Today was supposed to have been an epic ride for me. Shannon and myself went on a training ride to that she used when she went on Climate Ride last year. Not only was it a longer route, but there was a killer hill right in the middle to wake up the legs. The route went along MacArthur Boulevard and up to Potomac, MD. It was a fabulous ride. The route is amazing- it’s like you’re riding through a forest. The weather was perfect, the roads not too crowded. I couldn’t believe how many proper cyclists were out! As in, proper cyclists out training for shit. Or cyclists who consider themselves to be proper cyclists (like, say, me!). While I was intimidated by all these fast guys in their team kits (plus one guy in a Rabobank jersey, one guy in a Cervèlo jersey [so pretty!], and one guy in a Garvèlo jersey), it was super cool to see all of them out on the road and know they do exist around here. All my time just spent riding around the trails doesn’t expose me much to the Lycra wearing cycling contingency. Sometimes it felt a little lonely. But I certainly wasn’t lonely out here.
Sadly, our epic ride was epic for reasons other than route/steepness. But that story is best left for another day. To be continued…
Mastering the Uphill Shift 