I thought I'd be lucky to do 15 miles, but I was with my friends, Anne and Elly, and I did 44.1 today in the Battle Against Hunger bike ride. It was a beautiful day in the Gettysburg, PA area. We coasted and crested on quiet farm roads, past cows and horses and barns. Queen Anne's Lace and cornfields. After lunch, Elly and I hopped in one of the many dedicated support cars and were driven to tonight's hotel, in Lancaster. But our fellow bikers rode all the way here, for a total of 107 miles today. And Anne went on after we stopped, logging 65 mi total for the day. Our friend Barbara did 50.
I think the mandatory trip to the bike shop back home in order to do the ride was helpful--my gears seem to be working well.
Today's Lancaster leg of the journey was pretty, though we were in the car by then, our bikes up on the rack. A simple roadside stand held fresh fruit and apples on sticks; it looked like a view right out of Martha Stewart Living. We passed tobacco fields, dairy farms, fields and fields of sunflowers. An Amish family in a buggy. And an apple orchard--the fragrance filled the air. The place across the street advertised apple dumplings. Alas, we were on a mission, so could not stop.
Tomorrow, we have to be up at 5 again. Breakfast 5:30, start biking out of this Hampton Inn in Lancaster [very nice, BTW] by 6:30. The course is another 100 miles--a century, they call it. I will do my best, as much and as strongly as I can. But not a century--not in this century, I don't think!
Grateful, grateful for those padded bike shorts. I know I would have had to stop sooner without them.
On a few stretches where I was pedaling alone, I thought of Dad, and Figgy, and H. And of my struggles with my work. I was glad for the time to contemplate.
If I can do this ride, and manage these hills, then I can certainly face my work challenges, I thought.
I want to bring that strength back home with me. I also got proud texts from Fig, H., Sis and Moey. Good night.
TCOY
Self-explanatory today.
I think the mandatory trip to the bike shop back home in order to do the ride was helpful--my gears seem to be working well.
Today's Lancaster leg of the journey was pretty, though we were in the car by then, our bikes up on the rack. A simple roadside stand held fresh fruit and apples on sticks; it looked like a view right out of Martha Stewart Living. We passed tobacco fields, dairy farms, fields and fields of sunflowers. An Amish family in a buggy. And an apple orchard--the fragrance filled the air. The place across the street advertised apple dumplings. Alas, we were on a mission, so could not stop.
Tomorrow, we have to be up at 5 again. Breakfast 5:30, start biking out of this Hampton Inn in Lancaster [very nice, BTW] by 6:30. The course is another 100 miles--a century, they call it. I will do my best, as much and as strongly as I can. But not a century--not in this century, I don't think!
Grateful, grateful for those padded bike shorts. I know I would have had to stop sooner without them.
On a few stretches where I was pedaling alone, I thought of Dad, and Figgy, and H. And of my struggles with my work. I was glad for the time to contemplate.
If I can do this ride, and manage these hills, then I can certainly face my work challenges, I thought.
I want to bring that strength back home with me. I also got proud texts from Fig, H., Sis and Moey. Good night.
TCOY
Self-explanatory today.
Posts
Wow... great job, Alice. 44.1 miles! Good luck tomorrow, too. Love, Linny
ReplyDeleteYay! Way to go, Alice!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow!!! I'm SO impressed! And to get up and do it again today! You go girl!
ReplyDeleteGo Alice!!! I find it amazing you had the energy to do a blog update after day 1 of the race! Hope day 2 goes well.
ReplyDeletethanking you--love alice
ReplyDelete