Lake Lowell

The whole team got together yesterday for our group ride. I don’t think anyone was missing. We have a team of three: Brad (our coach), Allison and me. We started at Walmart in Nampa on the corner of 12^th Avenue and Greenhurst. From there, we went south on 12^th Avenue to Lake Shore Drive where we went into a headwind that was sometimes a side wind. I was wearing my windbreaker and finally had to take it off due to feeling like it was a kite and pulling me around. I can officially say I’m not crazy about riding in the wind. I’ve heard that from other cyclist, but reserved my opinion until I had experience. Around the lake we rode with several Bob LeBow riders. We stopped for a break before we got to the upper dam and saw 3 Egrets flying around. Amazing!!! I never realized just how long that upper dam is until I rode across it yesterday. After the upper dam came a few hills. We turned East on Orchard (the wind now at our backs) and went up and down and up and down the hills on that road. The next hill, Brad coached us that this was not the kind of hill that you pick up speed for to see how far it will carry you. It’s the kind of hill that you sit back and pedal (which is more what we will experience on Galena). Allison passed me at one point on the way up the hill and made it to the top and waited for Brad and me. Brad went to the top, turned around and came back for me and encouraged me all the rest of the way. When we got to the top, we could see everywhere that we had just been. I think by this time, we were about three quarters around Lake Lowell. What an amazing view. Pretty soon we headed up another small hill and I felt like I was going the wrong way on a one-way street. We came into a group of Bob LeBow riders going the opposite direction. I heard someone tell their friend, “What are they doing? Don’t they know they are going the wrong way?” That cracked me up. At the top of another hill, Brad said, “Would you believe me if I told you this was the last hill we’ll climb today?” Then he looked over towards Bogus and said, “And one day soon, we’ll be going up there.” My response? “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” He laughed and said, “AMEN! Preach it sista!” and I heard Allison giggling behind me. We finally made it back to the parking lot and I got off my bike and immediately felt like both thighs from hip to knee wanted to cramp up. They never did, but felt like at any moment they might. I started stretching immediately, and Brad told me to get some carbohydrates and salt within 30 minutes. I followed his instruction and the cramp feeling was gone within an hour. Today, no sore muscles, just sunburned arms and saddle sore bum. I think tomorrow I’ll be ready to push myself and tackle another few hills. I am looking forward to the down side for the fun and the upside for the strengthening.

26.76 miles, 2 hours 12 minutes. 12.2 Average Speed. 29.9 Max Speed. Total Miles on my bike: 88.6