Saturday, I rode one of the three, "hmb" rides we do in the winter, called round the river. Any of the three rides are painful because I am out-of-shape-slow, but I can ride to it and ride home. From Lancaster East, we meet at the Wrightsville Bridge, Columbia-Lancaster County side. We ride along the river, up and down half mile to mile long hills. Up and down. Up and down. The only route numbers I recall are 425 and 74. We ride down and up to one of the few longer climbs that goes down to Otter Creek (video below)
From there we head south on 74 to 372 to cross the Norman Wood Bridge.
For me, I think that is the halfway point. Riding Old Pinnacle Road to River Road to Millersville to Lancaster. Up and down, up and down for 68 miles. It usually takes me 4 1/2 hours. Three weeks ago on my road bike I suffered like any usual suspect on the ride. But I had fun. I could suck wheels when needed.
Yesterday, I felt like crap riding to the Wrightsville Bridge but I felt that way the last time. I contemplated riding home because I was on my cross bike as my road bike was not shifting well. I figured I had some easier gears so I should fair better that the last time I did this ride. I ended up being the only woman again so I rode ahead to get over a few of the hills. I managed the first hour but just did not come around. The guys had gone by in three different groups. I was in denial that I did not eat enough the night before and especially that morning. It wasn't until I was half through the ride I was thinking about asking pick-up trucks to take me home (I'd be dead in the river!) So I kept pedaling, pep-talking all the way. The devil on my shoulder kept telling me to quit. It's not worth it as I thought I would fall over on the hills. After crossing the Norman Wood Bridge and riding on Old Pinnacle Rd, I called my m.i.a. training buddy, Karen. I had hoped she was done with her two 1/2 hour hilly ride and could come get me. Answering machine. I did not leave a message because I did not want to get caught copping out. I finished the last of my cliff blocks (I did eat a GU an hour earlier), took a deep breath and turned left down River Road. As I climbed out towards Tucquan Glen, I see a rider at the top of the hill. It's Karen, all smiles waving so happily. My chest started to heave. I tried to calm myself. I get to the top and she asks how am I doing and I lost it. In a bit of a bother, I unclipped and cried that I was a mess. I could not pedal faster than three miles an hour (I didn't have a computer on the bike but I know it was slow turning). The Amish man at the house waved happily at us. I wipe the tears, gathered myself and waved happily back and thought, can I use your buggy for a ride home? I told Karen that I had called her for a ride. We joked that she was the smart one for not riding with me. We would have both been jumping in a pick-up truck for rides home.
The ride splits at Safe Harbor. The Lancaster crew goes towards Millersville and the Elizabethown/Mt. Joy/Gretna guys continue on River Road (up/down, up/down). Karen's home is on the way and we rode to her house, up and down, up and down. I basically did the whole ride but eight miles. She saved me even though she was on her bike and not in her car. I called Brad leaving a message that he had to pick me up at Karen's. He had an rough ride as his cable broke and he was stuck in his 39-14, walking out of Otter Creek until the second group met up with him. I later found out other guys cracked but not as bad as me. Karen's husband Bob had done the ride and was already in bed with a belly-full of chocolate milk and pb&j. We laughed about the sad sight we were in and I ate everything I could.
Lessons learned: Need to concentrate on good, healthy eating during the week, must eat enough the night before a long ride. Must have breakfast, cannot ride anything other than a road bike (definitely did not have the power with the cross bike), carry more food than I need. I know better. I am always carry lots of food. If I don't need it, someone else might.
I am off to eat pancakes as I do not want to have a ground hog's day again. I do have the ride the cross bike today, though, as we could not fix my shifting on the roadie.
