this ride, not finish it fast. So, we slowed down a bit and settled into a rhythm.
Turning the corner to head into downtown Austin was so exhilarating! The Capitol Building stood at the end of the street. People were all along the street cheering all the riders on. There were bubbles and music and cowbells (Erin had one!). Nathan and I held hands across the finish line. And I cried. It just felt so amazing to have accomplished something this big for such an important cause.
Nathan was a zombie on Monday morning. He tried to get up and have breakfast, but I sent him back to bed. Long about 2 in the afternoon, I was too tired to do anything but fold laundry – but even that was a pretty difficult task!
I truly cannot wait to do it again!
So, Saturday morning found us at the crack of dawn at the corner of Eldridge and North Dairy Ashford waiting for the starting gun. It rained fairly steadily until the first rest stop – and then it stopped for the rest of the day. We’d decided we would ride in pairs as we usually did – but it never quite worked out that way. We expected crowds of riders to separate us, but they didn’t. We were able to stay together as a quartet for the whole day and that was a real treat. Erin and Nathan and I had the chance to get (and stay) silly. We motivated other riders (to ride very fast away from us) as we sang songs and told corny jokes or teased each other. Stephen generally smiles as these antics carry on. He was probably also motivated to ride very fast away from us.
The best part about Saturday’s ride was the tail wind. We fairly flew! Hills, pshaw! At one point, late in the day (after we’d already logged 80 miles or so), we were soaring up a hill at 16 mph! It didn’t seem to matter what gear we were in, we just pedaled and the bikes rolled.
We crossed into LaGrange, 100 miles later, all together. We got to the Shell tent and parked our tired behinds in chairs that were far wider than bike seats. We all ate our dinners, set up our air mattresses (much better than a camping mat, Jody) showered and reorganized for the following morning. The weather turned overnight and the system that had been parked to the west of Austin for three days got moving. One storm dropped a bunch of rain overnight and another, just for good measure, dropped some more just before sunrise. It was much easier to decide to ride “regardless of the weather” when we were fresh and hadn’t already ridden 100 miles. Peering out into the gloom was disheartening to say the least. But, we packed up and went on our way.
Erin’s knee was bothering her, so she and Stephen decided to do the “express route” to lunch. The express route has fewer hills, but it’s all highway. So, the challenge of that route is slow rolling hills, no tree protection and the distraction of concentrated traffic. Nathan informed Stephen and Erin that he and I wanted to do the “challenge route”. (I don’t remember having a vote in this decision…but if you’ll look back a few blog posts, Nathan didn’t get a vote in “our” decision to ride a few weeks back. Payback really stinks.) The challenge of the challenge route is hills, LOTS of hills. The reward is “suicide hill” a loooooong steep downhill!
With the weather system finally moving through, the wind shifted from SSE to NW. So, the express route wasn’t much different from the challenge route in terms of challenge. With no trees for protection and cars whizzing by nonstop; the wind pressing against Stephen and Erin was like going uphill for 25 straight miles.
The challenge course has two options, you can go “through the park” or not. I never once expected to go through the park, which is full of really difficult hills. As we approached the decision point, Nathan confessed that he kinda, sorta, wanted to do the park. No. Nope. Not a chance. Never. Not gonna. NO! Of course, this is Nathan we’re talking about, so I had to bargain with him. I promised that when I can average 20mph on a bike, I’ll do the park with him. (This is sort of like promising when I can fly I’ll do the park.) Suicide hill was near the end of the second leg of the day, so we rolled into the second rest stop on a bit of a high.
As Nathan and I finished up at the second rest stop, Stephen and Erin rolled in to it. We did a quick recon and Stephen and I discussed Erin’s knee privately. Erin looked pale and beaten. She would have pushed through, because she’s that type of person. Stephen and I suggested that she rest for a bit and meet us at lunch. Nathan and I headed back out and encountered the “worst hill”. Last year, Stephen and Nathan were waiting on the top of a hill and Nathan asked when the “worst hill” would come. Stephen told him he’d just finished it. We’re all pretty sure that’s the only reason that Nathan was so darned chipper the rest of that day. So, Nathan and I headed out. As we crested each hill Nathan would say “I’m not sure. That one might have been it.” Or “No, that one was definitely not it.” (This went on for 12 miles and 4 hills.) Then we were on it. It was the last one of the section and it was a killer! (Just to put it in perspective, I drove to Austin on the Wednesday after the ride and my Toyota Highlander downshifted going up this hill!!) At the top, even Nathan was panting, but he quite happily announced “Oh YEAH! That one was it!”
