2 Weeks to the Tour!!

Yikes! I didn't do a very good job keeping up the blog, did I? Oh well, I've been doing lots of riding, just not writing about it.

With working an 11 am - 8 pm shift at my new job, I've been able to do loads of riding in the mornings. The weather has really cooperated and the mornings have been beautiful.

We head out between 7:30-8, do about 20 miles and are back at Catsburg by 9:45-10. Then I zoom home, jump in the shower and head for work.

Then on the weekends, we try to do longer rides. Saturday of Labor day weekend - we were shooting for 50, but I didn't make it. Riders were Dad, Marie, Nancy and me. At about 25 miles I started feeling crummy, partly I think because I ate a turkey sandwich. It was a bit heavier than what I usually do for protein (canned tuna) but I thought it would be good. It was also pretty hot & humid. So I was very nauseated and light-headed. Thank goodness for Mom sagging for us - I pooped out at 27 miles and rode the rest of the way in the air conditioned truck. The rest continued on and had a great ride.

We left Sunday as a rest day, although Marie and I coulda/shoulda ridden.

Monday, dad and I met up and did 32 miles out from Catsburg. Hit a few new roads, as dad wanted to check out "Dude Ranch Road". We didn't find any ranches, although there was one house that had a doggie ranch sign with a basset hound on it out front. Visions of cowboys roping droopy-eared dogs....

Anyway, great ride - I could've done another 10 at least. I should be able to handle doing 50 each day at the Bike Tour!

Let's Ride!!!!

Well, now that I'm publicizing the blog, it's time to start keeping it up to date, isn't it?

I had rotator cuff surgery in January, lots of physical therapy for the next few months, and started riding in mid-May. I had hoped for Easter weekend, but the weather and travel didn't cooperate.

While I was stashing the bike in the car one day, I had to lower the seat to get it to fit. I guess it was a few days later when the bike came out to go riding and I didn't realize about the seat until I was saddled up and moving.

GUESS WHAT??

Hills are much easier!!!! Well, maybe not easy, but I'm certainly getting up some of the tough ones on our regular route a lot better than I was last year.

This has given me a great increase in confidence. I don't look at hills as insurmountable or with total dread - now I see them as "Hey I bet I can get up this one now!" And I usually do. Like I said, it's not easy, but definitely better than before.

Last week I was on 11-8 shift, which was great for riding in the early a.m. We hoped it would be less hot and windy. Went out on Wed. with Dad and did pretty well - about 12 miles. Could've done a bit more, but time was tight. Thurs., Marie joined us and so did the wind! I'm fighting enough battles dragging all this extra weight around, I don't need a headwind too. That was very discouraging, I was really pooped even before I turned around about 6-7 miles out. Tailwind back helped, but the headwind fight had taken a lot out of me, especially my arms. Need to work on strengthening. Going to take therabands or weights to work and use them often.

Should be able to get some riding in this weekend.

rides to try

Thank you!!!

To all my sponsors and supporters - THANK YOU!!

With your help, as of today (Sept. 19) I have raised $640.09! This puts me well on my way to meeting my goal of $1,000.

If you haven't been able to make your donation yet, you can click HERE to go to my National MS Society page and then click on "Donate to Nora" to make your donation online. If you'd prefer to mail a check, you can email me at noisy415@hotmail.com for my mailing address.

We had a great time at the Bike Tour, as we always do. Below are some pictures of our adventures on hot, windy Saturday and rainy, chilly Sunday!

MS 150 Bike Tour 2007 Pix

Blanche, me and Larry before the start.

Blanche and Larry ready to head out! Well, Blanche was ready - Larry hopped off his bike so I could take their picture. Blanche is riding a recumbent three-wheel bike. Larry rode "Mr. Fuji", a regular road bike - because their tandem-recumbent-tricycle had wheel troubles that weren't fixed in time for the Tour.

My sister Marie, who was the first in our family to ride the MS 150 Bike Tour, me and Dad (riding since 1994), ready for the start.

With Joe, a long-time rider and friend.

On the move at last! That's my shadow with the camera up in the air. We are riding above Hwy. 70 - the main highway into New Bern from the middle and western part of the state. Those itty bitty spots are cyclists! Aaaaack! We'll be down there in a minute!

This is just as Dad and I started down the on-ramp. Couldn't take any more pix after that, I was too busy enjoying the ride! It was a fun curving downhill and quite an experience to bicycle on a road that I've driven many times. I couldn't get a pic of it, but they had one of those changeable highway signs that said "Caution Bicyclists on Bridge". I'll try to find some other pix of the bridges - they go over the Neuse and Trent rivers, which New Bern sits on. This next pic is from up on the bridge.

Here's what it looks like from above - green arrows indicate where we rode.

Below two photos are me and Dad with long-time volunteer and friend Glen. This is at the first rest stop - about 14 miles into Day 1. Glen has had MS for many years and when I was on staff at the MS chapter, he called in to sign up as a volunteer. It was the beginning of a great working relationship that became a wonderful friendship. Glen is one of those people I see maybe 2-3 times a year at MS events, but we pick up chatting about families and other important things like we just saw each other yesterday. Dad rides for Glen, so they have a special bond as well.

This horse was just running along his pasture, enjoying the beautiful day as much as we were!

I think there are some cyclists up the road there....somewhere.... Just a peaceful country backroad - most of the tour is like this.

More photos to come!

Fri., July 6

Met Marie and Dad after work at Catsburg. They did a short run of about 7 miles, then met me and we headed out. Went out to the Exxon, then down Geer St. for the other side of my Rocky hill - the side I fell on last Sunday.

Marie got ahead at the intersection and waved us on, keeping an eye out for traffic so I didn't have to stop before making the turn. Dad ended up stopping there with her, so I hammered on ahead to attack the hill. I could hear them shouting behind me "Go Rocky Go!!!" and I made it!! It's a long hill, but I made it with some gears to spare and felt pretty good.

Had the downhill side of the hill to recover a little before the sharp left and up a tiny hill (feh! I laugh at hills!) and we cruised slowly through the next couple of miles, drinking, chatting and recovering.

It feels really good to be able to actually ride with Marie and dad, even though I know they're holding back at times to ride with me and encourage me. But at least this year I don't feel like I'm constantly battling myself and/or the bike just to make it down the road, which is how I've felt in the past.

Really enjoying riding!!

4th of July

Had a great ride with Dad! It was nice to have plenty of time and no particular destination. We started out about the usual time - 8 a.m. with a plan to go about 20-25 miles. Weather was gorgeous, a little breeze that didn't bother us until pretty far into the route. It became a nice tailwind after we turned around at Pope's store!

The worst part of this ride - I hit a squirrel! Dad and I were cruising along side-by-side at about 17-18 mph with that nice tail wind, when from the right comes a squirrel. He darts under dad's bike and makes it through fine. Then he gets to me and isn't so lucky - my front wheel hit him and I think the back one did too. I felt terrible, but I couldn't go back - what could I have done for him, assuming we were able to find him?

Ended up with about 23 miles and an average of 11.6. Not bad, but I'll get better!