It's Way To Hot For This
The other day I went for a road ride by myself. I intended to do a short ride, little climbing, nothing too strenuous as it was brutally hot outside. I take off and somehow decide that heading down 273 would be a nice change of pace as I always go any other direction but that one. So as I hit the first hill with no warm up, it hurts a little. Then the second hill, still not warmed up, other than boiling due to the heat, and I grind up it. I head into Newark for a change of pace. Then decide to take Creek Road as it will be shaded. Unfortunately that's 2 more climbs. At this point I realize I've done a little more effort than I had anticipated so I would start working my way home. I cut through campus to avoid major roads, also more shade. Just as I pull back out of a neighborhood I'm right in front of a big pack of riders. Great. I glanced their direction and didn't recognize anyone. I get caught by the next light. mmm I could turn around and say hi, but no one pulled up beside me, so I don't. Yeah I know, antisocial. The light turns green and I go on my way. A little faster than normal, but nothing crazy. I get to the next intersection and look back to check for cars and the group is right behind me. Ugh. It's green so I keep going. I figure they are just finishing up their ride and heading back to their cars. But just in case I pick it up a notch. I get the next light, but don't want to look back. So I pick it up a little more. I'm moving along and all is good until I turn straight into a big head wind. Yuck. I look back and no one is in sight. I figure they must have pulled off and finished up already. I grind on into the head wind. Get to the next turn and I hear voices behind me. I glance back and damn if they aren't right there. I couldn't believe it. Well I could. It's not like I can't be caught. But they were no where to be seen last I looked. I had a huge gap and then they were back on my ass. So I threw down again and just laid it all out. I knew I had 2 big straights before the next couple climbs. If they were going to catch me it would be on one of the climbs. So I figured I'd put as much distance between us as possible. Somehow I managed to hold them off. They never caught me before I pulled off. I know they could have caught me if they really wanted too. And I'm not really sure why it mattered whether they did. But for some reason it did, so I drilled it and about killed myself. I don't know why I do these things.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The last couple of weeks have been so busy in a really weird way. Mostly because I've been working constantly. Today was day 10 in a row. 2 more days and I finally get a day off. I can't wait.
I will say it is self inflicted. I swapped a weekend with someone else so I could have the weekend off that Harry Potter came out so I could read. So that caused me to work a double last weekend. And I could have had comp time during the week, but I chose to take one of the days the Friday the book came out and then Monday so I could finish reading. Then we're in August now and it just happened I ended up scheduled to work this Saturday. So put all that together and I get 12 days in a row of non stop work. Oh joy!
But hey, I was able to go get my ticket Friday morning that enabled me to get a great place in line to get my book at midnight. Then I read for pretty much the next 3 days to finish it. I'm such a slow reader it's ridiculous. This may sound a little obsessive. However, it's more that I hate spoilers. I can't stand when I hear the end of something before I get to see it for myself. So unfortunately, with a ton of spoilers lurking at every turn, that caused me to have to read the book fairly quickly so that I could know before I heard. Overall, not a bad ending. I just couldn't believe all the people she killed. She killed about everyone. I will not say anymore in case anyone reading this hasn't read it for themselves.
I will say it is self inflicted. I swapped a weekend with someone else so I could have the weekend off that Harry Potter came out so I could read. So that caused me to work a double last weekend. And I could have had comp time during the week, but I chose to take one of the days the Friday the book came out and then Monday so I could finish reading. Then we're in August now and it just happened I ended up scheduled to work this Saturday. So put all that together and I get 12 days in a row of non stop work. Oh joy!
But hey, I was able to go get my ticket Friday morning that enabled me to get a great place in line to get my book at midnight. Then I read for pretty much the next 3 days to finish it. I'm such a slow reader it's ridiculous. This may sound a little obsessive. However, it's more that I hate spoilers. I can't stand when I hear the end of something before I get to see it for myself. So unfortunately, with a ton of spoilers lurking at every turn, that caused me to have to read the book fairly quickly so that I could know before I heard. Overall, not a bad ending. I just couldn't believe all the people she killed. She killed about everyone. I will not say anymore in case anyone reading this hasn't read it for themselves.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Big Hills with Big Bush
Sunday was Fair Hill. It's right in my backyard. But I just wasn't feeling it. So I wished the guys good luck and took off on the road. It was a sweltering day. One of the roads I wanted was closed and I took a really awful way to work my way around it. I haphazardly weaved all around Newark coming to an intersection, thinking "I don't want to go that way, that has a big climb". Only to go the other and realize it was a bigger one. I was sweating so bad it was pouring out of my helmet and into my eyes. My hands were so slippery it was hard to hold on to the bars. On my way home I decided I just wanted to be home, so instead of taking the longer more gradual climb home, I bit the bullet and went down the belly of the beast and did the 273 climbs.
