LE TOUR

For those of you who don't remember from last year, I love the Tour de France.  I watched about 60 hours of the world's greatest bicycle race in the last three weeks.  It is a road race covering over 2,100 miles in 23 days; 21 race days.  Sunday, Bradley Wiggins of the powerful Sky team, was the crowned  the overall individual winner - the first winner from England in the Tour's history which began in 1906.

It gave me the bug and, since I could hardly walk because my Achilles was so sore from Friday's softball game, I had a brainstorm about taking a long ride.  Yesterday morning, I threw my mountain bike into the back of our Prius and headed for the bike trail insertion point in Loveland.  I haven't ridden the bike in a couple years. 

I got a late start and didn't get off until after 11am.  It was already well into the 80's.  I went away with a single bottle of water attached to the bike by a bungee cord (I don't have a water bottle clip).  I hadn't eaten anything since I downed a bowl of cereal about 7:30.  My head was protected by a ball cap.  I noticed early on that the big wide tires on my bike were different than those on the other rider's bikes flying past me. 

The track is basically flat, wide, and tree lined.  All the fall-off areas are lined with a fence.  It is a great place to ride.  I had the idea I could get to my daughter Amy's house in Terrace Park; get something to eat, rest and head back.  I estimated that round trip would be about 25 miles and that I could travel at about 12 to 13 miles per hour.

I had trouble with my gears in the first mile.  I threw the chain trying to get a reasonable gear to ride in.  I got it back on without much trouble and decided to pick the best gear I could get into and just leave it there.  It was very hard pedalling.  I averaged about 8 to 9 miles per hour.  I ran out of water when I stopped at the Milford bridge insertion point so I decided to call Amy and have her come get me - no answer.  She had no idea I was coming.  It was already 12:15.  I called home - no answer.  I called my wife's cell - no answer.

I sat for a half hour.  I had the choice of heading back to my car in Loveland or pushing on toward Amy's house.  I needed water and food badly so I took the closer alternative and headed for Terrace Park.  I felt rejuvenated after the rest.  This part of the trail was almost totally enclosed by vegetation and I lost track of where I was.  I had seen a swimming pool and ball fields through the bushes but dismissed them as being to close to Milford.  I was almost to Newtown when I asked someone where I was.  I had to backtrack to get to T.P. The pool I saw was the Terrace Park Swim Club.

I found a dirt path down off the trail to the road far below. My hands were shaky, my legs were rubbery and it was not easy holding the bike as I descended.  This put me real close to Amy's house but since she didn't answer her phone I assumed she wasn't home.  I rode into the swim club.

They let me in - I think the kid at the gate was afraid I was going to die right there.  I made it to the concession stand.  I drank 40 oz of yellow Gatorade and a Snickers Ice Cream bar.

What to do now?  Riding back to Loveland was out of the question.  I called my son, Andy.  He saved me.  Next time I'll be better prepared.

Oh, my butt hurts!
:)