An Old Forgotten Friend

Well with my road bike now in Grand Rapids waiting to be taken tomorrow on the gear truck to Seattle, I decided to grab my mountain bike from my parents garage where "Sugar" (it's a Gary Fisher Sugar 29er) has waited 8 months for me to remember her.

I couldn't believe it had been that long but it was obvious when I hoped on for a ride monday night and everything felt so wrong. I felt like I was so compact on this bike that my elbows were by my side, that my back felt nearly straight up in the air and I felt like I was 2 miles of the ground!

I couldn't believe how the bike that I had been riding for, I think 3 or 4 years was completely unfamiliar too me. I have to admit I was somewhat devestated. I wondered how things would go after the summer as I had it in mind to sign up for the Squeezer Bike Race again this year (figured with my summer trainging ;) I might have a chance at first place this year) but now I wondered how well that might go. I guess though I do have a month before the race after I come home to get use to riding on my mtn bike and riding through the trails.

Anyhow so I decided rather than riding all road I would follow along the grand river trails, since I never do them on my road bike as there is too much gravel.

It was a really nice ride (though the bugs were out). I headed towards Paris and came out at Oakpark Road and was going to keep going when I saw the big grey clouds. I stopped for a minute to see which way they were actually going and realized they were heading right for my area so I decided to turn around just incase.

I was about 16km into my ride when all of a sudden BAM, my tube blew! Absolute dread filled me as I had no tools or a tube for that matter on me to fix a flat, seeing as all my tools were taped to the side of my bike box in Grand Rapids :P I had taken my cell phone along and took it out to try and call a friend...of course to no avail as I was down low in a valley. I started walking and everynow and then held up my cell to see if I had service yet...that's when the rain started, lol. Found a tree to tuck myself under and was surprised to find I sort of had service in this area, phew. I got a hold of my friend Amanda and asked if she could come pick me up...unfortunatly, the instructions to find me were not the easiest as I had to try calling her about 3 times as I kept loosing my signal.

Thankfully a very nice couple out walking their dog offered to give me a lift to a main road and the use of their cellphone that seemed to work much better than mine so I could make sure Amanda new exactly where to meet me. I found out later that Amanda had been called by another friend a half hour before to go out but thankfully God's plan was for Amanda to be home for when my call came in :) (Thanks girlie)

So, anyhow so much for trying to get on the bike some more this week. Tuesday night the weather was bad and just went to the gym instead and the rest of the week is too busy with getting things together so I guess that's about it for my training now.

Can't believe that this friday is my last day of work and in less then a week now I'll be visiting with my friend Julia in Vancouver!

The countdown is really on now...only 12 more days till we start to ride!!!! I'm getting sooo excited for it but am also starting to get a wee bit nervous with anticipation. Definitely ready to get going :) Soon.... Yeahhhh!