Getting Tipsy

Last weekend we had some good rides. We just got our clips last week, so it was our first chance to get out on the road and try things out. The best way to do that, we thought, was to go on the hardest ride offered by the MS Society all Summer, the night after the Jack Johnson concert. You could say we could have selected a different route or a different morning to complete it, but then you wouldn't be as fearless as these Duck Dales. Anyway, the Shawnee Mission Route is a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5, due to the hills (Matt says "extreme hills") and overall difficulty. Cyclists on this ride assured us that there's really nothing similar on the weekend in September, except for maybe one hill on day 2. We thought there was no way we wouldn't rock it. Well, there were a few mistakes. First, I did not drink my full cup of coffee before. Matt was smart enough to slug his down, but I only got halfway before it was time to go. My lungs on those first 4 miles were still waking up, and it definitely required some focus to get them up alive, alert, and enthusiastic. After those first few miles things mellowed out for a while, and we passed some really neat scenery as the terrain evened out. We were warned about the big hill at the end, so when we hit a huge hill mid-ride, I thought we weren't yet at the biggie. That was mistake #2 - failure to recognize that hill as the biggie, and consciously pace myself up. The guy we were riding with encouraged us to go ahead of him, since he thought we'd probably want to pass him anyway (he also complimented our climbing skills, by the way). So there we were, Matt leading us, me in the middle, and Justin bringing up the rear. Justin clipped out at some point up that hill. I was about 75-80% up the hill when my body said it was done. Usually I just talk myself through whatever objections I come up with, and the self-talk has always done the trick. I had no reason to believe it wouldn't Saturday, so I just kept telling myself I was going to do it. That was okay for a little bit. Then I heard my body say it was done again, and I just didn't believe it. That was mistake #3 - not trusting what my body was saying. I was determined to make it up that hill. Then my body was really done and it was a bit late to clip out. I tried to fight the fall just like I tried to fight having to walk my bike up the hill, then my body just helped me along and I fell off.



Luckily I fell into the grass and have only a few bruises to show for it. As climbing skills guy passed me he asked if I was okay. Of course I was, I was laughing about it. At the time it didn't really bother me a bit, but I did find it strange that I wasn't able to overcome that hill with my trusted willpower. The things I learned will hopefully come in handy again soon. I must admit that later that day I was a little flattened by the falling experience, and I just felt like I've put too many miles in for that kind of thing. So the Shawnee Mission ride is going on again the weekend before the MS 150, and if I'm feeling like a glutton for punishment, I might just go for a re-do - armed with extra sleep, a huge dose of caffeine, and the understanding that the biggie better not mess.

Sunday we went for our standard Grandview ride, breakfast and all. I didn't get to eat nearly enough of Matt's chocolate chip waffle, which was a supreme disappointment. Almost as big a letdown as the fall the day before. So I tried to make up for it by making the Garver boys ride super fast behind me. We were going too fast for them to complain, and Justin barely says a peep anyway, so it worked out well.

A wobble, a waffle, and a weekend well done.

P.S. If you laughed at me for falling off my bike you have to donate double.