Once we all got to Bastrop, it became apparent that Erin’s knee wasn’t going to cooperate. So, she and Stephen sacrificed their last 37 miles and headed to Austin on the bus to cheer me and Nathan on. It was a really tough decision for them. They knew exactly what they were giving up.
With 37 miles left, we ate our lunch and refilled our water bags. I’d completely revised my attitude about rest stops on Saturday. I really hate them on the training rides, but on this ride, I needed every single one of them. Nathan had gotten in the habit of hydrating (finally), so he needed the rest stops too. So, we just rode rest stop to rest stop to rest stop. At the last one, I really felt my adrenaline surge. When we took off, we nearly had a collision with other riders. So, I scolded Nathan (and myself) that we needed to finish this ride, not finish it fast. So, we slowed down a bit and settled into a rhythm.
Turning the corner to head into downtown Austin was so exhilarating! The Capitol Building stood at the end of the street. People were all along the street cheering all the riders on. There were bubbles and music and cowbells (Erin had one!). Nathan and I held hands across the finish line. And I cried. It just felt so amazing to have accomplished something this big for such an important cause.
Nathan was a zombie on Monday morning. He tried to get up and have breakfast, but I sent him back to bed. Long about 2 in the afternoon, I was too tired to do anything but fold laundry – but even that was a pretty difficult task!
I truly cannot wait to do it again!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Ode to Sleeping In
Tomorrow morning, I’m sleeping until I wake up of my own volition. This morning we were up at 4:30 to drive out to New Ulm, Texas just north of Sealy. We ate our breakfasts, loaded up the car and piled in. The kids were asleep before we were out of the neighborhood. Erin kneed Nathan in the head at one point. She woke up long enough to apologize. He woke up long enough to forgive her. Then they both fell back to sleep.
About 15 minutes out of New Ulm, Stephen said to me: “Is that rain?” The droplets on the windshield were pretty hard to interpret as anything OTHER than rain…but I denied it. “Nope.”
About 10 minutes outside of New Ulm, Stephen had turned on the windshield wipers. This was a bad sign. Stephen is a big fan of the one swipe method of cleaning the windshield. The kids began to stir in the back seat. “Is that rain?” Erin asked.
“NO!” I snapped.
“It’s raining?” Nathan asked.
“It is NOT raining!” I responded.
The windshield wipers kept right on slapping that non-existent rain off the windshield.
We got to the start site, signed in and used the restrooms. (One of the port-a-potties had been set up off balance – it was really pretty amusing as a side issue for the day.) We went back to the car and got the bikes off the rack and set up to ride. And it continued to rain. It wasn’t a bad rain, just enough to make it unpleasant to stand outside. So we sat in the car for a while and ruminated.
Then we decided to walk around and see what other people were saying about the rain. The rain was wet. It was a bit windy. The rain was wet. The road was wet. There were a lot of hills. The rain was wet. We got back in the car and decided to leave.
We loaded the bikes back up on the rack and headed for home.
Erin and I went shopping and found her a prom dress. I was in the wrong mood for shopping (even though I have a conference in two weeks for which I MUST dress like a grown up!). So, we left the mall and went back home. Nathan had finished his homework while Erin and I were shopping. Stephen had fixed the towel rack in our bathroom while we’d been shopping. When we got home, Erin went inside and I inspected the front flower beds for weeds. Stephen met me out there.
“Perhaps we could ride now. There’s no rain on the radar.”
“There was no rain on the radar this morning.”
“Well, now the sky looks clear, too.”
“Good point.”
We went in and sold the idea to the kids as: If we ride now, we can all stay up as late as we want to tonight and sleep in late tomorrow morning. (Easy sell!)
41 pretty easy miles later, Erin’s at the symphony with her best friend Travis (THANKS for the tickets Jason!!). Nathan and his buddy Patrick are parked on the couch shooting simulated enemies. Stephen’s puttering around on his computer figuring out what’s going to happen next weekend. And I’m updated the blog.
