Lost in Space

Not to be outdone on 95 miles rides, I went on a ride of my own today. Unfortunately, I didn't have a team of really fast bike riders that I could draft off of. I also didn't really know all the turns on the route I had chosen to take.

I posted on the DC Tri Forum for a long ride on Sunday and one guy responded. It was someone I never met before, nor had I ever heard of him. But, having no other takers, I agreed to meet him at 6:15 am at the Hains Point parking lot. He showed up, on his bicycle. It took me a few minutes to get ready and we were off.

Just a quick sidebar... this is the equivalent of a blind date. Training with someone is a very serious matter. NOT just anyone will do. And, it is good to leave an out in case things are not working out for you.

My colleague said he wanted to go long but I left an out that we'd do 60 miles or so. Off we went.

We did the Wisconsin Avenue to Reservoir Road thing. We bantered a little, but those who train with me know that I'm mostly business when we get the wheels turning. We got out to MacArthur and I opened up some separation between us. He was having a hard time keeping up. About 10 miles into the ride, he got up close and said, "I'm not going to be able to keep up this pace". It was cool... I could dial it back a little. He had passed me on some of the hills so he was definitely a good rider.

We got out to Glen Road and then the topic of turning left or right on Seneca came up. He wanted to go long so, we took a right. I got the left into the neighborhood right and was thinking to myself... you know... we could go out to Sugarloaf.

So, there is a point out there near Germantown where you can see Sugarloaf Mountain. I said, "We could ride out to there." He said, "I don't have anything else to do today", so I took that a yes. After we got out to 118, I started thinking... shit... I don't know if I know all the turns out here...

There is a fork in the road where you can stay on 117, go on Barnesville Road or take a right on Slidell... I chose Barnesville... which I learned quickly was not correct. We backtracked and hit Slidell. This was correct. Then, I got off track by turning on Old Baltimore. We had to ask some people walking which way to Comus Road and they pointed it out. We were actually on Peachtree Road.

My new riding partner took this in stride and was good natured about it. Once you are on Comus, it's easy... head for the mountain. We made the climb but I finished a good five minutes in front. We headed back down and then out Sugar Mountain Road towards Mt. Ephraim.

I got off course again on Martinsburg Road. I missed the turn for Wasche Road and we almost ended up at the river. We headed back and then took the left on Whites Ferry.

As I had to keep waiting up for Derrick to catch up to me at all turns, I felt good as we rolled into Poolesville. I knew that all I had to do was tell him about Partnership Road and then I could cut him loose.

I felt real good the rest of the way back to Hains Point and definitely had a higher mile per hour average finishing the ride. Of course, the sun came out and humid became hot and humid.

I swam again at Hains Point afterwards. Paulie met me there. Ed Moser was there, of course. I think that guy lives at Hains Point because he is there everytime I am out there. I got leg cramps again, however. I think I am going to kill the swim after bike thing and switch over to bike/run bricks. The cramping on the swim is just killing that workout.