Oof.
Today was the Specialized Commuter Cup Challenge/ bike to work day - the day when the bike industry competes for the Commuter trophy. QBP has won it most years, but not last year - and the e-mails were thick in the inbox cajoling us all week. I figured, "Eh, I've been riding a bit lately, weather sounds like it will be pleasantly cool Friday, Why not? Oh, look, Steve (owner) is leading a ride in from Penn Cycle - I can latch onto that group no problem."
So, last night I set my alarm and my radio and my phone to all go off in one great symphony of noise, called my sister, got called by my mother, and read just a chapter or two from a book before calling it a night. This morning I surfaced slowly, glanced at the radio serenading me with the latest The Current (89.3) had to offer and, "8:20?! I'm not going to make it! What happened?" I threw myself out of bed and was already half dressed by the time I hit the bathroom. I was out the door with 7 minutes to do a 12 minute ride and hoped the things were starting with a relaxed pace. The previous week of riding into work served me well and I made it to Penn Cycle in 10 minutes with good wind. The group left shortly thereafter. We did not take the direct route to work. I didn't *really* think we were going to. I thought maybe we'd end up going through the park even though it was out of our way. I knew that if we did go through the park we'd go up Nesbitt, but what I had forgotten (along with a water bottle) was just how many hills were involved in such a ride.
Now, I was feeling pretty good about the initial ride, so when we reached the turning point and I had the option to take the straight-shot into work I said, "It's been a long time since I rode through the park, I think that sounds lovely! But, I'm going to need some water." Steve had some and we set out. 5 blocks later I was reminded of the Hills of Nesbitt and breathing hard, but I was keeping with the group more or less, so things were fine. Plus, we were almost to the park entrance, and riding through the park really is pleasant.
The park, if you don't know your way through it, can swallow you whole. There are two or three interconnecting loops and the paths are decidedly not straight. The first few times through you should take a guide, at least until you get a feel for the turnings and intersections. It had been a long time since I passed through the park. 1 year? 2? But even so, I had traced the trail over a hundred times. We did not turn onto the standard route. "Ahh," I thought, " We're going the long way." And it was beautiful. Better than I remembered it.
But.
I was *thirsty* My body was starting to express its frustration with me in the form of noodle-y muscles and copper-tasting breath. I mooched a little more water off of Steve, but I didn't want to run him dry. When we got to the bubbler (hop-skip-and-a-jump from the QBP parking lot,) I peeled off and slurped down some of the mineral-y goodness. Getting back on the bike was a little difficult, and I might have walked up the second climb now that there was no group to keep up with, but after the long downhill that lets you know you're reaching the edge of the park I was moving well again. As I entered the parking lot I was greeted by the scent of bacon on the breeze. Mmm...bacon. Pancakes, Bacon, a long e-mail and two giant glasses of water later, I was cool, relaxed and ready to assemble reports and create charts - To Track Down lost product and find it Good Homes! To log my Commuter Credits on Greenlight.com! To provide internal structure for the QBP Wiki!
And I'll remember to bring a water bottle on my way home.
Kate.
