Last night I decided to resurrect the "fitness ride". Twenty plus miles, head down, high cadence. The first few miles I kept drifting into anerobic riding. I was pushing too hard and had to keep reminding myself to stay aerobic. I had to keep downshifting and increasing the cadence. I was telling myself "this is why I stopped doing fitness rides". I hate them.
As the "second wind" began to form, I started to recall that I used to love this ride. I didn't do it much last year because of all the commuting. On this route, the first few miles are up a slight grade. It's difficult to get a good rythmn or cadence. The grade changes from road to road, but it's always up.
Reaching the apex of this part of the ride, I began to feel better. I started to get into a good aerobic cadence just as the downhill began. The head wind held the speed to around 30, but it was still refreshing. I intended to stop across the the ice cream stand for a rest. (Past practice). When I made the turn I just kept going and actually began planning where to stop for a water break and maybe sit a spell. The golf course? Yea, that's the ticket. As I passed a small variety store, I though I saw my neighbor entering. I turned back and planted myself in the parking lot. After a couple of minutes I decided to move on.
Between the store and the golf course is a nice climb I call "Lances Hill". It remindes me of a commercial I saw with him training on a lonely country road, with cornfield on either side. It looked like a very cool place to be riding.
The service road in the golf property goes along side the 9th green. I noticed a ball around two feet from the cup, and one guy on the tee. His shot did not land on the green. I stopped to watch the final outcome of the play and asked the guy who missed the green, "has he been doing that all day?" He made the put, by the way.
During the final leg, I ran into Brandon (my neighbor and sometime bike riding partner who smokes). I stopped to talk a bit and noticed a couple of odd things. He had a six pack of beer, but no empties and his rod had no hook attached. He is not supposed to be drinking. He can't do it at home, or at his girlfriends house. Therefore he spends lots of time alone. Or more likely with his little friend who live in Budwiser bottles.
"Where are the empty bottles", I asked? He nodded towards the pond. I suggested he become a "green" drinker, help save the planet and bring the empties to my house. "Just throw them on the lawn", I said. I'll cash them in, and the amount he has been drinking lately, buy myself a new bike. A nickle at a time.
I left my camera home purposely in order to keep it a fitness ride. Tonight I'll be doing the same one with the camera. The last ride before the Five Boroughs of New York.
