It worked out!
I got up feeling quite sick this morning: headache, nausea, a bit of a fever, and the awful combo of congestion and runny nose.
However, I really felt we needed to get the experience of riding in a group of four among lots of riders, so I decided to take 3 Motrin, ie one more than my usual, choke down some toast with marmalade, and attempt the ride.
There is a decision point about 15 miles: left, you're opting to go 65 miles, whereas right, you only need to go 45. Since I knew that, I decided I'd make a decision there which to do, figuring that I'd be able to go 45 unless I was really feeling icky, in which case, about 10 miles prior, I'd been within 10 miles of home and could just bike back there.
So two possible ejection points planned, we headed out.
Here's the ride, mapped by someone last year, same course: Flying Wheels 65 mile route.
I was feeling ok by then. Only one problem. I'd forgotten to bring Kleenex. So I had my pockets stuffed with crappy toilet paper from the port-a-potties. Ooops.
Started out feeling pretty ok. My ears were bugging me and my throat was sore, but still, on average, who cares? I could ride! And ride I did. Until Inglewood Hill, which is nasty, straight up, and still very crowded because it's the beginning of the ride. After a while, granny gear didn't feel too safe, too many people, walking, hopping off their bikes, going to slow, and zig-zagging, so I hopped off too and walked a few hundred feet. That, I'll say now, was the only walking I had to do all ride, yay me! AC, dh, and Perry made it up the whole hill.
Next is down. And then back up. And down. And... you get the picture.
First decision point, and I felt fine, so continued: that was the "ride home point". Um. I should mention now that while I had it in the back of my mind that I could do this, I hadn't actually brought my house keys, so it wouldn't have been the best decision I could have made! Hee.
Continue on towards Carnation, and the second decision point. I was feeling good, dh and the kids were doing great, so we turned left, and committed to the 65 miler.
Note: it's the same ride as last year. Just read that description, add in AC, and you've got this year's ride: Flying Wheels, 2012.
AC did fine. She had a bit of a hard time on the last hill, which is killer: you've already biked a long while, it's long, and the temps are up. She used her inhaler several time, positive that she was having an asthma attack, but I'm pretty sure it was a panic attack again, she's gotten these before at hills, I'm not sure why. It's not asthma in that if she does calm down enough to actually breathe, she's fine. I do need to discuss that with her doctor.
Food stop funny: Perry has found a new method for collecting food. He takes off his helmet and piles it full of stuff to eat and brings it back to the bikes. AC sarcastically called it a cornucopia, I said it was the helmet of plenty. That kid cracks me up. And eats, OMG.
He got a lot of kudos, as usual. The biking community really is encouraging of younger riders.
It was long and hilly, but eventually, we got back to Marymoor Park. We were a bit faster than last year, but in the same range, which surprised me. AC has now done her first metric century, yay AC!
Photo of us, we're done:
Such fun, sharing that with my kids! Can't wait until Linnea can join us on longer rides!
And then I went home and pretty much crashed. Actually not feeling too tired from the ride but this cold is kicking my sorry ass. Heh.
One thing to come from this: it's not a question of want, I need a new bike. My gearing is off, and I think my derailleur may be on its last... legs? Cogs? Anyhow, it's not a question of it, but when I will have a bike failure. I need to get my act together and start making choices and decisions about what to get and when.
However, I really felt we needed to get the experience of riding in a group of four among lots of riders, so I decided to take 3 Motrin, ie one more than my usual, choke down some toast with marmalade, and attempt the ride.
There is a decision point about 15 miles: left, you're opting to go 65 miles, whereas right, you only need to go 45. Since I knew that, I decided I'd make a decision there which to do, figuring that I'd be able to go 45 unless I was really feeling icky, in which case, about 10 miles prior, I'd been within 10 miles of home and could just bike back there.
So two possible ejection points planned, we headed out.
Here's the ride, mapped by someone last year, same course: Flying Wheels 65 mile route.
I was feeling ok by then. Only one problem. I'd forgotten to bring Kleenex. So I had my pockets stuffed with crappy toilet paper from the port-a-potties. Ooops.
Started out feeling pretty ok. My ears were bugging me and my throat was sore, but still, on average, who cares? I could ride! And ride I did. Until Inglewood Hill, which is nasty, straight up, and still very crowded because it's the beginning of the ride. After a while, granny gear didn't feel too safe, too many people, walking, hopping off their bikes, going to slow, and zig-zagging, so I hopped off too and walked a few hundred feet. That, I'll say now, was the only walking I had to do all ride, yay me! AC, dh, and Perry made it up the whole hill.
Next is down. And then back up. And down. And... you get the picture.
First decision point, and I felt fine, so continued: that was the "ride home point". Um. I should mention now that while I had it in the back of my mind that I could do this, I hadn't actually brought my house keys, so it wouldn't have been the best decision I could have made! Hee.
Continue on towards Carnation, and the second decision point. I was feeling good, dh and the kids were doing great, so we turned left, and committed to the 65 miler.
Note: it's the same ride as last year. Just read that description, add in AC, and you've got this year's ride: Flying Wheels, 2012.
AC did fine. She had a bit of a hard time on the last hill, which is killer: you've already biked a long while, it's long, and the temps are up. She used her inhaler several time, positive that she was having an asthma attack, but I'm pretty sure it was a panic attack again, she's gotten these before at hills, I'm not sure why. It's not asthma in that if she does calm down enough to actually breathe, she's fine. I do need to discuss that with her doctor.
Food stop funny: Perry has found a new method for collecting food. He takes off his helmet and piles it full of stuff to eat and brings it back to the bikes. AC sarcastically called it a cornucopia, I said it was the helmet of plenty. That kid cracks me up. And eats, OMG.
He got a lot of kudos, as usual. The biking community really is encouraging of younger riders.
It was long and hilly, but eventually, we got back to Marymoor Park. We were a bit faster than last year, but in the same range, which surprised me. AC has now done her first metric century, yay AC!
Photo of us, we're done:
Such fun, sharing that with my kids! Can't wait until Linnea can join us on longer rides!
And then I went home and pretty much crashed. Actually not feeling too tired from the ride but this cold is kicking my sorry ass. Heh.
One thing to come from this: it's not a question of want, I need a new bike. My gearing is off, and I think my derailleur may be on its last... legs? Cogs? Anyhow, it's not a question of it, but when I will have a bike failure. I need to get my act together and start making choices and decisions about what to get and when.