M.I.A.

Hey, I'm back. Just did not have the mind to write in the blog. I have rode the bike 110 miles since last Sunday, so I have a few new things to write about. Last Tuesday's ride started from Powder Mills Park and was very well attended. The fact that it was a beautiful night and the starting location was close by, may have been the reason for such a good turn out. That night started out poorly for me, having almost received a traffic ticket for not stopping completely at a stop sign. I was in a hurry despite the fact that I had plenty of time to get there. Maybe my music was influencing my driving? Anyway, my license has been clean for so long that he let me go - thank you officer and yes, I will chill out on my way to the next ride! So, being mad at myself for this, I chose to punish myself by taking the harder, steeper hill out of the park. My apologies to the group - not that they complained.

The route was new, heading south through Fishers and down to Victor with mostly flat terrain, which is unusual for this area, (maybe I just wasn't feeling the hills - still mad I think). I was feeling a little pressure to ride at a fast pace though, as Steve W. brought his friend Mark with him, a hard-core cyclist and I was one of the few with a map out. I did not want to lose those riding at the end though and did keep them in sight or waited til we regrouped. Mark was nice and offered some suggestions for improving my speed and the performance of the bike. I realized that I might like to have someone professional help me become a better rider and even daydreamed a little about racing in my own age group, ( if that actually exists). It was also interesting to hear about the dynamics of racing and the women who do this. Mark also shared with me that he rides 10,000 miles a year and reaches a top speed of 54 mph on some descents-'did not ask if that ever ended badly!

Back at the park, everyone was in a great mood and the spread of food was incredible. We had some nice healthy selections such as a cous-cous salad, beans and nuts, but also some wonderful desserts. Karen and I were lucky to share a piece of Kathy E.'s excellent blueberry pie... that's fruit, so it must be good for you - it was very good for me!

I forgot to take a picture for this post, so the credit goes to Google Images.