This year Labor Day weekend meant a major training weekend. Dave and I went to Brinnon, WA, where my dad and Cathy have a cabin. On Friday I biked to work and Dave picked me up after. We took the ferry to Bainbridge Island and had dinner. Then we drive to Brinnon on the Hood Canal.
On Saturday we headed out to bike with my parents. We thought there were a couple of relatively flat roads, but they turned out to be quite hilly. Still, we put in 40 miles with a ton of hills. Pretty significant! The night before we discovered that Dave had a flat tire, so I changed it and showed him how (thanks to Blake for teaching me!). On the second road Dave got a flat. I was on my way up a big hill and my parents didn't realize anything was wrong. Luckily the road was pretty short, but I got back to Dave to find him with a flat - very sad. So, my parents went back to the house and Dave and I stayed. We changed his tire again, but my mini-pump broke. My dad picked up Dave and took him back to the cabin while I biked the 6 miles back. Luckily, we managed to fix Dave's tire and him and I went back out for some more miles. We got back just in time to beat the rain, but weren't so lucky when we tried to kayak later in the day.
On Sunday we drove back, stopping by North Bay on Case Inlet (my old research site) and Miracle Ranch (where I went to camp) so that I could reminisce and share with Dave. We took Dave's bike to REI because he was having some gear trouble. Then we went to Blana's and got ready for a ride. We did the Lake Sammamish loop, a little short of 30 miles with a few hills (but nothing like Saturday!). We started late in the day, so it was a nice way to get in some miles in 2 hours. Dave and I were super hungry, dirty, and tired after that. I passed out at 9:30pm, but he stayed up until midnight reading Harry Potter!
On Monday we headed back to Blana's for more riding. I wanted to do 60-70 miles. First we did the Lake Sammamish route again, returning to Blana's for a lunch break. Our butts really hurt sitting on a bike seat by that time, but we all headed out and biked from Redmond to Bothell Landing, about 16 miles. We had a quick hot chocolate break when we got back. Then Dave and I left for the final stretch - Redmond to Bothell Landing one more time, continuing to Marymoor and back. In total we think we did about 65 miles on Monday.
Today (Tuesday) I biked to work. It seriously hurt to sit on my bike seat this morning. Really. My legs weren't even that bad, I just didn't want to sit down! I made my way into work, not very quickly, but not awful. I worked a little late tonight, and then biked home. I made it on the usual route up Eastlake and 11th - the hilliest, but fastest, way home. It didn't take me too long, and I don't feel completely exhausted.
I'm giving my body a break for a couple days because I'll be busy, but Friday - Sunday I'll be right back at it. I'd like to do back to back 60-70 mile days next weekend. I'm thinking we'll ride from my place to Marymoor and back on Saturday. We can visit Blana in Redmond and get in about 50 miles. We'll add on something extra to increase the miles - maybe continuing to Fremont to get ice cream at Molly Moon and taking a loop around Green Lake. Not sure for Sunday. We might do the Seattle Half Century loop in reverse, but go around East Lake Sammamish. That should be pushing 70 miles altogether. With any luck the weather won't be awful! Hopefully I can get in a little riding on Friday, and I'll ride my bike in to work and to REI to drop the bike off on Monday.
It's going to feel really strange to drop it off, but Dana said I can use her bike to get in a couple of short rides before I leave. I don't plan to do too much, as I want to be good to my body. So far everything is holding in there - my body, the bike, everything. I just have to keep in together for a few more weeks. :)
Keep sending me good vibes!
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