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October 07, 2006

Pineywoods Purgatory

I rode the Pineywood Purgatory today. Feeling my oats, I decided to skip the easy 25-mile route and go with the more manly 52-miler. Now, in East Texas it's not the miles that get you; it's the hills. So 52 miles on a map probably works out to be 600 or so once you factor in the altitude changes. Of course, my legs will tell you we rode closer to 1000, but they'd be lying. But they are threatening to cramp as I write this unless I mention that.

For the first time ever, I used the very lowest gear on my bike to get up a hill. I mean where 11th gear will suffice in the first 40 miles, 1st gear--1ST GEAR--barely got me to the crest. I was milked. Note to self: pack some Tums antacid because you will run out of calcium quickly. Also note to self: remember to check behind you before blowing snot out of your nose. Also, also note to self: biking shorts--which you don't have--have pads in the crotch for a reason. You may never walk the same again.

My next daring adventures on two wheels is the Dam-to-Dam ride in Jasper. My favorite riding companion, Robert, and I will once again pass our elders on their carbon fiber bikes 'neath the beautiful canopy of pine trees of Deep East Texas.

Posted by tat at 02:29 PM | Comments (5)