Day 4

This morning started out taking a zero. Waking up to the gloom and rain outside, I already had the pen and paper out trying to calculate if I bailed on today's ride how much I would have to make up every day to the 31st. Missing today would jump my mandatory daily mileage from 70 to 80. Just as I was gonna pull the pin (I even sent out the pulling pin email to all my buddies who were even thinking about riding), Marcus texted something like "If you wanna ride, I'll ride with you." and "The rain really isn't that bad in Lafayette." Which was basically making me realize I was being a Prima-Johnna. So I got suited up for another ride in the cold and rain. I tried a new shoe/shoe cover combo that I was convinced was more waterproof than yesterday's setup. Well I guessed wrong. I wish I had a photo montage for you, but really it was raining so hard most of the ride that I was afraid I'd ruin the phone if I took it out. And let's be honest, one of my biggest fears is ruining my phone and losing all the contacts. Sure I back up, but in this nightmare iTunes sync decides to be "difficult." Anyway, I digress. For 3 hours, Marcus and I just chatted about every subject under the sun. And then, like that, complete silence. Not another word was spoken. It was almost as if we simultaneously hit the wall and were ready for the ride to end. After that, it was just get the miles done and get home. The highlight of the day was easily the elderly couple in the station wagon that passed us on the way in. That old lady's face was priceless, like she had just seen an alien ship take a left at the stop light. The low light had to be at the end of the ride, when my boss was walking to his car at the exact time I was changing into dry clothes in the parking lot. You really can't even play that off. You just kind of have to own the embarrassment. Anyway, tomorrow is the queen stage of these shenanigans. I'm not real sure, but I know the distance is gonna be in the 200km range. No better way I'd like to spend my birthday then riding around telling lies with my buddies. I'm pretty tired (as in so tired that I fell asleep in the dealership waiting room this afternoon, sitting in a chair), but still looking forward to the rides ahead. And a little tidbit for you. If you're gonna ride in the rain, might as well ride long. Why? Because it easily took me an hour and a half to clean all the crap off the bike. Then again, smart people would've ridden the trainer!


Today's ride - 52 miles (84km)
 Total so far - 263 miles (424km)