Maniacal Minivans

I had this preconceived notion of which type of car and drivers are going to give me trouble on a road ride. The sweet panel van man (mostly I'm scared he's a serial killer), the redneck truck with the gun rack, the little old lady who needs a booster seat to see over the steering wheel, the teenagers screaming lewd comments (always fantastic) or the kid with the street racer Fast and the Furious wannabe car... Through my own self-experiment of tracking which vehicle is around me when my heart rate rises out of pure anxiety and fear, when I'm white-knuckling the handlebars and have my fingers on the brakes, and when I'm looking for an escape (Do I jump the curb? Do I ride through that man's immaculate garden?) I've found it is the one vehicle that causes me much distress....

THE MINIVAN.

Oh, yes. One would think never a minivan. They are most likely carrying children. The driver is most likely a mother. Let me tell you...there are some crazy ass out of control soccer moms out there who want our blood. Apparently, even passing me on a extremely wide street with plenty of room is extremely stressful for the majority of soccer moms. The throwing of the hand and the "gassing it" in frustration as they get past me always gives them away. My favorite is when you are actually going the same speed as the minivan and you get to play this game a few times because of various stop lights. I also always am appreciative of the drivers who insist on texting while driving in front of me and then at the last second pulling over right in front of me so I either have to go head on into the vehicle or take my chances that some other jackass won't run me over as I try to move into the lane. Oh, I so could go on. WAIT. One more--beeping when they come up behind you to let you know they are there. What the hell is that about? It mostly startles me and makes me almost run off the road. I am riding on the road people so I do expect there to be cars...

Scrap Booking, Anyone?

Well, I think this pretty much sums up how I'm feeling about my season (or lack there of). My body is still not cooperating so I haven't been able to ride very much. When I do try to push through I end up knocking myself down for a week or two with a nasty flare-up.


I'm looking into other activities to fill my time. Trying to read more (relaxing but not fun), catching up with the DVR (I can only take so much), walking the dog (he's 11 and he can only take so much), cooking, cleaning (Kidding! I haven't lost my mind)...someone at work asked me to go to a scrap booking class (seriously? WTF!!! I'm sure they'd love me). Another coworker asked me to go to an Irish dance class (Really? Have these people met me?). Somewhere out there there is an activity for me. I just have to find it.

Everything I would like to try defeats the purpose and is just as taxing as the cycling. If there was full contact scrap booking I would probably be interested.

Kamikaze Chipmunks

Happy to be off-road!

Very proud to have trashed her bike and body

wow...at least my monstrosity of a zit got covered by the mud

Well, you know these aren't my circus freak feet...

.......................................................................................................

Finally my tri friend Stacey has decided to do a cross-country race. The Darkhorse Gallop will be her first XC race since the 90s!

You never really know what to expect when you ride with someone for the first time in the dirt (Are they going to endo? Are they going to freak out about the mud? Are they going to make you look like a jackass? Where is the nearest hospital?). I didn't know what to expect.

Having raced and ridden the road with her I knew she had a huge engine (well, I guess the 3 or so Ironmans had something to do with that). She didn't make it easy for me today. I could feel the hours I've put in this past week on the bike as well as those weeks I spent holding down the couch. It just goes to show you-- if you're fit, you're fit. It doesn't all necessarily have to be on the bike.

All in all it was a good day. The weather was so so but the ride was a good one.

Leo

6 Hours = 3.25 Hours

Not really sure why I agreed to the 6 hour race thing. Usually I enjoy endurance races. After being off the bike I was a little apprehensive about this one. For good reason. I had no idea how long I would last and how I would recover.

The course was very tight and twisty. The lap was only 5 miles long. After a while it became mind-numbing. I didn't know if I was coming or going. I had absolutely zero competitive juices flowing. We lined up and had to run to our bikes. I basically trotted/power walked. I usually enjoy picking off men and staying away--not on this day. I was very chill. I just tried to work on being smooth and enjoying the bike. I was enjoying the bike until about 2.5 hours and then it was painful. I didn't know if I could take much more. I went for another lap which turned out to be my last. The next time I came around to the pit I threw in the towel and sat-down. I made myself useful and fed Mike and Jim B.

I made it over 3 hours and to be honest I'm shocked that I made it that long. At least I got a workout in.

Weird NJ

To make the usual pre-race spin-out less monotonous I cruised around the abandoned Overbrook/Essex County Hospital. I'm no stranger to abandoned mental hospitals. In my hometown of Athens, Ohio there is an area called "The Ridges" which is made up of the old grounds of an abandoned state mental hospital. I remember we used to drive through there at night and freak each other out. We used to scare each other with threats that Billy Milligan was coming to get us...

I explored for about an hour today and I have to admit, there were times when I felt a little creeped-out.

Merely a suggestion

One lonely rose bush.

I was adjusting the shifter cables on my bike when I felt a presence. I looked up and the turkeys scared the crap out of me!!

Anyone have to use the john?

Ward 10= Clothing Boutique

There's actually a little write-up on this place at WeirdNJ.com:

http://www.weirdnj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=230&Itemid=28

It's bad enough that work and illness interrupt my riding schedule. Today the weather is not cooperating either. I'm not happy... I HATE THE TRAINER!!! I HATE THE GYM!! The gym serves a purpose but I can only go there a max of 2x a week or I will lose my mind. Plus, the average age of my gym is like 72. I do love my ladies, but some days I don't want to discuss the latest, cutting edge dishes to make with Cool-Whip and Jell-O.

I may have to suck it up and go to the woods, pouring or not. I love riding in the rain and the mud. The only issue I have is with the aftermath.

On Sunday we're headed to Schenectady, NY for a 6 hour "race". I'm curious how long my body will last after being off the bike for so long. It should be interesting. Or at least entertaining for those unfortunate enough to witness my inevitable hallucinations and rantings...