I chose Sunday to be my long run or bike day. Yesterday started out nicely with a big breakfast of eggs, toast, oj, and pancakes. Two 1/2 hours later, I still wasn’t hungry so I grabbed an apple for the road (not a road apple), and hopped on the bike. I drove into what seemed like a 30 mph wind for almost an hour. It didn’t bother me because I was going to get the benefit of the wind to my back on the way home. The Schuylkill River Path, believe it or not, runs along the Schuylkill River. On Saturday we got about three inches of rain, so the path was washed out and not passable when I got to Oaks PA. That seemed like a pretty good place to turn around then. I ate my apple and headed home. On the way home, even though I thought the wind was supposed to be at my back, it certainly didn’t feel that way. I guess that’s where aero bars will come in handy.
I got back to Conshy and decided to go a little further. My gps watch said I went 26 miles, so I figured 2 more miles up and two more back that would make it 30 for the day should be easy. The first two of the last four were easy enough. I turned around at mile 28 and some change right into the wind! That same gale force noreaster wind I hit when I started the day, only now I’m pretty spent.
Those last two miles , I might as well have been pedaling backwards (I think a jogger may have even passed me). I even thought I heard someone say “sorry for you”. They were the two miles that almost broke the camel’s back. I wonder if I was crying. Then I remembered no matter what, I still have to climb a steep hill regardless of which way I go. Anyway, I got to the final mammoth hill to get home. There was no way I was walking my bike up it. Into the lowest gear possible it went…..
and
I did it. I made it up that hill. Got in the house, and crawled into the shower. 31.28 miles is pretty far. I can’t wait until next Sunday when I go for 40!
