Finally "At One" with the Bike!

Had a great ride tonight from Specht Store (part of Bullis Park ride). I finally feel that I am one with the bike! It's taken long enough. I don't know what gave me that feeling, but riding along at one point tonight, I realized that I felt like the bike and I were working together. I would shift and the bike responded and we'd get up the hill. I'd lean into a turn and around we'd go. It was an amazing feeling.

We went straight out Obst Road and climbed what Christina has named the "Twilight Zone Hill". I fully agree with the name and have adopted it now too. I forgot my heart rate monitor today, so I pushed myself a little more than normal, but I enjoyed the gentle push. I was keeping up with Pete leading the pack until we hit the beginning of the "Twilight Zone Hill". I don't know that I realized I was climbing until he was around the bend and had pulled ahead of me. I'm getting used to being dropped on the uphills, but I still didn't think much of it. Then Christina catches up with me and says "see what I mean? It's the Twilight Zone!" I look up and the road looks flat. I look down and she's right. I've been downshifting and don't have many gears left.

One-by-one, they pass me. I'm still moving forward, but it's getting slower and slower. Pete comes whizzing down the hill having made it to the top. I look ahead and the hill gets steeper and then steeper still. Vicki gets to the top and stops and cheers, then Christina joins her with another cheer. Laura is still climbing. I look down at the Garmin and I'm climbing at an amazing 3.5 mph! I didn't know you could go that slow and still make forward momentum up a hill. I just keep plugging away though. I know I have nothing to prove and think about just turning back short, but why when I've already made it this far. Finally, I make it and we all cheer that each of us made it to the top without stopping.

After a brief sip of Gatorade we are back on our bikes and flying down the hill. I fall back a bit as we head up to the bakery. Pete is slowly rolling through the parking lot as he realizes Vicki and Christina didn't stop for our usual break on the bench. I roll in, see the look of uncertainty on his face and realize they rolled on. I pause the pedals long enough to hit the lap button on my Garmin and say "I'm good. Let's roll!" The slow and gradual climb to the school slows me up every time too. Laura catches me and we play a good game of "car up! car back!"

Pete is waiting at the school for me. I grab some Gatorade, eat a couple Jelly Bellies and head down Amman Road. I like the rolling hills here. They're a challenge, but so worth it! We have another brief pause at the next turn and then we're on our way. There's one more uphill and I get passed, rudely without announcement, by two cyclists riding double wide. It doesn't take long and we're heading downhill. I try to find a way to pass these two who are straddling the yellow line and finally just give in and holler "on your left!" They bobble a little bit and then move to the right as I grab another gear and blow by them.

I really like this downhill and it's the whole reason why I like riding this route backwards in the way that is now becoming the "right" way to me. As we round the turn into Specht Store, the two cyclists finally catch me and pass me without any announcement. They are in the oncoming lane of traffic around a blind left turn. I holler "car up!" mostly for Pete behind me and chuckle as they have to react and almost dive in front of me. Lucky for them, I was now turning into the parking lot.

As we load up bikes, we realize Erica made it and she is out there riding somewhere. Just as Pete and I head in to dinner, she rolls in. I cheer and greet her with a hug. She's been struggling to find the time to ride this summer and I'm so proud of her for riding the route even after we'd taken off tonight. Now we'll let her eat dinner with us!

Pete had Vicki take this photo of us tonight. Not the most flattering photo, but it is what I look like as we prepare for a ride.

Goals

Today's Miles: 9.47

Total Miles Achieved: 900.25

Financial Investment: $2216.13

Total Weight Loss: 0