30 DOB - Day 6 - Training Day

Long story short, I met some men at a park where we engaged in strenuous activity and now my ass is sore.

Maybe I should explain.

I met John and Joe at Riverside State Park and we rode our bikes all over the place. They showed me some trails I hadn't seen yet--and a couple they hadn't either--so I now have more places to try to remember and get lost finding. For me, one benefit of riding with others is that I can observe what they and their bikes are capable of, which gives me more confidence in myself and my bike as I apply what I learn. So the morning was very educational for me.

They headed home after two hours. I fueled up and hit the trails again. My plan was to ride for six hours today. Most of the time I followed the course from last year's 24-hour race. I know I spent more than 20 minutes going up Five-Minute Hill four times, each time with the gear a little lower and the speed a little slower. The top of Devil's Up got more difficult each time so there was a little walking done there. I could tell I was navigating the rock gardens better than before and I was using less brake on the downhills. At 3:00 my time was up at the right time. I was out of water, chia seed-infested sports drink, and Clif bars. And I was hungry.

I treated myself to a bacon cheeseburger on the way home. They taste so good after living off of energy foods while engaged in lots of physical activity. When I left Fatburger, I pulled into the left turn lane on southbound Ash at Francis. While going towards the intersection, a car turned from Francis, coming the wrong way on Ash. The woman driving was on the cell phone and I could read her lips.

"Oh, shit. I just turned the wrong way."

I was stopped and there was no place for her to go except the sidewalk. So she took the sidewalk and then turned into the first parking lot she came to, which happens to be the location of a 911 Driving School. They're closed on Sunday so that didn't do her any good. But maybe she learned something today too.