Just 99 miles to go

Monday, September 14, 2009

Now what?

Post SM100 dul-drums.
What the hell do I do now?
It was nice not "needing" to go out Saturday for a training ride.
I actually got other stuff done.
Did a side job and made some cash, changed out the front wheel bearing in the wifes SUV which I'd been putting off for a few months, and cut the grass. All in just one Saturday.
Amazing the amount of time you have for other stuff if your not riding and re-couping.

I finally got back on the bike exactly 1 week after the race. Oxon Hill bike club had a road ride down here in Charles county. I did the metric century with Doc,Chip, and Jason. Originally Doc said he was going to do it on his MTB, as he didn't own a road bike. He pulls in Sunday morning and has a road bike hanging off his car. Shit. Now he's going to be on a level playing field.
He'd just got a new full carbon Cannondale.
He's not up to roadie etiquitte yet. Everybody we passed he'd yell out "GOOD MORNING".
Come on man, your a roadie now. Your supposed to ignore everybody else.
Everytime we'd pass somebody on the side of the road he'd ask them if they needed anything.
After the 3rd person, I realized he's not carrying his camelback, or a saddle bag.
I ask him, what the hell are going to do anyway, you ain't carrying nothing?
Chip chimes in, "He's going to give offer them a drink of water".
It was funny as shit at the time, I guess you had to be there.
We did pass a couple of girls at mile 50 who looked like they needed help. They were already on the phone trying to call the SAG wagon. One of them had a loose link on a chain that was about to pop off.
Being the only professional bike mechanic (meaning that I'm the only one who gets paid to fix bikes, dont take that to mean I know what I'm doing) I look at it. No big deal, they've got a quick link only 2 links over from the one thats busted. My chain tool is buried in my saddlebag so I ask has anyone got one handly.
In a flash Doc pulls one out of his pocket. Son of bitch, he does have a multi-tool.
I take it and am fixing the chain, and the girls are all over how great Doc is cause he had the chain too. "Hey, I'm the one down in the grass, probly catching poison ivy, fixing the chain. I don't think Doc actually knows how to use the damn tool".
We (meaning me) fix them up and they end up riding with us for a while till them and a guy we hooked up with go ahead. I guess they figure it couldn't hurt to stick around a group that could actually fix bikes.
I think this might have been the only ride I've been on lately where I didn't lose weight.
They had stocked stops every 15 miles. The 1st stop, they were actually making fresh, egg Mcmuffin type sandwiches. The gatorade was also full strength, which is different for a bike race/ride. Tasted good but it didn't go over well with the stomach.
I kept pace with Doc pretty much the whole time. Pretty good considering my legs were still feeling it from a week ago.
That 1st 5 miles were a bitch.

seeya

2 comments:

YUEQ said...

Only 350 days to SM100 2010 :)

Tom said...

Christ man, can I get just 30 days to enjoy the rest?
You did too good anyways.
Back to a SS for you.