To describe it better, 273 has a long false flat, then a deep valley that you have to climb out of and then a second smaller valley, which you also have to climb out of. So I don't choose this option unless I'm feeling extra spunky and up for a challenge, or like Sunday when I just didn't want to be on my bike for another minute and just wanted to get home the shortest distance possible.
The false flat was fine. There was a head wind, but it actually felt good in the heat. Then into the valley. Just as I'm started to head back up the other side I hear screeching breaks beside me. I turn to see Big Bush on the mountain bike, number plate and all. He turns and smiles and says "is this part of the course?". Very surprised, I tell him no, he was way off course. Still smiling he explains that he had pulled out and was headed back to the fair grounds. We chatted the whole way back.
Oh, it hurt so bad to climb and chat trying to make it seem like it didn't hurt. He was funny and nice, so it was all good. As we are just about up the first climb he says, "I thought once I pulled out of the race I wouldn't have to do any more climbing". I laughed.
Sunday was Fair Hill. It's right in my backyard. But I just wasn't feeling it. So I wished the guys good luck and took off on the road. It was a sweltering day. One of the roads I wanted was closed and I took a really awful way to work my way around it. I haphazardly weaved all around Newark coming to an intersection, thinking "I don't want to go that way, that has a big climb". Only to go the other and realize it was a bigger one. I was sweating so bad it was pouring out of my helmet and into my eyes. My hands were so slippery it was hard to hold on to the bars. On my way home I decided I just wanted to be home, so instead of taking the longer more gradual climb home, I bit the bullet and went down the belly of the beast and did the 273 climbs.
To describe it better, 273 has a long false flat, then a deep valley that you have to climb out of and then a second smaller valley, which you also have to climb out of. So I don't choose this option unless I'm feeling extra spunky and up for a challenge, or like Sunday when I just didn't want to be on my bike for another minute and just wanted to get home the shortest distance possible.
The false flat was fine. There was a head wind, but it actually felt good in the heat. Then into the valley. Just as I'm started to head back up the other side I hear screeching breaks beside me. I turn to see Big Bush on the mountain bike, number plate and all. He turns and smiles and says "is this part of the course?". Very surprised, I tell him no, he was way off course. Still smiling he explains that he had pulled out and was headed back to the fair grounds. We chatted the whole way back.
Oh, it hurt so bad to climb and chat trying to make it seem like it didn't hurt. He was funny and nice, so it was all good. As we are just about up the first climb he says, "I thought once I pulled out of the race I wouldn't have to do any more climbing". I laughed.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Up & Down
Last night we went climbing and we finally top-roped. I was paying very close attention on how to tie my knots and do everything correctly. The last thing I want to do is fall or have something fail. Then the guy says, "yeah, you don't have to worry about that knot failing, the rope will snap way before that knot will be an issue". Nice.
Upon returning home we walked in to a pack of CO2 cartridges in the middle of the floor. I thought this was odd. Why would the dogs get into them? Then I remembered what else was in that section of my bike bag, Hammer Gel! I checked my bag and my entire case of Raspberry Hammer Gel was missing. I looked in the living room and there sat the empty box. This morning Marc found the wrappers. Layla (we're guessing) had taken them upstairs to enjoy in the comfort of a nest she made out of a pile of Marc's clean clothes he had on the bed. They're not so clean now.
Last night we went climbing and we finally top-roped. I was paying very close attention on how to tie my knots and do everything correctly. The last thing I want to do is fall or have something fail. Then the guy says, "yeah, you don't have to worry about that knot failing, the rope will snap way before that knot will be an issue". Nice.
Upon returning home we walked in to a pack of CO2 cartridges in the middle of the floor. I thought this was odd. Why would the dogs get into them? Then I remembered what else was in that section of my bike bag, Hammer Gel! I checked my bag and my entire case of Raspberry Hammer Gel was missing. I looked in the living room and there sat the empty box. This morning Marc found the wrappers. Layla (we're guessing) had taken them upstairs to enjoy in the comfort of a nest she made out of a pile of Marc's clean clothes he had on the bed. They're not so clean now.
Only a couple days left to pre-order "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows". I finally pre-ordered mine. I've been such a slacker. I was going to just wait and pick it up on Saturday. But I'm so paranoid I won't find it. For book V we just stopped at Walmart (after going to several other places and it being sold out) and they had a huge stack. But I heard they're now taking pre-orders too. So to be on the safe side, I've pre-ordered.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Twilight Crit
Last night we went up to West Chester for the Twilight Crit. This is always a good evening. Luckily it wasn't as hot as last year, which made it much more pleasurable. Ran into a ton of people and some we hadn't seen in quite some time. Which is always nice. We walked around to different vantage points as the racers zoomed by.
