That’s Very Stubborn of You — a ride report.

 The title of this post is a quote.  It’s my brother’s response to my message to him that I had ridden my bike for 50 miles just 5 days before what I am calling a milestone birthday.  50 miles.  Of some significance is that if you convert that to kilometers, it’s my age.  A bit over, in fact.  I will let you do your own math, it’s good for your brain.  It’s been an interesting journey.  Hatched around a kitchen island and refined over bike rides and conversations with good friends in Florida in January.  It seemed within my abilities at the time.  I knew how to do that, certainly I had done it numerous times on back to back rides on TRAM.  20 years ago.  Looking back, my brain still knows how to do that.  Every other cell in my body had forgotten.  Starting from a base where 12 miles is a normal length ride for me, 50 is a long way away.  It’s a long way anyway.  Saturday, July 20, 2024 I set out to do my last training ride, what I called a taper ride, planning on 30 something miles.  My longest training ride had been 40.7 miles, and I had ridden that distance twice.  (Doctor’s orders.  I checked with her before I got too deep into this.). I wasn’t even on my lightest bike, but I knew that if I felt good at the end of this ride, I just might go for it.  Weather forecasts for my actual birthday were for humid and maybe rain.  Humidity is my kryptonite, as I am fond of saying.  

An early start from Quincy Park, north and west past the PSPS, along the north side of the Pigeon River then north and west again.  The old school house on Pierce, more north and west until barriers signaled construction.  South to Kirk Park for a longer rest stop.  Return to Quincy Park with a total of 33 miles, still feeling okay.  The Bike With No Name is a solid steed.  I meet my friend LH at Winstrom Park, she brings cherries and a peanut butter sandwich.  I take a long break and head out to finish off the remaining 17 miles.  It’s a bit of a blur, familiar roads, close to home.  A lot of head math.  I return to my car in Winstrom Park and have to ride a few circles around the parking lot to push my bike computer over the 50 miles.  Just barely.

That’s very stubborn of me.