Today was a training ride supported by the staff at the MS Society office for their Club 100 members and their guests. Thanks to Pete's amazing fundraising efforts last year, he is in the Club 100, so we were invited on the ride. Starbucks sponsored the ride, so started from the Starbucks in Leon Springs, rode out to the Starbucks in Boerne where there was a nice breakpoint, then turned around and came back.
The funny thing is that we live perfectly in between the two Starbucks. However, the country road we were riding on bends a little further out from the highway than where we live, but it's still practically a ride through our neighborhood. Of course, this is the route with the killer hill that I've been a little too chicken to try. Guess this was as good of a time as any to try it. Afterall, we have SAG support on the road!
Pete gives the large group a quick safety briefing and we're all ready to roll. We head out as a group and I get a bit of a feel of what it's like for a group start. I hang back a bit as I know I'll be the slow one and this lets the hammerheads start before me saving some of the jockeying on the road with traffic around. As I start pedaling down the road, I'm feeling great. As usual, I then look down to check my cadence. I have none! How the...? Oh! I rode the blue bike on Thursday and the Garmin is not set for the cadence sensor on the Madone. So, I stop at the first intersection and announce I have no cadence. Pete makes a quick technical adjustment, I have cadence again, and now we can begin the climbing portion of the ride.
We start climbing rather quickly. The first hill, makes a couple bends, so you can't actually see the top for awhile. That's good and bad. It wasn't as difficult of a climb as I had expected it to be from driving it in the past. It wasn't easy either. Just took some constant pedaling and pushing to keep the bike moving in a forward motion up the hill. Unfortunately, this is not the only hill. I was glad I had driven the road recently as I knew what lay ahead.
On one of the climbs, the bike started to go to the left (toward the center yellow line). I let it and just rode out there for a bit more of the climb. It was tough and I knew I was near the top. It took all of the pushes and huffing and puffing I could muster. I was finally able to have some more control as I crested the hill and I got myself back to the shoulder. Then I remembered to take deeper breaths and finally felt normal again and was ready to enjoy the downhill.
We rounded a bend and finally found the downhill. As I started flying down the hill, the faster riders began returning and climbing up the hill. I was moving too fast to wave to some of them, but there was lots of cheering. At one point, I turned and asked Pete "how much further to the breakpoint" thinking it was about a mile, or so. He responds with "six miles". I knew that was wrong, told him so and began pedaling faster and harder to try to get to the Starbucks as I was ready for a rest.
Finally, we rolled into the Starbucks where Tony and Bow had the MS tent set-up for a full breakpoint. We enjoyed an ice towel, some snacks and POWERade while we rested. Bow held my bike for me while I stretched a bit. I announced to Tony that the turtle had arrived, so he was clear to break down the breakpoint as soon as we left.
As I was climbing up the big hill again Lisa, resident powerful pink hammerhead, passes me. No surprise there. I asked her where the promised downhill was and she said she forgot about this climb, but eventually, "it's a great downhill". On our return ride, Lloyd checked on us a few times as he drove by in the wrapped Tundra. We gave him the clear to abandon us and promised to call if we needed him.
I knew the downhill was coming, because my legs still remembered the burn and the pain from the climb. Sure enough, there it was and away I went! We flew down the hills and around the bends. I enjoyed some of the scenery I had missed on the way up as I focused on the wheel in front of my rolling forward for the climb. At the bottom, there was a cop at the four way stop, so we made sure we came to a complete stop.
At this point, my feet were numb and I needed a quick rest. Most of the riders took a longer loop off to the side, but I decided I was far enough back, so I headed straight back to Starbucks. We rolled by a group of guys who had just finished fixing a flat. We kept on rolling and as I rolled in, knowing there were riders behind me now, but seeing how the parking lot had emptied out, I was excited that I had finished Toutant-Beauregard for the first time.
Tony was amazed at how much time we made up. I don't think he's really grasped how much I like to move and will when I have a downhill. We enjoyed lunch with the other riders at Pappasito's and celebrated a great ride!
Goals
Today's Miles: 25.2
Total Miles Achieved: 842.82
Financial Investment: $1988.47
Total Weight Loss: 0
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