Just Breathe
It's early Saturday morning and we are running late to get out for a ride. I'm grabbing pieces as I run out the door. No time to clean out my Camelbak, so I grab a bottle & a cage I'll have to install before taking off. As we pull into the lot we see Buddy, Rob, and John have already arrived and are waiting for us. I also take note, their cars are no where in sight. Mmm, this means they rode here, so they're warmed up and I'll be starting cold. Ok, no problem, this is a mellow ride and we're starting off on double track, so I'll be ok.
We park, start getting everything together, and Marc realizes he's forgotten his shoes. He's slightly frustrated at having to have to run back home, but says he'll meet us on the far side of the park in about a half hour and takes off. Buddy in turn says, "wow, that's not going to give us much time". Oh crap, this isn't great for me.
I get myself together, install the water bottle cage, Buddy adjusts my breaks for me, saying I'll be faster now that I'm not dragging breaks the whole time. Yeah, cause that's my problem. hee hee. I do thank him because it has been driving me crazy listening to it drag, which every time I complained Marc would tell me, "they're disc brakes, that's what you get". He hates disc brakes.
We take off. We're going at a nice clip, but I'm ok. We hit the singe track, still not too bad. I'm hanging in there. They've got me up front, Buddy riding second wheel, then Rob, then John. They are talking amongst themselves telling stories. I'm just trying to keep my pace up. We cross over into Middlerun and Buddy asks me where I'm headed. I say left. He tells me to go right, it's more direct. I tell him it's more climbing that way, it'll take me longer. He insures me I'll be fine. I go right. I get bogged down a little but it's not so bad. Then we hit the church climb. The roll up it like it's nothing. I'm grinding away behind them. We reach the parking lot where Marc is waiting, he looks at me and says, "wow, were you guys hauling". As I stand there panting, Buddy casually says "no, not really". Then he turns to me and tells me to lead off.
We continue on, up one hill down another. It's a beautiful day, but I'm definitely working my butt off as they all talk casually behind me. At one point Buddy ask, "Diane, are you ok, you've been really quiet today". I just reply "I'm just trying to breathe". At this they laugh.
In all it was a beautiful day, and a great ride. Everyone is always very nice, and no one ever tells me I need to go faster or that I'm too slow. This is all pressure I put on myself. It took me a year to get back in shape enough that I could even ride with people again (even if it is on their slow days) so I don't want to screw it up. So I go out and pound away. Hey, it only makes me stronger.
Thanks for the ride guys! Even though it may not always look like it, I have fun every time!
It's early Saturday morning and we are running late to get out for a ride. I'm grabbing pieces as I run out the door. No time to clean out my Camelbak, so I grab a bottle & a cage I'll have to install before taking off. As we pull into the lot we see Buddy, Rob, and John have already arrived and are waiting for us. I also take note, their cars are no where in sight. Mmm, this means they rode here, so they're warmed up and I'll be starting cold. Ok, no problem, this is a mellow ride and we're starting off on double track, so I'll be ok.
We park, start getting everything together, and Marc realizes he's forgotten his shoes. He's slightly frustrated at having to have to run back home, but says he'll meet us on the far side of the park in about a half hour and takes off. Buddy in turn says, "wow, that's not going to give us much time". Oh crap, this isn't great for me.
I get myself together, install the water bottle cage, Buddy adjusts my breaks for me, saying I'll be faster now that I'm not dragging breaks the whole time. Yeah, cause that's my problem. hee hee. I do thank him because it has been driving me crazy listening to it drag, which every time I complained Marc would tell me, "they're disc brakes, that's what you get". He hates disc brakes.
We take off. We're going at a nice clip, but I'm ok. We hit the singe track, still not too bad. I'm hanging in there. They've got me up front, Buddy riding second wheel, then Rob, then John. They are talking amongst themselves telling stories. I'm just trying to keep my pace up. We cross over into Middlerun and Buddy asks me where I'm headed. I say left. He tells me to go right, it's more direct. I tell him it's more climbing that way, it'll take me longer. He insures me I'll be fine. I go right. I get bogged down a little but it's not so bad. Then we hit the church climb. The roll up it like it's nothing. I'm grinding away behind them. We reach the parking lot where Marc is waiting, he looks at me and says, "wow, were you guys hauling". As I stand there panting, Buddy casually says "no, not really". Then he turns to me and tells me to lead off.
We continue on, up one hill down another. It's a beautiful day, but I'm definitely working my butt off as they all talk casually behind me. At one point Buddy ask, "Diane, are you ok, you've been really quiet today". I just reply "I'm just trying to breathe". At this they laugh.
In all it was a beautiful day, and a great ride. Everyone is always very nice, and no one ever tells me I need to go faster or that I'm too slow. This is all pressure I put on myself. It took me a year to get back in shape enough that I could even ride with people again (even if it is on their slow days) so I don't want to screw it up. So I go out and pound away. Hey, it only makes me stronger.
Thanks for the ride guys! Even though it may not always look like it, I have fun every time!
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