to hell and back

It was the ride from hell

Or the ride to hell.

Hell, it was one Hell of a ride.

Oh it didn’t start out that way, it was a beautiful day, the Sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky.

And the riders were all experienced riders, well people that I had been on ride before, no brand new riders.

I was asked to be a training ride leader because one of the scheduled leaders went to the wrong location. ((McClaren Lodge, which is further, down the ride))

I had my BUHC ((Butt Ugly Helmet Cover)) with me, so I said sure, and then we were off.

First thing my speedometer wasn’t working, so I kept stopping to fiddle with it, so next thing I knew the sweep ((a training ride leader rides last)) had caught up with me. So I rode with him for while, next thing I know we are riding up this hill, a gentle hill and the two riders in front of us are riding really slow, so slow that I’m thinking “okay at this speed its going to takes us 10 hours to do this ride”

Beau says to me, “If they don’t speed up I will say something to them”

Well finally they get into the rhythm and there’ off, and we would catch up with the others, but while we are riding on the Great Highway heading south, we manage to hit every red light. (Its windy and we are on the coast, but we are headed south, so it’s blowing our direction)

We finally get off the coast and we get on Skyline Blvd Highway 35, and at the top of this little hill one of our riders has a flat (I had left Beau behind) so I stop and help him fix his flat, we have problems so finally I give him one of my tires, his new tires won’t take any air for some reason.

Beau catches up with us. Meanwhile at the top of this hill it is so darn cold and windy that I’m doing pushups to keep warm. Okay the tire is fixed and we are off again.

I ride up the hill and catch up with Peter (who is waiting along the route at place that is easy to miss) He rides ahead and I wait for the rest to catch up with me.

We are now riding on a bike path, one I hadn’t been on before, and it was beautiful. Nice winding paths with just perfect curves. Along side the northern part of Crystal Springs Reservoir I had never seen this before. It was a great ride, and I never noticed that we were going downhill and the wind was behind us all the way.
All the way to Woodside, not even thinking someday we are going to go back against the wind

Woodside is where we had lunch. Nice sunny place for lunch, but the market was so busy I didn’t wait to have my usual Tuna Salad sandwich; I just got a pre-made one off the shelf. Some Club sandwich thing, it was all right.

Then it was time to get back on the bike and ride back home. And what a ride it was, against the wind, slow up hill. One never even noticed that you were going down hill when we going down hill, it was just a slow gradual down-slope, one that against the wind, sure tired me out.

Oh I did fine until we got about 10 miles out, I started getting cramps, not enough electrolytes, not enough water, too many days limping around after I dropped that Propane tank on my foot.

I wanted to quit, and Beau even volunteered to go back and get his car and come get me, but I stayed the course and made back with Beau with me all the way.

When we got back and signed in, Beau was discouraged because 75 % of the riders had left comments that this ride “was a ride from hell” that they hated it and would never do it again.

I told Beau, “Yes it was a ride from hell, But we all made it and we will all be stronger for it.” ((I was so tired yesterday I didn’t even turn on my computer))