Bike Until You Bleed

I wasn't going to do it today. I started talking myself out of a bike ride from the moment I hit the snooze on my alarm at 5 AM. Once I finally did get out of bed at 7, I only felt like breakfast. And it was windy - real windy. So, I went to Village Inn - and I wasn't going to mention this because I am supposed to be watching what I eat, but oh well, it was good - and got my wonderful bacon and eggs and pancakes. It's such a gorgeous meal, really.

Once I returned home I was a little more inclined to get out and at least put in 15 miles (I had just eaten a not-so-healthy breakfast). I watched the Weather Channel and looked at the weather on the internet, and neither source was giving me the news I wanted. I just didn't want to ride into those 30-40mph winds from the SSW. Also, it looked like a rain storm was coming my way, complete with hail.

I finally just decided that if I was going to go out tonight - which I planned on doing - I needed to get some distance of a ride in. I stepped outside, and yeah, it was humid, hot, and windy, but I could get in 15 miles. I dressed in my biking shorts and Velcroed my biking shoes tight.

Once out there riding - going North with a 30mph tail wind - I decided that maybe I'd try get in 20 miles. Once I turned South after about 6 miles of nice, fast riding, and powered through the headwind, I thought maybe instead of 20 miles I'd just get in the 30 I want to average a day. It was hot, and it was sunny, and it was windy, but I managed to get in a great ride. I rode 30.46 miles at 15.0 mph. Not too shabby.

Oh, and the blood I alluded to in the title of the post...my lips got chapped, and when I wiped the gummy stuff from them there was a little blood. Biking is brutal.