Today’s ride was mostly flat with a few rolling hills. 

The training friend I rode with seems to know all sorts of wonderful routes… I am very excited she is sharing them with me. (She also told me about a website www.routeslip.com where you can plot new routes and see other routes people have plotted before you. It is pretty cool!)

 Anyhow, we rode behind Fairfield and out by the Oil Ranch in Hockley. We had a little wind against us coming back. The weather was beautiful… a little chilly at first, but it didn’t take long for the sun to come out. A few dogs found us and ran with us for a bit… nothing that a few harsh “NO!!”s didn’t stop, though. (wheeewww!!) I loved riding between the farms. We even went by a real working dairy farm and saw the big tanker truck taking the fresh milk away!! Cool!! (Feel free to laugh if you are more familiar with farm stuff than I, by the way.)

I am trying to get brave enough to draft behind someone, so I tried to pull up close to her a few times when I was in the back. It  makes me nervous to get too close. What if the rider in front stops suddenly or swerves or there is a huge pothole? I know I need to build trust… but I have to build the trust in myself, too! I don’t know that I’ll be brave enough to ride so close for the MS ride, but one day I will!

At the end of the ride I felt energized and still more encouraged. We were planning a few more rides to fit in out there before April 12. I cannot believe it is just 3 weeks until the big ride!

Length: 39 miles

average speed: 15 mph

max speed: 27.5 mph

2:36

Average heart rate: 78% of max