MILESTONE......I changed a tire....

The thing every biker dreads....flat tire! As you all know I did get a flat tire on Friday while riding with my sister, but I just called for back up and my fabulous husband came and got me. Well, I would like to ride tomorrow, so I needed to fix my tire. So, a very patient husband watched and gave advice. I know it must have been very hard for him to watch me struggle....taking off the wheel, taking off the tire, taking out the tube, putting in the tube....I'll admit, I did let him help a bit. But, the one thing I can do now, all by myself is pump up the tire, which I did. Flat tires are not fun, and not easy, and you never get used to them, and they never go fast....so I've heard from experienced bikers. Hopefully a while longer before I have to change another flat!

That Sister just might bring bad luck........

Not that I really believe in luck, but I had the awesome opportunity to ride with my sister again on friday morning at 5:00am still dark! It was to the beginning of a fabulous weekend, as afterwards we were leaving with our other sister to head to Monument Valley. I've never been to Utah, so a very special trip indeed....we had a great ride, watch the LaVerne and Jane, watched the sun rise out in the foothills. Then, almost home, at about the same spot as the Saturday incident with the exhaustion and the ants....wop, wop, wop, A FLAT TIRE!!

We had places to go, things to do, packing for the weekend...so I brought out the trusty Blackberry, called that fabulous guy Paul that I live with, and yes, he came abd picked me up. I am beginning to wonder if I will ever finish a ride with my sister.......

New Milestones........

I hit some new milestones today. So, they really weren't training milestone, but alas, important to me. When you've embarked on a journey like this (long and on a tiny seat) each new realization is important. Here are today's milestones.......I passed another biker, I read an email on my Blackberry while riding, I learned not to drink 2 cups of coffee and then go on a bike ride. The weather was great, got my 15 miles in and life is good.......

Ah....the cool morning ride returns

On Sunday, back to normal, meeting at the nosh and riding in the cool morning air. It was a great ride. It felt good to get right back on the tiny little seat after the Saturday episode.....albeit, only rode 30 miles again....so didn't quite make my goal of 100 miles a week. I'm slipping a little bit. I must admit that on Saturday as I was sitting on the ant hill, I did start to wonder if this is what the "big" ride is going to be like......hitting a wall day after day....I hope not.....the bad news is I'm back to a quirky cat-eye again, so still don't have good stats...this has got to stop! I do know that with or without I am very close to having 1,000 miles on the new bike! Yipee!

So, I waited for my sister......probably not a good idea.....

On Saturday, instead of the early morning ride out of the Tribe in Scottsdale, I decided to wait for my sister to be finished with grandkid duties so we could ride together. It's such a rare treat for us to both be in the same town.....well, summer has returned to the valley, so when we started out about noon, it was getting hot....by the time we were finished it was 105 on our patio, not a good thing. In fact, it was so bad, I hit the wall less than two miles from home. Just sat right down by the side of the road, in the shade, and on an ant hill. Even when they started crawling and biting....I just sat. After a bit, I decided to get up and try to make it home....I sarted swaying, and went down again, into the ants....pulled out my cell phone, called Paul, and the ride was over for me. Of course that fabulous older sister, just kept riding and made it home. I'm hoping that 30 miles in the heat is equal to 60 miles in the cool! I need the miles.....

Ooops! Made a wrong turn and there was the 40th St. Hill....

Yesterday and I was merrily pedaling along on my regular 15 mile training ride....always looking for new paths, so it doesnt' get boring....I thought, hmmm...I'll try this turn....

Well, I thought I knew where I was, but obviously I didn't...because after a few casual curves and easy riding, right there it was in front of me, the dreaded 40th Street hill....well, I hung in there, got to the top, made a mental note of the ride, will try not to get lost again...happy trails.....

Up Hill and Down.........

This past week and week-end was a struggle on the bike and off the bike. Saturday I rode with The Ladies, we did nine-mile hill. The name of the ride says it all. The 44 mile total ride included, you guessed it NINE MILE HILL. The ride was not only a struggle because of the grade, but saturday morning was the first time since I've started training, that I really didn't want to get up and get on the bike. Mind over matter forced me on the road, and I did love the feeling at the top of the hill and then wheeeeee!!! all the way down.

Sunday morning I struggled as well getting out to do the 30 mile ride with Charlie and friends....again I was glad that mind over matter persevered. But the doubt started...can I really complete this monumental task I have set myself to do? Will people donate to the cause, will I find the sponsors that I need....I don't know the answers, so today, I just hope that tomorrow, I want to get back on the bike.

Back on the road......

I took a break for three days, off the bike and off the road. I was so delighted to get back on today, and get those pedals moving. My cateye is up to speed again, so now I can track all the important measures! Today's ride was really about seat time, so no big triumphs, just sitting in the seat. I've got Jury Duty tomorrow, that's really inconvenient, so I may miss my 100 mile mark this week.......I'll let you know!

Hills and more hills.....

What a great weekend of riding, temps in the 70's early morning, which we haven't seen here for months in the valley of the sun....

I continue to be amazed that practice makes perfect. we learn that as children but as we grow, sometimes we forget the most basic of life's lessons. I was able to complete my goal of 100 miles this week, in spite of my meters (cadence and MPH) not functioning, but thankfully now there are fixed. A big thanks to Charlie, who continues to coach me on the hills. I did hills this weekend, I thought I'd never do...for those of you familiar with the rides, I did mini hill, Warpaint and 40th street, all within 30 minutes of eachother and this was well after the 2 mile hill on 5th Ave...I continue to be amazed at what one can do when one put their mind to it. Now I need to put my efforts towards a real training calendar and will continue to post riding updates as well as personal updates....

Connections

Today as I was pedaling my way around Ahwatukee, my thoughts turned to connections. Thinking about simple connections, like my foot resting on the pedal, then more complex connections - like my connection to my community. My mind suddenly wandered off in many directions about connections (and again almost missed my turn). One that came first to my mind was the connection between my parents. They've been connected more than 60 years, and as I watch the demon dementia taking the mind of the mother I've known for almost 50 years, I wonder about her loss of connection to my father and her world. I then began to think about old connections and new connections; intentional connections and haphazard connections.......then I realized it felt good to be connected and I determined to grow and continue down this path, on the road (literally) to more centered in my community and yes to be MORE connected.