Confession: I am listening to my sappy love songs playlist (highlights include the Cure, Peter Gabriel and Iron & Wine) and marveling over how much I love my bike. Because really, when it comes down to it, Muppet is my life partner. Together, we have adventures, we're strong, we set goals and we work to achieve them. And it feels like playing -- like I'm 7 years old again and couldn't care less about anything else. I smile so much whenever I'm on my bike that I'm pretty sure I look a) mentally challenged or b) totally smitten. (Aren't they the same thing anyway in the end? Sorry, I'm bitter.)
I honestly can't decide if being this obsessed with my bike is really creepy or really awesome.
But whatever. All that matters is I went for a 40-mile ride today -- the first really long ride since, ironically, the day Erika came to visit me here in Seattle.
My goal was to practice riding in aero with my fancy-shmancy new bull horns and also clear my head a little. So I rode the Burke Gilman trail to Woodinville. I figured flat and familiar would be good for using the new gear.
The results? Riding in aero feels bizarre. Like I'm tucked in really close to the ground, and the pavement is rushing up super quickly near my face, yet I'm lazy and slouched over and just hanging out. And any tiny adjustment -- any imbalance or weight shift -- makes a huge difference, and I start wobbling immediately. Steering is also very strange. And I'm still getting the hang of switching in and out of aero position.
That said, riding is the best thing ever. I can't describe exactly what it is about the bike -- I'm not even very good at it, but there is just something about it that is intoxicating and liberating and makes you want to stand up in the saddle and start howling for joy.
Also, it is awesome when you're riding and see some guy just randomly walking his horse.
And I got hungry on my ride, so I rode to the Willows, valeted my bike (I'm not even kidding -- I went to a $300 a night hotel and checked my bike in) and then ordered a bacon Bloody Mary and brunch at the Barking Frog.
This whole Ironman training thing is the best thing ever.
2 comments
NICE! Wish there was a nice trail like that close to me.
That is so awesome that you valeted your bike and had a bacon bloody mary. I am definitely not living large with my little Trek!
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