Pedal for Paws........

Rozmo and I did a ride today that she's done for several years, but it was only my second time. It starts only steps away from where Hubby and I tailgate, so the date of the ride varies depending on the UGA football schedule.

The ride ended at about the 58.5 mile mark, but Rozmo and I can't have THAT, not as card-carrying members of the Round Numbers Club, so we rode out on the North Oconee River Greenway for about a mile and back so we could round up to 60 miles.

We also have a ride of about 66 miles tomorrow. Sure, I thought back-to-back 60-mile rides was a GREAT idea. And the one tomorrow requires that I leave home no later than 6:00 AM. (I only hope I go to the right town this time.)

We had beautiful weather today, unlike last year when it was incredibly windy. Katydid and I were also on the tandem last year, which made it tougher, since the route is fairly hilly. The only complaint I have about today's route is that the rest stops don't have any potty facilities. I realize the ride organizers are trying to save money for a cause (in this case the Athens Canine Rescue), and having porta-potties costs money. In their defense, the first rest stop was at a barn formerly owned by singer Kenny Rogers, and the property is either in foreclosure (several owners since old Kenny owned it) or in the process of being sold. So the restrooms we have been able to use in the past weren't open. Likewise, the second rest stop was at a state park (right beside a VERY cool covered bridge) where there are public facilities, but due to some miscommunication (or lack of communication), the restrooms were locked. So Rozmo and I were forced to get closer to nature than we intended, and I don't squat very well.

I don't want to nitpick, though, since even a bad day on the bike is better than a good day off the bike. And it wasn't even a bad day on the bike. Tomorrow is supposed to be considerably cooler, and I'll have to break out the cycling knickers for the first time. And my cycling jacket. But it'll still be a good ride because it's in a beautiful part of the state. Report tomorrow night.

Pedal for Paws.....

Katydid and I did a ride today in our college town called Pedal for Paws.

Wait, the RIDE was called that, not our town. Just had to clear THAT up.

The ride was to benefit Athens Canine Rescue, a worthy cause in our minds.

One reason we decided to do this ride was A) it was on a Sunday; and B) it meant we didn't have to leave home at 6:00 AM to get to the ride start. We could even load the bike in daylight! (But since Hubby was still sleeping, I couldn't PACK in daylight, which might explain the fact that I wound up with leg warmers [which I didn't need] instead of arm warmers [which I did]. Turns out leg warmers work almost as well on the arms.)

Another thing I really appreciated about this ride is that they emailed us the cue sheet (directions) last week. That meant I could convert it to a map on the computer and upload it into the GPS. Then the GPS beeps to let us know when to turn, and there is a bright pink line indicating the correct route. There are also symbols painted on the road, but having the map in the GPS is a great comfort.

When I was looking at the cue sheet, I was pretty sure the route would go right past the house where our Grandmother and Granddaddy used to live when we were young. I asked another rider if she would stop and take our picture (because Rozmo was so far ahead of us), and she willingly did so.

We didn't bother asking the owners if they MINDED us traipsing across their yard. Maybe they were still asleep. At any rate, I'm relieved they didn't come out shooting. We can't ride fast enough to dodge bullets. Hell, we can't ride fast enough to dodge a turtle with arthritic knees.

I love this house so much. I have many, many happy memories of time spent there. And some not-so-happy ones too. Like when my brother Jack would go to the railroad tracks across from the house and lie down on the tracks, telling me, "Yep. I hear a train coming." At which point I would cry and try in vain to drag him off the tracks, sure in my little tiny brain that he would lie there and allow a train to smash him to pieces.

See that window over the front porch? I once threw my ballerina doll out of that window. My cousin assured me she would catch it. She did not. Butthead. The doll never danced again. Probably tore her ACL or something.

I wish I had taken the time to take more pictures. Like the enormous magnolia tree in the front yard. Or the pecan trees in the back yard. But we were already trespassing, and we didn't want to be last to finish the ride. Again.

It was a very windy day and the route was very, very hilly, but we knew both of those things before we started. It didn't make it any easier, and my legs and back are very, very sore tonight. I see some P.M. medication in my immediate future.

This is the only ride I've ever done where I've found doggie treats in the goodie bag along with the usual PowerBar and energy gel. Gus wasn't thrilled with the dog bone, but Libby liked it okay.

And the t-shirt?

Orange print. On a blue shirt.

Like I'm ever going to wear THAT.