Starting off and ending up

I rode 60 miles on Saturday and a friend had to remind me that this is actually a long distance, and maybe my perception of a 'long ride' is a little askew. I was tired when I got home and whiny and didn't feel like starting anything on my list. Come to think of it, I don't know what I did when I got home.

I had some work done to my bike last week which made for a very different ride. Last year, I switched out some parts so that climbing would be [easier]. Climbing is never easy. As some other, related parts, started failing (just from getting old and handling lots of miles), I decided I wanted to go back to the non-easy-climbing gearing as long as I was changing out other things. It was an expensive switch, but the bike feels much better this way -- and I feel more connected to it. When I went to the Sports Performance Lab earlier this year, the guy recommended I get handle bars that are not as wide as it would help my back, so I switched those out as well, and it feels completely different (though in need of adjustments). I think it's going to take time to adjust to all the new feels of it.

Saturday was our first official ride for NCAC '09. Amazing. We had a fantastic turn-out and a gorgeous day. Lots of new folks and lots of enthusiasm. Only 7 months to go. Ha!

[I had ridden about 25 miles before meeting the group for the ride, and my camera was facing the wrong way in my pocket so it got a little condensation on the lens -- for a cool, foggy effect]





Saturday was also the LAST long ride before the Jill B Nimble girls hit the rode for our 74-mile ride -- the culmination of about 11 weeks of training. I'm so excited, and so impressed with the progress everyone has made. Only a few days to go!