Group Rides

This week the group rides official started. It’s great to get on the bike again, but it’s even more exciting to go for a ride with a group of friends that are equally geeked out about the bike. See Mom it’s not just me!

Wednesday I commuted to work, as I said in my previous entry (7.5 miles one way). It’s a lot harder than I thought. It takes a lot of logistics to make it happen (not to mention the issues of contending with traffic) especially when you are a female and you work in a business where you have to dress-up every day. I chuckled while I packed my 2.5 inch stilettos in my backpack. Unfortunately, I’ll probably use the luxury of the automobile more than the joys of the bicycle due to commitments after work (like riding with a group or god forbid a Opus Crit). At $3.45 a gallon now, at what price does society say I can’t do this anymore?

I road home after work to drop off my bag and then headed out to meet up with the MGC Wednesday group. Unfortunately, due to the winds they changed the route. I tried to meet them, but with the sun setting at 8pm there wasn’t enough time for them to meet me on 116. Instead I rode up to 117 and did the TT loop. It sucked to do 20 miles of pure headwind on my own, but it was a good resistant training. The winds pushed me to the church and then back down 116 and home. I made it back by 7:45pm.

Thursday the ladies rode again (there was only 4 of us). I met the girls at the MGC shop. A lot of new people work at the shop this year so they were not sure what to think of me showing up in cycling gear since they have only seen me in street clothes. Most of them came out to see us off, but unfortunately we didn’t get far (6.8 miles). Erika was taking the lead up a small hill and was shifting down when her derailleur flipped up and somehow got her chain stuck in the derailleur causing the chain to lock up. This is not the first time this has happen to her. Last year she had a similar problem which is how she got the nickname Skidder—she left a 15 foot skid mark from her bike tire on the road. We called the shop and got one of the mechanics to come out to either fix the bike or to pick her up. Laurie and I road back towards the shop since he wasn’t sure were to go then back to Erika. He was able to fix it but due to it being so late we just headed back. I got in about 15 miles, but it was fun just to be out again with the girls.

I skipped our brick run since there was cake waiting for me at Neil’s 40th b-day party at Moonrock. Unfortunately, the cake was gone, but the shots were still coming out thanks to Diamond Dave! It was really fun to see the guys and to catch up. Thanks guys for all your feedback about my race. Jorge…your one of a kind!

With two shots the night before and 4 hours of sleep. I pulled myself out of bed for spin class this morning. I got to the gym in enough time to run for about 20 minutes on the track—this running stuff has taken a back seat to the bike. Damn Du—why did I sign up? Oh yeah…for fun! I did about 7 minutes of sprints then did more sprints in Jody’s spin class. My legs where jello after 40 minutes of class.

Tomorrow is a long ride. My plans are to ride up to TH then do both the 7 & 9 rides then head back home. I might just get in a century! All this because I don’t want to drive my gas hog. Bill—a Jeep is much cooler then a Subaru.