Swim-45 minutes (1.2 miles)
Bike-377 minutes (6 hours and 17 minutes)-98 miles
Run-4 miles
My phone wasn't able to send our photos from yesterday, so I had to wait until today to blog about yesterday. So here goes....
The swim went really well. I felt good the whole time. I swam 1.2 miles. Then I came home and had a bagel and a smoothie. At 9:30 we headed out for our 112 mile ride. It turned into a 98 mile ride because I miscalculated the route. Map My Ride isn't really well equipped to handle routes over 40 miles or so. Each time you add more distance, the system starts at the beginning of the route and adds on. So by the time I got into the 90s, it was taking three or more minutes to add a half mile section. So I stopped that route and started another one to pick up where the other one was slowing down. But then I miscalculated. We didn't actually have to ride 112, I just thought it would be fun to do. We still rode for the recommended time of six to seven hours.
The winds were crazy. It was by far our windiest ride to date. Steady winds of 22 mph with gusts up to 32 miles per hour. At times, each of us was almost blown off our bikes. The wind would just gust up and try to knock the tires right out from under you. I would get out of the aero bars when there was traffic around so I had a little more control with the wind. We headed south first, and then east-over to Bastrop. The route was really great-the wind was the worst part. Here's the route that we did.
We had plenty of water stops, since it was in the 90s. The best stop was at Smokey Springs. Actually, I think it's called Lytton Springs, but the store was so smokey with cigarette smoke that I renamed the town.
I forgot to take a photo of the store, so I found one online. Take away the red ribbons and add Easter decorations and that's the store. The people are very friendly in Lytton Springs. We had barely leaned our bikes up against the railing when we heard, in a perfect Texas drawl, "Y'all here for the Easter Egg Hunt?" I said, "We're actually here for the ice and water hunt." The owner chuckled and invited us in. Then another owner came around the corner from the other direction and said, again with the drawl, "Y'all are a little early for the Easter Egg Hunt!" Clearly they were all very excited and proud to be offering the local Easter Egg Hunt. I can't find statistics on the actual number of people living in Lytton Springs, but I did discover that Lytton Springs in on the list of "Ghost Towns in Texas" so I'm guessing the number of dead people may outnumber the living.
Wayne offered to help out during the Easter Egg Hunt, but unfortunately it wasn't starting for a while. The Easter Bunny made an early appearance for us though....or did he? Could this be the Easter Bunny's Ghost??????
So after Lytton Springs we continued our journey to Bastrop. I found a really good route posted on line that took us on a nice country road that ran parallel to the more major street. We did have to ride on the major street for a few miles, but there was a really huge shoulder which made it a little less harrowing when the cars and trucks zoomed by at 60 mph.
At least until one of the big trucks popped a tire right in front of me! A big truck and then a car passed by me going about 60. Within seconds, I heard a huge explosion! I looked up and saw that the truck, which was about 50 yards in front of me, burst a tire. The tire fell off the truck and rolled towards the shoulder. Of course I slammed on my brakes, but the tire was a good tire, it just unfolded onto itself and didn't really go into the shoulder at all. Phew!
Finally we made it to Bastrop. Bastrop is not on the list of Ghost Towns. And for good reason. They have an actual main street, albeit really old fashioned, but at least there's a place to get some fudge, trinkets, and a sandwich if one wanted to.
A cute little American town. Complete with a store called "Cripple Creek" which described exactly how we were feeling after 60 miles into the wind.
Ok gang, only forty more miles to go! Still smiling!
On the way out of town I saw a cute sign for a water company. Of course I had to stop for a picture.
Ah, so nice to sit down on something other than a bike seat. If only for a few seconds....
And then the return trip began. We found a store to take a break and replenish. Wayne and Bonnie opted for the healthy options. A Rice Krispie Treat and Cheetos. I stuck to my bagel and goldfish.
I feel like I have figured out my nutrition for the race. Wheat bagels with dark chocolate almond spread, some goldfish, and an accel gel every two hours or so. Plus mandarin oranges. Then once that ran out I turned to the fake food-honey stingers, sharkies, and powerbars. And lots and lots of water and some with nuun.
We reversed the route home from other times we've done the same route. It was our first time doing it in reverse. I knew we had a big hill after a left turn. When I got to the left turn I got off my bike to wait for the others so they'd know where to turn. While I was waiting, a big fluffy dog came barking across a lawn. It stopped about 25 yards away from me and kept barking, but it's tail was wagging. When I said hello, he wagged some more. Plus he had stopped, so I figured he had an electric fence. I thought to myself, "We haven't had any problems with dogs on this ride...it's been really nice." Sometimes on these rides out in the boonies there are some crazy dogs that chase you down the street.
So when I saw the others coming along, I started to make my way up the hill. It was a good long steep hill. Then I heard a scream-I turned to see the big fluffy dog charging into Bonnie's bike! Kristi screamed and they all tried to avoid the dog, the traffic, and still make the turn. The dog really wanted to play with them, but was going to knock them off their bikes in the process! Luckily I didn't see any cars, or at least if there were any cars they had slowed down enough after seeing what was going on. I kept riding up the hill so the dog wouldn't chase after me!
Then, almost at the top of the hill, going really slowly, breathing pretty heavily, I saw two dogs charging at me from another house. Then I heard myself scream. Usually Kristi is our designated screamer for all things wild...snakes, spiders, dogs...but today I let one go that made even Kristi proud. My scream had pitch, volume, and duration. This dog was truly insane, and wanted nothing more than to make a nice dinner out of my calf. If I had had the time to get out my camera and take a picture, this is what it would have looked like.
Yup, imagine that coming at your leg, while you're struggling to make it up a steep hill, into the wind, at mile 70 of a 100 mile bike ride. Holy adrenaline. Kristi said she saw me start to spin really fast and then heard my scream-all before she saw the dogs. Apparently the dogs just smiled at Kristi and Bonnie and went back to their yard.
Until Wayne rode past them. They got their second wind and tried to take out his calf now. I don't think Wayne screamed like I did. At least if he did it didn't have the volume and strength that mine did.
I was literally shaking at the end of that street. I think my heart about popped out of my chest!
Then we had a nice down hill stretch before heading back into town. We made another stop just before south Austin. Bonnie and Wane again both showed off their Iron Stomachs.
Cheetos, Rice Krispie Treats, and now pickles. Yuck. My stomach would have been turning. Bonnie says that pickles are the best thing for cramps, and Wayne was having some cramps in his legs so he tried to eat the whole pickle. Kristi had a bite and almost spit it out. They tried to convince me to have a bite. I didn't give into peer pressure. I stuck to a powerbar.
It was so nice once we turned onto Oltorf. You can see downtown Austin from the top of the hill. Ah, home sweet home. Buses and traffic instead of rabid dogs and ghosts. This is when I realized we weren't going to hit 112 miles. So we decided just to head home.
I think we got back home around six or so. Then we had to run four miles. The run felt surprisingly good. I stopped once to eat some sharkies and once to stretch my calves.
Then the day was over. Phew. A nice pasta dinner and an ice bath to complete the day.
Ok, time to blog about today now.
M :)
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