First the dog, that little alarm clock of ours, went off early, so I opened one eye and pointed to her bed, snapped my fingers and said “get back in bed, you have forty five minutes until it is time to get up”, so she went back to bed.
Later when she got me up, it wasn’t until I was already out of bed that I noticed it was only fifteen minutes later. So I laughed and said, “Okay, you little pest, you owe me one. But I’m coming back to bed after I feed you”
So downstairs to feed her, and she does this little dance, which just makes me laugh every time I see it.
After her breakfast, its back to bed for me, and I get to sleep late. Yes, it’s a ride day, but it is a Sonoma County ride, and the start is just a few minutes from here. So, no rush, no one-hour drive to the city.
Later, I roll out of bed, and I go and sit at the computer, I play SimCity for a little while and then Cowboy says, “Shouldn’t you be on your way?”
“Oh Shit” I say, I still have to decide what to wear, quick throw something on, hmm, do I ride the mountain bike or the road bike, “Its not a long ride? Yet I never ridden these roads, or ridden with this group” so I wonder, what I should ride, “ah hell I’ll ride the road bike” I say to myself”
So I throw in some clothes, and ride like hell to the meet spot. I’m on time and the ride leader is all flustered because she lost her keys to her truck. She finds her keys in a bit. We do the stretches, the safety speech and then we ride out.
We ride back the way I came, and I say to another rider, “there is my house”, we then ride through beautiful Spring Lake, up this little hill, down that hill, around the curved paths the follow the outline of the lake, nodding and saying hi to all the walkers and strollers as we ride by, “Look someone is getting married “ Tuxes and brides maid dresses, and look there is the bride.
Then we are on the other side of the lake, and out on the road, we ride through Oakmont, much nice than I thought, and I think I could live here.
We then ride out on Highway 12 for a bit turn, right and head up a hill ((I LOVE hills, yeah right)), but I realize that I can be the first to the top, I have never been the first one to the top before, so I go for it, I almost die, but I made it I was the first one to the top YEA! I do a little dance, I am so glad I clipped out first.
I take some pictures of the group, while I’m waiting for them to catch up. Then its down through the woods to grandmother’s house we go.
More beauty that is nature and not a wolf in sight.
I stop and take more pictures; ah it’s a lovely day.
We then ride down a road to get to Glen Ellen, and then we ride over this other small hill, a country road, over hill and dale, it is an easy ride at this point, only needing to stay alert for potholes and flying bugs. I’m glad I wear a Buff, because I hear in the background someone gagging and making retching sounds. I turn around, she’s okay, she just swallowed a bug, now everyone wants one, and no one is making any jokes about me being a bandit.
Soon we are in town and it is time for lunch. My friend Virgil of Team Bear has shown up to watch our bikes and refill our water bottles, what a thoughtful guy, what a joy it is to have some you know watching your bike while you are ordering food.
Soon, lunch is over and it is time to get back on the road, Virgil has long gone, back to his birthday celebrations at the Russian River, yes he came during his weekend away to start a roadie revolution roadies connecting with riders during the training season.
It just takes one person to change the world.
Back on the road, we ride against the wind now, and we laugh because we realize why it was so easy before. But it is all good, for we are in training, the sun is shining, and to tell you the truth usually on rides, the wind is somehow against you both ways.
We ride slower now and yet there are moments when we ride faster, I am pleased with the strength in my legs the stair-master though I curse it, is helping me with my cycling.
I stop and take photos and let the others catch up I ride with them a bit and then I sprint to the front of the pack.
I slow down again and then sprint again, Finally we arrive back where we started and the day’s ride is done. A short bike ride home and I’m there, no one-hour drive back from the city, no wishing, “well as long as I’m here” I should go somewhere. I’m back at home with Cowboy, and I tell him what a great day I had.
We have dinner and then...
well,
it was a great end of the day…
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