I'm Back Again. :o)

I'm Back Again. :o) Wow, I just read my last post and this poor blog has been so neglected. So much has happened and I have been thinking about dusting this thing off for about a month now but have had no idea where to begin. How far do I go back....how much do I include? How much do YOU really care about? Hmm...dunno.

So, I have decided to post a letter I wrote to a friend (the one I met during last years Venus De Miles and has become a sort of big brother to me...pushing me when needed, which everyone needs right?)
 

• September 20, 2011
• 5:33am

  From my "Big Bro"
  

  
  

  Good morning Roo,
  So how did you do? Did you win???????
  
  Sounds like you had a good time, I was surprised at the amount of climbing you did.
  
  I have always wondered what it would be like to ride at sea level, but it sounds like you just get to push yourself more & breath just as hard. LOL
  
  HUGS
  P
• September 20, 2011
• 9:24am

  From Me:
  

  
  

  Hi P,
  
  Good morning to you!! :o) um, did I win? Yes and no. :o) I won in a sense that I rode 150 miles, but I abandoned the hope of riding faster after that second crazy hill climb on HWY 1 over Mt. tam. Then, I was just satisfied with finishing and and finally rode my own ride. :o)
  I was shocked at the amount of hill climbing as well, the mapmyride map only showed 2900 feel of hill climbing on day one (which to this point was still the most I'd done in a single ride, the CO ms150 only has 2100 according to my GPS.) But the fact we got up over 4000 feet of climbing for both days was impressive (and super challenging for this very bad hill climber) I even fell on day two when we we're climbing a 5 mile 22% grade climb, I was at the top and it was one of those twisty turney roads that got steeper and steeper around each sharp bend. I was just about at the top, my legs were burning and spent (we were 60 miles into the ride) and I turned the corner, went too slow, lost my balance and fell. Luckily, I was going about 1 mile an hour so only a few bruises, but nothing major. :o) I walked the 500 feet up the rest of that hill got back on my bike and finished the ride, it was good the hill and the fact that I fell really pissed me off. :o/
  
  Riding at sea level was interesting. I found it was MUCH easier on straights and for endurance. My heart rate barely got elevated. But, those are the parts of my riding I'm already strong at. Hill climbing was surprisingly as difficult as it was in for me in CO.
  
  But, I do have more body weight than the average athlete to drag up that hill, so I guess it makes sense. :o)
  
  Well, I guess I'll stop talking your ear off about the ride now. Thanks for asking and thanks for cheering me on in CO, I was thinking about you guys during those hard hills on day 2 wanting to make you all proud. :o)
  Take care!!
  Roo
  
  To Be continued......