I didn't sleep all that great and woke up wondering if a long ride was a good idea. It's a rest week! I should be feeling all the magical energies, not tired and a little sore. If I rested today, I'd have a great Monday ride tomorrow, and go into a 48 mile week feeling ready.
But you know me, I rode anyway. I just kept it easy. I have some trepidation about riding alone, but right now alone keeps me from feeling like I need to keep up with a group or like I'm pushing to hard to ride with them. Alone I can control it.
Alone. Speaking of which, today makes 1 week since my harsh realization. Since then, I've made it a point to speak or think of my issues, to myself or anyone else. They don't care. They don't want to hear it. Neither do I.
Ate too much brekkie (ugh, and cereal too, threw the rest away) and left for schnucks in my fancy Rapha gear. Feels so "pro" for me :) Great day with clouds and winds out of the NE/E, meaning a headwind on the outbound.
Up Cherry, to Bluffside (the view at the top of the hill is the reward for climbing), then off along the pretty roads to the blue barn along Saeger. I can remember the landmarks after I see them, but was forgetting how far it was between them. I'd see the barn and think the bridge was soon up, but found I had to wait a bit first. I took Zingg with the Zingger of a hill, haha, waited for a tractor pulling a planter, struggled to find speed on some hills but found it easy on others.
So many memories along here, as I saw them again they'd pop back into memory. I probably haven't ridden this since 2014? Did I ride it last year? Not sure.
Got a rear flat after taking the detour by the mulch company, probably a piece of glass along the highway? Took my time to change it, realized I didn't have a frame pump. Flat tires leave me nervous about them a few miles, wondering if I really fixed it or not. But it held up, rode into the Freeburg (Home of the Midgets, really) but skipped the gas station stop. Didn't stop at all this ride for a break, I prefer this over the gas station hopping we used to do.
Through Smithton then off to the roads that confused me a bit more. Right when I was thinking about my self-proclaimed Route Maven status I took the wrong fork at Etting and ended up going south a few miles before realizing the error. LOL, hey, now I know a new road! Where does it go? Nowhere. But now I know.
Back on course after nibbing a few Rice Chex pieces and in the next few miles started lagging a bit, wanting to get done. That would be the low fuel talking. As I came in on Bohleysville Road, I couldn't make the mental connection of how we accessed this road years ago, where did we connect to it? As I came up on it, I remembered the RC airplanes field and "clink" the connection back. But I'm still reviewing maps. Route Maven
Instead of turning to follow our old route, I headed west on Lake Gilmore, I think I've ridden this before, in fact I probably rode it 2 weeks ago at the Great Pizza ride. It should connect me to the Ritz of gas stations in Waterloo. Checked, yup it does. And Bohleysville Road is also Triple Lakes Road, so that connection in place too.
This last few miles was pretty, and all new to me. Pretty sure of this. Nice rolling entry into the Columbia, the last miles on Centerville where shaded, winding through a slight downhill foresty area with cottony seed puffs from trees floating over a sunny grass field. Did I really think I'd miss out on this by resting?
I f'd up the entry into town. I passed a Dollar General and thought I recognized it, checked the phone map, and was all confused about directions. Gotta study this better. I took a left instead of a right, ended up biking along IL-3 before realizing nothing looked right. Checked again, turned around, and found my error.
As I came across the last intersection across Rt 3 to get to the parking lot, I hit a hard edge and the rear tire flatted again. Walked the last 2 blocks, super happy this didn't happen miles ago. Lucky!!
Great ride!! All podcasts, all good effort with no stress. No mental demons, no voices, no fear. Just me.Slipped a bit on the nutrition, waaaaay too much meal in the morning and again too much sugar in the afternoon.
Errands to buy dog food, buy an wedding item for mom, fight the urge to buy more food for I-don't-know-what, habit? Met with the dog owner and we made everything right, can close the book on that story. Took the dog for a too-long walk, gave her a bath, got lots done, settled into listen to the Blues lose Game 6. Winner of a day!
And with 1 week of no M, I can sign up for the Badger 100K!
NUMERICS 10:49 hours, does not include commute
BIKE 90.3 miles
RUN 30.35 miles
COMMUTE 50.6 miles
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