And the winner was.......I went for a ride.....

Riding in the rain is challenging, but it gave me a chance to try out my new waterproof booties....can't decide if they are the best things since sliced bread or totally useless......my shoes were nice and clean at the end of the ride....but my feet were still wet. Not quite as soaked as last saturday, but then I did step in a puddle......

Glad to be back home, warm and dry.....looking forward to send off party this afternoon at Keegan's Grill...hope it stops raining!

Sunday morning......5 days to go....

So here I sit, 6:00am Sunday morning February 28th. I'm wondering lot of things, most importantly will I ride today. This would be my last ride with Charlie and the gang from the Bagel Nosh, but alas, it's raining! As it can go in Arizona, it's possible that it's raining here, and not 3 miles down the road at our starting point. That has happened to me in the past. I so desperately want to go, but starting out in the rain....I could try my new rain booties, I do know that my rain jacket works........I'll wait perhaps a 1/2 hour or so and see how it looks.

The other things I'm wondering.....how did it get to be February 28th, 2010 so quickly, last April when I began contemplating this Journey, it seemed so far away. How did the starting time come so quickly....on the other hand, the time seems to drag, I just want to get to San Diego and get on the road already.....

I also wonder if I'll be strong enough to keep up, will the aches and pain keep me from pedaling.....

I wonder to about the home front....will my fabulous husband make it by himself. He has declared nothing but his undying support....but at times I think his sacrifice is more than mine......

Finally, full circle back to the beginning I wonder if I'll ride today....jury is still out....I'll keep you posted!

Around the mountain again.....6 days to go....

Saturday was the last ride with "The Ladies" before the big adventure. We rode 46 miles around South Mountain again....it was a perfect ride. The weather cooperated, not to cold, not to hot, and more importantly no rain!

We rode at a very steady pace, I've been wanting to try this...just holding it at 14mph rather than pushing for a faster pace. The last time we did this ride, I pushed 17 - 18 on the back side of the mountain then I just crashed on the front side.....so I was very pleased, this time the steady pace kept me strong....it was great!

So upon arriving home, I announced myself fit.....and ready for the long ride. The icing of the cake of day was the "Blessing of the Bike" and the journey by our pastor at Saturday night service. I now know that I am fit, and covered under God's protection and ready to ride....now if Thursday would only get here!

I have a new rain jacket.....so of course it rained!

Well, I finally got my chance to ride in the rain....I suppose it's just because I finally go a new rain jackt for the big adventure, and thought I should try it out on Saturday for the fit etc...well, it must have been a sign or something, after we were about 17 miles out, the heavens opened up and it began to rain....so I just took it easy in the beginning watching as my new shoes, my wonderful bike, my gloves, and me got just soaked, through and through.

I did learn a few things.....it's best to take your sunglasses off it you want to see in the rain, rain booties would probably be a good investment, my rain jacket does keep my dry, and now a day later, it takes a long time for soaking wet shoes to dry out....

So, with 11 days to go here I sit, watching it rain again in AZ, but I'm wimping out today, staying dry, figuring that I'll probably have many more chances to ride in the rain over the next couple of months....

13 days to go........

As I started out on friday's ride, I was thinking of all that needs to be completed before the big adventure....I rode softly, taking it a bit easy...the good news is that the body healed, and it felt good......

Ouch! 17 days to go......

I hurt, I'm sore in every nook and crany......Sunday's ride was the most spectacular ever, but it was hard. We left from East Mesa and rode to Tortilla Flats (name not descriptive of journey). The vews were specacular and so were the climbing elevations. I can't even begin to describe how challenging the ride was. And after riding by canyon lake and seeing the beauty, I was somehwat revived but....my legs still hurt.....

I however, did learn a few things, getting off your bike during a tough climb, even for 30 seconds to blow your nose........can revive you and give you new strength......getting off your bike to call the sag vehicle and discovering there is no cell service, can revive you....and most important it doesn't kill you to ride a bit in Sag.

