A Nearly Perfect Day

Today was a great ride for me. It started with a great night's sleep. I went to sleep at 8 pm last night and didn't get up until 6:15 this morning! We had a late breakfast and late load time today due to the short mileage (only 57 miles) so I treated myself to a cup of coffee while I said the rosary. Between the extra sleep, the coffee, and the quiet time in prayer I felt like a million bucks by the time we started our ride.

I rode the first 31 miles with Team Turtle and got some more excellent cycling coaching from Sam. The pace through those 31 miles was pretty good so I felt like I got my workout for the day (thanks Crist!). The SAG stop was at a McDonalds at 31 miles and Diane and I got pineapple mango smoothies. I can't describe how fantastic it tasted! The best part of doing an endurance sport is that all your senses are intensified, food is an explosion of flavor, taking a shower is sublimely sensual, and just sitting down in a good chair feels divine. I have never felt so "in my body".

After the SAG stop, the Team split up and I rode the last 26 miles by myself. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go at my own pace and enjoy the scenery. The weather and the rolling farmland were just beautiful.

I say it was a "nearly perfect day" beacuse 10 miles from the finish, I came upon six of our riders who had just had an accident. They had been riding in a paceline and had a miscommunication when changing out the lead rider and the other five following behind the lead crashed into each other. They were going about 22 mph when it happened. Everyone in the group has various degrees of road rash and one guy's bike is pretty busted but other than that, they are all ok (thanks be to God). Margie had a piece of Jim's handlebars stuck in her helmet, that's how much force was involved.

The situation was well under control by the time I came upon it so I continued on. I've had a couple of close calls following the wheel of my fellow Turtles so I understand how quickly and easily this kind of thing can happen. When there is a significant headwind of desolate terrain, travelling in a group is really important but neither of those conditions existed today. The whole thing made me really glad I decided to ride alone this afternoon and has me thinking about my strategy for the 113 mile ride on Tuesday.

Sm's wife Mary visited again this afternoon and had dinner ith us. She is absolutely delightful and has been a real boost to our moral.