The 4th of July!

I woke up later than I wanted to this morning, out late with some friends at a fireworks display.  The ride I was envisioning in my head was shot (because I really would have tried to tackle the 54 mile ride through Auburn and back otherwise, really).  I wanted to leave early in the morning around 5:30 or 6:00 so I wouldn’t have to deal with traffic and I would be in the nice cool morning air and make it home early enough to do my chores and then head over to my parents to spend the afternoon with the family.

Since I didn’t get to bed until around 1:30 AM, forget getting up at 5 AM, plus my legs were stiffening up. I am blaming it on my pseudo at-home Crossfit workout Monday night (3 rounds: 21 front squats with a 45 pound barbell, 21 burpies then 70 counts with the jump rope, repeat but now 15-15-70 and then 9-9-70, talk about making yourself drip with sweat in less than 15 minutes of activity, ugh!) or was I stiffening up due to my Tuesday morning ride, I busted out my “normal” Costco hill route in the morning before work. (21.98 miles 1:34:54 ride time, my best time yet!) I don’t know which it was or both, but oh my gosh was it hard to straighten my leg to shave!

Anyway, we got a late start to the fireworks extravaganza last night and had to park a little over a mile away.  At least we were able to view the fireworks walking to the center; we arrived just in time for the final hurrah.  Just slightly irritated (me), we found our friends and then turned around and hiked the 25 minutes uphill back to the car. I was SO happy to get some extra exercise in with my legs that would barely move! I kept thinking, ok this will loosen them up for tomorrow.  It was only 10:30 PM; I was still envisioning tackling my impossible ride in the morning.  We beat our friends back to their house since we were parked a million miles away from the center.  I played Words with Friends with my mom, texted back and forth and then our friends arrived home and after a good visit we headed home well after midnight. 


So, it’s just before 8:00 AM, Wednesday, July 4, 2012, I lie in bed, I should get up, I should ride, dang my legs are sore! I creak out of bed and go to check the temperature on the computer and drink my cup of coffee. I need to be awake if I’m going to ride!


The computer sucks me in… No!  Shoot.  I start trying to figure out this blog; my mom told me she couldn’t post a comment, so I figured out how to allow comments.  I then looked around the house; to say it’s a mess is almost an understatement.  I really should clean, but I want to ride.  I see the pile of zucchini, squash and cucumbers on the counter and know that there are more in the garden…

I start to rationalize… my legs are sore, the house is a mess, and I can’t do the ride I want to do… I stall some more and call my mom to see what the plan for the day is, what time is she expecting us?  She encourages me to get out there but to hurry, it’s getting hot.

I decide to accomplish two things at once, I decide to pack my backpack full of the garden loot and I will deliver it to the two friends I have been promising it to via bicycle!   Just Do It!! Nike sure did nail it with their slogan! I put my sun screen on, fix an almond butter and banana sandwich and grab some peanut butter filled pretzel bites to take for fuel, it’s important to be prepared you know.


So now I’ve squandered almost 2 hours debating what to do.  Hello!! It’s about 10:00 AM and I’m finally out the door.  More indecision… Which way should I go? Why so many decisions on my day off!  Road or bike trail, road=cars, bike trail = defying hubby as he said don’t ride it alone.  I decide on the bike trail (sorry Honey). It’s a holiday morning and should be safe.

 I’m enjoying my ride in spite of my quad muscles swearing at me.  A guy passes me (those dang guys are ALWAYS flying by like I’m standing still!), I try to keep up, we hit a hill, I’m right behind him, feeling good, he gets out of the saddle and cranks it up, I stay in the saddle and keep up pretty well (thinking ha, ha, I can make it up almost as fast as you but sitting, he he), but I fall back when we get to the top.  Ok, I’m in my happy place, glad I’m out, enjoying my ride and the river.

I love where I live, it’s just so beautiful.  I pull off the trail near the street to my girlfriend’s house.  I am thinking of how I will write about today’s ride, trying to come up with a catchy title, how to tell the story of the ride as not to bore the reader and remember the details that I want to put in.  I turn the corner, oh crap, she had warned me about this hill!  I snap out of my fantasy world and drop my gears down for the hill.  Nothing like climbing a hill with 20 pounds of squash on your back!  Oh, and who the heck threw a bottle into the bike lane?  I swear there was broken unavoidable glass everywhere.  Shesh, just what I need 20 pounds of squash on my back and a flat tire!  I made it up without a flat, thank goodness!


 I survived the hill, my riding amnesia sets in and I’m back to thinking about writing about my ride.  What’s a catchy title? “The Road to a Friend’s House is Long and Uphill with zucchini on Your Back!” Eh, maybe.  I am almost to my girlfriends and my phone rings.  It’s Mark, my hubby, he was asleep when I left, he wants to know where I am.  I told him my plan and arrive at my girlfriends.  Yes, I was riding and talking on the phone, it’s a no, no, I know. Please don’t text and drive! J


I arrived at my friend’s house, she wasn’t home and the neighbor kindly advised me they had gone to the dog park.  Her father-in-law was out front and I had a nice visit with him.  I left the bag of zucchini, squash and cucumbers on the porch and left her a voicemail to warn her of the package on her porch.  As I was leaving I passed them and they invited me back for some ice water.  I turned around and we had a great visit.  Time with friends and/or family, that’s the best!

I head back out, now with just a big squash for my other girlfriend.  Ah, lighter weight, back to the trail.  I’m pedaling along a pretty good lick.  The speed limit on the trail is 15 MPH, I used to think, who could ride 15 miles per hour?  Why on earth would there need to be a speed limit posted on the bike trail, just crazy.  I looked down and I was doing 17 MPH, oops, I guess the “real riders” would be going that fast and faster and would mow down folks, ok, its good someone put up a speed limit for public safety.  Not everyone follows it though, some blow past everyone. Wouldn’t that be funny, instead of Highway Patrol there was a Bike Trail Patrol?

Ok, best way to get to the next stop, I just ride, not too much traffic, so once I get to Folsom I take surface streets.  I make it to my destination and am invited in for some more water and a quick visit as I told Mark I would be home in 2 hours; it’s getting close to 3 hours.  We have a nice visit and I head home. I’m in my neck of the woods and I’m thinking, hum, how’s the best way home from here?  My friend suggests a route and I looked at her perplexed, she tells me again.  Ah, great plan!  She points out she doesn’t have “riding brain.”  I thank her and head home.

So my squash delivery and visit with friends took me on an 18.88 mile trek with a ride time of 1:18:52 and stop time of about an hour and a half.  My procrastination left my house messy, but my heart full.  I had a great day, I got to ride my bike, spread our garden wealth, have long overdue visits with great friends and spend the rest of the day with my family.  We still have cucumbers, zucchini and squash coming out our ears, so if a visit is due and I can plan a safe route to you, call me and I’ll ride some goodies to you!

Yes, life is good! 

Happy Independence Day!