....and boy did I get them!!!
I had 4 hours of hilly riding to do yesterday and my offerings to the weather gods were accepted. Thus, I packed up my car, drove 2 hours to Calgary, and rode back and forth and back forth along the Road to Nepal.
Awesome, awesome hilly ride. The wind was relentless as were the hills, and I just love hills!!! I am excited to keep biking this route and get stronger and stronger.
One funny thing happened yesterday -- Keith came out to surprise me. He parked his car on the side of the road up ahead of me, and walked along the shoulder cheering me to the top of the hill. Hahahahah!! Poor Keith though -- I was at 2:17 into my ride and I was OUT OF IT. I was riding those hills into the wind and I barely even acknowledged him when I first saw him!
I stopped for a few minutes and got out a granola bar and chatted with Keith a bit. Still, I was in that zombie-like frame of mind that is uniquely induced by sunshine and long bouts of prairie wind....You know the way your eyes and face look so weary by facing the elements during a long ride? Hahahahahah -- that was me. I even had a hard time talking to my buddy.
Ah well -- Keith, it was so great seeing you out there yesterday -- it was a welcome respite from the dusty brown pallet and lack of other cyclists. It really was such an awesome surprise to see you -- just know that I am now fully back to myself! LOL!!!!!
One of the great reasons I love this route is that the downhill sections give you an excellent opportunity to go aero with crosswinds and every-which-way-winds buffeting you about the road as you descend. I find that I am more stable when I am in aero when the winds are blasting than when I am sitting up. I've never owned a road bike, so I don't know if maybe tri bikes are built that way or what -- all I know, is that after 4 hours on that road, any fears of being in aero whlist being blasted by wind are erased. LOL!!!!!
6 comments:
A 4 hour ride is a long time on the bike. Longer if it's hilly. Longer if it's windy. Longer if it's just warm enough to ride. It is, and it was. For people new to Julie's blog, she isn't kidding about the hills. You're either going up, or going down, with very, very little in between. It's just about my fave ride. In a couple places the view is stunning.
For all that you say you were out of it, you seemed pretty perky to me. Perkier than I'd be at 2:17 and barely half way through.
Driving down the road, I was surprised to see hardly anyone on a bike. This is a very popular road locally, partly because of the hills, and partly because of the new pavement. On the way back I saw a ton of people heading south, so Julie would have some company.
I can hardly wait to do that ride
4 hours of hilly riding...nice job Julie! It was windy on Saturday, wasn't it? And how nice of Keith to stop by and surprise you!
Ha, I didnt want hills and I got them with 4 hours in the saddle. Nice work getting some hill work in
I can't believe you drove for 2 hours BEFORE you even started your ride. You're a champion! 4 hour hilly ride = awesome prep come race day!!!
Could Keith be nicer? Not really.
Way to go girlfriend! That ride sounds miserable-I mean tough. Way to knock it out. Esp with the added adversity of wind on top of the hills. Nice!
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