Tuesday.

Bah -- I'm sick.


But I DID suck it up on Saturday to get through a 35km ride with Mar & the TBN Saturday Morning Riders. I had to, I knew if I backed out I'd have a rough time getting Martha to commit again.

But it was great. She was scared - reasonably so, given that she'd never gone that far, and was giving up control of her Saturday morning to try out her first athletic endeavour in a decade or so. I tried to be sympathetic - but really I was just too pumped to finally have a biking buddy!

So we did it. Exactly 35.146km of cycling. An overall average speed of about 17.5km/hr. Two hours. And aside from a sore bum she did GREAT! We celebrated with Burgers and Fountain Pop at Licks.

I'm glad, and she had such an exercise high she wants to do it again this weekend. I'm so happy I'm not the only crazy willing to get up at 8am on a Saturday to get some cycling in.


This weekend is the first OFFICIAL training ride for the rally. 34 km.

Yesterday I succumbed to Sunday and didn't do my planned ride. But I DID make it out for a short little ride with a friend in the evening, and took the time to introduce her to the bike she bought from me (My "Beast").

I also managed to coerce her into agreeing to join my Saturday morning ride, which I'm really looking forward to!

Tomorrow I have a 40k ride planned with a friend who I'm sure will push me harder than the cruises I've been doing lately. I'm really looking forward to it, even though the weather says its going to be cold, cold, cold.

SMR - First ride out of the season.

Aside from some commuting this was my first Saturday morning ride with TBN. There weren't too many people there - but it was nice because I got to chat with a few, and this man Charles, who's been biking forever, gave me lots of good tips.

Otherwise - today wasn't a huge day. 34km from the Boardwalk Pub to Mimico and then home from there. Average speed was about 16.5km/hour (pretty leisurely) - and it took probably about 2 1/2 hours.

I was just thinking that I'm wondering what the average speed of the Bike Rally will be - - I'm thinking probably around 20-24km/hour - but who knows really. That means that most days, if we started by 8:30 every morning we'd be at the lunchbreak by 11:00am, and then probably be at camp by about 3pm (this is including some food break stops). That doesn't seem so unmanagable --- today anyways. Though I guess we'll see, I've never cycled more than 70k at a time before....

So the week's training plan:
This afternoon - stretch.
Sunday - 40km on the Humber River Trail - with a goal of an average speed of 23km/hour.
During the week - Commuting to work & Back.
Saturday: TBN Saturday Morning Ride
Sunday: (Maybe) Kettleby-Maple ride with TBN (76km...)

Have I even mentioned how freakin' Excited I am!?

With the first bits of warm weather I got The Beast out of the garage and have been biking to work this week. I love it! It's faster, it's better, it's some exercise.

The first unofficial Saturday ride with TBN is this weekend --- I have to make a point to get The Beauty out of the garage and tuned up first, but I'm looking forward to a leisurely 35k with some new friends! Hurrah! Hopefully the weather will be nice.

It's time to get going really, warm weather makes me want to get outside and be there. Friends and I are already talking about the summer biking & dacquiris (a tradition loved by all) - and I'm looking forward to the rally training rides to the east of the city.

Good stuff.

Things that must be begged, borrowed or bought....

A preliminary list of things I need for the ride:

Bike Stuff -
- Tires (low-priority, but look into new tires with a less-tight bead to get them on/off easier).
- Handlebars (again, low-priority - - but if time/money allows then have the bar/stem swapped out for something that fits better to my short girl-arms)
- Handlebar Bag (for holding things like sunscreen, sunglasses, money, etc...)

Clothing -
- 2nd pair of cycling gloves
- 3rd pair of cycling shorts
- 1 jersey
- water-resistant, breathable jacket - that packs down small.
- some headbands for under the helmet
- possibly a new pair of cycling shoes.

Equipment -
- Tent
- Sleeping Bag
- Bowl, Plate, Cup, utensils
- Air mattress
- Mesh bag


Hmmmmmm.... come to think of it, that list isn't so bad. Way shorter than I expected. I was at the Spring Bike Show last weekend and picked up tubes, a minipump, and a camelback. Maybe I'm being a little naive, but I don't really see how all the necessities will fill two Rubbermaid Tubs up completely - I see one being for clothes/personal items and the other being for camping stuff and bike equipment -- but even then????


Mmmm -- I'm sure the overpacking beast will emerge sooner or later.