Riding in Dripping Springs

Today was the day I've been anxious about for a while...riding in Dripping Springs. Through posts on the Challenge message boards, we organized a small group ride in Dripping Springs over Labor Day weekend to get a feel for the area and the drive out there. My best friend surprised me with a last minute visit to San Antonio from Kansas, so she joined us on the ride, thanks to Travis, who lent us his spare bike. After getting up before 7am, showering, and getting into my riding gear, my husband helped me load the bike rack and my bike onto the back of our car. I gathered up everything I needed, filled mine and Robin's Camelbaks, and we got on the road. Traffic was basically nonexistent on the way north, and finding Travis' house was extremely easy. After meeting Travis and adding his spare bike to my bike rack, we followed him out to Dripping Springs (which was also a very easy drive). We met Steve in the parking lot and got out on the road on our bikes.

I had lofty aspirations of possibly going maybe 20 miles (but farther if I was doing ok). Keep in mind that I haven't ridden in months, and the farthest distance I've ever ridden at one time was 6.2 miles. So we got going, and it wasn't too bad. Weather was cooperating with no rain, lots of cloud cover and mild temperatures. I realized right away that I had forgotten to stretch before I got on the bike...a big mistake which can lead to major injuries (but luckily did not do that for me). My slow speed on the bike became immediately apparent, as I frequently fell behind Steve, Travis and Robin on the route, but they were nice and doubled back for me more than once. They weren't kidding when they said the hills were going to be tough. I had stopped looking at the odometer on my bike a while ago and had just started trying to survive on the bike. My god do those clipless pedals help when you're dying up a hill! It also helps to have your own personal cheer section and motivators on bikes riding behind you. No matter how slow I went, Steve and Travis stayed with me and helped me push farther.

I told Steve before the ride that when I couldn't move anymore, that's when I'd stop. Well, that time came right around 7 miles. We were going up yet another hill, and I just couldn't go anymore. I got out of my pedals and just stopped in the middle of the road, got off my bike, walked to the edge of the pavement, laid the bike down in the grass, and sat down on the ground. I felt like I might puke. My face was tingling right above my cheekbones, next to the outside corners of my eyes on both sides. My arms and legs were shaking. I didn't think I'd be able to walk, let along ride back to the car. So there I sat. Robin had ridden ahead, so Steve road up to find her and bring her back to where I was. Travis and I discussed it and thought the best option would be for him to ride back to the car on his bike with my car keys and bring my car out to where I was so I could load my bike on from there. While waiting for Travis, I had regained the ability to stand and walk a little. After resting with Steve and Robin for a while, I decided maybe we could ride back along the road, and when I needed to, I would stop and wait for Travis. Most of it would be coasting, not too many bad hills for a while, so I thought I'd give it a try. We got back on the bikes and road slowly back the direction we had come. All told I added another 2 miles to the total distance before Travis found us. Steve and Robin rode back to the lot where we had started, and Travis helped me load my bike. We drove back to the lot and loaded up to head back to Travis' house to drop off the spare bike, and then made the long drive back to San Antonio.

By the time we got back within the San Antonio city limits, I was so exhausted that I called Ryan to come get my bike, grabbed my stuff out of the car, and Robin and I both went upstairs for a nap. Robin's still sleeping, but I'm finally awake after several hours of "I'm just too tired to keep my eyes open anymore" kind of sleep.

I did learn several things today:
Lesson #1: Having other people there in and of itself is a boost.
Lesson #2: If I can go 9 miles after not riding in months, between training the next few weeks and the adrenaline rush of the Challenge itself, I will definitely be able to do the 40 miles.
Lesson #3: Even if I feel like I can't move anymore, rest long enough and I CAN get back on the bike and ride farther.
Lesson #4: I need to find a riding buddy for the actual course...someone like Steve or Travis who will help me push myself.
Lesson #5: I CAN and WILL (when necessary) push myself further than what I think my limits are. Self motivation has always been an issue for me, but I know now that I can do it when I need to.
Lesson #6 (and perhaps the most important one of all): This isn't about the bike. It's not about how far I ride or don't, or how hard it is, or how bad the hills are. This is about Cancer. This is about the Lance Armstrong Foundation and supporting their fight. This is about all the people in my life and around the world who have had or been touched by cancer. My suffering on the bike will be NOTHING compared to what cancer patients experience on a daily basis. I've had those thoughts before, but it never hit home with more emphasis than it did today. I've got tears in my eyes as I'm typing this, thinking about why I decided to do this ride in the first place...because I CAN.

Thank you Steve and Travis for being so kind and helping me survive. It was wonderful to have other people there to talk to, and, when i was working too hard on the bike to talk, people there with words of encouragement and support. I could not have gone as far as I did without your help.

Today was a good day...a very good day.


Total miles on the bike: 9 (91 left on Russ's Challenge)