Team Chi-Chis On the Road......

Three-fourths of Team Chi-Chis is on the road in South Georgia for a bicycle ride this weekend. Actually, the fourth member will also be here, but she has to work the ride and can't actually ride. We think she might be breaking up with us anyway.

We brought the RV, and we conveniently parked next to a source of electricity so we don't have to crank the generator. Yay! I just hope someone doesn't come along in the middle of the night, discover our (sort of?) theft, and disconnect us. With my breathing mask on and no electricity, I may suffocate.

We have grand plans for riding this weekend that may or may not include riding another century like last year. The weather is supposed to be ideal, the roads are mostly rural, the terrain is flat, and if the wind doesn't blow, it will be perfect. I hope to take some photos tomorrow when we return from our ride. Those photos may or may not include tiki lanterns and adult beverages.

For now, we had an almost-four-hour drive, and it's past my bedtime. Happy almost-weekend!

Team Chi-Chis Rides Again.......

I had to recycle (ha ha ha -- I'm so funny) a picture from last year. I took my camera today, but I didn't take a single picture. We pretty much look the same as we did last year, though. My hair is a little longer, but we all wore what we have started calling our Team Chi-Chis jerseys. Again this year we did NOT turn at the 80-100 mile sign. Again this year some people who rode 100 miles got in before those of us who rode 52 miles. I hate them.

Almost as much as I hate the ones who come in from a 100-mile bicycle ride and THEN GO FOR A LITTLE RUN. I aimed at one of them with my car when I left. I missed. I apologize.

I had a nice surprise when I got home. Sometimes it's the little things that make me happy.

I went out to the pool, because frankly it took less energy than taking a shower. It's my pool; I can get in it all sweaty from a bike ride if I want to. I'll still take a real shower before I go to bed. Maybe.

It's been at least a week since I went out to the pool, and I did not realize our figs were ripe.

I didn't like figs at first. When Hubby told me that was a fig tree at the fence between our yard and the neighbor's, I wrinkled my nose. Ewwwwww........figs.

As much as I like most cookies (and anything else that's 90% sugar), I have never liked Fig Newtons. I thought it was the figs I didn't like .... who knew it was the newtons?

My mother has come several times and gathered enough figs to make fig preserves. I didn't like those either. I don't really like most preserves. I'm not sure why. Still, I thought it was the figs I didn't like.

Ripe rigs are actually yummy. I split them open and eat the pulp out of the inside. They are very sticky, which makes it very handy that our fig tree hangs over the pool. When I get the juice all over me, all I have to do is jump in the pool.

Of course, after a 52-mile bicycle ride, I could probably eat rocks ..... and like them.

Team Chi-Chis!!!!

Here are the charter members of Team Chi-Chis at Rest Stop #3 on the Covington Century. Man, was it hot. Whose idea WAS it to do this ride in 95-degree weather? And where did all those people come from? One year I actually parked IN the parking lot. This year we had to park about 1/2 mile away and hike to registration and back.

Riding a 50-mile bike ride is a lot like childbirth. (I know, I've also used that analogy for a lot of other things, like writing a dissertation.) In the middle of it, you're wondering "What in the Hell was I thinking?" And then when it's all over you say, "Well, that wasn't so bad." And then before you know if you've lost your mind and signed up to do the same ride again. Or another similar one. Okay, I realize I've just given away the fact that we did not, in fact, turn at the 80-100 mile route. But the sign made for a good picture anyway. If I had thought at that rest stop that I still had 60 miles to ride, I would have just slit my wrists. Even 10 to go at that point almost made me cry. But those last 10 weren't nearly as bad as the 16 between Rest Stop #2 and #3. We had some relatively minor mechanical issues with the tandem today, but we were able to resolve them with Rozmo's help.

Bless my sweet husband for buying steaks for tonight. Normally we go out to eat on Saturday, and normally I am more than happy to do so. But tonight I just wasn't up to it. Bless him for knowing that. I just wasn't into the whole hair, makeup, and what-do-I-wear stuff tonight. I had a short nap, two beers, a refreshing swim in the pool, and another beer with my steak. Thank goodness I can sleep in tomorrow morning.