I’m not getting up tomorrow morning ‘til I’m darned good and ready.
About 15 minutes out of New Ulm, Stephen said to me: “Is that rain?” The droplets on the windshield were pretty hard to interpret as anything OTHER than rain…but I denied it. “Nope.”
About 10 minutes outside of New Ulm, Stephen had turned on the windshield wipers. This was a bad sign. Stephen is a big fan of the one swipe method of cleaning the windshield. The kids began to stir in the back seat. “Is that rain?” Erin asked.
“NO!” I snapped.
“It’s raining?” Nathan asked.
“It is NOT raining!” I responded.
The windshield wipers kept right on slapping that non-existent rain off the windshield.
We got to the start site, signed in and used the restrooms. (One of the port-a-potties had been set up off balance – it was really pretty amusing as a side issue for the day.) We went back to the car and got the bikes off the rack and set up to ride. And it continued to rain. It wasn’t a bad rain, just enough to make it unpleasant to stand outside. So we sat in the car for a while and ruminated.
Then we decided to walk around and see what other people were saying about the rain. The rain was wet. It was a bit windy. The rain was wet. The road was wet. There were a lot of hills. The rain was wet. We got back in the car and decided to leave.
We loaded the bikes back up on the rack and headed for home.
Erin and I went shopping and found her a prom dress. I was in the wrong mood for shopping (even though I have a conference in two weeks for which I MUST dress like a grown up!). So, we left the mall and went back home. Nathan had finished his homework while Erin and I were shopping. Stephen had fixed the towel rack in our bathroom while we’d been shopping. When we got home, Erin went inside and I inspected the front flower beds for weeds. Stephen met me out there.
“Perhaps we could ride now. There’s no rain on the radar.”
“There was no rain on the radar this morning.”
“Well, now the sky looks clear, too.”
“Good point.”
We went in and sold the idea to the kids as: If we ride now, we can all stay up as late as we want to tonight and sleep in late tomorrow morning. (Easy sell!)
41 pretty easy miles later, Erin’s at the symphony with her best friend Travis (THANKS for the tickets Jason!!). Nathan and his buddy Patrick are parked on the couch shooting simulated enemies. Stephen’s puttering around on his computer figuring out what’s going to happen next weekend. And I’m updated the blog.
I’m not getting up tomorrow morning ‘til I’m darned good and ready.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Ode to Counting
112 pickup trucks, 9 dogs in trucks and 11 cows in trailers. Willow has shown us how to pass the time on long bike rides. Yesterday, when we began our century weekend (100 miles in two days), we counted dogs. Erin (as always) made up the rules. If a dog was Riley sized, it counted as one dog. If it was Bailey sized, it counted as ½ a dog. Dogs smaller than Bailey counted for ¼ of a dog. Dogs bigger than Riley (except for the special case of Great Danes counted for 2 dogs. A Great Dane added a factor of pi (3.14). Perhaps you had to be there…but the miles really did fly by!
So, today as we started the second half of our century weekend (up and down the hills of Montgomery County), we started out counting pickup trucks. Then, a really big lab in the back of a pickup truck rode by us barking his fool head off…so we added our previous counting system to today’s. Not sure why we started counting cows…but there were a total of 11 of them.
The hills were tough, especially after riding yesterday. I’d been nervous that I hadn’t done enough hill training to be ready for the MS (in TWO WEEKS!!). I’m ready now. The hills started right away and they didn’t quit until the finish line…not that I got to ride my bike across the finish line.
37 miles in, just after the rest stop, I was climbing up a really steep hill and I shifted from the middle ring up to the easiest ring and my chain slipped off. I didn’t have enough time to unclip my shoes and I toppled over. I’ve got a scratched up knee and a gash on my other calf. My upper arm is bruised for some reason.
Erin rode back to the car with me in the SAG wagon. I have been second guessing myself all afternoon wondering if I could have made the last 14 miles. Stephen and Nathan disagreed. Apparently, they were 14 really tough miles! Erin has agreed to ride a quick ride with me tomorrow to get the last few miles of the century completed. She’s a good kid!!
