Man, this feels good!

Just admiring the countryside.

It was sooo hot that even the signs were melting!

This is one of my favorite houses along the ride. If you look through the bushes back there you can see the lake/river. I always said if I ever build a weekend house this would be it.

This is along the way and it's what I'm seeing as I talk in the blog about hearing the splashing down below.

I got my bike back and today was the first day I got to go back out on it. I rode the ABC ride out toward England. I returned just shy of England and rode back to Cook's as a solo rider. It was good for me because I couldn't tuck behind the line and draft. When I train sometimes I prefer to work solo. You can't complain about pity stuff and you know you have to take it home.

By the way, I saw Chris and Rebecca, Patrick and Paul Britt as they were getting ready to go climb Petit Jean. Gosh it was great to see them. I felt like it was long lost freinds! Oh and John Martin drove up from down by the dam. He had been running.

We had a great group heading out with Charlie and Tom as our leaders. Sort of the sad part of the ride was that several of the riders picked up the pace and dropping several riders including the leaders. I had mixed thoughts as the break away group broke and as we were approaching the skate park area I pulled next to Charlie and Tom and asked if those guys up ahead were part of our group. Tom replied, "Yeah, I guess." I rolled on up to the front group and we rode at a nice 20mph most of the time. We got out on Hwy 161 and pulled into the quick stop for a regroup and drink load. As the group started back out Charlie was still getting his gear back on. Be there, done that before. We rolled on out and dropped into the Willow Beach neighborhood and I expected the group to be slower just as a courtsey to allow the leader to jump back in. They were getting away. I hammered along at 22-24 mph for the longest and could not catch up with them completly. Crud! I would start to close in then they would rotate out the pull man and it would pick up again. I finally gave in to the wind gods (Ok, maybe it was the light breeze gods) and dropped to 19-20mph. I kept them in my view while I had a banana. I wanted to drop the peel in the middle of the road so the next riders would know they were on the right road but I didn't. Chunked it in the weeds right on top of a racoons head! (Ok, that didn't really happen but it made good reading huh?!)

Funny thing happened. The next thing I know they have rounded the corner and all turned around and were heading back at me?!? They had missed the real turn off. Honey Bee Road.
I bidded happy trials and started back toward Cook's. I told myself this was a training ride and to keep it at least 18mph. I did for most of the ride back. I was riding along and realized I had not stopped for a break since the store and that was really at the sort of beginning of the ride. I stopped and took a photo of a turn sign that I've always thought was funny. It looks like it's melting. So that was a 1 minute stop and then I took a photo of the irrigation area that looks like it would have huge fish but it's strictly off limits. While I was stopped and shooting the photo I could hear something BIG down below in the water. I relly hoped i would get to se a bear or something not normally seen. I could see the ripples in the water and could hear the splashing but could never get close even to be able to see down the hill.

The ride back was pretty uneventful. I got past the hayfield where I saw Denise and Will heading my way. we howdyed on the pass by. I got down to the little bridge and my legs started a protest. Not cramping but just hurting. They were tried pups. I kept it going but dropped down to a panesy 16 a couple of times. I was never so happy to see the end of the trail. I had parked down in the grass due to the MASSIVE amount of cars there this morning. Unclipped and stopped. What??? The right foot would not unclip. Finally got the little snot loose and opened the car and loaded up. That car air never felt so good.

Got home and hit the shower and had a glass of sweet tea. Did I tell y'all I have swee tea in my water bottles sometime? It's sort of like some Zen treatment for me. It settles me down. I also read in Bicycling magazine that Ivan Basso's coach told him once to "relax your face and the rest of your body will follow." I tried that today as my shoulders where getting tire and it works some. My favorite "best advice I ever got" was when someone told me to pretend I was a kitten (Yep, I hear you laughing!!) being held by it's mother by the nap. That really works.

Anyway, Tyler came by and Terri and her folks left to go look at houses and Tyler went over to Backyard Burger and got us lunch. I seemed to not be able to get get enough to drink. I waqs drinking everthing in the house. We watched Nascar of Tv and it was actually fun because it wasn't the big Nascar but the step down or the guys trying to get there. ther was a couple of girls that raced and one had Hamburger Helper as a sponsor. I was cracking up! That big talking glove was painted on the car. She wrecked but no other cars were around.

Ty left and went to play frisbee golf. That sounds fun. He was showing me the putter and driver disc. A lot flatter than a regular frisbee and they are different weights which made sense.

We all will go over to Mexico Chiceto (sp?) for dinner with the in-laws around 5:30. I'm in the mood to eat tonight!

I meant to tell you that Brandon Sigel rode with us this morning. Great rider! He bought is bike drom his old college roommate for 300. It's a very nice Trek. Said the guy also has a Trek 5200 and the 5500. Lord blesses some folks huh?! Ha!