Now it's week 3 of bike riding.
After successfully doing 4 rides and not falling off on the final one I was brave enough to go ride with the Local Bike shop group last Saturday. I"d been building up my stamina, from a 4 mile ride to a 10 mile, to 15 miles. Last Saturday was a scorcher so they decided to do a "short" ride. We ended up doing 25 miles in 99 degrees.
I really wanted to ride with others so I could see how they handled their bikes, when to change gears, when to unclip, when to stand up, etc.. But I found myself at the front of the second group, and the first group had pulled far ahead. Then interestingly there was me and one other rider at a stop light and we didn't know where anyone else was, so I was lost to boot. So much for being on a group ride! I pulled out the iphone, looked up the address of the cafe they were going to, found my current position and got the map and directions to rejoin them - I love my iphone. I felt pretty good riding with them, it was never sheer torture, but I was happy to know when I was on the last hill.
I didn't ride in the week, the days are getting shorter and I didn't have enough daylight when I got home from work. Not to mention my Narcolepsy .... I cut caffeine out of my working day, I think I need to reintroduce it.
However, I decided I really should join the group ride again today. I did OK, mostly I kept up, or the gap was smallish .... I'm learning to change gears earlier for hills (but still can't use more than my middle ring on the crankset), they chattered, I gasped, but didn't disgrace myself until ....... I just didn't make the turn. One mile away from the end point, we're back on cycle paths, and I merely have to make a 90 degree right. The guy behind me calls it out, and I check no one's coming so I can take it wide, and wide I took it. Tired and heavy on the forearms I suspect it's not going well, so I look down at my front wheel and it just went from bad to worse. I think I just gave up, like when I was a novice skier and I just knew I didn't have the energy/commitment/will-power for the next turn. I dropped off the edge of the path and went over into the nasty dry straw-like grass at the side. My cycling buddy had to pull the bike off me again as I lay there muttering - "what no steering?" He was kind of shocked and amazed, and I had little holes along my leg from where the straw stems had punctured me, and then I came up in weals because I have a grass allergy. We decided not to mention it to anyone else, but I had straw and mud all over me. For the next few turns I had my head up and was looking ahead - 3 moguls ahead. Way better. We cycled 35 miles today, I'm pleased with myself.