Missed riding with the group this past Saturday morning. Got an email from Richard and it sounded like it was epic. I am in full-on t-ball mode right now so my Saturday mornings are a little crazy. I had promised my little boy Chick-Fil-A Saturday morning, so since my wife and I had been up since about 4:30am with my little girl, it was no big deal for me to go get breakfast at 6:30am!
On the way, I pass by the CVS where we usually meet up to ride. As I rode by, there was a huge group there gearing up so I had to stop and wish everyone a safe ride. They said they were doing a 50 mile route to Tallassee and back (Colin's route), via the toll bridge. 50 miles??? Sounded a little fishy to me (maybe fifty from the toll bridge)! But everybody was there, even Mark. So I offered up some free chicken biscuits but there were no takers so I bid farewell and I was off to the chicken larde capital of the world, Chick-Fil-A.
By the sounds of Richard's email, they had a great ride. The weather was perfect, friends were plenty, and the hills practically pulled you right up (yeah right). Doesn't get any better than that.
Well, it was probably a good thing I didn't go with them on that adventure because I was beat. Went to bed at midnight Friday night to be awoken a little after 4am with a 16 month old wanting to play. If she wasn't a little angel, it might bother me. But hey, that's all part of it. But it did mean I wasn't worth much on my ride later that day with James. The jaminator was in full effect! We met up about 2:00 to put in about 50 miles out Old PIke. He is getting ready for a half Ironman so he was probably going to try and put in a few more. It was another one of those rides where I just didn't have any energy. I know it was the lack of sleep and just being plain ol' tired. But it was a good ride. James is a great person to ride with and has really come a long way on his riding.
At about mile 40, I turned back onto Old PIke to head back in (because I was ABSOLUTELY DEAD TO THE WORLD) and James wanted to put in another 10+ miles so he went the other way. By this point I was beat and cruised back in around 17 mph, I had enough fun for one day. I still ended up with an 18.3 average so it wasn't too bad. I was able to make up a little time with Ed Hamilton who passed me on Pike Road riding in from his ride. When I got home, the kids were asleep and the wife was fiddling around the house so I went and layed down (more like passed out).
The next two weeks are so important for my endurance race on the 5th. Rest, rest, rest. That is the name of the game along with ride, ride, ride and then rest some more. No fast food, plenty of water. It's game time!
I am feeling pretty good now (Monday) even though I just got back from the eye doctor cause my left eye is all jacked up and looking like something out of the Chainsaw massacre. Worked in my father-in-law's yard helping out on Sunday and something must have flown into my eye. It is all red and swollen and looking pretty nasty. Luckily, the doc said I will live another day so don't start sending flowers yet. While I was there, he said I would be a perfect person for Lasik surgery. He went through all this and that and what not (felt like I was being sold insurance) and asked me if I had any questions. Yeah, how much? $1850. Really? That's not too bad, I said. Then he explained a little more and I realized he was talking per eye!!!! $1850 + $1850.... $3700 for both eyes!!!!!! You gotta be kidding me!
I don't undertand why do they price "per eye." Like I am going to go in there and have one eye done. But I will tell you what, $3700 is a MAJOR chunk o" change I could put down on that dream bike of mine. Hell, that would pretty much pay for it once I sold my bike and the odds and ends in my garage. Well, maybe. It would be a more realistic "dream" bike than the actual $12,000 Colnago I priced out the other night laying in bed with the laptop. But the day that baby sits in my garage is the day my money tree in the backyard statrs doing more than just making leaves for me to rake up!
Well, until this passion (somecall it an addiction) with bicycles ends, the eyes are going to have to wait.
