April 23, 2009

Don't forget your blinky and headlight for evening riding!


Last night we had put aside to roam the bike trail on the bipeds. Of course I decided I needed to get a haircut so that put us on the trail later than we had expected but nonetheless in good season. We headed out into the wind like any good bikers rule of thumb, go into the wind and return with the wind at your back, and are just cruising along at an easy pace when we see Cycle SD. He turned around and joined Kris and myself. I felt bad as we were not going very fast at all but I rode along side him and we talked as Kris drafted off Cream Puff. Good conversation was had. We stopped, refueled and let Cycle SD go on his way. We took off again heading east in the curvy part of the bike trail just past Minnesota Ave when a fella came up behind Kris and was following her. I thought he didn't want to pass on the curvy area but then we thought he should have passed and blown by us, the fella leisurely pedals along side us. It was Irish from Harlan's Bike and Tour. So we pedaled and chatted with Irish for a bit until we got to the Cliff Ave area. Then we noticed Cycle SD was at the convenience store and joined our group again. It was fun but I am sure we slowed them down a bit, but still fun for us. We turned around between 26th street and Cherry Rock and decided that since it looked like the sun was fading fast we needed to get going back to our starting point, Orion Foods. Headlight and blinky light lighting up the night we headed south and then west, and of course north stopping a few times and also enjoying the bats eating all the those darn little BUGS. Then mother nature joined in and decided to shine a little light. This got us a bit nervous as we were in a section where there really was not a lot of cover but a few miles and a few sprinkles later we were loading up and heading home.

When all was said and done we rode 21.07 miles. Not at a record pace but it was not about that. It was about building some base miles for Kris and myself. I am so proud of her! I told her as we were on the home stretch, "Do you realize that last year in August was your FIRST ever 20 mile bike ride?" she replied, "Yup!" and I went on to say, "That it is April and you put in your FIRST 20 miler of the year, almost 3 1/2 months earlier than last year! That is truly awesome!" and of course she totally agreed.

Here is the funny part of this. Most people from the outside looking at people riding bicycles would say, I have no desire to ride a bike 20 miles. There is just no way I could do something like that and yes, biking is not for everyone, but I am here to say Kris was kind of like that when she first started riding. She is not an athletic sort of person but when she started riding, became more confident in her riding skills she has ridden 20 mile rides, a 30 mile ride and now looks back and says, "it is really not all that bad, at all!" Here is the kicker to this. She has also said that it is really quite fun but is not really interested in riding 50 miles on a bike. How funny it is that the mileage number, just a few years a go was 20-30 miles and is getting longer every year! Kongalooosh Kristine!

By the way there were other FAB-ulous people sightings out there on the trail last night. Amy and Mrs H were seen pedaling around! I am sure there were others also I just do not know them yet!

Off to a meeting in Minneapolis Friday, so everyone have a great weekend! I know Abe will. His stitches come out Saturday! Way to go Abester for leaving them alone so you didn't have to wear the lovely lamp shade (e-collar).

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Way to go Kris! Hope you will consider riding part of the first day of TDK, it's going to be a good time!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Maybe we could talk you two into a Starlight ride this summer?

SD_pedalpower said...

It was a fun ride and a big congrats to Kris. I can see a 50 mile ride in her sights even if she is not interested now. You did not hold anyone up. Destination = nowhere, speed = who cares, conversation and fun = a must.