Sunday on the bike was long and early since Brent & I didn't get to DeKalb from Chicago until 11p and back to my place by 11:30p. Headed on down to the high school here in DeKalb at 7:30a. Was supposed to meet up with Kevin by that time but I, of course, was running late. Luckily, Kevin ran into construction so he too was late and we both ended up getting at the parking lot at the same time. I left Brent at home as he didn't want (nor need) to do the ride.
Off we went by 8am. Brent called me at that time asking if we had left yet. I said just getting ready too. Come to find out he was thinking of joining since it was overcast and cool that morning. Well, he was heading home so he said that we should just go on and have fun. So of we went. I was trying to keep up with Kevin with his new spiffy road bike and we were going about 18mph. I have a mountain bike and I usually go about 12-15. So I was huffing and puffing and he was hardly breaking a sweat.
At 10 miles, came our first SAG stop. I decided that I was going to Twitter that day and hopefully remember to do so. It help me get into it at RAGBRAI. So I got out my phone and as soon as I did I see that Brent was calling me. He said that he did decide to join after all but not to worry about him, keep going with Kevin and we'll meet up later. Well, after that Kevin pretty much left me as I told him to. He needed to open that new ride of his up to see what he could do. It worked out well for him as I was puttering way behind him.
I kept my cell phone in one jersey back pocket and my camera in my other pocket. I was texting with Brent, letting him know when I reached certain areas. He surprised me and decided to do the 43 mile loop. Kevin called me up and said that in order to extend the 43, lets go down to Shabbona State Park and just come back. So I figured by that time, Brent should pass us and we'll meet back up with him on the ride back. Well, after a few more texts from Brent, it sounded like he was only a few miles behind me. And sure enough that was the case.
Kevin & I spent some time down in Shabbona because the bike store people were down there and he needed his brake fixed and seat raised and I needed my gears to stop squeaking. Then when I got back on the road, I text Brent to let him know and he said "I guess I'll just see you in DeKalb." I said why, where are you? He said he was already on the last road back to the town. I asked if he was going to wait for me at the High School. He said "Guess so." That's when I knew something was wrong. So I asked him. He said that he was trying to catch up with us and ride the last 10 miles back. Well, I ended up breaking down emotionally out there on the road cause of that. I was upset that he told me not to slow down and stay with Kevin and he was mad at me now for doing this ride and then my knees were killing me by that time. I ended up stopping along the side of the road in the hot sun, tears streaming down my face. I was actually saying to myself, that I didn't want to go on RAGBRAI and I just want to quit. Seriously, I was in miserable pain.
I got out the map and looked to see where the next SAG stop was and I was only a little bit away from it. So I kept going. Kevin was there waiting for me. And as soon as I got there, he left since he had already been there for 10 minutes. I got another cup of trail mix and some ice cold Gatorade and decided to forge on. It wasn't long before I myself was on 1st Street. And then I was seeing the overpass and I knew I was there. I saw Brent at the corner of 1st and Barb St, down by the high school and at first thought it was Kevin. But I was so happy when I saw that it was him!! I finished about noon-ish I'm guessing. 53 miles in 4 hours. I guess that's not bad timing.
The first day of RAGBRAI will be doing 76 miles alone. That will take me a while I'm guess. Gotta get up early for that day's ride. Saturday's ride is the shortest at 51 miles.
I went on Craigslist today looking for road bikes today but alas I didn't see anything in Rockford or Bloomington or even Quad Cities. Most of them are mountain bikes. I guess I'll just be "turtle" again on this event as well. I just hope my knees will take it. I start my marathon training on the 4th of August. Wish me luck. I think I'll need it.
Off we went by 8am. Brent called me at that time asking if we had left yet. I said just getting ready too. Come to find out he was thinking of joining since it was overcast and cool that morning. Well, he was heading home so he said that we should just go on and have fun. So of we went. I was trying to keep up with Kevin with his new spiffy road bike and we were going about 18mph. I have a mountain bike and I usually go about 12-15. So I was huffing and puffing and he was hardly breaking a sweat.
At 10 miles, came our first SAG stop. I decided that I was going to Twitter that day and hopefully remember to do so. It help me get into it at RAGBRAI. So I got out my phone and as soon as I did I see that Brent was calling me. He said that he did decide to join after all but not to worry about him, keep going with Kevin and we'll meet up later. Well, after that Kevin pretty much left me as I told him to. He needed to open that new ride of his up to see what he could do. It worked out well for him as I was puttering way behind him.
I kept my cell phone in one jersey back pocket and my camera in my other pocket. I was texting with Brent, letting him know when I reached certain areas. He surprised me and decided to do the 43 mile loop. Kevin called me up and said that in order to extend the 43, lets go down to Shabbona State Park and just come back. So I figured by that time, Brent should pass us and we'll meet back up with him on the ride back. Well, after a few more texts from Brent, it sounded like he was only a few miles behind me. And sure enough that was the case.
Kevin & I spent some time down in Shabbona because the bike store people were down there and he needed his brake fixed and seat raised and I needed my gears to stop squeaking. Then when I got back on the road, I text Brent to let him know and he said "I guess I'll just see you in DeKalb." I said why, where are you? He said he was already on the last road back to the town. I asked if he was going to wait for me at the High School. He said "Guess so." That's when I knew something was wrong. So I asked him. He said that he was trying to catch up with us and ride the last 10 miles back. Well, I ended up breaking down emotionally out there on the road cause of that. I was upset that he told me not to slow down and stay with Kevin and he was mad at me now for doing this ride and then my knees were killing me by that time. I ended up stopping along the side of the road in the hot sun, tears streaming down my face. I was actually saying to myself, that I didn't want to go on RAGBRAI and I just want to quit. Seriously, I was in miserable pain.
I got out the map and looked to see where the next SAG stop was and I was only a little bit away from it. So I kept going. Kevin was there waiting for me. And as soon as I got there, he left since he had already been there for 10 minutes. I got another cup of trail mix and some ice cold Gatorade and decided to forge on. It wasn't long before I myself was on 1st Street. And then I was seeing the overpass and I knew I was there. I saw Brent at the corner of 1st and Barb St, down by the high school and at first thought it was Kevin. But I was so happy when I saw that it was him!! I finished about noon-ish I'm guessing. 53 miles in 4 hours. I guess that's not bad timing.
The first day of RAGBRAI will be doing 76 miles alone. That will take me a while I'm guess. Gotta get up early for that day's ride. Saturday's ride is the shortest at 51 miles.
I went on Craigslist today looking for road bikes today but alas I didn't see anything in Rockford or Bloomington or even Quad Cities. Most of them are mountain bikes. I guess I'll just be "turtle" again on this event as well. I just hope my knees will take it. I start my marathon training on the 4th of August. Wish me luck. I think I'll need it.