The day began with a very tough head wind. The first 10 miles of our jorney was on relatively flat Brown Road, however, it was so windy I could barely hold 11 MPH, I was frustrated, and freeking out a bit.....keep in mind the day before I had no trouble holding 17 MPH on the flats in a bit of a wind. When it was time to start the climb, (appoximately 17 miles) I just thought one more turn, and I'll call for the Sag, then I'd get that little downhill thrill, look at the next hill and think, one more hill and I'll call for the Sag,....and so it went for a while, then I got to a sign that said 2 miles to Tortilla Flats, and I thought, that's it, I just cannot make it, so I tried to call for the Sag, alas, no cell service, so I just kept pedaling...and finally there they were, the rest of the Team and the Sag. Needles to say I rode in the Sag, back 17 miles...the pedaled the last 10 back to town, and with wind on your back, it's amazing how fast you can go!!

17 days to go.....

Pride goeth before destruction.......

Some of you may recognize the title from the bible, the book of Proverbs I think..it describes my day......I head out to The Ladies ride today, excited to be going around south mountain again, it's a relatively flat ride, but long (60) miles.....I'm thinking wow, this will be a great training day, just like the cross country ride, 60 miles.....

When we got to the first SAG stop after 22 miles, I checked my meter, I had averaged 16.7 mph and my average cadence was 90....WOW, was I full of myself. As I headed out to the second SAG stop 20 miles later I was drafting my blog in my head so that I could tell everyone what a great ride I had....suddenly "pride goeth before destruction" pops in my head, and I smile to myself, thinking ok, I probably can't hold this forever, but I feel good, let's try to keep it up....

Well, needless to say....I ended the day 60 miles, with an average of 13.7 MPH and average cadance of 70...and one very sore posterior...so very humbled by the whole experience...think I read somewhere that tomorrow's ride is 50+ miles with lots of hills....oy.....

Tackling Chandler Blvd over 50......

The world has not collapsed on it's axis....I got on the bike today for the first time since passing the 1/2 century mark.....today was the first time in 12 days that I was on the bike, and I was really nervous...all went well.....

Had a great ride with LaVerne and the Ladies, eagerly counting down the days until the big adventure begins.....20 days to go...so glad to be back in the saddle.

23 days to go and stil sick......

Went to the Dr. again today, sill feeling lousy and no biking....I guess the only good thing is that there is 23 days to go......

still sick with 25 days to go!

After being in bed for 3 days, and pounding pain in my ear, and a 4 hour trip to urgent care on Saturday night......I discovered that I have an EAR INFECTION! Thought that was only for kids, very painful, I might add......

So with some antibiotics and pain killers I spend all day Sunday in bed, who thought I'd watch the super bowl from bed! Yea for the NFC....and the Saints!!!

Hoping to be able to get back on the bike soon.....

Sick.......

I can't believe it, I never get sick, and yet here I am, less than 4 weeks out on the big adventure and I am sick. I don't mean, just not feeling well sick, but really sick. Sore throat and cough like I have never experienced. I'm so bummed, "The Ladies" were doing pace line training today, and even though I'm not very comfortable with pace lines, I was looking forward to it....and tommorw we're riding around South Mountain, I must be out there.....

My fabulous husband just took time out of his day to run to CVS to load up on cold remedies.....

It it hard to image that 4 weeks from today I will have started on the journey.....I will have completed the first day and the ride to Alpine...

The New Seat is GREAT!!!

I can't say enough about the fabuouls brooks saddle, I'm so glad I took the chance....I'll admit I was very worried after the first few rides....but now that I've put in my 200 hundred miles....it feels great....so, I've got the new seat, new gloves thanks to a birthday present from my sister along with a great horn so I can honk across the country....

.....now I just need a wind/rain resistant jacket....how to find one of those in AZ!

32 days and counting.....from the age of 50

Today I joined the ranks of 50 year olds. There's a big coffee mug sitting on my desk that shouts "the big 50" that has been passed around my family for more than a decade, and it finally reached my hands. I'm the last sibling that will receive it....this is a momentous day for me...

I'll admit that long go the age of 50 seemed ancient. Now, 75 seems young....as I work towards this trek across the country, I'll be trekking forward in a new chapter, post 50. I have to say it's a good feeling. I think 50 is a great age.....experience is the best teacher. I view life far differently now than I did in my 20's, 30's, and 40's. Age is a great stabilizer. I'm calmer now, there are less emergencies, things can wait...ok, so this is a bit philosophical...I do need to get working, there are things to do, like packing lists to create, training rides to take....and of course just overall trip preparedness....more on biking later....