These are some weary 50+ bones right now
 

And I am not looking forward to my date with George this Sunday.
Forget that I have to get up at 6AM on a Sunday (heresy!); no, it's more than that.

I just came off of a cruise ship on Sunday. Spent 8 days and 7 nights sailing the Caribbean, eating and drinking like royalty. In fact, once I got my stomach in shape by midweek, I ate more at dinner than I normally would in an entire day. And why not? It's why you're there in the first place, isn't it?

Oh, sure, I made concessions to healthiness and tried to stay in some kind of shape.
We took the stairs everywhere and left the elevator to the folks.
We walked the top deck jogging track.
We even walked to the bar to get our drinks (Mojitos are really, really good!)
I went up to the gym and rode the LifeCycle for an hour. Once. In my bike shorts (yes, I brought a pair of shorts). OK, I wanted to do that twice but it didn't quite work out.

We left the ship in Miami and spent the night there to watch the SuperBowl before flying home the next morning. I brought home a horrible cold. In the end, I held my weight gain for the week down to about 3 or 4 pounds. Could have been much, much worse. But let's here it for the cold, today I way a pound or two less than I did before we left for the trip. Yay.

Even with a cold, I hit the trainer for an hour on my first day back. Just an easy spin to keep the joints loose and the blood flowing.

But, with this 25 mile ride coming up, yesterday was the first time I rode a bike in anger in nearly 2 weeks.
Even with all I did to try and stay in condition, the best I could do was about 6 miles and I felt like I was riding in mud. Just had no life in me at all. Now, granted, I focussed on a lot of 1/2 to 1 mile climbs -anything from about 3% to 8%- but it just wasn't coming easy. Maybe it was what was left of the cold enervating me, I don't know.

All I know, is that about a week before I left for Miami, I rode the loop I'll be doing on Sunday and it was well within me to do it (part of it twice. I got lost and had to go back and do part of it over again) but now I don't know. I don't think I can do it. I have doubts. I need another week to get back into shape and I don't have that week. HELP ME!

You'll be fine. Congrats on the great vacation. :beer:

First exercise after a break or a holiday are the worst. Next ride out will be fine-

Although you could make certain of it by just finding your local hill and climbing it just for fun a t a sensible pace.

Good luck and don't forget the camera.

Nice trip.............warm for the winter...................yummmm.

And actually, the congrats go to my Folks-in-Law who were celebrating their 60th anniversary.
Mrs S and I enjoy our 25th in March and the folks figured it was close enough to bring us along with them.
But, really, this was their moment and we were happy to be part of it.

And that thought did go through the back of my mind. You sure lose a lot of rhythm and "one-ness" with the bike after you've been off for a week or two. I don't remember it being this hard when I came back from a week in NY last June, though. But, then, I'm 55... what *do* I remember at all? :lol:
My first thought when I got back last night was that I am going right back out again today on my normal 15 mile after work ride. It will -does- have some good uphill stretches and I will work on flowing up them.
I guess Sunday will be what it will but I really can't let it go by without me. I mean, I get to ride with George! :D

Camera... camera.. camera...

Yes, you will be fine, and riding with George will be enough for you to get it done. Your enthusiam from previous post, just can't have all evaporated, go and have a ball!

But, you know, it hits me... I've never ridden in a group before.
Anything I should know about that?

I doubt you will find yourself in the middle of a race-hardened peloton. But you may want to avoid riding up beside George H. and saying "Hey, I'll take a pull". Just stay with a comfortable pace for you even it that is at the rear of the group! :)

Just wander about 2 ft from side to side and everyone will keep clear of you.

Don't often ride in a group but I had a mountain biking partner that was great. Never got scared and if you rode alongside him- touching bars was a common occurence. No problem- it just happened- even on high speed cornering but we never fell or anything remotely like it. Just don't veer off away from them and make certain it is the other one to fall- but as I said- With Mike- we never had any falls or incidents. Mike Died unfortunately so it was riding with the rest of the group after that. If I so much as even got close to them- They would be off at 90deg and somersaulting. They panicked-- And I don't.

That sounds exactly like my climbing style :lol:

Smooth, steady and predictable. Avoid braking when someone is behind you.

I've been there as well. It's really amazing what several days of "anti-cycling" can do to the conditioning. The first ride back is always the hardest. You've trained for the 25 miler and will do just fine. If you ride "sensibly" in the group you will be just fine. Observe what some other "experienced" folks are doing and you'll pick up on it very quickly. Just follow the person in front of you and avoid your front wheel getting beside their back wheel. When wheels touch harshly usually the rider in the rear goes down.......

You'll do fine. The excitement of riding with George will be enough to get you through the ride.

Don't forget those pictures.

OK, I can do this.

The first cut is the deepest, right?
As you said, the first day back is hard. Then the shock wears off.
I went out tonight and did my standard end to end loop around town. 12-15 miles, depending.
Tonight it was 13 or so including the hard climb back home (11% straight up). I stopped to smell the roses a couple of times (I haven't seen the Pacific up close in a couple of weeks. I had to say "Hello, old friend"). I didn't push and it took an hour of peddling. I'm fine. Thanks all

Communication. Be sure everyone knows your intentions with hand signals, talk, etc. Riding in a group is great.

Be sure and load what were your water bottles with mojitos and I predict the best ride ever. Assuming you remember it.

I'm sitting here envious for your ride with George. Don't know how excited you are But I cannot wait for the report and pics.

Have my first sensible ride tomorrow for a couple of months so I have just had a big plate of Spaghetti Bolognese. Might have another later as that was good. And tomorrow will be a bowl of porridge before the ride.