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07-01-06, 03:58 PM
The following is a post that I've just blogged:
I’ve always wondered if I had “true grit” or was simply crazy like my Mother always suggests loudly and often. I’ve just come back from a truly grueling ride. In fact, I am writing this while gasping, naked, and slightly disoriented. I can barely type without making a mistake.
The ride started off pretty well, fortified with four servings of oatmeal liberally laced with white sugar and a whole egg, I made good time heading down towards Niagara along the lakeshore. Eating increasingly bruised bananas, cookies and swigging water, I felt very energized as I tackled minor directional errors (getting lost) and rough roads under a gorgeous sky.
I was a bit slow but nothing to worry about. I headed back after reaching a place called Beamsville (in front of a Ford dealer called Perrin) and reaching just over a hundred kilometers. Man, it was exciting to see it switch over! :D
Heading back into the teeth of a headwind wasn’t much fun but I made decent time. Lots of people about enjoying the weather and their time off. About 21 km from home, though, my left pedal came right off! It had been increasingly making a clicking noise and kept getting “stuck” where it wasn’t turning. Now, it was off and I tried to put it back on. Giving it up as a bad job after about ten minutes, I decided to try to ride home. I’m broke so a taxi ride would have been ruinous and it would have been too embarassing on public transit not to mention that I had been sweating like a dog. It was hot enough that I actually found a heat blister while showering.
So, I pedaled almost all 21 km home with three stretches where I had to walk up hills or to stretch my legs. When I got home I saw that I had 1.5 km left to go. Somehow those moments of wandering around lost had added in more kilometers. I unloaded some stuff, gulped down several cups of water (did I mention that I had started rationing water at the 15 km left-to-go mark?) and went back outside to pedal up and down the block a few times. So, I finally got my 200 km ride! Well, actually 200.11 km. :)
I am so tired that I can barely think straight. If it wasn’t for the broken pedal, I’d be feeling a LOT better than I am now. In fact, I’d be considering a 50 or 100 km ride tomorrow! Now, I am faced with the possibility of standing down to two or three days. *sigh* :(
BTW, my longest ride prior to this was 105 km last week.
I’ve always wondered if I had “true grit” or was simply crazy like my Mother always suggests loudly and often. I’ve just come back from a truly grueling ride. In fact, I am writing this while gasping, naked, and slightly disoriented. I can barely type without making a mistake.
The ride started off pretty well, fortified with four servings of oatmeal liberally laced with white sugar and a whole egg, I made good time heading down towards Niagara along the lakeshore. Eating increasingly bruised bananas, cookies and swigging water, I felt very energized as I tackled minor directional errors (getting lost) and rough roads under a gorgeous sky.
I was a bit slow but nothing to worry about. I headed back after reaching a place called Beamsville (in front of a Ford dealer called Perrin) and reaching just over a hundred kilometers. Man, it was exciting to see it switch over! :D
Heading back into the teeth of a headwind wasn’t much fun but I made decent time. Lots of people about enjoying the weather and their time off. About 21 km from home, though, my left pedal came right off! It had been increasingly making a clicking noise and kept getting “stuck” where it wasn’t turning. Now, it was off and I tried to put it back on. Giving it up as a bad job after about ten minutes, I decided to try to ride home. I’m broke so a taxi ride would have been ruinous and it would have been too embarassing on public transit not to mention that I had been sweating like a dog. It was hot enough that I actually found a heat blister while showering.
So, I pedaled almost all 21 km home with three stretches where I had to walk up hills or to stretch my legs. When I got home I saw that I had 1.5 km left to go. Somehow those moments of wandering around lost had added in more kilometers. I unloaded some stuff, gulped down several cups of water (did I mention that I had started rationing water at the 15 km left-to-go mark?) and went back outside to pedal up and down the block a few times. So, I finally got my 200 km ride! Well, actually 200.11 km. :)
I am so tired that I can barely think straight. If it wasn’t for the broken pedal, I’d be feeling a LOT better than I am now. In fact, I’d be considering a 50 or 100 km ride tomorrow! Now, I am faced with the possibility of standing down to two or three days. *sigh* :(
BTW, my longest ride prior to this was 105 km last week.