Rode out to our meeting point for the training ride, and it was pouring on and off on the way there, and once there. Joe and I decided not to ride, and committed to riding later in the day if the weather improved.
Joe called close to noon, as he was in the area, and asked about going riding. He came over, and I followed him to Garner.
We rode a 36-mile ride around Garner, out to Clayton, and back.
THE TRAINING ROUTE
– Today’s ride was the “Durham Dairyland Run,” a 65-mile ride. However, when we arrived at our starting point in Durham, it was raining. It remained light for a little while, but then rained, pretty heavily. Joe and I both decided to not do this ride. The team was still waffling when we left.
– Later in the day, Joe and I got together and rode out in Garner. We rode around Lake Benson, up Highway 401, Highway 70 (out to Clayton), up and down Hammond Road, and back to Joe’s house via Timber Drive. I measured it after we finished, and it was a 31-mile ride.
WHAT I LEARNED
– How frightening it can be to try and cross two lanes of highway with very fast traffic coming up behind you. We had to do this a couple of times on our ride, especially where I-40 crosses NC 70.
– That when I get a flat tire toward the end of a ride, I’m too easy to say, “Why don’t you just finish, and come back and pick me up?” Joe said, “It’ll be easy with the two of us doing it, let’s change it.” We experienced the “bubble phenomenon” around the valve of the tube, where the tire in that area won’t go all the way into the rim. We worked through this, and learned that by leaving the valve stem nut a little loose takes care of this problem. A good lesson to learn before the ride.
WHAT HURT
– No pains today. J
HOW I FEEL
– Apprehensive about this latest flat. It was on my back tire, which is the one I sanded the rim on, and patched up with the electrical tape. I really do need to think about getting a new back rim for the ride. I should at least go price them.
– Good as far as being “back on track” with regards to my attitude. And, again, thankful for Joe.
– Committed, since we intended to ride if the weather improved, and we did.
I left for Flex at about 7:30. Josh was the only dancer there when I arrived. Shortly after, Adam and Van arrived, and then Rick.
Robert arrived close to 9:00, and it steadily got more and more crowded as 10:30 approached. We evidently won over at least one recruit as someone asked if we’re still doing lessons on Wednesday.
Joe, Ben, Dale, Andy, and John were there, too. Once we cleared out, it became “Military Night.”
Robert and I left at about 11:00. At home, we enjoyed the rest of the delicious banana bread that Robert had baked me. YUM!