So, today as we started the second half of our century weekend (up and down the hills of Montgomery County), we started out counting pickup trucks. Then, a really big lab in the back of a pickup truck rode by us barking his fool head off…so we added our previous counting system to today’s. Not sure why we started counting cows…but there were a total of 11 of them.
The hills were tough, especially after riding yesterday. I’d been nervous that I hadn’t done enough hill training to be ready for the MS (in TWO WEEKS!!). I’m ready now. The hills started right away and they didn’t quit until the finish line…not that I got to ride my bike across the finish line.
37 miles in, just after the rest stop, I was climbing up a really steep hill and I shifted from the middle ring up to the easiest ring and my chain slipped off. I didn’t have enough time to unclip my shoes and I toppled over. I’ve got a scratched up knee and a gash on my other calf. My upper arm is bruised for some reason.
Erin rode back to the car with me in the SAG wagon. I have been second guessing myself all afternoon wondering if I could have made the last 14 miles. Stephen and Nathan disagreed. Apparently, they were 14 really tough miles! Erin has agreed to ride a quick ride with me tomorrow to get the last few miles of the century completed. She’s a good kid!!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Ode to the South East Wind
We’ve vowed to thank God for the opportunity to ride into a southeast wind for the next two weeks. We will gladly, giddily, happily, enthusiastically ride into a southeast wind because that’s the wind that will push us to Austin on April 17th and 18th.
Today we rode into that wind. We logged 48 miles or so, some of it with the wind behind us and some of it with the wind in our faces. We used a pace-line to keep us going a few times. We shifted…a lot! And we did it. It’s funny trying to draft off of Nathan’s small frame (ok, he’s taller than I am, but he’s a pretty narrow wind block!).
Tomorrow, we’re going to ride again. We’re completing our back-to-back training this week. (You may remember that Willow rode back-to-back a few weeks ago with us.) This training will ostensibly prepare us both physically and mentally for getting BACK on the bikes in LaGrange on Sunday morning!
Tomorrow’s ride has some hills, but no wind is forecast. When we rode this route last year, the wind was between 15 and 18 mph. This is the ride during which Stephen was our “engineer” and he dragged us up a long, slow, knee-grinding hill at the very end of the ride. I’m hoping that this time, without the wind, that if there’s any dragging necessary, I can do my part.
I think, if all of us were honest with ourselves and each other, that we’d admit we’re ready for the training season to be over. We do love riding. It’s a great family activity and as parents, Stephen and I are so proud that our kids are willing to do this with the ‘rents and that they’re participating in an important cause. But, the end of the school year is approaching. While Nathan’s homework load seems to have lightened almost to non-existent, Erin’s seems to have almost ramped up. There will be band concerts, Senior festivities, prom. I’ve got papers to grade and a summer semester to plan. It will be nice to wake up on April 25th when we want to and to NOT go load up the car and drive off to a far away place to ride.
Today we rode into that wind. We logged 48 miles or so, some of it with the wind behind us and some of it with the wind in our faces. We used a pace-line to keep us going a few times. We shifted…a lot! And we did it. It’s funny trying to draft off of Nathan’s small frame (ok, he’s taller than I am, but he’s a pretty narrow wind block!).
Tomorrow, we’re going to ride again. We’re completing our back-to-back training this week. (You may remember that Willow rode back-to-back a few weeks ago with us.) This training will ostensibly prepare us both physically and mentally for getting BACK on the bikes in LaGrange on Sunday morning!
Tomorrow’s ride has some hills, but no wind is forecast. When we rode this route last year, the wind was between 15 and 18 mph. This is the ride during which Stephen was our “engineer” and he dragged us up a long, slow, knee-grinding hill at the very end of the ride. I’m hoping that this time, without the wind, that if there’s any dragging necessary, I can do my part.
I think, if all of us were honest with ourselves and each other, that we’d admit we’re ready for the training season to be over. We do love riding. It’s a great family activity and as parents, Stephen and I are so proud that our kids are willing to do this with the ‘rents and that they’re participating in an important cause. But, the end of the school year is approaching. While Nathan’s homework load seems to have lightened almost to non-existent, Erin’s seems to have almost ramped up. There will be band concerts, Senior festivities, prom. I’ve got papers to grade and a summer semester to plan. It will be nice to wake up on April 25th when we want to and to NOT go load up the car and drive off to a far away place to ride.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
