A momentous occasion
Today was a glorious day. I went out for my first ride ever with the Powerbikers. :D
I was so nervous. Somehow I managed to choke down a bowlful of couscous for lunch before leaving the house (no mean feat given that my stomach was tying itself in knots), and then I went off to the Café Jachthoorn, which is the club's unofficial(?) headquarters to meet my biking companions for a 13u start. I'd been told that there would be a bit of cycling on unsealed road, so instead of Vimes, I took Legolas (shut up), my touring bike (a Giant Cypress. I have a veritable stable of Giants - I'm very lucky). I was quite early, which was good because it gave me a little time to sit with a couple of other cyclists inside and try to stop my legs shaking. Along came the rest of the cyclists, introductions all round, etc., and we went outside again to saddle up. A couple of people looked doubtfully at my bike and asked me if I was up for a 70km ride.
70km?? Yikes.
Er ... yes, I'm up for it. Or I'll try, at least. I had a map in my back pocket, so I knew I could get home if I had to turn back earlier. As it turned out, a couple of cyclists were planning to turn back early anyway, so I knew I could cut the ride short if I needed to.
We set off at quite the cracking pace. I was riding in the third pair back, on the inside - a good place for a complete newbie. We were cycling in a reasonably close formation, which was a whole new experience for me. I've never ridden in a peloton before - it took a while for me to relax into it, because I was worrying I would either crash into the cyclist in front of me, or do something clueless that would cause a pile up behind me. It also took a while for my legs to settle into a rhythm because my muscles were really tense from being nervous.
We quickly left behind all the landmarks familiar to me, striking out across the fields towards villages and towns unknown. Every now and again we'd pass one of the Limburg Cycling Network signs, but they were all for numbers I didn't recognise. I had no idea where we were going. It didn't matter though - getting lost in the landscape is not at all scary when you're riding through such beautiful surroundings - fields, woods, alongside water, through villages with crumbling old farmhouses and churches. Limburg really is a cyclist's paradise.
And actually, I wasn't doing too badly with keeping up. Despite my lack of experience, and the fact that my bike probably weighed twice as much as those of the other cyclists, I felt I was managing pretty okay and hopefully not being too annoyingly slow. It was hard work though. We were riding on the largest front gear wheel, which I don't mind as a rule but which is a pain in the butt on Legolas, as the gears aren't properly adjusted and the bike keeps trying to gear down by itself. I had to ride with my left hand constantly holding the bike in gear, which was a bit tiring. Lesson learned - off to the bike shop for a service and some adjustments at the next possible opportunity!
Around 25km into the ride, we reached Maaseik, where I had to decide whether I was going to continue for the full 70km, or turn back for the 50km ride. I was starting to feel the effects of the pace by then, so I decided to turn back along with the other two cyclists who'd opted for a shorter ride. I'm glad I did. I'm sure I probably could have made the 70km if I'd had to, but it might have put a dent in my enthusiasm for future rides if I'd done it. As it was, when we rolled up to the Café, I was really pleased to get off my bike and go inside for a sit down and a drink. That was the hardest work on a bike that I'd done since Arni and I went in the Sean Kelly Classic earlier this year, and I was really feeling it!
I stayed long enough for a couple of coffees, and to see the rest of the group return from the longer ride, and then I tottered off home to collapse in a heap. Exhaustion aside, it was a really great ride and I'm looking forward to going again soon - hopefully next weekend if the weather allows.
And next time, I'm flipping well taking Vimes.
Camilla
_______________________________________________________________
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About me
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Re-posting always appreciated - just click the button below. Thanks!
I was so nervous. Somehow I managed to choke down a bowlful of couscous for lunch before leaving the house (no mean feat given that my stomach was tying itself in knots), and then I went off to the Café Jachthoorn, which is the club's unofficial(?) headquarters to meet my biking companions for a 13u start. I'd been told that there would be a bit of cycling on unsealed road, so instead of Vimes, I took Legolas (shut up), my touring bike (a Giant Cypress. I have a veritable stable of Giants - I'm very lucky). I was quite early, which was good because it gave me a little time to sit with a couple of other cyclists inside and try to stop my legs shaking. Along came the rest of the cyclists, introductions all round, etc., and we went outside again to saddle up. A couple of people looked doubtfully at my bike and asked me if I was up for a 70km ride.
70km?? Yikes.
Er ... yes, I'm up for it. Or I'll try, at least. I had a map in my back pocket, so I knew I could get home if I had to turn back earlier. As it turned out, a couple of cyclists were planning to turn back early anyway, so I knew I could cut the ride short if I needed to.
We set off at quite the cracking pace. I was riding in the third pair back, on the inside - a good place for a complete newbie. We were cycling in a reasonably close formation, which was a whole new experience for me. I've never ridden in a peloton before - it took a while for me to relax into it, because I was worrying I would either crash into the cyclist in front of me, or do something clueless that would cause a pile up behind me. It also took a while for my legs to settle into a rhythm because my muscles were really tense from being nervous.
We quickly left behind all the landmarks familiar to me, striking out across the fields towards villages and towns unknown. Every now and again we'd pass one of the Limburg Cycling Network signs, but they were all for numbers I didn't recognise. I had no idea where we were going. It didn't matter though - getting lost in the landscape is not at all scary when you're riding through such beautiful surroundings - fields, woods, alongside water, through villages with crumbling old farmhouses and churches. Limburg really is a cyclist's paradise.
And actually, I wasn't doing too badly with keeping up. Despite my lack of experience, and the fact that my bike probably weighed twice as much as those of the other cyclists, I felt I was managing pretty okay and hopefully not being too annoyingly slow. It was hard work though. We were riding on the largest front gear wheel, which I don't mind as a rule but which is a pain in the butt on Legolas, as the gears aren't properly adjusted and the bike keeps trying to gear down by itself. I had to ride with my left hand constantly holding the bike in gear, which was a bit tiring. Lesson learned - off to the bike shop for a service and some adjustments at the next possible opportunity!
Around 25km into the ride, we reached Maaseik, where I had to decide whether I was going to continue for the full 70km, or turn back for the 50km ride. I was starting to feel the effects of the pace by then, so I decided to turn back along with the other two cyclists who'd opted for a shorter ride. I'm glad I did. I'm sure I probably could have made the 70km if I'd had to, but it might have put a dent in my enthusiasm for future rides if I'd done it. As it was, when we rolled up to the Café, I was really pleased to get off my bike and go inside for a sit down and a drink. That was the hardest work on a bike that I'd done since Arni and I went in the Sean Kelly Classic earlier this year, and I was really feeling it!
I stayed long enough for a couple of coffees, and to see the rest of the group return from the longer ride, and then I tottered off home to collapse in a heap. Exhaustion aside, it was a really great ride and I'm looking forward to going again soon - hopefully next weekend if the weather allows.
And next time, I'm flipping well taking Vimes.
Camilla
_______________________________________________________________
About Lilac to Ventoux
About me
How you can help
Re-posting always appreciated - just click the button below. Thanks!