I got up at 7, and left the house for today’s ride at about 7:45. I stopped at McDonald’s and got a Sausage McMuffin with Egg, a small orange juice, and a small coffee.
I arrived quite early in Rolesville, and went into the Food Lion and bought some Granola Bars for the ride.
Joe arrived early, too, and I told him that I wasn’t going to stay for the ride this morning after all. It was too cold, and it looked like a good possibility of rain. I just couldn’t do that again.
I went home, and went back to bed. I got up at about 12:30, and rode out to Carrboro and did the 33-mile out there.
THE TRAINING ROUTE
– Our ride today was the “Rolesville Ride.” The route started in Rolesville and went through Knightdale and Zebulon.
– When I arrived at the starting point at 8:30 it was, once again, very cold, and rain seemed imminent. I told Joe, “I can’t do this again today. It’s too cold, and I just don’t want to risk getting wet again today.” (I had been sick the week before with a fever of 102.1 at one point, and was really just getting back to 100% — which may also have played into my discouraging day yesterday.)
– I told Joe I was going to wait until later in the day, and if the weather cleared up, go out on my own. He stayed and rode with the group. Later in the day, at around noon, I rode out to Carrboro, and did the 33-mile ride we’d done in the past out there. I rode it alone.
WHAT I LEARNED
– That when you’re riding a bike, and your bare legs are exposed, every dog you see is at least one-half Rottweiller. At the beginning of this ride, I spotted two very large, black dogs, probably Labs (or half-Labs, at least!) running loose on my side of the road up ahead. I stopped to see what they were going to do, as it looked like, though playing with each other, that they were waiting or trying to cross the street when they could, which is exactly what I wanted them to do. After a couple of minutes, the bigger one ventured into the road. A lot of cars slowed down, and then stopped, and they made their way across. As the cars started back up, I took off like a bat out of hell wanting to get past them while there was still the road, and a line of cars, between us. As I zipped past the very area where they were on the other side of the road, this aggressive, extremely loud barking in my ear occurred. My heart was in my throat. I pedaled like a madman, thinking, “there’s no way those dogs could have made it back across that street that quickly.” When I looked up, I saw a pick-up truck passing me with a huge dog (part German Shepherd, I’m sure!) in the back of it barking like crazy at those dogs on the other side of the street. I started breathing again, and got a grip!
– I passed by a deer that had obviously been deteriorating on the side of the road for a day or two. The stench was so bad that I had to hold my breath until I was way past it.
WHAT HURT
– No real pain today. I was cold, though, as I had on a tank top, and the sun kept disappearing. Overall, though, it was warmer than it had been at 8:30 this morning, and I was glad I had waited until now to ride.
HOW I FEEL
– Once again, my frame of mind was not very positive on this ride. I felt like I went very slowly up the slightest of hills, and I spent more time coasting downhill and even in flat areas, where in previous rides, I would have been pedaling. I tried to write this off as it once again being cold, having such a discouraging day yesterday, and just now getting back to 100% with regards to my health.
– Thoughts about “my age,” and doubts about the actual ride crept in on this solitary training ride. At one point on a long, deserted stretch, during which I passed no walkers, bike riders, folks in their yards, or even cars passing by, I even thought, “I could be abducted out here.” I went so far as to start thinking about what I had on my bike, that as I was being dragged into a car or something, I could drop on the ground as “breadcrumbs” to indicate, “I was here when it happened.” Talk about too much time to think!
– When I finished this ride, however, I felt very good about having taken the initiative to get out and ride on my own, especially with the frame of mind I was in. It helped me regain some of my determination and, hopefully, fortitude.
I stopped by UNC Hospital on the way back and visited with Robert for a few minutes. It was nice and warm in there, as was he.
I went to Flex between 7:30 and 8:00, and there was a Crape Myrtle fundraiser going on. A nice guy at the door, Michael, asked me if I was riding in the ride, as I had my t-shirt on, and we chatted a bit. He’s riding, too. I must say I didn’t recognize him from previous training rides, but he said he’s been there. I’ll have to look for him next week.
Van was there, as was Allen from the Wednesday night crowd. I spoke with Wayne for a little while, while watching some rather poor games of pool. I left there just before nine.
I stopped at Baja Burrito on the way home. Things were hopping there as they were having a Cynco de Mayo party (on quatro de mayo), and had a live band outside. I guess straight people need to party, too. 🙂